Mary Williams.
A voice was speaking, a silky soft familiar voice. Calling out to me in small whispers- whispers that seemed to me far away.
My breathing; I could hear my breathing.
Slow, deep and steady.
Slow, deep and steady.
I continued to relax my nerves, continued to calm my tensed muscles.
I blinked, then I fixed my eyes on the long fluffy looking hair that dangled over me - slightly tousled blonde hair.
Someone was leaning over, a small feminine hand waving at me.
"Hello? Hello?", she seemed to say, words that sounded distance.
"Can you hear me? Can you hear me?".
Well.
I continued my slow, deep and steady breathing, blinking my eyes over and over again.
I stared at her, auburn brows rose over her cool deep brown eyes- she was frowning, her brows furrowed in confusion.
Confused at why and how I could zone her out that much.
My place of specialty.
I was used to it- zoning people out each time they start to get on my nerves, each time my heart leapt with fear.
But this time I was zoning her out of fear.
'Zone out the world,'
'Zone out the world,'
'Zone out the stupid world, zone out your fears- along with the world'.
I continued to listen to my grandma's old breaking voice in my head. The almost fading memory playing back in my head, pictures of my grandma sitting by the window, knitting on her rocking chair, rocking back and forth while she sings out loud.
I felt a hand tap me gently, as gentle as the feeling of feathers against your skin.
I took in a last breath- a big, slow, heavy breath then I blinked my eyes- the grey pictures now coloring in.
"Can you hear me...?" Bethany asked again, before sighing, her brows still furrowed in confusion.
"Yes I can," I nodded slowly then I sat up on the bed, careful not to rip the IV line off this time again. "I'm fine".
She blinked her eyes then she let out this really long relieving breath, "I... I thought I almost lost you. Your pulse... I almost couldn't find your pulse and I thought you were almost dead".
Oh.
She must be a nurse,
Or, or...
a doctor here in Pennsylvania.
"Are you a nurse?" My voice came out hoarse.
"No, I'm a doctor. I own a hospital here in Bensalem,"
She smiled, then she sat down on the wooden chair next to me. "Come on I've got to ask you some questions, are you in?".
I nodded again, then I hugged my knees into my chest- resting my chin on it.
"Tell me your name," She demanded. "Your full name?".
"Mary Aggatha Williams".
Of course I happened to have such a weird middle name.
When you have a weird granny- you have a weirder middle name. Aggatha with double g's instead of one.
"How old are you?".
"Seventeen, be eighteen in three months".
Bethany smiled then she scribbled down stuff into a notepad she had with her, "So you're in the 12th grade then".
I nodded slowly, "Yes, Bensalem high school".
Her deep brown eyes lit up with excitement, she raised her face up and away from the notepad then she grinned, "RJ goes there, also in the senior year".
I nodded slowly even though the name RJ didn't exactly occur to me.
Bensalem high school is one kind of school filled with rotten kids who changes their weird names so as not to be the school's laughing stock.
Imagine the kind of shame you go through when your name suddenly get changed from Dysebel to Jezebel just cause the two names sounds alike.
Poor thing, she transferred away from our school weeks after.
"You don't know any RJ do you?" She dropped the notepad on her laps then she smiled up mockingly at me, "Well RJ is my son, quite a mischievous boy I tell you- Just like his father".
Okay,
Good,
A gentle looking woman married a mischievous man,
Perfect.
I leaned back in bed still feeling my head throbbing hard. My body was still burned up, my eyes seemed a bit wet and sour- probably from my crying only some few minutes ago.
I was coming up with a fever, a high fever or maybe it was just hunger- i could feel my stomach twist and could hear it grumbling.
I placed my head gently on the pillow, sighed, before shutting my eyes- feeling Bethany stare on at me.
I was hungry, weak, tired and I had this really bad ache in the head.
23rd of march?
23rd of march!
Away from home for two weeks.
I missed mom, missed my small room.
Why I was here?
Why the people were holding me up here?
Why the pale white girl tried to compel me into forgetting about that night?.
I had a lot of questions and i needed answers, answers to the questions that made my heart ache so bad.
My eyes stung pretty bad, my throat aching as I tried to choke in some tears. Suddenly I felt something trickle down my left cheeks- hot liquids that rolled out one after the other.
Crying?
Aggatha are you crying again?.
I sniffled then I let the sobs out, my closed eyes still shedding tears, "Why am I here Bethany?".
