Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

again, crushing Holger to the ground. Will snapped back around to face me and bellowed, “Your sword!”
    I nodded and gave the Khopesh another strong tug, grinding my boot into the trunk for leverage, and finally the blade slipped out. Angelfire burst from it. I turned my head just in time to see Holger charge at me where I lay. His jaws snapped at me, but I twisted away, and his teeth clamped down on earth and snow instead of flesh. With a desperate cry, I swung my sword as hard as I could. The blade cut deep through his neck, and his body burst into flames. Holger’s head toppled off his body and onto my face.
    I cried out and my chair slipped out from under me. The racket echoed through the classroom as my butt hit thetile floor and the chair crashed.
    Everyone around me was silent, too shocked to laugh, but I didn’t dare look up. My entire body flushed with heat.
    Oh God, oh God… Both my hands covered my face as I sat on the floor, absolutely mortified.
    â€œHoly crap , Ellie, are you okay?” asked my table partner.
    I looked up to see his face peering down at me. “The chair…it slipped.”

5
    THE REST OF THE DAY WENT BY WITHOUT ANY MORE incidents. No more daydreams, I told myself firmly. My nightmares were scary enough and I had no desire to have them while awake. The memory of what I had experienced during history was fresh in my mind and stung like a paper cut; the episode fluttered around school, so by last period I was already known as that chick who fell on her ass during class. I’d have to move away. Probably to Alaska.
    At last, school ended and I hurried to my locker. My interlude there with Kate and Landon was brief—I had other things on my mind. Like getting my car. And my nightmares coming to life.
    I halfheartedly agreed to meet Kate at the mall on Saturday to get our outfits for my party, as we had discussed during math earlier. After saying a hasty good-bye andthanking Landon once again for the roses, I headed outside with the vase in my arms to meet my mom.
    She seemed as excited as I was. “Honey, who are the flowers from?”
    â€œLandon,” I said, smelling them again.
    â€œWell, that was very sweet of him,” she offered.
    â€œI suppose he’s making up for all the snowballs he’s thrown in my face and shoved down my shirt over the years.”
    She nodded slowly and her brow flickered. “If you say so.”
    We drove to the dealership a few miles from school and inspected nearly every single car there. I was set on a sedan, so we decided to test drive a couple of different cars, with the busty saleswoman tagging gleefully along. I fell in love with a little white Audi with a black interior. It was sportier than the others and definitely felt perfect to me.
    After my mom had organized the purchase and we were ready to head home, I hopped into the driver’s seat of my birthday present. The interior was wrapped in smooth, cool leather and I let myself sink into it.
    Mom dipped her head to smile at me through the driver’s-side window.
    â€œI’m going to name him Marshmallow,” I announced.
    My mom raised an eyebrow. “Marshmallow?”
    â€œYes, and he loves it.” I tenderly ran my fingers along the leather-covered steering wheel.
    â€œSo what do you say to driving home in your new car?”
    â€œYes!” I almost shouted.
    â€œBe sure to tell your dad thank you when you get home.”
    I nodded, smiling widely. I was almost ecstatic enough to forget my frightening daydream from earlier. Almost.
    I followed my mom home. The Audi glided along the hilly roads like a dream. Up and down, left and right, the vehicle handled effortlessly and I felt in complete control, otherworldly. I didn’t know what had come over me, whether it was the thrill of having my first car or my party coming up, but I felt energized. Different . I felt good . None of the soreness I had woken up with that