Black Hellebore

by Maya Shepherd

  While Lindsay, Mike, Lia and Tru stay above deck amongst the white garments and turbans, Claudia and Chasity run inside and go below deck, out of the burning hot sun. The halls are already overcrowded, as they cross over a walkway along with the other privileged few on board to their cabin. It smells like diesel, but at least the air conditioning promises some cool air. A loud horn sounds, and with that the ‘Dragonflower’ sets into motion.

  Exhausted, they sink along the wall down to the floor. Chasity places her hand into Claudia’s. It is the first time Chasity has taken the first step to make physical contact with her in years...decades...centuries...ever.

  - 34. Orlando Moundrell -

  The aurora borealis, spectacle of the polar night, is one of the greatest marvels Orlando has had the chance of seeing in his long life. Green, yellow and blue stripes cross the starry sky above the Arctic for minutes at a time. The stars seem so close that one could just reach out and grab one from the night sky. One of the most prominent constellations sticking out from the rest is the Great Bear. The Greek word for bear is arctos, and that is where the Arctic gets its name.

  The beauty of the night takes his breath away. Feeling Mary’s little hand next to his is comforting, but still his heart feels empty. Whether he wants it or not, his thoughts keep going back to Lia. He thinks of the indifference in her eyes the last time he saw her. Had she just hated him or treated him with the scorn he deserved for what he put her through he could maybe live with that better than the fact that she simply doesn’t care about him at all. He can’t hate her. He can’t even see her as a monster.

  He has thought about many different ways to apologise to her. He wants to tell her that he still loves her, that he understands how she feels and that he knows she can’t do anything about it, because a demon deep inside her is truly responsible for it all.

  Their time together plays back in his head like a movie, from the first time he saw her in the disco, to the ride they took on the carousel on the beach, all the way to the night they spent together in the greenhouse.

  She would love the Polar Night. Her eyes would widen in astonishment and joy. Her face would make him smile. No one could ever make him as happy as Liandra can, just by being happy herself. She seems so serious a lot of the time, if not melancholic, which makes it all the more beautiful to see her smile. Her joy alone makes him feel like he has accomplished something amazing; something he can be proud of. Lia brought the best in him back to life; his humanity. To have lost her now is unbearable.

  Mary gently nudges him and nods her head towards the bonfire, around which a big group of vampires has gathered. Ever since Cain showed himself, they all gather around the fire every night to listen to him speak. His words are full of intrigue, promise and despair. Cain is strong, he is a god, but there is no warmth inside him. He gives no hope of love and happiness, focusing only on taking revenge on the woman who betrayed him; Lilith. When it comes down to it, he is no better than Orlando; he has been abandoned, and doesn’t know how to cope with it.

  The vampires silently walk over to the already huge crowd. There is a gap between them where Cain walks in barefoot, wearing nothing but black trousers. His black hair shines like tar in the light of the red fire. Everyone present bows down to their father and creator, who seems to have stepped out of hell itself. Cain enjoys the power he has, and lets them stay in this position for several seconds before he tells them to rise again. He glides around the fire with proud, elegant and notably silent steps.

  “We will soon attain a new power from the sun. This day shall be the beginning of a new world for us. A world in which we won’t have to hide from anyone or anything. We were born to rule. Neither a human, nor any creature should be allowed to stand above us. Every enemy must be destroyed. Lilith is a traitor who is gathering her own armies far away from here to wipe out our entire race. Her...”

  A shrill scream pierces the night and interrupts Cain’s speech. Irritated, he turns towards the source of the sound. A human woman stumbles naked into the circle. Her body is covered in bleeding wounds and bruises. Her eyes restlessly search the crowd of vampires. She is looking for protection and sanctuary, but she will find none here. She breaks down in tears at Cain’s feet. Her sobbing and begging fills the air. Mary inhales sharply beside Orlando. She seems to recognise the woman, as her gaze wanders over to the spot where the woman broke through the circle of vampires. Victor walks by the gathering with several other vampires. He shrugs his shoulders casually as all eyes fix on them.

