The trees blew in the wind, and Katrina noticed the subtle change in temperature. She was suddenly very thankful that her mother insisted that she wore a hat and scarf, it was November, and Katrina was still in denial that winter was approaching.

“Do you want a lift?” It’s getting late.” Katrina turned to her right, where her soccer teammate stood, with a hand poised on her hip and an eyebrow raised, waiting expectantly for an answer.

“No thanks, Amanda. I’ll take the bus.”She rummaged through her sports bag for her wallet, cursing silently to herself when she realized she forgot her phone at home. There was no problem though; she’s managed without it before, she can do it again. She slung the bag over her shoulder, before bidding a final goodbye to her friends.

It didn’t take long to get to the bus stop, but as more time progressed, and the cool air turned frigid, she wished she had taken up Amanda’s offer. Thankfully, the bus was already there, and she was able to snatch a seat at the back of the half crowded bus. She mentally calculated the hours she’ll have to spend doing homework once she gets home. The toll adds up to over 3 hours. She sighed heavily, reaching into her bag for her history textbook. The vent above her blasted warm air, causing no need for wearing a hat. She took it off and propped it against the window, so she could rest her head comfortably. A page of reading later, her eyes drifted to the city lights in the distance, before falling closed completely , spiraling her into a well needed sleep.

The bus driver, who was having a particularly bad day, was eager to get home, hit the brakes a little too hard. Katrina’s was abruptly awoken by the sudden jerk and loud screeching.

“Hey sleeping beauty, stop drooling on my windows and get off the bus!” said the agitated driver.
She stood up from her seat, momentarily confused. She looked to her left, but all she could make out was the silhouette of a typical New York styled park bench.

“Wait,” she panicked, “where are we?”

The bus driver took a sip of his cold coffee, and grimaces.
“The terminus...Where else?”
Katrina stood speechless, she somehow managed to thank the bus driver, and found herself wondering mindlessly before she came to her senses.

She was lost, cold, out of money and alone.

She rounded the bend; instantly, her blue eyes lit up at the sight of a corner store. After questioning the cashier, she learned the basics. She was in the far east of the city, the last bus had already come and gone, and the woman behind the counter had refused to let her use her cell phone. Katrina angrily stomped out the store, slamming the door behind her, with the cashier’s parting words still haunting her mind. “Go home; this part of town get’s dangerous this part of night for people like you.”

People like you...? What the heck was that suppose to mean?

As she walked out into the eerie silence of the dead street, she heard distant rumbling of an approaching car.

A car horn blared, destroying the rare possibility of tranquillity in a Bronx neighbourhood. Startled, Katrina spun around, and hissed as she was temporarily blinded by the bright white headlights of the mysterious car.

Slowly, the black vehicle strolls up to Katrina, and the driver’s seat window rolls down halfway.
A blast of cigarette stench from inside of the Cadillac polluted the crisp air she breathed.“Hey girlie, need a lift?”

Katrina hesitated. The man seated inside the car looked to be in his mid 20’s, and had a friendly smile. Curly locks framed his seemingly flawless face, and Katrina didn’t seem to know why she felt herself blushing.

But his grey eyes wondered fleetingly, and she couldn’t shake the feel of a bloodthirsty vampire’s victim when he held her gaze.

He sensed her reluctance and his smile further broadened.
The toxins the air seemed to have reached her system, and she coughed dryly. She felt like she was going to suffocate, and she contemplated his offer, but has come to the decision that she would rather suffer from minor lung damage than die from hypothermia.

“C’mon now, I don’t bite. I don’t think it’s safe for a pretty girl like you be out alone, do you? Why don’t I drive you home? Where do you live?”

“24th street, West of Bronx.”

He whistled slowly, “You’re far from home.” He drawled out, “Take a seat.”

Katrina climbed into the back of the car, closing the door behind her, unknowingly establishing her fate.

“Thank you,”

“So,” The mysterious man, began, “My name’s Doyle, you?”

“Uh, Kat-Melissa? Melissa...um, Grey. Melissa Grey.” She stuttered.

“Yeah... and I’m the next Avenger,” He replied sarcastically. “Hey, kid, I’m not some psycho monster. There’s no harm in telling me your name. But I completely understand if you don’t feel comfortable with it, you could have told me that in the first place.”

Katrina’s cheeks flushed, and her eyes fell to her lap.

“Sorry,” She mumbled quietly.

“You don’t have to apologize,” he chided, looking up at the rear-view mirror briefly, suddenly his eyes widened.

All of a sudden, the car violently swerved to the right.
Katrina shifted awkwardly, regaining her balance as she had been hurled to the other side of the vehicle during the sharp turn.

“Um, okay...?”
“So...Kid-”

“My name is Katrina.”

“Oh,” he blinked, “Look, we’re here!”
Katrina peered out the window. Her head hurt, do people not know how to read anymore?
“I don’t live here...”

Doyle latched open the glove compartment, and slowly retracted a pistol.

“You get out the car, and stand next to that lamp post, or you’ll be getting a pretty nasty head wound, do I make myself clear?”

Her pretty face, turned ghostly white, she tried to speak, but her mouth was dry, and the words got caught in her throat.

The next morning, her body was found by the police lying on a sidewalk. As they approached her they looked at her face, it was seemingly flawless, except for one thing, she was dead.