Ghira looks back to what had transpired between him and Kevin, causing him to remember a similar memory like a haunting melody, one that had happened not too long ago...
Huntsman the Parenting
A Life Well-lived
The moon still shone brightly, casting a silvery glow behind a house. Its two-door entrance stood ajar, creaking softly in the early morning breeze. Ghira moved across the front yard, his footsteps blending with the sounds of the unkempt yard as he approached the open doors, curiosity and caution mingling in their every step as he now enters the house.
What stood before him is blood stains across the floor towards a part of the living room, it glowed with a bright, almost ethereal hue, illuminated by the early morning light.
Ghira heard a happy tune drifting through the air. He turned to look at the source of the sound but hesitated to move, his gaze then shifted to the scene of the crime, taking in the grim details as the cheerful melody continued to play.
He saw more blood splattered across the floor, furniture, and streaked along the walls. An elderly figure sat on the chair by the corner, motionless, doing nothing as the scene of carnage surrounded them.
He gently walked towards the radio. Reaching out, he softly turned the radio off, silencing the happy tune. His hand lingered for a moment before slowly sliding away from the dial.
Ghira wandered away slowly, taking in every detail of the room. His brow furrowed in concern, and his eyes narrowed with a mixture of sadness and introspection. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on him, the brutality of the scene chilling him to the bone.
"You'll find no vampire here but me now, stranger." The elder suddenly spoke, causing Ghira to look back in surprise. Upon closer inspection, Ghira noticed bloodstains trailing from her mouth down to her sweater, her eyes were crimson red. She didn't seem hostile, rather, her eyes mirrored a profound sadness, reflecting the same depression he felt.
"It was my caretaker," the elder confessed, "I loved that girl like a daughter, dainty young thing. I don't know why she did it... or maybe I do... but I regret ever acknowledging what was going on..."
"You needn't fret." the elder assured, "I won't raise a hand against you... I've not lived well, stranger."
Ghira didn't say anything at first, his heart heavy with empathy for the elder and the pain she had endured. He couldn't help but feel a deep sense of sorrow and loss for her, after a moment, he gently urged, "Go on..."
"I spent my youth raising my brother when my father went to war. I let the love of my life run into the arms of another and never married. When my brother died, I spent my days supporting my niece and nephew, and now, in my twilight years, I had spent my time entertaining their children."
The elder's eyes grew distant as she tried to recall something. Her brow furrowed in concentration, but after a few moments, she sighed, "I cannot remember a day I ever took for myself. In voicing that, I deserve this fate. It is my fault they all lie dead around me. She brought me into her way of life, but I don't think she was ready for what came next. I don't think anyone could have predicted this, least of all, me."
She looked at Ghira, her voice weary as she called out to him, "Darling? Will you help me outside? I don't want to sit around anymore…"
Ghira gently took the elder's hand and helped her stand up, her frail body trembling slightly as she leaned on him for support. Together, they began the slow journey towards the door.
As they walked, the floorboards creaked beneath their feet, the oppressive silence of the house pressing down on them. Ghira glanced around at the bloodstained furniture and walls, each grim detail puts a stark reminder of the tragedy that had unfolded here. The elder's breaths were shallow, the weight of her sorrow making each movement more arduous.
With every step, the morning light grew brighter, guiding them towards the open doorway. Ghira could feel the elder's grip tightening, a silent plea for strength. They finally reached the threshold, pausing for a moment to take in the last remnants of the house's dark past. Then, together, they stepped outside, leaving the horrors behind as the warmth of the new day embraced them.
They walked outside, the sound of their footsteps crunching on the leaves underfoot, accompanied by the gentle hum of cicadas in the background. The elder spoke softly Ghira, "I had planned to leave this all this to my family, you know, one last means of supporting them… I suppose it will be cleared way to forget this tragedy, I know I can't forget it…"
They both sat down on a wooden bench, the elder let out a sigh as a brief silence settled between them. She looked at a wide view of the village in front of her, her expression serious and pained, before finally asking, "Will this hurt? I… should surmise that matters little to you. Though thinking on it… it doesn't matter much to me, either."
Ghira observed the sun beginning to rise, "Come." he said, "The morning star is quite visible tonight, what night remains, at least."
The elder acknowledged the sunrise with a soft murmur, she turned her gaze to the wide view of the village before her, a sombre expression on her face, "I hope in death, I shall be thankful that I once lived. I only wish I had died yesterday…"
With a sense of finality, she stood up and continued to look out over the village. As the sun's rays grew stronger, they began to burn her vampiric body. She stood there, unmoving, as her body slowly turned to ash. There was no sound, no scream—just a quiet acceptance of her fate.
Ghira sat there in silence, mourning for the elder as he watched the sunrise paint the sky with hues of orange and gold. The crackling of the flames mixed with the gentle morning breeze, creating an eerie symphony of destruction. He couldn't help but feel a deep sense of sorrow and loss for the elder, yet he found solace in the beauty of the new day.
As the sun rose higher in the sky, casting a golden light over the village, Ghira remained on the bench, reflecting on the elder's final moments. The scene before him was both beautiful and haunting, a testament to the fleeting nature of life and the harsh realities of the world they lived in.
END OF SHORT 1
And now, we go for Chapter 2... it's gonna be a long one so it will take a while. So see you later!