Chapter One: The City

Belle Marks stood, staring at the sight above her. A huge city. Skyscraper at least 100 stories or more. Rows and rows of flying cars zoomed overhead,  through the sky.

“Belle?” Delila Marks rested her hand on her daughter’s shoulder, “How are you feeling?” 

Bella looked at her mother, “Moving me to the city isn’t going to make me feel better, Mom.”

Delila sighed, “That’s what you think, dear. However, I believe that Dr. Holly knew what she was saying when she recomended you move here.”

“She doesn’t know what’s really going on with me–no one does.”

Delila shrugged, “Let’s see what they do know.” She led Belle away from the Bullet Train that had brought Belle from her home in the south, where she and her mother, father, and baby brother had lived in a beautiful past preserve.

The past preserve was a vast strech of land set aside for the people who did not wish to live in the large new cities. In the past preserves, people lived without hologram conmunicaters (HC), Xip Cars, or even Internet in the Eye (IE). They lived with things people used back in the day such as TVs, cars that drove on the ground, and lamps.

“Belle,” Delila was leading Belle down to the exit, “I am going to drop you off at the dormitories and than take the next Bullet Train home, all right?”

“Um…ya, sure.” Belle wasn’t sure, not really. It was the first time in her 16 years that she had stayed away from her family for more than a night.

“That’s my brave girl,” Delila smiled, “Always putting on your game face.” She pinched Belle’s cheek like she was still five and than stepped out onto the busy street. Thousands of people walked up and down the street and more entered and exited shops. Above, Zip Cars zoomed by.

Delila looked around than pointed down the street to a large building. It was white and had thousands of windows, “There it is. The Swan League High School Dorms.”

Belle sighed, “Well, let’s get this over with.” She walked down the street after her mother. Suddenly, someone rammed into her. Belle found herself on the ground. Her shoulder bag was open and a few books she had brought were out on the street. She grabbed them before they could be trampled. She stood up and angrily turned to confront the runner. He was still on the ground, holding his arm. 

“Excuse me?” Belle cried, “But you really should watch where you are running! Don’t you think people would rather not end up on the ground?”

Delila placed her hadn on Belle’s shoulder, “Sweety, relax.” Belle took a deep breath, “Right, sorry.”

The boyt got up. He brushed himself off and then looked at her. He was…different. He had hair so dark, there was a slight tint of purple. He had golden eyes that stared at Belle. There was a hint of apology in those eyes, but the pain overrode it. He was clutching at his arm. 

“A-are you alright?” Belle asked.

“I don’t think so,” the boys voice was a little rough, “My arm feels broken.”

“You should go to the hospital. Do you know where one is?” Delila asked. She stepped up to the boy and took his arm.

He nodded, “Ya, there’s one a few blocks away. I-I can take a M-cab.”

“Hmmm…”Delila looked at Belle then said, “I’m taking my daughter to her dorm, but I guess we can see you to the hospital.”

Belle groaned. It was just like her mother to put other’s before herself. She was always doing things like this for people. 

“See his to the hospital?” Belle asked increduosly. She knew she was acting rotten, but she couldn’y help it. She was in a new place, about to be parted from her family and what did this boy do? He made her day a whole lot harder. Now she would have go all the way through this bustling crowd and see him to the hospital. It made her feel…what? What was her problem? Even she didn’t know.

“Fine,” Belle nodded at the boy, “Lead on.”

To be Continued…

Chapter One: The City

The boy led Belle and her mother down the two blocks, through the crowds, and to the large hospital buildings.

“This is the hospital,” the boy nodded towards the large automatic glass doors.

“Go, then,” Belle nudged him forward. They had lost enough time and didn’t need him clogging up the door.

“I’m going!” the boy said. He walked through the double doors and Belle and Delila followed. Inside, the floor was made of cool, white marble. The walls had moving pictures on them, as if the whole room was a TV. Pictures of doctors taking past and nurses filled the screens. A long marble desk was against the far left wall. Behind the desk, was a young woman only a few years older than Belle, maybe 19. She looked up when the buy marched up to the desk.

“Damon!” the girl smiled, “Have you broken your arm again?” She didn’t seemed surprised at all, “Well you know the Dr. is busy. He’ll let you in when he’s done with his current patient.”

The boy–Damon–nodded. He walked back to us, “The Dr. will see me shortly. Uh, thanks for seeing me here, Mrs. …um?”

“Mrs. Marks,”Delila answered,” Call me Delila.”

“I’m Damon,” Damon said. He turned to Belle, “Sorry for bumping into you. Can I have your name?”

Belle crossed her arms and frowned. She tried to ignore him, but Delila poked her in the ribs so she said grudgingly, “Belle. My name is Belle.”

“Cool,” the boy grinned, “Are you going to school here?”

“I suppose,” Belle nodded her head toward the window at the tall white dorm building, “I’m staying there and going to Swan League High.”

