Chapter Five: Wednesday
I wake up to the sound of breathing. I look up and see Jeremiah looking down at me. "You know, this would be called incest," I tell him. He looks horrified. "What the hell are you talking about?" he asks. "I know you've read Twilight. The dude watches the girl sleep and they end up sleeping… together," I say. "Ew, gross, no, I came in to wake you up and you just happened to right when I walked up," he says.
"Sure." I throw the covers off me and make up the bed. I usually wouldn't do this but this isn't my bed. "Do you want to try again today?" he asks. I nod my head slowly. "Where are Rowanor and Kaitlyn?" I ask. "Living room," he answers simply. "What time is it?" I ask him. "Around noon," he says. "Why the hell didn't you wake me up earlier?!" I ask him.
"I just woke up," he says. I sigh. "Alright, come on," he says. We walk outside. "Alright, so there's some kind of hiking trip. Everyone goes their separate ways and tries to beat the others to the end of the woods. It's kind of like a race, I guess," he says. "So…" "So, we'll both take one. Or I'll take one down for you and while he's dying, you take the blood," he tells me.
"I think I like the latter," I say to him. "Okay, let's go then," he says. We take off into the woods. It isn't long before we come across one of the lone hikers. "Hey, find your own path!" he snaps at us. "Oh, we won't be here long," Jeremiah says deviously. He grabs one of the man's arms and makes him face me. "Go ahead, Ally! Before he screams!" Jeremiah yells at me. I grow my fangs but I can't do it. The man presses a button on the walkie talkie that's on his shoulder with his free hand.
"Help! Help! I'm number 214 on path three. I'm being attacked by vampires!" he yells into it. "Do it, Ally! Now!" Jeremiah screams at me. "I can't!" I tell him. "You're being attacked by what? It cut off before you finished. Over," someone says with a thick country accent through the walkie talkie. "Vampires! I'm being attacked by vampires! Over!" he screams into it.
"Ally, now!" Jeremiah shouts at me. "I can't!" I repeat. "Vampires? We'll be there soon. Just let us get our guns. Over," they say. "Jesus, Ally!" Jeremiah says. He bites the man's neck and sucks his blood. The color drains out of his face quickly. Jeremiah lets him go and he falls to the ground. Jeremiah howls. "What the hell are you doing?" I ask.
"I'm calling the wolves," he says. He howls one more time and we run back to Rowanor's house. "Ally, why didn't you do it? I had him," he says. "I just don't like the idea of taking an innocent life," I tell him. "Well, sometimes, they have to be— wait a minute. You said an innocent life, right?" he asks. "Right," I say cautiously.
"Well, what if you kill… I don't know, a convict?" he asks. "I'd probably forget all about being a vampire and be scared they were going to hurt me," I say. "Come on, let's go watch the news and find some people that aren't killers. We can find… a robber or something," he says. I sigh. "Fine," I say. We walk into the living room where Rowanor and Kaitlyn are watching some kind of game show on the couch.
Jeremiah takes the remote and flips it to the news channel as he sits down in a chair. "We were watching that," Rowanor tells him. I sit down on the arm of the couch. "Breaking news!" the news anchor yells. "There was a murder in the woods during The Forest Race of 2012. He claimed they were vampires but he couldn't elaborate. When they found him, there was a gaping hole in his neck and there was no chance of saving him."
"It was vampires! You don't believe it but I've read up on the critters!" a crazy-looking man with a gun exclaims. "Did he just call us critters?" Rowanor asks. "I believe so," Jeremiah says. "I found this at the crime scene. It has the vampire symbol on it," he says. He holds up a charm bracelet with a crescent moon and a black cat sitting on it.
"That's my bracelet!" I exclaim. "I must've dropped it as we were running away…" "Great, now they have evidence. We have to get it back," Jeremiah says. "Because it has prints on it and they could trace it back to you." "Highly unlikely," Rowanor says. "It's the only thing I have left of my mom…" I say quietly. "She gave it to me before she…"
"We need to get it back," Jeremiah says. "But how?" "Easy. We go to the evidence locker," Rowanor tells us. "What about security guards?" Jeremiah asks. "Hey, nobody said we wouldn't get a snack in the process," Rowanor says. He smiles. "I don't want to go," I say quietly. "I'll stay here with you," Kaitlyn says.
