Chapter Eleven: Mission

I managed to keep my composure as I maneuver my way around campus and back to my dorm. I stare blankly ahead and the commotion from the quad is white noise in my ears. I know I should probably be helping the rest of the students with the cleanup but I'm really not in the mood right now. Before I know it, I find myself in my bed with my eyes locked on the white ceiling. She doesn't want this. She doesn't want me. I've been rejected. The same thoughts roll through my mind over and over for the rest of the night. Eventually my eyes close and I fall into a dreamless sleep.

I wake up the next morning in a daze. I think over Mia's words and nod to myself. I'll give her the time she asks, but I can't just sit here moping around. I may have been distracted for a while but I need to help my friends. I throw myself out of bed and prepare for the day. Once finished, I exit my room, seeing Perry and LaFontaine head into Laura's room. I follow in behind them.

"…some crazy cooking club park. My hair still smells like burning portobellos." Perry says.

Laura looks at her. "Hey, Perry, I don't think that those were…" she trails off, clearly confused on how Perry can still be denying how weird the school is.

"Don't bother." LaFontaine tells her. "She's trying to convince herself Day of the Triffids out there has something to do with the caf greenhouse getting out of control."

"Well, that is not beyond the realm of…" she sighs. "Giant mushrooms?"

"Did you see Danny out there? I mean, good thing she's on our side 'cause that was violent."

Laura winces. "Yeah. I don't think she's taking our…thing from yesterday very well."

"Yeah, I'd steer clear of her for a little while. Especially if she's armed. Speaking of armed," They turn to me. "I saw you doing some serious damage with a sword. What all did your parent's teach you in the wilderness?"

I go to answer but Carmilla speaks up. "Um, not to be inhospitable, but why the hell are you three here?"

LaFontaine straightens up. "The test results came back for the fluid we found in Sarah Jane and Natalie's rooms."

"And?" Laura asks curiously.

"But maybe some kind of, um, cyclical, natural thing." Perry says. "Like a-a jellyfish…"

"So it was cerebral spinal fluid." They reveal.

Laura pauses, taking in the new information. "Is that what I think it is?"

"It's the fluid in your brain sack."

"So I stuck my hand in a puddle of Betty's brain fluid. Ughhh." Laura shivers.

"Oh, it gets better than that."

"Ugh."

"And what exactly is your idea of better?" Carmilla asks.

"I looked at it through our electron microscope and," They walk up to the computer and quickly brings up a file. "I found these."

Laura's eyes widen. "Holy crapsticks. What are those?"

"I think it's some kind of parasite." We all turn to look at Carmilla, who shrugs.

"Don't look at me. I don't know anything about parasites. Uh, I'm a vampire. Not a guinea worm. Why don't you ask the fairy?" She gestures towards me.

The redheads turn towards me. "Fairy?"

"I'm a water sprite." I tell them.

"So you didn't grow up in the wilderness?"

"No, I did. I just didn't live in a cabin and humans aren't able to detect my true home."

"Everything about you makes so much sense now."

"Okay," Laura interrupts us. "back on topic, but this could be what makes Betty and the other girls started," she waves her hands. "acting so crazy! I mean, parasites do that, right? Like the thing in the amazon that makes ants climb up trees before it kills them."

"Exactly. Or that protozoa that makes you like cats." LaFontaine looks at Carmilla. "Is there something you make them drink or something injected or inhaled?"

"No! Whatever's happening to them happens after my mother takes them."

"Think carefully. There has to be something."

"Yeah, sure." Carmilla stands from her bed and walks past us. "Okay, let's just dissect my deeply painful past in excruciating details." She storms out of the room.

LaFontaine turns to Laura. "I don't wanna make her uncomfortable but…first hand witness, hello?"

"I know, it's just…" Laura sighs. "She kinda lost someone a while ago and I think talking about it makes her sad or guilty or…and those are things that a human might feel so she's probably gonna go scour herself, lie, or eat somebody. You don't think she'd eat somebody?"

