Chapter One: December 21, 2012

Chapter One

 Alex Boulder was in a world of trouble. He had no idea where he was, or what he was doing. All he knew was that he had to get out of here, and fast. Minutes prior to this, he had been approached by a hooded figure while he was walking to the local store to pick up some things. The figure had grabbed his arm and pulled him back. Alex had taken one look at who had yanked him back, and took off running. Seeing a large man with a long hooded robe was not a welcome sight this late at night. So now, as he ran, he turned his gaze to his backside, where the man was still following close behind. Alex stumbled forward when he saw how the man was moving. He appeared to be gliding on air! When he turned forward, he tried to skid to a halt, but it was too late to stop. Alex slammed right into the side of a fruit cart, and fell to the ground gasping for air. The figure closed in on him, and Alex -- still trying to catch his breath -- closed his eyes and prayed.
        "Alex Boulder, is it?" The figure spoke in a raspy voice that reminded him of bones rattling. Alex nodded his head slowly. He was shaking almost uncontrollably while he lay there. "You have avoided me too many times. I have come to claim what is rightfully mine." The man said in that same rasp.
        "What do you mean?" Alex sputtered, finally able to speak.
        "All will be revealed very soon." The man said. Alex watched as he reached a bony hand up to his hood, and slowly pulled it back. His eyes widened with fear at what he saw. This man! He was not normal. He had no facial features identifiable as human in nature, as his face appeared to be nothing but a skull. It was at that moment, Alex realized who this person was, and exactly what he wanted. This man was Death, and he had come for Alex's mortality.
       Beep...Beep...Beep...
        Groggily, Alex opened one eye. He used that eye to look over at the source of the noise. It was the damn alarm clock. He was about to roll back over, when he realized that it was a school day. He sat up quickly, without realizing how close he was to the edge of the bed. As he fell, he grabbed the sheets in a futile attempt to save himself. He hit the ground with a thud, and bumped the dresser, which sent the alarm clock down onto his face. Alex cried out in pain, and his mother who was downstairs cooking eggs, raced upstairs to her son's room.
        "Alex? Are you oka-" she began. When her gaze fell to the floor, she sighed heavily at her son's clumsiness. "Alex, what are you doing on the floor?" She asked with a hint of disappointment in her voice. Alex's mother was a strong-willed woman who had a kind heart. Despite all the challenges the family faced, she always managed to keep her chin up in the worst of situations. "I swear child, I don't know what to think of you sometimes," she said, her tone quickly changing to one with a chuckle in it. Alex didn't speak, partly because his face was still in a lot of pain, but mostly because he had just remembered his dream. The one that had little effect on him when he woke up was starting to hit him hard now.
        It was true what Death had said. Alex had been through so many things that had nearly caused him to die, but by some miracle, he had survived each one. When he was six, he fell from the top of a tall tree in his back yard, and had hit several branches on his way down. Each one either his midsection or his head, and when he finally got to the ground he had been knocked out. His mother drove him to the hospital, and the doctors said he would probably never be able to remember his name. When he came to, the first thing he said was, "Mommy? Is the tree alright?" When he was twelve, he was riding his bike across a busy highway to get to school. The light changed green as he passed by, and a car hit him head on. The doctors were amazed that he could still walk.
        Alex had been a accident prone child, and it had all seemed to settle down when he got to the age of 17. By that time, he hadn't had any accidents for two years. Today was a special day for him too, and he just didn't know it yet.
        "Here Alex. Take this," his mother said, setting a gift box down by his head. He sat up and the alarm clock fell into his lap as he reached over to the box. He then realized what day it was. His lips curled into a smile as he tore open his birthday gift. It was an expensive watch. In fact, it was the one Alex had been hoping for the past couple months. He could even see himself reflected in the glass. His dark hair was a mess, and his green eyes shone brightly. He looked up at his mother with a huge smile.
        "Thanks mom. You're the best!" He said putting it on. In place of the three, there was a date marker. It read 21 and Alex's grin began to fade. His mother walked out of the room without noticing his change in demeanor. "December 21, 2012. I wonder if the legends are true..." He whispered to himself.
        Beep...Beep...Beep...
        "Oh s**t! I have to get ready for school!" Alex shouted as he hopped up from the floor. He raced to his closet and threw on the first shirt he saw. It was a black short sleeve shirt with the letter "A'' on it. He had gotten it custom made before, and almost always wore it. He slipped into a pair of blue jeans, and headed down the stairs. After yelled to his mother that he was heading out without breakfast, he walked out the door.
        Alex had never been in such a rush before. Usually, he was always on time and was never late for anything at all. Today seemed off though. Something in the back of his mind was telling him that today would be a bad day as he boarded the bus. He scanned the rows of seats for his friend, who was never in the same place day to day. When he found her near the middle of the bus, he sat down. "Hey Cat," Alex said to his best friend.
        Caitlin Freedman had been Alex's best friend since the start of that school year. He had gotten on the bus one morning to see her sitting all alone. It was the only seat left open, so Alex sat down next to her. She didn't say much at the start, but he tried to make conversation. He started with small talk like why he hadn't seen her before. She was a transfer student from another county, one Alex had been to many times. He then turned away to leave her alone, because she didn't seem interested in talking to him. She would just stare out the window and reply in as few words as possible. Alex was about to ask her something else, and when he turned he saw her cleaning her glasses. Her brown hair fell in curls over her shoulders in such a way that she looked so different. He looked at her face and said with a chuckle, "Have you ever considered contacts? That face is not something you should hide behind those thick frames," Caitlin turned and looked at him for the first time that morning and smiled. "They make my eyes hurt," she said simply. They both laughed, and from that moment on, they became friends.
        "Oh! Hey Alex!" Cat said moving a little closer to the window so Alex could sit more comfortably. "What's up?" she asked him in her musical voice. Alex sighed and tilted his head back so it rested in the top of the bus's seat.
        "You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he said with a smirk.
        "Try me!" Cat said turning the tables.
        "Well alright then!" Alex said sitting up straight again. "You know what today is right?" He began, "It's not only Friday and my birthday, but it is also the day people have been talking about for years, Cat. It's December 21,2012. Remember? The day we are supposed to get hit by that gigantic meteor? The Wormwood Prophecy I think they called it."
        "Come on Alex, you don't honestly believe that do you? Look outside the window for me. What do you see?" Alex stared out of the glass window of the bus. He saw clear skies, green trees and birds on top of the telephone wires. Nothing out of the ordinary, but Alex still couldn't shake the ominous feeling.
        "Cat, you don't know for sure. It could still happen, we just don't know when," Alex said. He looked into her hazel eyes, and she stared back into his.
        "Try not to worry. After all, we wouldn't want you to become one of those homeless people holding the signs up, would we?" She grinned.
        The bus lurched to a halt in front of the school. As the kids got off of the bus, the bell rang, and everyone hurried to their classes. No one took notice of the warm breeze that blew through, even though it was the winter season. Alex and Cat said their goodbyes to each other as they headed to their respective classes. Caitlin to Biology, and Alex to English. Alex didn't hear the clicking of heels closing in on him until they were right behind him.
        "Oh, Alex my dear!" Said a feminine voice. Alex whipped around upon hearing his name, only to be caught immediately in an embrace. This had become a daily routine for him, but he still never got used to it.
        "Holly, what are you doing? I have to get to class," Alex said trying to separate himself from the girl's hold.
        "Why, I'm only giving my favorite guy in the whole world a hug!" She said finally releasing him.
        "Favorite guy? Holly, what are you talking about? We aren't together. How many times to I have to tell you? I'm not interested in a relationship right now."
        "Oh, come now Alex. You're too focused on school work! Loosen up! Have some fun!" She said giving him a playful wink. Alex just sighed.
        "I'm sorry, but I have to get to class. Good bye," With that, he turned around and headed up the stairs to his classroom, leaving Holly standing there, shocked. Holly was a rich girl, who usually always got what she wanted. Including the hearts of men. Alex had been the first to ever resist her charm, and she had been chasing after him ever since. She could feel her face flushing as she blew strands of her blonde hair out of her eyes. She would have him, one way or another, she would have his heart.

