LIRA: Book I

CHAPTER NINETEEN: The Untold History

Then overnight she became Lady Lira, one of the Dayanghirang; vessel to the Diwata Dalisay, deity of the forest and the earthen beings, destined to thwart the evil schemes of the vampires. It sounded so grand in books. But experiencing it first hand? Not so grand at all. These were just too much and she couldn't even confide it with her friends since she was forbidden by Miss Amara to tell anyone about it. She was also advised by the head mistress to take extra precautions as the vampire-like creatures might be targeting students from the academy. She needed to find out what those monsters are called. She couldn't just call them mutated vampire-like creatures forever.

She looked at the journal on top of the books Nicholas lent her on her desk. She was just too tired to read and assimilate new knowledge in her already overcrowded mind. She lay on her bed and threw the blanket over her head. She would sleep now, and maybe when she woke up in the morning everything would turn out to be just a bizarre dream.

It did not turn out to be a bizarre dream after all the minute Lira spied her mother's journal on her desk when she woke up the following day. So much for hoping. She put on her uniform and told Yumi she'd catch up with her in the mess hall.

She went to the infirmary to check on Matt. When she arrived in the infirmary, Lira was surprised to see a tired-looking Mari sitting on a chair beside Matt's bed. Two trays of food were on the opposite bed, untouched. A small basin of water and a blood stained towel was on the table near the bed. "I became Matt's ward mate last night. You know how it is when I have my dysmenorrhea," she explained. She picked up the bowl of water and placed the soaked towel inside. "I'm going to get ready for class. See you there." The she left.

Lira approached Matt. His eyes slowly opened and Lira held his hand. "Hey. How are you? How does it feel to be mummified?" she joked, eyeing Matt's bandages all over his limbs and neck.

"If I tell you to run, you run, you stupid," he groaned.

"Nice seeing you too," Lira said, smiling.

Matt grimaced as if a slight of movement causes him pain. "I must have been asleep for months and haven't seen you a while. There's something different about you."

Matt might be referring to her absent glasses. She tried to put it on this morning but it just made her vision blur, so she placed it aside. Her hair also seemed different. It became less frizzy and curly.

"You look nice," Matt said. Lira almost blushed at Matt's compliment until he opened his mouth again and added, "For someone who almost got killed by monsters. I should bludgeon your hard head right now; see if that'll make you listen when someone tells you to run."

"But for now you can't 'cause you're still regenerating from your mummified state." She gave Matt an encouraging smile. "So try to get well faster so you could bludgeon my head. You should be taking your meals."

"Not hungry. Can't even move with all these bandages," he whined.

Lira rolled her eyes and carefully placed a pillow on his back. The movement caused Matt to wince and grumble. "Are you trying to dislocate my shoulders? 'Cause really the doctors gave a lot of effort putting it back in place."

"Oh, stop being such a baby." Lira placed another pillow behind Matt's back until he was in a semi sitting position. She then carefully removed a glass from the food tray and placed a straw in it. "Here, drink this milk instead."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"I would have given you a beer, but since no one bothered to bring one, milk will suffice."

The corners of Matt's lips lifted. Lira knew he must have been thinking that he told her almost the same thing before. Lira placed the straw closer to his mouth and he obediently took a sip. She patiently held the glass for him until he consumed all the drink.