Chapter 4
The sun had finally set and the moon immediately took its place, casting its darkness all over the school and its surrounding forest. Though some could only wonder why they decided to wait so long, it wasn't like the clubs were that important today.
The girls equipped themselves with flashlights and ventured into the dark forest, hoping to find whatever was killing the peaceful wildlife in the forest. Apart from the girls, at another section of the forest was an animal control group also looking for whatever was the cause of the problem.
-"Keep an eye out girls."- Shizuma whispered so as to not scare it, the rest of the girls kept their flashlights low to the ground and occasionally scanning the area with it.
-"This is a waste of time,"- Momomi muttered, -"There's nothing here."-
-"Momomi you can go back if you want, I don't have time to deal with you."- Shizuma shot back.
Momomi only scoffed then looked at Marinel and stepped closer to her, -"You got to admit, it's pretty boring."-
Marinel chuckled, -"Only a little."-
She smirked, -"Well I suppose it is just a little, since you're here."-
-"And your girlfriend?"- Marinel looked at her.
-"We're through, maybe now she can chase after Amane freely."- Hikari shot her a glance as Momomi said that, not that she noticed.
-"So does that mean I get to enjoy you all to my little ol' self."- Marinel got closer to her, though Shizuma looked behind her, her jealousy getting the better of her because she wanted Marinel all to her self.
Momomi giggled, there was just something that attracted her to Marinel and she still didn't know what it was. Was she in love? She wasn't sure, or maybe it was lust? She really had no way of knowing but she did want to be with her.
-"This is the place."- Shizuma stopped, the girls began to look around though Nagisa had been clinging closely to Tamao and Nagisa was so frightened that the poor girl looked like she was about to faint.
Chikaru wandered off a little far from the group with her three other girls from her club to search for clues while Shizuma took Nagisa and Tamao, along with her vice presidents to another direction and the girls from Spica and Marinel headed off to another.
-"You know, this is how all horror movies start, the group splits up and BAM!"- Yaya began to say, -"They all get picked off one by one or maybe we might find some spooky vampires that get us!."-
-"Shut up Yaya-baka!"- Tsubomi began to shake from fear that she clung unto Hikari.
Yaya only laughed, -"Oh come on, it's not that scary. Besides, everyone is still close by."- They looked around indeed spotting everyone's flashlights in the distance.
The girls seemed to relax.
Momomi however gave off a smirk, and grabbed Marinel's arm and tugged her away behind a couple of trees.
-"Something wrong love?"-
Momomi pressed her body on her, -"I can't wait anymore, I don't know what it is about you, I don't normally feel this way towards anyone."- She then pressed her lips on Marinel's and kissed her, lustfully.
However… this was causing an unwanted side effect, Marinel's vampire instincts began to kick in…
She moved her lips to Momomi's cheek, then neck as her hands roamed over Momomi's body, her breathing growing heavy, and wanting more.
Marinel's fangs began to extend down as usual, slowly moved down to Momomi's neck... Marinel wanted to stop so badly, she tried to fight this urge but it was so strong and she didn't know why! It was killing her, she didn't want to hurt her friends… and what made it worse was that Momomi had no idea what was going on.
-"There you two are!"- Yaya stepped in seeing the two move away from each other in a flash and adjusted their uniforms quickly, however Yaya's eyes must have been playing tricks on her… she could've sworn she saw something that looked like fangs in Marinel's mouth, but when she looked at her again, there was nothing.
-"Sorry love, we got a bit distracted."- Marinel chuckled; her fist was still clenched, shaking, as she tried to suppress her urge for blood.
Momomi giggled, whilst having a look of desire in her eyes, -"More than distracted."-
-"I can't believe you two actually can do that right now, but anyway we got a little worried when you two weren't behind us."-
Just as the two were walking towards then Yaya stopped Momomi, -"You have lipstick on your face."- She then turned around to catch up, but not before casting a glance at Marinel.
-"What?"- She noticed Yaya's gaze.
-"Nothing, thought I saw something."-
They continued their search for what felt like hours, Tsubomi and Hikari seemed to calm down as they made small chatter.
-"You know,"- Marinel began, -"This reminds me of a time I camped out with my father."- she chuckled.
