Lilith shifted and looked into the fake blue pools. “I love you, Atropa.”
The air around them seemed to still. Birds stopped tweeting and bugs stopped buzzing. Atropa could hear the sound of her own heartbeat. “Lilith,” she whispered breathlessly.
The other teen threaded their fingers together. “Take out your contacts.”
“How’d you..?” Atropa paused. Lilith knew so much about her, so many things she had never told. Atropa took out her contacts, letting them rest in her palm. She stared at them for a moment before letting them drop on the forest floor. A gentle hand lifted her chin upward. She instinctively shut her eyes.
“Look at me,” Lilith urged, sweetly.
Atropa slowly opened them. She waited for the fear and panic that normally followed, but there was none. Lilith looked down at her with pure adoration. It made her heart swell. Tears began to trail down her face.
“You’re so beautiful,” Lilith whispered and laid a chaste kiss on Atropa’s quivering lip.
The teen clutched at the other. Her heart fluttering in her chest, and cheeks heating at the contact. She didn’t want to leave that warmth, didn’t want to ever stop. All good things come to an end though.
Lilith pulled back and smiled. “Pretty cliche for a first kiss, huh?” she snorted.
Atropa beamed, “I thought it was prefect.”
* * *
Relationships were never Atropa’s strong suit. The only friend of her childhood was imaginary, other kids were terrified of her, and her parents wanted her dead. She had no idea how to handle a friend, let alone a girlfriend. She was figuring it out though, slowly but surely.
Atropa never told her parents, too afraid that they’d throw her in a truck and move her to hell knows where. No, Lilith was her secret and her secret alone. Well, the twins knew, but they didn’t count. In any case, she was smitten with the red eyed girl.
They were inseparable at school and even a couple hours after. They’d hang out in the graveyard and greenhouse, Darren and Erin sometimes joining them. Every night they would call each other and talk to the point of exhaustion or till one of them passed out.
With these developments, a sleepover was inevitable. Her parents left for their work and the house was hers. Without missing a beat, she called Lilith and asked the other girl to spend the weekend with her. Lilith accepted immediately.
Atropa, like in most situations, had no idea what she was doing. This would be her first sleepover, it was scary, but a good kind of scary. She heard a knock at the door and raced down the steps. She flung it open and saw Lilith standing in the doorway. “Hey,” she greeted, out of breath.
“Jeez, you didn’t have to run, cutie. I could’ve waited.” Lilith walked through the threshold and observed the girl closing the door. Atropa was beautiful, had been and always would be.
Atropa bit her lip. She tried to think of what to do first. “So, you want to watch a movie?” she suggested.
“Huh? Oh, yeah sure,” Lilith continued to examine her surroundings. The house felt different then before.
Atropa nodded, “Come on, the living room’s this way.” She led the other through the halls. “I got some horror movies, I hope that’s okay.”
“You like horror?”
“Of course, it’s my favorite! Why, do you want to braid each other’s hair or something?” Atropa really hoped Lilith would say ‘No’, she didn’t know how to braid.
Lilith laughed, “What? I love horror movies. Also did you watch White Chicks or something? I can’t braid worth a crap but if you want to-”
“No, no I just don’t know how this is supposed to go,” Atropa looked at the two movies, “I’m just nervous is all. I want to make sure we have fun...you have fun.”
Lilith slipped onto the floor beside Atropa, “Hey, it’s just like hanging out but I’m sleeping here. We can talk all night and it’ll be great, just you and me.” She brushed the plump cheek with her knuckles, a smile splitting her face.
Atropa nodded, now excited and reassured. “Okay. Which movie do you want to watch? I got Rosemary’s Baby, The Last Exorcism, and The Omen. You pick.”
Lilith smiled, “Demon movies, huh?”
Atropa nodded, “They’re my favorite kind. I don’t know why but they always have been.”
“You’re not scared of them?” Lilith cocked her head. This girl had grown to be so curious, so wonderfully curious. Lilith looked at the DVDs and decided, “I haven’t seen The Last Exorcism, so let’s watch that.”
