Darkness Fading

Chapter Two [Revised 2.13.16]

***This chapter is a little fast paced. Do you think the story should be slower? Thanks for reading!***

"Gone. The saddest word in the language. In any language."

-Mark Slouka

An uncomfortable tremor in my hand brought me back to reality. It jerked with every drop of dark red liquid that fell from the tip of her knife. Each crimson tear splattered against my white kitchen tile, and the sound seemed to grow louder by the second. I pulled my eyes from the spreading pool and focused on my sister's face. Her blank stare was even more unnerving than the blood, whose unfortunate owner I had yet to identify.

"Everly?" I whispered. My sister was an identical replica of me- her being the replica since she was 3 minutes younger. At only 5'2 and 115 pounds, she didn't exactly scream 'violence', but her accessories were currently contradicting her genetics. Her usual dark expresso hair was speckled with black by what I reasoned to be blood.

At her name, she startled, the knife clanking as it hit the floor. She lowered her eyes and wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. What the hell happened?

I slowly made my way around the door until I reached her. This close, I could see splatters of blood randomly freckled across her face and clothes. Her right hand and jacket sleeve, along with the hilt of the discarded knife, were black with ash. Realization crashed through me and I immediately grabbed her wrists. No bite marks. I slowly placed my fingers under her chin and tilted her head back. I found her neck untouched and blew out a breath.

"E-E-Evie, I think I k-ki-killed someone!" Everly stuttered. She started grabbing at her clothes and hair as she escalated into hysterics.

"Shhh, shhhh, calm down. It's okay, I promise. It's okay," I cooed while removing her jacket. I tossed it over the knife and pulled her into a hug. Her body was vibrating with aftershocks and I felt warm tears soaking my shoulder.

I released her and quickly soaked a dish towel in warm water, adding a little soap. I led her into the living room and we sat on the couch. She kicked off her expensive charcoal gray boots and curled her legs underneath her.

Not wanting to shock her more with the truth, there actually were reasons to fear the dark, I remained quiet, slowly cleaning the blood from her skin. Her teeth chattering and the brush of the towel across her face were all that separated us from silence.

"Why don't I fix you a hot bath?" I asked. "We can talk some more when you're warm and clean." When she didn't reply, I pulled her up and we headed to the bathroom.

The water steamed, fogging the mirrors as I grabbed a towel and washcloth from under the sink. I took the shampoo, conditioner and soap from the shower caddy and placed them on the tub ledge.

"Just yell for me if you need anything. I'll probably be in the kitchen, okay?" She didn't look at me as scrunched her nose at my Suave shampoo and rolled her eyes at the fringes dangling from the towel. She was face to face with a vampire and she's worried about my shampoo! Classic.

"I'll never understand why you choose to live like this. You're so stubborn, Evie," Everly complained, apparently choosing to ignore what just happened to her. "Dad offers you a small fortune every visit- the rare times you actually come home." I still had almost all of my trust fund, only using enough to install the panic room. Just because she blew through millions in a few months didn't mean I had to.

"I'm not getting into this with you again. Dad and money are the least of my worries right now. And for the record, Suave and worn towels are hardly 'roughing it'." With that, I left, firmly closing the door behind me.