Chapter 5: How the Hell Did That Get in Here?

It has been exactly one week since I met Rose, Natalie, and Zach. And despite the incident on their first day, everything has been quiet, almost too quiet. So things you think should probably change.

Well, if you guessed that things would remain quiet for yet another week before any drastic happens, you'd be correct. Congrats, you get a medal, not exactly gold, more like pyrite. What? Do you think I'm rich or something?

Anyways, two weeks after meeting those three, of course, started like any normal day. Starting with me getting ready, this time choosing a knee-length black dress with a green overcoat, along with silver tights that sparkled in the light, and black knee-high boots. Deciding that I should stylize my hair, I decided on braiding the front of my hair into two parts and tieing them in the back with a hair-band. And wearing a neutral pink lipstick and silver eyeshadow.

Then eating breakfast, but my mom was gone already, which meant I had to make my breakfast. Now, before you all panic, her absence isn't jarring, she does have a job, and sometimes she has an early work shift. But, what her job is, remains unknown, she never tells anyone what she does or even where she works.

But, I had to get to class. Riding to school on the bus, praying for the day I get my license and meet Rose, Zach, and Nat as I decide to call her, outside the school to get to class.

But of course, lunch is when anything significant happens, so that's when things start running amuck. The cafeteria is crowded with hungry teenagers, as my little group of friends sits in the back towards the window looking out at the student parking lot.

Katelyn and Jax have school lunch, while Rose, Zach, and I have home-packed lunch, but Cora had an off period so she got all of us something from the fast-food place down the street, especially Nat, who begged her to get something take-out.

"So, how was the last geometry test?" Cora asks, with her being a smart cookie, she taking all advanced classes, especially in math, where she takes classes ahead of her level, she just wants to know what it's like for us common folk.

"I swear, Mr. Rueben is deliberately trying to make us fail," Nat says groaning over her cheeseburger.

"Says the person who rarely studies," Rose replies, making the whole group burst out laughing, including Nat, even though a touch of pink has risen to her cheeks.

"Alright, fair enough but even if I did study for the test, would this even be relevant after school?" she asks as we start settling down.

"Well, how else will we know about how to tip a server or learn the amount of a house or car?" Jax asks in return, she nods in recognition but mutters something to Zach. Who mutters something else in return, he then turns to have a conversation with Jax. Both blushing in the process, their friendship was honestly really sweet, and might even be more than a friendship. Which I'm guessing is a surprise to no one. But then, things get good.

A crash sounds in the distance, it seems that the whole school has heard it, it was silent for a few more minutes, some groups started talking again, until another crash, and a low growling filled the cafeteria. An alarm sounded as the head security guard came on the PA.

"Attention students and staff, we are currently in lockdown, all students in lunch find the nearest classroom to do the procedure, this is not a drill, find the near classroom and hide," the same low growl emanates through the speaker as it cuts off. But of course, people start getting into a panic, rushing to get out of the cafeteria to get to safety.

While others were more methodical, walking slowly and dodging the panickers to get out of harm's way, Cora, Katelyn, and Jax were part of that group as they were some of the first to leave before the chaos started. But I was left with Rose Nat and Zach. Above all the commotion, I could hear Rose cursing, but not in a language I understood, she then turned to me.

"Dawn, come with us, we know a place to hide," Rose exclaimed as we started to run. Unlike others, we turned out to be faster than those around us, as if time slowed down to get us to safety. Except that isn't the case. We pass several classrooms, each we can use to hide. But we just keep running.

Until each of them stops at the end of the hallway, I stop in turn and decide to press myself against the wall with the rest and look around the corner. Well, that's not something you see every day I think as I look at the vague shape of a panther, except for the fact it was over 6 feet at the shoulder, sniffing a water fountain next to the gym, before swiping its large paw and ripping the fountain from the wall, spraying water everywhere.

"Bene Merdore, there's no way past it," Rose exclaims as she turns to look at us as the panther finds something else to tear apart.

"Ok, let's split up, attack on all sides," Zach replied, looking back at the panther. "Raina, you take the right, Lillith, the left, I'll get it's back," they nod until I clear my throat, gaining their attention. They turn to look at me as if they forgot I was there. They exchanged glances then returned their gaze to me. "Dawn, you can..." Zach starts, but I wasn't gonna sit and do nothing.

"I can distract it so you can get close," I conclude.

"No, you aren't getting in harm's way," Rose whispers heatedly.

"Well, I'm also not sitting on my @ss while my friends are getting hurt," I whisper back.

"Dawn, we've done these hundreds of times, and you could die!" Rose continued.

"So could you, I won't let my friends get hurt again!" I reply, which seemed to convince Natalie.

"Alright, I'll cause a distraction, Dawn can take my spot," she spoke, I nod in agreement while the others realize that arguing would be a pointless venture.

Natalie opens the courtyard door silently traveling to the front of the panther, as the rest of us took our position. The panther started to sniff at the ground, then started following it. Coming towards me, until it got one step away from killing me.

Natalie slammed open the courtyard door, making the panther turn to face her, hunching down to pounce. Out of the corner of my eye, Zach started counting down on his fingers as we inch closer. Zach's fist closes as the panther starts to pounce at Natalie, Zach slams onto the panther's back like he was possessed with god-like strength. Meanwhile, Rose and I try to subdue it.

Out of nowhere all three of my friends have a weapon of sorts, Zach has a katana, Natalie has a longbow, while Rose has a normal saber as well as a dagger. The panther struggles under Zach as he turns his katana downward. But, before he could do that, Natalie let loose an arrow that was used to guard the beast, she accidentally fired, right into its eye.

The beast was pissed it managed to throw Zach off it, his katana clattering to the floor. Rose and I were thrown back as well, I managed to slow my roll and make my impact on the wall... a little less gruesome. Now the panther was starting to stalk Zach, who was lying defenseless on the ground, blood dripping from his head and nose. With everyone in a similar position, I saw Zach katana on the floor, then stared at the panther.

A familiar burning sensation returned to my eyes as I crawl towards his katana as the panther was raising its paw. But I could make out something over the growling.

"Lunardea" I grab Zach's katana as the fire behind my eyes grew, running towards the panther and stabbing it in the back.

A wail was released from its mouth as it looks at me with eyes that never looked alive. Before collapsing on the ground. I stand there, with the katana still in hand as the body starts to dust away. But with a clear image in my head, black fur with scars mangled around its body with pure white eyes, no iris, no pupil, just the white of its eyes.

As the dust settled a collar was revealed, black with silver spikes and a crimson emblem imprinted on it, along with a note attached to it. I drop the sword and start to back away. I can't believe I just did that, I just kill something, holy sh*t.

"More might be coming, we have to go," Rose tells me as Natalie grabs the collar. I get up and silently follow after them until we reach a storage closet.

"Alright, now everyone huddle close together," Rose tells us, as we squeeze into the already tight closet. "Ok, be warned, the fall's gonna hurt," she stretches out her hand, and before I could comprehend what she said. The floor gave out from under me.

________________________________________________________________________________

A/N:

Hmmmmmmm... interesting. Well if you guys think about it, things are actually getting interesting. But now I'm just rambling. I hope you liked this chapter, please vote, comment your opinions about this book, and follow if you haven't, and I'll see you guys next week.

Your Obedient Writer,

-Alex.