Here's a new long-term story that I've decided to post up for November. It's an idea I've had shelved for a couple months, but recently I've gotten real into writing the second half of itit, so hopefully I keep updating it.

xlx

Wendy Manson, 14-year old freshman in Casper High. Recently she's been able to sense ghosts, and on the day Wendy's paranormal curiosity gets the best of her, her project partner and ex-bestfriend Shane happens to follow her. When she meets a mysterious ghost in the abandoned apartment, what of her identity will she be discovering?

CHAPTER 1: Capturing the Day Pt. 1

As of now, I was inside my kitchen opening my fridge. And much to a not-as-surprising surprise, I found myself food-less. "Well, looks like someone's going grocery shopping today."

"Wendy! I thought you left for school!" shouted the voice of my mother. She sounded tired this morning. Then again she sounded tired every morning she woke up. She works a late job so she takes her sleep during the day, or at least tries to. She says she hates the sun.

"I'm leaving now!" I called up to her in reply. Closing the empty-lit fridge, I grabbed my red school bag from the kitchen counter and darted for the living room. Taking my skateboard from the side I jumped off our stoop and began skating down the street. Amity Park, the city of fresh air and city kids growing up in a mainstream generation. If only it were just that.

A cold gasp escaped my breath as I skated. At the deserted corner of the street I halted to a stop and looked at my surroundings. "Oh man. Not now. I'm gonna be late!" Then as if on cue I heard the sound of a vulture overhead. Looking up, I saw two green glowing birds, flying invisibly over Amity Park. Of course they always went unnoticed, except by me. Everyone except me. For whatever reason, in the early start of September when the sun of the summer is still as hot as it always was, I could see my visible breath like you would in the winter. It's not right to be cold now, but I couldn't help it.

It'd help a lot if I could, though.

"Better get out of here," I muttered to myself, beginning to skateboard once more, but at a faster speed rate. Ever since the near-end of summer vacation, I've been seeing... ghosts. They were much more greener than I figured ghosts to be, but that's not the point. I dodged random cars as the thoughts of ghosts ran through my head. I heard that the temperature drops and people get cold whenever ghosts roam about near by. Apparently that fact rang true as of recently. Whenever I'd see my breath and feel goosebumps run up my arms, I'd know a ghost was near by. And at that, you know the only thing you should do is- "GANG WAY!"

In the busy streets of Amity Park I manuvered around the traffic and onto the sidewalk through the park. And in no time, with hopefully loosing those ghosts, I ended up in front of my new school, Casper High. I've been here well into two weeks and already I found it just like any other school you'd find here.

"Hmmm..." a young teenage African American boy sat in the school lab, looking through microscope. Through his glasses he saw a strand of DNA, green as if covered in goo. "If this isn't weird then I don't know what is..."

"Hey Nett!" I shouted into the room, rushing in.

The boy teen yelped and almost fell backwards off his stool. Looking back with adjusting his glasses, he noticed it was me walking into the empty classroom. "... Must you?"

"Greet you happily? Yes." I walked over to the lab table, laying my bag on the side. "So, you got anything from my DNA?"

"If you mean the tiny strand of black hair you threw at my face yesterday, well then yes, I did get something," answered Nett. He's kinda like my cousin, just not related, at all. My mom knows his dad, Tucker Folly, the mayor of Amity Park. They say they used to be good friends a while back. "Honestly I didn't think I'd get anything unusual but surprisingly I did and I still can't believe it."

"Why? What is it? Did you see something?"

"Here take a look yourself," said Nett, offering me his stool. I sat down as he stood aside. Looking into the microscope, I saw a first blurry image of that swiveling DNA strand. But unlike what you see on the computer or in textbooks, my DNA looked like it was dipped in some green vat. I drew back with a disgusted look. "That's inside me?"

"It's on your DNA, your DNA's inside you, so yeah I'm gonna assume that gunk's there."

I sat slumped and dropped my hand on my bag. "I can't believe this."

"Like I can?" Nett said, taking out his infamous high-tech phone. He always had the newest phone model. Sure it's cool and all, but he just makes himself look like a techno geek abou it sometimes. "But look on the bright side. You've found your individual image for school."

I gave him a look. "Yeah. Like I can tell all of Casper High my body defies the natural laws of temperature." The school bell began to ring, signaling all students to report to homeroom.

Nett gave a shrug, putting away his PDA. "Well, nothing we can do about it now. I mean, so you can tell when ghosts are near by - like it's generally a bad thing? I mean, they never do anything, anyway."

"I guess," I said, taking my bag back. "Come on. We better get to class. If Mr. Lancer catches me late again I'm in for detention for a week." The day in a life of a fourteen-year old teenage girl in Casper High was relatively that of an ordinary one. You learn, you run, you sleep, you try, sleep some more, it's all there.

Inside English class, we all sat at our desks. And alongside us were the high school populars. Each school had its populars, at least in my world. And among the group was the freshmen prince and princess, popular girl Crissy and popular dude Shane.

