Chapter 3: Encounter

Paul felt his back aching as he got out of his bed. His head was pounding and then his memories flooded through his brain. He grabbed his forehead where he remembered the horn was pointing out but didn't feel anything.

He hopped out of bed and ran to the bathroom. He looked in the mirror but there was no sign of anything. Nothing sticking out of his head and no wings. Paul walked to the kitchen and found a note from his mother.

'Sorry honey, we have a little crisis at work so I won't be home for two days. I left everything you need in the fridge and call me if something happens. Mommy loves you.'

Paul went to take a shower and got ready to go to school. Whatever happened yesterday, he'll check it out after school.

He left the apartment and closed the door. He looked at his right and saw Becca coming out the door. She looked over and waved at him.

"Hey Paul. Hope you're not trying to leave me behind again," Becca said as she ran toward him. Paul placed his hand in front of him and Becca slapped it and with that they walked in the direction of their school.

"You know you can at least greet me like a normal person right," Becca said as she looked over at Paul. "I don't know if it's cause you're older now but you have a really weird feeling around you. You didn't do anything weird yesterday right."

Paul stopped walking and looked at Becca, "What do you mean weird. Is there something wrong with the way I look."

Paul felt his forehead but there was nothing there. Becca shook her head and said it was just a feeling she got from him. It's like he became really different from yesterday.

They made their way to the school but Arnold didn't show up for school. Paul felt weird since Arnold is technically the only one he spoke to in class since Becca is in a different class.

Lunch time came and Paul met up with Becca and told her of Arnold's absence. They agreed to visit him after school. The bell rang and Paul made his way back to class but he thought about how boring classes will be and turned around.

He sent a message to Becca letting her know he is going to ditch class and head over to Arnold's house. He went to the back of the school and jumped the fence.

Paul decided to check on the supermarket as he moved to Arnold's house since the direction is basically the same. He got to the flower shop and saw the door was closed so he went to have a look through the window.

He noticed a bunch of broken stuff but no sign of Gabriella so he headed toward Arnold's. Suddenly a cold feeling ran down his spine. He looked around him as he walked but he didn't see anybody.

Even though he checked everywhere, the feeling wouldn't go away. He started running and he saw a short cut to Arnold's house. It was just across an old playground and he had trust in his speed.

Paul ran into the playground and made his way to the exit but then he saw someone waiting for him, someone he knew all to well.

"So it was you, I knew you would come back to the store for this," the guy held up something Paul almost forgot about. It was the copy of the Grand Theft Manual game that he bought the day prior.

"Murphy, why do you have my game and why are you taking like that," Paul looked at the guy Becca wouldn't stop talking about. Something inside him told him that Murphy was really dangerous.

"So you trying to act dumb. You think you can trick me, demon. In the name of our lord and savior, I will cut you down," Murphy said and he started glowing.

Murphy's hair which was a dark brown turned completely white. A white ring formed above his head. Two giant wings folded from behind him. They were covered in white feathers and glowing as well.

Paul turned around and ran in the opposite direction. He heard a SWISH as something came toward him. He jumped out of the way and a white ball of energy came past him. It exploded at the place he would be at if he didn't move out the way.

He looked at Murphy and another white ball formed in his hand. Paul picked up the closest rock and pulled back. He threw the rock at Murphy with all his might.

Murphy held the white ball in front of him and the rock dissolved into the energy. Paul took this chance to run the exit but Murphy flapped his wings and took to the skies. The ball in his hand grew bigger and he threw it at Paul. Paul felt the ball coming towards him.

He looked at the ball and knew he wasn't fast enough to dodge this one. He tried tapping into the power he felt yesterday but he didn't feel anything happen.

The ball reached him and he closed his eyes.

Nothing happened. Paul opened his eyes and noticed a black wall in front of him.

"It looks like I made it in time," Arnold said as he grinned at Paul.