• Life comes at you fast. Or death, in my case. But it is sort of weird, how one moment your safe in your bed eating Cheetos and the next, the one you love is stepping out of the darkness to kill you. But I’m glad it ended up this way. At least I have forever to look forward to.


    I shoved the bags of chips into my sweatshirt pocket quickly, so no one would notice. My pace quickened as I tried to look casual. I've been even more hungry the past few months, since the shelter had been running out of money, and couldn't feed us as often as they should anymore. When I swiftly turned around the corner of the store, i bumped right into a person. All of the food fell out of my pocket. I quickly bent over to pick everything up, and he started to help me. He handed me the items and gave me a knowing glance.
    "stealing, are we?" He looked to be around my age, 15, but I didn't want him to remember my face, so, trying not to look him in the eye, I simply answered
    " Please don't tell anybody. Uh... it's hard to explain but, I just have to." I hardly talk to people at all; persuading isn't my strongest skill. I'm not sure what my strongest skill is. He nodded and I thanked him. Then I hurried back to the shelter. I'm the kind of person that bad things always happen to. When I was five years old, my parents were to poor to take care of me. So I ended up at a homeless shelter. And the people here aren't the greatest. Let's just leave it at that. All the lights were out in the small building. I quietly opened the door and slipped through the hallways and into the room with my bed. Luckily, I was the oldest one here and all of the kids had gone to bed early. The owner, Margaret, must be somewhere else- probably out gambling or something- I don't care. I slipped into the bottom bunk and after shoving down a bag of junk food, tried to get to sleep. I was finally able to get some rest.

    When I woke up it was very dark, maybe 5:00 in the morning. I am NOT a morning person at all. (I'm not a sunlight person, either.) But once i wake up, it's really hard for me to fall back asleep. I cracked open my eyelids, and as soon as I did, I regretted it. Two inches away from my face were two bright blue eyes, that stood out even in the dark. A petrifying chill flowed through me and without thinking, I let out a huge shriek, but then there was a rough hand muffling my mouth. The bedroom door opened, and Margaret demanded what was going on. I nervously glanced back to the person that had previously been clinging to the bottom of the top bunk, only inches away from me.
    "Oh, it was nothing... For a second i thought I saw a... a spider." I
    couldn't bring myself to admit what I had just saw. She would put me in an insane asylum.
    "Get over it! You'll wake up the other kids!" Her yelling was more likely to wake anyone up than mine. The second the door closed, The stranger was back. He pulled me off the bed and firmly took hold of my arm.
    "Who are you? What are you doing?!" I whispered tensely.
    "You need to be quiet!" was his only response. He dragged me over to the window and stepped out. Then He pulled me out too. I tried as hard as I could to pull away from his grasp, but despite my efforts the stranger didn't let go. He seemed very familiar, and instantly I recognized him from yesterday at the grocery store. Right away I was stunned, and if he wasn't holding onto me, I would have fallen over. He was so gorgeous That it was almost abnormal. His hair was black and straight, but it was really messy, but both of our hair was messy thanks to the wind. He was wearing black pants and a black
    jacket. The color really worked for him.
    There was a huge contrast between his pale skin and the darkness surrounding him. I opened my mouth and started to scream "STALKER-" but he cut me off.
    "please, if we're going to get away there is NO time for questions. i know you have no idea who I am, but if you refuse, everything will be ruined."
    He must of assumed that I didn't recognize him. What did he mean by everything will be ruined? his eyes lingered on my face, but shifted his hold on my arm to my hand and took off running, dragging me along beside him. I felt i needed to go back to the shelter, but it kept getting further and further away! still running, he turned to me and said "I'll explain when we get there." with that, he leaped into the air.

