A Flower In The Dark

by changinglanes

Upon return to Silas, a well known mayor is found dead and Carmilla is a suspect. As the days go by, more bodies found and everyone is quite scared. Her friends believe she is innocent and work hard to prove who the real killer is. It is soon revealed that the murderer is not human and a huge secret is being kept from everyone. Will things at Silas ever go back to normal again?

1. Dread

Upon waking up from my peaceful slumber, I was struck with a horrible sense of dread. Impending doom is headed our way. It seemed as if a thick, dense fog had surrounded me, leaving no escape. For the first time in awhile, I am scared. The feeling of dread has been with me since dawn. The trepidation in the air is simply astounding. I wonder if the others are having foreboding thoughts. I would rather sit in a car with one of mother's despicable minions than be here. Carrothead suggested we stop at a diner out in the middle of the god-forsaken boondocks. It's not a terrible idea, but I wasn't hungry and already too impatient to wait for food. A promise of fresh blood guaranteed by my lovely other half is the only reason I am here. I stared out the window and felt her watching me. I turned and her intense, compassionate, brown eyes burned into my retinas. She laid a hand on my shoulder and I felt my rampant nerves become calm.

Not smiling, but with a stern expression she said, "Hey. It's going to be okay." Her soothing voice always worked its magic. I may be an apathetic, cold-blooded vampire but she always has a way of making my hardened soul softer with each new day. Contrary to what is probably popular belief, I actually do care about certain things. Laura is one of them. She wrapped her arm around my waist and I felt my heart beat faster at her touch. The calm feeling was immediately interrupted by the sound of a giant boom.

I immediately tensed up and glared at her. Lafontaine pulled out her phone and the obnoxious, chilling sound continued. And it went on loudly without cessation.

If it weren't for the wretched war the sound wouldn't bother me. Damn communists. Even after all these years, I still find myself affected by objects of the past. Only Laura knows such things.

Finally LaFontaine was able to stop the dreaded sound with the touch of her finger. Laura laid her hand on top of my hand gently, trying to sooth me. She sensed my discomfort and yet again, for the thousandth time, blew me away with her actions.

The ginger and her control freak friend realized I was less than thrilled.

"Uh, Carmilla…are you okay?" Surprisingly enough, I actually appreciated Laf's concern. However, I was too tense to say anything. I kept my head down and held my hand up.

Immediately, Laf drew back and raised their body from the booth. They gave a nod of their head in the other direction. "C'mon, Perry."

"What, why?" I was one second away from growling and baring my fangs.

"Just, c'mon." They said impatiently. As the two left the booth, Perry insisted on asking as many questions as possible. Obviously, she was curious as to why she had to leave the table. Ha! Good luck with finding out the answer! God, she is relentless. I don't know how the ginger one deals with someone as obsessive as her. I have absolutely no idea how she made it through the year at Silas without having a mental breakdown.

"I swear to god if I hear that ringtone again, I will break into her room and set fire to all of her chemistry textbooks."

Laura smirked. "Oh, calm down." She squeezed my hand and wrapped her arm around my back. Normally, if any other person told me to calm down I would have attacked them, but since Laura was the one speaking I wouldn't dare do such a thing.

She reached into the bag she carried with her to the restaurant. While doing so, her shirt slipped down a bit over her shoulder, revealing her black bra strap. I immediately covered her skin up. That was only for me to see. She jumped a bit, startled.

"Something was showing." Laura blushed a bit and continued to search through her bag. She smiled at me and pulled a flask out, handing it to me.

"Here you go." Oh this must be the blood! I grinned.

"Is this-

"Yes, its blood." She whispered.

"Thank you cupcake." Staring at it like it's a prized possession, I happily took it out of her hand and unscrewed the top. I brought the metal container towards my mouth, breathing in the strong smell. I took a sip and consumed a small amount. Mmmmm.

"You're welcome. You deserve it. I am proud that you didn't get angry at Laf when the ringtone went off."

I chuckled. "Well would you have given me blood if I had?"

She had to think about the question for a minute. "I don't know."

I was about to take another sip, but stopped when I saw Perry and Lafontaine at the bar, conversing with a waitress. Within seconds the TV Behind the counter flashed on. The biology student and Perry scrambled to our table.

With a concerned tone in their voice, they spoke up. "You know the mayor that hit on you?"

Laura nodded, her attention captured immediately.

"He's gone missing."

I raised my eyebrows. Creampuff turned her head towards me. They slid their phone across the table to Laura. I leaned over, placing my arm on her waist. On Lafontane's phone, a header from a news story read in giant letters, "Breaking News: Mayor Capalton Gone Missing

"Oh what a shame." I said sarcastically. Laura nudged me.

"Hey!"

"What?"

"You don't mean that."

"He drunkenly hit on you. Of course I mean it." Laura said nothing and instead focused on the television. News of the missing mayor is being broadcasted. Its unfortunate when anyone vanishes, but I hold no sympathy for the mayor. Its quite shameful for a man of his standing to have behaved in such a way. Hopefully, he will be found in a ditch somewhere. It seemed as if every eye in the diner was fixed on the news. Even the waitress who is now bringing over our breakfast can't seem to focus on anything else. I found myself holding back a laugh as the waitress nearly tripped. She was paying attention to the news, rather than the direction she was headed.

"Here are your pancakes, Miss. She said as she handed Laura her breakfast.

"Thank you."

The ginger and cleaning freak were given their meals. The waitress took a cupcake from the tray and brought it towards me. "This is from the man sitting at the bar." Surprised and taken aback, I didn't really know what to say. Laura was visibly upset. I looked over at the bar and stared at the man who had given me the baked good. There was no need for me to be rude, so I simply smiled and awkwardly gestured a thank you. The man nodded. No doubt, I was angry. Laura looked like she was going to explode. I wrapped my arm around her and tilted my head towards her.

"Hey, its okay. Don't get jealous." I said, trying to make her feel better. Her head was faced downwards and she wouldn't budge. I cupped her chin and she finally looked at me.

I'll take care of him." I took the cupcake and Laura got up so I could leave the booth. I walked toward the man, taking a look at the cupcakes and various pastries in the process. It's very hard for me to resist eating the lovely dessert, but doing so would offend my beautiful girlfriend. I'd rather not have her be mad at me. Besides, it makes me feel better knowing that the cupcake and other sweets they have here couldn't be as good as the ones from the confectionary in Amsterdam. Nothing could beat Herrman's. It really is too bad that World War II had to come along and destroy everything. I could feel his eyes watching me and it is the most unpleasant feeling ever. It is certainly not like the feeling when Laura has her eyes me. How I would love to punch him!

