Authors note: You know the drill. I don't own anything but I thought I would do something new because I haven't updated in forever. I'm not dead, I'm just currently writing a book and it's taking up a majority of my time. Anyway, here is the first installment of Everlasting Night
Everlasting Night
Unwelcomed Welcome
"Welcome young Matt." The foreboding figure at the door was enough to send the poor young man running. He was taller than normal; his coiffed hair nearly touched the top of the large wooden doors. His demeanor, on the other hand, was warm and inviting. It was the only thing that kept Matt from running from the front doors. In one hand he held his large roller suitcase and in the other he held the directions that the driver had needed to find the place lost way in the back of some misty woods.
The cab driver had been adamant that there was absolutely nothing on the road they were one. He continued to say that through all the years he had worked for the taxi service Matt was the first one that had asked to be taken to such a God awful place. The woods, nicknamed Darkness Falls was perpetually stuck in the kind of murky darkness that sent young children running and gave older people hesitation before entering. Apparently several hikers had disappeared looking for the actual Falls but searches for the groups didn't last long before they were called off. You entered this territory of your own volition.
So it was a complete surprised as they winded around yet another curve and sitting precariously close to the edge of the mountain was a castle. Matt had instantly paled knowing that this had been his destination but the cab driver pulled to a stop before they made it anywhere near the gate. He wouldn't even get out to help Matt with his bags in the back. Instead he waiting just long enough that he removed his own bags and booked it back down the mountain without even waiting for his payment. Matt wasn't complaining but now he was stranded and it was a long and potentially deadly hike back down in the dark. But now, he wished that he had stuck with the cab driver. It was clear that the man had more sense than he did.
Now, he stood facing this freak and wanting to run for cover. He took a deep heavy breath and clenched his fists. "I received a letter in the mail saying that I had been accepted into school here. I tried the phone number but all I could get was an machine giving me the address." The large man shuffled, somehow gracefully to the side to allow Matt into the massive chamber inside. "I didn't remember applying but a full ride is a full ride." He tried to force a smile but the man didn't seem to be as friendly as he originally believed.
He bowed slowly before pulling the suitcase from Matt's arm and hefted it over his shoulder with no problem. "Of course it is." He seemed to be sizing Matt up for a few seconds before turning and heading down the lengthy hallway lined with golden tinted candles. They shone brighter than anything Matt had seen before but maybe it was because he had been outside in the dark for so long. "We were slightly worried when you didn't show up with the remainder of the students. Of course, wandering outside at night could bring forth some form of terrible mistake on the part of the students here. I would suggest wholeheartedly that you watch your back at all times. You can never be too careful."
He gulped, was this place so bad that he had to constantly look over his shoulder? What ever happened to not judging books by the cover? "I'll make sure that I take that to heart." He replied as the man stopped in front of a door, if possible, even larger than the one that he walked through before.
If he wasn't mistaken he would have sworn that he saw the large man's eyes flash a glittering liquid gold before turning brown. He shook his head; he had to be more tired than he had thought.
"Headmasters office." It was the only thing that the towering man offered. He didn't knock but he did turn the knob slowly like he was anticipating something to pop out on the other side. "Headmaster Raito?" His voice barely registered in my ears. The door opened on its own the remainder of the way almost as if he had been snatched out of the giant's hand. He looked over my shoulder, "The headmaster is willing to see you. I will take your belongings to your new residence." He bowed again and it was only now that he figured out that he was a damn butler.
The face that appeared at the door was almost unrealistically pale. His honey golden eyes surveyed the two for a few seconds before an attractive smile passed over his lips. "Luc, how kind of you to answer the door for the new student. I hadn't even known that you were still lurking about." He chuckled in a nearly dainty manner. "But, of course, that is what your kind does, right? Lurk?"
The tall man made a face that was between a scowl and glare before turning and walking away with Matt's bag in hand. "Kind?" Matt echoed. His eyes drifted from the painfully pale headmaster back down the hallway where he had just come from. It was now dark as if someone had put the candles out immediately after they had passed. He winced, "What's his kind?"
The headmaster waved the question off without an answer. "Welcome to the school Matt. I was wondering when you would arrive, of course we're happy to have you. You're special here you know." He gave of a cold air as he turned and headed back into the room. He didn't even gesture for Matt to follow him but he did so anyway.
The inside was elegantly decorated in golden and crimson hues. The curtains were closed and the candles, much like the ones in the hallway were on full blare. It hurt Matt's eyes but he wouldn't say anything about how the man kept his office. He wouldn't be here for long. It was late, everyone needed to sleep. In the back was an extra office that had to be the headmasters but the desk in the main room was empty. It wasn't under Matt passed into the room that he saw the woman laying back on the headmasters desk, her hair was pooling around her in a simply fashion.
Raito's hands slipped into the pockets of his dress pants. "Misa, dear that will be all for tonight. Our special scholarship student has arrived and I need to get him out of here and into bed." The woman rose with a frown. She had her hand pressing to the side of her neck while droplets of blood dripped out onto the desk.