  Cain looks down towards the poor helpless thing writhing in the dirt by his feet. As soon as he fixes his glowing red eyes on her back, she stops sobbing, and lifts her head. Her eyes search his, and her tears subside.

  Cain’s hand touches her cheek comfortingly.

  The woman closes her eyes and nestles into his touch.

  The father of the vampires bends down to the woman and offers her his hands.

  Without hesitation, she follows his command and lets him pull her to her feet. As if in a trance, she looks at his face and a smile starts to form on her lips.

  With his hand, Cain wipes all traces of blood, dirt and tears from the woman’s face.

  She kisses his hand in gratitude. There is life, hope and joy returning to this being, who not two minutes ago only had anguish, pain and fear in her life. Orlando has to reconsider his original thought. There is more to Cain than just revenge, it seems.

  He strokes the woman’s tousled hair from her face, so that the right side of her neck is free. He turns her towards the rest of the vampires, his hand placed on her bare stomach. Her breath quickens and she begins to tremble, not out of fear, but rather out of lust. A moan escapes her mouth as Cain sinks his teeth into her neck. The woman’s eyelids start to flutter and she collapses into Cain’s arms. His bloody lips loosen themselves from her neck and in front of all the vampires, he bites his own wrist and places it on her mouth. She eagerly begins to drink. A buzzing murmur flows through the crowd. No one would have expected this. Cain is making her one of them.

  When the woman opens her eyes, they are not only blood red, but they also exude strength. He has transformed her in the truest sense of the word.

  “Nemesis, the goddess of retribution is born again and stands before us.”

  Her eyes fix on Victor and his posse.

  Cain follows her gaze and fixates on the group with a look of vengeful hatred.

  Fear is written on their faces, Victor being the only one trying to hold his own.

  “Is that how you choose to treat women?” Cain’s dark voice echoes through the crowd, making the ground quake in the most literal sense of the word.

  “She was just a human, not worthy of our own.” Victor tries to defend himself, fully believing that he can save face using his words like he always does.

  “We were all humans.”

  “She wanted it at first, but then she changed her mind at the last second. She is a dishonest and vile woman. She knows nothing of honour.” Victor says in desperation. Playing the traitor card is a good attempt on Victor’s part, but it doesn’t convince Cain. He takes Nemesis’ hand and holds it up in the air.

  “Tell me, does he speak the truth?”

  She shakes her head, her eyes fixed hatefully on Victor.

  “He is a liar!”

  “I know, because I can sense the lie. Tell me Victor, do you have any honour, when you dare to lie to your father and god?”

  Victor’s eyes widen as he stumbles fearfully backwards, and then he falls to his knees bowing before Cain.

  “Forgive me. I know not what I say!”

  Cain looks towards the woman at his side again.

  “Nemesis, goddess of retribution, what shall become of the liar?”

  She doesn’t hesitate for a second.

  “Nothing spills from his mouth but lies and he knows not what he says. Therefore, it would be best for him if he never says anything again.”

  A satisfied smile appears on Ca
in’s face while his sharp fangs sparkle in the fire light.

  “Wise words from an honourable woman.”

  He looks towards Victor again, who is still kneeling on the ground at a distance.

  “Arise!”

  Victor immediately obeys him, but his movements look robotic, unlike the fluid movement of a human. His expression is panicked.

  “No... what are you going to do with me?”

  He very deliberately places one foot in front of the other, making his way towards Cain and Nemesis. It almost seems like he has lost any control over his own body.

  “What’s happening to me?” He calls out as his legs move against his will. Nemesis smiles and Orlando can see that Mary also seems to be relishing the moment. He could never stand Victor, but the way in which Cain is handling the situation worries him a little.

