The Strength To Return
Summary: At the end of re-vamped we saw Sarah fly up into the air after a chat with Erica and Rory but, where did she go? And what happened when she got there?
Disclaimer: in no way do I own MBAV
Chapter 1: A Chance Encounter
An entry in Sarah's diary 06-11-12
Tonight was the perfect night with Eathan, who would have thought that he would end up being the one that means the most to me but, whenever I'm with him I feel so connected... not so... undead and tonight was the perfect example... ok yes we did have to survive a mystical genie with a major grudge but... it was worth it for this moment. And to think, I almost didn't have the heart to return home after I was forced by Jessie to 'turn' if I wanted to save Ethan from the same fate. I was totally scared when it happened I thought there was NO way that neither Ethan or Benny would accept me especially after I had spent months fighting major cravings... I had to save him... it wasn't a choice... But... I also didn't want to join that 'world' the... vampire world. It still gives me the shivers sometimes... it may be ok for Erica and Rory but... NOT me! But, I finally realized that if I wanted to make a world with Ethan I first had to deal with the world that I was hurled into... Who would've thought it would take a perfect stranger to teach me that or that, that same perfect stranger would become my long distance best friend.
Rewind
"Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life girlfiriend, when you're ready we will be there for you." the words wrang in my head as I watch Erica and Rory fly off at top vampire speed. On the outside my expression was annoyed with my eyes rolling, on the inside my heart sank. My eyes drifted for a split moment back towards Ethans house. I couldn't believe what had happened a silent tear fell from my eye. I always tried to play off the tough vampiress but the days events had left me weak, vulnerable. My head filled with all my thoughts. I wanted to stay... to watch over him but how would they ever accept me now? Yes I did it to save him but he admired me for my control.. right?... in an instant I made a decision I had to leave.. Whitechappal was behind me I took off into the air but flew in the opposite direction of my friends. I'm sorry you guys I just can't... my mind was filled with sadness I didn't know where I was going to go but I knew I had to silently I soared looking down at the world I was leaving behind. Where am I gonna go? I shook my head trying to clear it but it was no use I gritted my teeth my fangs knashing as I thought how much I HATE Jessie for what he did, he got what he deserved. The negative thoughts were haulted for a second as I thought of Benny he was a dork but he was also like my brother I laughed a little remembering all the times his 'magic skills' backfired such as the love potion which almost got him and Ethan torn to pieces. Ethan... My heart sank again... who would have known? I was soooo mad at him that day but who would have known that the feelings brought out by the potion would actually become reality... I loved him.. there was no denying it anymore I loved him and I had to leave him. My thoughts were interrupted again but not by a memory... instead by the very thing that haunts me now and forever... being full vampire means that the thirst is even more agressive. I hated myself for it but I needed it... shaking my head trying to shake it... come on Sarah... fight it... I could feel myself getting weaker and weaker I knew I had to land soon and eat... my eyes peered down below I had no idea how far I had gone but I spotted something I swooped down as quietly as I could landing on a soft spread of grass it crunches quietly under my feet as I sneak into the bushes on my knees. Then, I spot it; the small furry creature not even 3ft away from me. I can smell its blood. It doesn't smell very good but something inside me still wants to fight my nature. I listen carefully to the grass moving as the bunny moves slowly... my eyes glaze over turning a burning gold color reaching out I snatch the creature in my hands and then sink my fangs into it. Mmmmmmmm After I filled myself up I drop the creature slinking back into the bushes curling myself up nowhere to go... closing my eyes unable to sleep but not wanting to stay awake I just lay still trying so hard to push everything away.
The Next Morning
owwwww... what the... No.. no no no! I see the bright of the sun through my eyelids. I can't sleep but apparently I can stare off into space long enough to lose concentration I spring to my feet speeding off in a blur the discomfort builds I have to find sanctuary I see a building up ahead I slow my speed as I get under the hangover and open the door then my breath gets shallow.. in my hurry I had no idea where I was headed now I find myself standing in front of dozens maybe hundreds of people. I bite my lower lip just trying to make it past without smelling too much of their blood. I push past a small group, "umm.. excuse me... please... pardon me..." Finally I make it to another area at the corner of my eye I see something that looks like a little store I rush inside looking everywhere I can for sunglasses of any kind. Finally I find a small rack of them I rush to it so fast that I don't see the person in front of me. "ooofff!" "ohh I'm soo sorry I..." he gets up and smiles. "its ok, you seem in quite the hurry are you alright?" "I..." quickly I jump around him grab a pair of sunglasses and speed out thankfully if they had alarms I was faster than they were. Suddenly I stop in my tracks. What the... sooo good... I shake my head but just then I feel my arm grabbed I feel my fear and anger build as I swing around my eyes flash yellow and I hisssss I catch his eye for a moment before I hear something familiar. " descansar" (sleep) my limbs suddenly go limp and I droop to my knees and then all went black.
