Chapter One: Anna
My pale skin seemed to glow as the light of the full moon touched it. The cool, night air usually brought me peace, but tonight I couldn't shake this eerie feeling of someone or something watching my every move. I tried to push the feeling to the back of my mind and make my way back to the house. I knew if anyone woke up and noticed that I was missing from my bed, it would send them into a panic.
I thought about putting my earbuds in an attempt to block out my thoughts with music, but something told me that I needed to be aware of my surroundings. I couldn't pinpoint why I was feeling so uneasy. I had walked this same rundown path in the woods that backed up to our property almost daily since moving in with my Aunt Clara over the summer. I'd bring books and read while dipping my toes into the stream that flowed calmly through our property, or just come talk to my mom. She was my best friend, and it still was hard to grasp that she was gone.
I kicked dirt up from the path.
Don't you dare cry Anna,
I thought to myself. I didn't want my eyes to look puffy for my first day of school. I spent my entire summer getting settled in and coping with my mom's unexpected death, so this would be my first time being around people my own age in months. I wanted to make a good impression. I knew it would be awkward enough being the new girl, adding puffy eyes to the mix would just make it worse.
I had almost made it to the edge of where the woods met the property when I heard footsteps. I tried to ignore them and speed up my pace. I could see the exterior lights of the house glowing through the last few yards of trees. The footsteps behind me continued. I could tell they were speeding up to match my pace. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and ran.
I reached the clearing of Aunt Clara's property. Finally, I had reached safety. I couldn't hear the footsteps anymore, so I paused to catch my breath. I laughed at myself.
It was probably just a deer,
I thought to myself as I chuckled. I turned to face the woods, and that's when I saw them at a distance- two glowing white eyes staring directly at me.
My body jumped from my bed just as my alarm went off.
It was just another dream,
I told myself as I caught my eyes searching my tiffany blue painted room for the eyes that I knew wouldn’t be there. Quinn, my red tri colored Border Collie stood up from the end of my bed and yawned as she stretched. “I’m sorry I woke you girl,” I told her as I scratched her behind her pointed ears. I sat on the edge of my queen sized bed and wiped the sleep from my eyes. The same question ran through my mind as it had many other times since moving in with my aunt,
what do these dreams with the same white, glowing eyes mean
?
I jumped at the sound of my bedroom door creaking open. Aunt Clara stood in my doorway in her favorite lavender satin robe. “I am sorry, did I scare you?” She asked.
“Only a little,” I replied.
“I just wanted to make sure that you were awake and getting ready. Are you sure that you don’t want me to drive you on your first day? I don’t want you to be late because you couldn’t find the school.” She looked very concerned, like always. I knew it was because she cared and was worried about making sure that I was okay, or at least as okay as I could be after everything that happened. I appreciated it, I really did, but at times it could get a little annoying.
“I have the address ready-to-go in my GPS on my phone. I really would like to drive there myself. I am already the new girl from across the country, I don’t think having my Aunt drop me off on my first day will make the best first impression when I am already going to be an outsider.” I replied trying to sound as nice as possible with my decline of her offer.
“Okay, only if you are sure you will be able to find it.” She sighed.
“I am sure. Thank you though, and thank you for everything. I know this is a big adjustment for you as well, one that you didn’t have to do.” I told her. She walked over to me and placed her manicured hand on my shoulder.
“What is family for? Now get up and get ready, or you will be late.” She smiled and then left the room, shutting the door behind her.
“Okay Quinn, this is it. Today is the day. It’s either going to go really well, or really bad. Let’s figure out what outfit fits the occasion.” I said as I got up and walked to my closet. I flipped through all of my outfits, some were ones that I brought with me during the move, and some were new that Aunt Clara had bought for me during our shopping trip that was intended to get my mind off of everything.
After a lot of thought, I settled on a black blouse with sequins and lace sleeves, dark distressed jeans, and my favorite black Vans. I checked the time, and quickly put together my hair and makeup before grabbing my bookbag, giving Quinn one last pat on the head, running down the stairs, and grabbing a bright red apple as I ran out the door to get into my silver Honda CR-V. It wasn’t new or flashy, but it ran and got me where I needed to go.
I sat in the driver seat and took a few slow deep breaths to calm my nerves as I gripped the steering wheel.
You've got this
, I told myself as I put my phone on the magnetic holder attached to my vent. I pulled up the GPS and tapped the school’s address and then tapped “start”. This was it, the day that I couldn’t decide if I was excited for or loathing, it was finally here. I started my car and pulled out of the driveway. Ready or not, here I come, I thought to myself as I started down the road.