"Mary...?" Her voice was in some sort of pained whisper. Emotions oozed out the way she spoke, "Mary they are a lot of things you don't want to know, a lot of things in this world you will never understand. Sometimes the universe keep things from us for our own safety. So now I would say nothing to you. My empty words guarantees your safety".
I'd expected that. Spoke just like my mom.
I rolled over in bed then I turned the other way before slowly fluttering my eyes open, then I could sight a huge dusty picture frame, face down against the wall. My eyes seemed to linger on it for a moment, staring at the old looking gold like frame.
Rolling my eyes off it- I spoke again, "Please Bethany. In this case my life is on the line. Those people are demons. You saw the way she reacted. I've only sighted such in movies. Fantasied movies of vampires. I don't want to... I can't believe those people are vampires and they fed on me".
"Well they did," Bethany words struck my heart like lightening. I shut my eyes tighter- giving way for the hot tears to roll out faster. My heart ached and the thought of me being fed on like a sacrificial lamb made me shudder.
"I'm sorry Mary," I felt Bethany place her hand affectionately on my shoulder. Shrugging her off I continued to sob. "I'm really sorry but you have to believe it. This people are vampires, blood sucking vampires"
Vampires.
Blood suckers...
Creatures with lost souls, destined to be cast away. Destined for hell.
All my life I'd always listened to tales of vampires, listened to the horrifying stories of them ripping heads off and draining out one's blood.
When I was a kid and I went on a weekend visit to my grandparent's house. I would eagerly, anxiously wait for my grandparents to settle down in front of their TV at night then I would stare on at them- eyes twinkling brightly with eagerness and heart beating fast with anxiety.
Then just then when my grandparents would turn off the television and mutter beneath their old breaths some nighttime prayer which always had the same ending.
'If I go to bed and not awake. Please take my soul o Lord'.
That was it. The ending of my grandparent's prayer which is almost too similar to that of mom.
Then after, after the long prayer with me muttering out 'Amen' at every lapse and pauses. My granny would go to bed then I'd jump into the sofa next to my grandfather looking up at him excitedly with eyes that spelt out;
'Go on granddad before granny comes back and try to force me to bed'.
My grandaddy would look down at me, a smile would then form up his wrinkled face. Pulling me into him in such loving affectionate fatherly way he would start the stories with so much enthusiasm and passion.
He would tell me stories about vampires, werewolves, the black eyed kids, the Griffin- an imaginary animal with a lion's body and an eagle's wings and head then he would tell me about the grim reaper- an angel who comes to take a soul of a man after his death.
Then finally the stories would come to an end with me laying in my granddad's warm shaky arms as he took me upto bed. I was never satisfied with the stories- not even for once.
I'd always wanted to know more about this creatures and why I never sighted any of them in grade school, the park, the mall, the church, the saloon or in my room. I would then sigh, my mind filled with thoughts of them. Then I would look up to my grandad as he made his way up the stairs- my head leaning upon his bony chest.
"Grandad?" I would call in a whispery tone, my eyes glistening with curiosity. "Where are those creatures?".
My grandad would smile softly revealing a missing tooth hole that seemed like a door leading to a dark passage way. He would look down at me then answer in his wise like voice, "The universe keeps us safe, safe from them all. Evil creatures belonging to the pit of hell".
I still wasn't satisfied.
"Have you met one grandad? Can I see one grandad? Can I meet a vampire or a werewolf or a Grim reaper? Can I? Can I?".
My grandpa would then give a long sigh before pressing his lips against each other, sighing in something that seemed to me pure dismay of agony and sadness. It felt like he was hiding some pain behind the loving grandfather's facade he always had on.
"You don't see one unless you lurk out in the dark, late at night. The devil's hour".
"Have you ever met one?" I would ask again, "Have you ever made contact with one".
He would just sigh then look away from me, his eyes roaming everywhere, anywhere but my questioning eyes as he tuck me carefully into bed, placing a soft kiss on my forehead he would then turn to leave the room, "Get some sleep Aggatha. The night is not growing younger you know. A secret, it's gonna be revealed only when you've come of age, only when".
He would then proceed out the room, flickering off the room light and gently shutting the door. I would snuggle close to me one of my favorite stuffed toy then my eyes would flutter shut. My mind slowly replaying granddad's story to me in form of a dream, my inquisitive mind playing games with me in my dream land.
But I never got to know of the secret.
Soon my grandad left the world, he was found near a old cabin in the woods. His heart missing, few animal like scratches.
