-Michael Bergin
The city of Crestview Heights is a normally peaceful home for many, with its tall skyscrapers and its beautiful beaches. And at the beginning of the fall season, it�s a day that every teenager dreads: first day of school. The outsides of Crestview North High is busy, as its students are either entering or just hanging around, trying to stretch out their ending summer.
Across the street, a black car is parked, with its driver, a man wearing dark sunglasses and has a laptop on the passenger seat. He presses the side of the glasses, and the lens zoom in on a blond, beautiful girl, as she is walking with some of her friends, as they�re heading toward the school. The man presses couple keystrokes on his laptop and a picture of the same girl appears with text next to the picture.
Subject: Samantha Qualli
DOB: June 16, 1992
POB: Niceville, FL
Hair: Blond
Eyes: Blue
Parents: Jennifer, Paul
Parents� Marital Status: Married
Brothers: N/A
Sisters: N/A
Misc.: Parents argue all times; cares about her friends;
The man then turns his head and sees a black haired guy getting out of his parked car. The guy waves his hand at couple attractive girls as they pass. The man presses couple keystrokes on his laptop, causes the picture of the guy appears with text.
Subject: David Masters
DOB: May 21, 1992
POB: Ft. Walton Beach, FL
Hair: Black
Eyes: Blue
Parents: Jenny, Dave
Parents� Marital Status: Divorced
Brothers: N/A
Sisters: N/A
Misc.: Lives with father, alternates holidays between parents; curiosity about the world and technology; bad test taker; dates a lot;
The man changes his attention to another blond girl, whose hair is darker then Samantha. She runs up to a brown haired guy, with his hands in his pockets, and she starts talking to him friendly. The man presses some keystrokes and the girl�s information appears on the screen with her picture.
Subject: Holly Barryson
DOB: March 1, 1992
POB: Dallas, TX
Hair: Blond
Eyes: Green
Parents: Lily, Norman
Parents� Martial Status: Father�s widow
Brothers: N/A
Sisters: N/A
Misc.: Father is a General in the military and barely sees him; Kenny is best friend.
The man enters more keys and the brown haired guy�s data appears on the screen with his picture.
Subject: Kenny Estelle
DOB: November 4, 1992
POB: Crestview Heights, FL
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Parents: Misty, Edward
Parents� Martial Status: Mother�s widow
Brothers: Barry
Sisters: N/A
Misc.: Shy, lacks self-confident; Holly is best friend; cares about his friends;
The man closes his laptop and takes off his sunglasses, revealing his green eyes and with a smile, says, �Got you.�
Inside the school, Kenny and Holly enter and start down a hallway, holding papers with their class schedule list on them.
�I don�t believe how fast summer went by,� Holly says to Kenny, then holds up her schedule. �And I got Algebra first period, argh!� Kenny smirks at Holly�s displeases. �What you got?�
Kenny and Holly come to a stop and he looks at his schedule, �Hum, Earth Science.�
�Let�s me see,� Holly says, as Kenny gives her his schedule, which she looks over. �Mm, it look like we got third and sixth period together. Oh, PE, that�s should be fun.�
�Yeah, fun,� Kenny says, as he takes his schedule back. He looks around to see Samantha walking down the hall. Kenny smiles as she turns a corner.
�You know where room 118 is?� Holly says, catching Kenny�s attention again, unaware she lost it.
�Hum, no,� Kenny says, then looks over her shoulder.
While Samantha turns a corner, as she is looking around with her schedule in her hand.
�115, 115,� Samantha whispers under her breath, and then bumps into a guy�s shoulder. �Oh, sorry.�
�That�s okay,� the guy turns around and Samantha sees he�s relatively good looking with his brown hair part on the side.
�I�m looking for room 115,� Samantha tells him.
�It�s over there,� he points to his left and Samantha realizes they are standing in front of the classroom.
�Oh,� Samantha starts to feels embarrasses.
