Well let's see, I had this fanfic suddenly strike me at a very unusual time. But I got enveloped in it and decided to write it. Enjoy!
SEE A LARGER IMAGE OF THE COVER ART TO THIS STORY in my deviantart page: neo-solaris. LINK ON MY PROFILE PAGE.
Disclaimer: Vampire Knight is not in my possession.
Prologue
The night was frosty and cold, much worse than the bitterness of the previous days. The pale and wasted snow invaded the damp streets, gathering at the edges of houses and sidewalks. The streets of Zurich, Switzerland, were calm and pleasant, with people and vehicles maintaining their daily roundabouts. A clock, located within a usual Swiss restaurant and bar, struck 8 pm.
Ding-dong
Suddenly, a young and exhausted figure dashed past the restaurant, sprinting fearfully in cold sweat. The breeze felt sharp even with her winter attire, and the handbag hung protectively under one arm just added to the discomfort.
The girl kept running as her breath came out in huffs taking in the stinging air. Panting and looking behind every so often, she eyed for any signs of familiarity, but no one was following her. The residents of Zurich continued their walks through the streets, some laughing half-heartedly with their friends, while others simply toured around for pleasure.
Yet, none of them noticed the frightened young girl, flying past them like an invisible silhouette, crossing from path to path, changing directions almost frequently. Her eyes watered from the cold air, and her vision became blurry. Wiping the tears away, she glimpsed for a second at a child who clung to his mother's coat, staring at her running past him. She tried to imagine herself in his place, innocent and warm near his parents, and most importantly, secured. The thought brought too much pain.
8:15 pm
The girl didn't even notice how fast time flew by. Her pace began to slow just a bit, but she still had a couple of more blocks to go. She had reached the busy part of Zurich where the vehicles occupied most of the narrow road. She dodged a double decker bus, and almost collided into a bicycle, spilling out as much apologies as she could without stopping. Her senses, unusual than many others, told her she was close. She was almost there, almost away from danger, but only for a short while.
The snow started to get thin, and sleet covered many parts of the sidewalk. The girl tried her hardest to avoid them, and even if her feet accidentally landed on ice, she did not fall, probably because of her unusual agility. The distant sound of church bells clouded her mind, but the idea that she was still not safe kept her head focused.
She turned a corner and realized the area was somewhat deserted and dimly lit. Taking that route was just a detour to trouble. A group of tourists, however, had gathered on the other side of the road, and she made her way to that direction.
It was just for a little while, she thought. Just enough to blend in for the moment. The safest place was where there were a lot of people, after all.
8:25 pm.
There was still time, even if her destination was so close. She was tired, and a little break was necessary if she was going to make a long journey. Forcing herself within the tourist clump, she looked around once more.
Nothing. Perhaps they had given up for now.
"And there you will find the Grossmünster Church, started in 1100 A.D and completed in 1220 A.D…"
The girl took in the guide's information with interest. She never visited downtown Zurich while being in hiding since birth. Her mother knew well not to let the secret out, but something went wrong. They had found out about her existence. And now she could do nothing but hope to a higher being that she escaped this town alive. Waiting with patience, and refueled with energy, she started to push herself out of the clump. It was a slow process, but she took it gently, pleased over the idea that she had made it this far without being caught.
A five-minute walk was just required to get to the train station, and the girl managed to get to the end of the clump. "I am so close." she said to herself, smiling.
Taking another step, the girl suddenly felt a hand grasp her shoulder. Something was wrong, and her stomach gave a huge flip. Was it one of the tourists? She tried to pull away, but the hand kept her back. She shed her face and did not look back. Whoever was holding on to her was someone in the group. But they did not move.
And without a further thought, she sensed it right away. A sharp pain shot out from her shoulders as the hand dug its nails into her skin straight through her jacket.
The girl screamed loudly, and jolted forward, freeing herself from the grasp. The tourists looked at her, showing concerned and surprised looks at her sudden outburst. She started running again, faster than before. She did not even look back to see the people calling out to her, asking her to stop, or probably wonder why she screamed.
But she dared not slacken her pace. The ones who were following her had managed to catch up. They were within the group of tourists and she didn't even sense it.
The safest place was where there were a lot of people, she was told. But it didn't seem so anymore.
8:29 pm.
Finally, the elegant structure of the Zurich Central Train Station came into view. She could see the tall statue protruding high and mighty in the center, welcoming those who were on schedule for the next departure.
The girl took out her ticket from her bag and examined it again. This was her only way to leave this place-probably forever. Her heart thumped loudly against her chest, and she knew now that they were close by. She had expected this, but didn't think they would find her so soon.
She blended in once more amongst the people. Even if one of them had managed to tail her near those humans, she was certain that they were not going to do that again in such a large area. With that in mind, she kept her pace fast, and breathed slowly for the first time.
8:35 pm.
Almira McDellan, the runaway child, boarded the train, and sat silently in a corner by the window. The train was heavily crowded, and yet she really hoped nothing happened to her while she was there. She checked inside her bag once more to make sure everything was there; everything she needed to get her out of danger.
Sighing to herself, she closed her eyes and laid her head back on the seat. The danger, she knew, was just beginning. But she had escaped so far with every bit of her human strength. Now this train was going to lead her to Zurich airport where she would take the last hopeful flight away from Switzerland. Away from Europe even.
Her insides felt uneasy, and she tried her best to forget everything that had happened. Looking forward was what she dreaded the most, and even when sleep rolled in a few minutes later, she knew for a fact that they were on their way.
No matter how far she tried to get away, they would surely follow. They would catch up to her eventually.
And she, by all means, had to be ready.
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