Zoe and Airiana came to an air duct. "Do we go IN the air duct or on TOP of it?"
"I think we should go in," Airiana replied.
"Okay," Zoe climbed in with Airiana behind her. "The fighting is coming from in here!" she exclaimed.
"Good, keep moving." the girls crawled on hands and knees through the dusty air duct until they came upon a vent.
"Look!" Zoe hissed, Airiana peeking down the vent over her shoulder, "It's Bach and someone else!" She gasped in horror. "Bach's trapped and practically defenseless!"
"Well, quit stalling and get down there!" Airiana wrapped her fingers around the vent and tore it off. She jumped down through the small opening with Zoe jumping down too right behind her. Airiana fell from the ceiling to Bach's left and Zoe to his right.
Bach's eyes widened with shock and he heard his pulse pound in his ears. He sighed with relief when he realized that it was just Airiana and Zoe. "Thank God!" he sighed with relief.
Zoe grabbed his hand and squeezed it.
Airiana stared at the ghost with fury in her eyes. "I am quite sick-"
"You are too weak!" it said in a high squeaky voice, interrupting her.
"DON'T INTERRUPT ME!" Airiana yelled, snarling.
The ghost backed up a step, shocked.
Airiana opened her hands and two blue balls of fire appeared. It was getting easier and easier to make them upon willpower. "I am getting quite sick of this haunted school!"
The ghost laughed. "You can't defeat me! Like I said, you're too weak!"
"Are you TAUNTING me?!"
The ghost smiled, revealing rotten and missing teeth.
Zoe took a step forward, standing in front of her friend. "Airiana... I think there's a reason why it's not scared of you... are you sure about this?"
Airiana pushed Zoe aside, throwing the ball of fire and the ghost held up his hand creating a force field and the ball of fire hit the force field and flew back at the kids with twice the speed and impact. "DUCK!" she screamed, and the kids ducked behind the gym storage equipment as her fire ball hit the wall exploding in flames everywhere. The kids peeked their heads around the equipment once the flames died down.
"Oh no Air," Zoe wailed, "They found out how to defend your attacks! We need to get out of here!" Zoe pulled out a lighter and bundle of sage from her sweatshirt pocket and lit it, waving the smoke that emitted from it back and forth in front of the three teenagers as a sort of force field herself. She had asked her parents more about their culture and what they used to ward off evil spirits. She went to the store that day to buy sage, sweet grass and cedar.
The ghost screamed in pain and hid its face, crouching, stumbling backwards into the gym equipment, tripping over it.
Airiana spotted a ladder, "I have an idea, everyone, follow me!" She ran to the ladder and propped it up to the vent in the ceiling. The kids did not need to be told what to do and instantly climbed up it, Airiana following behind. The ghost charged at them again when more of the sage smoke dissipated. Airiana threw fireballs at its feet so it could not deflect her attacks and it was forced to step back. She climbed into the air duct, Zoe and Bach pulling at her wrists, helping her up and she kicked the ladder over so the ghost could not follow. The kids climbed back through the dusty air duct and out the artifacts door, dusting off their clothes. "Smart thinking with the sage Zoe!" Airiana grinned happily at her best friend.
"We better hurry to next period," Zoe stated, still brushing dust off her black sweatshirt, "And thanks Air. I am glad I'm not completely defenseless now. I think I will be getting more into my culture now. I should have done that years ago."
Bach stared at Zoe like she was a goddess. "I would be dead now if you two hadn't shown up."
Airiana bit her bottom lip nervously. How can I protect myself and my friends now?
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Airiana, Zoe and Bach went to the park after school, laughing and chasing each other around, sliding down the slides, hanging off the monkey bars and pushing each other on the swings acting like the children they were. Airiana and Zoe had their hair in ponytails, their make up all done up wearing false eyelashes, highlighter, contour and lipstick due to Zoe spontaneously wanting to do a makeover. Zoe wore a black button up long sleeve shirt with black jeans and black sparkly high tops. Airiana wore a blue button up blouse with white ripped jeans and blue high tops. Bach wore and off-white shirt with black jeans and regular shoes.
The kids were currently playing lava and he was the monster. Airiana slid down the slide with Zoe right behind her and he ran to the end of the slide. "BACK UP BACK UP!" Airiana screamed with Zoe screeching in terror behind her desperately trying to climb up the slide and Airiana pushing her butt, trying to help her climb up faster.
But it was too late. Bach tagged her back. "You're it!" he yelled.
Airiana groaned and slid down the slide again and stood up on the ground with a huff.
Bach laughed and ran up the stairs and to the middle of the wooden bridge jumping up and down. "Come and get me Air!"