�I think I saw you around last year,� he says before offering a handshake. �I�m Jeremy.�
�Samantha,� she accepts the handshake. �Yeah, I think our homerooms are next to each other.�
�That�s right,� Jeremy says, as they break the handshake, then his glace over to room 115. �So you got Ms. Palmer?�
�Yeah, World Geography,� Samantha tells him.
�Good luck, she�s a tough grader,� Jeremy warns.
�Thanks,� Samantha says, as she�s start motion toward the classroom but bumps into a wall. �Oh, hum.�
�Probably should watch where you�re going,� Jeremy jokes.
�Yes,� Samantha says before turning around and into the classroom.
Meanwhile, Kenny and Holly continue down the hall.
�Oh, Kenny, you know how you been struggling for some money,� Holly says to Kenny, who nods �yes.� �Well, yesterday, I saw this new bookstore with a help wanted sign in the window. I believe its call Bookz or maybe Book Z. Sound likes an anime. Anyway, maybe you should check it out.�
�Maybe,� Kenny says.
�Hi, guys,� says a familiar voice.
Kenny and Holly stop and turn around to see David running up to them.
�David, please don�t use �guys� to refer to me,� Holly tells him, as he catches up to them.
�Its quicker then saying �hi, Kenny, Holly,�� David explains, before the three friends start walking away and turns a corner in the hall. �Oh, and you won�t believe the kind of summer I had.�
�I�m sure neither Kenny nor me want to hear that,� Holly explains, causes a smile from Kenny.
�No, not that,� David tells her. �I met this amazing girl, Jill. She�s beautiful and smart and funny and dang can she kisses.�
�I think I was right about not wanting to hear it,� Holly says, causing Kenny to laughs a little.
�The weird thing is it almost like she was avoiding me the last month,� David stops, causing his friends to also stop. �I know she goes to school here, think I should look for her?�
�Well�� Holly starts.
�I definite should,� David says, before starts running off. �Thanks, guys.�
�What�s the point of him asking?� Holly asks Kenny, who shrugs before starts back down the hall. Before Holly follows after him, she turns back toward David and says, �And stops saying �guys!��
Later, after school let out, Kenny walks down the streets and finds the store Holly told him about. He sees the �Help Wanted� sign in the large window next to the single door. Above the door is a sign that reads �BookZ.� Kenny enters the door and sees rows of shelves full of books; at the back is a door that leads into the backroom. To the right of the door is a coat rack and to the left is a counter with the cash register on it. And then Kenny sees it: Samantha is standing next to the counter and talking to a tall man, wearing casual clothing with black hair. The man�s green eyes see Kenny, as the door is closing behind him.
�Hi, may I help you?� the man asks Kenny, causes Samantha to notices him.
�Hum, yeah, I�m here for a job,� Kenny says, quite nervously.
�Sound like we had the same idea, Kenny,� Samantha says.
�So you two know each other, good,� the man says, then turns to Kenny. �I�m Henry Takashi, Kenny, is it?� Kenny nods in agreement, as Henry switches his attention back and forth between the two. �I�ll be right back, with the applications.�
Henry walks into the backroom, closing the door behind him. Kenny places his hands in his pockets and acts like he�s looking away, follows by Samantha approaches him.
�So, how was your first day of school?� Samantha asks, trying to starts a conversation.
�Oh, hum, fine, fine,� Kenny says, thinking of something to say. �How yours?�
�Okay, except that my World Geography teacher gave us homework,� Samantha tells him, then lowers her head to look at the books on one of the shelf.
�Ms Palmer?� Kenny asks, causing Samantha to raises her head.
�Yeah, how you know?� Samantha asks.
�I have her for third period,� Kenny explains.
Suddenly, Henry returns from the backroom with two applications for them, leading to Kenny and Samantha turns to him.
�So, who�s ready to get a job?� Henry asks.
Meanwhile, at a dark cave, at an unknown location, suddenly a strange creature with a head resembles a skull, wearing a white robe, and carrying a large scythe, riding a pale, sick-looking horse. The horseman comes to a stop outside the cave, dismounts his horse, which walks over to the side of the cave. The horseman walks into the cave, dragging his scythe on the ground.