"That'd be great. Thanks," I say. "You're welcome," she says smiling. "Alright, we'll be back in… about ten minutes," Jeremiah tells us. They run out the door and I'm left alone with Kaitlyn. We look back to the TV and they show a picture of the man. "Ewww!" we both exclaim simultaneously. I take the remote and flip it to a random channel.
Then I just turn the TV off altogether. "So," I say turning to Kaitlyn. "Tell me about yourself." "There's only one thing to know about me," she says. "I'm in love." "Awww. How did you two meet?" I ask. "Well, it's pretty funny actually. Let me tell you this before I start the story. I used to take karate," she tells me. I don't see how that will be relevant at all to her story.
"Well, one day I was at the beach with my boyfriend. We were just walking around and he told me that he wanted to break up. I was devastated. He was my first love. I still think about him from time to time… Anyway, he left and I sat down and cried my eyes out. It cried until it got late. Then Rowanor came and comforted me. We stayed there all night talking and getting to know each other. I took him home that night and I'm not gonna lie: we made out for a while. Then he made his way to my neck and there was the bite. There was no feeling at first then I realized what he was doing. I pried him off of me and went all karate ninja on him." She laughs. "I was his first victim that survived and wasn't afraid of him. We started talking a lot after that and suddenly, I had a need for blood. Turns out, he had poisoned me enough to turn me and he had to stay with me to help me with the blood thing. We fell in love during that time."
Slightly less adorable but still, "Awww! I wish I wasn't a vampire so I could have a vampire boyfriend." We both laugh. "Yeah, Rowanor is… amazing. He's smart, funny, sweet and… I love him," she says. "I have a friend like that. He isn't that smart but he's still really funny and sweet and cute and… childish but it's really cute sometimes when he's childish. And he cares about me. He's been so worried lately ever since my birthday," I tell her. I start crying. "I just wish I could tell him. I've told Trish. Why can't I tell Austin? I mean, what if he judges me? What if he's afraid of me? What if he thinks I'm a freak?" I ask no one in particular.
"It's okay, Ally. You'll be able to tell him some day, I promise," Kaitlyn says putting an arm around me. "It took me a while before I told my best friend but eventually, I told her." The door opens and I see three figures walk in. I'm not sure who they are since my vision is blurred from my tears. I wipe my eyes and see Rowanor, Jeremiah, and some kind of security guard.
"We got your bracelet," Jeremiah says holding it up. "Who's that?" I ask. "Oh, this is… Steve," Rowanor says looking down at his nametag. "Is he dead or…?" I ask. "He's in the process of dying. His whole body has shut down from loss of blood," Rowanor says licking his lips. "Let's see if we're on the news, dude!" Jeremiah says plopping down on the couch.
Rowanor does the same sitting Steve up beside the door as Jeremiah gives me my bracelet. I slip it on my wrist and tighten it. "Another vampire attack has occurred today in the police station. Evidence from the earlier vampire attack has disappeared along with the Steve the security guard," a news anchor says. "Yeah!" Rowanor and Jeremiah say giving each other a high five.
"There was a trail of blood leaving the police station but do we really know if they were vampires? We checked the security cameras," the anchor says. The screen shows the security camera. One minute, the door is closed with Steve outside of it. The next minute, the door is wide open, Steve is gone, and there's a trail of blood. "Oh, dude, we didn't close the door!" Jeremiah exclaims. "Oh well, they'll close it," Rowanor says shrugging.
"Well, I'm gonna go home," I say standing up. "Alright, see you later, Ally," Jeremiah says. "Bye, Ally," Kaitlyn says softly. "Come back soon, Ally," Rowanor tells me. "Will do," I say. I walk out the door making sure not to step on Steve. I run home so I won't have to talk to anybody.
