mortica

chapter two

"Thanks for leaving me last night! " Janice said, slamming her locker door shut. Bryson groaned. He figured she would be mad, but she was livid.

"I'm so sorry, I just wasn't feeling like myself yesterday." That was an understatement. "But what about tonight? We can hang out, watch a movie maybe-"

Janice shook her head. "I have plans tonight." Before Bryson could even say anything in reply, she walked off without looking back. If only she understood why things we're the way they were. If he was willing to kill a child, Janice definitely wasn't safe. It was becoming too hard to control himself.

"Janice wait!"

Without turning around, Janice stopped allowing Bryson to catch up with her.

"Look, I am sorry that I was acting weird last night. But please, please let me make it up to you." Bryson's big brown eyes looked so innocent.

"Fine! I cant stay mad at you!" Janice gave Bryson a kiss on his dark red lips. She flinched. "Why are you so cold?"

Bryson didnt feel any different. In fact, he felt hot if anything. He touched his arms and face. They felt like ice- just like Mortica's. He shrugged. "It is pretty chilly today."

Janice raised her eyebrows before going along with it. "Well maybe later tonight I can warm you up," she winked before kissing him once more on the cheek and heading down the hall.

Bryson touched himself again. He wasnt sure what was happening to him, but whatever it was wasnt going to be pretty.

The sound of the bell tore Bryson away from his thoughts as he headed to English. As he sat in his desk, he couldnt concentrate. All he could think about was that little girl. Her eyes were pleading as she cried in pain. He could have gone through with killing her. The taste of her blood was enough for him to keep going. This was exactly what he dreaded. He never wanted to taste human blood because he didnt want to become addicted to it and end up murdering innocent people the way Mortica and the others did.

"Hey Bry!" Bryson's friend Leo called from beside him in a loud whisper. "When did you get the contacts man? Those things are sick!"

Bryson looked confused before pulling out his cell phone and turning on the front camera. His eyes were a reddish brown with a hint of gold around the rim of the pupil. He was changing a lot more than he realized. Trying to stay calm, he decided to go along with the whole contacts idea.

"Yeah, I got them off some website. It's pretty cool." As he spoke, he didn't take his eyes off his reflection.

Leo nodded in approval of his lie before turning his attention back to Mrs. Baxley's boring lecture about "Lord of the Flies". Bryson hadnt heard a word she said. All he could do was worry about what was going to happen to his body next. Why was he changing now? The accident happened like three days ago. Why didnt he change as soon as Mortica injected her venom into him?

"Bry, we never talked about what happened in the woods." Leo whispered a little quieter than last time. "I know I was drunk but I know that what I saw was no dog."

Bryson's heart raced at the thought of that day. He knew it was no dog either. Bryson didnt reply. He didnt know how to. He just shrugged his shoulder and pretended to listen to their teacher.

"I dont think it was just a dog who bit Anya last night either."

That caught Bryson's attention. "Last night?"

Leo nodded his head. "Well this morning. The little girl was looking for a kitten and something attacked her and bit her neck. They found her laying in the middle of the sidewalk almost dead. Now what kind of animal would be in the middle of the city that could possibly do something like that?"

Before Bryson could reply, the bell rang, sending a sigh of relief to escape from his lips. "Well I'll catch you later, man."  Bryson quickly made his way out of the classroom and into the bathroom down the hall to give himself a look in the mirror. His eyes looked even lighter than before. They were demonic.  He leaned in and stared at his teeth. He could see where his fangs had sliced in through his gums. All he could think about was how they cut through Anya's skin like butter. For a fledgling, his teeth were very sharp. He touched the tender area with his pointer finger. His fangs protracted right on cue. Bryson jumped before rubbing his finger up and down his kanine like teeth. He couldn't go out like this. He tried to get them to retract but there was no use. The bell sounded for next period, but there was no way he could go out looking like this. Bryson closed his eyes and tried with all of his might to get rid of his fangs.

"Go in! Come on!" he growled in frustration. The sound of the tardy bell bounced off the walls. Bryson didnt care about being lae, all he was concerned with was getting back to normal. he didnt know how to control his teeth or any of his features. He didnt know the first thing about his double life. He peered out into the hallway, careful that no one was there to see him before he darted out of the building and didnt slow pace until he got home.

"Stupid fangs! Retract!" he yelled as he stared at himself in the living room mirror. On command the escaped back into his gums. Why didnt they do that before? He sighed. There was no use in going back to school now. He sprawled out onto the couch and tried to make up for the lost sleep from last night.

As Bryson fell into his slumber, he found himself inside a dream. It was so realistic. It was of Janice. She was standing in the woods. Her face seemed panicked as she called for Bryson over and over. Janice makes slow and small steps  deeper into the woods, cautious of every branch she stepped on.

"Bryson! This isnt funny anymore!"  Janice's voice is evidence that she is afraid. As she continues to walk, she makes her way to the abandoned and broken down cabin where Bryson and his friends use to use as their hideout. There were still beer cans and old cigarettes covering the ground. Even old boxes of half eaten pizza.

"Bryson, there you are. I've been looking all over for you." As Janice walked closer to the figure sitting on the dilapidated couch, Bryson realizes that those are not his eyes in the dream. They're Mortica's. Mortica rises from the chair and transforms into her true form before diving onto Janice and sucking the life out of her.

"No!" Bryson quickly flings his eyes open. Every inch of his face was drenched with sweat. He tries to calm himself down, reassurring himself that it was just a dream.

"You look like you just seen a ghost!"

The sound of Mortica's voice caused Bryson to flinch. "I hope you dont mid. I just let myself on in." Mortica took a seat on the armrest of the couch where Bryson laid.

"Why are you here?"

Mortica pouted her thin red lips. "Arent you happy to see me little fledgling?" She walked her fingers up Brysons leg before hoisting herself on top of him. "I'm really, really happy to see you."

"Bryson," From the other side of the door, Janice knocked and slightly jiggled at the doorknob. Bryson's face was flushed.

"Mortica! You have got to get out of here!" he said pushing her off of him before making his way to the door.

"No. I want to meet her." Mortica folded her arms before sitting on the arm rest once again.

"We dont have time to play these games!" Bryson grabbed Mortica by the arm and shoved her towards the window. Janice began to knock again.

"Baby!" Bryson ran back to the door and swung it open. "Sorry about the wait. I was in the bathroom. You know how school lunch doesnt agree with me."

Janice crinkled her tiny nose in disgust. "Ookay. Anyway, I waited for you after third block, where were you?"

Bryson stuttered for a second before words finally came out. "I left. I wasnt feeling all that good so I left before um- anyway I'm feeling better now. Now that you're here so let's get out of the living room and go go go to my room."