• ~~~It All Starts Here~~~



    The beeping of my alarm clock awakens me from a deep sleep and a great dream. A dream about action and romance, which seemed almost like a movie I once saw, with me, being the hero, saving a damsel in distress. A dark-haired girl with a pinkish-red bow in her hair. Though I had never seen her, she seemed very familiar.
    "Oh so you are awake Joseph." My dad walks in at exactly 5:23 every morning.
    "Yeah Dad I'm awake."
    "Well then get up, I don't want you missing the bus again today like last year by falling back to sleep right?"
    "Yeah, I'll get up." I obey without hassle. My father is a tall, muscular man and he has a great, strict voice. I don't feel like upsetting him.
    My dad is a construction worker. His name is Donald Roodbury, and all the people of the town talk up to him as if hes that great and they say I'll be just the same. I wouldn't want to do that for the low pay, I need a job that could support a 1-man house/ apartment. He helps build great buildings and such, not something that I'm much interested in. He always talks about his 'fun' days at work, but I know he doesnt really have fun.
    I realize today, that I look alot like him at this age, 14. Average height, pale skin, one blue, one green eye, long wavy mud brown hair that parts down the middle, and the same 80's style too, except a little bit more loose pants. I am also broad-shouldered and a bit muscular, but not much. Today is my first day of high school, so I want to make sure I make a good impression. I get out of my room and shower. The shower is nice and hot, and by the time I get out I'm as red as a lobster. When I leave the bathroom, it's 5:35, still an hour to spare.
    I live in a small house, just enough room to spare, in the town of Swansboro, OR. It's a small, dark, rainy town in northern Oregon, close to Washington. It is, as I said, small and cozy, everybody knows each other here. Plus, there is never a dull moment here, whether it's gossip, drama, or crime, something is always happening.
    I walk down the stairs to the living room. It's dead silent. Marissa, my 18 year old sister is already at work, as is my dad. Marissa is nothing like me at all. She hates my music and is very closed minded. She has long blonde hair and has brown eyes, and is a little shorter than me. I hate her in some ways, but she is my sister so I guess I have to love her. My mother though, shes been dead for as long as I can remember. She died giving birth to me, and Dad has been left heartbroken. So I'm left alone in the mornings, just me to do what I want as I wait for the bus. This is basically the only quiet time I ever get.
    I turn on the news and a strange article is being announced.
    "The teenage boy is announced dead by the doctors at the Myriam S. Glenmore Memorial Hospital in Swansboro, OR this morning. He was found earlier this last night in a local park by police. They were in shock when they found two 'tooth-like' puncture wounds on his neck. He was extremely pale and his eyes were multicolored. More with this story at FIX13 News at 11." Boy thats a strange way to die, plus it's right near where I live, but I don't know him. Yet another strange thing. I'll have to check more into that.
    By the time I finish with the T.V., it's time to go and I finish getting ready for school and walk out the door. The bus stop is right on the corner of my street, and today it's abnormally empty. But, it's cloudy and chilly too, just like any other day. Right as I get to the grassy side of the bus stop, I'm tackled to the ground.
    "Hey what the- Oh hey Jimmy," Jimmy McMullen has been my best friend since the second grade. Theres a whole story behind it but I don't want to get into that. He is the same age and height as me, has short, wavy, blonde hair with a hint of brown in it. He also has bright blue eyes. "What the hell are you doing?"
    "Scaring you, and it worked!" he chuckled and we both jumped up off the ground.
    "Dude, you should really stop that, it's getting old." He has been somehow pranking me on the first day of school every year.
    "Hey not too many years left, all I got is high school then I have the whole world to see." I see a growing grin acros his face.
    "Oh-no, you don't want me to-"
    "Yeah man, you're coming with me!"
    "When I get a car you won't be seing me around here too much more so the last two years, you ain't gonna prank me, and I'm not going on a world-wide trip with you."
    "Fine, be that way!" He laughs then walks toward the street sign.
    Kelly and Kim, the twins, show up a few moments later and Jimmy is all over them. I see his mouth move and then he grins. Kelly slaps him across the face and Kim kicks him, well, you know where. He falls to the ground and I try to hold back a laugh, but I can't. Kelly and Kim Xu are both Chinese, have the same long and dark hair, and same everything.
