Key Stealer

          My day was pretty much awful even before I died.

          I had been running for so long, too long. It had been raining all night, but even that didn’t stop them from coming. By the time I had seen the yellow bus in the distance, my muscles were burning and my lungs were screaming for a break. My long brown hair wrapped tightly in a braid kept slapping against my back as I ran and my arms pumped against my sides. I had to make it to that bus.

          As soon as I had gotten to the old lot with the old yellow school bus, I knew I would be putting everyone inside in danger, but there was nowhere else to go. I climbed aboard the bus and the doors slammed shut behind me with a thud. I grabbed the front seat for balance as the bus lurched forward and strode past the scowling bus driver to look upon all the middle schoolers I’d be putting in danger.

          I sat in an empty seat near the middle of the bus and pressed my face against the cold windows. Rain dribbled down the window and my breath billowed out in a cloud that fogged up the windows. I pulled up the sleeve of my jacket and peered outside to see if they were still following me. A freezing cold feeling spiraled down my back filling me with guilt as the bus took off down the crack filled asphalt road.

          “May I sit here?” A young girl that looked to be eighth grade asked politely gesturing to the empty seat beside me. I looked at her curiously and nodded.

          She had curly, dark brown hair that was parted to one side and a pale, pretty face dotted with little freckles and sea green eyes. She had a light blue T-shirt on with a patch that had a green H on the right corner and dark blue jeans.

          She stuck out her hand and smiled at me with brilliant white teeth. “Leah.”

          I placed my hand in hers and shook it delicately. When I spoke it sounded cracked and rough as if I hadn’t used it in days, which I hadn’t, “Elizabeth.”

          “Are you new here at Hilton Academy?” She tilted her head and removed her hand from mine.

          Hilton Academy? “Yeah,” I lied. “Just started.” I looked at her outfit then glanced out the windows. “Are you cold?” I asked, eager to change subjects. I tugged on my jacket sleeve anxiously and glanced outside to see if they were still following me.

          “Oh no,” Leah smiled and placed her hands delicately in her lap, “I don’t get cold easily. You look awful though. You look like you haven’t slept in days.”

          Oh jeez thanks. I think to myself. I just love hearing from overly cheerful girls how horrid I look.

          “No,” gulped as I saw them. “I’ve been chased-“ I cut off. I’d almost told her about the danger she was in.

          “Chased where?” She questioned and twiddled a curl of her hair with her index finger.

          I swallowed. I wasn’t about to tell a regular girl about the diabolical plan I had been put into. So, I sighed and replied, “Nothing, haven’t slept in twenty-four hours.” I lied again. The truth, I’d been chased by them so long I hadn’t slept in a week.

          I bit my bottom lip as they appeared. Sometimes, it almost seems as though they can just materialize out of thin air once they’ve caught my scent.

          Now, they appeared as four greyhounds running swiftly parallel to the bus. Their lithe shapes and vicious fangs gleamed in the early morning sunlight. If anyone else on the bus saw them, they seemed to not have paid any attention. The greyhound barked at the bus as if suggesting challenges to the barrier that kept me from them.

          I cursed under my breath and stood up in my seat.

          “Alright,” I muttered. “You want me, spare these kids and take me on.” I reached for the knife in my pocket and gripped the smooth, oak handle tightly.

          “Elizabeth?” Leah grabbed my free wrist and pulled me back. I’d almost forgotten she was there.

          “Let me go,” I growled and yanked my arm away. “I’ve got business to take care of.”

          Leah looked confused but she took her hand away and placed it over her lap again, unfazed by my stern warning.

          I held on to the two seats in the aisle to steady myself and took out my knife. Leah’s eyes widened and she pushed back against the window.

          I made my way to the door and yelled at the driver, “Stop and let me out!”

          The driver shrugged and the bus squealed to a halt. She yanked back the handle that opened the doors and I jumped out and landed with a heavy thud on the road. I gripped my knife tightly. If I only had my bow…

          A knife would have to do for now.

          The greyhounds charged at me with fury in their eyes. They circled me with blazing golden eyes and snarled.

          The biggest greyhound spoke roughly as if English was a second language, “Give us the Master’s key and we will spare you and your mortal friends.” My hand immediately went to my pocket where the key rest safely and I checked it was still there before curling it into a fist at my side.

          I gripped the knife harder, turning my knuckles white. “You wouldn’t kill me.” I yelled defiantly and pointed the knife at the greyhound. “Your Master ordered me to be captured alive.”

          “That’s true.” The greyhound narrowed his eyes. He pointed his muzzle to the bus. “He never said anything about keeping them alive though.”

          “That’s low even for demons.” I snapped. “They are innocent.”

          “If it will make you fork over the key, then it’s passable.”

          “Is that a challenge?” I raised an eyebrow, still keeping my knife pointed at the greyhound.

          The greyhound snarled and lunged at me, but I darted to the side quicker. The other three rounded on me and backed me up against the bus.

          Stupid, I scolded myself. I flashed back to Alex’s old lessons. “Never get cornered by an opponent.”

          I decided it was best to make a run for it. I threw my knife as hard as I could at the right greyhound, who evaporated like mist in a cloud of black dust.

          I made a quick, mad dash down the street, blood roaring in my ears as the three other greyhounds quickly closed in behind me.

          No, I frantically pleaded in my mind, Don’t take me!

          The greyhounds tackled me to the ground and seemed to forget their orders of keeping me alive because they began to maul me at the anger of losing their comrade.

          “Stop!” I screeched, but they seemed to be deaf to my cries. They tore at my arms and chest, leaving blood welling from my wounds into a dark, red puddle around me. I only got a glimpse of Leah and a few other kids running toward me with a look of sheer terror in their eyes, but I only saw them for a moment before grey fur interrupted my sight and then pain overtook me. Black spots danced across my eyesight and sticky blood covered me before I was drenched in cold and darkness.