The Netherling Curse

Chapter One

Laughter and Katy Perry's "Dark Horse" pounded in my ears as I ran through the crowded gym. Hundreds of masked eyes followed me as I tried to make my escape. My white dress stained red with gallons of punch stuck to my ankles, slowing my exit. I stumbled through the crowd of prom-goers, made it out of the double doors, and ran down the hallways towards the girls' locker room. I slammed the door behind me after I ran in, and I kept running until I get to the showers. Not caring that I was still wearing my dress and mask, I threw the cold water on full blast and leaned back against the shower wall, sliding down it until I was on the floor with my arms wrapped around my knees. I leaned my head on the wall and just let the tears flow; I didn't even have the energy to take off my mask so I could wipe away the tears. Sobbing made my shoulders and stomach ache, but I was beyond caring. I can't believe this happened. Not to me. I was so stupid.

I should've known it was all a joke. That Luke Holland never actually wanted me. That a girl like me couldn't become so popular in one week that she got voted Prom Queen. No. Titles like "Prom Queen" and "Luke Holland's Girlfriend" belong to girls like Savannah Rosen, Luke's actual girlfriend and head cheerleader. I should've known it was all a joke when Luke asked me if I wanted a ride home. He was just so innocent looking with his slicked back brown hair and eyes to match. It was his lazy smile that sealed my fate.

It was just like any other day. I was walking home after school, sketch book in hand, minding my own business. Then Luke pulled up next to me and rolled down his window. He said, "Do you want a lift?" I looked up at him and stared warily. He laughed and said "Come on and get in. Looks like it's going to rain." Trusting his word and not looking up myself I said, "Sure." He talked and talked the whole way home; laughing at the jokes he was saying and flirting with speeding. I don't think I even said a single word. I just stared at him mostly, captivated by the tenor of his voice and the richness of his laugh. He was so laid back; casting glances my way every few moments to make sure I was still paying attention. How couldn't I? Luke Holland is the type of guy that lures girls in just by walking by, and he knows it too. He asked if he could see me again. And I said yes.

He picked me up and drove me to and from school everyday. Eventually he asked if I'd see a movie with him. How could I refuse an opportunity like that? I'm just the outcast. I had never gotten attention from the male species until this exact moment and now? Now, I was over the moon. He even got me to show him my sketchbook, something I never do for anybody. When he came across the pictures of Knight, the fallen angel that had been visiting me in my dreams since I was six, he gave me this questioning look. Knight never wears a shirt so I never draw him with one. With my reputation, Luke asked how I knew what a shirtless guy looked like so well and I just shrugged my shoulders. Knight has these smoldering blue eyes and shaggy hair that is as black as night, hence his name, that droops into his eyes. Being with Luke almost made me forget that I had ever been an outcast. That anyone had ever teased me or called me schizo. It almost made me forget about Lunar, my "imaginary" cat. It even made it easier to deal with my drunk of a dad. Being with Luke made everything easier. For a short time, I was even happy.

Walking down the halls with Luke, no one whispered about me anymore. They weren't afraid. They even talked to me as if I belonged. Luke started holding my hand everywhere we went. One night, he showed up to my house and said he had a surprise. Told me to get in the car and we were going somewhere. He took me to the docks and asked if I'd ever been sailing. I said no. He asked, "Do you want to go night sailing?" and the idiot that I am said "Sure." We were out in the middle of the water on his daddy's boat and he went down below in the Captain's Quarters for a moment. He came back up and the glow from the moon hit his face just right and he looked like an angel. He smiled that lazy grin of his and held a box in his hand. Inside was a corsage and he asked, "Prom?" and the hopeful me said, "Sure."

The rest of the week went by in a blissful kind of happiness I have never experienced before. If there's one good thing I can say about Luke Holland now, it's that he sure does know how to act as if a girl is the center of his universe. What a great actor, that Luke Holland. I used most of the money I had saved up over the years from working at the pet store to buy this beautiful white mermaid dress with crystal embellishments on the bodice. I also bought this black and white swan mask for the masquerade theme.

A limo pulled up to my house earlier tonight; Luke Holland was standing at my door. My dad met him with all the enthusiasm he could muster with the typical crashing of a beer bottle against the front door as I closed it behind me. We went to senior prom in style; we danced, we had fun, at least I was having fun. Time for Prom King and Queen to be announced, and guess who won? The star football player and the schizo. We go up to the stage and crowns are placed on our heads. I didn't see it coming. Three football players with the punch bowl in their hands sneaked up behind me. I should've noticed that Luke stepped away from me. I looked at him and smiled and he smiled back. I looked out towards all the people that had made my life miserable for the last eleven years and laughed, relishing the moment. Then the world went red as the football players poured every last drop of punch over my head. Laughter sprung up from every pair of lips standing there and I was mortified. Savannah stepped in front of me, took the crown, and placed it on her head. Then she kissed Luke. That's when I ran. All I saw were masked eyes, white stained red, and the laughing lips.