I walk in my house and up to my room. I get an idea and scribble down the lyrics without thinking. Suddenly, I get an idea. I take out my phone. "Hello?" he answers. "Hey, do you think you can come over?" I ask. "I thought you were in Canada…" he jokes. "Just get your butt over here," I say laughing. "Alright, I'm on my way," he says.
I practice my song until he comes. When I open the door to my room, he picks me up and spins me around. "Ally, I haven't seen you in so long. I missed you!" he tells me. He sets me down and I look up at him. "Why have you been keeping me away from you?" he asks. "I'll tell you soon, I promise. But I wrote you a song and you need to hear it," I say. I pick up my keyboard and we sit down on my bed. I start playing.
Oh-oh
Oh-whoa
Whoa
Whoa
There's a place
That I know
It's not pretty there
And few have ever gone
If I show it to you now
Will it make you run away?
Will you stay?
Even if it hurts
Even I if I try to push you out
Will you return?
And remind me who I really am?
Please remind me who I really am
Everybody's got a dark side
Do you love me?
Can you love mine?
Nobody's a picture perfect
But we're worth it
You know that we're worth it
Will you love me?
Even with my dark side?
Like a diamond
From black dust
It's hard to know
What can become
If you give up
So don't give up on me
Please remind me who I really am
Everybody's got a dark side
Do you love me?
Can you love mine?
Nobody's a picture perfect
But we're worth it
You know that we're worth it
Will you love me?
Even with my dark side?
Don't run away
Don't run away
Just tell me that you will stay
Promise me you will stay
Don't run away
Don't run away
Just promise me you will stay
Promise me you will stay
Will you love me?
Ohhh
Everybody's got a dark side
Do you love me?
Can you love mine?
Nobody's a picture perfect
But we're worth it
You know that we're worth it
Will you love me?
Even with my dark side?
Don't run away
Don't run away
Don't run away
Promise you'll stay…
I turn to Austin. "What do you mean?" he asks confused. "Can you love me even with my dark side?" I ask. "Your dark side?" he asks. "What dark side?" "I can't tell you. Not yet at least. Someday soon, I promise," I say again. "Ally," he says putting his hand under my chin. "I would love you even if you were… I don't know, a vampire." My eyes widen at this. "Where did you get vampire from?" I ask. "From the other night when you were wearing those fangs," he tells me.
"Oh" is all I say. I give him a quick kiss on the lips and his cheeks burn red. I smile because this is adorable. "You are so cute when you blush," I say absentmindedly. He blushes again. "Um, that was a weird thing to say. I'm sorry," I tell him laughing. "I don't think it was weird," he says shrugging.
I feel my phone vibrate. Jeremiah. "On my way over." Then he's in my room. Before Austin can look, I turn him to me and give him a hug. If he saw Jeremiah in my room, he would freak out. 'How did he get in here so fast?' he would ask. "Knock first, Jeremiah. Geez," I say letting go of Austin. "What if I was changing in here?!" "Um, hi... Austin... Ally, we need to go," Jeremiah says to me. "Right now?" I ask. "Right now," he confirms.
"But I'm kind of in the middle of something," I say gesturing to Austin. "That can wait!" Jeremiah exclaims. He looks really worried. He glances out my window and back to me. Suddenly, I hear police sirens and I remember what they did. My eyes widen. "Um, I'll see you later, Austin. Bye," I say giving him a quick hug. "Can you please lock the door on your way out?" He nods. Jeremiah and I run downstairs and out the door.
"What exactly is going on?" I ask as I follow him to who-knows-where. All I know is that he's leading me through the woods. "The cops. They slowed down the video and saw Rowanor and I," he answers me. "So why do I have to go?" I ask. "Because they'll figure out that it was your bracelet," he tells me. I don't know know how they would do that but they have their ways. "So where are we going then?" I ask. "To the head vampires," he says. "I didn't know there were any…" I say. "Eh, they mostly keep to themselves," he tells me. "Why are we going there?" I ask. "They can do anything, including erasing minds," he says. "Gosh, this just gets more and more like Twilight every day," I say shaking my head.
