In The Dark

Noliana hurried out of the movie theater, her head pounding. I guess I should have paid more attention to the previews... she thought with a sigh. A movie about vampires. Hmph...exactly what she needed.

She shouldn't be in the city now. Her eyes were dilated to dark gray. The hunger was getting stronger. She had left the School so she wouldn't endanger anyone. Here she was in the center of the city, people milling by, their blood scent rising to her nostrils. Quickly, afraid, she retreated into a dark alley.

Raindrops were sprinkling down on her head. She pulled her hood over her long dark hair. It shouldn't be raining on the day after Christmas. Nothing was right about this place.

She heard a footstep, another. Blood... she thought subconsciously. She shook her head, her fists clenched together. Stay calm...stay calm...blood...no!

She stood very still as the footsteps came closer...

Noliana let her hair fall in front of her face, hoping to block out the smell. She concentrated on stilling her heartbeat; it always pumped faster when she was hungry. She couldn't smell that good in the rain anyway...

"Oh. Yeah. Um," she stammered. "It's...wet."

How lame. She laughed weakly, watching the dark-haired boy from the peripheral.