She gave Matt a look before nodding. "Of course Master Raito." She stood her old time Victorian dress skirting the floor as she exited the room. "I'll make sure to pull his file and mark him as arrived. I will also take this time to notify the council of his arrival. They are looking forward to the data that we will receive."
He nodded, "Of course dear." He rolled his eyes as she shut the door behind herself. "Anyhow, welcome to Darkness Falls Academy. The locals came up with the name and we accepted it as our own. I apologize for being located so far out in the woods, I would have sent someone to retrieve you but you never responded to our mail. You really shouldn't do that, it's rude." He sat back in the quickest gesture Matt had ever seen. One second he was standing beside him and the next he was leaning back in his chair like a king.
Matt had to find his voice, "I called the number like I told the big guy at the door but I couldn't get anything other than a machine saying the address over and over again." He stood awkwardly at the door watching the man.
He nodded completely unconcerned. "Yes, yes that happens sometimes. What's important is that you managed to make it here all on your own and at night no less. I can't tell you how many people we've lost coming up here because they thought it was a good idea to hike. When it grows dark this is the last place you should be outside in."
The words instantly reminded him of what Luc had said only a few minutes prior. "I took a taxi. He didn't think there was anything back here but we found the school after driving up the mountain. I was a bit worried that the acceptance letter was a fake but I guess it's not." He wanted to ask what the man had meant when he said, 'kind.' He wanted to ask why he thought he saw Luc's eyes flash golden and why the receptionist was lying across the headmaster's desk with blood dripping from her neck.
He shook his head, "It most certainly was not. Out of many applicants you were the one that stood out the most to me. Of course you passed the criteria and after a vote you were accepted. I'm glad to have you at my university. More importantly what's your blood type?"
Matt's hand almost instantly wanted to fly up and cover his neck from the man's gaze but he didn't. Instead he looked uncomfortable and twiddled his thumbs. "AB negative." He nearly shivered at the smile that passed over the man's lips. "I've been traveling for a while it would be great if I could get my room and go to sleep." And wake up from this seriously messed up dream.
He smirked and nodded, "Of course. I wouldn't dream of keeping you up all night when you have classes first thing in the morning. Ask your roommate to show you around. He currently playing sophomore to your freshmeat, I mean, freshman." He slowly smiled his eyes playing off the candles giving it a glowing hue. Matt wanted out and he wanted out now. He gestured smoothly with his hands. "When you leave this room follow the candles, they'll lead you to where you want to go." The boy turned. "Oh and Matt, I simply love people with AB negative blood. I'll be calling on you soon enough. Sleep well."
He fled from the room as if there were fire at his heels but he was almost instantly stopped by slamming into something harder than a rock. It jarred him pushing him backwards and onto his butt as he stared up in stark horror at the woman the headmaster had referred to as Misa. She hadn't even moved from his bump.
"Oh my, my!" Her voice was tiny and light. She leaned down and offered a cold hand to help him up. Now that he was closer he noticed that the two of them had the same skin type. He thought that maybe it was some kind of skin disorder and when he grabbed her hand to allow her to let him up he prayed that it wasn't contagious. "You should really be more careful when running. You could have hurt yourself bumping into me." It didn't make since. She was smaller than a withering wisteria but she had managed to bounce him. She smiled kindly, "You should get to bed and make sure you stay on the path with the candles. Nothing bad can happen to those under their gaze. Be more careful Mail."
She had called him by his real name but it wasn't enough to deter him from getting out of the room. He stumbled out the door that instantly closed behind him as quiet as a mouse. This place was impossible but like they both had said the candles were lit again. He braced himself from the churning in his stomach and followed them in slow measured steps. The led back down the hallway he had come with Luc but opposite of the way that Luc had walked with his bag. He paused turning to go back and maybe ask the headmaster's assistant if his bags would actually be there but the whole hallway was pitch black.
So much for that plan. He turned back heading up a staircase that he had somehow missed in his initial walk through. He was positive that it hadn't been there before but he wouldn't question it. That would mean he would have to think about it. The two were right though, the candles did seem to be leading him somewhere but he wasn't positive where until he entered a lengthy hallway lined with doors. Each door held its own golden lined plaque embroidered with two names. The candles stopped in the middle of the hall and the door read Mihael and Mail.
He opened the door and it creaked like a horror movie. "Mihael." He repeated testing the name on his lips. So that would be his roommate.
The flash of pain happened in seconds. The scuffled that transpired slammed the door shut behind Matt and whoever it was that was attacking him. He found himself face down on the plush white floor with someone leaning quite a bit of pressure on his back. "Who the hell are you and why are you here? Be quick, I'm not one to fuck around."
Matt gasped, his breath hadn't fully returned when he tried to answer. "Matt, your roommate. I'm Matt."
The pressure lessened but it didn't disappear completely. "Impossible, you're a human. Humans are allowed in this institute." The voice pulled back completely but didn't help Matt up. With a clap of hands the room flared to life with the same kind of magical candles from the hallway. The boy standing not too far from him wore nothing but sleeping pants.
"Of course I'm human. Why would I be anything but?" He closed his eyes to stop his head from spinning so bad. "You must be Mihael."
"Mello." He corrected instantly. "I'm Mello and you shouldn't be here."
