Chapter 6: Fleeing the Scene

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The light was almost nonexistent, behind the thick curtains Allison had her father put up last week. If it wasn't for the birds chirping and the sound of cicadas outside, you might've thought it was the dead of night.

Allison lied sprawled out on her bed, with her headphones snuggly over her ears. With chill hip-hop beats flowing from left and right, she bobbed her to each song that came on. She used to listen to hour-long playlists like that in school and the stress just seemed to melt away, but it was no help now.

Whenever she let her eyelids ease down, she heard the raspy voice that had almost strangled her to death in her dream. Each time she heard the voice, her eyes popped open and she looked straight at the curtains, making sure the sunlight was completely blocked out. She did not know what the apparition's words entailed, but she was not taking any chances.

Allison closed her eyes once more and thought about the shadow that had waved at her. She no longer concerned herself with who lived across the street. Barricading herself from the outside world was the main objective.

She sat up in her bed and took off her headphones. Slowly, she lowered her hands down to her lap and gazed at the black ring-like marks around her arms. I guess it makes sense for a bruise left by a ghost to be invisible, she thought. But that didn't explain why Julian couldn't see the marks by Ruth either.

After Julian confirmed that he could not see the marks, she was convinced she was crazy. No matter how hard she scrubbed away at the markings, while taking a shower, they were still there like a shameful tattoo only she could see. The most daunting part was that each time she stepped into the bathroom and looked at her reflection in the mirror, the marks were invisible even to her.

"Hey are you alive in there!" yelled Julian knocking at the door.

Allison was so startled that she almost fell out of the bed. "I'm fine", she replied as she untangle the wire to her headphones. "Just trying to stay out of the light".

Julian fell silent, concerned about his sister's mental state. He promised not to tell their parents, but she was starting to take it too far. "Do you still see the markings?"

She walked over to her bedroom door and opened it. "Yes, I still see them. The only time I don't is when I look in the mirror".

"There's only one logical explanation", whispered Julian. "An ancient vampire has come back from the dead to take over the world, and he's picked you to be his forerunner—to be his eyes and ears in the quiet suburbs of New Castle, New York". Allison stared at him with a scowl on her face. Julian knew how to kid around at the right time. Surely there was an explanation for why this was happening to Allison, but she knew it was definitely more complicated than ancient vampires. He started to chuckle as Allison continued to stare at him. "Could you be serious for more than a second", she muttered.

"Just trying to lighten the mood", he replied. "Being in the house during a blackout with your sister, who swears a demon is coming after her isn't necessarily the most soothing situation". He placed his hand on the doorknob and leaned on the outside of the door.

Allison sighed. "You're right, I'm kinda keeping you in the dark about what's going on. I'm just trying to protect you".

"No pun intended, right?" he said sarcastically, motioning towards Allison's dark room.

Allison placed her hand on the other doorknob and pushed the door back towards Julian. The second she put her fingers around the cold doorknob, the mark on her right wrist began to move like the fluid in a lava lamp, across Allison's skin. After a few moments it finally settled into an unusual shape.

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