"She's definatly a vampi...ress... rec...ently cha...nged too cou...ldn't h...ave b...een mor...e t...han t...wo da...ys ag...o." My head is foggy I could hear talking but I couldn't make out everything.. slowly my eyes came into focus I saw the boy who I had bumped into and next to him was a man african American shaved head... shaved beard. "ughhh..." "well well... hello again glad your ok I had to give you a pretty big magic dose to get you asleep." "well duh... you obviously know what I am so you know we don't sleep." I rolled my eyes trying to get up but instead I collapsed my legs feeling like jelly. "whoa there fangy not so fast its gonna take a little more time for the effects to completely dissipate so why don't we just slow down. What's your name?" I looked at him for a moment he had dark brown hair, a mainly smooth face. He looked to be about my height. Then I smelled it again... the scent that stopped me in my tracks long enough for him to catch up with me. What... I try to push it out of my mind. I scowl at him. "It dosn't matter, I won't be here long anyway so just leave it alone." I see the other stranger look at me curiously; I try once again to stand but again I fall this time the boy catches me. "You really are stubborn aren't you? Trust me your not going to be able to stand for at least another ten minutes." "I can try." I argue trying to stand once again my eyes shut tight as I once again fall... "fine!" I cross my arms not happy with my situation one bit. "Ok then you don't have to talk to us but you should drink." He hands me a large metallic thermos I swipe it from his hands untwist the lid and sniff it. "Where did you get this?" He looks at me his eyes narrow and yet.. seeming kind. "Well if you want me to answer your question maybe you can answer mine first?" I look at him an annoyed expression on my face, "its Sarah." "ok Sarah, my name is Justin and this is David. He makes special things and with my help he made you a fulfilling blood substitute guaranteed to keep your thirst at bay." His voice seemed genuinely concerned, I couldn't help but smile just slightly. "Mkay and how about that little spell you put on me? Your a spellmaster?" His expression suddenly changed to a look of suprise "so you do know about us?" "Well yea my friend Benny..." my voice trails off and I look to the ground. "Ok... that's alright Sarah just drink up and get your strength back." I slowly start to drink the red liquid contained inside the thermos my expression finally turning softer. "Um... you might want to look in the grass near the area... I kinda hunted a rabbit last night." The expression on the boys face turns to a bit of a smile, "that's ok the odds of anyone noticing a rabbit are slim to none." I nod slowly; "so where am I?" "Oh, your at Clark College." "mmh ok, and where is that?" He gives me kind of a sideways look um.. Vancouver Washington... North side of the United States. My eyebrow furrows a bit "I flew that far!" "I guess so, where are you from?" my eyes dart down to the floor again, "whitechappel"... He looks at me closly; "never heard of it." "its a small town and... could you not stand so close... its... hard..." he suddenly takes three steps backwards "sorry about that, is the substitute helping any?" "A little but..." I didn't want to scare him by telling him what I was thinking. That blood smells delicious... ohh no... not again... I thought instantly of Ethan the day of the blood drive learning that his blood smelled sooo good for being a rare type. My thoughts are interrupted by the feeling of being lifted; "ok how are you feeling think you can walk?" "Umm... yea.. I think so." I try to move my legs of my own will I wobble a little but I retain my balance. "Is something wrong?" "well he's gotta go to class." he points at his friend. "And I need to get you somewhere other than a hallway behind the stage," he points to a pair of double doors that lead to a maple wood stage. "Ok" I slowly walk as he suports me keeping me up. We walk past the same hall that I passed when I first came into the building the tile floor clicking under my boots we head toward the double doors "wait!" I reach looking for the glasses I bought. "Don't bother, look." he points outside the sky filled with dark clouds they look like a thick grey blanket. "if its all the same, vampire, sun, eyes, bad combo" I proceed to put the glasses on my face. He pushes the automatic door opener and we step outside and he leads me to a round table sitting me down on the chair, I plug my nose as much as I can trying to make sure he doesn't notice. He sits across from me looking at me. "Ok you answered my questions so let me answer yours. I found out about my power three years ago, in that time I've found strange things around here things I never noticed before."Yea I think it opens your eyes a little bit being... different..." I bite my lower lip a little nervously. "are you ok? I was hoping taking you out here would help, the crowd is a lot smaller." "Um yea but you know... vampire senses." I lie. "I guess that makes sense. Just then he reaches into his pocket and picks up a phone. "well I gotta head to the bus.. what about you? What will you do?" I shrug "I don't know, I'll probably just wait here until the evening hunt some more rabbits rest in the bushes and hope I don't eat anybody." He looks at me a little awkwardly causing me to look to the ground then he takes a piece of paper from his bag and wriites something down slipping it to me. "No one should have to be stuck with nowhere to go Sarah vampire or not. We have an extra bedroom I'll tell my parents that I have a friend that needs somewhere to stay if your interested find a phone and call me ok?" I nod slowly as he stands to leave. Why is he being so nice? Dosn't he know I could eat him?...
