Into the Thick of It

School bells ring...

"Look, I know everyone hates writing, especially writing about a book you supposedly read, but I didn't come up with the assignment," Alli reminded the group of 11th graders sitting in her classroom. They were moaning and groaning their way through a response to literature, something that every single one of them struggled with. Half of it was because they didn't read the book, or pay attention to the audio that they got. The other half of it was because they all really struggled with writing, so the assignment wasn't easy. "Let's put some reasons up on the board. That way, everyone has a few ideas to start with. Who was the main character?" And so class went on. Alli drew a T chart on the board and labeled one side "Pros" and the other side "Cons". She went around the room, asking each student for one pro and one con. She restated who the main character was, and what the conflict in the story was. She had students explain the resolution. It didn't matter. At the end of the class, no one had a rough draft to turn in. She almost didn't expect anyone to. The book had been rough, and the comprehension checks had been equally as rough. They had no interest in even trying to pass 11th grade English. Really, they were all way more worried about where their phones were, who said what on social media, and what they were all going to wear to Holly Ball. Alli wished she could've told them that none of it would matter in the end.

With a sigh, she packed up her bag, ready to head to her next English class. This time, she was working with a group of 9th graders that decided that Romeo and Juliet was lame, (they weren't wrong), and they didn't listen, and they couldn't answer the comprehension questions.

"Don't you hate it when children don't mind their elders," a lazy voice drawled.

Alli's gaze rose slowly. There was a woman- kind of- sitting on her desk. She was wearing a black leather dress, form fitting, with splits over her thighs that allowed her to move. But the most astonishing thing was that her skin was green, and her hair was a vivid violet. "I'm sorry- who are you?"

The owner of the voice gave a throaty chuckle that reminded Alli of a smoker's laugh. "I'm your ride home. Come along, Allianna."

Alli's eyebrows probably hit her hairline. "I'm sorry- what?"

The woman looked at Alli like she was dense, which, to her, Alli probably was. "Do you honestly think that you belong here, in this mundane world? Have you not looked around you? You're not like the people you work for. Surely you've realized that!"

"What I've realized is that I'm late for my next class. I have no clue how you got in here, and honestly, I really don't care, but it's time for you to go, and me to pretend like you were never here. Bye now." Alli gave her a jaunty little wave and headed for the classroom door.

The woman snapped her fingers, freezing Alli in her place, her hand half extended to the door. The only thing Alli could do was look around. She got off of Alli's desk slowly, sauntering over to her. "Listen Dove, you don't have a choice in this, and neither do I. Did you think I really wanted to be sent to the dingy, sickening mundane world to pick up a wayward Hunter? No. I did not. But, unlike the little idiots you were with, I can do as I'm told, and I was told to return you back to Aldenridge without question. So, back you go." The woman snapped her fingers again, and Alli could move.

"I was born here," Alli snapped, glaring at the intruder. "I have parents and siblings. I have a freaking life here. No, I'm not going with you, so I can be displaced in a new place."

"You had keepers here. You were sent here for a reason, and that reason has passed. Your true home is calling for your return, so, as I said, back you go."

"I don't even know you, and let's be real- you and I look nothing alike, so how can I be from your world? I am obviously human, and you've made a mistake." Alli was really trying to reason with the woman standing right in front of her, but she didn't think she was going to get anywhere. Her mind seemed like it was pretty made up, but Alli was desperate to change it. She knew she wasn't the same as everyone else, but from a different world entirely? That was the kind of stuff that stories were made from.

The woman laughed again at Alli's words. "Nice try. I'm not a Hunter though. I'm the Prince's personal assistant. I'm in charge of rounding up our lost before the Fire Feast. You're required to be there the year you turn 22. That is this year- isn't it?" Her gaze was shrewd and assessing. Alli knew she couldn't lie, just like she was positive that they still had the wrong person.

"So what if I turn 22 this year? Lots of people are turning 22. That doesn't mean anything. There is a whole generation of people that were born in this world, that are turning 22 this year." Alli knew her argument was weak, but that was all she could think of while her brain was in panic mode.

"Yeah, and how about that really weird scar on your arm? Hmm? Do many mortals have one of those too?" She sounded bored, like she'd spent way too long having this exact conversation with way too many people.

"Chicken pox. Simple. I had a bad case when I was little, because people here aren't supposed to get them. That's why we have vaccinations, and I got a weird scar from one I scratched. Simple explanation."

She rolled her eyes. "Stupid mortal, as if that kind of scar can come from a disease! I bet it's burning right now, wouldn't you say?" Malice oozed from the woman's pores, like some kind of secretion that spoke of evil and disaster. Alli wanted to run, but somehow managed to keep her fear in check. She wasn't wrong, the scar had been low-key burning since she'd found the woman sitting on her desk.

"Look, I get it. You have a job to do. And so do I. And if you take me, right now, in the middle of my work day, the press will be called, and so will the cops. You will turn this into a three-ring circus. Can I just finish out my day and meet you in the parking lot or something? Can we just keep this quiet?"

She tossed her long hair with a snort of irritation. "You are saying this as if I am supposed to care about these insignificant peons that are doing nothing but messing up space for all of us. Do not mistake me, I could care less. What I do care about is that the Prince said you are to return home, so you will return home now."

"All I am asking you is for a stay of execution! I just don't want to cause any undue stress on the people that I care about here. Why is that so hard for you to understand?" Alli was starting to get angry and exasperated. She didn't feel like she was asking for a lot. She honestly felt like she was just asking for some leeway and a little bit of respect. After all, it wasn't like she left her first life on her own.

"No. We are leaving now. You have given my henchmen the slip too many times to count. You have almost started a war in our home time and time again, and you will go back to where you came from immediately. We will not discuss it anymore. It's time."

Alli opened her mouth to protest once more, but the room grew cold. She couldn't move because of the ice that was creeping up her legs, holding her in place. She tried to breathe, but it felt like her lungs were locked flat. Then, her middle began to warm, like she'd swallowed a ball of fire. It grew and grew, raging like the sun inside of her chest. Bright lights exploded behind her eyes, and then, the world went dark.