Ta-daa!! Another chapter UP! Yes, it has been long, hasn't it? How is everyone? I hope you're doing as good as I am. Last year of high school really is a pain, all the homework and stress; YUCK. But hey, I'm glad to be able to finally update. Here it is, another chapter for ya'll! Hope you like it!
Chapter 8: Suspect
Who would you choose—in the end?
Would you choose me?—or her instead?
'Cause I'm begging here right now…waiting 'til the very end.
It's cold.
I opened my eyes slowly and saw only darkness. I sat up slowly and felt the cold tiles beneath me. I looked around; I'm in some kind of a long room. Even though there were dimly lit candles that are floating in mid-air, there were no shadows cast by the light. The floor tiles seemed to be set in two colors; white and black, like of a chessboard.
I stared into the darkness that seems to stretch for miles away. Somehow it seemed that I was waiting for someone…or something.
There was a slight sparkle of light, like a crystal reflecting light.
I stood up effortlessly, as if I weight like a feather. I walked slowly towards it; my feet moving on its own record. As I walked closer, darkness slowly opened up to reveal a floor-length mirror. Somehow I was starting to get anxious and scarred of what I will see as the reflection. But as if it was like a magnet, I was drawn towards it and closer and closer I get to it…
Finally I came to a stop in front of it.
To my relief, it was my own reflection looking back at me; the same reddish-black hair and brown eyes. Awkwardly, I raised my hand and placed it on the mirror, my reflection reflecting the same movement.
Suddenly, unexpected, my chest felt a stinging pain. It was suffocating that I gasped and coughed at the same time. I leaned into the mirror with my face faced downwards. Holding a hand to my chest, I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping that the pain will go away.
True enough, the pain slowly subsides.
Still leaning onto the mirror with my hand on it, I looked back up to my reflection.
No, wait…
This isn't me!
I tried to back away but my hand would not leave the mirror, so I was stuck there at the spot staring at the girl who looked like me.
Is this…me?
I tilted my head sideways and the reflection in the mirror mirrored my action. I examined my reflection; the red color in my hair is more visible now even without having to be under light and by the way it fell across my shoulders made it seemed impossibly silky, my skin are now twice the tone lighter than normal and my eyes; it was no longer the normal brown but a fiery red.
Wait—Red?
I, or should I say my reflection, smiled at me.
Danger was the instant message my mind had. But I wasn't fast enough; my reflection had already freed itself from the mirror and in less than a second, has managed to catch me by my neck with both her hands. With a menacing smile, it tore my neck and the last thing I could remember before the alien yet comforting darkness consumes me was the ear splitting sound of someone's scream.
…………
…dele…
"Adele!"
I jumped up from my bed and landed very much unsuccessfully with my face instead of my legs on the cold floorboard. Wincing in pain and slightly annoyed, I sat up and looked up to my daughter who was standing at the door with a bemused look on. I scowled at her, "What?"
"And I once wondered where Nathaniel got those ungraceful acts from," she half smirked at me when I glowered at her, oh for God's sake, who are we kidding? I can't believe she's actually my daughter. "No, really; Nathaniel does fell off the bed in the mornings when he's trying to get up a little too quick."
Oh yeah, thanks, at least someone is more like my own flesh and blood.
"Get up already, I had Nathaniel made pancakes this morning, I tell you; he's getting better and better each day!" Fragrance stooped down to pick up my fallen pillow and I rolled my eyes at her.
"Yeah, and 'til now you still can't cook," I replied sarcastically.
"And you can't cook either," Fragrance mockingly fired back, "Thank goodness you have a son, mom."
I washed up and changed into my favorite black tank top and blue cut-off jeans. True enough, I could smell pancakes from my room. I went down the stairs and was greeted by Nathaniel with his oh-so-charming smile, "Morning, mother."
I smiled back at him, "Oh, pancakes! Pass me the chocolate syrup, will you?" Nathaniel did as I asked and passed me a plate of pancakes and the syrup bottle. Fragrance plopped down into the stool next to me as Nathaniel handed her a plate of pancakes stacked like a mountain with maple syrup poured on top. I stared at her as she ate her fill. Then, Nathaniel sat down at the other side of me, poured strawberry syrup over his little hill of pancakes and started to gobble them down. I stared at him too.