    "Hey Joey," they call " Come stand with us." I think they like me. I'm about to start walking toward them when a hand grabs me by the shoulder and holds me. I look back and see Tommy DeBaros standing behind me, eyes squinted and a huge smile. Short, muscular, and black hair, also short, and brown eyes is what he looks like.
    "Tommy!? What are you doing here!? I thought you moved!?"
    "I came back." We both started toward the sign , and I saw the Sofmores that weren't old enough to drive clustered on the opposite side.
    "Why didn't you ever call to tell me?"
    "Better to see your expression right now instead of over the phone."
    "Well that's queer." He chuckled and the bus pulled up.
    Me, Tommy, Jimmy, Kelly, and Kim took the back of the bus when we got onto it. A bigger guy is standing there, three seats ahead of us and he is a jerk. He has an orange buzzcut. He's husky and looks pretty tough too. I'm guessing hes a Senior.
    "Hey, Fresh-meat, get 'outta the back so I can sit there." Short-tempered too.
    "No," I say resiliantly "Why should I!?"
    "Just do what he says," Tommy whispers "He could hurt you bad."
    "I doubt it, he's probablly all talk, and its three on one, five if you count the girls."
    "Did you hear me!? I'll whoop you across the school if you don't move!" He yells. This time he gets up and walks toward me. He towers straight over me.
    "I'm not afraid, I can outsmart you and thats all that needs to be said." and that part is true. No doubt.
    "Kid," He leans over and whispers into my ear "I'm gonna mess you up so bad, the police won't even recognize your body."
    "Your cool Tyler, fighting over a chair." A girl walks behind him. She is average height, slender, and has green eyes. She has straight red-orange hair put into a ponytail and half her bangs clipped and swerved to one side, the other half is just down the other side of her face.
    "Samantha!? I-I-I-"
    "Oh be quiet, you brute." She sits in the seat in front of me "Did he scare you?"
    "Not a chance." We both laugh.
    "So, who are you?" She asks after a short pause.
    "I'm Joseph, Joseph Roodbury."
    "You're a Freshman aren't you?"
    "Yes, you are a Senior?"
    "Right, and the big guy down there is my brother Tyler. He's 18, a year older than me, but he stayed back for all the fights he got in one year, I wouldn't mess with him because next time I won't be able to stop him."
    The conversation took up more time than I thought. We arrive at the school only a few seconds later. I'm shocked at how huge it is. Big letters on the front spelled out 'Swansboro High School'. There are students everywhere and it's hard to walk by unless you're in a group. The teachers are around campus holding big signs pointing in the directions of rooms and offices. I see a few people I knew but not many I used to hang out with. The bell rings and everybody masses together and rushes inside. It's like a sewer full of rats scavenging over a small piece of leftover garbage.
    I get lost on my way to my homeroom and I guess a girl new to this town did too, except she doesn't no anyone, and I don't know her. She is average height, has black hair, has dark eyes which I can't even tell the color, and a pinkish-red bow. The dream suddenly pops into my head. Strange. I go over to her and tap her on the shoulder. She seems startled and jumpy, heck I would too.
    "Hello, who's room are you looking for?" I ask innocently.
    "Mr. Tamir, the Algebra teacher, for homeroom and then the orrientation." She seems almost like she really wants to leave now.
    "Me too, why don't we look together?"
    "Ummm.... No, I think I can find it myself." She storms off without saying another word. I go to follow her, but she is unbeliveabley fast. God, shes beautiful. Well I guess I'll see her around then, seeings how we are in the same class. When I finally find the class, it's basically full of students, all chit-chatting amongst themselves except for HER. Good thing, there's an open seat next to her. I sit there and she stares at me.
    "Hey I didn't get your name." I say smoothly.
    "I never gave it."
    "Well then I'll just introduce myself. I am Joseph Roodbury, nice to meet you." I hold out my hand for her to shake. She stares down toward my hand, and then back up to my eyes. I feel a sharp pain in my chest and when she looks away it's gone. What was that?
    "Students. Students, quiet down" Mr. Tamir instructs. "I am Mr.Tamir, your Algebra teacher, and this will be one of the only days you come to homeroom. Usually, you would go straight to your first class, but even still, you have the freedom to pick your own seat. Understood?"
    "Yes." The class answers except for me and that girl. I don't even realize I'm staring at her when out of nowhere Mr. Tamir shouts,
    "Mr. Roodbury, I know she may be beautiful but that is no reason to stare at miss... Um what's your name?"