Atropa nodded and quickly put it in before sitting on the couch, Lilith followed her. Without thinking she curled up against the taller body and pushed play. She felt an arm wrap around her shoulder. Atropa smiled, this felt right.
* * *
That night, they slipped into Atropa’s bed. For the first time, Atropa kept her contacts out all day. Lilith’s own strange eyes were staring into hers. “You’re not human, are you,” she whispered in wonder.
Lilith neither confirmed nor denied what she said. Atropa let it go and moved closer to the girl. Their lips met in a simple kiss. “I like this,” Atropa whispered and she nuzzled into Lilith’s chest. She could make out a heartbeat. It was slow, and deep.
Lilith held her close and pressed her lips against the teen’s forehead. “I love you,” she whispered into the dyed hair.
Atropa smiled, “I love you too.” Lilith began to hum. A familiar yet distant lullaby. Atropa felt her eyes closing and her breath steady. She felt safe.
She’d even left her door unlocked.
Chapter VIII: The Paintings
It was a calm morning, Atropa and Lilith ate after rising around noon. They decided to go to a museum in the nearby city, hoping to see the sights before heading back.
“Ready to go?” Atropa asked. She slipped on her ruby boots, they were her favorite shoes.
“Yeah, I guess,” Lilith pulled on her hoodie and stared at Atropa’s dress cladded back. She shook out her messy hair and walked to stand beside the other teen. “So, what’s this museum about?”
“Oh, it’s history. I saw a flyer of it in the library and thought it looked fascinating. They’re having a special religious exhibit.” Atropa tied her shoes and then stood as well, “I thought it’d be cool to go see.”
Lilith nodded slowly, “Okay, I guess it’s a good first date.”
Atropa blushed. “Shut up,” she mumbled and grabbed her bag, “Let’s go.” The teen opened the door and they walked outside. She saw the sleek, black car in her driveway and turned to Lilith, “Is that yours?” The car Lilith normally drove didn’t look like that.
“Yeah,” Lilith twirled her keys. “You sound shocked.” She pressed a button and the engine roared.
Atropa’s mouth hung open, “That wasn’t your car before. It looks brand new! How did you get this?” she stepped closer and examined the shining paint and chrome rims, “By the way, what is it? I’m not good at telling cars apart.”
“Cadillac, I call her black mamba. Also, do you think I’d drive her to school? Can’t have grubby half grown humans touching her,” she hugged the hood and gave it a kiss.
Atropa giggled, “That’s weird.”
Lilith gasped and began to pat the hood, “Don’t listen to her sweetie, she didn’t mean it.”
Atropa shook her head, “You’re insane.” She opened the passenger door and slipped in. The faux leather was smooth and comfortable, also the interior was surprisingly clean.
Lilith hopped into the driver’s seat. “You still love me though, right?” She gave a mischievous grin.
Atropa nodded, “Yeah.” She leant back into the seat, “This car is so cool. How did you afford it?”
Lilith chuckled, “I made a deal with the devil.” She began to back up and turned to start down the drive.
Atropa didn’t question the comment. She simply shrugged and rested her head against the seat. In this crazy place, it was probably true.
* * *
The drive was un
eventful and mostly silent. Atropa looked over at Lilith, “What’s your favorite color?” she asked suddenly.
Lilith was taken aback by the question, “Huh?”
“What’s your favorite color?” Atropa asked again. She sat up straighter in her seat. It was a dumb question, but it would help pass the time.
“Hm, red, I love the color red.” A smile crossed her face. “What’s yours?” Lilith asked back. She took a glance at Atropa’s thinking face, it was cute.
“I like green and blue, and black. I like a lot of colors actually.” Atropa giggled, she looked at Lilith, “What’s your favorite food?”
“Hm, the souls of the damned.”
Atropa burst out laughing, “What?!” She continued to laugh, not hearing the sad chuckle Lilith gave. “Come on, for real, what is it?”
“Crab, I really like seafood,” Lilith licked her lips at the thought, “Delicious crab meat.” Both girls laughed at the reply. “What about you?” Lilith asked.
