Ew. Is that mud on me? Ew. I stood, shaking a little in the knees, allowing the loose mud to fall off the tatters of my dress. I winced as I realised it was my best dress. What on earth happened to me?
Brushing the mud off my bodice, my fingers caught on the necklace around my neck. A tiny crack had formed in the delicate lapis lazuli crystal in the centre of the silver around the edge. Flicking my loosely curled hair over my shoulder, I pulled up my green skirt and looked around me. Where was I? It looked like a small cave, but nothing like Emily's cave that she practiced her magic in. It looked newer, cleaner somehow, despite the mud that now coated my bare toes. The arch that clearly acted as a doorway was over to my right and a dim light was flickering through it, getting gradually brighter. What on earth was that? Squinting through the perfect darkness, I found myself weirdly drawn to it. Suddenly a man appeared through the archway, holding what seemed to be a torch but it had no visible flame and did not flicker.
"I thought I heard something down here! Are you okay?" Leaning to take my arm, he smiled at me from behind thick sunglasses.
"I don't know quite where I am, would you mind telling me?" I pulled away slightly, feigning a friendly smile, my teeth burning in my mouth, almost itching. How long had it been?
"You're in Mystic Falls, have you taken anything? Drugs or did you drink a lot or something?" I smiled, finally allowing my teeth to grow.
"Not yet," the screams must've been heard for miles, but I'd lost the ability to kill perfectly and instantly. That annoyed me. But the blood flowing down my throat made up for it. The euphoria was intense. He was a scrawny man, but he gave me enough to feel strong again. As I stepped over him to leave, I took his glasses to remember him by.
I strutted along the tunnels the man had come through, thinking about the last moments I remembered. They'd come back for me. He was trying to save me and his idiot brother got in the way and his dad had- no. I couldn't let myself think about it. They must've come back though, but what if they hadn't made it to whenever now was? No, that was too horrific a thought.
Finally daylight lit up the floor ahead of me and I could hear birds chirping away like it was a normal day, and as I left the mouth of the cave, it appeared to be a normal day in the forest. But it wasn't. The man's clothes, the torch and the fact that I'd awoken confused me. But that just made me angrier at everything. And I needed to find him. So I threw myself into the world I knew nothing of.
The forest wasn't as big as I'd remembered; it seemed to become a town much sooner than I'd thought. But oh my gosh the town had changed. The roads were filled with moving objects that resemble carriages but without the horses to pull them. And there were people everywhere, filing into every building I could see. The largest building stood opposite me, across the road, and had the words "Mystic Grill" plastered across the top. Then I saw him. He entered the grill with a girl with hair similar to mine. Ha. Ironic that he'd gone for a girl like me. I raced to catch up with him, but was thrown backwards. I landed on the path behind me, in a mess of satin and newly exposed teeth,
"What the-"
"Katherine Pierce?" I spun, instantly ready to spring and attack.
"Who's asking?" A woman dressed fully in black stepped out from behind a large car. She looked me up and down and then nodded almost to herself.
"Yes, you're she. You're awake because I want your help finding an old friend. I know you want to go after him, but you'll only scare him off. Find your way in the world and learn everything you can, then go, or you'll only lose him again," I just stared like an imbecile. I finally regained my control and sneered at the woman, whose red hair was falling across her face as the wind blew it.
"You really think I'll take advice from someone who just shows up, asking for my help? I don't help anyone but myself, and if you'd really done your homework, you'd know that. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a Salvatore to seduce," I turned away from her, intending a dramatic exit, but found I couldn't move.
"My name is Carrie. I'm the witch who woke you up. You're going to help me or you're going to go back into the state that you were in before. Am I clear?" I sighed, nodding as I realised I was beaten, for now at least. I felt my feet free up, and began to follow her through the streets I once called home and away from the person I once called mine.
"This is where you'll stay from now on. I bought you some clothes; I had to guess your size but I think they'll fit. Also, please have a shower, you smell disgusting. Then we can talk about this friend," I stared down at the bed in front of me, laden with clothes.
"Women wear this?" I asked uncertainly, holding up a black, leather skirt that looked like it left very little to the imagination.
"Yeah they do. So you do too. And sort the hair out; woman don't wear bonnets anymore," as she left, I heard the key turn in the door. I listened until I heard her get in a car and I waited until the sound of the engine died out before I stripped.
The shower was freezing until I realised how to make it hotter. The water became a dirty brown colour as it flowed away from my body.
A while later, I was sat on the carpet against the bed, wrapped in a towel and surrounded by piles of discarded clothes. None of it worked for me. Stood in front of the mirror, I tried a pair of black jeans and a low-hung red shirt but decided against it as I felt they didn't match. Next I tried a flowing purple dress, but thought it was too girly. Finally, I put on the skirt with a black shirt and a red leather jacket. I combined the ensemble with knee-high black boots and I left my hair loose over my shoulders.
Noticing a small, blue pouch next to the mirror, I decided to investigate it. It contained lots of tiny pots of make-up. I applied eyeliner in a feline flick and a gold eye-shadow, finishing off with thick mascara. Finally, I smeared deep red lipstick over my lips, smacking my lips and pouting at the mirror.
"You look gorgeous, now are you done?" Instantly annoyed at being watched, I turned around, glaring.
"Actually, yes. Who did you want me to find? Because I'd quite like to go and talk to my favourite Salvatore, so if you could hurry up and tell me, that'd be great thanks," smirking sarcastically, I folded my arms and leaned onto the table behind me.
"His name's Klaus and-"
"Is this a joke? You expect me to help you find him? No, thank you, I'd much rather not do that, so I'm just gonna go…" I felt my hands begin to shake against the wood I'd began to grip tightly, and forced myself to control them. I wasn't scared anymore.
"You're not going anywhere. You will help me," and excruciating pain began in my temple and flowed through my skull into my brain. I fell, clutching at my head. "You will do exactly as I say, Ms Pierce, because I can make your so-called 'life' a hell on earth. Are we clear?" As the pain stopped, a fiery rage started to burn inside me, but this time I decided I would contain it until the time was right. Acting on impulse would only make the situation worse.
"Of course. Where do we begin searching?" Standing up and adjusting my now crumpled shirt, I smiled sweetly at her.
"We start with a friend of mine. I believe you know him. Follow," although I was intrigued, I was also angry, and anger always overcame curiosity for me.
As soon as her back was turned, I sprung, biting deep and covering her mouth instantly, to prevent any pesky spells escaping her lips. Once the blood ceased to flow and her panicking stopped, I dropped her with a heavy thwack on the carpet. Blood was seeping into every pore of the beautifully pure carpet around her, but I wasn't hungry this time, so I left her. She deserved it. Just before I left, I realised I could use the clothes and the make-up, so I filled a bag from under the bed. I then checked her pockets and found a wallet stuffed with cash and keys with the word 'Ford' on the key ring in a swirly font. I grabbed them and ran through the door, the darkness welcoming me.