Damon laughed, “What’s do you know! I go there too! You must be the new kid the teachers have been mentioning.”

“Wonderful,” Belle muttered.

“Well, Damon, I’m glad you’ll get that arm fixed, but I better get Belle to her dorms,” Delila laughed, “Be careful next time.”

“I will Mrs. Marks, uh Delila,” he looked at Belle and smiled, “Maybe I’ll bump into you at school.”

“I hope not,” Belle said under her breathe, “You might break my arm.”

He didn’t seem to hear, “See ya.” He walked to a large chair in the waiting room an sat down.

Belle turned slowly and pulled her mother out the doors.

***************************************************************************************

Damon waited in the waiting room for 10 minutes until a nurse came and said, “The Dr. is ready for you, young man.”

He walked behind her until they reach the Dr.’s room. She smiled at him and said, “Go right in.” She left him then. Damon pushed open the door and entered. The Dr. was sitting in a floating chair that hung a few inches off the ground. His back was turned, but Damon could see the white lab coat he wore and his gray-white hair was tied in its usual ponytail.

“Dr. Swengaurd, I broke my arm again.”

The Dr. spun his chair around. His face broke into a smile when he saw Damon, “Damon, my boy! How are you?”

“Ah…a little broken.”

“Of course you are. Your work is dangerous. What was it this time? A stamping machine? A drop off a Zip Car?” he took Damon by the unbroken arm and pulled him to a workbench.

“Nope,” Damon shook his head as the Dr. pulled up his sleeve to examine the arm, “A chase. The subject chased me through the city.”

“Hmm,” the Dr. nodded, “Did he follow you here?” He pressed down on Damon’s wrist. Pop! A button popped up. It was sticking out of Damon’s wrist. Damon didn’t even blink. The Dr. pressed the button. Damon’s skin peeled back. From the elbow down the skin simply peeled down like wallpaper peeling off a wall. Underneath, instead of bones, matallic material made up Damon’s arm. A deep crack split the piece of metal into two.

“Na,” Damon shook his head, “I lost them.”

To be Continued…

Chapter Two:

Belle stopped walking when she reached the tall white building that was the high school dormetory. Her mother stepped up to the sliding doors, causing them to slide open.

“Come on darling,” Delila grabbed Belle’s arm and pulled her through the door. Inside, kids milled around the office. Behind the front counter, a hover chair faced away from the room, towards the wall. A hologram name was floating above the desk. Calib Donny. Delila walked up to the counter, Belle following.

She knocked her knuckles against counter top. The chair swiveled around. A boy about 18, only two years older than Belle, swiveled the chair around. He had brown hair that reached his eyes. His eyes were bright green.

“Uh, hi. I’m not the reall clerk. He’s on a bathroom break.”

“That’s fine, sweety,” Delila smiled, “Can you tell me where my daughter will be staying?”

“Ya, what’s her last name?”

“Marks.”

“Her age?”

“16.”

“Grade?”

“12th.”

“Hmm, ya. She’s in room 36. She has a roommate too.”

“That’s nice,” Delila, “Can I go up to her room with her?”

“Mom!” Belle was embaressed by her mother.

Why does she always insist on treating me as a baby? Belle mentally complained.

“Belle, I want to know where you’ll be staying.” Delila turned back to the boy, Calib, and said again, “May I?”

“Of course, Mrs. Marks,” the boy clicked a button and a hologram screen appeared. He clicked a few button on it and said, “You’re ID card is being processed.” He loooked straight at Belle..

Belle blushed, “Um, thanks.” This seemed to satisfy the boy, “All right here it is.” He handed Belle’s mother a card with a almost transparent picture of her on it. Her name and grade were there too. In the small left hand corner of the ID card was a picture of a globe. Belle touched it gently as she had seen the boy do to his hologram screen. The picture vanished and in its place a search screen appeared.

“You, ah, have access to the interent on that,” he said, “It’s a new program added to the card. Along with hologram calling.”

“Hmm.” Delila wouldn’t be able to recieve a hologram call, seeing as she and Belle’s family lived in a Past Reserve. No hologram transmitters there.

“All right,” Calib said, “You’re all set to go up to your room.”

Belle nodded and this time she took her mother’s arm and lead her away. Calib Donny made her nervous. They reached and elivator. In the Past Reserve, the had elevators too. Those had small rooms, or boxes that carried its passengers us or down. These elevators sucked the passengers up, down, or sideways. There would be no floor beneeth them has they moved.

Belle was hesitant to enter the shaft, but Delila pulled hber through. Without baing able to think or blink, Belle and her mother were  being sucked upwards. The air wooshed past them and the blinding white  light of the sides of the shaft penetrated Belle’s closed eyelids. She couldn’t see. Even when she opened her eyes, her hair was all around her face, so all she could see were the raven colored locks covering her vision.

Suddenly the elevator stopped. her hair fell back into place, only a little mused. her mother looked better, though. Her tight bun had kept her hair out of her face and she was laughing.

