Black Hellebore

by Maya Shepherd

  The next big shock comes when Lia goes to the changing room. All of the lockers are open and empty, including the one that had her stuff in it. Lia desperately scans the room, her eyes stopping on the bin. It wouldn’t be the first time the other girls threw her stuff in the bin. Luckily, or unluckily, however it can be taken, she finds her dark blue backpack in there, all of the contents spilled out amongst old banana peels and used tampons. If it were the first time, she might have to cry, but because it has happened so many times before, she just reaches in and grabs her stuff as quickly as possible, her face scrunched up in disgust as she tries not to touch anything horrible. Her eyes fill with tears, and she tries hard not to cry. Why can’t she just be like everyone else? Why can’t she just fit in? It would make everything so much easier.

  Her body has already air dried in all this time, but she would still rather have her towel to at least cover herself from the icy wind and hide from the stares of all her classmates. Luckily it is not snowing at the moment, but she is certain that if she goes out into the freezing cold with wet hair and just in her bikini that she will develop a lot more than just a cold. As uncomfortable as the idea makes her, there is nothing else she can do, other than leave the swimming hall with nothing but her backpack and bikini on. Because the swimming pool is especially reserved for their class on a Monday afternoon, there is nobody else there who she could go to for help. The only person who might still be here is the security guard, who has probably been watching her through the security cameras, giving him something to laugh about.

  Lia unhappily leaves the building. Because of her swim lessons, Lia doesn’t drive to school on Mondays, so not only does she have to face the humiliation of a ten minute walk past a busy intersection to the nearest bus stop, but she also will have to sit on a full bus for the entire half-hour journey back to her house. She is certain that Tracey and her posse are waiting around somewhere so they can have a good view of it all. The wind is already blowing cold air on her naked skin, all the hairs on her body are standing to attention and her teeth are chattering in the cold. One way or another, she will have to do this, as there is nobody she can call for help. Her father wouldn’t have the time for such ‘childish things’ and Mike doesn’t have a car. Lindsay is also not an option, because lately Lia doesn’t feel like she has the courage to call her. She hasn’t felt so alone in a long time. The thick lump in her throat is getting harder to swallow, but crying in public would just be too much for her.

  The first car horns start to sound as she walks on the narrow footpath in very little clothing. She bravely clenches her teeth and marches on holding back the tears forming in her eyes.She can feel people staring daggers at her. A giggle here and the sound of footsteps make her shrink into herself like a little mouse. If only she could be a little mouse and could crawl into a little hole and hide there, forever if possible

  Suddenly Lia can hear the slow purring of a motorbike pulling up behind her. It comes around and pulls up frighteningly close, before coming to a halt right in front of her. ‘Oh no, what now?’ Lia fearfully thinks to herself. She tries to walk around the bike without looking at the driver, as she hears his, or rather her voice.

  “Come on Lia, I’ll give you a ride.”

  Lia turns back around in disbelief. She has put up the visor on her helmet, and Lia recognises Tru’s warm, kind eyes. Once again she is being rescued by her in her time of need. Driving a motorbike suits Tru perfectly. She gets off the black Honda takes off the leather jacket that she always wears over her boring school uniform, even though it’s against the rules, and hands it to Lia, without asking even a single question. “Put this on so you don’t freeze.”

  Lia gratefully slips into the red velvet lining of the jacket, which is still warm and smells like Tru. It is an autumnal smell, like a wonderful mix of roasted almonds, pine cones and autumn foliage. It’s beautiful and strong, just like Tru. As she wraps her arms around Tru’s waist, she starts up the motorbike again and shoots off mere seconds later. They drive past the cars at an astounding pace towards the setting sun. Lia feels like screaming for joy. She has never felt so free and unburdened. Maybe she should get herself a motorbike, if this is how it will make her feel all the time.