"Uh, yeah, crushes-on-vampires."

"I don't…I just…I feel sorry for her is all. The way that her mom treats her it's no wonder she has baggage."

"Well, I wanna figure this out before her baggage crushes us." They say, making Laura sigh again. "So, minion vamps take girls. They infect them with the brain parasites, hence pod people. Then they kidnap them again. Why?"

"What if they don't?"

"What?"

"Parasites have life cycles, right? So, what if the girls disappearing a second time isn't the vampires at all? What if it's, like, the next stage of the parasite? What if it's something that we've never even seen before at all?"

"You mean that the parasite may be taking over their bodies?" I ask.

Perry shakes her head. "No. No. N-n-n-n-n-n-n-no. That is…these are not things that happen. Vampires and evil, fairies, weird brain parasites, and giant mushrooms? No. We're supposed to have a movie night and a-a formal dance at the end of term. And you'll come to me with boy problems or…girl problems or…menstrual problems but not all of this evil, weird conspiracy. No. This, mm, this needs to stop happening. I demand this stops happening. Just…be normal. Just…BE NORMAL!" She shouts.

LaFontaine eyes her friend. "Gee, Perr. Tell us how you really feel."

"Look, I get that this is all fake fun for you, Susan, but you can't just expect everyone to go along with all this insanity."

"Like it or not, Perr, weird is the way it is."

"That doesn't mean you need to fling yourself into every weird situation you can find headfirst. Like this nonsense where you won't even let me call you Susan anymore."

"I don't wanna be Susan anymore."

"Well, that's too bad because she was my friend. I don't even know who you are anymore." Perry walks out of the room.

"Are you okay?" Laura asks the remaining redhead.

"Peachy. My best friend since I was five thinks I'm some sort of freak." They take a deep breath. "I'd like to find something to experiment on now." They turn to me with a look of interest. "How does a fairy's biology differ to a human body?"

I contain a shiver and inch away when Laura cuts in. "Yeah, or maybe just for tonight we stuff our faces with popcorn and watch bad sci-fi. Because I have been marked for death by a vampire cabal and you…are fighting with your best friend." She turns to me. "Trinity; I don't know what's going on with you but you've been quieter than usual and looking miserable all morning. Are you alright?"

I wring my fingers and my heart clinches at the thought of Mia. "I don't feel like talking about it right now, but thanks for asking. But I will like to join your movie watching."

LaFontaine nods. "Yeah. That'd be good."

We make it through a few movies before the two humans fall to sleep against each other. I roll Laura's chair back to her desk and curl up in Carmilla's bed before drifting of as well.

My ears twitch at the sound of the door opening and I hear Laura begin to mutter. I blink my eyes open and sit up. Carmilla is standing in the room and Laura tosses violently in her sleep.

"Mm…no, I can't…" she says.

The movement wakes LaFontaine. "What the hell?"

Carmilla rushes forward, taking hold of the sleeping girl. "Hey. Hey, hey, hey. Laura, Laura, Laura, Laura. Laura!" The girl wakes. "Laura, you're dreaming. It was just a dream. Hey…"

The journalist breathes heavily. "Blood…there as blood everywhere again. Filled the room until it was an ocean and…and above it this light. Nothing should shine like that. Like…the rotted heart of the world."

"So that's not creepy. Do you think these are still the dreams that mean she's been chosen?" The redhead looks at Carmilla.

The vampire shakes her head. "She shouldn't be having these dreams anymore. The charm should have chased the vampires away."

"I-I don't think it's a vampire." Laura tells us. "It's the girl. The girl in the nightdress."

That seems to strike a chord in Carmilla. "You saw her?"

"I think so. She was…in the room as the blood rose. She didn't even try and swim. Why didn't she try and swim?"

"Did she say anything?"