“Sweets, I love candy.” Atropa relaxed in her chair, she was enjoying this small talk. “What’s your favorite movie?”
“A Clockwork Orange, you?”
“Really?! Same, I love that movie!” Atropa smiled at the coincidence. They both looked at each other.
“Real Horrorshow!” they quoted. Laughs rang out in the car from the line.
Lilith smiled, “That was perfect,” she wiped away a tear from the overwhelming amusement. The taller teen bit her lip, “What do you want for the future?”
“You mean like marriage and stuff?” Atropa saw Lilith nod. “Well, I guess I want to get married and maybe adopt some kids. I want an okay life, full of more happiness than pain. I guess that’s everybody though. I just want someone to love, who’ll love me back. That’s not too much is it?”
Lilith saw the pleading look in the fake blue eyes. She hated that Atropa had to wear her contacts in public. That would change soon. “No, it’s not,” she replied, “it’s something you deserve.”
Atropa smiled, “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” she pulled into the parking lot of the museum. The building was huge, with massive columns. Banners hung between the pillars, trying to entice visitors inside. Lilith parked and looked at Atropa, “Do you want to hold hands?”
The other teen stared at her. Atropa began to beam. She nodded, “I would love to.” They got out the car and instantly their fingers threaded together. It wasn’t something new, they’d held hands before, but it was the first time they did it outside of town. Atropa dragged the other up the steps and to the hulking building. “Come on, come on!” she urged.
“Slow down cupcake, it’s not going anywhere,” Lilith caught up with the other. “Jeez, why are you so excited?”
Atropa bit her thumbnail, “This is my first date, and my first time going to a museum.”
Lilith tightened her grip on the soft hand. “What are we waiting for then; let’s go make fun of some zealots!”
Atropa nodded. They got their tickets before wandering around. “Where do you want to go first?” Atropa asked. She looked at the brochure seeing the many sights.
“Let’s see the special one, since it’s the reason we’re here.” Lilith tugged her toward the elevator, “It’s on the top level, right?”
“Mhm,” Atropa continued to look at the laminated pamphlet.
“You’re not even listening, are you?” Lilith wrapped an arm around Atropa’s shoulder.
The small teen smiled, “Am too.” She leant into the embrace, “Do you want to watch another movie tonight? I think A Clockwork Orange is on Netflix. Mother won’t buy it on DVD, it’s a work of Satan, she says.”
Lilith chuckled, “Well, it is, but that’s not the point.” She watched the doors open and both girl’s entered, with entwined hands.
Atropa looked at the art around her, it was uncensored but all ancient art was. She gasped at the painting hanging in the center. It was eerie. “Holy crap,” Atropa whispered. She stared at the piece.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Lilith stopped in her tracks when she saw what Atropa was gawking at. Her blood ran colder at the sight.
“She’s so beautiful,” Atropa whispered. There was utter adoration in her voice.
Lilith blinked at the comment before glaring at the painting. “She’s a demon,” Lilith growled.
“I think she’s beautiful. She looks a little like you, except with long hair and plumper lips.” Atropa looked at the label. “Lamia, the mother of demons, it doesn’t have an artist. That’s weird, I wonder who painted it.”
“Come on,” Lilith pulled the other away, “There’s more to see.”
Atropa’s eyes stayed glued to the painting as they walked away, till a crowd moved in, covering her view. She frowned, biting her nail. That was bizarre. She felt like she’d seen that woman before. Atropa shook off the dreadful feeling in the pit of her stomach and unconsciously gripped Lilith’s hand tighter.
“You okay?” the taller teen asked. “You don’t look too good,” she said and lifted the paleing girl’s chin.
Atropa shook her head, “I’m fine, just thinking is all. Oh, look at that one!” She ran over to the twisted statue, “What do you think it is?”
Lilith shrugged, “Looks like a lady,” she cocked her head, “or guy. I’m not good with art, I’m a music person.” Lilith wrapped an arm around Atropa.