Then after his death, rumors had spread through Bensalem- rumors my grandfather was killed by either a werewolf or a vampire.
He had no bite marks, not even one but still people claimed he was killed by his rivals- the vampires because they thought him to be a werewolf. Enemy to the vampire race.
But I never believed it.
For weeks rumours went around of people sighting the old Mr Williams man clad in his scuffed cowboy boot, grey plaid shirt over brown pants.
The people said to have sighted him and that he had actually smiled at them and had short conversations with his old friends.
Some night workers said to have sighted him downtown close to Grandma Maggie's fast food restaurant.
A couple of teens said to have seen him close to Bensalem high school after a long night out binge drinking- people just declared them crazy and drunk.
While other night workers declared the drunk teenagers words true. They said to always see him at night walking past our house over and over again with hope visible in his gestures.
Probably hope that i would open the window and stare down the street, stare down the street and see him there- right under that crooked night light. See him wave at me, then request I open the door for him to be let in.
I wished they were true, wished the rumors could turn out real and I'd see grandad exactly under that crooked night light, wished I'd see him wave at me.
But it never happened. Every night since grade four- I would pull aside my curtains at night, stand in front of the window then stare down the street and wish Mister Matthew Williams would appear anytime soon and gift me one of his famous smile- but it never happened.
I waited up for him, days till I turned sixteen but he never came, never passed by, neither did he ever ring the doorbell.
I waited up for him but he betrayed my trust.
Mr Matthew Williams never came back and I for one, I never for once believed his death was caused by a hungry fox like the police had announced.
I never believed it.
•••
"Allergies?" Bethany asked before flipping over the note pad to a new leaf, "Do you have any allergies? Food or things you react to?".
I took in a heavy deep breath, my eyes not leaving the ceiling for even a moment- I continued to stare hard at them.
Thirty minutes had passed since Bethany revealed that horrible secret of the Griffins being a vampire and she being a witch. A witch that had a lot of power to control nature.
When I asked how she was related to the Griffins. She had gladly told me how she fell in love with the oldest Son in the Griffin family years back.
"Reece Frazer Griffin," she had smiled excitedly before rolling her finger around the tip of her dark blonde hair. Her cheeks were looking heated up, little shade of pink coating her high cheek bones. She looked away shyly now looking almost like she just got asked out on a date by her long time crush. "We met at this yoga class I was taking when I was 16years old at Fort Collins, Florida. I was there on a visit to my aunt's place and he on a business trip".
"So...?" I had asked excitedly, wanting in on her full love story.
"It was love at first sight. We knew we were made for each other, he tried to scare me off but I didn't budge," Her smile widened. "Then he asked me on a date. We went to the top of the hill. He revealed himself as a vampire but still I loved him. I wanted more of him, I wanted him to be mine forever. So right on that very day, he took my pride. I gave it to him willingly. Some months later I realized I was pregnant and he never denied me, never denied us, never denied our baby. He's a real man, a man every woman should pray to have".
Then I didn't give her anymore replies, I just stared at her happy face, stared at her soft pink lips as they couldn't stop stretching themselves across her face, She couldn't stop smiling.
Then I pictured it in my head, pictured me falling in love with one of those demonic blood suckers.
Something I couldn't exactly picture.
I hated them with passion.
"Mary. Aggatha. Williams," I blinked at the sound of my name being spelt out. Turning my eyes away from the ceiling- I stared at Bethany's amused face. She shook her head amusedly, then she smiled, "You zone out too many times in a roll. I was asking you a question, please answer it".
"Uh?".
"Do you have any allergies?".
I sighed before fixing my eyes back at the ceiling, "A couple, I was always ill as a child".
"Okay," She stared back down at the notepad, then she made to jot down some more. "Name them, the stuffs you get the allergic attacks from".
Oh.
I'll be naming a lot.
"Tulips, peanuts, tree nuts, tuna fish and shellfish," I took in another deep breath before shutting my eyes almost flickering it open immediately. "I used to have allergies attack also from eggs, milk and soy but I guess I outgrew them. Stopped getting the attacks from them at age seven".
Bethany sighed, her glossy brown eyes now twinkling with sadness, "Your childhood must have being really painful".
"Yes, each time I took or touched any of those things I'd get swollen eyes, tingling lips and my throat would close up and within minutes I'd pass out".
"What about your parents?" She asked, her voice giving out every pain It had in it. "How did your parents take this in? Your mother? Your father?".