“That was incredible!” Delila laughed, “Maybe we should do it again!”

“No!” Belle cried, “That was horrible. I want to see my room!”

“Fine, dear, fine. But I’m telling you, that was an amazing experience.”

Belle ignored her mother’s comment as she stepped out of the shaft and into an equally bright hallway. It seemed inpossible to Belle. Back at home, you had to let in sunlight or turn on a lamp to make a hallway half as bright as it was here. There, however, were no windows that Belle could see and the hallway was empty except for the ocational srudent walking by. The white walls made it easier to see the numbers on the doors, though. Soon they found room 36. They stepped up to the door. It stayed closed. They knocked on it. No answer. Belle tried puching it open. It didn’t budge.

“Look,” Delila pointed to a small opening next to the door. It was thin and looked as if it were made for something to slide into it. Then Belle remebered her ID card. She took it from her mother’s hand.

“What are—” Delila asked, “Oh.”

Belle pushed the card halfway through the slot and the door slid open. Inside, was a huge room. There were study desks in one corner, a miniture library in another. Some comfy looking hover chairs were also arranged throughout the room. In one chair, sat a girl. A very unual girl.

She was bent over something. Her hair was white and was streaming down around her face. She small and petite.

“Um, excuse me?” Belle wrapped her knuckles against the open door frame. The girl looked up. Her face guilty.

“Oh!” she jumped up. In her hand was a monder day book. It was different form the kind of books Belle had. Her books were made out of paper and leather. This girl was reading a digitalized book. It was sort of a glass screen with pictures and pages in it, like a hologram screen, only you could hold.

“Oh, its you.” the girl turned adn returned her book to the shelves of books, “They said you’d be coming. My name is Filla.”

Chapter Two:

Belle lay in her new dorm bed. It was comfy enough. The pillow was made of a soft fabric, but she missed her old goose-feather pillow back at home. There, almost everything was made from natural things; from animals and plants. Here most of her surroundings were computerized or machine made. Come to think of it they hadn’t seen much nature around this city. Delta Star. That was the city’s name. There was no delta so far. No smell of water nearby. No wildlife either. Not a single domesticated or willd animal here.

Its empty. A voice in Belle’s dream whispered. No one is really alive. There all…machines.

Images flashed through Belle’s dream addeled head. Her mother staring at her with lifeless eyes. The boy, Calib Donny, laughing machanically at her as she tore through the streets of Delta Star, searching for something alive. For something or someone like her. Then the boy from the street. Damon? Right that was his name. He was in front of her, blocking her path. She tried getting past him, but he seemed to anticipate her every move.

“Where are you going, Belle?” he asked, “Why are you running?”

He reached out and took her by the arm. His hand was cold and metalic, just like everything else in this city. Nothing was familiar here. Nothing.

Belle gasped, awake. She was in bed, her blankets tangled between her legs, her hair a mess on her pillow. The room was dark but for a sliver of silver light that shone from the far end of the room. Where was she? She couldn’t remember. The bed was soft and comfertable. She lay back thinking.

Slowly, like puzzle pieces being put together, the events of yesterday came back to her. She and her mother had met Filla, her roommate and Filla had explained to Belle how Swan League High School worked.

Belle fumbled at the nightstand that stood next to her bed. She pressed a button and a brilliant white light flooded the room.

“Oh, God, Belle!” Filla sat bolt upright in her bed. Her hair, white as snow, was tangled all around her face. She rubbed her eyes and asked, “Why on Earth did you turn on that light? It’s only 6:30.”

“Sorry. Sorry,” Belle apologized, “I didn’t know.” She pressed the button again and the whole room was plunged into a pitch darkness.

“Geez, if you turned it on, keep it on,” Filla’s feet softly padded onto the floor, “I’m awake anyway.”

Belle turned the light back on and once her eyes adjusted to the white brilliance, she fumbled for her schedule. Filla had given her all she needed for school last night. On her side table where she had left them were eight digitalized books. Seven of them were on subject matters: Science, Math, Language Arts, Physical Education, Social Science, Arts, and Extra Languages. The eighth one was a folder for extra things. One of these things was Belle’s schedule for the day.

She picked up the exta folder. Tapping the screen, she opened the file with the schedule in it. It looked like this:

Language Arts - Curt Hayley

Arts - Allison Asheley

Social Science - Robin Lawcrise

Science - Carra Forsight

Phycical Education – Lorie Forest

Math – David Saimon

Extra Language: Karmanic – Deya Lamput

“Karmanic?” Belle looked up and saw Fills appear from the bathroom, “What is Karmanic?”

“The second most spoken language. Next to English of course.” Filla opened on of the two closets on the far side of the room. It wasn’t really a closet. More like a computer screen and a rod above her head. All Filla had to do was click the arrows on the screen to go through her entire wardrobe. She clicked the select button and with a soft wirring noise a hanger with her outfit appeared on the rod above her head. She reached up, pulled it down and took it to the bathroom to change.