When I got to where he was sitting he still had that stupid expression plastered on his face. "Hey there."

Hello." I said as I sat down right next to him. What's your name?"

"Robert."

"Well, Robert, I am afraid I cannot accept your offer." I paused for a second and pointed to my girlfriend. You see the brown-haired girl over there?" She waved awkwardly.

"The one at the booth?" I nodded.

"That's my girlfriend-

"Oh, I am sorry. I had no idea."

I nodded again.

"Well, I guess I better take back the cupcake."

"That would be in your best interest, sir." I said boldly.

Right." He was very uncomfortable. Robert then retrieved the cupcake from my hand, looking extremely embarrassed. I began to walk away, when to my disappointment, he spoke again.

"She's very lucky." I turned and smiled at the man, then went on my way.

"Wow, I can't believe she's a dyke." My body immediately came to halt as I heard him mutter. Anger seemed to pulsate through my veins and I found myself going back to him. I took a jab at his shoulder and stared him straight in the eyes.

"Listen, you asshole, I don't take too kindly to people insulting me, so you better apologize."

For...for what?" I clenched my jaw and fixated my gaze on him. I made sure to seem as hostile as possible. He knew exactly what I was referring to. When he said nothing I forcefully stepped on his foot. He squirmed and let out a squeal.

He held out his hand to stop me. "Okay, okay...I am sorry."

I released my foot off of his and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"If you insult me again while I am in this restaurant, I will break both of your hands. Understood?"

He shook his head and unable to be anywhere near him, I headed for the door. Honestly! I can't believe him! What a disgusting human being!

I saw Laura raise her eyebrows in concern as I walked on by. Thanks to my vampire strength, I nearly burst down the doors of the diner when I walked out. I am furious. How dare he insult me! I should have rendered him unconscious! He could have said something worse. However any insult towards me isn't okay. I heard footsteps behind me, but I didn't bother turning around. I already knew who it was.

"Hey, are you alright? What was all that about?"

"Goddamn asshole who hit on me called me a dyke."

"Oh..

There was an awkward silence. Laura knew what to say, I know she did, but I assume the comment caught her off guard. "I am sorry."

"Its not your fault, buttercup."

"I know, but you didn't deserve that."

"No, I most certainly did not. Why do you think I stepped on his foot?"

Laura shook her head. "Yeah, I saw that. " "Normally I wouldn't condone behavior such as the latter, but this time it's okay. Besides, it was pretty funny."

"It was pretty funny, wasn't it?"

She nodded.

"What do you think about catching the next bus out of here?" Hell yes! I would love to get out of this crappy little town. However, I hate the modern form of transportation.

"Yes, that sounds great. Although, I would prefer a horse drawn carriage."

Laura scoffed. "Unfortunately this isn't the 18th century anymore. You'll have to deal with the transportation of the current time period." Do you think you can put up with that?"

I shook my heads. "Yes, but I'd rather not. The modes of transporting people nowadays are just pathetic."

"They are not that bad."

"The buses are prehistoric, Laura." They look like pieces of crap and are filthy."

"Okay, maybe they are crappy and dirty, but they are not ancient. Don't be dramatic."

I didn't say anything in response to her comment. She slipped her hand into mine and my heart raced at the sudden touch. A familiar looking truck drove by and sent my memories reeling. The vehicle resembles one of those horrid lorries from Europe. So many times, I would stare out the window of our house in Amsterdam and watch in horror as children and families were herded into the trucks like cattle. Unknowingly, most of the kids would be lead to their demise. As for the adults, I can't say what happened to them. I assume a majority of them did not survive, which might have been a good thing. They wouldn't have wanted to survive through all the torture so many people were being put through. To my horror, I learned later that a lot of them were probably sent to the dreaded chimneys. I shake just thinking about how they must have suffered. I can't even bear to talk about it. It hurts just remembering. What awful, horrendous years those were.

I shook the memories from my head. There is no need for me to be remembering such atrocities. It only makes me sad and melancholy. I stared out at the vast open fields. Corn crops were beginning to grow and a big red tractor sat underneath the cobalt sky. It was mostly farmland out here, but nevertheless would have been a great place to bring the boys and their family to. If only I had the funds to do so back then. It would have been much safer out here. My heart still aches for them.

"Are you okay? Looks like you've just seen a ghost."

"I just saw something that reminded me of the war."

"Oh, I am really sorry."

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Laura said. See, that's what I love about her. She never forces me to talk about my painful past.

"Good because I really don't want to."

"Good, because you don't have to. When you're ready though, can you? There is still so much I don't know about you."

I had no idea what to say to her. She wouldn't want to know half of what I have been through. "If I have found the strength to do so, cupcake." "World War 2 was just such a horrid period of time. The only thing I remember about that time is that authority members were allowed to treat other human beings like useless pieces of trash. Filthy, filthy people. They were the scum of the earth. Mother wouldn't even have condoned what they did."

Laura stared at me compassionately, trying to figure me out. "I am truly sorry you had to go through that."

"Yeah, I am too."

"Wait, authority members? You were in Europe during the holoc-

"NO!" No one ever uses that word when I am around. Laura jumped a bit. Her eyebrows were raised and she seemed offended. I hadn't meant to scare her. I'd just rather be stabbed than hear that word.

"Don't EVER use that word in my presence."

She put her hand up. "I am sorry. It won't happen again."

"No, I am sorry." I shouldn't have snapped at you...its just-

"I get it. It's okay. But you should have informed me about that word. Then a moment like this wouldn't have occurred."

"It just never came up. Its not like it's a part of your daily vocabulary. But I promise, you'll be warned more often about my dislikes.

I stared out at the horizon, pondering. Really, it would have been such a nice place to bring my friends. Being out here would have brought such peace upon them. They could have been happier here. There wouldn't be any unnecessary violence and bloodshed. No shootings, no frightening air raids or bombs, just solace. The Nazis wouldn't have bothered to come out here.

"This place might be in the middle of nowhere, but it sure is pretty." My friends would have loved it out here."

"Yeah, it is nice out here." "Did you have many?" Friends, I mean?"

I smiled. "At one point, yes I did."

