Dimensions

Chapter 1: Halloween

Near death experiences are pretty scary. I should know. I've had several, and I'm only sixteen years old. If you've never had a near-death experience, then consider yourself lucky. Pray you never have one. If you have had a near-death experience, then you know I'm not joking when I say that they are terrifying. Also, if you just so happened to be running for your life, trying to save your best friends, and trying to kill a monster all at the same, then that just makes that experience all the more horrifying.

My name is Carmella Denise Lewis. I live in a small town called Screamsville. (Yes, this is the town's real name.) My family and I moved to Screamsville when I was about eleven. My older brother, Desmond Lewis Jr., is married and living in Los Angeles with his wife and baby.

Anyway, we moved into a nice two-story house on Fennel Street, and soon Mom and Dad both found work. Then, they sent me to school and the twins, Carlos and Carolyn, to daycare.

That was six years ago when we moved. Now, I go to Screamsville High School, which is probably older than the town itself, and the twins go to Redwood Elementary. Screamsville High is a big, dark two-story building with bars on the windows and superstitious teachers. Most of the students have been here long enough to just ignore them, but there are many kids who are just as superstitious.

As for me, I don't scare too easily. I'm not scared of spiders or snakes or the dark. I love watching horror movies and reading scary books. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I'm probably one of the bravest kids in Screamsville. That's pretty good for me seeing as how I don't really have any other interesting qualities. Besides the fact that I'm part African American, part White, and part Cherokee Indian.

My Dad's side of the family is all African American as far as I know. My Mom's side of the family is a bit more interesting. My Mom's dad was a white traveler who stumbled upon this Cherokee tribe and fell in love with one of the Cherokee women (my grandmother). Hence, my mom is a white Cherokee, although she looks just Cherokee. People always tell me that I look just like my mom, but if you ask me, those people need glasses. My mom is tall, graceful, and beautiful with tan skin, long black hair and hazel eyes.

I have tan skin, light brown eyes, and black hair that curls around my ears and covers the back of my neck. My mom and I are about the same height, and we're built up the same, but other than that I see no similarities. My older brother, Desmond, looks just like my dad but with brighter eyes and wavier hair. The twins look a lot like me except that they both have dimples, like my dad.

Now that you know some background information, I guess I should explain how I came to be in a near-death experience.

* * *

I suppose things started to get interesting around Halloween that year. I know that my friends and I are a little old to be going trick-or-treating, but Halloween is my favorite holiday (as you've probably guessed), and I did not want to miss a second of it.

So, around 8pm, my three best friends and I went trick-or-treating. My best friend, Jon, was dressed as Darth Vadar; he had the mask, cape, lightsaber and everything. (He's a huge Star Wars geek.) My friend, Pearl was dressed as a demon cheerleader with black fingernails, black lipstick, and red contacts. Her cheerleader outfit and face were covered in fake blood. Malik, Pearl's boyfriend, was dressed as a zombie. He had on ripped clothes and make-up that made it look like his guts and bones were showing. Of course, I was the most cliché. I was dressed as a witch with a broomstick, a hat, and a black robe and black dress. I would have painted my face green had the twins not spilled the green paint all over the floor.

Anyway, we were walking around going from house to house and kid to kid collecting screams and candy, when I noticed a bright flash of green light to the left of me.

"Hey, guys," I called.

"What?" Pearl and the boys turned around to face me.

"I thought I just saw a flash of light coming from the woods over there." I pointed in the trees where I had seen the light.

"I don't see anything," Pearl said, squinting into to trees.

"Neither do I," Jon said taking off his Darth Vadar mask. "It was probably just someone playing in the woods with a flashlight, Carmella. You know how people like to play on Halloween."

"Yeah, I guess," I said uncertainly. "but the light was green-ish."

My friends knew I had a wild imagination and that sometimes I tried to scare them, but a lot of the times the things I "thought" I saw in my life were not from my imagination. I just could never explain them.

"Come on, Carmella. I want to get as much candy as possible before midnight," Jon whined.

Malik just nodded and moaned "candy" like the zombie that he was.

Malik was tall, dark and muscular and had a deep voice. If someone saw him on the street, they'd probably think he was twenty-something and played professional football. He could look pretty intimidating sometimes, but we all knew that Malik was just a big ole softy. He was the embodiment of the term "gentleman" and rarely ever spoke more than a few words at a time. Jon and I were surprised when he and Pearl started dating because Pearl is the complete opposite of Malik. Amazingly, they made quite a good couple. Pearl had learned a few tips about not saying everything that popped into her head, and Malik...well he was still Malik.

We'd all been friends since middle school, but Malik and Pearl hadn't started dating until last year. So far there was no problems between all of our friendship and their relationship, so that was a plus. Also, unlike other couples, Malik and Pearl never made out or were too affectionate in front of us. They would hold hands or kiss each other goodbye, but nothing that made me or Jon uncomfortable.

"Fine," I sighed. "Let's go-"

SNAP!

I whirled back towards the woods. "Did y'all hear that?"

"Hear what, Carmella? Stop fooling around!" Pearl cried.

I looked at each of them with wide eyes. "You guys seriously didn't hear that snap?"

Jon blinked at me. "Uh...no."

"Omg, you guys must be deaf or something."

Jon walked over and put a hand on my shoulder. "Listen, Carmy. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but...I think you're going crazy."

I rolled my eyes. Jon hardly ever took anything seriously-unless it involved food, Star Wars, or basketball.

"What do you think, Malik?" Jon asked.

Malik shrugged and then nodded.

"Gee, I guess I'll have to check myself into an insane asylum then," I said narrowing my eyes at both of them.

Jon just smiled. "Great idea. I'll be sure to come visit often. Now off to get more candy before the clock strikes twelve."

We turned away from the woods and got back on the sidewalk. At half past eleven, we decided to head home. The streets were nearly empty now. All the younger kids had gone home already. I saw a few kids our age who were still out, but by midnight everybody would be gone. For some reason, people in Screamsville didn't like being out after midnight, especially on Halloween. They said ghosts or demons or serial killers will get you. Sometimes I wonder if there really is something, or someone, out there.