"Stop quoting that stupid book!" he snaps at me. "This is nothing like Twilight! That book is fictional. Vampires do not sparkle. Vampires cannot feed on animal blood forever. Vampire babies don't keep growing inside of the womb. And we don't socialize with werewolves at all. We see one, we don't talk to them. We'd rip them apart in two seconds. And the head vampires aren't called the Volturi or whatever."
"Yet you've read the books…" I retort. He swears under his breath and I chuckle. I look down at the ground. I watch the leaves and the small pieces of bark zoom by my feet. I feel the wind in my hair and… the tree in my face. I fall to the forest floor and try to make the earth stop swaying. I shake my head but that only makes it worse.
"Are you okay?" Jeremiah asks me. I look up and see two of him. "Um, I think I am. I guess you just duplicated yourself," I joke standing up. "Can you run?" he asks. "Of course I can run," I say. "I'm not stupid." I walk straight into what I think is a clearing but a stupid tree jumped into my way. "Alright, get on my back," he tells me turning around and bending down a bit.
"I can run!" I exclaim to him. I still can't see straight, though so I just lied to him. He picks me up and slings me over his shoulder. He takes off running. At least now I can watch the ground without worrying about trees. Suddenly, he stops. "Why are we stopping?" I ask. "Come on out! It's just Jeremiah and Ally," Jeremiah calls out.
I squirm out of his grasps and stand up straight—well, as straight as I can. I see Rowanor and Kaitlyn drop down from the trees. "Come on, Ally," Jeremiah says opening his arms. I sigh and jump up into them. "Ally can't walk?" Kaitlyn asks. "No, she bumped her head really hard on a tree and she can't see straight. I'm surprised she didn't break the tree down," Jeremiah explains. I hit him on the head as lightly as I can. His head still jerks forward though.
Suddenly, I have a vision. My visions come clear even if my sight isn't that good. I see police and dogs. "They're coming," I whisper. "Who's coming, Ally?" Jeremiah asks me. "The police and they have search dogs," I say still whispering. He lurches forward into a run and I hear Rowanor and Kaitlyn follow behind us.
I hear the dogs. "The dogs," I whisper. "I know, Ally. We're getting away from them. It's alright," he says. "The dogs," I murmur over in over again. I become entranced. "The dogs. They're coming for us. They can smell us. The police gave them the scent of my bracelet before you got it," I say. "They're coming!" I yell. "Ally, Ally, shh, we know they're coming. We're getting away from them as soon as we can," he tells me.
I look behind Jeremiah. "I see the dogs," I whisper. I know there are less than I see, though, due to my messed up sight. Jeremiah glances behind him quickly at the dogs and he runs faster. "They're coming," I whisper in a high-pitched eerie voice. I didn't mean to. The trance did it to me. We run for what feels like forever. Finally, we stop in front of a mansion.
It looks like a regular house… on the outside. Jeremiah sets me down, takes my hand and leads me inside. I hear four sets of footsteps echo off the walls of the empty hallway. We stop and turn into a door. I see four men and two women sitting in chairs. Everyone kneels so I do the same.
"My lieges, we are in great danger. The police and their dogs are after us," Rowanor says. "They're coming," I whisper to the floor. "What did that girl say?" one of the men asks. "She's in some sort of trance. She had a vision and she's been like this ever since," Jeremiah explains. "Is there any way to snap her out of it?"
"Come here, small girl," one of the men say. I feel as if I'm being lifted up. My feet carry me to one of the men as if they knew before I did. "She can't really see that well either," Jeremiah tells him. "Give me your arm," the man in front of me tells me. I extend my arm to him absentmindedly. The man takes my arm and snaps it like a twig. The pain is agonizing.