    I winced and waited to crash to the ground, but we never hit the side walk. The buildings kept getting smaller and smaller... I looked up at the stranger who was still gripping my hand, and bringing me into the air. It was still pitch black out; nobody could see him dragging me through the sky. I had so many questions! Who are you, Why did you take me, where are we going, and WHY CAN YOU FLY?!
    "what is going on?!” I screamed. He didn't even flinch.
    "As I said before, don't worry, I'll explain when we get there. Now don't look down, ok? I really don't want you to faint. That would be inconvenient." I'm not afraid of
    heights, and we weren't going up that
    fast. I should be able to handle it. I looked down.
    "HOLY CRAP!" I screamed. The town had shrunk to the size of a quarter! Now we were flying right over the mountains , and the shrinking town quickly disappeared. We were picking up speed, and I could feel the wind blowing against me.
    "How fast have we been going?" I asked, loudly so he could hear me over the wind.
    "Insanely fast. It didn't feel like it, did it?"
    "No... it didn't." Now it sunk in: I was in the air with this stranger that was taking me away from the town I've grown up in all my life. And I had no idea when I was coming back.
    "You have to take me back! Margaret is going to shoot me when i get back if she finds out I'm not there!" Suddenly he swooped downwards, pulling me along with him. I cringed, this wasn't good for my stomach at all. He picked me up bridal style and his feet quietly touched down on the forest floor. In front of us stood a stone house that was covered in vines, and there were lots of trees and bushes surrounding it. If I was ten feet away I wouldn't have noticed it at all. He set me down.
    "She's the one who crashed into your room just now, am I correct?" I studied his face- i don't think I've ever seen anything like it- so... unique.
    "yeah, she owns the shelter."
    "I don't think we'll be going back there again, so don't worry about that."
    "What do you mean? You HAVE to bring me back!" Who does he think he is? That's where I live!
    "I guess you deserve to know why I brought you here don't you?" He asked.
    I nodded, and he brought me inside the house. Inside, it wasn't very well lit, but there were a few windows along the front wall. their was a couch and everything, just like a normal living room. He sat down on the large couch and gestured for me to join him. I slowly sat down.
    "It's great, isn't it? The flying?" He looked up with his big, questioning eyes, waiting for a response.
    "Yeah, it really was, but I think I would prefer if you were going to kidnap
    me you could at least take a car instead
    of scaring the heck out of me... Why can you fly?"
    "Don't worry I’m getting there. I'll explain everything. First of all, my name is Dagger." Dagger. such an original name, it suits him.
    "I'm Chrissy," I said. Dagger nodded, and shifted his position on the couch so he was looking right at me.
    "I've been looking for the perfect person for a job I need some assistance with, Chrissy, and you seem like the right one." He made direct eye contact when he spoke.
    "Were you the guy from the store, the one I ran into?" I immediately felt embarrassed. He laughed quietly.
    "Yes that was me. I don't know what it is, but when you...crashed into me... I could feel it. There was the person that I was searching for, just like that." I smiled. Then I remembered that he was still holding me hostage, and quickly my
    expression went blank again.
    "You see, Chrissy," He continued,” For years now I have been chased around the world, because of my urge to always get involved with everything. For example, recently I intercepted in a murder and saved the victim. Now, the murderer is out to get me. He thinks I'm getting in the way of his... need to kill. But if I
    didn't intercept, so many innocent people would perish. He's wiped out whole villages, Chrissy. Do you see where I’m going with this? In order to get rid of him, I need a two against one sort of thing." Why would I have anything to do with this? Why SHOULD I have anything to do with this?
    "Look, umm, I would like to help you out with this, but I really need to get back." I stood up and walked out of the house, and shivered in the cold air.
    "How are you going to get back?" I turned around, facing him. He had followed me outside. Apparently this wasn't going to be easy.
    "I was hoping you'd bring me back...?"
    Dagger just stood there staring at me for a moment with an amused smile.
    "You HAVE to take me back!" I was starting to get frantic now, he obviously wasn't even considering it.
    "And why would I do that?" He challenged. I weighed my options. Running away was definitely out; there was nowhere to go. I had to convince him. Maybe a threat?
    "Because I'll...I'll kick you. And it will hurt."
    He smirked. “I doubt that it will hurt, Chrissy.”
    "And why is that?"
    "Because I don't get hurt very easily."
    I seriously think that it would hurt if I kicked him; I had strong legs.
    "I think It WOULD hurt actually,” I argued.
    "No, it wouldn't, because... I’m a vampire."

