My name is Fariq Stretch. I attend Ghost Academy now. My body guard is Elijah Sun. People at my new summer school want to kill me because... that's the way they did things around here (???).

Right then, Elijah dropped me off at my room. He said, "You know where to find me. Don't talk to strangers."

I said "Okay" and entered my room. I heard his footsteps fade. I changed out of my uniform and laid down. We had the some of the same classes.

"Math and ELA wasn't that bad," I said to myself. "At least those kids acted like civilized people there..."

But Elijah was still on edge all the time, looking around, pushing me forward, dragging me back. I wondered if he saw me as his younger brother somehow.

I punched my pillow a few times and slowly sank into it. I could tell that caution was going to be the norm, but tomorrow's problems were for tomorrow...

...

Tomorrow came. Let's discuss my first beat down.

I had walked out of my room without Elijah picking me up. First mistake.

I was grabbed by the back of my neck and my forehead was smashed against a locker. I fell to the floor, and somebody stomped on my stomach.

"Ah!" I screamed, and a squeaky voice told me to shut hell up.

I opened my eyes and saw a skinny girl. Her hair was in a brown bob cut and hard blue eyes. She wore a clunky red leather jacket over her school uniform. She had on heavy combat boots (OUCH). I was immediately winded.

"Don't have Ghosty with you, hm? Bet you're pretty scared."

She ground her foot in deeper, and the pain intensified.

"You really should've waited for him," she said with a smile. "Now I'm gonna kill you."

Why? I thought. "Who... are you...?

"The name's Elsa."

Ah, crud.

I tried to get up. Second mistake. She kicked me in the face. I crumpled back to the floor as she kicked me in the crotch. I screamed. Where was everybody? The halls were literally empty.

Maybe she scared everyone off.

"No one's gonna help you. I told them to give me some space to take you out."

And before she could crush my face with her foot again, I heard a snap.

Wha---? Was that mine? My leg, a rib, an arm?

But no, I'd feel it. This was different.

In a second, she collapsed next to me.

I screamed. Somebody pulled me to my feet, but right then, I was too brainless to do anything but wobble there.

"I told you to wait for me." Elijah held my wrists. I looked slowly down at Elsa, who's head was twisted to the side.

"Y-you killed her..." I managed whisper. I watched as grey ooze spilled from her. Was she even human?

"It was either you or her, Fariq. Which would you have chosen?"

I'm 'Fariq', now?

That was all I allowed myself to think, to wonder. The only thing that made me human in that moment. An anchor.

I felt myself being dragged away somewhere. A part of me didn't care. A part of me freaking trusted him. I knew I shouldn't have, but I did.

What choice did I have?