The smaller teen smiled, “Yeah, hermaphrodite, maybe? I guess it’s an angel or some supernatural being, since it has wings.” Atropa theorized till another piece caught her eye, “Look at that!”
Lilith sighed and followed after the excited other. “Jeez, you’re so weird about this.”
“You still love me though, right?” Atropa giggled. She stood before the painting. It also seemed familiar, like one of those stories her father forced her to learn. ‘Eve, maybe?’ she thought.
“What the hell, what’s up with all the biblical stuff? Can’t there be one Greek painting?” Lilith groaned as she saw Atropa’s gawking. “Why do you like these things?”
“I love art, in all forms.” She was amazed by the detail. “Who do you think it is?”
“It’s Lamia tempting Eve with the apple of knowledge,” Lilith explained.
Atropa nodded, “You know, for someone who’s not an art person, you dissect it well.”
Lilith shrugged, “I grew up with it, so I know a lot of the stories and myths.”
Atropa frowned, “I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories for you. We can leave if you want.”
Lilith shook her head, “No, this is good. I can replace those bad memories with something I want to remember, being here with you is a perfect start.”
Atropa smiled and pulled her along, “Come on, I think I saw another good one over here.” The two walked to the next painting. It was strange, all of these paintings were familiar, most likely because of her mother and father. She wondered if her father uncovered any of these. Atropa shook her head, “I wonder who made them.”
“I guess they were just found in archeological digs, or in old mansion attics. Who knows, maybe they crack the Da Vinci Code or something.” Lilith gave the other’s hand a reassuring squeeze, “Don’t think about it too hard. Let’s check a few more out then go to the food court, I’m starving.”
Atropa nodded but the feeling was still there, she knew those paintings. She looked back at the woman who was pictured on the canvas, her hair was ginger. It flipped a switch in her mind, ‘Like mine was as a baby.’
* * *
“My back hurts!” Lilith groaned, flopping on the queen sized bed. “Damn, today was long.” They walked through the entire building, up and down, going through throngs of people. It was exhausting
“Do you have to leave tomorrow?” Atropa asked. She slipped off her shoes. Today was the most fun she’d had in, well, years. She didn’t want it to end.
Lilith frowned. She was low, she knew she was. Breaking into the house took a lot out of her. She needed t
o go back, needed to get another- She looked into Atropa’s hopeful eyes. Those beautiful pools of violet made her weak. Lilith put on a smile, “Only if you want me too.” She kicked off her boots and rolled on top of the comforter. Lilith loved the plushness under her. She knew she was making a mistake, she just didn’t have the heart to care.
Atropa sat beside the sprawled out body, “I don’t want you to go, so Monday we could head into school together. If you want, that is.”
Lilith nodded, “I’d love nothing more.” She sat up and rested her head on Atropa’s shoulder. “I wish we could stay like this.”
“Why can’t we?” Atropa asked. “Today was amazing! I wish it’d never end.”
“You’re such a sap,” Lilith said and look at the black linen. “I can’t stay though,” she slurred.
“Why, do you have homework to do?” Atropa asked. She watched the teen move to the other side of the bed. “Hey, Lilith?”
“You deserve better than this,” the taller teen curled into a ball. She needed to conserve her energy if she was going to maintain her guise. “You deserve better than all you’ve been dealt.”
“What do you mean?” Atropa asked. She didn’t get an answer. Lilith had fallen asleep.
Chapter IX: Flooding
Atropa was awoken by thunder rattling the windows of her house. She shot up, grasping at the covers, she was alone. “Lilith?!” she called. A sigh of relief left her as the taller teen walked into the room.
“All the roads are flooded.” Lilith shook out her freshly washed hair and sat on the bed, “I hope you don’t mind me using your shower.”
“Not at all,” Atropa looked up and saw the raindrops beating on the glass. She moved to see out her window, it really was flooded! “Oh God, how long is it going to last?”
“Probably a couple days, it happens around here. We’re close to sea level and it rains like hell.” She wrapped her arms around the smaller teen, “We’ll be fine. so don’t worry.” The lies left a bitter taste in her mouth.
Child of the Morning Star Page 4
