(A/n: Ms. Rain here with the fourth chapter. Please enjoy)
Chapter 4: Learning of Craig's Past
The sound of the first period bell rings, ending that class.
In Christophe's classroom everyone is silent, the reason being the video he showed them not too long ago. The tall brunette teaches Vampire History, it's like U.S history except they were taught about the vampires in the past. Tweek, Stan, Gary, and Pip learned more about the founders of this building and...how they died.
He showed them a video of the Edgewood family, almost everyone in the classroom wondered how he got access to it. The vampire students knew he didn't get it from the Principal, they weren't really on good terms so the question didn't get asked. The video was displayed in clear colors in front of the classroom on the whiteboard from the projector.
In the video, the couple was shown first. William was a tall man with black hair and his visible left eye was brown, an eyepatch covered his right eye. Elena was a redhead with light blue eyes. One wouldn't think that this couple were vampires, though the man would be on the suspicious side thanks to his eyepatch. Both were standing in front of their home: the academy. The sky was dark with a full moon littering with stars and clouds.
"William was stabbed in zhe eye by zhe woman beside 'im, and believe it or not Elena wasn't a vampire until after she met 'im," Christophe informed his class as he paused the video. "Zhe bastard deserved it for sneaking into 'er 'ouse one night, zhough it is a shock zhat a mere 'uman did zhat to 'im, and a female no less."
The whole story was that William had his eyes on Elena for quite awhile, like most men in the area, the vampires thinking that her blood was rich and sweet. Like the smell of her hair and the perfume she wore. Desperate to get a taste based off of the assumption, William followed the woman to her home and waited until she was in a deep sleep to make his move. Little did he know, Elena was prepared for him, standing in front of her bed with a kitchen knife in her shaking hands. William didn't expect this of course, but he knew he had nothing to fear. After all he was a vampire and she was a human. But once again, the unexpected happened and the next thing he knew, one of his eyes was slashed.
Christophe resumed the video, and in the next scene showed the couple holding their first child. The little boy had apricot colored hair and hazel eyes. They named him Leon Edgewood, then Christophe skipped to when they had their second child, another boy six years later. He had black hair and amber eyes, his features immediately caught the human teens' eyes.
"Hey umm, isn't that Craig?" Stan asked with his hand raised.
"Yeah that's him all right," Kenny answered.
Christophe paused the video again. "You little sheet, I'm zhe teacher not you comprendre? Anyway fuzher in zhis video you all will see why Tucker is zhe way 'e is, and you will also see why 'e be'aves zhe way he does today if we 'ave enough time to finish it."
The video started again, and he skipped it to their third child one year later, this time it's a little girl with red hair and blue eyes. Her name was Rosa Edgewood. Their fourth child was another girl with black hair and maroon colored eyes, and their last child was a boy with dark red hair and dark green eyes.
"Wow they sure were umm...excited a lot back then weren't they?" Pip commented, truly astonished at the couple's sex drive. The only break they had was one and six years, then they went right back at it. Wow indeed.
Some students chuckled and murmured to one another in agreement at his remark while Christophe just snorted. As the video reached it's conclusion, they now saw the family in their living room. Leon was now 12 years old, Rosa was 5 years old, and the other young ones, Edward and Yuna were both 3 years old. One child wasn't with them though, and the atmosphere around the six was gloomy and eerie. William and Elena were sat in the arm chairs in front of their children whom were sat on the couch, a lit fire place was to the kid's right providing little to no light in the dark room.
"Okay before I continue," Christophe warned as he paused the video again. "I'm letting you all know now zhat zhis will not be for zhe faint 'earted, zhis part 'ere is where William and Elena die."
Pip gasped as the other students mumbled to one another. "Are they gonna get robbed or something by another vampire?" Tweek asked, nervous.
"Non," Christophe shook his head. " 'ave all of you noticed zhat one person is missing in zhis scene?" The students stopped talking, and looked to the screen trying to figure whom the missing individual was.
