The Chosen

Chapter One

"Melanie Jessica Bane, you have been chosen."

I rolled out of my mint green blanket and sat up, after having the most vivid dream I've ever had. I put on loud music and started dancing around the room, trying to figure out what I was going to wear for school. Today was going to be unusual, I could feel it.

I walked out of my small cottage home and saw my boyfriend Mason waiting for me in his gray Jeep Grand Cherokee. My long strawberry blonde hair flew into my face because of the wind.

Mason laughed as I jumped in. "You look beautiful today."

"Yeah, so beautiful. I already hate my hair being down, but thanks.” I kissed him, and he started driving as I put my hair in a large messy bun. Mason is my boyfriend we have known each other since what it feels like forever, he is the hottest nerd I have ever met. Tan skin, short blonde hair that swept across his face and blue eyes that go forest green when he was mad. He wasn't super fit but, he did have a four pack. (Which was good enough for me)

School wasn't my favorite thing in the world, but I need my diploma to go to New York to become a professional writer, so I guess I had to suck it up. I was the most popular senior and the captain of the cheer squad. (Here in Archer City Texas we only have a few gas stations and a grocery store. Population 1741 according to Google in 2017.)

Just a normal day of school. Same small school, same irritating people, and same lackluster classes. It was a windy Monday morning, so I decided to wear my black maxi dress and my jean jacket. We parked I the small parking lot by the school, got out of the car then I intertwined Masons fingers with mine and walked toward the school.

Every morning since grade nine Mason and I go to the back of the school where there is a pink and white willow tree. When we got to the tree it felt different, it felt as if the tree was dying.

"This is weird, the tree feels different, maybe it needs to be watered. Can we go to the garden club after school and ask them if they can water the tree?"

Mason hated the head gardener. So, did I, but it's only because she’s his ex-girlfriend, Maria Lock. Maria was a petite blonde, she wore glasses and was head of the chess, garden and fashion clubs and obviously she's the smartest person in the school, next to Mason. She's aggravating and ungenerous, one of those -I’m too good for everyone because I’m rich- type of person.

"I'm sure they won't mind if we asked them," Mason kissed me then we sat under the wisps of the tree. “There is something I need to tell you.” He played with his bulky black and blue ring he never took off.

“Oh? What’s...” The bell rang louder than usual, it pierced my ears so much I couldn't hear for a while, but I shook it off after it stopped. I thought it might have been because I hadn't drunk enough water, so I grabbed some before the bell rang again. Mason didn’t say anything after.

Mason and I walked to our first class, which was unfortunately, Math. I'm a senior and it's not hard. That's if you pay attention.

We got to the class, sat down, and got out our books. Suddenly, I got a migraine and felt my eyes glaze over. I blanked out and found myself in the sky, it was night and the stars were shining brighter than usual. In front of me was young women, she had long shiny blonde hair and green eyes. She wore a blue fairy-like dress and no shoes. I gazed at her close, her eyes were angelic, and she floated up more into the sky, when she was gone and my eyes opened, I was the only one in the classroom, except Mason, who was at the door waiting for me.

"Hey Melanie, class is over are you coming?"

I looked at him. “Class is over already?” How did an hour pass without me noticing?

“Come on,” he grabbed my hand and we walked out of the classroom. “Obviously you weren't paying attention, I will go through the notes and homework with you," he whipped all his books out of his bag. “Isn’t it you that says grade twelve is easy if you payed attention. What happened to that?”

“I don’t know actually. What do you have in third, I forget?"

"Babe, we have lunch together in third remember? It's only second so it’s social. Are you feeling okay?" He put the back of his hand on my forehead.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I will meet you in the cafeteria, I'm not going to Social today." I quickly kissed him on the cheek and ran to the washrooms.

When I got in the bathroom, I checked all the stalls to see if I was the only one there. I didn't know what was going on with me. I stood in front of the mirror, "okay Melanie you are just tired, and dehydrated, you're fine," I splashed water on my face. I looked at my wet face again in the mirror. I was paler than usual, had red eyes and wide pupils. I looked down at my hands to splash myself with water again but there was blood on my hands. I was so terrified I turned around, went into one of the stalls and threw up. I sat on the stall floor crying then I heard someone.

"Melanie Jessica Bane, you have been chosen." It faded out as it was said. Immediately freaked out which made me stop crying. It was a man, but there was no one in the bathroom. I stood up, walked out of the stall and looked at my hands again. I was so scared of what I would see in the mirror, I looked up slowly. Fortunately, I looked normal, and my hands were as pale as they were before. Thank god! Was I hallucinating? I sat in the bathroom for the rest of second period.