Belle got out of bed. She was wearing nothing but shorts and a large T-shirt. She padded across the room to the other closet. Yesterday, before her mother left for home, she had unpacked the few outfits of clothing and let the closet suck them up. Now, as she turned on the screen, she saw in the upper left hand corner there was a number. 101.

“101?” Belle muttered. Slowly she scanned through the clothing. Many more then the outfits she had brought showed up on the screen. Outfits she had never seen showed up.

Filla walked up behind her. She was wearing a long, pink tunic shirt over a pair of black tights. Her white hair was made into a braid that hung to hips.

“What are these clothes doing in there?” Belle asked.

“What do you mean?” Filla squeezed her way into the closet next to Belle.

“These clothes. I don’t own them.” Belle pressed the forwarding arrow and scanned through the different and unfamiliar clothing.

“The school provides the students with clothes” Filla explained, “Hurry up and choose something. Get ready. FAST.”

Belle sighed. It was too early in the morning for this. She selected an outfit. It was a pair of tight jeans and a fashonable shirt. A gold belt came with it. She selected it and when it arrived, took it off the rod. She made her way to the bathroom and stepped inside. It was huge. The bathroom had a tub big enough for at least five people. The walls were tiled and pictures of mermaids and sea waves adorned the walls and cieling. The same bright white light shone in here as it had in the room. Quickly, she stepped oout of her shorts and shirt. Pulling the pants on, she glanced at herself in the mirror. Nothing but her regular self. Her dark hair framed her rich, almond colored skin. Her dark hazel eyes stared back at her. She pulled her shirt over her head. It was a white shirt. A silver image of a sawn was stamped into the fabric. The golden belt was to be wrapped around her waist. On the belt, engraved into the gold, were tiny golden swans.

Belle picked up her toothbrush. Apparently, here, they used a liquid mouth rinse to clean their teeth. Belle had refused to do so. She insisted on keeping her toothbrush. Taking the tube of paste she had brought with her, she squeezed it onto her brush. After she had brushed her teeth, she left the bathroom.

She fixed her shoulder length hair into a ponytail and grabbed her shoulder bag full of digitilized books.

“Come on.” Filla stood by the door, “Let’s go.”

Taking a deep breath, Belle followed her out into the hallway.

Kids were milling around. Making their way out of the dorms towards the high school. Filla lead the way. Down the halls to the lobby. Belle followed Filla into the elevator. Once the fast moving trip was over, Belle found herself in the lobby again. The clerk sitting in the hover chair today was different. It was a older man, around 40 years old. This time the hologram name said: Farcil Manstrong. He had a long, brown ponytail and a small mustache.

Filla lead me to the desk, “Hi, Farcil.”

“Hello, Filla,” Farcil said in a deep voice, “Are you ready to “check out”?”

“Farcil used to be a hotel clerk,” Filla explained to Belle, “He acts as if Sawn League High School Dorms is Farsee’s Hotel Rooms.”

Farcil laughed, ” ‘Tis true.” The man pressed the button on the desk and when the hologram screen appeared, “checked” us out for the day.

Belle turned around to leave and came face to face with Damon.

To be Continued…

Chapter Five:

Belle shot Damon a quizicall look, “What are you talking about?

Damon shrugged, “You’re okay, right?” His moment of laughter had seaped away, leaving him his usual cocky self.

“Yes, I suppose I am,” Belle struggled up.

“Well, dear,” Dr. Sprite laughed now, “You gave us all quite a fright when you wouldn’t wake up.”

“What?” Belle looked her, “I am awake.”

“Now,” Damon snorted, “It took ages to get even a groan from you.”

“You were as silent and still as a…hmmm. Nothing is coming to my mind that fits that description right now.” the Dr. shrugged, “You should get up and walk around a bit. ”

“Um, all right,” Belle pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and stood up. The ground seemed to spin around her. And then it was rushing towards her at surpriesing speed. A second later, the floor stopped abruptly. Damon had his arm around her and held her only a few inches off the ground.

“You have to be much more careful than that,” he laughed, “Next time I’m not around, you’ll find yourself flat on the floor.”

Blushing, Belle struggled out of his arms and stood on her own two feet. She felt relieved when the floor stayed in place.

“You go now,” Belle nodded towards Damon and Dr. Sprite, “I can take care of myself.”

“Yes, Fella with inform us if you need me,” the Dr. smiled and she and Damon left.

**********************************************************************************

Belle walked for a bit. Her head still hurt but other than that, she was fine. Still, walking in circles around her room made her dizzy and nauseous.

I’ll go and walk in the corridor, Belle decided. Taking her time, she strolled out of the room and into the hallway. It was bright white as usual and in much contrast to her old home. Her mind traveled back to her own school in the Past Preserve. It had been an old brick building with at least 90 rooms and techers. However, the school had many colors in it. Blues, greys, reds, and all the colors of the rainbow. Belle siged. Everything was much simpler there. People didn’t fly cars, didn’t dress in all the wierd outfits and they certainly didn’t have hologram items.