I could tell Laura was dying to find out more about my friends and the life I use to live, but she didn't bother inquiring anymore.

"Go ahead and ask. I am not going to bite...unless you want me to." She blushed, obviously taken aback.

Ummm." Uh." She stammered. Her cheeks were the color of a tomato and she couldn't make contact with me. After a couple of seconds she was able to forget about the comment.

"Have you kept in contact with them since the war?"

My heart became swollen inside my chest. I looked down at the ground, remembering. I shook my head and returned my gaze to the horizon. "No." Unfortunately, I was not able to."

"Oh, but why not?" You obviously cared about them a lot."

"Another time, creampuff." That's enough for now." To go into the details about the latter would be agonizing.

Do you want to tell your friends that we're leaving?"

"You know, they're your friends too." I shuddered. My friends? They are more acquaintances really.

"Eh…I don't know about that."

She moved closer to me and spoke softly. "I know being social isn't exactly your thing, but it's okay if you like them. It's okay to have friends, Carmilla."

I hadn't the slightest idea what I should say in response to her. It's been a very, very long time since I've had friends. Yes, I've known many people during my lifetime, but none of them were like the family I met in Amsterdam. I have never had the pleasure of being friends with anyone else in the same way.

I heard the doors of the diner open, but was too lost in thought to look behind me. My eyes did catch sight of Lafontaine's red and blue outfit. New converse shoes clacked against the pavement and their orange, scarlet hair blew a bit in the wind. They held my silver flask in their hand. I am certainly not a fan of them touching my stuff, but I'll let it go. They smiled at Laura and turned their attention towards me.

"Hey, here's your blood. Wouldn't want you to be without it. Besides, it was beginning to freak Perry out. You know how she is with germs." She handed me the container and Laura nodded her head in Laf's direction. In her own non-subtle language, she was trying to get me to say thank you. I really wish she wouldn't give lessons on manners in public.

"Thank you." I glared at my girlfriend. The red head seemed shocked by my comment. After an extremely awkward moment, Laura opened her mouth to speak.

"We're going to take the next bus back to campus." Are you guys going to come?"

Lafontaine turned their head and focused on Perry, smiling. "I think we'll stay here. The next bus is at 2:00."

I tightened my scarf around my neck. The temperature was a bit nippy, but not too cold for me to handle. Lafontaine gave Laura a pat on the shoulder and they walked off. She shivered, folding her arms across her chest. I instructed her, politely of course, to wear her coat, but being the stubborn girl she is, she didn't listen. She only wore a light jacket. I unbuttoned my coat, feeling the air slip through my jacket and onto my skin. I removed my winter clothing and handed it over to Laura. "Here, wear mine."

She stuck out her hand. "No, its fine." I don't want you to be cold."

"Laura, I am a vampire, I am naturally cold blooded."

"But-

"Take the coat. I insist." I interjected quickly, caring more about her warmth than mine. So what if I am a little chilly? I've survived worse.

I watched herself slip into my coat, struggling to get her arms in. I chuckled.

"Let me help you."

"I got it, but thank you." She finally was able to get her arms in. I am not sure why it was so difficult.

So, what should we do while we wait?" Oh, hold on...I forgot...I got you something." Ironically enough, I found a necklace with a phone booth pendant on the ground. It reminded me of Laura's favorite show, Doctor Who. The girl incessantly vocalizes her love for the show. Somehow I was able to sneak away from the diner during the last afternoon we were there. I fetched some paints from a local store and was able to bring them back without any problems. When they asked what I had gotten, I just told them I had bags of blood. No one inquired any further. Humans really don't care to know much about consummation of the special red liquid.

I thought it would be nice if I fixed the necklace up. I knew Laura would love my gift. I hid in the closet at the diner and spent almost two hours decorating her gift. I applied two coats of modge podge and then painted the pendant a navy blue, just like the phone booth on the show. I sprinkled glitter all over it and the to add a lovely final touch, I inscribed a special message, then put it aside to dry. I am pleased with the present and expect her to like it very much. I wrapped it in white tissue paper and put it in my pocket. The pocket in my coat was quite big, so it proved to be a good hiding place.

I stood behind her and carefully unwrapped the present. Of course, her curiosity had been heightened, but I would soon tame the feeling. The gift was now open. I held the necklace up and placed it around her neck, clasping the chain together. As she looked down with amazement at the gift, I kissed her shoulder.

"Oh Carmilla, its beautiful." A grin flashed across my face. She turned around and stared at me, her eyes glistening. "I love it."

Laura brought her lips to mine and pressed against them passionately. I placed my hand on her chin, savoring the moment. We pulled away and perhaps this was the moment where I found she was truly in love with me. Her eyes were the brightest they had ever been; her face was practically glowing with happiness. "Thank you."

"You'll want to save such a compliment for me for when you check the back of the pendant." She raised her eyebrows and I waited for her to grasp the message.

"Oh!" She turned the phone booth around to reveal an inscription. Laura's eyes widened in wonder.

"C.K. plus L.H. 11-8-14."

I could have sworn her eyes had filled with tears. "Oh, please don't tell me you're crying." You know I am not a fan of sappy moments."

"I can't help it. This is so sweet of you."

"No, no, no, no." Vampires are not sweet."

"Oh, stop it. You know, for a bloodthirsty non-human with fangs, you're really not that bad."

"Yeah, yeah."

"I know you don't like admitting it, but its true." I didn't say anything and instead, inquired about the bus.

"Where is this damn bus?" We've been waiting here for awhile."

"Carmilla, it's only been 20 minutes."

I sighed. I just wanted to get the hell out of this barren wasteland.

"Lovely." Being stuck in the middle of nowhere is clearly how I wanted to spend my time." I said sarcastically.

"Oh hush." You've been having a good time and you know it." Laura's attempt at silencing me was futile.

"Yes, because impatiently waiting for food and being hit on by a homophobic asshole is my definition of a "good time."

She furrowed her eyebrows and frowned. I hate it when she makes disapproving faces at me. "Stop being so negative."

"I am a vampire. What do you expect?"

"Okay, you have a bit of a point there, but I wish you'd lighten up sometimes." If only she saw what I saw. Seriously, I've been on this earth for more decades than she can count and I have seen more violence and death than she can imagine. Its hard to "lighten up," after seeing such things.

"The world isn't so bad, Carmilla." Perhaps she is right in a sense. I don't think any time period could be as worse as World War II. I have never seen such suffering before. I don't see how anyone could have failed to notice the man Hitler was. How did they not detect anything? Didn't something seem off to them? He should have been burned at the stake.

