Of course I can never be left alone. If there are two shivers, why not more? Just as I sat down on, the third shiver came.

I closed my eyes, trying to withhold the pain as I clutched the chair below me. I had managed to escape the morning rush, and was rewarded with a seat. I don’t think I could have stood the whole time, with my legs quaking in fear. Yin Yang smiled at me, like it always did, as I clenched my jaw. The bus, seeming to feel the same pain, bumped around as it drove over several potholes. I gritted my teeth even harder. If this shiver didn’t end soon-

Suddenly, the scenery changed before my eyes. I was standing in front of several buildings. And they were crumbling, bits of rubbles falling as dust flew, while the ground shook. Branches and stones ran across the ground, as if it urging me to run with them, run away from the dangers. And all I could do was stare.

The buildings bent in half, and cast a shadow as they flew, down to the ground, down to where I stood-

I was on the bus again. I blinked, as my heart still pounded. My fingers had turned white from clutching the metal bar in front of me. The shiver in my back was gone, but my muscles were still tense. I managed to slow down my breathing by the time it was my turn to get off. I swiped my bus card on the reader as I walked down the steps. My hand was flecked with yellow bits of paint from clutching on too tightly.

Something about the sight of the blossoming trees around campus calmed me down a bit. For the first time that day, I managed to smile. Ahh life…

Spring was always magical. Birds started chirping again, the sun came out and urged everyone to be lively with its presence. Even if there were bugs, they were worth the price when those beautiful flowers opened their buds and showed off dazzling colors.

And that one tree in the middle was beautiful. I stood in front of it in awe. Every year, it sprouts these beautiful yellow and rosy blossoms, and every time it never fails to astound me. And once the petals fall, the leaves are a delightful green that whistle in the wind as you sit beneath its tree. But when winter comes, the tree stands unclothed, and proudly shows its scars on its bark.

“One minute until the bell!” A teacher yelled.

I blinked. Oh no, one minute? I started to run to the doors, but another shiver went through my spine, and I collapsed on the ground. Tears went to my eyes as I struggled to get to my feet, to make my legs work. Of course on the worse day, I would have to be late for school. Of course, no one else was going to help me. They were too busy running inside, or they were already inside. Besides, no one helps the girl who wears black most of the time.

Four. The fourth shiver. My mind started to clear, and shiver started to fade away. Four, the unlucky number, the number that sounds like death. Death!

And just when the shiver in my back ended, the ground started to tremble. And this time, it was for real.

*

Four in Chinese is “si”, and to die also is “si”, so that’s why I sound four is like death. Obviously it's not that way in English, but you know what I mean. Also I have never really lived in China, like as an official student, but I'll try to keep everything as true as possible either in China, or USA. Sorry, but I'm going to have to take that creative liberty -.-