“Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in,” she said to Caleb in that accent of hers.
I realized I wasn’t looking my best after the recent downpour and run-in with the lynching party.
At least my hair is real, bitch.
Caleb looked up from the body he was searching, followed Sasha’s stare, and threw me a quick glance.
Did I see a smile?
“Who’s that?” he said with a frown that seemed a bit over the top as he turned back to Sasha.
Caleb’s words were like a slap in my face. I couldn’t believe my ears. I hesitated, taken aback for a moment. I then continued walking, rebelling against the frantic screams of my common sense which couldn’t get any louder. Surely I had been too far away yet for Caleb to recognize me.
“Don’t you remember, darling?” Sasha said. “She’s the snack for on the road you never got to have.”
My common sense rested its case.
She calls him ‘darling.’ He is her ‘darling.’
But there’s something off about it.
“Ah, now I remember,” Caleb said as he fully turned toward me and looked me straight in the eye.
Immediately, I was lost in those deep, dark brown eyes like I had been before, and our souls were one again. We floated together in eternity until, within an instant, my stare was thrown out of the deep and hit a shallowness that belonged to a cold-blooded killer.
My body halted; footsteps, heartbeat, and breath. I struggled with the flood of feelings thundering through me. Confusion, disbelief, betrayal, hurt. One moment I had finally found my soul mate, the next I was eye to eye with a murderer. Yet there was something, or at least there had been, for a split second. I made up my mind. I hadn’t come all this way for nothing. I had to know for sure.
I’m no quitter.
“What are you doing?” I asked, changing the tense air into that of common chitchat.
Caleb laughed the laugh I once thought was cute. It sounded so hollow now.
“If you must know, Sasha here lost her heirloom necklace in the hunt a couple of days ago, and we’re still looking for it. Can you believe it?” He half-pushed, half-dropped the body he was holding away from him and threw an angry stare at Sasha, clearly blaming her for the predicament he was in. She crossed her arms in reply.
“So you weren’t looking for me?” I asked before I could stop myself.
“Oh my god, Caleb!” Sasha screamed while throwing her hands in the air. “I am really getting so tired of this bimbo fan club of yours.”
Caleb sighed as he half turned to Sasha. He hung his head, turned it slightly to me, and lifted an eyebrow.
I frowned. He was sending out such mixed signals.
He inhaled deeply before he talked to her in icy tones.
“Darling, you’ve got to let me have these little pleasures. At least I don’t cheat on my partner like you did with Duncan.” His mouth may have smiled, but his eyes were as warm as an arctic winter’s day.
“You don’t tell me what to do, Caleb. I am not one of your cutesy toys,” Sasha screeched at him. She had closed the distance between them again and was now pushing her finger into Caleb’s chest.
I couldn’t believe they were having a fight right in front of me as if I wasn’t there. My parents had never exchanged angry words in me and my sisters’ presence. I had assumed it was ‘not done,’ and nobody had ever proven me wrong. This time I knew for sure I shivered from the emotions racing through the atmosphere, mine and theirs, and I put my hands in my trouser pockets to try and stop myself from shaking.
“You chose to be mine, Sasha, and I told you I wouldn’t share you with anyone else.” Caleb’s face turned red, and the veins in his temples stood out. He really was very upset.
As I dug my hands deeper into my pockets, I found the packet with the little strip of magnesium. Without thinking, I tore open the little bag, letting the oil seep out. Automatically, my thumb started to scratch the surface of the magnesium. My other hand gripped the lighter in my other pocket.
“Well, look who’s calling the kettle black. You’re throwing yourself at every floozy you see.” Sasha threw her other arm out in my direction.
So that’s what I am to you, a floozy.
“I am not yours. I belong to nobody,” she continued, still pushing her finger into Caleb’s chest. “You are the one who is mine. I made you, remember. I am sick and tired of you treating me like one of your little sluts.” They were standing very close now, their noses almost touching. Her face color matching the crimson of Caleb’s.