  When Victor reaches the fire, Cain holds a ruby encrusted dagger out to him. The handle is made from mammoth bone and the sharp blade reflects the flames from the fire. Victor fearfully shakes his head but his hand still moves towards the dagger. He encloses the blade in his rigid fingers, and his trembling hand moves dangerously close to his face. Victor’s panicked screams echo through the night. His tongue spills out of his mouth and his free hand grabs it, all the while the blade moves closer. Blood spurts out as he makes the first incision. A steady hand would easily cut his tongue out with one swift move, but his hands are shaking like leaves and so it is more of a sawing than solid cutting motion. He screams and cries in pain, but the sound is music to Nemesis’ ears. A very pale Mary turns away. She was happy about Victor’s punishment, but that is just too much for her. Orlando holds her in his arms. Cain is neither good nor just; he is simply cruel.

  When the tongue is finally cut off, Victor collapses into a heap in front of Cain and Nemesis, his blood spilling out over the snow-covered ground.

  Cain’s hand closes tightly around his chin, lifting it and forcing him to look into his eyes.

  “Never again will your hands be the cause of a woman’s pain. Woman is man’s companion and the mother of all life. She has earned yours and everyone else’s respect. You will never be able to cause pain with your words again, and should you dare to inflict physical pain on another woman, I will make sure that even that will no longer be possible for you. You will be witness to your own death if you don’t heed my words. Do you understand me, my son?”

  Victor nods as fast as he can,

  “And now, apologise to Nemesis for your actions.”

  Victor looks up at him in confusion. His face is full of fear. Cain grins wickedly at him.

  “I forgot, you can’t do that anymore. Well, then you will kiss her feet.”

  Nemesis looks patronisingly down at Victor who is crawling towards her feet, but before he manages to touch them, she kicks him right in his bloody mouth, sending him flying backwards. The shrill laughter of a thousand voices escapes Cain’s mouth and echoes through the night.

  It is this moment, when Orlando realises that Cain doesn’t hate the woman who betrayed him. He still loves her after all these thousands of years. He never stopped loving her and his whole fight is above all else to get her back. Cain fights for love. They have that one thing in common, because he too wants his Liandra back, no matter what it takes.

  - 35. Lia Green -

  The ‘Dragonflower’ is but a small dot on the horizon as it leaves on its return trip to civilisation. Meanwhile, the group of individuals who had become acquaintances stand uneasily on the wobbly jetty made up of wooden planks. It is a single wooden jetty standing in the reddish brown water. The planks are rotting, some of them even have big holes, and others are missing. An unsettling creaking noise accompanies every step.

  As they make their way towards dry land, they find themselves looking at the rubble and ruins that would have once been a city. The sun is low in the sky, lending everything a reddish glow. A young boy walks past the beach, pulling a half-starved black donkey behind him. The donkey is pulling a small cart with wobbling wheels on top of which there are two oil drums. He seems curious but also mistrusting of the strangers. He starts to walk faster when he sees Lia heading towards him. He seems to be afraid of her. Lia quickly roots through her black linen trouser pockets and pulls out a 20 riyal note, holding it up to him.

  “Can you help us?” she asks cautiously. The boy looks at her in disbelief, but stops walking. She walks towards him.

  “We need a place to sleep” she explains, but the child doesn’t seem to understand a word she is saying. His eyes are fixated on the money. It is more than he could ever make in a month. Lia puts her hands together and places them under her tilted head, closing her eyes and hoping that the boy will understand her sign language. He nods eagerly and walks off. He waves towards Lia and the others as a sign to follow him.

  There are no proper paths or roads. The same red sand covers everything and is unsettled by every footstep, blowing up onto their clothes. Lia’s originally black trousers will soon be the same colour as the ground they are walking on. Most of the houses have caved in, and the quiet squealing of bats, as well as other animals can be heard from inside them. Crows are swarming around the ruins. Parts of donkey and camel carcasses can be seen amongst the rubble, with flies swarming over the decaying flesh, as crows tear strips from the bones. An almost sweet rotten smell fills the air, making Lia gag. Her father would be appalled to see where she had ended up. He would never have given his permission for this kind of trip.