-"Oh? Was it as spooky as it is out here?"-
-"Yeah," She replied, -"I remember we were on our way to the city, but there was no carriage.—"- Marinel quickly stopped and corrected herself, -"Uh cab driver for miles and no one that would take us, so we hiked along the trail hoping we can reach it before the sun fell."- Or rather before the sun came up she thought, -"But we didn't so we set up camp and I swear, when we were sitting inside that tent I could've sworn I heard crying out in the forest,"- She laughed, -"I have never been more afraid in my life."-
-"That's actually really creepy."- Yaya threw in, -"You heard ghosts?!"- Tsubomi cried out, -"That's really scary."- Hikari stood closer to Yaya.
-"Yeah, it was pretty scary."- she giggled.
-"So is your father waiting for you after you finish school?"- Momomi asked.
Silence.
-"… I don't know where he is."- Marinel replied, her voice carried nothing but sorrow.
-"Oh… shit, gomenasai."- Momomi placed her hand on Marinel's shoulder.
-"What about your mother?"-
-"She died during child birth, at least that's what my dad told me."-
More silence.
-"That's so terrible."- Hikari was saddened to even hear that.
The girls all walked up to give Marinel a hug and to show her that they would be there for her.
After the girls resumed walking, they all heard the most horrifying scream as Yaya had taken a wrong step and fell down the hill.
The girls rushed down the hill and saw Yaya sitting on the ground as she kept her hands on her knee.
-"Yaya-chan! Are you okay?!"- Hikari sat next to her.
-"Yeah…"- she grimaced, pain was clearly etched in her voice, -"It's so dark out here, I didn't even see that coming."- She tried to laugh.
-"Let me see."- Hikari moved Yaya's hands away, seeing blood slowly ooze down her knee.
Marinel stopped, her eyes fell on her blood and she could feel her instincts begin to kick in.
Yaya looked up seeing Marinel staring at her knee, and for the first time she felt uneasy being near her, -"Hey Mari, you okay?"- Yaya asked her, snapping her out of whatever trance she was in.
Marinel looked at Yaya then turned away to not look at her blood, -"Y-yeah, I'm fine love… I just get a little woozy looking at blood."-
-"Didn't think that would bother you."- Momomi said as she glanced at her.
-"You'd be surprised, sugar."-
The girls resumed their search but unfortunately they weren't unable to find anything, since what they were looking for was just one glance away.
They all decided to call it a night and return to their rooms, Marinel had disappeared for a moment leaving the girls wondering if she saw anything.
-"I'll go look for her,"- Yaya said.
-"We'll be right here, to make sure you two come back okay."- Shizuma said.
Yaya returned back into the forest and found her after a while, not too far from the group. She was hunched over, her hand on the tree to steady herself and she seemed to be panting.
-"Mari?"-
Marinel snapped to her, and Yaya was horrified, there was nothing but what look like rage in her eyes and she was more horrified to see actual fangs in her mouth… vampire fangs!
-"Mari!"- Yaya backed away but Marinel pounced on her, gripping her tightly, -"Wait! Stop! Mari!"-
Back on the edge of the forest, the girls were waiting patiently.
-"How long has she been in there?"- Tamao asked.
Chikaru looked at her wrist watch, -"Ten minutes… I'm starting to get worried."-
However their fears were soon realized when they heard a blood curdling scream coming from the forest.
-"Yaya!"- Hikari immediately began to run into the forest as everyone else followed behind her, they kept calling Yaya's name as they went in deeper, surprised by how much ground Yaya had covered.
When they finally made a turn they shined their lights towards a single direction, they found them. Marinel was holding Yaya, she was unconscious.
-"We have to get Yaya to the infirmary!"- Marinel yelled.
-"What happened?!"- Chikaru knelt by her.
Marinel was silent for a moment, -"Mari-chan!?"-
-"… I-I was on my way back, I heard her scream and I found her like this…"- Marinel replied, hoping they believed her.
-"What is that?!"- Tsubomi pointed at Yaya's neck, two puncture marks on her neck…
Nagisa screamed and ran away, -"Nagisa-chan!"- Tamao turned to the direction she ran to, -"I'll go get her."-
Blood still oozed from the bite marks on Yaya's neck, so without wasting any more time the girls managed to get Yaya onto Shizuma's back and they all marched off to the infirmary.