Midnight
I start my night like I did before, hunting a small rabbit and laying in a nearby bush but, my mind can't stop wondering why Jake was so nice maybe I wasn't being fair. I mean, he seemed to be genuinely concerned about me... I picked the paper that he had given me out of my jacket pocket... At the very least I might be able to borrow some clean clothes. I bit my lower lip mulling over the thought then I turned toward the door of the school zipped toward it and pulled. Locked. I took a deep breath then stopped myself. I didn't want to leave a gaping hole in the door or simply rip it off its hinges. I look around in a bunch of nearby bushes for anything that might help me. After about what I guessed to have been about 20 minutes I find an abnormally thin rock or maybe some kind of wood it was hard to tell. The thickness appeared to be the same of that as a card and that gave me an idea. I approached the door again slippin the rock between the gap of the door and the doorway. Taking a deep breath I slam the rock down as hard as I can the lock brakes and the the door comes lose. slowly I open it and walk inside. Being the middle of the night I am able to take my time drawing in my surroundings. The first hall was kind of short though I was impressed by the cement base of the staircase leading to the second floor. I spotted a phone in the corner by a nearby window picked it off the reciever and diled the number. ring...ring...ring...rin... "H..ello?" I could tell by the pause in his voice that I had woke him up I felt a little bad about that. "Umm.. Justine.. its Sarah..." "O...oh Sarah hi, how are you?" "I'm ok... its not the most exciting place to be but... ya know at least its safe... Ummm... Listen, I thought about your offer and, if its still open... would you mind if I came over tomorrow? I don't want to wake anyone else by coming tonight so I'll just stick with the thistly bushes." "Of course Sarah I meant what I said vampire or not, no one deserves not to have a place to stay but... have you given any thought to going back to your home?" I took a long breath, silence filled the room as I looked down towards the floor. "I... I just can't right now..." I finally managed to get the words from the back of my throat. "Well.. alright, come over tomorrow and we'll get you situated and maybe we can talk more?" Another long pause as empty air came over the phone. "S...sure" I finally said. "Alright then, I'll see you tomorrow good night Sarah." I hung the phone back in place stepping back slowly then headed back into the night. It was a rather dark night the sky was covered by a thick layer of clouds not a single star could be seen. Out the corner of my eye I spot a squirrel and decided to use it as a midnight snack.
The Next Morning
I smelled the due on the grass telling me it was time to get moving before the sun got too high. I sped past the school going down the street repeating the address in my head so that I wouldn't forget. The streets were oddly empty which made me curious for a moment but I decided to just keep moving as the sun was getting more and more intense even with my sunglasses on. I count the houses one by one and finally find the one I'm looking for I get up to the front step and knock. Its silent. I knock again then hear the tumblers of the lock, the door opens and I see Justin. "Hey there." "Hey..." I push past him he turns toward me confused. "What's wrong?" "How did you?..." I cut him off laughing a little. "You invited me in last night." He smiles. "I didn't know it worked like that." I gave him a sideways glance "Yep, a vampire only needs to be invited in." Just then my mind goes back to the oddly empty streets. "Hey Justin..." "Yea?" "Is there some kind of street fair or... block party goin on somewhere?" He looks at me confused. "Umm... no.. why?" I bit my lower lip. "Because on my way here the streets were completely empty... like, no cars, no bikes, no people just walking... nothing..." He looks at me and then towards the door. "What?..." he turns the knob and looks outside I step out with him trying not to look at the sun or think about how uncomfortable it is. "Hello!...?" Nothing... he runs down the street a ways and I tail right behind him. Just as I saw on my way there, no cars, no people, no bikes, nothing... "That's so not good..."... I look at him "ya think?"
