• Chapter 1
    Wake me up

    Dark air swirled around me as I stumbled up the deep path. I knew I was running into things. I could feel the pain pulsing through me, but I didn’t care. I heard the deep howl of a stray wolf. It made my skin tingle.
    I was beginning to feel lost. The long branches stretched from the trees like arms. I could hear footsteps. They were gaining. I couldn’t keep running like this. I gazed into the dark depths of the forest. They have me.
    I let my mind wonder into what would probably be my last thoughts. My mind kept racing to Chase’s warning.
    “I promise I’ll take you camping when I get back, but don’t go alone. The forest can be a very dangerous place. I can’t loose you.”
    The way he said it had made me shiver. I couldn’t forget his brown curly hair and chocolate eyes. I was happy and continent, even as I saw my soon to be murders. I had lived an exciting and joyful life. I had Chase for a boyfriend. My two best friends’ Marcy and Ivy were always won awards. I, Alley Potra, was homecoming queen and every queen possible. Blondes do get everything.
    Ruth’s cold black eyes’ stared at me. She thought I was stuck up. I could see it. She felt no guilt for what she was about to do. To be exact Carly and Mark also looked quite content. The only guilt I saw was from small Alexander. She had long brunette hair and stunning blue eyes, but she chose this life. She wanted to be a vampire, but I sure didn’t.
    I had huddled close to a tree and was pulled together like a ball. I felt the sharp fangs go straight into my skin. I felt the warm blood trickle down my neck. The warm tingly sensation lasted a while. I wanted to die. The pain shot through my body like a voltage from electricity, and the more they attacked the worst it became. My eyes opened as they pulled away. I was breathing, but soaked in blood. Yet, I didn’t die. I just glared at them.
    They stared in pure shock as I stood up and sucked in a deep breath. Suddenly it came. I slid back to the ground. I took in my surroundings. I opened my mouth, but couldn’t speak. They calmly walked away. I didn’t come knocking on death’s door. He came knocking on mine.

    I slowly came to. The sun blared on me. Was I dead? I felt like a doll. Motionless. I saw a blast of light.
    “You have one more chance.”
    A beautiful voice almost sang to me. I blinked and awoke in a hospital bed. It was quite nice actually, a large violet curtain across the windows. Several flowers on tables. I sat up. A woman sat beside me or maybe a girl. I looked around the room with much curiosity, but when I found the mirror I went brain dead. It wasn’t me.
    The girl before me had brunette hair that fell to her waist. She had emerald eyes, and wore a red ribbon in her hair and looked to be eleven or twelve. It wasn’t possible. I was the beautiful rich girl. Was I dead? Had my body been buried already or had this girl stole it? Then, I remembered the voice. Had it been an angel? Had I died and been given a second chance? Well, I wasn’t about to waist my life, er, this girl’s life.
    I hadn’t really been to a hospital. Some of my friends had told me that it was a quite depressing place.
    “It feels desolate and it is always cold. The food is disgusting, and a lot of people depressed.”
    Well, that’s how Ivy felt when she was hospitalized for a week. She had injured her leg during soccer.
    This and the fact needles scare me to death have made me decide to never go to a hospital! I looked down toward my arm where at least five needles were. I choked back a scream.
    I stared silently in a daze at the equipment around me. This girl would have died. She was deeply and terrifyingly sick.
    The girl lying next to me picked her head up. She stared at me intently until smiling and screaming. I watched in pure shock as she left the room yelling.
    “She’s awake! She’s awake!”
    She screamed in a heavy British accent. I watched as she brought doctors and nurses into the room.
    “It isn’t possible. How can she be alive?”
    “You’re correct. This isn’t scientifically possible. The odds are one to nothing.”
    “She is awake! Logic doesn’t matter she is awake and breathing!”
    I wasn’t about to speak. Fear had taken front row and despair sat on the second row. It enjoyed the view.
    If I had been me in my body I would have laughed at them. The only problem was this wasn’t my body. This wasn’t me so this girl really could have been dying. Maybe I was an angel to this family.
    When I looked at it that way I felt a little calmer. My eyes adjusted to the dark room. The curtains were closed and I felt a cold rush of air by my neck.
    I realized what had happened before I arrived to fill this girl’s life. I hated remembering the forest. I finally understand here today gone tomorrow.