They were in the infirmary as a doctor looked over the pale looking Yaya, even hooking up an I.V on her to replace any lost fluids; she even got a blood pack for her after seeing low her blood was which explained her pale look and cold skin.
Shizuma looked her over, and she was able to see something and looking closely it looked like a black smudge on Yaya's uniform collar.
-"She's going to need to rest, but other than that she'll make a full recovery."- The nurse told them as she finished putting the bandages on her bite marks.
-"This is your school president,"- Her voice coming on the loud speakers scared everyone, -"Due to today's incident, a strict curfew will be in place, all students will report to the dorms immediately after class, all clubs will be suspended till this matter is resolved."- The loud speaker turned off.
The nurse looked at them, -"I'll be back, feel free to stay here."- She took off, the girls took this moment to crowd around Yaya and keep her company.
-"What could have done this?"- Tamao broke the silence, -"This is so horrible…"- Hikari began to cry as she held her best friend's hand.
Shizuma turned to look at Marinel, gazing out the window… but she looked off, tears were coming down her eyes which she was quick to wipe away and there was a look of shame written all over her face.
-"Mari."- Shizuma stood by her.
-"Yeah…"-
-"You okay? You haven't said a word?"-
-"Just… I don't feel okay…"-
While Shizuma talked with Marinel, Chikaru also noticed the black smudge on Yaya's collar and took a closer look, -"What is it Chikaru-chan?"- Nagisa asked.
-"This."- She pointed, -"It looks like…"- she rubbed her thumb on it, then rubbed it in between her fingers, "Lipstick."-
-"But who the hell wears black lip—"- Momomi stopped midway through her sentence as all the girls looked at her, then slowly turned their gaze to Marinel.
Chikaru crossed her arms, surely it was coincidence, maybe it rubbed on her when she was holding her… but those bite marks were awfully close to that smudge, so what did that mean?
-"Yaya was talking about vampires earlier… maybe she was right?"- Tsubomi quickly threw in, Chikaru looked at her, it made sense but… vampires only exist in movies, don't they?
Chikaru stood up, -"hmm…"- She placed her fingers on her chin as she began to think, -"It would make sense, Vampires, the bite marks, the animals that had their blood drained along with Yaya's and that smudge on her uniform."- She turned around to look at Marinel, who was clearly sobbing then began to walk towards her as the girls followed behind her.
-"Mari-chan…"- Chikaru spoke softly, Marinel slightly glanced at Chikaru then seeing everyone else behind her, -"… this is going to sound silly but, did you do this to Yaya-chan?"-
Marinel closed her eyes, seeing more tears come from her eyes.
-"Chikaru this is ridicules!"- Shizuma quickly shot back, -"How would she even do that?!"-
-"Yes…"- She said so softly, catching everyone's attention.
-"What?"- Shizuma slowly looked at her.
-"Yes…"- She repeated, her voice ever so low and full of shame, -"… I-I did that to her."-
-"Mari… what are you saying?"- Shizuma asked, taking a few steps back.
-"I did that…"-
-"Why?!"- Hikari quickly shouted, adding even more tension as Chikaru softly hushed her.
She looked at them, -"Why do you think!?"- she shouted, -"I can't help what I am! I hate it! I hate it so fuckin much! I don't want to do it! I do everything I can to stop it but I can't fight it!"-
-"S-s-so you're a v-v-vamp—"- Nagisa nervously pointed at her.
-"Yes! I am!"- Marinel backed up to the corner, -"I hate it!"- She cried, -"Look at me!"- She looked at them, exposing her fangs, -"I don't want this anymore!"- She looked at Yaya, then to her friends, -"I'm sorry…"- She opened the window, -"I'm so sorry…"- tears fell from her face and to further prove she was a vampire, she was gone in an instant; the girls feeling a gust of wind hit their faces.
-"Mari!"- Shizuma looked outside, nothing but darkness.
Chikaru grabbed Shizuma's arm, -"We got to find her."-
Momomi thought for a moment, -"She's probably back in her room."-
-"Let's hurry."-
-"You girls go, I'm going to stay here with Yaya-chan."- Hikari said, -"So am I."- Tsubomi followed up.
The rest of the girls all ran out the room and back to the strawberry dorms to talk to Marinel. They could only hope she wasn't gone by the time they made it to her room to confront her.