"One of the kids is missing," Gary pointed out.
"Oui zhat's right, and it's Tucker."
The video continued on, but not one word was uttered from the family. William and Elena's faces appeared grim whereas the children looked anxious and confused. Rosa glanced around, noticing that their second eldest brother wasn't with them, and asked her parents about his whereabouts. Her question further deepened their frown.
"T-that's what we've called all of you in here for Rosa, t-to talk about Craig," their mother said, her voice both sad and hesitant.
It was silent again, a very tense one as the children waited on one of their parents to fill them in on their sibling, recalling of the second oldest's cold behavior towards them lately.
Once Craig had turned 5 years old, his attitude changed. He did not speak to his family anymore nor did he acknowledge them. It was as if he had lost interest in his own family or he hated them. He was always in his room, he rarely came out of it to eat dinner with the rest, and when he did, he ate in silence.
One day, however, was when Craig spoke...but his tone was just as cold as his attitude. His voice held only one emotion: anger. It was Christmas Eve, next month would be Craig's birthday and he would be 6 years old, the family decided to spend the afternoon outside. Craig of course didn't want to go, but he was later forced into going with them.
As they walked through the town, Elena holding Edward and William holding Yuna in their arms, they looked at all of the Christmas decorations hanging around in the area, all except one. Craig wasn't behaving like your average 5 year old where one would be excited about the ornaments and beautiful lights on this day, it was as if he could care less about such things.
"Craig what the heck's up with you?" Leon decided to ask, tired of his little brother acting like this.
The young noirette didn't answer as he continued looking at the snow covered ground, at this point the group of seven stopped walking. "Craig sweety please, please tell us why you're behaving like this? Was it something we did?" Elena asked. He said noting yet again as he stared at the snow.
William used his free hand to try to get his attention by touching his shoulder, but he was immediately shrugged off. "Craig what-"
"No! Don't touch me!" His sudden outburst caused his family to eye him in shock. Edward began to tear up in Elena's arms and he cried shortly after. Soon, Yuna started crying as well.
William and Elena tried to calm them down but to barely any avail, Leon and Rosa looked to Craig with a scowl. "Craig what the hell man?! That was uncalled for," Rosa scolded.
Said noirette glared back with empty eyes. "Shut up, just shut up! What's so good about being a freaking vampire?! There isn't anything good about being a bloodsucker!" He shouted through his younger siblings crying, clearly angry. He gritted his teeth as he glowered at the ground. "Everyday at school I get made fun of cuz I'm not human, I'm always feared too. It's not my fault I was born this way, I wish I was born a human! I-it's not...fair."
Tears stung at the corner of his eyes, but he quickly wiped them away before they fell. Leon and Rosa stared at him a dumbfounded manner, unable to think of anything to say. Edward and Yuna had somehow stopped crying during Craig's angry confession. The boy gazed up with a scowl of hatred before walking away.
It was the first Christmas they had that was not so jolly.
"I'm sure it has something to do with his asshole attitude doesn't it?" Leon asked, breaking the silence. Even the fire place was silent, not a crackle sound was heard from it.
Both parents nodded their head. "Yes that's right and well..." Elena paused for a second as she bit her bottom lip, squeezing her hands together in her lap. "W-we've thought about this long and hard, and we want...to put Craig up for...adoption," she finished as her voice went into a weak whisper.
All was silent again as their children stared at the both of them in disbelief.
"Adoption?! What the hell for?!" Leon hollered. "Just because he doesn't talk to us doesn't mean we should send him away!"
"That may be true, but he clearly stated that he does not wish to be a vampire did he not?" William brought up, gazing at the fire place beside him. "We're only granting that wish for him, hopefully he'll have a normal life where he won't have to worry about fitting in with the humans anymore."
Elena nodded in agreement with a weak smile. "Yes, he also won't have to worry about drinking blood anymore from neither human or animal." Their children gave her a look of confusion. Didn't vampires go crazy or die if they didn't drink blood? That's what they always thought, especially from watching them on t.v shows and movies.
