Forever Dead

“Nocte Defunctorum. Can anyone tell me what this means?”  I looked up from my book to see the white chalk letters on the blackboard.  Mr. Ferguson adjusted his suspenders and walked around his desk, looking over all the raised hands to the only girl who wasn’t.

            “Audrina?” I shut the cover of my book and sighed.

            “ It means Night of the Dead…” I said condescendingly. Really? Who didn’t know what it meant? It’s only been drilled into every human’s head since their day of birth.

            “Yes, but what does it mean?” he leant against his desk, adjusting his comb over. I cracked my knuckles, a horrible habit, and raised my eyes to meet his own.

            “It’s one night every twenty years that the vampires come to Vivens to find their mates.” I sighed again, trying awfully hard to not roll my eyes.

            “Yes. That’s right, but what we’re learning today, class, is the process of this tradition. What happens? Who gets selected and why? Now open your Vampire History Books to page 119.” The room filled with the sounds of turning pages. I flipped through my own worn book and rested my chin in my hand. My eyes were on the clock when Mr. Ferguson finally spoke.

            “Nocte Defunctorum, Night of the Dead. On this night the vampires come from Mortuus to Vivens.  Which if you have been doing your Latin work I assigned you should know that means Dead to Living. No living creature has been to Mortuus and come back to tell the tale.” He wiggled his fingers to seem scary. I heard a few giggles and he continued. “When the clock strikes 9 pm on June 21 of every twenty years, they come. Male and female both search this world for candidates to be their Mate. When a vampire turns 450 years old they may begin their search. Now these vampires don’t exactly know when they meet their Mate. Usually there is a little spark, but their not entirely sure. So they take up to three Potentials back to Mortuus. Of course, there are rules. Vampires are not allowed to enter anyone’s home. So the three Potentials they are allowed to take must be in a public place. They also are only allowed to be in our world until midnight of that night. We do not know what happens there, or how they decide who their Mate is, but we are assuming there are numerous tests. Finally, once the vampire is sure they have their Mate, they are with them forever.” I heard a few girls sigh, hoping that a vampire prince would come and sweep them away. I guarantee they wouldn’t love it. I raised my hand.

            “Yes Audrina?”

            “And what happens after?” I asked, shutting my book. There was nothing useful in there anyway.

            “After what?” Mr. Ferguson sat down.

            “What happens after they choose their Mate? I mean to the other Potentials?”

            “They are returned after being glamoured of course. They don’t even remember they were taken. “

            “Why?”

            “Because, Audrina, imagine the uproar in the media if vampire secrets were revealed? We would be starting a war…”

            “Yes but My Aunt Julie was taken before I was born…and my mother never heard from her again.” I heard a few hushed whispers.

            “Well, maybe she was chosen. Or she could have decided to stay, maybe she met someone in that world.” He said flustered.

            “Then why didn’t she contact my mother to tell her?”

            Mr. Ferguson slammed his hands on the desk, his face red.