Belle had by now mande her way down the hallway to an open door. Inside, Damon’s voice floated out.

“Seriously?” Damonwas yelling. Belle hadn’t known he stayed in this dorm building. Of course he did, though. Everyone who whent to Swanbridge High did.

Belle inched closer to the open door.

“Look, I know you think that taking all this money is good for you and is your right, but why don’t you just work for it?” Damon asked the person he was talking to. A hologram voice replied, “Damon, you will do what I ask you to or else I will have to make you.”

“You would, woudn’t you?” Damon snorted, “You don’t care for me. Just about your money. Money, money money. Well you can go to hell. I won’t get it for you.”

Belle heard the sound of the holophone shutting off a call. Her hands shook. Whoever Damon was talking to wanted him to do something. And from the way he spoke, it was not something good. Belle felt something in her belly knot. It was not a good feeling.

Then there were footsteps. Before she could make her legs move, Damon stepped out of the room and looked right at her.

“You know, you breathe really loud.”

To be Continued…

P.S. Sorry I haven’t been posting in a while. I was busy with school and stuff. Still, I read all of your guys’ posts. Please leave comments and suggestions.

P.S.S. Thank you to ALooseAvian for your idea. I am really glad you gave it to me. I was having writer’s block!!!

Chapter Three:

“Well, well, look at this,” Damon grinned. His dark black hair was in its same state it had been in yesterday; ruffled, but somehow looking good. He wore a pair of blue jeans and a Rock the Planet T-shirt. One backpack strap was slung over his shoulder.

“Hi, Damon,” Filla turned and smiled, “You okay?”

“Ya, I’m fine.” Damon’s smile wavered.

“What was wrong with you?” Belle asked. She glanced at his arm. It looked fine now. No cast, no sling. As if nothing had happened.

Damon shrugged and didn’t seem to want to answer. Filla filled Belle in ,”Damon was sick yesterday. Came back here at lunch and had to spend the rest of day in bed.” Filla shook her head, “Looks like it was a 12 hour thing.”

Belle stared at Damon. According to Filla he had been in bed yesterday, so…how had she some to bump into him in the street yesterday? Damon looked uncomfortable. He fingered his backpack strap.

“Come on,” Filla grabbed Belle’s wrist and pulled her past Damon towards the lobby doors. Belle turned her head to catch a last glimpse of Damon. He was gone.

***********************************************************************************************************

Belle stood next to Filla in front of Swan League High School’s double doors. Streams of students went into and out of the large building. Belle had spent her morning searching the white lighted halls for her classrooms, sometimes aided by the occasional sympathetic student.

Now, she and Filla sat on a bench near the enterance to the school, discussing the possibilites of lunch.

“We could go to Star Land Hut,” Filla suggested, “It’s really famous for its lovely dishes.”

Belle shrugged, “Do you have a place where I would like to go?”

“I don’t know. What kind of food do you like?” Filla’s eyes lit up, “Oh! I know. You could come to the La Frizzle.”

“The La Frizzle,” Belle asked, “Sure, I guess.” She stood up and followed Filla down the walk to the street. Down here, people walked and above their heads, cars,buses, and cabs whizzed past. In her home at the Past Reserve, Belle remembered having to walk next to the street where cars drove on the ground.

Filla lead her away from the school and in the general direction of a cluster of livelier shops and buildings. More lights and sounds enimated from that side of the street.

One shop had a hologram side that flashed pictures and the words “La Frizzle” in bright colors.

“Here it is. A lot of students some here so its mostly filled with kids our age at this time,” Filla opened the door. It surpriesed Belle. Most doors here seemed to have  minds of their own so she hadn’t opened one since she had gotten here.

Inside, the lights flashed red and green. It looked like a patchwork quilt. Patches of red and green plashed onto different surfaces. It you looked down at yourself, you could see every inch of yourself tinted a shade of red or green.

“This is La Frizzle,” Filla grinned. She scanned the room and over the music shouted, “Look! There’s Calib.”

Belle remembered Calib vividly,just as she had Damon. He had been the boy filling in as clerk behind the dorm lobby counter last night.

She followed Filla to a table and found Calib sitting, in his hands was a cup of some sort of pink drink. Or it could have been yellow tinted with red. Calib looked up and smiled, “Filla, whta’s up sis?”

Filla smiled, “Calib, this is my new roommate, Belle. Belle, my brother, Calib.”

Belle smiled, “Hi. I believe we already met.” She held out her hand and Calib shook it.

“Ya,” he looked at Filla and said, “I was filling in for Farcil.”

Just than a hand was on Belle’s shoulder. A cold hand.

Belle spun around. Damon grinned at her. Him again.

“Looks like you can’t stray far, can you?” Damon asked.

