• “I can’t be late!”
    I ran down the empty street, my books balancing in both arms.
    I’ve been in college for five months now, and I still can’t get the hang of any solid routine…
    I was going to be late for my History class again, making it my third absence already, and on top of that, my grade’s just above an F.
    I ran by the Black Fox Café, where my buddy works, and there was Jaison holding out my usual French-vanilla latte and Pumpkin-spice muffin.
    I smiled as I almost ran into him, kissed his cheek, and grabbed my breakfast,
    “Thanks Jaison! I owe you one!”, then continued to run to school.
    “You owe me a couple actually, shortie!” he yelled and waved as I neared a corner.
    I stuck my tongue out at him before I rounded the corner, and snuck a peek at my watch; I still had eleven blocks to the campus and it was five minutes until class started. I shook my head angrily as I neared the next street. Then I remembered an alley I used to take to school two months before. I had found it while going from work to campus for some make-up work, since I’d been sick the day before. I honestly took a wrong turn, but got to campus way quicker than the original way I’d taken. However, I stopped using it because, of some disappearances in the area.
    Today I didn’t care! I had to make it to school, or I’d fail my class; my fear of failing won over the fear of being abducted.
    Right before the alley, there is this bookstore in Cortez Plaza named Barton’s Bookstore, (original name right?). This book store has a big clock tower in the little reading garden outside, and Mr. Barton prides in how well kept that clock is. Well today was not the day to gaze at that clock because I stopped abruptly and stared at it’s face for a good 60 seconds. You see, my class starts at exactly 9:1oAM, and my watch told me that if I kept standing there like a numb-nut, then I’d be late. However, Barton’s clock told me that it was 8:30AM…Now who should I trust: Mr. Barton’s clock that’s always right, or my clock…which doesn’t help because I’m the one who’s always running late.
    I walked into the alley, laughing hysterically, and taking a big bite of my muffin. I was going be on time today, and I wasn’t sure how to take it!
    ‘Oh man, this day is going to be interesting’, I thought to myself.
    Then I remembered my heavy books because my arms were starting to ache. I paused to put my books in my bag and giggled as I shook my head, then continued to munch down on my muffin and sip on my latte.
    As I walked, I took the time to gaze at my surroundings and admire the old, decrepit buildings. I loved how it seemed to be a whole other world, and I wanted to sketch it out. I looked around for a place to settle and try to draw, and spotted a tree thriving against all odds next to a building that was falling apart.
    ‘Perfect!’ I thought as I set my things down across from nature’s beauty and leaned against the other building as I began working my pencil.
    I scratched, smudged, worked, and was half way finished when I heard a strange noise. I listened for a second, and it stopped, so I continued with my art. But as soon as I put my pencil on the paper again, that sound came back. I looked at the tree once more and grumbled.
    ‘Of course my curiosity is gonna get the better of me! Of course when I’m so content drawing…’ I sighed and listened closely to pinpoint its location.
    As I stood up and started walking towards the noise, it became more defined…like a kid sucking on ice cream or a lollipop…
    And that’s when I smelt it…a distinct smell filled my nostrils as I followed the noise still. I couldn’t remember what exactly it smelt like…but it was irony and rotten smelling.
    Of course I scrunched my nose and put my hand over my nose at first, it was almost overwhelming; however, I kept following the smell and noise to a space between two buildings. I peered around its corner and squinted to see into its shadows, but what I saw made my breath catch in my throat, made my stomach tie in painful knots, and I had to put my hand over my mouth to prevent myself from screaming. There a few feet away, lay a guy a little over my age, dark crimson-blood pooled around his head, and someone, or rather some-THING was bending over him.
    All I could tell about the humanoid figure was that it seemed to have something sticking out of its back, and it had a trail of white down its back.
    ‘OHMYGOD!OHMYGOD!OHMYGOD! THERE IS A KILLER HERE…! THIS IS WHERE ALL THE DISAPPEARANCES HAPPENED! OHMYGOD! ITS KILLING THAT GUY! WHAT DO I DO!?’, I babbled in my mind as I tried to unscramble my thoughts. I had to do something, even if it was just to get a good look at it.
    I tried to creep a bit closer towards the creature and its prey, but my dumb a** stepped into some loose gravel. I froze in my tracks,
    ‘Oh s**t…!’
    The creature stopped sucking its victim dry and made a grumbling sound deep in its throat. It slowly tuned around, and I stared wide eyed into scarlet demon eyes. Everything in me screamed to run, but I couldn’t move…those scarlet spheres were hypnotizing! As I stared helplessly, its eyes widened, and its voice was jagged and rough as it spoke,
    “WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!? YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE IN SCHOOL…OR HEADING THAT WAY…WHY THE HELL ARE YOU TAKING THESE ALLIES!?”
    I blinked then kept staring. I tried to speak, but my throat was dry, and I still couldn’t breathe right. I took a step back but slipped on the loose gravel and fell backwards.
    In a flash, the creature had its arms around me as it caught me. My eyes shot behind me, as I stared in surprise.
    I then noticed the something sticking out of its back were actually its wings, ebony-black fleshy wings with black feathers at their bases, and its trail of white was actually its hair, snow white and everywhere. It wasn’t wearing a shirt, and it had leathery skin-tight pants on. All I could do was stare dumbfounded at the site of this creature…I was scared to death, but so intrigued that I just stared.
