ok, since the second chapter in my story is exeptionally long, i will post it in three parts. parts one and two are not that long, but part three takes up many pages. so, without further ado, the second chapter in my title-less story, part one.

later that evening, i sat in my room on a purple mushroom chair, reading. i was at a good part.

'katie had a bad feeling about this. the dark alley looked like an ideal place for an ambush. "come on, girl," she thought, "you're a detective. pull yourself together.

she took a deep breath, brought her gun outof its holster, and steeled herself.

katie looked around. it was awfully quiet for a friday night in new york city. even the crikets that had made their way down into the subways and other such crevices were silent. she began to sweat.

"it's now or never," she said to herself, and she entered the ally.

it was a long passage way. when it got too dark to see, katie turned on her flashlight. at every dumpster, she went all the way around it to make sure no one was there. she started to relax when she never found anything.

when at long last katie reached the solid brick wall that ended the alley, she almost laughed at her fears. almost; but a sudden sound, like the crunch of someone stepping on a candy wrapper made her jump. she whirled around, back against the wall, gun ready to fire. all thoughts of security and relxation were replaced with horrible memories of the mystierious happenings of the past few weeks. with a trembling hand, katie scanned the place with her flashlight. there was nothing there.

foolishly thinking it was herself who'd made the noise, katie lowered her pistol.

instantly, strong fingers gripped her shoulders. katie stood rooted to the spot with fear. the thing in front of her was like something from a nightmare. the eyes; or rather, eye, was rolled back in it's socket; only the white showed. the smell of rotting flesh of some long dead thing filled katie's nostrils. it had come out of nowhere.

she tried to scream, but the sound stuck in her throat. the creature opned it's mouth and.....

BRRRIIINNNGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!

the phone rang.

i looked at my clock. it was ten-thirty. who the heck would call at this hour?

i picked up my orange phone and said, "hello?"

"finally!!! i've been trying to get a hold of you all day!!!!!" it was my friend, samantha.

"why?"

"waddaya mean 'why'? hellooooo!!!!! it is SATURDAY!!! don't i usually call you on saturdays?!?!?

"i've been gone most of the day; first to mom's interview, then we went shopping, THEN we had to go see tony."

"oh yeah! i'd forgotten about barb's possible job! so, how'd it go?"

"she got the job."

i winced and held the phone away from my ear. from the earpiece of the handheld, unearthly sounds that could only be screaming were heard.

when she was through, i didn't say anything for a while. sami noticed.

"ummm...alli? you still there?"

"i'm a little deafer, but i'm here."

"oh, come on, it wasn't that bad!"

"hm."

"so, gloomy guts, whatchya doin'?"

"i'm reading the book that mr. thompson gave us."

"you're actually reading that stupid book?!?"

"hey, it's a book. what can i say?"

"how is it?"

"predictable, but slightly bone chilling nonetheless. i'm almost done."

"really? i can't get past the second chapter."

"then you better start reading. bye."

i hung up the phone and returned to my seat. i picked up the book and read until i couldn't keep my eyes open any longer.

so, what did you think? i hope you aren't asleep right now. if you are, i'm sorry.

 valerie