Belle smiled sarcasticly at him, “Yes. I spent my entire day seeking you out. I have nothing better to do with my time.”

She turned and looked at Calib, “Is he your friend?”

Calib shrugged, “Unfortunatly.”

Damon, still smiling slid into the bench across from Calib.

“You girls want to join us?” Calib asked.

Filla replied before I could, “Sure.” She slid into the seat next to Calib. Nothing left for me to do but sit down next to Damon.

I eyed the seat. It wasn’t as though I didn’t like Damon. I could just tell he was one of those boys who though he was too good or something.

Slowly, as if I were afraid to do so, I slid into the seat next to him.

“Geez, you act like I’m going to take a bit out of you.” He lunged forward and pretended to take a bit out of my neck. He was only a few inches away when he pulled away.

Filla and Calib laughed. I glared at him. Inching away, I made he wasn’t in anyway able to touch me.

To be Continued….

Chapter Three:

Belle looked up. A waiter droid arrived, trays of food balanced on its metalic arms.

“Foods here,” Calib said as the trays were set on the table.

Soon, Belle, Filla, Damon, and Calib were eating the rich city food. Belle had never tasted anything like this. New tastes filled her mouth with every bite.

Once she caught Damon laughing at her, but for the most part, he behaved.

Finally, when lunch was over, Damon said, “Why don’t we drive you guys back to school? Filla can go with Calib and Belle can ride with me.”

He flashed one of his annoying grins.

Before Belle could protest, Calib said, “Sure, why not? You girls alright with that?”

Filla looked at me then nodded, “Yup. I don’t think we should walk back to school.”

Belle sighed. Oh, well, if she rode with Damon, maybe she could finally get some answers to some pressing questions.

Belle got up and said, “Well, we better get going, right?”

Filla looked at her, “What’s the sudden hurry? School doesn’t start for 15 minutes.”

“I know, I know. But, I’m new here. I don’t want to be late on my first day,” Belle hoped they would buy it. She didn’t want to have to answer a lot of questions.

“It’s alright guys,” Damon said, “I’ll just go now. You guys can meet us at school if you want.”

He grabbed Belle’s arm and pulled her towards the doors.

“Whoa, there, fella,” Belle yanked her arm out of Damon’s grasp, “Let’s keep our appendages to ourselves.”

Damon only smirked but didn’t try grabbing hold of Belle again. Instead, he opens the door and let Belle out into the street.

She looked around. Next to the resteraunt, a lot was made to park all the Zip Cars. Damon lead Belle to a bright red, sports Zip Car. It had a open cockpit and tinted black side windows. It was capible of seating five people.

“Get in,” Damon opened the passenger door, “I’ll drive you to school.”

Belle climbed into the seat, while Damon walked around to hisside. Instead of opening his door, he jumped over it and landed directly in his seat.

“I like to go with a sense of adeventure and style,” Damon explained as he backed the Zip Car out of the lot and into the sky. Quickly, he joined the bustle of vehicles in thesky traffic.

“Really?” Belle asked, “What was stylish about being in bed when you’re sick, right?”

Damon glanced at her, “What do you mean?”

“I mean, why would someone as stylish and adventurous as you want to be stuck in bed when he isn’t well. It is a mystery.”

“I wasn’t sick,” Damon said simply as if that explained everything.

“Really?? Then how did you get out of school?” Belle asked. Something about Damon’s behaviour made her suspisious. If he wasn’t sick, then was he just ditching school?

“My grandfather gave me a call,” Damon admitted, “He needed some help. I couldn’t let the old man down.”

Belle didn’t answer. Then she asked, “What did he need help with?”

Damon was silent.

“Well?” Belle looked at him. He was frowning at the cars ahead. She looked out of the Zip Cars and imedietly wished she hadn’t. She had never been this far up before. All the cars in the Past Reserve drove on the ground. The buildings weren’t small. Infact, they were so tall, that for most of the time, they were driving between them, but the people on the ground looked like they could fit into Belle’s palm. She pulled her head back into the car. She felt sky sick.

Damon must have been able to tell. He grabbed a bottle of some liquid and handed it to her.

“Here, drink it.” Damon said. He continued driving.

“What is it?” She cracked open the lid. Inside was a black sludge.

“Something to help you with sky sickness.”

“Hmm,” Belle took a hesitant sip of the drink. It felt like chuncky porige and tasted worse. Like bitter medicen.

“Ewww,” Belle spat, “That was gross.”

“Ya, but the sickness is gone, right?” Damon started lowering the car as the approuched Swan League High.

She thought for a moment, “Yes. It is.” And it was. Belle no longer felt the pressing weight of the sky on her shoulders. She also no longer felt the suspision for Damon. She smiled at him, “Thanks, Damon.”

He smiled back, almost alpologeticly, “Please, don’t mention it.”

He lowered the car and they got out. As they headed for the school, Belle wondered what she had been asking Damon about before the car sickness had set in. Funny. She coouldn’t remember.