I know the war was really bad for you, but were there any good parts?

"Of course." My friends and I managed to have some fun."

"Care to inform me about it?"

"Sure." Come, sit over here with me and I'll tell you all about my daring and dastardly adventure." The glare of the sun was bothering me, so I decided that it would be a good idea to sit in the shade. I also wanted a bit of privacy. There didn't seem to be any people around, which was a good thing. I located a bench by the end of the restaurant and took her hand, leading her there.

"Well, during one evening in Amsterdam, my friend and I decided to play a prank on one…

I made sure no one was behind me, before I continued. I should have slapped myself for being so careless. If someone heard that, what would they think? I better not make a habit of talking about my past to the unknowing public and the students at Silas.

One of the Gestapo." I whispered, not entirely comfortable with the idea of saying it out loud. They treated people so terribly and I was really getting sick of it."

Oh, before I continue, don't ask any unnecessary questions. You're always doing that. Its annoying." I realized how insensitive I sounded, but I let it go. We reached the bench and I motioned for her to sit down. As she sat down, her expression changed drastically. Her eyes burned with hurt and anger. Her mouth was set in a straight line and she clenched her jaw.

She spit out, "I am sorry my questions are such an inconvenience for you". She snapped harshly at me. I was a bit stunned at her reaction. I hadn't meant to insult her. I guess I shouldn't have let that one go.

"I apologize. I didn't mean to insult you." I surprised myself with how sympathetic I sounded. Moments like these don't usually happen for me. It took her a second to aknowledge me. She had been staring at the ground, her eyes averted from mine.

Exasperated and obviously affected by my earlier statement, she said, "You didn't insult me. You hurt me." Everything bothers you and its always so hard to have a conversation with you." Again, her head was in another direction.

"Laura." Can you look at me?" I said softly, feeling terrible.

"I don't know. Will that annoy you too?" Ow. That stung. She understood she had made a mistake. I knew she did because she faced me again immediately and all I saw was concern. I could care less, but I noticed. Yeah, that's right. You should feel bad. I hope you feel ashamed. Jesus, what I said to her wasn't nearly as bad as the acid she spewed out on me. Such a bitter thing to say. Good lord, this morning is turning into a nightmare.

"I am sorry…I didn't mean that." Really I-

"Obviously you did."

"I was upset…

"That's a terrible excuse." My god, Laura, my comment doesn't hold a goddamn candle to the shit you said to me." She couldn't even face me.

When she was able to, her face actually made me feel even shittier than I already felt. It's like she had been told she had gotten a D on one of her papers. "I know. I am really sorry." Really, I shouldn't have said that." Having her admit her wrongdoing put me in a better place though.

"That's okay." But if you ever say anything like that to me again, I won't be okay."

"Understood. It won't happen again." Can we forget about what just happened?"

"I would love nothing more." Now, can I continue with my story?" You can ask as many questions as you'd like."

"I'd love for you too." And you're only saying I can do that because you feel bad-

"Just take the offer."

"Okay." She said happily.

"So, where was I?" Oh right.. "The gutters above one of my friends apartment had filled with water and leaves. Hitler's evil minions were supposed to watch the citizens clean to make sure they were doing everything right. You see, if the gutters got too full, the city council were nervous that they would cave in. It happened once and they didn't want a repeat."

"And by his minions I assume you mean the gestapo?"

"No, Hitler's secret army of dwarves." Of course I meant the gestapo." She chuckled.

"Well, I wasn't sure!" To be fair, there were alot his nefarious followers around, so you could have meant any one them."

"Anyway, as I was saying the gestapo were supervising the gutter cleaning that day. When everyone was finished, the gestapo left, giving Kristof and I some time." My friend had gone away for an indefinite amount of time and lent me the keys to his apartment."

"Hopefully you weren't too gutted by them being there." I raised my eyebrows at her corny joke. She snickered.

"Really?" I said incredulously, pausing for a minute before continuing. That was quite a knee slapper."

"Oh c'mon, you love it when I make puns." She nudged me playfully.

"I have to admit, you do look pretty cute when you're impressed with yourself." But you know what I love even more?" When I get to finish my stories."

She rolled her eyes at my rudeness. "For one minute, could you stop acting like a broody vampire?"

"So, during the night when the gestapo had gone on break-

"Oh, you are impossible!" She grunted. To my surprise, I actually felt bad.

"My apologies, creampuff." I didn't mean to offend you."

"You're a vampire. None of your actions offend me anymore. But they certainly get on my nerves."

I chuckled. If it makes you happy, I'll try harder." She looked at me, her eyes widening. I guess she wasn't expecting my sympathy.

"That's-thats okay." She stared at me, hesitating to speak. I'll try not to be so annoying."

I stared longingly at her, transfixed for a minute. God, she is the most beautiful creature I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. "Laura." It would make me incredibly sad if your usual obnoxious personality faded." You would be boring."

"Ummm...thank you? Normally, I wouldn't consider naming my flaws a compliment, but thank you...I guess."

Her face scrunched up in confusion, twisting my heart inside my chest. She looks so cute when she makes such a face.

"Stop making that face." You know what your expressions do to me." Her cheeks turned to a rosy pink color, further aggravating my current emotional state. The sunlight reflected perfectly off of her, only adding more beauty to her gorgeous complexion. Looking at her now and having her so close makes me realize how lucky I am.

"You are simply the most beautiful creature I've ever had the pleasure of meeting." When I said the words that had been running around in my thoughts, I congratulated myself. However at the same time, I felt a bit bad. The word creature should have been excluded. She is not one. Laura is a beautiful woman, not a thing. The fact that I even thought of her as one leaves me feeling ashamed. Such a word should only refer to someone like me. I will never call her that again. If I do, I shall berate myself. However, when she gazed at me, with her eyes sparkling and an expression full of love, my worries went away.

"Thank you." Her body came closer to mine and she rested her hands on my shoulder. She placed her lips to mine, kissing me gently. I leaned in, turning my head slightly, so the kiss would become more enjoyable. We pulled away and smiled at each other. A moment of silence and peace washed over us; it shall be the highlight of my day. Love and desire filled the air and happened to be the only thing that could make my heart beat. There was nothing else, but her and I. Time seemed to freeze and our surroundings were blurred. Soon, we came back to reality.