"No. Maybe. Maybe not to go into the light 'cause…the light is hungry."

"Awesome." LaFontaine nods. "I didn't need to sleep again ever."

"That's everything she said?" Carmilla asks.

"Yeah. I'm sorry." She focuses on the vampire. "You asked about her before. It's her, isn't it? It's Ell."

"I don't know. I've never seen her. The girls we take talk about her sometimes. Little girl with a mole right here?" She points under her right eye. "But she's never tried to say anything to me."

"Who are we talking about now?" LaFontaine asks.

"Yes, I am also lost." I insert.

"Her ex…kind of…" Laura struggles for words. "She got taken a long time ago. Maybe she can't get to you. Maybe it's, like, a non-vampire thing."

"Sure."

"'The light is hungry.'" The redhead repeats. "Not to get all fascinated by weird things, but maybe it's clue. Maybe it has something to do with the second stage of the parasite."

"Could be. But how are we going to cross reference some ancient evil light with weird parasitic brain worms in…" Laura realizes what LaFontaine is thinking. "oh no."

Carmilla shakes her head. "How did you idiots ever trap me?"

Laura sits in front of her computer, looking into the camera. "Just in case we…don't come back, we are recording this message."

"We've determined that a research trip which some of you may not approve of is a necessity." LaFontaine butts in.

"And since the subbasement where the archives are held only exists after dark, a day trip was out of the question. So, if you're watching this, Danny, Perry-"

"Oh, hell no. We are not apologizing to them. We are ready for the weird. We thrive on it. We tape our flamethrowers to our pulse rifles and we make the weird submit. We're goin' to the library."

Carmilla and Laura exchange a look and the vampire snorts in amusement.

As always when going to the library, things didn't go so well. When we return from our adventure; Laura wastes no time in setting up her camera for her vlog, with LaFontaine sitting next to her. I sit near Carmilla on her bed, attempting to chance a glance at the tome in her hands.

"So we survived the research trip! Which we should probably never speak of again. And here is our haul!" She waves animatedly at the book. "One gnarly Sumerian book from before time began and…" She motions to LaF.

"The rescued digital consciousness of one JP Armitage; junior records clerk and Silas student, class of 1874." They plug a USB into the computer. "Say hi to the Internet, JP."

The image of a young man wearing a long coat with a hat and gloves appears on the screen as well as words. [Hello, Internet! Splendid to meet you.]

"Because somebody really did get absorbed into the library catalogue." Laura's face crinkles, confused. "Although, how he got sucked in, like, a hundred years before the catalogue was digitized."

[Well, you see I was minding my own business one day way way back in 1874. The Autumn eaves were just turning their auburns and reds and golds when-]

LaF cringes at the speedy words quickly appearing and disappearing on the screen. "We really need to find you a better interface."

[-you're right…it's kind of a long story…]

"It would take some time, but maybe I can look into developing new software for you?" I speak up. "But for my best work, we would need a better computer." I hum in thought. "Actually I may have to build one."

[Thank you for the offer Trinity, but I don't wish to be a burden. I can make due just fine as I've always been.]

I shake my head. "It wouldn't be a burden at all, and I'm sure you'd like more freedom after all you time trapped in the library. We'll talk about it more at a later date if you wish."

[I would like that.]

"Anyway, turns out JP has helped us before." LaFontaine says. "Remember the truly stellar search results and timely warnings for us to flee from our last trip to the library? All courtesy of JP."

[Glad I could be of service!]

"According to JP, there was a rash of disappearances in 1874 as well. And although he didn't have an electron microscope to suss out the brain parasites, he did get way further along than we did with his research into the 'luce esurientem' or the hungry light," Laura explains. "and the cult of vampires serving it, AKA the dean's special council. It even found reference to this giant Sumerian tome that's, uh, supposed to have a section on it. Which is what he was searching for in the subbasement when he got…absorbed."