I glared at the always-laughing group of kids, which consisted of just about half the class. How they always manage to find things to talk about just got annoying sometimes. Don't they ever just shut up and just think to themselves instead of saying just about every darn thing out loud? "How revolting," I muttered as I watched Shane put his arm around his girlfriend and kiss her cheek. "You know what I don't get, Nett? How people like them never seem to get in trouble."

Nett shrugged from his seat. "It's just how things are. Teachers love the populars because they give the school a good name, while us regular kids just sit back and watch. Nothing new."

"Well I wish there was something new," I said, putting my head down. Shane Johnson. Back then he used to be apart of the trio that consisted of him, me, and Nett. But then in the sixth grade he got his first girlfriend, Crissy, and eventually he became a part of the populars. He's forgotten all about Nett and me. And now, I hate him with all my heart for turning his back on us like we were nothing. Nothing worse than a back-stabbing ex-best friend. It's like hot sauce in your eye - it hurts a lot, according to Nett.

"Alright class, settle down," said the red-head teacher as she walked calmly into class. The kids all took their seats with their occasional whispers of gossip. This was my favorite teacher, Misses Jazz F. Aliah, particularly because she didn't favor the popular kids like all the other grown-ups did around here. She was fair, beautiful, and real smart, too. "Now, I think we've all settled into the new school year fairly well, right?" The class responded with unenthusiastic responses. "Geez, you all remind me of my lazy brother. Anyway, last night I thought up a way to keep everyone busy this month: I've decided to start a project for us all."

The class emitted a chorus of groans. Really, Ms. A. Was a project really necessary? I'm plenty busy running from stalking ghosts.

"And I'll be assigning partners in groups of two, to get you all to bond. And heaven knows we all need that."

"Yeah right," I sighed quietly.

Ms. Aliah picked up a piece of chalk to write on the board. "First pair, Winona Manson and Shane Johnson." I heard a record scratch from inside my mind. -EH?- I repeat, EEHHHHH?

She began to recite the rest of the pairs in the class as my face remained unchanged from it's surprised fixed manner. Can you blame me? But hey, it's only the beginning of this 'neat' little story.

"Your topic everyone will be to write about a place here in Amity Park. Anything that catches your interest. Then write about why it should be named a city landmark. Due at the end of June. Quite surprising, ain't it? So you better not hand in any crud by the end of the school year. I expect a unique and individual presentation of your location." Couldn't I have been partnered with anyone else? FOR THE REST OF THE FREAKING YEAR?

Glancing to the side I looked over at Shane Johnson. His facial expression looked indifferent. I used to tell what he was thinking all the time back then when we used to have fun, but now it's like he's one of those television 'cool' people who don't smile or act kiddish. Nett could feel the tension as well. He knew how much I didn't get along with Shane now a days. Would this project make anything of it any better?

Heh, probably not.

The final school bell rung, and all students swarmed the hallways. I went to my locker to pack my unneeded books and get my skateboard. I've been trying my best to forget about the English project we were assigned earlier. However it's much easier said than done.

I threw my textbooks inside my locker as I heard the sound of music and beeping. Cellphones and mp3s - how popular the media is now a days. Makes me wish I went to school in my mom's time, or maybe homeschooling. That sounds like a good idea. Either way my mom seemed to have it nice. Just cheerleaders and jocks according to her yearbook. Here I have Interent obsessed teens in skinny jeans speaking with 'yo yo' all the time.

"Hahahahaha!" shouted the shrill voices of a group of girls. I turned my head, seeing Crissy leading her group of girls in their soccer uniforms. The only thing retro about this school: sports. They never get old. Soccer's always been my sport, partially because I can't do anything with my hands. Bad aim, bad catching, bad grip. If it weren't for my feet I'd be failing gym.

"Well well, if it isn't Manson," said Crissy, walking up to me. I envied their uniforms, and I turned back to my locker. "What's wrong? Angry you didn't get onto the team?"

"As if. With you all on it I'd rather be in chess club." Nothing against the chess club. Chess just seems so pointless and boring to me.

Crissy narrowed her eyes and walked up to me, closely. "Just do what's good for you and stay away from Shane on your little project. You two may have been paired up for it but that doesn't mean you can take this opportunity to-"

"Oh save it, Crissy. Like I'd want to steal your 'precious' boyfriend. You think I'm enjoying the idea of working with him?"

She crossed her arms. "You just better back off, Manson. Let's go girls, the loser has some school work to finish up." With that she closed my locker before I could finish unpacking all my stuff. They laughed once again and marched down the halls, showing off their red and white soccer wear. Shaking my head to loose the negative thoughts, I re-entered my combination for my locker.

Nett, having seen the scene, walked over. "Hey Wendy. You good?"

"I'm fine, Nett. I just hate how the entire girls soccer team is made up entirely of popular girls. Even if I did get in, I don't think I'd be having such a good time."