�Greling!� the horseman shouts, almost like he�s angry. �Greling! Show you�re weak, frighten hide!�
Suddenly, a form starts coming out of a cave wall. The form starts to take the shape of a hairless and pale creature in a permanent bend, as it�s starting to break away from the wall.
�You bellowed, master,� Greling says, as the horseman approaches an orb suspense�s up off the ground by a group of standing sticks.
�We got a lot of work to do and a short time to do it in,� the horseman waves his free hand over the orb. �We�ll need a demon to causes as much deaths as possible.�
�May I suggest Sucidial, sir?� Greling says.
�Sucidial, yes,� the horseman stops waving his hand for a second before starting again. �He�s can enters depresses people�s minds and effect their mindset to become suicidal.� The horseman turns his head to Greling, �Get him!�
�Yes, master,� Greling says, before walking to the back wall and places one of his hands on the wall. �I call upon the wicked and the evil. Come to me, come to this spot: Sucidial!�
A bolt of lightning shoots out of the cave�s roof and upon hitting the ground, a creature, that resembles an armadillo with a dial on the left side of his chest, appears. The pictures on the dial include a cartoon ghost, fire, ball, and a ball on fire. Sucidial looks up and its reveals he�s eating a corn on the knob.
�What?� Sucidial says, taking the corn on the knob out of his mouth. �I was eating dinner.�
�Who heard of a vegetarian demon?� the horseman says under his breath. �I want you to goes into the city of Crestview Heights and increase the death rate.�
�Can I finish my dinner first?� Sucidial asks.
�Go!� the horseman yells.
The dial on Sucidial�s chest switches to the picture of the cartoon ghost and he seemly turns into a spirit and flies away.
Deep within the city, a tall blond man is walking down an alley when he comes to a stop, obvious angry, before kicks a nearby trash can. Suddenly, Sucidial�s spirit form flies to the man and enters him, causing a blue glow on the man for a second.
�Your wife left you,� Sucidial�s voice is heard in the back of the man�s head. �For another man and he�s a stinky plumber!� The man looks to his left and sees the busy traffic. �The only woman you ever love, every wants to love, leaves you. What do you have to live for? What?!� The man starts to walk toward the traffic. �You loved her.�
�I loved her,� the man says, weakly and depresses.
�And she breaks your heart,� Sucidial�s voice says. �You have to no reason to keep on living.�
�No reason,� the man says, just as he walks onto the road when a large truck is heading toward him. �To liv��
The next day at school, David continues his hunt of his summer fling, Jill. He looks in the lunchroom, every hallway, twice. He even waits outside the girl restrooms, getting some weird looks. Until finally, David walks past a classroom and sees Jill�s seating behind a desk. With a smile, David enters the room to Jill�s surprise.
�David, you�re here?� Jill says, surprised at seeing her summer romance.
�Yeah, I told you I went here, remember,� David says.
�Oh, right,� Jill says. �I guess I was just surprised to see you.�
�Yeah, Jill, I thought we had fun over the summer,� David says to her.
�We did,� Jill says, with a smile.
�Then why it seems like you had been avoiding me the last month?� David asks, puzzled.
�Hum, yeah, there�s a reason for that,� Jill says, then rolls out from behind her desk and over to the side, revealing she�s in a wheelchair to David�s shocked.
�W-What�s happened?� David asks.
�One night I was driving home,� Jill starts. �When a drunk driver hits me and I got paralyzed the waist down.�
�I-I�m sorry, I didn�t know,� David says, been sincere.
�Well, that�s why I been avoiding you,� Jill says, becoming sadden. �I was afraid of the way you might react.�
�Listen,� David says, kneeing down. �This changes nothing, okay?�
�Okay,� Jill tells him, when a bell is heard.
�That�s the warning bell,� David says. �I catch you later.� David gets up and leaves the classroom, as Jill is watching and smiling.
Later after the class period had ended, Jill is coming down the hallway when she sees David next to his open locker. Then a pretty girl walks up to him and the two starts to talk friendly with she�s wrapping her arm around his.
