The snow under my feet crunches as I walk to the faded yellow metal box holding newspapers a couple blocks away from my house. I reach the box and open it, grab a newspaper from inside and close it again, roll it up and shove it into my jacket pocket. I begin to walk back to my house when I hear an opening of a car door and then it slamming shut. I look around and see a navy blue truck parked on the street, a ways away and a man in a black leather jacket and blue jeans walking towards me. No, not me, the newspaper box. Why would he be walking towards me? I keep walking, quickening my pace until I am almost jogging when I hear someone yell,
"Zaira!"
That's my name. Why is he calling me?
I turn around to see the man in the leather jacket running up to me, a grave look on his face. How does he know my name? He slows down when he is near me and I start to back up. He reaches into his pocket and I start backing up faster, planning to run into the closest yard near me when he pulls out a letter. I stop. How much harm can a letter do, right? A soft layer of snow begins to fall when he hands it to me. "This is for you." he says, low and smooth. I look down at the letter and read the front of it. It says,
Dear Zaira,
I will arrive at your house at 5:00 this evening. Please be packed and ready. I have notified your parents of my coming and everything will be explained to you shortly after you arrive. Please stay inside.
Nightshade. A. Pillar
I look up, about to ask the man what it is about, but he seems to have vanished. I look for the navy truck but it has gone too. Weird. I run home anxious to tell my parents about what happened almost knocking over one of the kids that lives on my block. Him and I are good friends and when I ram into him, he steadies me with his hands and smiles.
"Where you goin' too, girly?" he laughs. I smile and blow my orange-red hair out of my eyes. He laughs again. His dog barks at a passing pedestrian and before I can answer he is talking again. "I gotta go. I'll talk to you later, girly!" Little did I know then, that would be the last time I see Leo for a very long time.
When I reach the door, I stomp my feet off and step inside. I remove my big black boots and place them on the black mat and hang up my green army jacket.
"Mom?" I ask.
"I am in here! Don't yell across the house!" She replies.
I follow the sound of her voice and see her in the kitchen, making some sort of pasta. I tell her about what happened outside.
"Where am I going?" I finally ask, after a few minutes of explaining.
"Well, I am sending you away to a safer place than here. Now go get ready." she says, shooing me with her hands.
"What's wrong with here? Monsters? " I ask, a confused look on my face.
"Yes, It's just not safe. Please get ready. Trust me."
"Are you coming?"
"I can't but we will write everyday and you will come home for the holidays."
I have learned to trust my mother so I just nod my head and walk into my room. I become very quiet when I am upset so I don't hum or sing while I put things into my backpack. I get some clothes together and some shoes, my sword and some books.
At 4:45 I walk out of my room and look out the window.
"Where am I going, mom?" I ask.
"A school. For people like you. They can all see the monsters too and they all have magic."
I see a vehicle pull up in our driveway and I get my jacket and boots on. I hug my mom and say goodbye to my big brother. He's not the same as me. He doesn't have magic but he knows that I do. I will miss them, but maybe Mom is right. Maybe this is better. Not just for me, but for them. This way monsters won't be drawn to them as well.
A girl with long dark black hair with silver streaks steps out of the black truck. She has a sword strapped to her hip and is about 5'1. A bit shorter than me. A breeze blows my red hair into my face and I put it behind my ear. The girl is very pretty and looks very confident.
She walks up the stairs and shakes my mothers hand. "I am Nightshade." The girl from the letter.
I hug my mom and follow Nightshade into the truck. She says to go to the passenger seat and I follow orders. I strap myself in as Nightshade starts the car. We begin to drive away and I wave goodbye to my family and take one last look at my house and town before we are on the highway to my new and unknown school.