"I know what you guys are thinking," William said with an amused smile. "But don't let those television shows and movies you all watch get to your head. They aren't real vampires now are they?"
Leon and Rosa frowned in embarrassment. "That's true," they mumbled. Edward and Yuna remained quiet.
"If a vampire doesn't drink blood then they slowly lose their vampirism, meaning they lose all attributes of a vampire," their father continued.
"Right and him being adopted into a human family will help with that," Elena agreed, greatly hoping that their actions would truly help their son. The children didn't object after that, because the logic seemed...logical so there wasn't a reason to argue about it, though they would miss their brother. He's still family.
"So you guys are gonna abandon me now?"
All eyes directed themselves to a blank faced Craig behind the couch, William's eye narrowing as Elena's eyes widened at his emotionless accusation. "N-no Craig it's not like that, we just-"
"No it's exactly like that," William disagreed, cutting his wife off. "Listen Craig, we remember as clear as day what you told us last year on Christmas Eve, so we're going to make it come true for you. You know you've waited for such an opportunity haven't you?"
Craig said nothing for a moment, his hair shadowing his eyes. His lips formed into a smirk, the amber glow from the fire place making it appear mischievous. "Seems like you know me oh so well don't you?" He asked sarcastically, lifting up his head. His smirk was still intact and his eyes were glowing eerily in the matching glow. In one swift motion, he was gone and appeared in between the spot of his parents' arm chairs. Both of them sat there in shock at the quick and unexpected movement. No vampire was supposed to be that fast at such a young age.
"Ya see there's actually a reason why I stayed in my room all the time, well aside from ignoring you all," Craig said, hinting that he hadn't been spending all of his time alone for nothing.
William gritted his teeth, he really didn't want to hurt him. Before either of his family members knew it, a blade was held in front of the man's throat. "You still wouldn't hurt me even if I held a knife to you 'father'?" He inquired as if he had read his mind. "Do you really think that's such a good idea?"
The silver blade was like a poison to vampires, one touch was deadly enough so how was Craig able to hold it so leisurely?
"Craig stop it right now! Put the knife away and we can talk this over calmly okay?" Elena tried to reason, but that earned her a glare from the boy, inching the knife closer to his father's neck.
"Talk? You want to talk now after you've already decided to shoo me away? Like hell I'll listen to any of you, you aren't even my family anymore!" He hollered.
Before he stabbed his father in a fit of anger, the man held hostage quickly grasped the blade, feeling the metal instantly burning his hand. "Craig stop this, "he demanded through clenched teeth. "Resorting to violence is not the answer."
"That's right honey, please stop!" Elena cried.
Craig clenched his teeth as he wretched the knife out from his father's grip, blood splattering to the floor from his wound and the blade. "When? When the hell did you get so weak? You were never this pathetic so why now?!" He shouted angrily. Before he came to hate being a vampire, he always looked up to his father and wanted be just like him. Both strong and independent. His father rarely relied on his mother to do anything...wait...his mother...
He trailed his dull amber eyes to Elena, causing her to stiffen at the cold look he was giving her. "It's your fault," he accused in a low voice. "It's all your fault he's so weak now 'mother' so maybe if I kill you he'll revert back to his normal self." All eyes grew at his threat and both Leon and William tried to stop him from harming the woman...but it was too late.
Craig was too quick to be stopped from doing his task, stabbing his mother straight in the heart with no remorse. Her orbs expanded in complete shock and disbelief, but even though the feelings still lingered her eyelids slid halfway closed as a small smile curled onto her lips; blood trickling down to her chin from both sides of her mouth.
"ELENA!"
"MOM!"