  After a short walk they reach a settlement of sorts. There are bungalows, wooden huts and tents with far more people crammed inside than Lia thinks there is room for. A bad feeling washes over her. She is not just the foreigner because of her pale skin, her entire being sets her apart from these people of little means. Although they are on the same planet, it feels like they have entered a whole other world. The boy points towards a small hut. It doesn’t have a proper floor or ceiling, and the metal bed frames are the only pieces of furniture in the small room, open to the night sky. There is a small dented bowl standing in the corner, and there is no running water, but at least it is a roof over their heads, or part of one. Lia hands the boy the money. The boy unfolds the note and holds it up to the light, inspecting it from every angle. As he finds no sign that it might be fake, and a broad grin spreads across his face. He quickly leaves with his donkey, hardly believing his luck, worried that the strangers might demand his treasure back.

  Claudia and Chasity huddle into the darkest corner of the small room, where there is the most shade. They still don’t dare to remove their long robes and sunglasses, making them look like dark ghosts.

  Lindsay sinks onto one of the beds in exhaustion, making the old springs squeak loudly. She screams and jumps up again, pointing a trembling finger at a cockroach crawling over the bed.

  “Ew! I can’t stay here for another minute!” she complains as she wraps her arms nervously around herself. Disgust is written all across her face.

  “You aren’t going to find anything better!” Tru explains with a shrug of her shoulders. Vermin doesn’t bother her that much. She swipes the animal off the bed and lies down on the mattress.

  “They aren’t going to eat you. These animals are way more scared of you than you are of them.” She adds, amused with the situation, but Lindsay just frowns in disgust.

  Mike takes off his green raincoat and puts it over the bed sheet.

  “Here, you can sit on my jacket.” He offers, and Lindsay gives him a shy smile as she gratefully accepts his offer.

  Lia stares at Mike’s bare arms. His torso is clearly outlined in his sweaty t-shirt, and his hair is sticking unattractively to his forehead. And yet, he suddenly seems inexplicably attractive.

  “We are weak...” the voice in her head that she has suppressed for so long says meekly. Instead of ignoring it like she usually does, she allows it to speak, and answers it in her thoughts; “where can I find you?”

  But there is no answer.

 
; The sun has set and a light sea breeze has appeared, but it is still so hot, that even the slightest physical activity causes them to sweat. Lia and Mike have readily volunteered to bring the dented bowl down to the ocean for water. They will have to boil it off, because it is salt water after all and the bowl doesn’t seem very clean either.

  Lia steps into the somewhat cold water as Mike gathers rocks and twigs to build a fire. She had rolled up her trousers, but her whole body is covered in sweat from the boat journey, and she feels sticky. She can smell her own body and would love nothing more than to dive into the waves, but she doesn’t dare undress in front of Mike. They have known each other since they were children, and they have spent summers together where they would swim naked in the lake together, but that was over ten years ago.

  At the same time, she feels like she has been here and experienced this before, almost like déjá-vu. The water makes her feel as if she could be free and cleansed, as if it could wash away all of her pain and worries.

  “This is where it began...” Lilith whispers to her and shows her a scene unfolding in the same place. In it, there is a woman with burnt skin, who is covered in blood and dirt. Her lips are cracked with dehydration. She is standing in the same place where Lia stands right now. She submerges her whole body, including her dusty red hair, and when she finally resurfaces, her beauty is astonishing. She has been reborn and her eyes are glowing the same emerald green that Lia’s do.

  It suddenly feels right that she should take off her clothes and leave them on the beach, as she dives into the water stark naked. She walks out further and further into the cool water, as it rises past her knees, then her thighs, past her stomach, and then finally over her chest. The water washes away the sweat and dust of the past few days and she feels refreshed. Lia takes a deep breath and dives under. The water glides over her face and hair, cooling her and as she resurfaces, her hair falls over her back like satin. The world seems different. There is blood red water as far as her eyes can see, and the stars shine bright in the violet sky. The longing in her chest is becoming unbearable. Orlando.