Jeremiah's POV:
Ally's piercing scream rings through the air as she falls to the floor. I stand up. "Why the hell did you do that?!" I ask infuriated. "This will trigger the healing process. The healing process requires the brain to be in a full working state. It will slowly repair her brain so that her brain can repair her arm," Isaiah says from beside Phoenix (who broke Ally's arm).
"But… but… but…" I sputter. "But nothing. Why are you in our presence?" Phoenix asks. I sigh and kneel back down. "A-as I said, we are in great danger. We were caught in a feeding. Ally dropped her bracelet. The police took it in as evidence. Now they're after us," I say to them. "How can we be of assistance?" Zane asks.
"We need you to erase their memories," Rowanor says. "We'll need you to lure them to us," Jasper tells us. I sigh. "You," Sabrina says pointing at Kaitlyn. "M-me?" she asks. Sabrina nods. "Nothing could lead to you so you will act as a bystander. You will tell them that you saw the vampires hide in our home and we will trap them. It's a very simple plan really," Sabrina explains.
Ally's screams echo off the wall again. I shiver because I want to go and help her. But if I do, it would be considered as disrespecting my elders. "Y-yes, my lieges," Kaitlyn says. She stands up and walks outside to find the police. It's a few minutes before anyone speaks. "They're coming inside now," Isaiah says. "Let's go," Isabella finally speaks. They stand up and walk out of the room.
Rowanor and I run to Ally's side. "Ally… Ally, can you hear me?" I ask her. She moans in answer. I see the bone sticking out of her arm a bit. "Why isn't the process working as quickly as it should?" I ask Rowanor. "You heard what Isaiah said. Her brain needed to be in a full working state. So it'll fix her brain before it does anything to her arm," Rowanor says.
"We need to go help," he says. "I'll stay here with Ally. You go," I tell him. He gets up and runs out of the room. "I can't believe they did that," I say to Ally. She moans in answer. She lets out another scream. Maybe I can fix her arm. Maybe if I put it into the right position, it'll heal faster. I take a deep breath and grab her arm.
She screams as I only touch it. Her scream gets louder as I move her arm into the correct position. I hear a crack that signifies I've done my job and I pull my hands away from her arm. She's still screaming, though. Suddenly, her scream stops and she falls unconscious.
Phoenix, Isaiah, Zane, Jasper, Sabrina, Isabella, Rowanor, and Kaitlyn walk back through the door. The head vampires take their places back in their chairs. Rowanor and Kaitlyn take their places back on the floor. I do the same leaving an unconscious Ally on the floor. "The deed has been done. Their memories have been erased and they have been taken back to the station. We've also erased everyone's mind at the police station," Jasper tells us.
Phoenix places a hand on Ally and closes his eyes. "She will wake up tomorrow at exactly 6:03 am. Her arm will be fully healed by then," he says. "Thank you for your services," Rowanor says bowing to them. Kaitlyn and I do the same as we stand. I take Ally into my arms and we run to Rowanor's house. "Alright, bye, guys," I tell them. I run to Ally's house.
I walk inside and up the stairs. Maybe I should put her arm in a sling or something… I walk to her bathroom and pick up the sling from last year. She broke her arm last year. Talk about good luck, huh? I slip it around Ally's neck. Here's the hard part. I take her arm and she lets out a scream even though she's unconscious. None of this would have happened if she would have just killed that guy.
I put her arm into the sling and listen to one more scream. I cringe at the sound. I pull the covers over Ally and run out of her room. I would really hate to feel pain like that. Especially if someone breaks it purposely.
Lol I love how all these conflicts happen in one day. The song in this chapter was Dark Side by Kelly Clarkson. Am I the only one who thinks that this is, like, the perfect theme song for the whole story? Oh, Ally, WHEN WILL YOU SEE THAT AUSTIN LOVES YOU NO MATTER WHAT?! Anyway, review you losers! Jk, you're all awesome readers/reviewers. Ily! 3 (I know it's gonna take my less than sign away so that's supposed to be a heart) Dang, this chapter is so long... It's over 4,000 words. It's longer than any of the other chapters in the story...
Love, Kenzie