�Yeah, it changes nothing,� Jill whispers, with tears forming in her eyes.
After school had ended, Holly is standing next to the counter, as Kenny is ringing up a woman�s books, while Samantha is putting up some books on the shelf on the right wall. After the woman leaves, Holly turns around to see the left wall�s shelf are CDs, next to the books.
�I got to say, Kenny, this place�s supply of books is pretty impressive,� Holly says, as she looks at the CDs. �But the CDs, well here�s Britney Spears� first CD, next to Madonna�s first.�
Samantha gets up, and carries the now empty box that contained the books she had put up, �Just be glad there�s none of those large black disc things.�
�Vinyl records,� Kenny says, as he�s look down at the cash register. When he looks up, Kenny sees the girls� surprised faces, and becomes embarrasses.
�Kenny, I�ll go in the back and get the other box of new books,� Samantha says, with a small smile.
�Okay,� Kenny says, as Samantha goes through the back door, as Holly fights back a little laugher.
�Hey, is that a TV?� Holly asks, notices a TV suspends over the counter.
Kenny looks up to see it, �Yeah.�
�Well, turn it on,� Holly tells him. �I mean, I loves hanging out with you but only two people had came in since we been here and one of them wants directions.�
Kenny also fights back a laugh, as he brings a remote controller from under the counter and turns on the TV. A news broadcasts appear on TV, with a woman seating behind the news desk, as Samantha exits the backroom with an unopened box.
�Mrs. Lee, whose husband and only son died when their boat capsized on a fishing trip during the big storm last month, was found last night, having hanged herself,� the newscaster says. �The police called it a suicide, and say that in her depression and sadness over losing her family, she took her own life.�
�Unbelievable,� Holly says, shocked at what she heard.
�I guess some people are so affected by what�s happened in their lives, that it took completely control over them,� Samantha says, before walking back over to the shelves to stock the new books.
Holly turns around with her back against the counter, �That�s a very interesting view on the subject.�
�My father always says that bad things happen, but you can�t let those bad things destroy you,� Samantha says as she�s stocking the books.
Suddenly, David enters the store, �Hey, guys.�
�What�s had we said about that?� Holly asks him.
�Had you people ever know anyone in a wheelchair,� David says, catching everyone�s, including Samantha�s, attention.
�And the prize for the weirdest question of the year goes to,� Holly says, with sarcasms.
�Why you ask?� Kenny asks him.
�Remember I told you about Jill?� David asks.
�Oh, yeah, the infamous summer fling,� Holly says, tired of hearing about it.
�Well, she�s in a wheelchair,� David tells her.
�You didn�t say that before?� Holly says, confused.
�I just found out today,� David explains. �Apparently she was in a car accident with a drunk driver last month.�
�Oh my god,� Samantha says, catching David�s attention.
�Oh, I didn�t see you there,� David says.
�David, were you sincere?� Holly asks, catching his attention again.
�Of course, I told her it changes nothing,� David says, almost insulted at the question before calming down. �But the truth is I don�t know how to acts around her, now she�s stuck in a wheelchair.�
�Why?� Samantha asks, getting up and walks couple feet forward. �Did it change the way you feels about her?�
�No, she�s still very beautiful and I had a lot of fun with her over the summer,� David explains, facing her.
�Then what�s the problem?� Kenny asks.
�Pardon?� David asks, after he turns around to face his friend.
�If your feelings for her hadn�t change,� Kenny starts. �Then you shouldn�t let her paralysis had any effects on you and continues to spend time with her.�
David smiles and nods in agreement, as Kenny is unaware that Samantha�s smiling and is impresses by her coworker. Suddenly, the lights went out, surprising the four teens.
�Did your boss pay the light bills?� Holly asks, partly joking.
�Henry did say we are using an old light bulb,� Samantha explains. �I think there�s some in the back, can you give me a hand Kenny? It�s not like people are going to come into a darken bookstore.�
�Yes,� Kenny says, following Samantha into the backroom.
�We�ll help too,� Holly says, as she and David follow them.