"Well, wonder librarian better have more than just 'hungry' and 'eats girls' because that pretty much describes everything in this book." Carmilla says.

Laura rolls her chair closer. "No, but there's gotta be something…"

The vampire shakes her head. "No. Mm, no. Yuggoth, raised with twelve virgins, burned at the stake…um…Khalos, prinkled with the blood of…virgins." She reads. "Smeared on the roots of the sacrificial tree…"

I look over Carmilla's shoulder. "Niar Logoth prefers the livers of virgins. Force fed nothing but red wine for 96 days…"

"Eugh." Laura groans.

"Thirteen year old boys have so much more subtlety."

"Yeah, that's the problem with horrors from beyond the dawn of time. Their lack of subtlety." LaF says with a sarcastic drawl. "Though it is pretty cool that you can read Sumerian."

Carmilla shrugs. "Eh, 1871 was a dull year. I decided to read Gilgamesh." She looks at me. "What about you, tinkerbell?"

"It was required in my studies. Many old, powerful rituals happen to be in Sumerian. All though I have no desire to find or use such things, my Grandmother rather I not be ignorant for my own safety."

A few knocks sound on the door before it is pushed open with a creaky groan. LaFontaine turns to face the computer as Perry steps into the room. "Oh, good. You're all still here. Um, because I saw Laura's last video about going to the library and I thought I'd just…check to make sure you weren't dead. And you're not." She gazes at LaFontaine, who refuses to turn around. "So, that's fine." She quickly turns and leaves, shutting the door behind her.

Laura turns to our friend, who stares down at their lap. "She'll come around. You'll see. 'Cause…you're awesome and we would literally be nowhere without you." She nudges them with her arm. "You know that, right?"

"Thanks." They smile. "Come on, JP. Let's you and I hit my homunclid anatomy course and see if we can figure out anything about these parasites."

[Ta ta!] He types before LaFontaine removes the USB.

I stand as well. "I will also see if I can find anything. I can have a software running searches both scientific and anything dismissed as myths."

"Great. And we will keep reading the giant Sumerian tome of do not want."

LaFontaine and I leave the room. "Do you think you can gain anything from your search?" They ask as I stop at my door.

"I don't know. It's doubtful; given how old the tome is, I don't think I'll find anything that's been digitized, but it can't hurt to try. Plus, I can try to find in reference in the book Grandmother sent me."

"Like a," they lean closer, lowering their voice. "magic fairy book?"

"That's one way to describe it. Hopefully I will be able to find something helpful." I open my door. "Goodbye."

"See ya later." They nod and continue on their way.

I wake up bleary eyed after a night of fruitless searching. I shift my ears to see if my neighbors are awake. At the sound of movement, I quickly make myself decent before exiting my room and knocking on their door.

Laura opens it. "Hey, Trinity." She steps back to let me in.

"Good morning, Laura." I spot Carmilla, still asleep on her bed with the tome over her. "I see your night was just a long as mine." I gently sit on the end of Laura's bed.

The blonde take a seat in her chair. "It wasn't that bad. Did you find anything?"

I shake my head with a sigh. "Unfortunately, no. Though the range of female sacrifices are wide, I found nothing pertaining to our current predicament."

"Don't feel bad, it was pretty much the same for us." She turns to her computer and clicks on the camera. "There is just nothing like a good night's sleep." She looks back at Carmilla. "Right, sleepyhead?"

"No." The vampire grumpily covers her face with the book in an effort to block out the sun.

Laura smiles in amusement before turning back. "I mean, I did dream about that weird black cat thing again, but I think that's just my subconscious being weird." She perks up. "This morning, after a long night of fruitless research, it is more fruitless research." Carmilla sighs in displeasure. "This time for my final Lit paper, on which I am woefully behind. If anyone had told me before college that fighting evil required this much paperwork, I would not have believed them."