I feel fur scratch up against my legs. I looked down and saw Lunar and smile weakly as I ran my fingers through his fur. I picked him up and placed him in my lap, burying my face in his hair. "I'm so sorry Lunar. I've been a terrible owner this week. You're always there for me." Lunar meowed and cocked his head to the side; just like that I'm forgiven. I love that about cats. I scratched his neck and kept apologizing anyways. "I missed you too, Lunar." Lunar's my little secret. No one else knows he exists. I'm the only one who can see him. When I was little and my parents were still together, I slipped up and told mom about him. I asked if I could keep the silver kitty. Mom asked where was the kitty and when I pointed to the kitchen table, she looked at me funny and said there was no kitty. I insisted there was. She asked me if this was one of my imaginary friends. I said no, that I could see him, touch him, hear him, smell him. After a week of pestering me and yelling at me to stop lying, she gave up and took me to the hospital. In the hospital is where I first started dreaming of Knight. He helped me out of it, led me, and assured me I wasn't crazy. He and Lunar became my only friends. I was diagnosed with schizophrenia and medicated. But the medications never worked. No matter how high they increased the dosage or how many times they changed the medication, Lunar was still there and Knight still appeared in my dreams. Knight is from the Nether, this world of magic, and he used to tell me stories about it in my dreams. He tried to get me to go with him and live with the other Netherlings, but I could never leave my family, no matter how screwed up they are. I'm not schizophrenic, Lunar and Knight are real: I'm just the only one who can see then, and yes, I am aware of how crazy I sound.

I heard something shattering and my head snapped up. My mouth dropped open when I saw a crack. The ceiling was cracking open wider and wider, with this glowing red seeping out of it. At first, I thought there was a fire, but there was no heat. I slowly got to my feet and I was ready to run when I saw this ball of darkness descend from the crack. It fell to the floor and groaned. I started backing up to the wall and tried to get Lunar to follow me, but he only got closer to the mass. "Lunar, get over here now!" I pleaded, but the stupid, curious cat wouldn't listen. The mass started to laugh and stood up. I gasped and my hand covered my mouth. "You! I know you!" Knight laughed.

"Yeah, and I know you." Knight's wings unfurled from his back, making him seem even taller and even more intimidating. "It's time to come home."

"I'm not going home!" I wrapped my arms across my chest and backed up further into the wall. Lunar started to wrap himself around Knight's legs and all I could hear over Knight's glowering is the roaring crack and Lunar's deranged purring.

"I'm not talking about your home." Knight smiled that devilish smile of his and crossed his arms.

I gulped down air. "You mean the Nether?" Knight smiled wider and nodded his head. "Why?"

Knight sighed. "Because it's where you belong. I've let to stay here with the humans long enough. This whole project was a mistake. I told them that you shouldn't have lived among them."

"Wha-What are you talking about? Project? And you're acting like I'm not even human."

Knight sighed again like this was exhausting to him. "All will be clear in time. But seriously. We have to go. Now."

"Why?"

Knight walked up to me and corners me against the wall. His glowering eyes frightened me and I flinched away. He gently placed one hand on the side of my face and took off my mask with the other. "Because," he said softly, "You're starting to look like yourself and the stupid humans won't understand. You'll end up back at the hospitals with needles sticking out of your arms and getting tested on. You really want to go back through that hell?"

I shook my head and a traitorous tear slipped out of my eye. Knight of course noticed and wiped it away. "Sera, you're miserable. Why do you want to stay?" He said quietly.

"I don't," I whispered back, realizing there is nothing to stay for. My dad is an abusive drunk that can't hold up a job. My mom skipped town when I was six and I haven't heard from her since. I have no friends, no career, I'm barely graduating, and I just lost Luke. But then again, I guess I never had him. Knight kissed my forehead and smiled.

"You won't regret this," he promised. "Hold on." A roaring vortex seeped out of the fire-red crack, growing wider and wider. Lunar screeched as the he disappeared inside of the vortex, and then he was gone. Knight smiled even wider and grabbed my waist. My cheaply dyed black hair whipped out of the up-do it was in and snapped the air. Knight wrapped his wings around me and I become enveloped in this warm, soft cocoon that cancels out all the sound. It's eerily quiet and all I could hear was the beating of his heart and the whisper of his breath. We're lifted into the air and we're soaring. We flew for what seemed like hours without Knight having to use his wings. I was about to ask him when it would end when we landed on the
ground.

He ended up laying on top of me and smiled. "Fun?" he asked, and I couldn't even nod. He realized how close we were and released us from his wings' embrace with a clearing of his throat. He stood up with this air of annoyance and looked around, searching for something.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Then the crack reopened in the ground, only it's blue this time. It spat out a screaming thing before it closed up again with a groan. The thing slammed into the ground and groans, rubbing its eyes before sitting up.

"Luke?"