"Now, back to our conversation." The apology I made was sincere, but don't expect me to be sorry too much. Also don't expect me to not be sarcastic and broody. After centuries of misfortune and decades of being misunderstood, your personality changes."

"It's okay, Carmilla. Dating a bloodthirsty creature isn't supposed to be easy." But I am very happy to say that you are my girlfriend."

"I am too." I have to say, I am very happy I get to sink my teeth into this relationship." I smiled and Laura groaned.

Who's the one with the bad puns now?" I grinned.

"Speaking of our relationship, sinking your teeth into me certainly doesn't sound like a bad idea." She looked at me out of the corner of her eyes and gave me a seductive expression. Oh. My. God. Did she just...did she...

Holy shit. She did. I let my mouth hang open slightly as I tried to process what just happened. Wow. I don't think she's ever stunned me more than has now. To put it ever so lightly, the southern region of me is tingling, burning me up inside. Of course I knew she wasn't as innocent as she seemed, but for her to be so...so vocal about her carnal desires was not something I saw coming.

"Didn't expect that from me, did you?" I shook my head.

"No, I was not." Before she could say anything in response, her attention shifted to a bus that turned into the parking lot.

The vehicle windows were tinted and white and gray stripes ran along the sides. It looked like a 1950's school bus. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, although I would prefer the eighteenth century's mode of transport.

"That must be for us." I nodded.

I pulled up my shirt slightly so I could check to see if I had my precious blood. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Laura staring. I realized my thong had slid up in the back. Desire was written all over her face, lighting her up. I took one look to make sure the flask was where I placed it. Yep. The container is underneath the strap of my belt. Laura was practically drooling now.

"Enjoying the view?"

She jerked her head up, looking like a deer in the headlights. Her cheeks became a lovely shade of pink. "I...I, I wasn't staring. I was just-

She stammered uncomfortably. "It's okay. I was just messing with you. You don't need to be embarrassed."

"Anyway...I told you the bus wouldn't be that bad." I chuckled.

I shrugged.

She held out her hand and said with a hint of her usual enthusiasm, "Shall we?"

"We shall."

Danny-

The returning students were greeted with freshly fallen snow that covered the campus in a thick white blanket. An icy breeze came my way and hit my skin, causing me to shiver. It's a cold 22 degrees out and Kirsch and I would love nothing more then to be inside. However, an apprehensive student summoned me to the sports shed. Kirsch just felt like it was his "duty" to tag along. Apparently, an odd smell was coming from the closet and needed to be checked out. I am not sure why the person was worrying about it. It was probably nothing. However, as the captain of the girls Lacrosse team, I am the only one that has the keys to the shed. The person who had complained could have contacted the coach, but he is away at the moment. Kirsch and I trudged up the hill to where the decrepit little house is. Snow fell lightly and the sun peeked out from the clouds. According to the news report, the weather is supposed to stay snowy and slightly cloudy all day.

"Hey, summer psycho?"

Kirsch questioned me and I rolled my eyes at his nickname. Unenthused, I responded.

"Yeah?"

"Did you hear someone scream last night?"

"Yes. Of course I did. Who didn't?" I yawned. I hadn't gotten much sleep because of the loud scream. Some of the students and I were awoken at 2:00 in the morning due to the loud sound. We searched for where it could have come from, but didn't find anything. The whole time we were investigating, an odd feeling was with me. Something didn't feel right. Something was wrong. Whoever screamed, obviously did so because he or she was scared. It wasn't one of those screams you hear when someone is excited. After coming up with nothing, I tried very hard to let it go. I told myself it was nothing. When I tried to sleep, I couldn't. I was still racked with the feeling that something terrible had happened. It was at least five o' clock in the morning before I finally dozed off.

Ironically, this wasn't the first time the feeling has been present. Over Christmas break, a strange, eerie feeling that I couldn't place crept over me. It was always there, hanging over me. I've stopped watching the news because when I did so over break, the feeling became more intense. Something burned in the back of my throat and my chest whenever death was mentioned. An even more terrifying feeling washed over me. Its almost like whenever death was about to come, I could sense it. Even before the scream took place last night, the same terrible presence that I felt with me over break was with me. A burning in my chest and back of my throat, an eerie, indescribable feeling washing over me, staying with me. Like a shadow, the strange presence never left and seemed to follow me around wherever I went.

When we reached the top of the hill where the shed is, a bitter smell became evident. It wasn't nearly as bad as the worried student made it out to be. I really don't see what she was so nervous about. It's probably a dead mouse, which is unpleasant, but not the worse thing that could be found. I got out my keys and headed toward the small shack that housed the sports equipment. I am only a bit concerned as to what I'll find, but it shouldn't be that bad. I twisted my key inside the lock and the door creaked open. I observed Kirsch for a second, who was standing near me, glued to his phone screen. I took a step inside the shed and my heart caught in my throat. A body. A body is in the shack.

"AHHHHH!" I let out a loud scream and stepped back.

"What? What is it?" Shocked at my random outburst, Kirsch came closer, but I immediately stopped him, sticking my hand out. I practically shook and all oxygen failed to get into my lungs. Too stunned, I couldn't even answer him. I feel like the world has stopped moving on its axis becoming frozen in time. The horror scene in the shed is all that I am aware of. Nothing else.

I am speechless. I gaped at the deceased person and Kirsch crept up behind me. I knew he was there, but I didn't acknowledge him.

"Holy shit. Is that a-

"Yes." I said blankly.

"Oh, oh my gosh, we have to, we have to-

"Call Carmilla." I was surprised by my own words and he wasn't expecting them either.

"Uh…I was going to say…security, but yeah, Carmilla is fine too." He stuttered, obviously taken aback by the dead man.

"You do that." Call her, I mean. I am going to get us some water."

Frantically, I dialed her number. I waited impatiently for her to answer. Kirsch was gone, running down the hill.

"Hello? Who is this?" Carmilla spoke on the other line. I gulped.

"Oh, hey Carmilla. It's...its Danny."

"Danny?"

"Yeah. Listen, we have a huge problem."

"What is it?" A lump formed in my throat upon being asked the question.

"I found a..a...I found a body in the sports shed." I said, stammering, anxiety flowing through my veins.

She cursed and mumbled something incoherent before saying, "Wonderful." Are you sure its dead?"

"Ye...ye..yes, I am positive."

"Okay. So-

"What do I do? "I can't just leave it in there...what if someone else finds it-

"Danny. I am going to need you to stay calm. Can you do that?"

