Arc 1.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Since last week, I started hearing strange noises. The beeping starts very faintly, in my sleep, then forces my eyes open. Was it a dream? Perhaps. Was it the construction outside? No, there wasn't any ongoing construction outside. My alarm clock? No, mine was not set to this time. I decided that It must be a dream after all.

I ask myself this all the time, at 2:00 am. Right now, to be exact. My eyes stare at the ceiling, blinking a few times. I glance at the clock, confirming the time. The beeping is back for its haunting once again. Just sleep, I tell myself. I close my eyes again.

***

" Here's your lunch!" My dad called. I caught the handles of my lunch bag and raced out. For the first time, I'm late for school. And it had to be the first day. Great, just great.

I ran down the sidewalk, making sure not to step on any cracks, toward the bright blue house two blocks away. My friend Allie waited while pacing back and forth. I ran toward her and bent down to take a few needed breaths.

" Eris, late? How unusual," she pondered.

" A small mistake," I apologized. " I kind of slept in. Some sounds woke me up."

" Oh," She said. We started walking down the concrete path. Sweat started forming behind my ears. The trees gave little shade and the houses around us were just too short. The sun was right above our heads.

" Allie," I started. " It's 7:00 am. Why is it so hot?" I asked. I turned to my side... and she wasn't there. Panic struck me. I started rapidly looking around and spotted her behind me. Her leg was positioned mid-step and her mouth looked like she paused from talking.

" Allie? Quit pranking." I waved my hand in front of her face, to see if she would flinch. Suddenly, the light that the sun gave off darkened with shadows. I turned my head toward the sun and saw a black figure cover it. A solar eclipse?

I blinked, and the sky turned dark and the sun was gone.

" -swear Eris, one of these days we'll be late to school!" Allie continued like she just unpaused from the click of a button. She glared at me. " What?" She asked, puzzled by my stare.

" A-Allie, you did not see that just now?" I stammered, pointing toward the dark sky.

" See what? The sun's rising, I can't see the stars."

I look upward and see vast amounts of stars far above my head fade away.

It's just my head.

I continue to walk down the sidewalk, Allie right behind me, wondering what to say. My eyes widened towards the sunrise, which looked so unusual now. Could've it been real?

Beep. Beep. Beep.