"ok I'm gonna go check on something. He turns to go back inside the house, "hey wait.. I flash in front of him "you're not going anywhere without me." He tries to step in front of me and I push him back. "Hey, didn't you hear me?" "Ok, yesterday you hissed at me for asking your name." "yea well, that was yesterday, people around town have disappeared you don't think we might have a better chance figuring out what's going on if we work together instead of battling each other?" He sighs, "ok you have a point, and at least your warming up a bit, follow me." I follow him back into the house and down the hall entering a room with drawers of every color of the rainbow, a large queen sized bed and some pictures on the walls. "Your room I'm guessing?" "Yea... hang on." I watch him walk over to a big white cupboard he opens the door and reveals tons of books of different shapes and sizes. He slides his finger along the spines of each book then pushes them aside revealing a large brown book with gold rings along its bindings. He picks it up the cover shows a large circle in the center is a cyclone shape, stepping closer I see that the cover is made of some kind of stone which raises up from the cover. My eyebrow raises. That's way more impressive than Benny's grandmas book... I admit silently. "So what are you looking for?" He looks up at me from the page he was reading. "Well... even though I have had a few years to get used to my power... I still tend to accidentally make a mistake." I raise an eyebrow, "but... the only spell you used was the one to put me to sleep... which I am still glaring at you for by the way." He shoots me a dirty look "Hey, you were the one who tried to bite my arm off... "Because you were the one who grabbed my arm!" I snap back. "You NEVER grab a vampiress's arm!" "Well excuse me Miss Fangy..." "I told you my name is Sarah, now that you know I would appreciate if you would use it!" Suddenly his hands shoot up into the air with such speed I could have sworn he was a vampire himself. "Wait, ok, this isn't going to get us anywhere is it?..." My eyes turn back to their normal brown tone before I fully lash out at him. "No your right... so.. what do we do?" I hear him push the air out of his lungs with a huff... "well..." he shuts the book releasing a cloud of dust causing us both to cough hard. "Sorry... well... there's nothing in here that I said or accidentally said so... it wasn't me that eliminates one possibility." "Ok... well no offence but I kinda wish it was you making a mistake." He lets out a small but nervous laugh "looks like for once since we've met we're agreeing at the same time." I am forced to smile at the comment laughing a little. "Ok... so what's our next move?" He paces a short ways around the room. "Well... first we should probably see just how bad the problem is, so... lets go to a place that is usually packed with people. If its empty too then we know that we have a big problem... Well, even bigger than we thought."