Chapter Four:

Damon ran out of the school. Finally, he was free of the small confining classrooms and rules that kept him from doing what he loved. Carelessly, he jumped into his Zip Car and started the engine. Flying above Delta Star’s streets, Damon ran his fingers through his thick black hair. A small light appeared on his wrist. It shone from under the skin. He pressed down on the light. A small figure of a man appeared in his palm. Dr. Swengaurd.

“What’s up, Grandpa?”

“Damon,” Dr. Swengaurd smiled wrily, “I have a mission for you.”

“Really?” Damon smirked, “When don’t you?”

“Vey funny, Damon,” the doctor said, “Mr. Felix is giving me some trouble. I want you to convince him to give me my “research” money. He owes me.”

“Sure. Just send me his location and any other data you have on him and I’ll get to work.”

“You should have the data now,” Dr. Swengaurd said, “I just sent it.”

In just a few minutes Damon had flown across the busiest parts of Delta Star and arrived at 612 Fartown Street. The house was large, owned by one of the cities largest illegal buisness dealers. Felix Carson delt with drugs and money, lots of money. His lawns were spread out in front of the house and on them, Damon parked his Zip Car. He walked calmly to the large front doors and knocked.

A few seconds later, a large man opened the doors. He had slick brown hair lat was made into a spike on top of his head.

“What do you want?”

“I’m here to see Felix.” Damon stuck his hands in his pockets and smirked at the man.

“Hmm. Come in.” The man opened the door for Damon and led him into the large hallway.

“Wait here,” the man ordered, “I’ll get the Master.”

“Master?” Damon laughed to himself, “What a servant he’s got.”

He waited. While he waited he paced the hall. The ceiling was high. The floor was made entirly of marble. The lights on the walls threw a soft orange around the hall.

“Hello, Damon.” Damon slowly turned and faced Felix Carson. Felix was a middle aged man in his late thirties. He wore a black suit but his muscles underneath made the clothes buldge so much it looked as though he had stuffed pillows under his clothes.

“Hey, Felix.” Damon grabbed a paper wheight from a side table in he hall and tossed it from hand to hand. Soon it was just a flicker of color between his hands.

“Dr. Swenguard, wants his money. You know Grandpa can get a little impatient.”

“I don’t have money to give him. And I really don’t feel the need to give him any.”

“Oh?” Damon grinned, “Are you quiet sure? I’m sure this will make you reconcider.”

In an instant he was next to Felix, a small hand gun aimed at Felix’s head.

The man, laughed. He laughed so hard that he shook.

“D-do you really believe that will make me give you anything?” he roared. Wiping tears from his eyes he said, “Your efforts are wasted.”

“I don’t think so,” Damon said calmly. A sound came from his left hand. It opened completly. A small grenate popped out and his arm became as it was before.

“Now, as you can see,” Damon hefted the grenade in his hand, “This little guy’s going to explode when I tell him to. So, if you want your house here to stay intact, I suggest you give me your money. I leave happy. Grandpa is made happy. And we all live happily ever after.”

Felix glanced down at the grenade and then at the gun pointed at his head.

“Huntil,” Felix called, “Get the case of $1,oo0.”

Chapter Four:

Belle felt cold. Her body was sweating profusly and she shook all over.

“Oh, dear,” Sara Sprite said as she bent over the girl, “I have to know everything you ate today dear, to know how you were poisoned like this.”

Belle looked up at the doctor. She was a strong, stout woman with bright ginger hair that framed her pink face.

“I-I don’t know,” Belle looked desperatly at Filla.

“Well,” Filla tapped her fingers together thoughtfully, “We had Chicken Fried and Cold Drinks at La Frizzle.”

“Hmmm,” Sara shook her head, “That resteraunt is known for its good food. No poison there. Anything else?”

Filla shook her head. Then Belle remembered. That gross drink Damon had given her to cure her of her sky sickness. She told the doctor.

“Really? A black, what drink?”

“A-a black, bitter drink.”

“Very, peculiar. Who gave it to you?”

“Damon.” Belle remembered the way he had looked at her after she had drunk the liquid. Was he sorry or was he laughing at her? He memory blurred the harder she tried to recall.

“Damon?”

“Damon Swengaurd,” Filla said, “Belle was riding home with him and hour ago.”

“Alright.” the doctor poured a green liguid down Belle’s throat, “You’ll be better tomorrow. I’ll question Damon and examen the drink.”

“Thank you doctor.” Filla led the doctor out the door.

****************************************************************************************************

Damon was sitting on a couch in his bedroom. He gazed into the small globe he held between his fingers. It was clear, but for a swirl of multi-colors in the center. He consentrated on the colors. Reaching out his computer side of his mind. He made the colors move.

A knock came from the door.

“Come in,” Damon carlessly threw his legs onto his coffee table.

“You know as well as I do, Damon, that you must open the door for me to come in.”