  When Tru notices how much Lia is enjoying herself she drives even faster, making the journey seem a lot shorter than Lia would have hoped. They arrive outside her father’s estate, and Lia sighs loudly as she dismounts the bike. She shivers as she removes the leather jacket and lowers her gaze so that Tru won’t see how red she has gone.

  “Thank you for the lift!”

  “No problem” Tru says with a smile, clearly wanting to say more, but stopping herself.

  “Why do you keep doing this with all those men? I mean, you don’t seem to me like the kind of girl who would get involved with that sort of stuff. Especially with all of the trouble you get for it at school every day. Why don’t you just stop? You don’t have to do it you know.”

  Even Tru has heard all about it. The rumours about her are obviously enough for Tru. If only they were just rumours. Lia uncomfortably shifts from one foot to another, standing on the cold pavement of her driveway in her bare feet. She decides to tell the truth, as ridiculous as it may sound.

  “I have to do it!”

  The way she said it makes Tru believe that she is not lying, or at least that Lia believes it to be the truth, but still she asks; “Why?”

  “Because otherwise I feel awful.”

  “In what way?”

  “I feel weak and can barely think straight. It’s like I am starving but can’t eat anything. It’s like an addiction, and afterwards I feel better for a while.”

  Lia stands uncertainly by the front door, while her heart inexplicably beats a mile a minute. Hopefully she doesn’t have the wrong idea about her now! She likes Tru, and would like to spend more time with her, but she has always found it hard to show people how she feels, let alone tell them. When Tru doesn’t respond, she turns around and starts walking in to the lonely house.

  “You should be more careful!” Tru quickly shouts to her. Confused, Lia turns back around to her and sees the hesitant look on Tru’s face.

  “With Tracy and the others?”

  “No...” she pauses. “I saw you recently...with that guy. He is...not the right guy for you.”

  Surprised at her words, Lia stares at her. Does she mean the stranger from the other night?

  “How do you know that?”

  “Put it this way, we are old acquaintances and you should really stay away from him.” Tru intensely replies, prompting hundreds of questions in Lia’s mind. She feels a chill, and it’s not because of the snow that is starting to fall.

  “What did he do?”

  “That’s not what he did; it’s who he is and what he potentially could do.”

  The Longer Lia speaks to Tru, the less she understands.

  “How do you know him?”

  “Just trust me. If you don’t believe me, just ask him how old he is. Things aren’t always what they seem.” Tru pushes the visor on her helmet back down, a clear sign that their conversation is over, even though Lia would like nothing more than to get answers to all the questions popping up wildly in her head. Lost in her thoughts, Lia watches as Tru races off.

  It not only begs the question of who the stranger is, but also who Tru is. Everything seems to Lia like a giant riddle, completely incomprehensible, yet eerie and enthralling. She gets the feeling that she might uncover more than she had bargained for if she pursued the matter, but still it excites her more than she can say. It is time to find out his name, that much is certain. If she finds out more about him then maybe she will also indirectly find more out about Tru, because they seem to know each other.

  - 10. Orlando Moundrell -

  If his heart could still beat, it would be pounding out of his chest right now, but in reality, it just feels that way to him, even though it lays unmoving, forever still. The loud shrill sound of the doorbell m
akes him take a step back. The inside of the house seems quiet, but then he hears quiet, yet energetic footsteps approaching. It is not her footsteps he concludes, panicking internally as he takes another step back to reassure himself that he is standing in front of the right house. The door opens and standing before him is a middle-aged man wearing a dark, expensive suit. His dark blonde hair is neatly combed back and only his sideburns shine a silvery grey colour. He stares inquisitively at him. Is this her father?

  “Good evening sir, is your daughter home?” Orlando asks, hoping for the best. The man furrows his brow.

  “Liandra?”

  Until today, he didn’t know her name, and so he just nods his head. The man rolls his eyes and says “she’ll be right down”, before slamming the door in Orlando’s face. It doesn’t seem like she gets many visitors and her father is clever enough to know that you shouldn’t just invite a stranger into your house, or just leave the front door open to them when you are as well-off as he is. Not everyone can afford an estate on Manor Road.