“Go back to your Duncan then if you want him so badly!” Caleb yelled at Sasha.
You don’t have to shout, you know. You’re standing right in front of each other.
“I could, you know. Duncan still loves me,” Sasha seethed back.
“No, he doesn’t,” I said. The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them.
They both slowly turned their heads toward me. Before I could think of a way of making time go backward, Sasha had raced forward and held me by my throat with one hand. My feet dangled in thin air. I flung my arms out for balance.
“What do you mean?” she screeched at me. I couldn’t say anything with her hand tightly around my throat. I supposed my head turning the same color of hers made her realize I couldn’t answer this way, so she let me down enough for my toes to touch the ground and she lessened her grip. “Say it!”
I balanced on the tip of my toes like a ballerina and managed to take a breath.
“Duncan doesn’t love you. He loves my sister Julie,” I said through the pain of her still pinching claws.
I saw Caleb grab Sasha’s free arm, but she yanked it loose and lashed out at him with such force that he fell. I thought Sasha was going to explode as her face was turning a deeper shade of red now. I had to act fast. Sasha could end my life at any second. Now that I was touching the ground and was more or less balanced, I managed to get my hands behind my back and tried to ignite the magnesium strip with the lighter.
“You’re lying, bitch. You’re lying. Tell me you’re lying!” Sasha screamed, again and again, shaking me to and fro on the rhythm of her words. It was almost impossible to get the flame near the strip of magnesium in my other hand, but then I heard a sudden whoosh as it ignited. With no idea how long it would burn, I wasted no time and swung my arm forward, throwing the flimsy piece of metal, engulfed in a bright, white light, straight at Sasha’s face. The next moment went into slow motion.
I saw the ball of light bounce off her skin, and her whole body shook as if she were electrified. The light burnt on my retinas as well and my world went into the opposite of complete darkness. Engulfed in light and nearly blinded by it, I felt Sasha let go of my throat. Stumbling forward, I struggled to keep my footing. There was a dull thud as Sasha fell to the ground. When I looked at her, I could see only the outline of her convulsing body.
Another outline raced toward me. Caleb grabbed my arms. Hard.
“Why did you do that?” he yelled. There was a guttural rasp of despair in his voice. “This time I won’t let you get away.” He moved for my neck.
Arching my back, I fought to get away from his face, his teeth, but he threw his arm around me, preventing my escape. It was as if he held me in some perverse imitation of a loving embrace.
How different this was from our first encounter. That first time I’d only felt exhilaration when he was close. His breath on my neck and his lips caressing my skin had sent ecstatic shivers through my body. Dreaming of the touch of his lips on my skin again, reliving that moment of lust and longing, was all I had thought about since.
Now it was actually happening, I was paralyzed with mortal fear. His body was only a shimmer, but his closeness was ever more present and threatening. I had never been this scared in my whole life.
Without another word, he sank his teeth into me, his fangs piercing my skin and jugular in one go. The pain was excruciating. There was nothing I could do to stop him as he sucked at
my neck, emptying my body of its blood supply. The world around me was turned upside down, my insides were being sucked out, and while in a haze of pure light, I slid into darkness.
Bitten
When I regained consciousness, I was lying on the ground. Slowly rolling onto my side, I sat up and looked around. My vision still wasn’t okay, with everything being a few grades lighter than normal. My mind was dazed and for the life of me, I couldn’t remember a thing. I saw two figures run off into the distance. I turned toward a noise coming from the opposite side and saw a large vehicle with a huge, bright beam of light on top entering the schoolyard. The light frightened me, and I scrambled up to get away. Stumbling to the side of a building, I hid in the shadows, leaning against the wall. From the safety of the darkness, I could make out a shape hurrying toward me.
“Kate,” the shape yelled. I recognized the voice as Charlie’s.
Man, am I glad to see you.