    Two hours after the frantic screams and calls, we drove into a large wealthy neiborhood. Its occupants stared in wonder and amazement as our black Lamborghini strolled through nonchalantly.
    “I missed home.”
    Why I said it I will never know, but it sparked the attention of my driver. I still wasn’t sure of her name or who she was, but something told me I could trust her.
    “I did too. Ashley, I don’t know if I ever told you, She continued in a soft frail voice, but you’re the best little sister anyone could ever have.”
    I stared impassively out the window. So this girl was my sister and my name is Ashley. I was quiet for a moment taking in my new surroundings. These people had more money than me. Honestly, I have never once seen an actual Lamborghini.
    The houses almost sparkled and I thought I could smell the money that I knew sat in each of these peoples’ wallets.
    “You still are mad? I thought you were happy. Ashley, please forgive me. I couldn’t save our parents’ nor could you! It is ridiculous not talking to me and acting so cold!”
    I heard the fury in her voice. She wasn’t pleased. Maybe I had been a stoic girl. Perhaps the real Ashley she was truly gone forever. It was possible I was here to only fill the empty void that would have occurred in her older sister. My eyes turned toward her.
    “Don’t start! Alex, I never blamed you!”
    Shock flowed through me. Had that been Ashley? Then, a simple impossible idea came to me. I am still in her body. I still have her brain. Am I using her brain? As my mind drifted the car came to a slow stop.
    Alex laid her head in her hands after she turned the engine off. A few tears fell and then she stepped out of the car. I took a deep breath. My new home and my new life were waiting for me. Neither of us could wait forever.

    Chase wasn’t a stupid jock. He was actually quite intelligent for his age. His hands clasped around a large hundred pound weight.
    He grinned at himself. His girlfriend kept slipping into his mind. Her long blonde hair felt silky soft as she grabbed him. She always smiled at him before she kissed him. Her gentle, but light touch left a wonderful feeling in his mouth. He gazed up longing for her to be in his arms.
    Alley had soft loving eyes, but when she wanted something she was determined. She was cheer captain and had been for a long time. She also took vocal and acting lessons, which Chase never understood due to the fact she could careless about both. She adored dancing. She was the kind of girl who could start dancing out of nowhere. Random if you will.
    He let her go through his brain. He thought of her until a slight vibration in his pocket made him put the weight down and pulled out a small phone.
    The green razor shined in the large populated gym. He flipped it open to find a text. He checked the number slowly in a daze. His face flushed and despair wrapped its chilling fingers around Chase in a menacing way.
    It said:
    “Chase, you have to come home as soon as possible! It’s really bad. Alley needs you!”
    Chase ran through the doors as if he was a champion runner for the Olympics about to win the gold medal. His yellow mustang was parked close to the door. He wiped his eyes as the tears broke through. He knew something was wrong. Alley never got hurt. She had perfect health. The only thing he knew was she wanted to go camping.
    It would take him an hour, but he was going. Alley was his soul. Alley was his life. Alley was his true love. He took a breath. Chase knew what Ruth was. That was why he told Alley don’t go in the forest! Ruth already hated Alley, but once she crossed her territory Alley had no chance.

    Marcy was taking deep breaths. Ivy held her and whispered gently. Ivy had a mother like personality. Her long blonde hair and hazel eyes gave her an even more motherly look than her personality. Marcy’s red hair almost covered her eyes.
    They were both at the hospital. They had heard Alley had been in an accident. They were all like sisters and were together no matter what. It had already been cleared. Everyone knew. Alley Potra was and is officially dead. A coroner declared it. Her death a mystery, but still a death.
    Marcy wept silently as her friend held it in. Ivy had been closest and she felt like screaming. It wasn’t possible. Alley was healthy! She had perfect skin, healthy blond hair, and a sweet innocent voice. Someone killed her.

    Chase arrived at the hospital with almost a whip lash. He had hit over a hundred on his speedometer. He took a long breath and stepped into the hospital, unaware that grief, misery, and devastation had wrapped themselves to him like a jacket around a small child.
    He knew at once at the sight. She was gone forever. Pain had set in. Marcy and Ivy sat together crying. They looked five all over again. He looked at her with pleading eyes. She could see the question. She nodded. Chase fell to the ground. He let the tears fall. He even let out a scream. Nothing can severe the bonds of love, not even death.