• Chapter One

    tab I saw him lie on the hospital bed, sick and dying. I came forward with caution. The tears I had been holding back for so long were fighting my will not to cry. He heard me come in and struggled to look at me. I stopped when our eyes met. The tears were on the edge of my eyes, ready to fall if needed. I would not will them to. Blood escaped his lips when he tried to speak to me. He lifted his hand weakly and I cringed silently where I stood.

    tab “Luna,” he managed to gasp. He smiled and beckoned me with his limp hand. I dragged my legs to the bedside despite the feel that they were rooted to the floor. He began to speak again, but stuttered and coughed up blood. I couldn’t stand to see him in pain. “I’m dying, aren’t I?” he asked smiling at me. I shook my head.

    tab “No,” I said automatically. “Everything’s going to be okay. Nothing’s going to happen to you. You’ll be fine.” In my head, I declined all bad things were going to take place; forcing myself to only think of happy moments. It didn’t work. “Everything will be okay,” I said again, desperately. But the tears that disobeyed my will told me that nothing was going to be okay. “You won’t die,” I muttered hoarsely through my tears. My voice became croaky and I felt like a million frogs were in my throat.

    tab Aaron held my hand. He knew his fate. He was going to die. “The doctor said. . . “He started talking again but I interrupted him pleadingly.

    tab “What the doctor said is nothing! You. Will. Not. Die!” I fell on my knees and took hold of his hand that was already holding mine. He bore into my eyes and I put my head down, not wanting to look him in the eyes. “I won’t let you die,” I whispered. He squeezed my hand with little pressure.

    tab “Whatever,” he joked. “But, no matter what happens to me now. . . “He paused. During his pause, he gasped for air. My head immediately popped up. “I love you,” was the last thing he told me before his hand on mine fell limp and his head turned at the time he closed his dark eyes. The room had gone quiet except for my ragged breathing. I was in so much shock that I forgot what happened for a moment. All I knew was that tears ran crazy from my face and my jaw dropped. After what seemed like years passed, I regained sight along with all that happened.

    tab “AH!” I screamed out loud. “NO! Please! Don’t die! Come back! Aaron!” my pleading words fell out of my mouth like vomit. “AARON!” I screamed.
    Doctors and nurses rushed into the little hospital room. Hands fell on my shoulders and tugged me back. I struggled with them, wanting to be by Aaron.

    tab “Let me go!” I told the hands. I struggled until we were out of the room and more hands came to restrain me. I kicked and punched until a familiar voice spoke to me.

    tab “Luna, that’s enough,” said Aaron’s best friend, Calvin. “That’s not going to bring him back.” I stopped thrashing almost instantly and looked at him. Tears still rolled down my cheeks and I ran in the embrace of Calvin. He held me with the feel of extreme loss and sadness. He stroked my hair and all that I could do in his arms was cry and bawl.

    tab Later that night, Calvin drove me back to the academy. As soon as he left and I was in my room and everything was clear, I plopped onto my bed and cried myself to sleep. Not wanting to remember anything from tonight, I dreamed of darkness.


    2 years later. . .


    tab I walk to fourth period confident that I will totally ace the exam today. Fourth period for me was science; advanced biology to be exact. I reviewed last night about cells and how organisms came to be by the processes of starting at bacteria and archea. I know I will pass. I smiled smugly to myself as I walked inside the cold science room in the upper E wing. All students present turned to look at me as I entered; with horror filled expressions.

    tab “What?” I asked. “Is there something on my face?” No one spoke. They all turned slowly to the front of the room to our spokesperson. I put my attention to the front of the room where everyone else was looking. There he was. Calvin was laying on the teacher's desk, bloodied and bruised. On the wall behind him, a note in blood was written:

    "Let me see if you have the guts to catch me"


    tab I stared in horror just as the others did. In my mind I relived all the death events I experienced two years ago. . .