Chapter 1 - Just a Dream:

                                    

                                              
Katrina's POV:
                          
There were two things I noticed when I got home from work. One, the door had been unlocked. Two, things were quiet, too quiet. 
                          
"Aunty V?!" I called out as I drop my bag on one of the kitchen barstools. I got no response. I felt a twinge of anxious paranoia creep up but I shoved it back down as I headed to her bedroom, thinking maybe she took a nap. However, when I got to her room, I realized she wasn't in there. In a little more of a panic I pulled my phone out and called the cops. 
                          
Now, I know a lot of people would consider this a drastic step but it made sense. My Aunt Veronica was very mysophobic, meaning she was afraid of germs. She would never leave the apartment, not ever. 
                          
"911 what is your emergency?" The voice on the other side of my phone brought me back from my panic. 
                          
"Hi, um, I would like to report a missing person," I say as I anxiously tap my fingers on the kitchen counter. "Well it was a kidnapping, but it wasn't a kid, it was my aunt. She's missing." 
                          
"Alright miss," the voice says on the other end, monotone. "How long has your aunt been missing?" 
                          
"I-I don't know," I answer. "I left for work at seven this morning and now she's not here, and I know how that sounds but my aunt is an intense mysophob and would never, ever leave the house." 
                          
"Okay, Miss," the voice repeats. "Can you tell me your address please." 
                          
"713 Rilar Circle, apartment 414," I say as I started pacing. I hear typing on a keyboard. 
                          
"Okay and do you notice any signs of break-in? Any broken windows or broken lock on the door?" 
                          
"My door was unlocked," I say as I go back to the front door. "It doesn't look busted though." 
                          
"Alright Katrina, I have a police unit en route, I'm going to ask you to please stay on the line and remain at that address." 
                          
"Okay," I say. And then I started to think about it. "Hey, how did you know my name?" I asked, realizing I never told the person.
                          
"Because I know everything about you!" The voice snarled back, changing from its monotone sound to a rather strange clicking and whirring noise. I didn't know what it was but it definitely wasn't 911. I heard a police car coming in the distance and I ended the call. Panicking even more now that I have no idea what the hell just happened, I ran to my room and grabbed my backpack. I dumped it on my bed and grabbed some essentials I would need. I grabbed a fresh pair of jeans and a shirt, extra socks, my toothbrush, and my sneakers. I then pull on my black hoodie and wrapped my hair up into a ponytail so it was out of my face. 
                          
The sirens sounded super close now and I headed to the fire escape out my living room window. I slid outside and looked in horror as a police car pulled up below me and then started to change. Piece by piece, the car broke apart and rebuilt itself to a giant silver and black robot with glowing red eyes. Without warning, it lifted its arm, which was a canon, and fired at the building. 
                          
"Shit..." I mutter as I started to race down the fire escape. It was either face my chances down there with evil robot or go down with the building. But then I got to about the second floor and froze as I heard them, the screams. Innocent people were inside and I had no idea how to help them. All I knew was that for some reason this robot clearly wanted something from me. 
                          
"Hey!" I shouted at the giant metal figure. "Hey! Stop!" It froze as its glowing red eyes found mine on the fire escape. 
                          
"Katrina Clark," it said in the same, twisted clicking and whirring voice. 
                          
"What the hell do you want from me?!" I asked. I was answered simply by the thing lifting its canon to my face. This was it, the end. I closed my eyes as I felt the heat from the strange thing's canon as it readied to fire. Then, there was the bang. I jumped but was alive. In surprise and confusion, I opened my eyes to see another robot, this one more yellow, starting to fight with the silver one. I looked back at the building that was on fire and ran back up the fire escape. People still needed to get out from the higher floors. Not sure how anyone would react to two giant, fighting robots, I helped as many people get down as I could, smoke filling my eyes and lungs, causing them to burn and my eyes to water. I coughed and pulled my hoodie neck up to cover my nose and mouth as I continued trying to help, occasionally glancing at the robots. Explosions, screams, and sobs filled my ears. I must have run up and down this fire escape about thirty times. My knees were weak and my lungs were screaming for clean air. I just so happened to glance down in time to see the yellow robot blow the head off of the silver one and watch it crumple to the floor. It then turned to look up at me. The yellow mask on its head sliding back to reveal glowing blue eyes on this one. I could barely take one step backwards. I was getting increasingly more lightheaded with my need for fresh air. The yellow robot then...tried to climb the ladder? I didn't know what I was really seeing anymore. The dark smoke was like a physical hand, trying to drag me down. I then realized it WAS a hand. It grabbed me but didn't crush me. Full of a second wave of adrenaline, I tried to squirm and get out. Seconds later, I was in fresh air and focused more on rubbing the smoke out of my eyes and inhaling fresh oxygen rather than the rest of my body. Once I could see somewhat clearly, I realized it was the yellow robot. To my surprise I was placed gently down on the sidewalk as the thing then proceeded to transform itself into a yellow Camaro with black racing stripes. The passenger door swung open towards me and the engine of the robotic car revved. I don't know why I didn't think about it but I instantly got in the car, the door closing as I sat in the seat and fastened the seatbelt. I looked over and saw no driver but the robo-car started to drive itself as it sped away from the disaster of what used to be my home. 
                          
"Can you speak?" I ask, my voice raspy from the smoke and coughing. 
                          
"And I said yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" The radio turned on to the old Usher song. The window cracked itself down, the car filling with cool, windy air. "Just breathe," the radio sang. 
                          
"You use the radio?" 
                          
"Yes. I, can use the, radio, to change my voice, into words," it said in broken sentences. 
                          
"What do you call yourself?" I asked. "Do you have a name?" I kind of felt silly, talking directly to a radio in a car that drove itself and killed another evil car that was trying to kill me. 
                          
"Bumblebee," it responded. 
                          
"Bumblebee," I repeat, more to myself. There was a weird, brief hum noise in response. "Okay, Bumblebee," I say as I take another deep breath. "Are you going to hurt me or can I trust you?" 
                          
"You can, trust me as your, guardian," Bumblebee responds. "To keep you, safe from all harm." 
                          
"Okay," I nod as I lean back in my seat. I realize my backpack is still on and I quickly take it off and leave it at my feet. The adrenaline was wearing off and my brain was telling me to just close my eyes and not fight it. "Where are you taking me?" I ask quietly as I look out the window. 
                          
"New York!" Rihanna blasted through the speakers, making me jump slightly. 
                          
"That's, like, four hours away," I respond. Not that I had anything keeping me here except- "Aunt V!" I snap my eyes wide open. I must have startled bumblebee as the car ever so slightly swerved. "Do you know what happened to my Aunt?" I ask. 
                          
"No, I do not, I'm sorry," he responds. Well, I assumed it was a he, to be honest, but to be fair, besides the songs, he used male voice recordings for his actual sentences. I nodded sadly, not even sure if he would know that I did. "Do-do you mind if I rest for the ride?" I ask hesitantly. In response, Bumblebee just lowered the passenger seat down to a reclined position and turned some quiet music on. I smile appreciatively and looked out the window as tips of buildings and trees zipped by. What the hell was going on with my life? It was a lot to take in and my brain told me to just sleep on it. Just like the old song on the radio, perhaps it was all just a dream anyway.