Chapter 2

The ache only worsened until it hit me full force like I just got hit with an 18-wheeler. I screamed and fell out of my chair as fire ran through my bones. I gasped for air as my lung suddenly became restricted. It felt like my heart was about to explode. I doubled over and clutched my chest, trying to ease the pain. Tears fell freely from my eyes as I kept gasping and looking around with wide, panicked eyes. I couldn’t focus on anything but the pain. It was brutal. I tried to slow my speeding heart, but nothing worked.

Screams went around the room and I knew everyone’s attention was now on me. The classroom was in chaos but I barely noticed. The pain in my chest was too strong to ignore.

“Back away, give her some room,” I heard the substitute’s panicked voice demand through my pain-stricken haze.

“She’s dying!”

“She’s having a heart attack!”

“What the hell is happening?!”

My classmates threw questions left and right. I caught a few but it only made me panic even more. I was dying…

On my birthday…

At school…

It really can’t get any better than this… Goodbye cruel world, I thought sarcastically. Okay, maybe I was being a bit dramatic, but considering the circumstances, I had every right to be as dramatic as I wanted.

“Everyone out! She needs space!” a new voice commanded. It was different, but calming and familiar. I’ve heard that voice before. I felt a cool hand on my cheek as the class noise died out to nothing. I guess they actually listened to the guy. I felt a needle press into the skin of my neck. I hissed in a breath as I felt pressure, and then it was gone. My pain eased just enough for me to be aware of my surroundings again. I gasped as my eyes landed on my savior…

It was the strange man from the hallway.

“I’m going to get you out of here Ellie. Don’t worry, this will all be over soon,” the stranger said soothingly. I knew I shouldn’t, but I trusted his words. I came to the conclusion that I was still in too much pain to properly think straight as he scooped me up and carried me out of the class. My breathing was still labored, but the pain wasn’t as bad as before. Man! I had to get some of those magic drugs he gave me! He walked out of the school with me in his arms and placed me in the back of an ambulance. He jumped in the front and drove off. It was a few minutes before we stopped and the pain was coming back, only this time, it felt worst. The back doors swung open and the strange man gave me another shot.

“It’s happening too fast. It would just be faster to run,” he said more to himself than me. My eyes followed his movements as he lifted me out of the ambulance and cradled me in his arms. Something told me he wasn’t actually an EMT.

“What’s happening?” I asked, panicked, between gasps. He looked down at me and his face held nothing but sympathy and worry.

“You’re going through the change. I know it huts and you’re confused right now, but I’ll explain when we reach our location. I can’t have you out in the open when you’re so vulnerable,” he said. A sudden breeze kicked up. I felt the chill of the autumn air as he sped through a forest. He was running, but at a pace so fast that everything was blurring past us. My eyes widened in shock as I clung to the mystery guy tighter. I did not want to fall. After a moment we stopped. He laid me down on a soft plush bed and put covers over me. The pain started to spike again, but luckily, fake-teacher-guy was there with another shot.