No matter how many times I look at my werewolf kids, it never fails to amaze me how much they can eat.
"Hey, where's the remote?" Fragrance asked as she looked around the table for the remote to the television in the dinning area where we were sitting. "Lucky! Go get the remote!"
Lucky, our brown and white Collie, yapped happily as it marched off into the living room to retrieve our remote. I rolled my eyes at Fragrance as she petted Lucky on its head when he placed the remote at her feet. How lazy can my daughter possibly be?
It has been a habit for us to sit at the dinning table on weekend mornings eating our breakfast while watching the morning news. Not like there is anything interesting so early in the morning.
Fragrance switched on the television and flipped the channels every five seconds looking for more interesting news as she usually does in the mornings. I lazily stretched in my stool while Nathaniel willingly did the cleanup. I watched Nathaniel's back as he washed the plates with both of my hands supporting my head. From the behind view, Nathaniel do look every bit like Julian; the wavy hair that makes you want to run your hands through it and those oh-so-broad shoulders. Their height was nearly similar too, except that maybe Julian was a pinch taller.
"My God…" I heard Fragrance breathed beside me but I didn't bother to look at what she was watching on the news. "Mom, look!"
I scowled at her when she suddenly grabbed me by my arm and I finally take a look at the television. Turns out a pretty news lady was reporting about some murder happening in—what?
I stared at the picture of the victims—yes, victims, there were two pictures—and felt the blood drained from my face. I didn't need to read the names below the pictures to immediately recognize who they were.
"This had got to be a serial killer, and that person is still on the loose; said the detective in charge of this outrageous crazy murder spree, Detective Sergeant Eric Sanderson. He also added that they were starting to suspect that this case is acted out by a woman instead of a man, for that was no sexual assaults on any of these victims.
The first victim; Ginger Brown, aged 24, was found dead on Friday night by a passerby in a dark alley. It was believed that the victim was murdered elsewhere and later dumped at this alley. No one reported her missing thus no search was set until that unfortunate passerby stumbled into the body.
The second victim however, was reported missing Saturday morning by her manager when she didn't turn up for her supposed photo shoot. The body was later found at night in another alley just two blocks from the previous alley where the first victim was found. Many were upset with the death of this current fame-rising model, Sara, and hope for her soul to rest in peace.
The both of these victims were brutally killed by force and what the detectives called—hatred.
"The killer must have very much hate for these poor girls to be able to kill them in such a gruesome manner," said Detective Eric, "Both were brutally stab by a sharp object (which they still failed to identify as) and beaten to death. Cause of death believed to be bleeding to death, but not before too much of heavy beatings to every part of the victim's body. There were no signs of rape done on any woman. However, autopsy results shown that both women had intercourse well before murdered; so we are now looking for their partner."
The police departments are now urging people to step up if known any possible information that may help this case.
"The killer is still on the loose, and we want everyone out there to be on your highest guard; do not become the next victim to this insane killer."
And that is the end of this morning's daily report; I'm Julie and have a lovely day."
The channel continues on about the weather forecast but Fragrance switched it off. Nathaniel had stopped washing the dishes long ago and was staring right at me. The only sound that could be heard was my overly loud heartbeat. Lucky was lying on the couch fast asleep; lucky guy.
"That explains why Ginger wasn't at work yesterday," I stated the obvious.
"And they're now suspecting a woman behind the scene," Fragrance eyed me uncertainly. I threw her a dirty glare.
"Are you suspecting me?" my tone was laced with ice cold enough to freeze Antarctic.
"I am not suspecting you!" Fragrance threw her arms in the air, "I can't believe you would even think that I would suspect you! Jeez!" She stood up a little too quick, making the stool tumble to the floor and waking the sleeping Lucky. She walked up the stairs and slammed her door with a loud bang. I winced at the sound and sighed, before looking up to meet my son's eye.
"Fragrance is just having her PMS, that's all. Don't get mad at her, ok?" Nathaniel looked at me with his adorable puppy eyes and I sighed once more.
"I'm not mad at her…just tired, that's all. With those faces turning up in the news are bad enough for me. Sara, that model just now? I saw her Friday night…she was with one of the vamp—my friends."
