• I am running. From what, I do not know. From where, I do not know. Still I run. Until I trip on something, probably my own feet. I catch myself before I fall, but I can hear my classmates snickering behind me. My face feels hot, of course, I'm blushing. I make it to the gym teacher on the other side of the blacktop from where I had started.
    "Good job. You made it in 6.5 seconds." She says as I go back to my place in line. My best friend, Maple, grins at me. I can't help but laugh when she imitates the teacher's nasal sounding voice.
    "Good job. You made it in 6.5 seconds." Ms. Beggery looks over to where Maple is standing. She turns away innocently, but that doesn't stop her from shaking with suppressed laughter.
    "Maple, your turn. Get over to the other side of the blacktop before I fail you." Says Ms. Beggery. Maple just smiles and looks at our gym teacher.
    "You wouldn't fail me; that would mean actually doing something time worthy." She mumbles as she walks past me. I giggle. Maple- always graceful- ran the distance neatly, looking almost cat-like. She did it in 5 seconds. She finishes just as the bell rings. It's time to go home! Together, Maple and I run to the dressing room. Her, dodging all of the rocks in her way. Me, tripping over them.
    Once we get dressed and get our bags together, I start walking toward the door with Maple at my feet. She's babbling again, although I don't mind much. I try to keep up with her, but she's just too fast.
    "..So then, Kyle said: 'So you like Macen?' and I was like 'Hell no! Why would I like him?' And he just laughed. God he has the hottest laugh in the entire world. Which reminds me: Why don't you like anyone? I mean, really, you broke up with Mark last year and havn't gone out since! It's time to move on, girl! Forget the turd boy and have fun! Lily. Lily? Lily! LILLY APHRODITE!" I jump and finally look at her. She's just staring at me.
    "What? You don't have to scream at me." I smile at her and she smiles back.
    "Well hun I have to go. Call me later okay? I love you! PEANUT BUTTER…!" She yells.
    "Okay, I will. JELLY!" I reply. She laughs and starts walking the opposite way that I go. I start off for home. While thinking what I'll make for dinner, I pull out my Mp3 player. Putting on the earphones, I switch the music player to my favorite song. I turn it up as loud as I can stand it. That’s probably why I didn't hear the horn of the school bus honk. I turned my head just in time to see the big, yellow, automobile barreling toward me. My eyes widened in surprise and I'm frozen with fear. Then, something solid and hard crashes into my chest. I feel myself flying backwards and falling flat on my back in the street.
    My back. Something is stabbing my back. I try to reach it, but I can't move. Something sharp was cutting into my back. That's when I remember my music player. Just then, pain from all different directions are stabbing me. Making me want to scream. And then I hear the voices.
    "Oh my God."
    "Someone call an ambulance! A girl's been hit!"
    "Honey? Can you hear me? Are you all right? Sweetheart can you answer me? Squeeze my hand if you can hear me." I try. I try so hard to follow the woman's instructions, but I can't. The last thing I'm conscious of is gentle pressure on my hand. Then, the dark embraces me.

    My eyes open. I'm in a dark room. A man is with me, and my breath catches. He's the most beautiful guy that I've ever seen. Curly, chocolate brown hair. Brown eyes, pale complexion. He is tall. Something is wrong, though. His expression is pained, almost agonized. I stare at him, and before I can find my voice, he speaks.
    "I'm sorry. So, so sorry. However, you have to live. There is no other option." He walks toward me and picks up my hand. At first, I think he is going to kiss my wrist. But then slashing pain cuts me, and I try to pull away from the thing that is hurting me. And I can't. Because now, the pain is inside of me. It feels like everything inside of me is twisting, turning inside out, and being burned.