Once in the backroom, they see a large table with several boxes on it and next to it on the ground, a large cupboard with double doors, and bookshelf on the far wall.
�I think there�s a box of light bulbs in one of theses?� Samantha says, as David notices the bookshelf.
�More books,� David says.
�It�s Henry�s private collection,� Samantha says, as she starting to open one of the boxes on the table.
�There are a lot of boxes here,� Holly says, as Kenny is joining Samantha in opening boxes and looking through them, while David is walking toward the bookshelf.
�Henry just opened,� Samantha explains, as she looks through what�s inside the box. �He said he got a lot of unpacking to do.� Samantha then notices the cupboard. �Holly, why don�t you check inside the cupboard?�
�Okay,� Holly starts toward the cupboard when she notices David. �David, are you going to help?�
�Huh, yeah sure,� David says, as his glance is on a book entitled �Demonology.� �This guy has some weird books. Check out this one, �Demonology.��
David�s starting to pull out the book, when the bookshelf starts to swing into the wall, revealing a short hallway that leads into a large room with a large computer at the far end. Everyone is frozen at the sight, with Holly barely opens the cupboard and Kenny holding a box of light bulbs.
David turns to face his friends, �Are you sure your boss� name isn�t Bruce Wayne?�
Kenny, Samantha, and Holly walk toward the newly discovered secret entrance with Kenny put the box of light bulbs on the table. The four teenagers look down into the room, for a second before starts to walk into the room. Once inside, they realize how big the computer is and notices a large table to the right of the doorway, with a briefcase on it.
�I think we�re in that old abandoned building behind the bookstore,� David says, as they look around.
�So,� the four teens turn around to see Henry is standing in the doorway. �Who�s minding the store?�
�Henry, what�s this place?� Samantha asks.
�Yeah, I can imagine you, Kenny, Holly and David have a lot of questions,� Henry says.
�Wait, how you knows our names?� David asks, pointing to his self and Holly.
�Maybe I should starts at the beginning,� Henry says, as he walks over to the computer and starts entering keystrokes. �Over twenty years ago, maybe more I�m not sure, a group was formed that was called simply the Organization. With one goal in mind: create technology and equipment designed to combat and defend people from demons and demon threats.�
�Demons?� Holly says, with obvious surprises in her voice. �You�re joking, right?�
�No, I�m very serious,� Henry says, drawing their attention to the computer monitor, which shows varies creatures and monstrous including a large bug-like creature, a giant lizard with spikes coming out of its arms, and a creature formed out of a large tornado.
�This got to be a joke,� David says, also disbelieving.
�I was only with the Organization for about twelve years,� Henry begins. �But I learned quickly. The Organization acquired advanced technology from crashed spaceships and other strange artifacts.� The monitor changes to some a large laboratory with people in white coats working on varies of equipment. �I was recruited because of my scientific mind and interests in demonology; leaving behind my wife and infant daughter to do so. But a year and half ago, a demon attacks the facility.� The monitor changes to showing explosions rage around the laboratory, as people are screaming in fright till the screen changes to static. �I�m the only one who managed to escape. I went back and find people I consisted, not just coworkers, but also friends, dead.�
Samantha notices Henry is fighting back a tear.
�So they won�t have died in vain,� Henry begins again. �I take it upon myself to takes the technology and equipment that was left and finishes Project Battle.�
�Project Battle?� Kenny asks.
�Yeah, Project Battle was the nicknamed for developing the equipment for a fighting force against demons,� Henry explains. �I spend the last year, looking through the Organization�s database to find the four people best suited for the job. And I had been wondering how to approaches them.�
�And who are these people?� Holly asks, even though she knows the answer.
�You four,� Henry tells them. �I had chosen you four to defend the planet against the forces of evil.�
Sucidial, in his spirit form, is flying throughout the city, looking for the next person depresses enough that he could leads them to their deaths. Then Sucidial turns back into his normal form and lands on a building adjacent to Crestview North High.
Sucidial looks down and with a smile, says, �And there you are; my next victim.�
Sucidial looks down upon a crying Jill.
To Be Continued.