Reviews

[Emily Quinn]

I'll start from the top for this review beginning withthe content. You started off with a great hook to lure us in to reading more, death is always an attention grabber even though it was a dream. Your early descriptions created great imagery and pinned Alex as a regular teenage boy-and also a klutz. The dialogue and reaction from the mother wasn't cheesy like many writers subconsciously make the relationship seem and I'm glad that the one you created felt real. You are starting to build some good suspense with the mention of the ominous date 12/12/12 i would however like to see a little bit more background information-just enough to tease us- when he is speaking with Cat or during one of his moments of reflection.

I noticed a few typos and minor errors, I'll list a few.

"Each one either his midsection or his head, and when he finally got to the ground he had been knocked out" should be- Each one hit either his midsection or his head
"After yelled to his mother that he was heading out without breakfast, he walked out the door."- After he yelled
"Alex and Cat said their goodbyes to each other as they headed to their respective classes. Caitlin to Biology, and Alex to English." This one doesn't NEED fixing but you could separate the sentance with a semi-colon instead of breaking it with a period- ...respective classes; Caitlin to biology and Alex to English
(I also took out the comma because it's not eeded here)

You chose a good way to end this chapter as well, leaving an air of mystery, of danger to come. I sense some foreshadowing brewing!
You have a great start to a novel here, a good idea and the talent to pull it off. Best of luck