"I just found a dead body! How the hell am I supposed to remain calm?" I felt the air become hot all around me, suffocating me.

"Okay...I am going to give you some time to collect yourself. Call me back when you're good." Being completely understanding about my emotional state, she hung up and let me be. I am surprised that she is being so nice. She is actually giving me time to calm down.

More than ten minutes had passed since I called Carmilla. Kirsch went to get me some water because according to him, it looked like I was going to pass out. I was still scared, but taking deep breaths helped me relax enough so I could talk on the phone. Also moving away from the crime scene helped too. I had locked the door so no one could get in.

I dialed her number again and was actually happy when she answered.

"Hi Danny. Are you ready to talk now?"

I nodded, but realized she couldn't see me. Wow, the discovery I made in the little house has really gotten to my head. "Yes."

"Good." You're not going to freak out on me again?

"I just found a dead body, Carmilla. I can't make any promises."

"Alright. I guess that's fair." She said blankly and I smiled.

"Did you lock the shed?" Because if you didn't, you need too. The last thing we need is someone coming along and discovering it."

"Yes, its locked."

"Are you sure?"

"I said yes, didn't I?" I snapped.

"Well, excuse me for wanting to be careful." She was right. I shouldn't have snapped.

"Sorry."

She didn't say anything. I heard shoes crunching into the snow and turned around. Kirsch was coming up the hill with my water.

"First you need to secure the premises. Then you need to get my brother. Tell him everything that happened." He'll know what to do until I get back."

"Okay. I can do that." When are you getting back?" I kept staring at the closet, thinking back to last night.

"It will take us almost an hour to get back." I groaned.

"You'll be fine."

"How can you say that?" I found a dead human in the shed! And I could have done something about it. I heard a scream last night...I should have...I should have looked harder. I might have found-

"Stop it. Stop babbling. This is not your fault. There wasn't anything you could have done, but if you sensed something was wrong why didn't you call me?" I am not sure what happened to the old Carmilla, but I am now being confronted by a somewhat nice girl. Well, not a girl.

"Why would you have wanted me to call you? You don't even like me that much." And at 2:00 in the morning?"

She sighed, exasperated.

"Okay. First of all, Fox, the answer to your first question should be obvious." Fox? What the hell? Oh no, not another nickname. "Second, yes, perhaps you're not my most favorite person in the world, but you're not completely terrible. Third, have you forgotten that I am nocturnal?"

I had no idea how to respond to any of that. I was still quite nervous anyway and was having trouble processing everything.

"Right. So, you don't hate me and you're nocturnal. Got it. Already knew the last bit, but its hard to keep track of the sleeping habits of a vampire. I still have yet to figure out the last one."

"Oh, please don't make me answer."

"Should I have called you because you could have helped me? What could have done that I couldn't have?"

I heard her grunt on the other line and sensed she was getting extremely annoyed. "Stop asking so many questions and just listen to me." "As much as it bothers me to have to admit this, yes, I could have helped. I don't know what I could have done, but if you were acting anything like you are right now last night, I would have been willing to help you calm down. Anything to stop all the questions and babbling."

I was a bit taken aback. "Well...thank you. That's nice of you."

"Yeah, don't mention it."

I fidgeted around, again, focusing my attention on the shed. I cringed. What a state I'll be in for the next month...

"I should have looked harder...I should have..."

I realized that I said this outloud. Oops.

"For the love of god, Danny, stop it." She said, bluntly and exasperated. This isn't your fault." How can you possibly think it is?" I wanted to scream at her. I wanted to cry. I wanted to do anything I could to get rid of this feeling locked inside my chest. I knew it wasn't my fault. I knew that. But the thought that I could have prevented the person's death didn't leave me.

"I know its not my fault. "But I still feel like I could have-

"Heavens above, Lawrence." You are acting exactly like Laura right now. Seriously, what is with you two? Both of you have this idea in your minds that you need to keep people out of harms way. It's a respectable quality, but its very annoying and not always realistic." Remember when you tried to keep Laura, safe? Yeah, didn't work so well, did it?"

I twitched at the memory, also rolling my eyes at the fact she brought it up. She paused, taking a breath.

"I am not like that all the time. And as for the Laura situation...well, that was..that was...nevermind." What Carmilla was saying wasn't a lie. When it comes to people I am close to, I do feel a need to keep them safe. I am not sure why I feel so bad about the dead man in the shed.

"Anyway, as I was saying... It's a respectable quality, but you can't save everyone. In fact, I am positive there wasn't anything you could have done to prevent this. Even if you had investigated further, you wouldn't have found anything. Besides, you probably would have gotten yourself killed anyway. The image of the body will stay in your head for quite some time, so the last thing you need to perseverate about is whether or not you could have saved him." The supernatural creature was being quite honest and truly seemed to care about how I berated myself. I could tell in the sound of her bold, sharp voice.

"Thank you."

"Thank Laura. I think her mannerisms are starting to rub off on me."

The thought of Laura hurt me. I really didn't want to think of her influence on Carmilla. Then I will remember how close they are to one another. I thought that was how it was supposed to be between Laura and I.

"That's good."

There was an silent, very awkward pause for about a second, but then she cleared her throat.

"Alright, I am going to go now." I took a sip of cool, refreshing water and thanked Kirsch. Speaking of...

"Wait, shouldn't you inform Kirsch about what's going on? He was with me when-

"Did he see anything?"

"Yes.

"Oh well. You tell him. I am not talking to that idiot." And she was back to her usual self.

Carmilla-

I stared out the window of the bus, stroking my girlfriend's hair. She had fallen asleep on my lap and for awhile I was happy. She had dozed off before I could tell her the rest of my story, but I didn't mind. I enjoyed the feeling of her being against me. She looks so peaceful and cute when she's sleeping. It was impossible not to smile at her. Although the bus is a bit grimy and probably ridden with bacteria, it hasn't been that bad of a ride, until now. I knew it. I knew something would go terribly askew. I wish she could be awake. A distraction would be wonderful right now. Why do all these horrendous things have to happen? How lovely it would be if all evil people were banished from earth and sent to some uninhabitable planet where death would be inevitable for them.

The bus came to a halt, which jolted Laura from her sleep. My wish has been granted! Thank god. She jerked upwards from my lap, confused. "Huh? What's going on?"

