The Stranger

Mark Carmen touched the bruise that was under his left eye, and winced. Who knew that reading with a fresh bruise under your eye was a bad idea. Definitely not him. With a sigh, he closed the book, feeling guilty that he was yet to complete the syllabus for the entire term, and the Christmas break exams were just a few days away.

Silently, he cursed Tom fisher, the school hockey jock and bully, who had given him the bruise yesterday. Come to think of it, he, Mark was at fault, as he had humiliated Tom during their biology class, and as if that wasn't enough, he had called Fisher a Mama's boy when Fisher confronted him in the hallway, and that term was something that Tom Fisher didn't like being called, as he was extremely close to his mother.

With that, Tom had proceeded to give Mark a beating he would hardly forget, before Mr smithers, the gym master intervened. The fight had ended with both of them being taken to the principal office and Tom fisher being given a week suspension. He was spared on account of eye witnesses who claimed that Mark had nothing to do with the fight.

And now, Because the fight, which Mark termed stupid, he couldn't concentrate on his book. This was not what he had planned for the weekend. He looked at the library clock yet again, surprised to see that it was already quite late and he had nothing to show for staying awake for this long. Being his highschool's student librarian afforded him unlimited access to the school library. Though he was reading,being outside the dorm at 11pm was a very serious offense in the school, punishable by a week suspension.

Quietly, he packed the books and arranged them on their proper shelfs. And with his torchlight in hand, he sought his way towards the exit. Ever still quietly, he locked the library and started walking, cautiously, towards the boy's dorm. With the fear of being caught outside by the school security in mind, he decided to use the path that wound through a thick collection of trees that the boarding school had grown for decoration.

This was the best path to use so as not to be discovered by any one. As he walked on, an uneasy feeling crept into his spine, forcing him to stop and examine his surrounding. All he could see was trees and undergrown shrubs. After a few minutes of further examination, he went on his way, using the din torchlight he had to luminate the way before him.

It was either he hadn't seen the huge root that stuck out of the ground or he had decided to ignore it, either way, he tripped over it and fell, face first. The torchlight he held had been dropped in a bid to break the fall, an attempt that was futile. The pain from the bruise came again, and this time it came with a companion, a splitting headache.

Slowly, he stood up, the pain from the bruise causing him to wince continuously. He bent yet again to pick up his torchlight, only for something to catch his eye.

The light from the fallen torchlight had fallen on a metal object, which reflected it back, catching Mark's attention. He picked the torchlight and walked over to were the object was and picked it up. It was a hoop-like metal, like it was an ornament or something. As he walked on he kept examining the object, and didn't notice when someone came in front of him. He only noticed when he bumped into the person. At first his heart jumped into his mouth, but he became a little calmer when he realized that he had bumped into a girl.

"Man, you had me frightened there" Mark began, but as he pointed the torchlight on the girl he realized she wasn't from this school. She was about his age, with a tanned skin, red hair and dressed in a tight fitted jumpsuit, he was also certain she wasn't from Ronville, where the sun was mild.

" Who the hell are...." He was interrupted by the girl

" Skash lamash tis" she said .

" Sorry I didn't quite get that" Mark said, obviously confused.

This time, the girl didn't reply but pulled out a rod-like device from he back. And when she pressed a button on its side, a blade popped out from the rod.

A frightened Mark dropped the metal object he was holding, which landed right beside his left leg.

" Wait a minute " Mark started, trying to reason with the girl. The girl didn't even give him an opportunity to speak as she slashed the blade right across his left cheek, drawing blood. Seeing this, and compelled with the pain from the slash, Mark turned around and broke into a run, determined to get as far away as possible from the girl. The girl just licked the blood off the blade, gave a brief cough, before proceeding to chase after Mark. It was either Mark was too slow, or the girl was too fast as she caught up with Mark before he could even get to library.

Mark had the shock of his life when the girl he was running away from dropped down from a tree, landing just in front of him. Without thought, he turned around again and ran but he didn't get far as the girl grabbed him by the hem of his sleeve and pulled him back, before pinning him on the ground.

" What do you want from me?" a deeply frightened Mark cried out.

" Shhhhshhh" the girl hushed him " Another word and you lose your sound box"

Mark forcefully shut his mouth.

" Now where's my anklet?" The girl questioned.

" Anklet ?" Mark asked,

" Yes, the object you were holding back there" she insisted.

" Ohh, I dropped it back there " Mark responded fearfully.

The girl looked back at where they had ran from, and that was when her eye caught sight of it.

Turning back to face a shivering Mark, she growled " You bastard, you dare put my anklet on "

" On ?" A confused Mark began " I didn't, I swear I didn't put it o..." He cut himself short, when he saw what she had seen. Somehow, the anklet had attached itself to Mark's left ankle.

" What the hell ?" Mark cursed as he had no reasonable explanation to how the anklet had attached itself to his ankle. Like how, and when ?

" Now take it off " the girl ordered, her eyes glowing red with anger.

" But how ?" Mark questioned himself. He didn't know how it got on, and definitely had no idea how to take it off.

" I don't know how to " Mark replied, with fear in his eyes. Hearing this, a wicked smile crept into the girls face.

" I guess I have to ampute your leg then" She declared, as she pressed the button on the side of her rod again, and the blade grew larger.

" YOU WILL WHAT ? " Mark screamed in terror.

" Shush, Earthling, I will make it quick and painless" She said as she stood up, a leg on Mark's chest, and without further ado, she swung the blade, intending to ampute Mark's leg.

Mark closed his eyes as he awaited the pain that came with getting an amputation, without anaesthetic. Instead, what he heard was a metal clang, and when he didn't feel any pain, he opened his eyes, only for him to find the girl staring at his leg with a shocked expression on her face. He followed her gaze and his mouth fell open. His left leg had been coated In metal. The sight left him in shock, what the hell was going on?

He soon heard the girl mutter " It's only supposed to be controlled by a Necromite "

A Necromite? What the hell is that?

The girl turned to look at him, her expression completely blank.

" Where do you stay ?" She asked,

Mark just pointed towards the boy's dorm.

As fast as lightning, her blade came to rest on Mark's neck " Take me there".

Gingerly, Mark grabbed his torchlight, and stood up, still with the blade to his neck.

Then he proceeded to walk towards his room in the boy's dorm, the girl following closely.

The only thought that was on his mind was "If I survive this, am never reading this late in the library again ".....