Grace Academy

She gasped, feeling something tug at her insides.

Kicking wildly into the shadows, she let out a cry when her foot hit something solid.

Mel stared in horror at the thing.

It had a humanoid shape with pearly black eyes and almost toothpick-thin lips that curled away in a vicious snarl. It snapped at her, claws stretched out.

She let out a shriek of fear when they dug into her legs, drawing long bloodied streaks over her legs.

Then, just as suddenly as it had come, the thing vanished and her light flickered back on.

She grunted, sliding onto the floor in a pool of blood.

"What the hell is wrong with this place?" she asked herself. Then she passed out.

- - -

She was shuffling down one of the long corridors, leaning heavily against a wall.

A sword was gripped in her one hand.

Frowning, she crouched beneath a window, listening intently to familiar voices arguing.

"You're differences will cause the death of us all!" Mrs Grace was hissing. "I suggest you resolve them before He steps in!"

"We are trying," Jess hissed in reply. "But I can't stand it when he follows her around."

"You know about my... problem...," Luce snapped back, voice rising to a shout only to crack slightly. "I can only restrain myself so much," he said, softer this time.

Mrs Grace sighed, glaring up at the lights flickering above them. "Do you see what you cause?" she demanded.

With a huff of irritation, the woman told them to make peace and strode out of the classroom they were in.

Suddenly Mel was outside, laying next to a lake with the sword she held minutes earlier stabbed up to the hilt in her gut.

Jess and Luce loomed above her.

She jerked out of the dream with a soft moan, covering her face with her hands.

She was stiff from spending the night on the floor.

She shuddered at ths memory of the thing that had appeared the night before. She glanced at the clock on her bedside table and grunted appreciatively. "At least it's a Saturday."

Standing shakily, she pulled out comfy sweatpants and a loose shirt, yanking off her bloodied clothes and pulling on the fresh ones.

A few minutes after cleaning herself up, she started scrubbing at the floor with her ruined pants.

It's ruined already, she reasoned with herself.

She frowned when someone knocked on the door. "Who is it?"

"Jess Lark," came the reply.

Mel smiled as she opened the door, quietly kicking the bloodied piece of clothing beneath her bed.

"Can I help you with something?" she asked.

"As a matter of fact," Jess grinned, " Yes." His eyes reflected his excitement as he dragged her out of the room.