I began walking toward him. I felt the earth drop from under me and saw Charlie now running toward me. He caught me before I hit the ground and my head flopped backward, exposing my neck.
“Oh god, no!” I heard him say, just before I passed out again.
***
When I came to for the second time, my hearing returned first. I heard someone crying.
“No, please no. Please, god, no.”
What’s the drama?
Then I became aware of the sensation of movement, as if I were on a boat.
Strange.
I opened my eyes and reality returned. I was lying on the ground. Charlie was holding my upper body, rocking me back and forth in his embrace.
“Charlie,” I said.
He stopped rocking me. When he looked at me, I saw his red eyes and tears streaming across his cheeks.
“Charlie,” I said again, smiling, and I lifted my hand to his face. His long stubble felt wooly underneath my fingertips.
Charlie took my hand and kissed it.
“I’m so sorry, Kate,” he kept saying. More tears rolled over his face.
His presence was so soothing, and it made me happy. His crying confused me, though.
Why is he crying? What is he sorry for?
I blinked a few times, trying to get my brain into gear, then moved to get up.
“Are you okay to walk?” Charlie said.
“I don’t know. I think so.” He helped me up. I needed a few seconds to get stable.
“Let’s get you out of here fast,” he said, “the army’s here.”
We started moving further into the shadows, and instinctively, I knew Charlie was taking me home. Suddenly, my brain processed what Charlie had just said, and I stopped.
“Shouldn’t we go to the army then?” I asked him.
Charlie looked at me as if I’d asked him why the sky was green. I didn’t understand his reaction.
“Let’s get you to your place for now.”
I accepted his decision and I didn’t think more of it. I let him guide me to wherever he wanted me to go.
As Charlie directed me through town, I realized he also hadn’t taken me to our newly acquired car. I wondered why, but then figured I was in no state to drive. I still had no clue as to what was going on, so instead I concentrated on moving forward step by step. We must have been walking for about five minutes when I heard a car drive up behind us. Charlie had heard it too and tried to pull me into the shadow of a house. The car stopped where we were and the door swung open.
“Charlie, Kate, get in,” a hushed voice said.
I couldn’t believe it. It was Harry. Charlie turned me around and walked me to the car. I was so tired, I could hardly keep myself upright. Harry opened the hatchback and helped me get in. I thought it was a station wagon, but there were no seats. I didn’t mind. I lay down on the floor, desperate to nap. The windows appeared to be heavily tinted. I knew I’d have no problem to get to sleep. I became aware of the presence of someone else in the back of the car. Charlie talked to this other person as he climbed in beside me and gave directions to Harry on how to get to my house. It wasn’t far and before I could drift off completely, we arrived there. The back door opened again, and Harry pulled me out. I tried to hang on to the inside of the car in vain. I was annoyed they didn't let me have my nap. Lifting me in his arms, Harry carried me inside. I liked being in his strong arms. It felt so much more comfortable than the car. His body was warm and soft, his arms strong. I put my arms around his neck.
When we got inside, however, he laid me on my bed and left me.
Finally, they are letting me sleep.
I heard them close the curtains, and not long after, I heard a woman’s voice. I now recognized it as Rhona’s—she had such a nasal voice. She must have been the other person in the car. I drifted off, happy the band was back together.
Realization
I must have drifted off for only a short while as I didn’t feel rested when I woke up. Somebody was touching my neck. It scared the hell out of me, and I flung myself to the other side of the bed against the wall, unable to go any further. I heard Charlie say my name and try to calm me. I took a deep breath and took in my surroundings. I saw a strange scene.
Harry sat on the edge of my bed with gauze pads in one hand and a brown bottle in the other. It looked as if he was about to drug me with chloroform. He watched me, concerned.
Rhona stood in the doorway, her red lips a beacon to my eyes. I couldn’t read her expression.
