Chapter One: A New Neighbor and an Adoring Fan

The sun had just risen, as twenty-seven year old Derek Barnes walks down his Florida City neighborhood. He had just got back from interviewing a lady who claimed to be a vampire. Jason had been with him, but for some reason, Derek wanted to walk home, so Jason should've been home by now. Something in his mind had told him to take a walk, so he listened to that little voice.

He is almost at his house, when he sees a car parked in his next door neighbor's house. This house had been desolate for quite some time, always having the "For Sale" sign on the door. He might as well go check it out. He gets up to the window and peeps in. inside the house is furniture and old weaponry. Weapons galore! Any type of weapon made, his person seemed to have.

"Can I help you?" A voice calls out, startling Derek.

Derek turns around and is faced with a man apparent to his own age. This man is short, has freckles and his hair is red. His eyes are a dull brown. "I. Uh. No one's lived here for a while. I live next door," Derek sputters out, surprised by this man.

"So you're the neighbor," he says. "I just moved in here last night. Names Zack." He holds out his hand and Derek shakes it.

"Derek Barnes. Nice to meet you," Derek smiles. "Why in the world would you want to live out here?"

"Nice place. Plus I heard that there is a lot of unusual shit going down."

"Really, like what?"

"Some guy's brother died mysteriously and now the depressed guy runs a Website to uncover the bizarre."

Those words hit Derek like a brick. "That would be me," Derek says.

"Oh sorry."

"How did you know about that?"

"People have been saying rumors, didn't know if it was actually true or not. Guess it is."

"Yeah, well, did you happen to check out the site? www.freakylinks.com?

"No, but I'm going to have to."

"And hey, if you ever do see anything unusual," Derek takes out his business card and gives it to Zack, "You know where to find me."

"Alright. Will do."

The two say goodbye and walk to their houses. Inside, Derek finds Lan sleeping on the couch, preferably to working on the computer too late. Jason is in the kitchen, looking through the fridge. "Hey Derek, were out of milk."

"Yeah I know. I have to go to the store," Derek yells and heads up the stairs. He's had his clothes on all night and takes off his shirt. He reaches into the closet and grabs a clean one and puts it on. All of a sudden the floor begins to shake, causing loads of stuff to fall to the floor. Derek jumps and runs into the doorway. He can hear Jason yelling, "An Earthquake! All right! My first one!" Derek just laughs.

Lan wakes up and looks stunned. She just got woken up rudely. Then the Earthquake stops. Car alarms and dogs barking, are heard. Derek sighs, as he begins picking up the fallen stuff.

At the story, Derek is in the dairy isle. Thank god for twenty-four hour stores. Derek turns to leave, but he sees a kid staring abruptly at him. He turns fully around to see the guy, but he has disappeared. "What was that all about?" Derek says to himself. He doesn't see the kid again and pays for his purchases. Derek walks outside, with the bags and doesn't seem to notice the ice that is before him. He slips on it and falls.

Derek lands hard and bites his mouth. He can taste blood within and is feeling light headed. A man steps over him and looks down. Derek isn't sure if he's seeing right, but this man is blurred and has a white outline formed over his body. Stars begin to fill Derek's eyes and darkness envelops him.

-----

Derek shivers, as he wakes up. Looking around, he can see an ice cave is his new surrounding. He gets up and places his arms around him for heat. Just then, a blast of ice comes out of nowhere and plasters him against the wall. He goes flying hard into it and his legs are now covered in ice. Another one comes and now locks up his crisscrossed hands, leaving him trapped. A white figure steps out from the whiteness.

This figure looks like the one that he saw when he fell on the floor. It draws closer to him, and Derek sees that this form looks human, but his face is entirely iced out, with only his eyes showing.

"Stay away from the new ones you will meet today, for they aren't what they seem," it's cracked voice says.

"Who are you?" Derek asks.

You have been warned. For if you continue to greet them, you will suffer."

"What do you mean?"

The figure walks closer to Derek and begins to create a white light in its hands. "What are you doing?" Derek asks, getting nervous.



The figure quickly then launches out and touches Derek's left arm. The pain seeps deep into Derek's arm and he yelps out in agony. The figure steps back and Derek looks at his arm. A shard of ice pierces his skin, but then it slowly digs into his arm. Derek cringes, but still watches. The wound then covers with skin and a weird symbol appears above it.

Then a white mist comes out from the thing's hands and makes its way towards Derek. He takes it in, inhaling it, and everything grows dark.

-----

"Hey, are you okay?" A young voice calls out.

Derek slowly opens his eyes to see a young man, about seven-teen, ice blue eyes and blonde hair look at him. This is the same kid who had been staring at him earlier.

"You took a pretty hard fall," he says, as Derek gets up.

He notices the ice on the floor has now turned to water. "I could swear it was ice."

"Hey, the names Bobby," the kid says.

"Derek Barnes."

"I knew it was you! Oh wow! I've been looking for you."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I heard that you're looking for anyone with stories."

"Yes. At the moment I happen to be," Derek says, licking his mouth, tasting blood yet again. He wipes it away.

"Cool! I've got an awesome story to tell you."

Derek hands him a business card. "Come over sometime today and we talk talk all about it okay?"

"Sure then," Bobby says and walks off.

Derek gathers his fallen things and gets into the car. A sharp pain emits from his left arm and he looks at it. There is the symbol exactly in the same spot where it was placed in the dream. Derek is worried now. "Chloe has to know what this is," Derek says, looking at the symbol that then begins to bleed. He starts up his car and makes his way towards her house.