Aargh! Laura is making me feel all these things that vampires should never feel. The girl looks incredibly adorable right now.

"The bus stopped to drop people off. Rest now, sleepyhead." I would have preferred to have her awake, but there were bags under her eyes. My girlfriend deserves all the sleep she can get.

Some more people piled onto the vehicle and the bus continued on its way. My eyes widened in shock at a man who wore mismatched clothing. He had on a blue t-shirt and purple dungarees, which had patches of grease stains on it. Luckily, he didn't smell, but could definitely benefit from a bath. Specks of dirt were on his face and dried mud coated the army boots he wore. I can't imagine how filthy his feet must be.

My attention focused on the outdoors again, my mind wandering. I am quite concerned about the event that happened earlier on campus. Knowing what I'll be returning to, I am not looking forward to going back. As I looked at the foliage and trees that lined the forest outside, I wondered why people have to be so cruel. Wanting to forget about the world for a bit, I layed back and closed my eyes.

My heart raced. I was in a field, staring at two terrifying monsters. They were just standing there, tormenting me with their ugly, horrible looks. They had scales running up and down the front of them. It resembled silver coats of armor as if they were getting ready for war. The creatures must have been Berzerkers, but I wasn't planning on staying long enough to find out. I backed away, scared like never before. Should I run? No, if I run, they'll chase me.

I thought I saw them move an inch, but I couldn't tell. Perhaps I was just seeing things.

"Go Carmilla, go! I whipped my head around at the voice that whispered. It was Will.

"They'll only chase me."

"Yeah, but you can move faster then they can." And without even thiking I ran. They both let out loud growls, which was my que to speed up. The world became blurry as I moved quick and with stealth.

The ground seemed to quake as their giant feet hit the ground. Will caught up with me, panting slightly.

I looked behind me and noticed that the hideous monsters had somehow gotten closer to us. They wouldn't beat me. I heard them smack their mouths together and I instinctively turned quickly around a corner to where the bushes were. I had to take a second to catch my breath. The two of them stopped, their heads going to the left and to the right, confused as to where I had gone. I made sure duck. When they came to a halt, one of them opened their mouth, revealing a set of horrible razor sharp teeth. There mouths were hanging open, drooling. The nasty pigs were starving for human flesh. I am not sure if Will noticed that I had disappeared, but he kept running, without any concern for me. That's a good thing though. He shouldn't be worried about anyone else but himself right now. When they are two huge bloodthirsty creatures after you, the only thing you should be focusing on is how fast your legs are going.

The Bezerkers gave up on trying to locate me and continued on their way. Doofuses!

Suddenly, Will stumbled to the ground and cringed in pain. He had tripped over a twig. Upon seeing this, the berserkers sped up their pace. Frightened, knowing they were coming, he did the best he could to get up. Will struggled to stand. He held his leg and used his other hand to press down on the ground. You can do it! C'mon! I watched him anxiously, praying that he would escape. Finally, Will stood. He ran, limping. I could tell his ankle hurt very much.

The disgusting creatures were creeping up on him, even though he was running as fast as he could. At this rate, because of his injury, he wouldn't make it. It was growing extremely difficult for him to keep up a good pace. I grabbed a large stick and threw it like a javelin. It flew across the field and stabbed the creature in its legs. It cried out in pain, while the other one stopped to see what had happened. Will stopped as well. He viewed the scene that was occuring. Taking notice that the two weren't paying attention, my brother quickly hobbled over to a nearby tree.

The stick was carefully removed from his leg by the other ghastly monster. He/she cried out in agony. Blood spilled out from the small hole where the stick had been, but he/she/it ignored it.

"Hey metalhead!" Will yelled,coming out from his hiding place. No! What are you doing? Is he crazy? They both and lunged at him. He stumbled and picked up two giant rocks. Will ran a bit further, each one of them following. The one who had been struck with the stick was limping slightly, which caused his monstrous friend to slow down as well.

Will stopped for a minute and hurled the rocks in their direction. Flying at rapid speed, the stones smacked them in the face. Both of them groaned and tumbled to ground, their armor clashing together. To my surprise, they were able to get right back up. They just shook it off. I was a bit confused when neither of them moved. The two just stood there and dusted themselves off. In a matter of seconds though, they pulled out what looked like a bone under their scales. Oh shit!

"Will! I cried out, covering my mouth. That was a mistake. They can hear me! Luckily, the two noticed, but didn't seem to care. Will had heard me and looked around. He didn't seem to notice the problem. They flung the bones far and struck Will on the back. Out of anger, I picked up another stick and flung it towards them. It struck one of them in the abdomen. He wailed, stumbling back. Will currently lay on the ground, unable to get up. I am sure he wanted to, but he was probably in an extreme amount of pain. My attack would give him some time. I hope he'll make it out of this alive.

Each one of them made a run for my brother. Hearing their movement, he glanced behind him. Quickly, he pushed himself off the ground, cringing. Will stumbled as he tried to escape. Faster! Run faster!

NO! They had caught up to Will, holding him by his shirt. I screamed as loud as possible as they dragged my unlucky adopted sibling by the arm. His body went up and down and up and down each time he hit the ground. He got pummeled by twigs, rocks and sticks and wailed. When the agony ceased, they left him there for a minute. Will laid on the ground, showing barely any signs of life. Tears fell down from my eyes.

Unfortunately the torture wasn't over yet. Again, the two lunged at him and dug their teeth into his neck. I gave a loud piercing scream and begged them to stop. They didn't. Blood spurted out from him and flesh went flying. When the two looked up to see where the cry came from, I saw red liquid drip from their teeth. Pieces of skin hung from their blood stained mouths, causing my stomach to churn in the most awful way. I felt sick. Their tongues came out and licked their lips, then greedily went back for more.

"NO!"

I sat up straight in my sat as the bus lurched forward. Oh, thank god! That was just a dream. I quivered, trying to forget the gory scene. Laura was awake now too. "Are we here?"

I peered out the window. We were on the main street in front of Laura's favorite dress store. I can almost make out the post office up the road.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, I am fine." I ignored her concern, not wanting to go into the vivid, awful details of my dream. When we got out, I hailed a school shuttle which was on its way back from the airport picking students up. Laura and I talked some, but she could tell I wasn't in the mood for a lot of conversing. My insides twisted more and more the closer we got to campus. I felt a terrible air surround me. It was dark, creepy and filled with mortal terror and at the same time, indescribable.

