Chapter 2:
My alarm clock rang again. Swearing, I rushed once more. Waking up late for work was starting to become a habit. I went to my kitchen, and got some milk out of the fridge. Just then, something hard hit my head and then I fell to the floor, succumbing to the floor, knowing no more…
When I came to, I found myself being dragged by hooded people. Before I knew what was going on, I was pushed into a sunny room and left alone. It was a huge room, with beautiful big windows that allowed the sunlight to enter. In the corner, there was a sleek white desk with white chairs encircling it. I sat down in one nervously, trying to figure out what was going on. From somewhere in the distance, I could hear the soft, gentle music playing from a piano. Hearing it transported me to a time long back in my memories…..
Here, Arisa, let me show you how to play the piano, alright honey? 6-year old me got off the seat and watched as my mother took her place and slowly started to play. I stood beside her, listening to her play, content and happy with everything. My mother's blissful face was exuberant with delight and she fondly and lovingly played the piano…those were the only times I saw her happy…otherwise, she was always sad…
I was jerked back to reality by the clicking sound of the door closing. I turned to look at the door and saw a beautiful, smiling woman coming towards me. She looked to be about 40 but with all the radiance found in a young girl. Her smile was warm and kind and immediately calmed me down. Her eyes were gentle and loving, reminding me of my mother, sending a pang in my heart.
"Hello, Arisa. My name is Gloria. You don't know me but I know a lot about you. I know that….many unusual things have happened to you recently. I hope that I can clarify some of these things. Some of the information you hear might be…..shocking….but I am sure that you will handle them well. You are old enough now to be told the truth."
I just gaped at her in astonishment.
She clapped her hands together. "Oh dear me, where are my manners! Of course, this must all be alarming for you. Let me take this all a little slower. Yes, that's probably best. I will start from the very beginning. But before that, would you like anything to eat or drink, dear?"
I cleared my throat and hoarsely chocked out a "no". What was she going to tell me? What was going on?! I was becoming hysterical. Arisa, listen to her. Gloria is going to tell you everything…just listen to her and everything will be alright. I took some deep breaths to calm myself down.
"What do you want to tell me?" I knew my hazel eyes were piercing her but I didn't care. I wanted answers. And I wanted them right away. Enough was enough.
Gloria sat down in the chair in front of me, behind the desk. For a minute, there was a long silence. She broke it by saying "Arisa, this story that I am about to tell you goes a long way back. I can only tell you what is already known by us. I want you to listen to me carefully with no interruptions until I am completely done."
She cleared her throat.
"A long time ago, possibly a hundred or so years ago, an aristocrat by the name of Silas Venturi made a very interesting discovery. On an expedition of his, he had unearthed a small family dwelling in the woods of England who were very different from humans. These 'creatures', as he so called them, were very different than anything ever scientifically known by the world. They were faster than the speed of light. They had strength that was unmatchable, intellect that was unbeatable. And the most peculiar thing of all….their diet consisted of blood. Any blood would do. With it, all their powers and abilities were replenished. Without it, their eyes would turn red, their body would weaken, and their minds would be in an imbalanced state. Eventually, they would die. They were able to camouflage themselves in society, their existence unbeknownst to all, save for the few missing animals or cattle that were needed to satiate their hunger, or rather, their thirst. Silas observed them for half a year, speaking with them and gathering information. He learnt their ways of life and what they did to survive. He realized that they lived for much longer than any species on earth. There were only a few ways they could be killed, many too complicated to be performed. Some vampires possessed certain powers that set them apart, such as the power to read minds, or the power to
The day came when Silas decided to reveal his 'discovery' to everyone. But when he approached the scientific community and the public, he was made a laughingstock and put away in a mental institution. It was a far-fetched idea that was not appreciated back then. And I must say, it is still the same." Gloria paused for a moment before continuing once more.
"Silas deemed these 'creatures' as vampires. They are known as bloodthirsty, supernatural creatures that are feared but nevertheless, spark the curiosity of everyone."
Gloria stood up and walked towards the window. She turned around to face me. "I told you this story so that you'll understand the rest of what I'm going to tell you. Vampires exist, Arisa. And…I am one."