  Orlando nervously turns his back to the door and looks up at the starry night. Liandra... not what he had expected. Liandra sounds melodic and unusually familiar. He has never heard the name before, but it could be a name he would have come across in his own century.

  The door opens quietly, so quietly that he doesn’t hear it.

  “You?” says the girl who had seen him in her tree the other night. Caught out, he turns towards her. Her hair is tied in a tight ponytail, and she is wearing an oversized black hoodie with a light grey jogging pants. Her eyes are bright and seem to be almost glowing, even with the sad look she has on her face. They are not the same cold emerald green colour they were before, but rather very warm, like grass in summer.

  “You remember me?”

  She pulls the door shut behind her.

  “Should I not remember you?”

  ‘Well no, not really...’, he thinks to himself.

  “Would you like to go for a walk with me?”

  Lia stares at him, a surpised look on her face.

  “Why?”

  “Why not?” He says simply.

  He turns and walks towards his car, not waiting for a response. The gravel on the driveway crunches beneath his feet. When he doesn’t hear her footsteps following him, he turns to look at her, only to find her already standing next to him. She seems to glide over the ground like a feather, not touching down at all as she walks. Her steps are completely silent.

  As they reach the red Audi R8 GT, Orlando holds the door open like a true gentleman. Liandra looks at him questioningly, raising one eyebrow, looking almost disappointed. His car has never got this kind of reaction, and at the very least from a woman. They usually stand there with their mouths open wide unable to believe what they are seeing.

  “What’s wrong, don’t you like my car?”

  “I am not too fussed about cars...” She says defensively and slinks down into the leather passenger’s seat. Her eyes nervously scan her environment, as if she is afraid of being watched. Orlando shuts the door and reluctantly walks around to the driver’s side. This has started well...

  “Where are we going?”

  “To the beach?” Orlando suggests, only to be met by a suspicious look.

  “In Winter?”

  “Yeah, and? That’s where the ‘Pleasure Mile’ is right? Isn’t that where all the young people go?”

  “Yeah maybe, but I am just wondering what you want from me...” Her voice is quiet and shy, her face too. She doesn’t like games. She seems to be the exact opposite of the woman she transforms into nightly in the club. Distrust seems to be her closest friend.

  “I just want to get to know you a bit better,” Orlando admits as they leave the driveway, driving through Manor Road, past the harbour towards South Bay. The ships are decorated with multicoloured lights and big street lamps light up the land, onto which the last fishing catches of the day are being unloaded. The streets are decorated with green Christmas garlands. It is only 8 pm, very early for Orlando to be out, made possible by the short winter days.

  The silence is deafening as they drive through the night, and Orlando notices Lia uncomfortably fiddling with her hands. They stop in a parking lot from which the entire beach is visible. The Scarborough Spa Complex is lit up directly below them. The colour of the lights changes from red to green to blue and back to red again. The distant sound of music and laughter can be heard. Liandra sighs quietly to herself, seemingly unwilling to join in on the fun.

  “Should we go?” Orlando asks uncertainly. He just doesn’t know what to make of her. She is so different to any other human he has ever met, but he can’t decide whether or not he likes that.

  “I don’t like all that hustle and bustle, could you please drive me home?” She says quietly, not daring to look him in the eye. She seems miserable, totally shy and self-consious. What is wrong with her? She seemed so free and unreserved at “Exit”. How can one person change so much so quickly?

  “We don’t have to go in there. We could go for a little walk on the beach, would that be okay?” He asks politely, as her tries to make eye contact with her. She finally looks up at him, and the bright lights coming from the ‘Pleasure Mile’ reflect in her eyes. The beautiful summer meadow usually to be seen in her sparkling eyes suddenly seems very dull. She is so mysterious and full of secrets, like something from another world. She must have been through a lot in her life to make her look at him with such fear and mistrust. But she must have decided he is trustworthy enough as she agrees to join him for a walk.