Moving my head along, I saw Charlie. He was on the bed on his hands and knees, one hand had moved onto my knee. Part of my brain wanted me to smile, but the other part was too frightened to let me.
What are they doing in my bedroom?
All eyes were focused on me.
“It’s okay, Kate,” Charlie said, “We’re trying to help you.”
I frowned.
Why would I need help?
“You’ve been bitten, Kate, by Caleb. We need to tend to your marks,” Charlie said. He watched every move I made, his body tense and ready to move away from me.
Then the images came flooding back. My meeting with Caleb and Sasha, their arguing, my big mouth, Sasha grabbing me, the white light, …and Caleb biting me.
My hand went to my neck. It was sticky, and my neck felt sore. Moving my hand into my view, I saw the redness. As my fingers touched my thumb, one at a time, I could smell the blood.
Holy shit, this is real. This isn’t just a bad dream.
I kept looking at my blood. It stopped me from getting my mind to work.
“Kate, Harry needs to have a look at your neck,” Charlie said again.
“Oh, okay,” I murmured, and moved back toward Harry. Still not fully appreciating the situation, I understood I had to let him do what he needed to. I trusted Charlie. I trusted Harry.
Harry tended to my wounds and finished by sticking Band-Aids on my marks.
“They’re looking good, no tears,” he said to Charlie.
Rhona gave a packet to Harry, who took out two pills and handed them to me. Rhona passed a glass of water, and Harry told me to take the pills. I looked at the little white tablets in my hand.
“They’re painkillers, for the pain of your fangs dropping,” he said.
Crap.
I finally realized what was happening. It felt like I was sinking into a pit of tar with no way out but down. It was like the core of my being was being pulled into hell.
Do I still need to breathe?
Without another word, Harry packed up his stuff and left the room taking Rhona with him. He closed the door behind him.
After I took the pills, I sat up, leaning against the headboard, and looked at Charlie. He still sat on the bed, watching me.
“I’m so sorry, Kate.”
There was a sadness in his eyes that was indescribable.
Why does he keep repeating himself?
I was the cause of his sadness, and I should be the one to say sorry to him for making him feel this way. He didn’t need to say sor
ry to me. I was the one that was stupid and dumb and immature. I was the only one to blame for the mess I was in.
“Why? This isn’t your fault.”
“Yes, it is. I should have stayed with you,” and he cast his eyes down.
“Look,” I said, “I started this mess. I’m the one who’s sorry for dragging you along with me.” I leaned forward to put my hand on his shoulder, our faces now very close.
He looked up at me again with those sad eyes. They were stripping my soul, baring my guilt. I couldn’t keep my thoughts inside me anymore. I threw my body back against the headboard.
“Oh, how could I have been so stupid to think Caleb loved me?” I cried out.
My hands went to my head, and I wanted to pull my hair out. I wanted to cry, but there was nothing there. It was as if Caleb had sucked the essence out of me, and all that was left was an empty shell, a hollow person. I curled up into a ball, trying to hide behind my arms. I didn’t want to face Charlie with my shame.
He moved to sit next to me and put an arm around me.
“We all have our silly moments,” he said.
I put my arm around him and laid my head on his shoulder. We sat like that together until we fell asleep.
Hunger
I must have had a nightmare because when I woke up I was upset. My mind had had some time to mull the whole situation over, and I felt sad, angry, and frustrated. I’d spent the last few days living toward a climax. I had expected to find love and be loved.
Instead, Caleb had treated me like a nobody, a floozy. All the love I had saved up for him had gone unanswered, but the love was still there. I had so much love to give, it was almost like it was spilling over from my body.
I turned my head and saw Charlie sleeping beside me. Charlie, who had been there for me from day one of this hellish nightmare. The jester, who had shown me in so many little ways he loved me. All I had done was reject him. Still, he had risked his own life for me to find Caleb. Why would he do that for me? Was I really so stupid to have missed what was right there in front of me, all along? Was I really such a cliché?
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