    "Angelina, Angelina Rosemary... I should be in your student list." Such a beautiful name.
    " Yes. Quite, well students does anything more need to be explained?"
    " No Mr.Tamir." We all say attentively.
    "Alright then, without further adue, students, head to the auditorium where at this point where more will be explained."
    We all walk slowly and I'm watching her, just the way she walks, almost kills me to know she hates me. I'm so dazed that I don't realize Tommy and Jimmy calling my name. I keep walking, just enjoying the time while it lasts.
    "Wake up dude!" Jimmy yells and then slaps me across the face.
    "Huh? What?"
    "Where's your head at man, your goin the wrong way!" Tommy says
    "What?"
    "Oh my god, what are you high? The auditorium is THAT way," Jimmy points down an opposite hallway where everybody except me and Angelina are heading. "Get ahold of yourself, me, Jimmy, and all the other kids in the class watched as you went trippy over the new girl."
    "Oh, you're in my homeroom?"
    "YES!! How could you not notice!?" They both say.
    "Well..." I say softly. "You should know."
    "Right, new girl." Tommy says. We start down the hall toward the auditorium when that Senior boy Tyler comes over and shoves me into the wall next to me. He grabs my throat with his hand and starts to squeeze. I can see the anger in his eyes like a mad bull.
    "I told you I would mess you up." he says angrily.
    "Get off of him!!" Tommy and Jimmy try to pull him off of me.
    I feel so useless, my body has gone limp and I can still see all that goes around me. I see the teachers rushing toward him, running, beating. My heart beat is softening. Still more students try and pull him off. He releases his grasp but I'm still losing it. My head is pulsing, and I'm getting dizzy.
    Everything gets black and I fear for my very life in my mind. I have another dream. This is a bad one, a nightmare. I'm sitting alone on a rock, looking over the sea below to the sunset. I put my head to my knees and am sulking. Then, a hand touches my shoulder and I look up and see that girl standing above me. Tommy is to my right and Jimmy is to my left. Together we all look toward the sunset. Then, the sunset turns to a beautiful purple-red color and they all say together,
    "All will be clear by nightfall." Then, as if without warning, their eyes turn as black as a jet crystal. There are shreiks all around, loud, spine-tingling screams. They move in a blur around me, swiftly, angrily, all beating as my body falls over. Then. the rock is not holding me, I'm falling and I can see myself standing, being attacked by so many. Then I awaken to a bright light.
    I'm lying down on a soft bed in the nurse's office. There is blood on my shirt and pants and I'm a little woosey. I hold my head, and feel a bandage around it. I see that Tommy and Jimmy are at my side, along with a police officer with a notepad. In the distance I see Tyler being pushed by two policemen out of the office, and he's struggling. Samantha was right... She wasn't there to stop him.
    "Sir," the officer states "Tell me what happened." And I did, I explained everything from this morning with the threats to today with the blindsiding attack on me. Even Tommy and Jimmy are impressed, they probably told the same exact story. When I look at the clock, it's 1:22PM, just a short time from the end of school. I guess I won't be meeting with the teachers today. Oh well I'll just use the excuse that I was on the verge of death in the nurse's office all day today.
    The three of us take a slow walk back to class when the officer leaves. When we get there everybody is asking questions, and really I have no answers.
    "Woah Tyler Sousa, the Senior, almost killed you!?"
    "How hard did you hit your head?"
    "Did you get brain damage?" Even the teacher is asking questions. Kelly and Kim are the first to ask, and again, I explain. When I'm done explaining, class is over and I get my backpack. The five of us walk to the bus and again, sit in the back. This is how it all started too, I find that funny.
    "Did you see a light?" Kelly asks.
    "Are you sure your okay?" Kim asks, they take turns even before I can answer.
    "How hard was it to get Tyler pulled off?"
    "How long is the Senior gonna be out of school?"
    "ALRIGHT ENOUGH!" I yell.
    "Geez, anger much?" They say in unison.
    Tommy and Jimmy go their separate ways when we get off the bus, as do Kelly and Kim. It makes me wonder if I'll be safe for school tomorrow with all the harassment. I start toward my house when I see an ambulance. Marissa is standing on the steps holding her face and crying. I see a stretcher go into the ambulance. I run faster now and I can see who it is!
    "DAD!!"