When the bell rang for third, I went to the cafeteria to where Mason and my friends were. As I walked in the cafeteria everyone stared at me. I'm not the type of person to get nervous, or jealous and I don't care what people think of me, but after what just happen, I went redder than a tomato and ran to Mason and the others. Sat at our table was Mason, Danielle, Nick, and Mya.

“What was that?” Danielle asked me. She is the Co-captain of my squad. She has darker skin and had long curly dark brown hair, and almost black eyes.

“I was just about to ask the same thing,” Nick said. Nick is Mason's best friend, he has glasses, red curly hair, brown eyes and braces. He and Mason have been friends since they met at chess in grade nine. Nick is one of the funniest people I have ever met.

“Yeah, you okay?” Mya asked in her sweet voice. She is my best friend; she has strawberry blonde hair that went down to her waist and the bluest of eyes. We met in grade seven and have been friends ever since.

I completely ignored the questions because I didn’t have a clue what to tell them. I think Mason noticed because he changed the subject. "Hey Mel, I got you a cheeseburger, some fries and a diet Pepsi is that okay?"

"That's perfect, thank you. Although you didn’t have to buy me lunch." I kissed him and started eating.

“I didn’t have to, but I wanted to.”

I slightly rolled my eyes at him. “Mya how were your first two classes?"

"They were okay. Phys-ed was dumb, Mrs. Corben made me do three more laps than everyone else."

"That's foolish why would she do that; you don't need to do any laps because you’re pretty already!" Nick blurted out before I even had a chance to speak.

Mya's face went red and looked away from Nick. They would be adorable together; everyone knows they like each other, except apparently each other. There was dead silence for about two minutes.

“Danielle, could you pass me some ketchup please?" Mason asked.

"I would rather not."

. "Okay then.” Mason leaned in and whispered in my ear. “Mel do you think we can hang out tonight, alone?”

"Sure, why are we whispering?"

“You will see.” He kissed my head and I continued eating my lunch.

"Melanie, do you know how many times you've told me I didn't do anything for the team?” Danielle asked me.

"No, but I believe you're going to t…"

“The answer is many times. If I didn’t do anything for our squad, you wouldn't have a new kick ass cheer slash dance I just choreographed. You're welcome."

"I didn't say that you didn't do anything I just said that it would be nice if you did more when I need you to, and give Mason the ketchup, please." My mouth was full of food, I was weirdly hungry. I'm a small girl, but I can eat so much and not gain a pound. I hated having a high metabolism.

"Yes, your majesty." She bowed with the ketchup in her hands and gave to Mason.

"Thanks, Danielle!" Mason grabbed my clenched hand and kissed my forehead.

"Thank you, Danielle, by the way, did you tell the girls we are practicing outside today? It's really nice out so we are stretching and do laps.”

"Yeah, I did, but do we have to do laps my legs are still killing me from last time. I don't think I can do anymore." Danielle said, putting her legs up to her chest.

"Danielle it was Mya’s idea, she wants to get fit so she can be in the front instead of the back, where you sent her last practice."

Mya stopped eating, "I really don't mind being in the back, really. I just want to get into shape for homecoming." She was so shy about everything.

“Fine, you can do laps and I can teach our squad my kick ass dance.” She flipped her hair. Danielle is one of those people who swears too much and doesn't care about a lot of things. We aren't entirely that close, but we’re close enough.

We all stopped talking, I looked around the cafeteria and saw something out of the corner of my eye. A dark shadow started coming towards me, "help me." It proceeded to come closer. She was about an inch away then screeched in my ear. As I was still recovering from her loud scream the bell rang for fourth period. I couldn't hear anything again. My ears felt like they were bleeding. I closed my eyes then started tearing up.

“What's wrong?” It was faint but the voice echoed in my ear. I took two steps out of the booth and saw the shadow. It was a gray looking woman with gray lips and no hair wearing a white ripped up gown and almost looked as though she was crying with a lot of mascara running down her eyes. She floated right through me; I could feel her soul and felt like my bones broke as she flew. I fell to my knees and felt my heart race, but also slow down. I was in the middle of the small cafeteria on my knees with blood coming out of my ears and screamed because everything hurt. The last thing I saw was Mason on the phone, then my head hit the floor.