"Ok, tell me where the mall is and I'll zip us there it will be faster than walking or even driving and something tells me we want to be as fast as possible." ok let me pull it up on the computer how's your memory?" I shoot him a look and he nods pulling up the map to the mall on his computer. I look it over for a few minutes trying to remember the roads I took to get to his house I remember seeing the mall close by one of the turns. "Ok got it. Lets go." I smile and head for the door with him right behind me. Opening the door I grab his shoulder, "ok you are gonna want to brace yourself and probably take a deep breath because this can be kind of a shock." "Hold my breath, got it." "Uhh no, not hold your breath dummy I'm the only undead one here ok?" I give him a smirk but my eyes are serious. "Yes Ma'am undead Ma'am." He raises his hand to his forehead giving me a fake saulute I roll my eyes grabbing his shoulder squeezing a little bit causing him to buckle to his knees. "Okk... uuwwhhaa... I got it, don't mess with the vampiress... message received... ouuwe... I flash my fangs for a moment then let him go. He gets back to his feet and I smirk at him. "Can we go now?" Rolling my eyes again I place my hand on his shoulder and start to flash us down the street. Flashing with someone else was a little harder than doing it alone I had to make sure I kept a grip on his shoulder as we got closer to the mall I noticed that the streets weren't as empty as the ones near his house giving me a bad feeling in my gut. Great supposed to be trying to clear my head and there's something here too... I stop at the curb next to the mall entrance but lose my grip on his shoulder causing him to fly inside hitting his head on the floor. I run in grabbing his shoulder again. "I'm sooo sorry... I've never actually tried to flash with two before... He rubs his head giving me a slight smile his voice hoarse but full of the same attitude he usually has. "oeeghh... that's ok... I guess its payback for me heckling you this whole time." I give a little chuckle helping him to his feet and then look around. The mall is smaller than I thought it would be with a food court surrounded by various stores on the bottom floor and a few more stores on the top floor but the one thing that we notice first is that the place is packed full of people. "Ok... this is strange... although I did see a few cars as we got closer and come to think of it... it was really only your street and the one before it that was empty." "Ok then, if its that localized then that must mean..." He trails off walking toward the wall I come up behind him and my mouth drops open. The wall is covered with missing persons posters. "Ok... um... you remember that this is not good I said when we noticed no one on my street?" I nod in his direction. "Well, that just went up to a... this is really, really, really, really NOT good!" Looking at him I shoot him an "Ohh you think" look. "Ok point taken I point out the obvious a lot." I slap his arm using about one eighth of my strength causing his eyes to shut tight. "Bigger issue here!" I see him grit his teeth a little in pain, I start to kind of regret it again. "Ok well what do you suggest Sarah.. we have no clues except for the fact that the the problem appears to be localized to my side of town." I see him put up his hands as if to block me I grab them pulling them down, "Well then let's go back there and look around." "Ok but... can we take the bus this time please?" I give him a smug smile, "Oh come on, it wasn't that bad." His facial expression instantly turns from worried to exasperated. "Are you kidding me? You tossed me through the door onto my head!" "Hey, I told you I'm not used to this yet taking someone else along while I zip thing!" "Fine, your right, its the most logical thing to do, if we ride the bus then it will be a lot harder to stop and look around." Nodding my head I grab his shoulder again and before he has a chance to say anything more, I zip us out of the building and down the road.
We stop next to the house that has the address on one of the posters we saw walking up the porch I knock on the door and wait he waits behind me. No answer I reach for the doorknob and notice something that makes me nervous. I point to the edge of the door seeing what looks like claw marks. I twist the knob slowly and open the door. "Hello?" no answer. "Anybody home?" he shouts, still no answer. The house seemed oddly dark no lights were on only the little bit of natural light shined through. It was a pretty nice house the size was good for a small three person family with a living room with two couches one on each side of the room and around the corner a staircase leading to the second floor. I can feel something gripping my insides as we walk further inside the house and when he shuts the door I finally figgure it out. "oh no..." He looks over his shoulder at me. "What's wrong?" I bite my lip... "do you smell that?" He walks towards me slowly, "well I don't have the same vampire senses you do but I'm guessing... you smell blood.. and its not mine..." I nod as I turn to the staircase, "its coming from up there..." "You think you can handle it?" I continue to bite my lower lip but nod my head. "Yea... I think so..." He walks toward me grabbing my hand, "come on, one step at a time." We start climbing the stairs the smell gets more and more intense I grip the railing and his hand tighter. We get to the top of the stairs leading to a hallway with three doors I sniff and point to the one furthest to the right and we open the door. It looks like a teenagers room with posters of various actors and actresses on the walls a tv in the corner and a few pieces of furniture scattered around the room. We step toward the bed and lift the bedspread finding a shoe and next to it a small stain of blood. But, its so small... "Well I guess now we know where the smell is coming from." "Yea but, Justin look how small it is, how could that smell so... strong?" He raises an eyebrow, "rare blood type?" I sigh deeply, "check the window right there." I point right above the bed he climbs up and looks at the windowsill turning around he holds a small white object in his hand about the size of a large paperclip. "Well... the locks broken." I step closer looking at the window lock. "Um Justine, all this seems way too familiar to me... have you ever seen or heard rumors of attacks that seemed like they might be... vampire related?" He shakes his head. "No but... maybe we should do some research." Nodding my head I step down off the bed we head down the stairs where I zip us out and back to his house.