Craig pulled the blade from out of her chest, blood quickly pooling the floor beneath her. A sick grin formed onto his lips as he studied his dying mother, his impish look did not falter her weak smile. William caught her before she dropped to the floor, tears stinging the corner of his eye as he sadly held his wife in his arms. "Elena please just hang on, I'll have one of the kids call an ambulance-"
"N-no I'll be d-dead before they can get here, b-but I have something I want to say to o-our son with the reaming life I have left in me," Elena said weakly.
Craig glared at her. "What makes you think I'll listen to whatever you have to say to me?" His bitter words further angered William, and he turned to him with a look of pure rage.
"W-William please...don't." Her plea was weak, very weak. She did not have much time left in this world so he reluctantly obliged.
Elena directed her cloudy light blue eyes back to her son, her small smile persistent on her pale face. "I-if that were the case, y-you would've been left wouldn't have you?" Craig stiffened at that, but did not deny it. "Craig I hope you do know that we still love you. It pains me, more than the physical pain I'm feeling right now to see you resort to doing something like this...but I'm not disappointed at you. If you feel that I'm the cause of your father's weakness, then...I'll happily die for his sake."
"Mom what the hell are you saying?!" Rosa asked incredulously with tears falling from her eyes. She trudged over to her parents with the rest of her siblings following suit. "H-how could you be giving up so easily?!"
Elena closed her eyes as she shook her head. "I'm not giving up, I'm accepting my fate. If I am to die for my husband, and by my son's hands then I will accept it. I-I guess you can say this was unavoidable." Tears started leaking out from under her closed eyelids. "I will miss all of you...but my time is nearing it's end...I can't hold out for much longer."
She opened her eyes, looking to Craig whose hair was blocking his eyes as he tightly gripped the knife in his left hand. "I would like for all of you to promise me something, can all of you do that for me?" She observed her family, all having tears flowing down their cheeks, sorrowful to see her leaving them. She weakly lifted up her hand to wipe the tear away from her husband's eye, only for more to fall quickly after.
"I want you all to live happy lives for my sake, I want neither of you to hold no grudge against Craig. That is the promise...I want...you all to...make." Her eyes slid closed as her head lay limp in William's arms, the small smile still alive on her face.
"ELENAAAAAA!"
"BRIIIING"
The sound of the second period bell rings during William's cry of sadness.
Christophe turns off the projector then flips on the lights, the students remaining quiet and still in their seats. "Looks like I don't 'ave to tell you all to stay for a second it seems," the Frenchman says, walking to his desk. "What I showed you all never leaves zhis classroom comprendre? Also William died later by Tucker's 'and zhat night, and it wasn't a pretty sight."
"Jesus!" Tweek gasps. "Was this some secret video you showed us?!"
"Oui, somezhing like zhat," Christophe shrugs, sitting down in his chair and opening a drawer to his desk. "Now remember, tell no one, especially Tucker." He pulls out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, placing a cig in between his lips then lighting it.
Gary opens his mouth to say something about him smoking, but the teen beside him shakes his head. "Don't, nothing pisses him off more than someone telling him he can't smoke. Even if you're new here, he'll still most likely snap at you." Gary nods his thanks for the warning then asks for his name, the teen mumbles that his name is Pete before grabbing the items he has: a black binder and pencil.
"Hold on," Stan says. "Do you also know why Craig's last name is Tucker and not Edgewood?" He knows that the teen didn't get adopted into a human family for he still has his vampire traits, and that confuses him.
Christophe inhales the cancerous smoke for a couple of seconds before exhaling it out through his nose. "Oui I know zhat too, but I won't tell you all much except zhat 'e was adopted into anozher vampire family. And non I 'ave no video on zhat." Stan's bewilderment increases in the form of a frown, the students from in the hallway start walking into the classroom.
Everyone packs up their materials for their next class, then head out of the door. Stan instantly spots Craig and his two boyfriends entering the room.
The two noirettes briefly make eye contact before going about their separate ways.
(A/n: The next chapter will be focused on Damien's classroom. I hope you enjoyed, and as always the next chapter will be up soon)
