Eternal Dusk

Three moons went by excruciatingly slow for Artemis' liking, but the sun gleamed against her pale skin through the dirty windows of the school. It was one of those rare days with no clouds smothering the sun and no mind reader to bother.

"I know it's the end of the year, but all of you are yet to do a final project. It will take place instead of those boring written test," her physics teacher started saying. "You will be assigned partners. Refusing to work with them or not participating at all will result in the best grade of a D. It doesn't have to be about physics but please, no floating egg. We all know that things float in salt water. "

The teacher started explaining the details of everything. The next thing Artemis heard was being paired up with that girl, Bella.

Karma just keeps screwing me over. This is not nice.

By the end of the class period, the two partners decided to meet in the library after school.


Being a little late was nothing bad. Artemis found Bella sitting at an isolated table in the school library. The library itself wasn't very big but having towering book cases made it seem smaller.

The two shared a small greeting as Artemis laid out her black messenger bag on the table. "So do you have anything in mind?" Artemis wondered.

"Not really. I'm not into science projects really," Bella admitted leaning on the table awkwardly.

"Volcano?" Artemis suggested half heartedly.

Bella cracked a smile. "Or the color changing flowers?"

Minutes passed of blindly naming popular elementary science projects when Artemis finally suggest to look up things from the school computers and books.

Bella tiptoed and reached up to a a book from the top of a shelf, her fingertips barely grazing the spine. She lunged up and that was all it took. The heavy, hardcover books started plummeting down. Bella closed her eyes and covered herself from the incoming impact.

It never came.

Bella peeked out to see the books floating still above her head. She swiftly turned her head towards Artemis who had her hands held out. Artemis looked straight into Bella's eyes with a frightened look.

Artemis was holding her breath the whole time, but her heart beat rapidly against her chest. Bella stepped out from underneath the books that still floated in the air and Artemis dropped her shaking hands not once looking away from each other. The books made a loud thud on the carpet of the library.

Artemis finally searched the library for her bag not wanting to look at Bella anymore, keeping her eyes low. "I should go."

Just as she was about to leave, Bella finally found her voice. "Wait!"

Artemis didn't want to, but she turned back to face her again. "You don't need to-"

"Are you a vampire?" Bella sputtered.

Out of all things....

Artemis looked at her comically holding back a laugh. "No."

"Then what are you?" Bella asked. Artemis bit her lip and looked away. "You're probably sworn to secrecy, but I know a lot more about mythical creatures than most people."

Artemis sighed feeling a bit defeated. "You wouldn't believe me."

Bella hardened her face challenging her. "Try me"

"I'm a witch."