Damon smirked, “Fine.”  A moment later a click came from the computerized lock. Dr. Swengaurd stepped. He held in his hand, a new looking devise.

“What you got there?” Damon swivled the chair around.

“A new present.” Dr. Swengaurd said, “For your successful mission.”

Damon smiled his lopsided smile, “Well? What it is?”

“The lastest Wrist Com.”

“Oh?” Damon looked at him. Then blurted, “I had to give some to her.”

“To whom?” the Dr. raised an eyebrow at his “grandson”.

“Belle. Belle Marks. She was asking me a LOT of questions,” Damon gave a short laugh which had no humor in it, “I just made sure she forgot some of them till I got away. She’ll be having a head and stomach ache about now.”

“You should have poisoned her.” Swengaurd shook his head, “If she were to get wind of our little “buisness” then we would be “in a pickle” as they used to say in the old days.”

“Kill? Why…why would I kill her. She isn’t a threat.” Damon glanced at his grandfather. His dark eyebrows were knitted together and his handsome features were unusualy anxious.

“To greaten the risk is foolish. To end the risk is wise,” the Dr. simply replied.

****************************************************************************************************************

Startlight. Bright in the pitch black night, they cast their light on the city. Delta Star was illuminated in their soft glow. The tall buildings were bright with lights. Their edges and contors softened by the thick mist, the whole city seemed to be a ghost, the inhabitance all fast asleep or or buried deep in their work. 

Except one.

Belle is cold. Shivering uncontrollibly from the mist, she pulled her jacket tighter around her self,trying to ward off the chill. A black figure appeared. It wasn’t clear. Just a black outline in the mist. It was definatly male. The way he stood was casual and at the same time made him seem mysterious and a little scary. Then, in the mist two glowing red eyes appeared.

Gasping, Belle once again shot up in bed. Her dark hair was rumpled and her sheets tangled between her legs. The sun was shining through the large windows and next to her bed was the Dr. She was back, now accompanied by Damon. He stood just like the person in her dreams. He was dreassed all in black too. Plus the sunlight lit up the dust particles in the air giving it a sort of mistical effect. Maybe she had been seeing this setting through her eyes and something similar but different through her dream.

“Hey,” Damon gave her one of his surprisingly samilar smirks. She supposed he meant them to be smiles, but the way he turned one side of his mouth up and kept the other level made him look as though he were mocking her.

“Dear, I examined the drink he gave you,” Dr. Sprite smiled at her, “Just a simple expiration. That is all.”

“Oh,” Belle gave a weak smile, “I’m glad it wasn’t anything too horibble.”

Damon laughed, “Too horibble? You mean, you thought I’d poisoned you?”

To be Continued…

Chapter Five:

“What,” Belle tried keeping her voice steady but it still shook, “What are you talking about?”

“Your breathing,” Damon gave her one of his lopsided smiles, “It is REALLY loud.”

“No, I mean,” Belle shook her head, “In there. Who were you taking to and what on Earth were you talking about?”

Damon’s smile faded, “What did you hear?” His voice had become unusually frosty. His deep brown eyes were wary and maybe a little frightened. No. Damon wasn’t the type of guy who got frightened. Not for somethig as small as an overheard phonecall.

“Not much,” Belle admitted, “Only that who-whoever was on that call wanted you do something.”

“Well,” Damon looked away then looked back, relieved, “that was it. Nothing else. Grandpa wanted some help you know, in his work. Nothing more.”

“Well,” Belle, who was eager to get away but still curious said, “It didn’t sound like nothin’. You were pretty angry. And anyway, the wayyou spoke it sounded like he asked you to do something you didn’t want to do.”

She crossed her ams over her chest and frowned, “What was it? Skip school again? Give someone a poisonus drink so that they almost die!?” She lost control over her anxiety and confusion. Everything that she had been feeling, suspecting and wondering came pouring out, over her lips.

“Did he ask you to kill someone this time? Maybe push them out of your car. Or perhaps this time he wanted you to try and befriend a girl and then try to poison her and then maybe kill her?”

“Whoa there,” Damon’s expression was hurt. Gone were smirks and cocky expression. His dark hair fell into his face and he didn’t push it back like he usually did. This made him look dark and depressing. Like a great shadow of darkness had settled over him at Belle’s words.

“Do you really think I would hurt you?” Damon asked, his voice just above a whisper.

“Well,” Belle looked down then up again, strongly into his face, “Maybe I do. You’ll have to guess just like I do. Because who’s going to get a staight answer out of you, right?”

Damon groaned, “You want the truth?” His voice was rising and he grabbed Belle’s arm and pulled her into his room, closing the door behind him, “Then  I’ll give you the truth.”  

 *Sorry for not posting for such a long time. Busy with school and stuff. Well anyway, if you’re new in KWC, then just look uo my old posts for “A Chance of Hope” and read them. I tried to come up with a good plot. Anyway, hope you like it and please leave comments below. *