When we both got back to campus, I was greeted with the most horrific,vile smell. It reeked of death a disease, was extremely bitter and all too familiar. It was putrid and rotting, sent straight from the bowels of hell. This was going to be a interesting morning.

"Laura, go back to the dorm." I didn't ask her, I commanded her.

"Why? Is everything alright?"

"No, its not. That's why you need to go back. Now."

"Carmilla, what is it?" She wanted so badly to know, but she'd have nightmares if she were to find out. To prove my point, I can only ask a question.

"Do you smell that?"

"Smell what?" She inquired, scrunching up her nose and sniffing.

I sighed. That answers everything. "Nevermind then. Its something only vampires can smell."

"Oh...

"Yes. Be very glad you don't have my nose."

"Well, won't you tell me what it is?"

"Trust me, you don't want to know." The news journalist in her was acting up. Her nostrils flared and expression burned with curiosity.

"You know, I am a big girl. I can't handle whatever is thrown at me, no matter how awful it is." I continued walking, ignoring her. Of course, she followed me like a puppy.

"No Laura!" I said forcefully. She stopped and stared at me, hurt.

But, I-

"I said no." Laura, I know you can handle a lot. I know you are brave and more mature than half of the people we are around. But you are also naive."

"I am not!" She argued with me angrily, even though she knew it was true.

"Don't choose now to be stubborn. Please. If you do, I promise you'll never be able to turn back. Whatever is in that shed, will haunt you for the rest of your life." A part of me even wondered if I would be able to walk away from the shed unscathed.

The curiosity faded from her face and anxiety overwhelmed her features. Creases and lines of worry appeared above and around her eyes.

"It's a dead body, isn't it?"

"You're quick to catch on, creampuff."

"I get that you're a tough badass supernatural creature with superstrength, but there are certian things even someone of your kind can't handle. And that's okay."

I looked down, unsure of what to say." No one except for her really cares all that much about how I feel.

"Well, who else is going to do it?" She shrugged.

"Doesn't mean you have to."

"Laura, don't worry about me. I've seen my fair share of death and decay. Besides, it can't look as bad as it smells."

After much persuading from Laura to not let Danny into the shed, we were finally on our way. Now, of course I objected to her coming along with me, but she insisted that someone needed to help haul the body out. The smell intesified as we went further. I am quite confused because normally the smell of dead bodies doesn't bother me that much.

"Are you alright, Carmilla?" You look a paler than usual." I was shocked by her concern and now even more perplexed. Did I really seem paler than normal?

"Yeah...

"You know, I can take your place if you're not-

"Ha!" I scoffed. I am a vampire. I can handle it. Besides, if you took my place you'd probably faint." God, you guys really need to sop interrogating me about my mental state. It's maddening." I said, annoyed.

She didn't react to my comment and instead continued walking. I can feel Laura watching us and it is making me very anxious. I took a look behind me and sure enough, there she is. I glared at her and she quickly began moving. She glanced back and I gave her a reassuring smile.

"Are you coming?"

"Yes, Fox." She rolled her eyes at my new nickname and went on her way towards the stinking shack of death. I followed, plugging my nose. If I didn't do so, I would have keeled over. The wind was blowing and the dark and, gray ominous clouds loomed overhead. Birds ceased with their chirping as if they knew death had paid a visit. As I reached the top of the hill, I had to stop plugging my nose and embarrassingly asked for a mask. Danny went off to find one and I was left waiting for 10 minutes, which would usually drive me crazy, but I didn't mind this time. I would have done anything to hold back from checking out the body. When she ran up the hill with the mask, I sighed, knowing I would have to go in soon and also aware of how stupid I would look with the mask on. I braced myself for impact and placed the "germ barricade" on. Danny called it that and I quite liked it.

"You ready?" She asked nervously.

"When one will ever be ready to see a dead body?"

"Good point."

Upon entering small shack, the odor hit me in such a way I felt as if my breathing was constricted. The smell seeped inside my pores and took me over from the inside. Since the lovely aroma caught me off guard, I hadn't noticed we were surrounded by a pool of damp blood. How nice. I stared down at the body, realizing that the left leg of the body had nearly been detached, bloody bits of raw flesh hanging. I could see the salmon colored dead tissue beneath the torn suit he had wore. His legs weren't that badly beat up, although they did endure quite a scratching. She had her squeezed her shut, not at all prepared for what she was about to witness. Yeah, I don't blame her.

I leaned down and held the folds of the tarp covering the body, then lifted it up. I gasped, stepping back.

"Holy shit."

The most horrific sight lay in front of me. His neck had almost been decapitated, mounds of flesh hanging in a ring like formation. Brown and blue colored lesions ran down the side of his abdomen. Someone seemed to have clawed him viciously on his chest and stomach. Skin was ripped open, revealing salmon colored inside. I wanted to examine his private area to see if he had been raped. Alot of the time when you see bruises like the ones on him it means the victim has been sexually assaulted. However, I wasn't a forensics expert and if I did look down there it would seem quite morbid.

Oh my god. I knew the suit looked familiar. Its the mayor.

"Should I open my eyes or just retreat instead?"

"Well, considering how awful he looks retreating wouldn't be a bad idea, but ummm...its the mayor of silaston, Danny.

Her eyes shot open at the comment and she immediately averted her gaze, gasping.

"Oh my god, that's disgusting."

Stunned and horrified, she began to walk out. Tears filled her eyes. I didn't really know what to do.

Without saying anything, she walked out. For some reason I had the urge to follow her, but I knew she needed to be left alone.

Suddenly, I felt faint. Hmmm. What an odd sensation. Unless I am without blood, such a feeling doesn't occur. I'll go outside and take a breath of fresh air. I stepped away from the deceased man and shook a little. I swayed a bit and had to hold on to the door frame as I walked out. Will and Kirsch sat on a bench, waiting patiently and when they got up to ask questions about the body, everything around me faded to black.

I slowly opened my eyes and squinted, my vision blurred. When all became clear, I looked around and discovered that I am in some sort of room. Blank white walls surrounded me and a giant plexi-glass window was in the front of the room. I am sitting at a beige table with a glass of water. A headache made it all the more confusing for me to comprehend where I was. I took a sip from the glass, swallowing it quickly when I realized that blood would taste much better. I lifted up my shirt and immediately began panicking. The blood isn't there! Where is it? I can't make it without my blood! Before I could go completely crazy, realization sunk in.

I am in a questioning room.