Suddenly Perry bursts into the room. "Where is she? Because if she thinks this is some kind of joke, that she's trying to teach me a lesson," she looks around the room and walks pass Laura to check the bathroom. Carmilla reluctantly sits up, realizing that she will not be getting anymore sleep. "it is in such incredibly bad taste." Perry quickly makes her way towards the wardrobe and opens it.

"Where is who now?" Laura asks.

"Susan. Uh, LaFontaine." She closes the wardrobe. "And I know that she's mad at me, but that is just no excuse for all this."

"LaFontaine isn't here."

"What? No." Perry shakes her head and continues to look around the room as if expecting LaFontaine to pop out of nowhere. "No. She has to be. It has to be a joke."

"What has to be a joke?" I ask.

Perry unfolds a piece of paper in her hand and hands it to Laura. "Her room was a mess and this was stapled to the door."

"Dear student: your nosy little friend no longer attends Silas University because (A): she meddled in things that were none of her business (B): did you really think we wouldn't find out what you were up to (C): we are ancient and terrible (D): none of you are safe; we'll take anyone we want. Exit procedures have commenced; no action on your part is required." She reads.

We look at each other in horror. "They could've taken her anywhere. They could be doing anything."

"Sure. But any money, LaF is with the other missing girls. They're down by two and they need to make up numbers." Carmilla tells her.

"What do you mean down by two?"

"Well, they already lost Sarah Jane and I stopped them from taking Laura here."

Perry looks at Laura with wide eyes and looks back to Carmilla. "So you mean because you protected Laura they needed a replacement, and so they took…and you just let them? Why wouldn't you have given her a bracelet too? Why would you have warned somebody?!"

Carmilla shrugs. "'Cause whoever I help, they just end up taking more. I didn't think it'd be one of your friends." She throws her hands up. "Told you I'm not the hero of this peace."

"What were you thinking, the three of you?" Perry turns to Laura. "Getting involved in all of this? And putting everything you do up online for everyone to see? What if they're putting those things in her brain? What…" Her voice cracks as she falls back onto the bed. "What if the last thing she remembers is that I was awful to her?" She curls up, crying.

Laura shakes her head somberly. "I did this. They took LaFontaine because they couldn't take me. 'Cause they could see my videos and they knew what we were up to-"

Carmilla interrupts her. "Alright, just stop all of this," she waves her hand at Laura. "before I get queasy. Cupcake, you are ridiculous and headstrong and naïve and this whole Lois Lane Junior gig is doomed, okay? But unless you're going around kidnapping girls for some ancient unspeakable evil, nothing that's happening right now is your fault."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Carmilla gestures to herself. "former minion of the evil? Yeah."

"Okay, but Perry's not wrong either. We need to be smarter than this. We need to make sure we've warned anybody who might be in harm's way." Laura turns to the camera. "Which includes you. If you are on the Silas campus, you are in danger."

"Duh." Carmilla says. "Though, did anybody think to tell that big puppy that follows you around that his BFF's a vampire?"

"Oh my god, Kirsch!" Laura realizes, looking back at Carmilla. The kind, and somewhat naïve boy has no idea of the danger so close to him. She reaches for her phone. "We've gotta warn him."

I stand and cross the room, pulling back the curtains and opening the window. I stick my head out and scan for any nearby witnesses.

"And what are you doing there, tink?" Carmilla asks.

"Looking for LaFontaine."

"Right," she drawls out. "I doubt you're going to find them by looking out the window like some ginger version of 'Where's Waldo?'."

"That's why I'm going to look all over the campus." I step back from the window. "Hopefully I'll be able to spot any suspicious activity that might lead me to them."

"How are you…" Laura trails off at the sight of me changing to my original fairy form. "Holy Hufflepuff!" She exclaims. Carmilla blinks as if she doesn't know what to make of what she just saw. Even Perry paused in her tears, looking at me with wide eyes.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." I say from my spot on the windowsill, before taking flight; rising into the air of the Silas campus.