"You mean the Donahue vampires."
I sat up in my stool, "Why—?"
"Mum, I can smell them, you know? Their smell is totally off, I would notice."
I sighed, "I was hoping you'd never figure it out."
Nathaniel kept silent.
"No," I shook my head, "I don't think it's any of their doing. Vampires don't kill people with a weapon, or even left them to bleed to death; it's a waste of good blood. Plus, they suspect it's a female's doing; none among those vampires were female." I leaned into the table, "I don't think any of them will do something like this anyway."
"You have too much faith in us."
I jumped a good six feet high when someone spoke directly next to my ear. My shock turned to anger as I whirled on the intruder. I hissed angrily at him, "What are you doing here, Adrian?"
Nathaniel looked surprised by the sudden appearance of a vampire but quickly moved to a fighting stance and growled at the intruder. Adrian sneered at Nathaniel before looking back at me, "And who's that?"
"I should be asking the same thing about you," Fragrance was suddenly behind Adrian and less than a minute he was flung out to the living room. Adrian crashed into the glass table and breaking it under his weight. She was about to give him a good kick to the ribs when someone else held her from behind by her arms, preventing her from hurting Adrian any further than she did.
Fragrance turned her head and was about to snapped at the person but stopped when she saw clear of his face. The both of them stared at each other, not saying anything yet seemed to be communicating through some invisible psychic wave. They didn't seem to be letting go any moment and it bugs me nonetheless.
"Edwin, you let my daughter go, now!" I hurriedly rushed to my daughter's side and as soon as they were freed of each other, I pulled her behind me. Edwin shook his head, as if he was in a daze and turned his attention to me.
"Oh, hey, Adele; wait—your daughter?" Edwin gapped at me.
"What the heck?" Adrian stumbled to get out of the broken table, "she's a freaking werewolf!"
"That explains the smell! Wait…he's a mutt too? Twins?" Edwin looked from Fragrance to Nathaniel and back to Fragrance again, this time a slight smirk on his lips.
"And so what that these mutts are my kids? What use is that door for, huh? If I'm not mistaken, the bell isn't broken."
"Sorry, the door wasn't lock so we just let ourselves in." Adrian said as he dust off shreds of broken glasses from his shirt.
"Well, yeah, whatever. But you got to pay for that table, I liked it a lot." I pointed to the table that is now broken in half and the glass is scattered over the rugs. No way am I doing the cleaning.
"What—why? She kicked me!" Adrian protested like a five-year-old kid caught breaking mum's favorite vase.
"You were the one that suddenly appeared without further notice!" Fragrance argued; she was not one to put down a fight. "Plus, I couldn't recognize your smell so—"
"O.K! That's enough, you two. Just get me a 200 bucks table and I'll be happy. I didn't say you don't share half the pain either, Fragrance; go get the broom." I ordered them and Fragrance, slightly reluctant; went to get the rug cleaned out. Adrian frowned at me but didn't argue; I hope he gets me a new better coffee table.
"So she's Fragrance, huh?" Edwin half smiled beside me. I was rather annoyed so I stomped on his foot as hard as I can. "Ouch! What was that for?"
I shrugged my shoulders, "So, what brings you all here? Oh wait, don't tell me you followed my scent here."
"You weren't that hard to follow; after all, your scent just seems to get stuck in our heads." Adrian replied, still not looking at me but at somewhere else. I followed his gaze and saw who he was staring at. I frowned almost immediately.
Nathaniel looked up just in time and raised an eyebrow at me when he saw my frowning look. I turned to Adrian and elbowed him this time, and in response he groaned. "What was that for?" Oh well, at least he isn't looking somewhere else other than me now.
"You guys haven't answered my question; what are the both of you doing here? And where are the rest?"
Adrian rubbed his tummy as if I really did elbow him hard—which I did, "It's the news; you've seen it, haven't you?"
I felt a cold shiver ran down my spine, "Uh-huh, what about it?"
"Well, seeing that we have remarkable hearing, we just by coincidence overheard the conversation between that detective—what's his name again?—and one of his police friend. Seems like there were clues on the body that lead them to a suspect…"
For a moment there, I stopped breathing. "And—?"
"It's you,"
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