    Its voice crackled again, this time a bit softer somehow,
    “You have to speak eventually! Answer me, what are you doing here!?”
    I blinked again, the sudden softness in his voice made the jitters lessen but not disappear completely,
    “I uh…I’m on my way to school…I used to take this way a few months ago, and I thought I was going to be late, which I found out I wasn’t anyway, but I took this way to get to school faster…wha…what are you?” I finished with a whisper as I gazed over at the completely dead guy.
    The creature sighed quite heavily and shook its head in frustration, then let me go,
    “I should have known this would happen…”
    I watched in amazement as the creature glowed a bright red, its wings shrank, as did its hair, and it closed its eyes as it finished transforming.
    There before me, stood a very handsome, half naked guy, with hazel-green eyes, and extremely toned pecks and abs. His hair was still white, but short and spiky with black tips. The hottie smiled at me and asked smoothly,
    “Now will you tell me who you are and what you’re doing here in a dark alley all by yourself…?”
    My thought process began to catch up with me, and I narrowed my eyes at him,
    “Well, I was under the impression that you already knew who I was.”
    The guy looked at me funny,
    “What makes you say that?”
    I smiled mischievously, and continued explaining,
    “You asked why I wasn’t at school, which implies that you know I go to college somehow, and you asked why I was taking the allies instead of the streets, which implies that you know which route I take to school…”
    The guy chuckled as he leaned against the building and slid down to a crouching position,
    “Actually, I saw your book bag stuffed with books, and you’re a female traveling with a heavy book bag, all by yourself, in some dark allies where there have been known disappearances…I observe things very well.”
    I raised an eyebrow,
    “But this is where your story gets crooked, I left my book bag where I was drawing…that and there are people all over this God-forsaken town with book bags fuller than mine, and they aren’t college students…”
    The guy met my raised eyebrow with his own and took a step forward,
    “And you like to argue don’t you…? Why didn’t you just accept my story…? It is true! Don’t you believe me…?”
    He gave me a toothy grin that made my heart flutter, but I kept my head on straight and lashed back out at him,
    “Damn right I like to argue! I have common sense! Why should I believe you? Hell why am I even talking to you!? You just killed a guy!”
    I turned around quickly and tried to run to the entrance of the alley. ******** my school books! I didn’t want to be his nest meal! O.O
    Unfortunately for me, this guy can run fast no matter what form he’s in, because he blocked my path about 4 feet or so away from my bag,
    “Oh no you don’t! We have to talk about this problem we have…”
    He smiled innocently at me.
    I glared up at him and took a few steps back,
    “What problem? The fact that I caught you EATING ANOTHER GUY!? Oh yeah, WE really have a problem! I DON’T EAT HUMANS!”
    The guy chuckled again,
    “Well, that really does make two of us…that guy isn’t human, I actually drink blood thank you I don’t EAT anyone, and I don’t drink human blood…”
    Of course I looked at him like he was on crack (which isn’t a bad suggestion, am I right?), and chuckled dryly at what I thought was a psycho killer idiot in front of me,
    “Ok, let me get this straight: That guy isn’t human, but he looks my age and looks pretty human to me, you weren’t eating him you were sucking his blood, and you don’t eat, sorry, DRINK human blood…? Ok, smart guy if that guy isn’t human, and you don’t DRINK human’s then what do you DRINK?”
    He smiled, and proclaimed proudly,
    “He is a vampyre, and I drink vampyres’ blood.”
    I laughed out loud and doubled over as my abs began to hurt from the laughter,
    “Right! He’s a vampyre! Yeah, and I’m a werewolf! Oh man, that’s classic! Not only are you a psycho killer, you’re really funny too! Oh this is too much…”
    The guy sighed and shook his head,
    “Go take a look at him then, and tell me what you see…”
    I wiped a tear, shrugged and shook my head,
    “If you’re going to kill me, just do it and get it over with. I don’t wanna be toyed with! Come on…”
    He looked at me funny and shook his head again,
    “I know you don’t believe me, but I already told you, I don’t drink humans. And you’re not a werewolf. If you were, you would already be dead…”
    I was starting to get mad then, he was still toying with me! What a douche bag! I got up in his face then, and glared at him; we were so close I could still smell that irony, rotten smell of that guy’s blood,
    “Listen ********, I didn’t wanna be late for class today because I’m almost failing, I didn’t know I was gonna run into you, and now I’m extremely annoyed that you’re still toying with me! COME ON! Either have you’re fill, or let me go! Cause guess what!? I’m Goth! You don’t scare me!”
    The guy merely looked at, took both his hands and rested one on each of my shoulders, then looked deep into my eyes,
    “You really don’t recognize me do you…? I thought you were just joking around this whole time, but you really don’t know who I am…”
    That took me by surprise. I knew him…? I didn’t recognize him…
    “No, I don’t know who you are…”
    The guy bowed and shook his head in defeat and pushed me away slightly,
    “Well, I guess that’s a good thing. You’d probably freak out any way if you found out who I am…” he sighed then walked over to my bag, picked it up and gave it to me,
    “You better get to class before Professor Kurstan crucifies you for being late…”
    I took my bag and turned abruptly, then realized what he just said and turned back around to confront him, but all I found was an empty alley way. I jogged over to the space where the dead guy was, and was shocked to find him gone. Then I glanced at my watch and almost fell over myself running down the alley on my way to History class; hopefully I’d get there before the lecture started…O.o