  As they climb down the sharp, slippery rocks, Orlando gallantly reaches out his hand to her, only to be met with a dumbfounded look, and Liandra climbs down past him without accepting his help. He just wanted to be nice...

  “You are very strange, do you know that? First you take me, a stranger, back home with you, leaving your front door open for anyone to come in, and now you are acting as though I want to rob you or something. What is going on with you?”

  Liandra just shrugs her shoulders and says more to herself than to him; “I know.”

  The more time he spends with her, the stranger and almost eerier she seems to him.

  “What do you know?”

  “That I am weird. You are not the first one to tell me that, and I know myself.”

  “Well why don’t you do something about it?”

  “I can’t, because I don’t even understand it myself. I do things that I don’t want to do all the time, but when I am actually doing them, it’s like I can’t think. It just seems to happen automatically, as if I am a puppet and someone else is pulling the strings.”

  He hears the concern in her voice, and so he believes her. Maybe she is just crazy, but that doesn’y explain why he couldn’t drink her blood. No, there must be something else to it. She scans the empty beach again with seemingly frightened eyes. Is she scared of him? Is that it?

  They continue walking over the damp sand. The tide has gone out for what seems like miles, the starry night reflecting off the surface, making it seem with a bit of imagination, like they are walking on the milkyway.

  Liandra makes him nervous because he has absolutely no idea what to make of her. Does she like him or is he just annoying to her and she can’t wait til their little walk is over? She is not exactly talkative.

  “Do you regret what happened between us too?”

  “No” she replies almost instantly. He seems to have caught her off guard, and even in the darkness he can see her face turn bright red. She awkwardly kicks the sand in front of her.

  “I mean, I don’t know exactly. I remember it; I know what happened and I could tell you down to the finest detail what you were wearing or the way you looked at me.” She swallows hard and looks anywhere she can to not look at his face. She raises her left hand to her ear and starts nervously twisting her little pearl earring. “I don’t remember myself. I don’t remember what I was thinking, or how I felt at the time. I don’t even know
what I did, as if someone else was in my body and I was nothing but a spectator, watching it all happen as if I was watching a movie.”

  Her eyes fill with tears and she quickly tries to blink them away in frustration. Orlando feels sorry for her, as crazy as she sounds. She is not the strong, confident woman he met, but she is still something special. He doesn’t meet very many people who are so brutally honest, as everyone always seems to hide something or other. She doesn’t hold back at all, but rather tells it how she sees it. When he thinks about it, he has actually never met anyone like her, even in the many centuries he has roamed the earth. He lays his hand almost automatically on her trembling shoulder.

  “Did you like the movie?”

  She looks at him, her eyes wide in shock. Her gaze is fixed on his lips, full of apprehension, but also desire. He has stood this close to countless women, but nobody has ever made him feel as emotionally conflicted as she does right now. It’s almost as if he is seeing her for the first time today, because she is neither as sexy or as seductive as the woman he met originally, but still, there is something indescribable about her, something that draws him like a moth to the flame. For once it is not his body that’s reacting to her, but rather his heart, which he has ignored for so long. This deeply unsettles him. He pulls his hand away from her as if burned, and keeps walking as if nothing had happened. Did he really just want to kiss her? What is wrong with him? This kind of shy little thing is not his type at all. What does he want with her? He can’t even have any fun with her like this, so what else could he possibly want? He is not exactly a relationship kind of guy, and especially not with any humans. That could only end badly.

  As they continue walking, the deserted beach brings forth the sound of music. It is the noise that one would hear at a flea market, and a brightly coloured light appears on the horizon. Curiosity gets the better of them and they head towards the lights. As they get closer, the little fleck of light transforms into an old-fashioned carousel with multicoloured horses on it. The lights shine red and green as “Dream a Little Dream of Me” by The Mamas and The Papas can be heard through the sound system.