"How could you get in? The coach is Crissy's mom."

"Don't remind me," I said with a face, finally finishing the stuff in my locker. Closing by bag and locker, I picked up my skateboard. However we saw Shane walk up behind us and stop. There was a moment of silence between the three of us, Nett the most nervous. He had half a mind to say a cheesy remark and leave suddenly, however that wouldn't be the case here.

"Shane," I said first with an intent glare.

"Wendy," he said back in the same manner.

"Yeah..." Nett said awkwardly. "Um, I'm gonna go check on that cheese in the cafeteria-"

"No you're not," I said, grabbing the back of his bag before he could get away.

Shane resumed. "Alright you and I both know we have to do that project for Ms. Aliah's class."

"And?"

"And you don't like me, and I don't like you. I'm not that stupid."

"I know," I said with a look.

"So let's just find a place to write about now and get it over with today so we stay out of each other's hair the rest of the year."

"Are you sure you didn't come here just to say you're dumping all of the work on me? I hear that's what a lot of bad partners do."

"Hey I'm not like that. Unlike most people in this school I'm actually trying to do decently in my academics. And I'm not letting you being my assigned partner get in the way of me getting an A."

I thought a moment. "Fine-" I felt my arms reel in goosebumps. I shut my mouth before my cold breath could come out. I did my best too hold in my breath and control the cold chills coming up my spine. A ghost? Here? "I gotta go." I said hurriedly once I lost the goosebumps. I pushed Nett and Shane out of the way, jumping onto my skateboard and riding down the halls quickly. As I sped down I heard Mr. Lancer yell at me. Ah he does it to everyone. I'll get over it.

"What was that all about?" Nett blinked.

Shane looked down in my direction suspiciously. "I don't know. But just to annoy her, I'm gonna follow her."

"You're gonna follow h- wait what?"

"You too, Folly," Shane said with an amused smirk as he dragged the boy off.

Outside the school building I jumped off the school steps and skateboarded down the sidewalk, looking for the ghost that was near by. A ghost - it isn't normal for me to be looking for a ghost, but in this case I had to know where it was, so I could get away from it. There, I'll say that. "Where, where is it..." Looking up, I saw two familiar ghosts, heading off in a direction together. "Those glowing vultures I saw from earlier this morning. I wonder where they're going now. It's not usual for ghost to appear to me on more than one occasion, let alone on the same day."

Deciding to follow where exactly they were going, I skated off discretely trying to keep up with them. And of course, unknownst to me Shane and Nett followed shortly behind. Soon enough I ended up in a deserted street, an unknown part of town. I've never seen his part of Amity Park before. Maybe perhaps because no one lives here. Mots of the buildings here were closed and boarded up with wood. Seeing the over sized ghost birds near by, I went and hit behind one of those old street poles, holding my skateboard under my arm.

Seeing them fly downwards they flew towards the last building on the end of the block, a tall brick building with a large metal floor on the roof. There was what appeared to be a sign, but it was broken over years of age. Spying from the shadows the two vultures went through the boarded up walls of the abandoned building. I've never seen ghosts fly through walls before, though I wasn't really surprised. "So, those ghosts live in there huh?"

"Hey Wendy!" shouted Nett's voice. Looking behind me I saw Shane and Nett running towards me. No...

"What the heck was that all about?" Shane said to me.

"Hey I should be the one asking 'd you two follow me anyway?"

"Just to let you know, I was dragged here," Nett said in his defence, putting up his hands and implying it was all Shane's idea, only for me to fix my glaring eyes on Shane.

"I just want to get this project over with and get home as quickly as possible."

"W-Well, I..." What was I supposed to say? I left school right at dismissal because I had to chase two ghost birds to the deserted corner of town? "I, meant to come here for the project."

"You did?" Shane said skeptically.

"You did?" Nett repeated with a wondering outrageous look.

"Yeah, I mean, haven't you heard?" I asked convincingly, coming in between the two boys with my arm draped around them both. "That building over there is haunted, you know. I just figured that we should come here to check it out before anyone else could."

"Yeah who'd come here?" said Shane with sarcasm, showing us the very bleak street.

"Um, just thinking outside the box?" I said with a sheepish smile. "Come on, dude. The cool and tough Shane Johnson is too scared to enter a ghost infested building? Never thought I'd see the day."

"Wendy," Nett said in a wary voice, coming up to me in a whisper. "You sure this place is, you know, 'haunted'?" he asked, using quotation marks with his fingers. He understood why I came here, he knew I sensed ghosts around here. However he still wondered why I came to follow the feeling in the first place, where as I would usually try to avoid it. In all honest truth, I was still trying to figure that out myself.

Shane gave another suspicious look then back to the building I mentioned. "Fine. We'll see if your little tale's true. But if it's another waste of time I'm writing my own report."

"No objection there," I said with crossed arms.