    My immediate reaction was to say some sarcastic comment, but his expression showed no sign of joking around. Either he was a really good liar, or he was straight out insane.
    "You don't believe me." Apparently I looked skeptical.
    "Of course i don't, I mean seriously-"
    "Chrissy, how else would you explain the flying? An invisible jet pack?" He had a point there.
    "Umm... " Without knowing what else to do, I turned around and began walking back out of the woods; I might be able to find my way back... But then, of course, there he was, right in front of me.
    "Ignoring the fact that you wouldn't be able to find your way to your home- if that's what you call it- from here, If you DID somehow get back there, here's what would happen: You would have to face that horrible Margaret person, then
    you would be severely punished. Afterwards you would go back to your normal ritual of hardly getting anything to eat, being cramped into one room with four other people...must I go on? Is that what you really want, Chrissy?" I loved the way he said my name, it sounded so melodic... Dagger must have taken my silence as a surrender, because he began walking back towards his house and said, "Come on, I'll get you something to eat." Food was one thing that I just couldn't turn away. I followed him inside. He led me down a staircase opening up into a room with a table and a few cabinets.
    "Forgive me, I don't keep that much food around here..." After rummaging around in one of the cabinets, he set an apple on the table. I accepted it. I felt my eyelids getting heavy.
    "What time is it?"
    "About 5:30," he answered. the sun hadn't even came up yet. I uncomfortably sat down on one of the chairs.
    "You look tired... why don't I sleep on the couch, and you can sleep in my room, ok?" I nodded groggily. He led me up the stairs and down a hallway. He pointed into a room with a medium-sized bed. He closed the door behind me. I got into the bed, I was even more tired than I thought. Slowly my mind drifted off into
    unconsciousness. A few hours later I woke up, still in my clothes from yesterday. Dagger's bed was really comfortable; I didn't want to get up. I didn't want to go anywhere. And I DIDN'T want to help ANYBODY fight ANYBODY. But for all three, it was looking like I had no choice. Slowly, I pulled myself out of the huge bed and walked down the hallway into the living room. Dagger had been laying on the couch sleeping, but as soon as I walked into the room he sat up. He must have already been awake or something.
    "Wow, I had no idea how late in the day it is," He said, glancing at his watch. "Did you sleep ok?" More than ok. I nodded.
    "Do you need anything to eat? We could go get you something from the nearest town if you would like." His face looked hopeful.
    "Ok, that's a good idea." Dagger smiled and stood up. I took the opportunity try to convince him to take me to the shelter, Even though I knew he would object.
    "And maybe...after that… you could take me back to the shelter?" His smile faded and his face went smooth. I really hope I wasn't pushing my luck. He sighed.
    "You really want to go back to that smelly, cramped place you like so much, don't you." I looked at him and then down at the floor, he almost looked disappointed.
    "Yes." I looked up at his face, and he made eye contact with me.
    "You know, it's probably better for you if you go back there anyway." My face lit up.
    "Seriously? that'd be great!"
    "Yeah, it's dangerous for you here." I was suddenly curious.
    "And why is that?"
    "Do you remember the murderer I was telling you about earlier?" I nodded.
    "He knows where I live, and I have this feeling he is coming really soon... too soon. I wish I would have found you sooner, because then I could have begun training you earlier. So with that reason and the fact that you probably won't ever stop begging me, I guess I have no choice."
    "Oh. Thank you, I am SO glad you changed your mind!" There was a short silence.
    "How are you going to handle the murderer, though?" He paused.
    "I don't know." Another silence. "I'll go get some money." He quickly walked down the hall and disappeared into his bedroom.
    Even though I felt sooo relieved that I would soon be back to my normal life, I still felt ... well, almost guilty about my choice. I hated that look that Dagger had had on his face. I sighed and sat down on the couch. It was silent for a moment, but then I heard a quiet sound of feet crunching down on pine needles outside of the house. After looking over my shoulder to see if Dagger had heard it, I curiously peaked out the window. It was a guy; maybe a year or two older than me. He had brown hair, and I couldn't tell much else about him because he quickly stepped out of my view. Being the stupid person that I was, I opened the door. He looked up, and stiffened as soon as he saw me. A look of confusion crossed his face.
    "Um...hi..." I managed to get out.
    "Sorry, I was...expecting someone else..." As he spoke, one of his hands slowly reached into his pocket.
    "What are you doing-" I tried to ask but Dagger came out of no where and slammed the door.
    "That's the person I was telling you about!" He screamed. "Help me lock the windows!"
    I froze. "Why? he didn't seem-"
    "Now!" I rushed over to one of the windows, but the stranger was already there. I gasped, and Dagger tried to lock it, but it was to late. He had gotten inside.

    I tried not to notice the gun handle sticking out of his pocket.


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