I felt my throat clog up with lumps, a sickening bile coming up my throat.
I never had a father. Not one I would love to talk about.
Mom was raped at a party she attended at age sixteen. I've never met my father, neither have I ever seen him.
My life was so messed up, in a tangle that could never be loosed.
When I was a kid in middle school each day I'd get bullied and the bullies always got away because mom had a strong policy of never retaliating and because I had no father to come with me to school the next day just to yell at the bullies- no one ever did that for me.
Mom just made me fend for myself, told me to attack my bullies back with peace.
And almost everyday I'd gotten shoved into my locker, pushed off my seat, get punched in the gut by the popular girls till my stomach was bruised and purple. At time I'd even get forced to chew down some of the food that gave me allergic attack .
I had no friend and I was tagged the school sad pathetic girl who always hides her face beneath that oversized hoodie.
My hoodie was my only confidence.
I was called ugly, stinky, disgusting, dumb- words that described a complete opposite of me.
"You don't want to talk about it? Your father? Your mother?".
I sat up in bed, then I shifted off to the edge - my legs now dangling from the bed, my fist were clenched that they soon began to show white at the knuckle. I fought hard, fought back the tears that threatened to drop again.
I'd being awake in three hours and was about to shed tears for the third time.
"You don't really want to talk about it?" Bethany asked before closing shut the notepad then she slipped it into a black glossy bag that layed on the cabinet. "The questions are done. Now I have to give you a list of things to do and not to do around the Griffins pending the time your memory would be wiped...".
She trailed off, then she looked down at her fingers sadly, "I'm sorry but very soon you will forget all this ever happened. You'll forget we ever met. Ever had this conversation. I wish I can do something about this, I really wish".
I forced on a saddening smile, "I'm good, I have a pretty long memory, I'll remember anything"
She smiled up at me, her eyes glistening with so much emotions, "Nice meeting you Ms Williams".
"Me too," A genuine smile stretched across my face as i stared on at her.
The nice stranger i'd met some hours ago, stranger that already had a detailed account of my life history.
What she asked those questions for- I had no idea.
"So the Griffin family consist of six boys- Reece, Max, Joe, Clark, Michel, Andrew," She sharply spoke up. "They are loving vamps if you get a chance at getting close to them but they are some certain things you should not do around them".
"What things?"
Bethany adjusted properly in her seat, before giving me a really long list, "Do not stand close to the windows, the vampires finds it attracting to any werewolf that might be passing by at that moment, werewolves freaks them out,"
"Do not pull aside the curtain covers. And if you're going to do that. Make sure the covers are not pulled all the way,"
"Do not show your fear to them. It only makes them take you as a prey about to be fed on,"
"Do not lie to them, they might just read your mind to find out what you're really thinking,"
"Do not make too much movement when they're around you. They are already conscious about your movement,"
"Do not ever try walking into the basement," that one caught my attention.
"Why?" I eagerly asked, my eyes blinking over and over in anxiety.
Bethany smiling face dropped into a sore look, a look that had in it the aura of death. "It's Michel's territory. If you step In there, no one might be able to save you,"
I nodded slowly then stared far away to the slightly pulled aside curtains- little yellow evening sun light flooding in. Bethany had pulled them aside some minutes ago when I'd demanded to see nature's light.
"Do not pull aside the hall way curtains either..."
Her voice was starting to get distance again as I slowly zoned her out as I stared at the window contemplating escaping through it. Out the window. Jumping won't hurt that much. I might get a couple of broken bones, might hit my head but I'll still run, find a nearby station and report these friggin monsters.
"Do not go into any of the boys room," Her voice sounded far off now.
Only three words raced through my head.
Run! Escape! Report!
Run! Escape! Report!
"Do not get in trouble with Mikel,"
Jump! Run! Escape!
And just then I could almost imagine myself jumping out the window, running through the woods as fast as I could.
"Make sure not to cut your self cause even a drop of blood would attract them," Her voice was now starting to come back louder. I turned my eyes away from the wide window, fixing them back on her. I continued to listen to her speak, "When a vampire isn't able to read your mind or compel you into doing what they want their ego gets wounded, they then feel weak, scared and are often prune to getting rid of that human, so do be careful. Make friends with Harley and get close to Max..." She stopped talking, her eyes lingering on my now stunned face. "Sorry Mary but those two are the only ones who can guarantee you ever walking out of here alive. Mostly Max."