Chapter 2: Road Trip

"Ugh" I sighed as I sat down on the rusty blue seat towards the back of the run down old bus. A trip from Nevada to Oregon is way too long. With depression, it feels like years.

I have to stay exactly how long on this thing? What if I need to get out and stretch my legs? Bathroom breaks? I shifted down into my seat and closed my eyes, before I was disturbed.

"Uhm...he-hey that's..my seat"

I looked up to a strange sight. It was a boy about my age with red, curly hair and glasses.

"No", I replied without hesitation and closed my eyes again.

"P-please these seats are assigned and you're in my seat!" He squealed.

"Find another"

"The-they are assigned though"

I was losing my patience quickly.

"FINE!" I screamed. I picked my stuff up and scooted over to the window seat. I was not in any mood for conversation, especially after what happened.

He looked sad, and sat down in the seat.

"M-my name is dan"

"Ok" I sighed again.

He was quiet for most of the ride. Sadly, we had to get off at the same spot. I hope I didnt have to live next to the nuisance and look at him every day.

"Hey maybe we live near each other!" He said, excitedly. My eyes widened.

"No." I said, "I live at ------, -------- -------- Lane."

"Oh cool! I live in the cabin right next door!"

I gritted my teeth and looked down at him, annoyed. He had a face full of freckles as well as dimples. He was shorter than me by about an inch it seemed.

"Hey!" He said. It was like he meant to get my attention. To make me look at him. My eyes met his. It was like I was in a trance. His pupils reflected the beautiful earth around him as I stared into his bright green eyes. I leaned in closer. He flinched and a glare replaced his eyes.

"Maybe I can show you the way to your house? We can continue to stare into each other's eyes there?" He giggled.

Was this some kind of magic or love at first sight? I didnt even like red heads... and I had just met him.

We stepped off the bus.

"C'mon! We have to go down this trail!" He said ecstatically. He flashed me a bright smile.

I felt a chill go down my spine. What was this feeling just then? Then I got goosebumps. Huh? Something isn't right about this. AT ALL.

Just as I was about to turn around, he grabbed me by the arm with an inhuman grip.

"This way Daisy!"

A giant wave of fear rushed over me as he pulled me away from public view and down a trail into the never-ending forest around us.

I was so scared of him, but it felt like the love I had for him was growing by the second. It was like someone else was controlling my mind. How did he know my name?

"Do you know my aunt?" I asked, " And could you please not pull so hard on my arm.. that really hurts".

There was no reply.

After awhile, we had finally reached a point of no return. A point where no human dared to lurk. He turned around to face me, still grasping my arm.

The feelings came back again. The feelings of both fear and love. Our eyes met again as he just stared at me. I tried looking away to realise he had brought me near the edge of a cliff drop off into a pool of water.

"H-hey can we scoot over there away from the cliff?" I asked, but still, no response was given. Our eyes locked again and he just stared at me with that creepy, blank stare. The same stare that mom had given me.

I felt so embarrassed. He leaned in closer, and then so did I. I felt my face grow warm.

He loosened his grip on my arm.

I felt dizzy, and soon, I started stumbling. Before I knew it, I was falling.

The world around me was spinning and it made me nauseous. Then, a hard splash of water against my back. I had hit the water.

I tried to swim back up, but it felt like the water was so deep. Never-ending like the forest that had surrounded me. I was on the edge of giving up. I didnt know what was up and what was down.

I squirmed after I felt something brush the bottom of my foot.

My eyes widened. I was not alone in these waters, and this was no fish. I got goosebumps from the feelings.

As soon as I looked up, I saw light breach through the water.

That's the way up! I waved my arms and tried to swim with what last breath and strength I had.

WHIIIP!

Something prickly latched around my foot. A thorn bush? Underwater? I looked down at it.

It was a black tentacle. I screamed, but water filled my mouth.

Was I going to die?

A pair of bright yellow eyes appeared from the darkness and stared at me. Whatever it was, it had a tight grip, and was not planning on letting me go.

I unclipped my flower pin from my hair.

Mom had gave me this pin and it meant very much to me. It was used to defend myself from the beasts that lurked around, though.

Through some kind of magic, or ability, it could turn into anything from a spear, to a bow. She had got it from a small shop in New Orleans on a trip once.

This time, I would need a dagger from it.

I focused deeply on the pin as it shifted into a small, metal dagger.

Aha!

I took the knife and cut the tentacle from the middle between where it had my leg, and to where it was coming from.

The creature screeched and retreated back into the depths of the water. I swam back up to the surface, and gasped for air.

The creature in the water was the least of my worries now. Who was that boy and why was he trying to kill me?

I looked back up to the ledge that I had previously fallen off of. Dan was standing there, staring at me.

"What was that for?! You could have killed me!" I shouted.

"Dissapointing." He said, loudly "I would have figured you would've drowned sooner. Whered ya get that knife from huh?".

"What do you mean drowned?! Why are you trying to DROWN ME?!" I screamed.

"Oh honey" He said, " I'm a land siren, if you didn't know. I'll let you figure out the rest."

He took a run-and-jump and hopped in the water with me.

I screamed. I had heard stories of those beasts. Ones mom and dad had told me.

Land sirens were aquatic shapeshifters that turn into human form and release chemicals that made the people around them become attracted to them, then they would lure them into the water for them to be drowned by them, and then eat them with their razor-like fangs.

I had just got here. I wasn't going to die so soon.

He splashed into the water just behind me and grabbed my foot.

I was being pulled underwater by him!

I took my dagger and lunged it at his eye. It put a large cut across his eye as he gasped. He pulled my foot farther under the water with full force, and I couldn't swim back up.

I used my other foot to kick him in the stomach and then he let go, holding his stomach. He let out a ferocious growl.

I swam swiftly back to shore as fast I could.

Dan started rising out of the water as I was transforming my pin back.

"Oh" Dan murmured, " You're one of those".

"What? One of what?" I screeched.

"A gaurdian" He replied. "I'll let you go. This time. But I'm not the only dangerous thing around here. These things crave human flesh and blood".

He looked up at me smiling.

"Be careful" He said.

He sunk somewhere back under the water and dissapeared from sight.

The blood from his eye was still filling the pitch dark water, and I never heard from him again.

For a bit anyways.