fragile time

~chapter 1~

I started tip-toeing across the huge library. All the way to the bookshelf closest to Mrs. Zapp's desk. Then I heard Emily say, "Summers!" a little too loud.

Mrs. Zapp's electrifying eyes found Emily, about 10 steps behind me. "Miss Willows, that was your third sound. One more, you're gone."

I glared at Emily as she rolled her eyes. She hadn't told me this. If she makes one more noise, she's getting electrocuted. I would never hear the end of it. She would be furious with herself for the rest of the day, and I was not going to get that annoyed that early.

I continued to walk over to Mrs. Zapp's desk. She glared at me for the second time, "What, your majesty?"

Yes. Mrs. Zapp definitely hated me. She callously added, "your majesty" as if I've already bothered her with 700 things in the past two minutes. As if she was disgusted I breathed the same air she did. As if she hated me. Oh, wait.

Without looking back, I threw a handful of the sleep dust on her face. Mrs. Zapp coughed for a split second, and began to yell something, but before she could finish, she was asleep. Yes! It worked! I glanced back at Emily, who was grinning with excitement. It was a rare sight for her to smile, so I couldn't help but to return it. The moment was short. "I knew it would work." She shrugged like it was no big deal.

"Hey! What'd that kid do to Zapp?!" I heard a voice call from across the library. Every single pair of eyes darted my way, but before I could react I felt an aggressive grab on my shoulder, pulling me out of the library. I stumbled backwards, but I caught myself.

Several voices started shouting at me and Emily in protest. "That's our que." She let go of my shoulder as the two of us ran out of the library, not being able to control our slight laughter. We speeded down the crowded corridors, careful to dodge passing students.

Emily and I were about to turn a corner when we ran right into Xavier. His fiery wings flared up, "Watch where you're going!"

"Xavier," Emily ordered sternly, "Calm down."

When he realized his two friends were in front of him, his eyes softened and his wings returned to just a warm, burning glow. "Oh, hey. Sorry. Wait– what do you two think you're doing? Running in the halls?" He questioned us in a joking tone. "What kind of monster would do such a thing?"

Emily glanced toward me, as I was usually the speaker out of the two of us. "We threw sleeping dust at a teacher."

"Awesome!"

"Yes. Awesome."

"You haven't answered my second question. Why're you running in the halls?"

"Escape, of course. However, I think..." I trailed off. I turned towards the hallway Emily and I came from as I began to focus on the different thoughts in unique minds not-so-far away from me. Other's emotions waved over me as contradicting opinions crowded my head. From the thoughts I could gather, a half fox named Rambo was after us for what we did to Mrs. Zapp. I didn't even notice he was in there.

He was definitely bigger than me and looked stronger. The only reason I could stand up to him is because I had vampire strength, which was three times stronger than the average human. Or so I've heard. Rambo was about eighteen years of age, and he stood at around 6'3. I was 5'9, but I was only thirteen– so I could've still grown. He constantly tormented me in different classes. In this school, there's levels instead of grades like human schools. My friends and I were in level seven. The color black corresponds to our level, and we have to wear a black jacket. Most kids–

"So?" Emily nudged me with her shoulder to bring my thoughts back, "Summers, What's happening?"

I shook my head, "We're going to have some company."