Airiana giggled and ran to the right to tag him but he ran off and then she ran to the left to tag Zoe but she ran off too and climbed across the monkey bars, hanging upside down on the last one. Airiana ran to her and Zoe squealed trying to sit up but Airiana tagged her belly. "Too late!"
"Oh man," Zoe did a back flip off the monkey bars landing on her feet. "That's what I get for showing off."
Bach sighed. "I need a break." he collapsed onto the handicap swing.
Zoe giggled and ran behind him to push him. Airiana climbed on top of him holding onto the chains and sitting on the very top of the swing. "Wee!" she screeched.
Zoe snorted with laughter.
After a couple minutes of swinging the kids decided it was getting dark out and to go home for the night. Airiana sat down outside alone on her front porch, praying for the first time in a long time. It was twilight out and fairly cold. She started singing, "Inside out by: Seventh Day Slumber" quietly to herself feeling perfectly at peace despite the drastic turn of events that day, looking at the beautiful pink red and orange colors of the clouds from the sunset. She could not help but feel her life was about to drastically change from this moment on.
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Zoe chuckled to herself as she snuck into the office where morning announcements were done. She was dressed in a black corset with a black t-shirt underneath it, a puffy black skirt with thigh high black stockings and black combat boots. She wore a big black cross choker with black lipstick and her hair down, brushed smoothly.
Haylene sat at the desk with her hair down, make up done wearing a pink blouse and jeans. She picked up the mic, fixing up her announcement notes in front of her.
"Drop the mic lady," Zoe ordered, "I'm doing the announcements this time."
Haylene whirled around and when she saw Zoe, she wrinkled up her nose. "Like hell you are!"
"Give me the damn mic!"
"No way bloodsucker, now let me do my job!"
Zoe rolled her eyes. Why do people always associate goths with vampires? "I warned you!" Zoe grabbed Haylene, throwing her off the chair, her notes scattering everywhere.
"HEY!" Haylene yelled and threw herself at Zoe.
Zoe caught her and pushed her back, Haylene tripping over a chair and hitting her head on the wall behind her. Zoe grabbed the duct tape out of the desk and put it over her mouth and wrists. "Sorry Haylene but I really need to do this." She pushed Haylene into the closet and shut the door on her scowling face. Zoe got out her own announcement notes and flipped the switch for the microphone. "Good morning mother fuckers of Pinedale High! Today is who-fucking-cares!"
The students looked up at the speakers on the ceiling, with their mouths open in shock and laughing hysterically. Airana and Bach high-fived each other screaming, "YESS!"
"Today we are reporting about Mr. Howard, our new principal who is a blood sucking freak who murdered two of our students already! The brutal murders on the news lately? That was him! What a psycho!"
Macy flew open the door. "Zoe Stallion what is the meaning of this?! And where is Haylene?!"
"So, go fuck yourselves shit heads and go to hell! Have a wonderful day, bye!" Zoe quickly flipped off the microphone and ran around Macy, running out of the office doors and out of the school, laughing hysterically to herself.
Macy heard shuffling and muffled shouts in the closet. She opened it and Haylene tumbled out, still duct taped. "Oh my god!"
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Airiana was walking to Health class after the morning announcements, texting on her cell phone when she almost ran over a preschooler. "Holy crap! What is THAT kid doing here?! Man, I almost killed him!"
Bach laughed. "Maybe you should quit texting."
"Shut-up.
A man held open the door for his students. He had brown hair and glossy blue eyes with a square jawline and full lips. He wore a blue dress shirt and blue jeans.
Bach entered the classroom, but Airiana stood across from the new teacher, finishing her text. "There." she put her phone away in her back pocket.
"Hi Airiana," he greeted.
Airiana looked up and her eyes widened. It was the man from the night at the graveyard.
He stared intently into her blue eyes, "My name is Richard Johnston, I am your new Health teacher," he held out his hand.
Airiana grabbed it slowly than let go quickly as if it was on fire. "I'm Airiana Spark..."
"I know." he replied gravely.
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Drake stood across from them, hidden by crowds of students. He watched the way Airiana talked to Richard. It was different than the way she usually talked.
He noted the shocked look on her face, the stars and wonder in her eyes. He chuckled and shook his head. You are so vulnerable Airiana! Time to break this up.
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Airiana saw Drake push through the crowds and fear clutched her heart. Does he know who Richard is?
"Excuse me, Airiana?" he said, "I need to talk to you."
Airiana looked at Richard. "I'll come in when we're done."
Richard nodded. "Sure," the second bell rang, and he went inside the classroom.
Drake pulled Airiana to the other side of the hallway, pushing her back against the lockers. "You're going to fall in love with him."
"W-what?" Airiana's mouth fell open in shock.
"You're going to fall in love with him. I can see it in your eyes."
To be continued…