Capture

Chapter 29: Resonance

Chapter 29: Resonance

"Emilee!" I yelled chasing after the silhouette of my older sister.

She laughed and continued to race through the hallway. Our own faces flashed past on the wall of our childhood.  The pale yellow walls were scuffed and chipped at the corners from time.

"This isn't funny!" I shouted as she retreated.

My feet caught the edge of the rug and I stumbled. I regained my footing and resumed the chase. I was going to get her and... I was mad? Yes, she had done something, something she knew she shouldn't have. She was laughing at my anger and embarrassment. I struggled to recall what it was. I just needed to get to her before she got away.

Her giggling traveled farther and farther from me. The hallway of the house stretched, strange and scary. This was not my house. I ran faster. I need to get her...

"Natalie, Natalie, honey, I need you to open your eyes for me." A soft voice commanded.

I groaned. I blinked up at the hazy shape of the women above me. I strained my brain and just barely remembered I was in the sickbay. Pierre had made me stay here under observation when I had begun to deteriorate.

My hand throbbed. There in the thick vein was an IV tube that connected to a bag somewhere just out of my sight. Pillows were fluffed so I was partially siting up, had they not, I don't believe that I would have the energy to keep up myself.

My head lolled to the side and I released a sigh. Hands roamed over my machines and tubes. My conscience was bringing to drift again with the drooping of my eyelids.

"Ah, ah, Natalie, I need you to stay awake just a bit longer honey," She said. "I promise, you can sleep after I'm done."

All I did was slip between dreams and awaken sessions. Sometimes there were blank dreams, sometimes they were extremely vivid...

It was extremely crowed in the school hallways. Lockers of dark blue loomed tall against the walls darkening the artificially lite linoleum. I was jammed shoulder to shoulder against much taller students. A backpack was shoved into my face just ahead of me.

I really didn't want to be here. I knew it was late without needing a window or a clock, it was a strong feeling of intuition.

No one was moving. I shifted between faces, their features were too dark too focus on. I itched to move backwards as a pull forced the surrounding bodies into action. I fought the tide but still found myself approaching forward.

"No! I don't want to go there!" I shouted. "Let go of me! Let go!"

I had to get away. I couldn't be here, not like this. I needed to be somewhere else...

"Hey there, Natalie." It was Pierre. He came to visit a lot, well that was to say every time I was awake he was here more often then not.

He was a doctor as well but I knew that even he didn't know what to make of me. Vampires made their bindings to their covens or to another and always stayed, and then, only then did they leave at times when it was mature. Binding with a human, Pierre would know about but not like this.

"Any word?" I croaked.

Though most of the colony wasn't thrilled with the vampire's presence, a few were willing to track what they could to find Manu, so that another human wouldn't perish. I had lost track of time a long time ago but I knew that time had past with each awakening. Each time, Pierre looked less and less hopeful, but he was a good actor.