• "Darkness opens into light, it is Forever Night. Many children cry, many children weep, but the ones he seek are fast asleep. Pain and hatred, one thousand years past, there is no knowing how long this must last. He carries his sword and armor, Ready to KILL all who follow. Then, as mist rises and dawn breaks, His lifeless victims and he are gone, as She creates. She, the being of All, must find a cure for those who fall. If she fails, we shall perish. She holds the way for all, while he slaughters 'till dawn."

    It was something I read back in fourth grade, but I remember it every dawn when I wake to the crisp breeze coming into my room from my open window. Now in eighth grade, the mysterious poem with no known author or meaning keeps me wondering and dreaming about it.
    I am Anami, an average 13-going-on-14 year old girl. I live in a large town in California, on the coast. Both my parents have full time jobs at this place where they publish people's books. They go to work early and get home late, so I don't see them much during the day. Right now it's summer, and school let out a few days ago. My sister Calli, 12, is one of those wicked-smart kids that gets straight A's and asks the teacher for extra homework over the summer so she can "keep up with her studies".

    I pull on my two piece bathing suit and grab some sun block and a towel, and head down to the beach with my sister. Today is supposed to be near 100 degree's, but it feels more like a thousand. Calli pulls her T-shirt over her top just before we reach the sand.
    "What's that for?" I ask her.
    "My suit is ugly," she complains.
    I grab the shirt rip it off her, tossing it onto the towel I just layed out.
    "C'mon scaredy, lets go catch us some waves." I say, throwing her a large boogie board.
    She sulks over, uncomfortable without her shirt, only the top and bottom of her bathing suit. I run right into the warm water, my blonde hair flying all over my face. When I get out to my chest, I turn to check to see if anyone around me is anyone I know. To my far left I see my friend Angie building sand castles with her baby niece. Behind me is my sister, talking with someone from her grade that I can't remember, and another seventh grader to her right. Farther beyond them I n otice some high schoolers, but the rest of the kids are people I haven't taken the time to get to know.
    I fall as a large wave hits me, then quickly get up so to not be caught off-guard again. I begin to jump and ride the waves with my boogie board.

    Walking out to my neck, and finding that the waves were somewhat calmer now, I decide to float around for a while. I lay flat on my large boogie board, watching funny little fishies swim under me, when suddenly I stop. And I scream.

    A boy close to me comes over to me to see what's wrong.
    "What the..?" He yells as he sees it, then grabs me and pulls me over to land. Thats when I faint.

    A few minutes later I regain conciousness, seeing the boy and Callie standing over me, as pale as I must have been.

    "The Police are here now, they are closing the beach down. Sorry, you lost your Boogie Board." The boy informs me.
    "It, it's okay... Thank you," I stammer, the haunting image still fresh in my mind.

    He tells me his name is Mike, and tell him I'm Anami. He moved here at the end of our last semester, but he will be in the same grade as me in high school. I bet you're wondering what I saw. Trust me, It wasn't any shark.


    I saw a pale, white, BLOODY, body. A young boy's, actually. His mouth was wide open under the water, and where his eyes should have been were only bloody sockets. He was wearing pajama's. And there was a knife sticking out of his chest.

    Mike came home with Calli and I. Now we are on our couch, drinking fruit juice and watching the news, waiting for my parents to come home.

    "This afternoon, a thirteen year old girl from the local middle school discovered a horrific sight in local waters. A young boy, who's identity is being kept private by request of the family, was found floating in the ocean at nearby Sandshores beach. The boy was wearing pajamas, with a knife sticking out of his chest. Both eyes were gorged out, his mouth locked open. Officials say that the boy was found missing from his house at six A.M. this morning. Police say this is definitely a crime, but parents and local relatives are not being held responsable. We'll have more information at six."

    I click off the tv.
    "Ugh, creepy, I wonder who would do such a cruel thing to an innocent little boy?" Calli asks.
    "Only sick, crazy phsycopaths." Mike answers, leaning on his hands.

    I grab the throw blanket from off the couch and wrap it around me. I get up, then walk outside. Mike and Calli follow. By now it is about five thirty P.M. My head hurts. Just now the phone rings, and Calli goes to answer it. A few seconds later she calls for me. I take the phone from her.
    "Hello?" I ask.
    "Hello, Anami? This is Officer Bradley from the local police department. We'd like to ask you a few questions about what you've seen today at the beach."
    "Of course! Well, is it okay if you come here? My parents aren't home yet."
    "Yes, we'll be right there. Good bye,"
    "Bye."
    I hang up and tell Mike and Calli about the officers. Mike agree's to call his parents to tell them where he'll be for a few hours.

    About five minutes later a police officer knocks at the door.

    "You must be Officer Bradley?" I ask him.
    "I'm afraid not. I'm Officer Timothy. I'm here to inform Micheal Thompson that his mother is dead, due to homicide. Murder. I'm sorry"
    I stare up at him. Two deaths in the same day?

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