I stood before the burning building, not knowing what to do, or how to express my expression. The tongues of fire danced outside the windows, reddening the sky. It reminded me of Kerwin’s eye, I guessed what lied behind it, but never wanted to touch the truth it contained. The inspirable dancing of the deadly fire seemed to take up everything, including the air, my body, even my soul.
I knew the apartment they were claiming. I had lived there since I came here with my brother, Zach.
After the silence and confusion, I suddenly realized what could have happened to Zach. I cried out, not actually realizing what I was doing, and headed towards the fire. Maybe he was out, doing shopping. Even if he was in there when the fire started, his speed could carry him to safety instinctively, no need to worry. I kept telling myself that, but I couldn’t stop from checking the room.
I wasn’t being stopped at first; perhaps no one there had the strength. Then I smelled Kerwin’s special scent and many others with him. I felt a hard blow on my head, and I thought I had been knocked out from behind. Everything went black. A small part of my brain wondered why everything I never wanted to happen always happened while I was out.
When I woke up, I felt as if I already knew the truth. Kerwin was by my bed, with such a look in his eyes, that I confirmed my guess.
“Kerwin, is Zach dead?” I opened my mouth, thinking my voice to be hoarse. However, my voice was steady and calm, even a little cold. It was more like the voice of the terrifying monster I turned into.
Kerwin didn’t reply, but stood up and opened the door for me. I went out without a word, stopping by the mirror, checking myself. Like I would always do when Zach was waiting downstairs, hoping to criticize my looks.
Outside, waiting for me in the living room was Amy. Her eyes were a bright red; everyone could see she just cried. I didn’t stop to look at her, and avoided her hug. I couldn’t cry, so I forbid myself to even feel that way. There was another man in the room. I recognized him as Jerry, a middle-aged fat little guy. He was stuffed into a tight police suit, shiny badges were pinned on his uniform. He was the head police in town.
I sat down in front of him, watching him silently.
He coughed a little, and told me in a deep voice: “Miss Adele, I am so sorry you lost your brother in this tragic------“
He stopped, looking a little uncomfortable. I accused in a cold voice: “An accident? Are you telling me a fire accidentally killed my brother?”
“I know you must feel terrible know, and please feel better. However, there is one cruel thing I have to tell you. Your brother didn’t die in an accident, he has committed suicide.”
The air froze.
I sat in silence, and the fat little policeman eyed me with worry. He backed off a little, maybe afraid of me attacking him. Instead, I said coldly: “I would like to go back the old apartment I used to live in, as soon as possible.”
Jerry’s face turned red, then a purple color. I guessed that no one had been so rude to a policeman before. Luckily, he must have thought the behavior a direct result of the encounter I was going through. He soon left the room, telling me he would arrange the visit as soon as possible.
Amy came up, crying yet again: “I’m so sorry! I can’t believe it; you lost your family just the day I got---engaged! You---poor” I hugged her back; everything went blank inside my head when every detail confirmed my terrible guess.
Peter came out at this point, and Kerwin came in as well. Peter has always been a sweet and nice boy, and he told me to get some time alone. Kerwin helped me back into the room, when I shrugged him off.
After an hour of persuading, getting away and checking in, I settled down finally in a small room in a hotel. Kerwin helped me there. When the waitress left the room at last, the sobbing finally started. I don’t have tears, but the lack of air in my lungs nearly took me off. Kerwin stood up to leave because he knew I wanted to be alone at the moment. Before he disappeared outside the door, I told him: “Tell Amy and Peter I didn’t mean to be rude!”
He nodded, and left, closing the door, leaving me to bury myself in grief.
The grief crept on me slowly, but vanished quickly, like a wave of the ocean. I drank some water from a tap, wetting my dry throat. The sadness that took me over completely buried itself in the deepest part of my heart, turning into the forever lasting burning fire of rage.
Zach would never kill himself. Not when he had me to take care of, the proof was the invitation I saw beside Amy’s bed. I know him from the bottom of my heart, better than anyone else. He would never go when there is a party going on. The possibility of an accident is also impossible. The instinct of living is always here. There is only one option. Someone killed him. I didn’t know how he or she did that, but once I find out, I’ll pay him back hundreds of times.
I made this decision silently, but it firmly stood in my heart.
There was ivy outside the window. I pushed it open, and reached out, like I was going to caress the soft and cool skin of the plant. The surface was a little fluffy with soft spikes. My fingers tightened, and ripped the chunk off. Some green stuff stained on my skin, but I slowly crushed it into a mess, and then threw it into the bin.
I went into the bathroom again to clean my face. That was when I saw myself in the mirror. My eyes were still black, but the light had gone. I felt like dead. I noticed something different about my skin. I felt something break inside me, like a chain finally released me. There was something waxy coming out of my body. Afraid to ruin the only clothes I had, I peeled off my dress. Then I locked my eyes on myself in the mirror.
A huge change was taking place inside me. I watched the white stuff peel off me, like the dress, revealing the real me inside. It wasn’t like the dust kind, which might come back in an instant. The stuff, this time, vanished in a puff of smoke immediately after dropping to the ground, like being burnt.
My face was again the beautiful one in the tape, and in my nightmare. My skin, which was a pearly-white before, became even whiter, more like ash-white. The color of the dead. My irises turned from black to crimson, the light of life and happiness completely gone from them, but lit again by the fire of revenge.
I touched my new body, and signed. I thought about Zach, and how he wanted so much to see me like a real vampire. To me, I would rather be ordinary a human like I was, living a peaceful life with Zach. I hope you can see me now, I said silently to no one. Your dream has come true.
I thought, nothing could be the same ever again. The rules of this world have broken apart. Suddenly I felt tired. This tiredness is not the one I experienced half a vampire. I had no words to describe it, but I ignored the uncomfortable sensation.
I didn’t know what to do after revenge, and I didn’t think about it. At least, Zach, you won’t die in vain.
Gasp. Dramatic chapter, wasn't it?
