Kinder Things | vampire chrollo

31

chapter thirty one: risen

For over a year the darkness had given me comfort. Keeping me safe from harm in its shadows and always watching me from above as below. It had grown to become my only friend in the world of the undead.

So never did I think being in the light would feel uncomfortable. I couldn't help but glance back at the darkness, its warmth hug slipping off my body as we stepped into the public eye.

I inch myself closer to Chrollo, keeping my eyes to the ground out of fear of someone realizing that I wasn't one of them. His hand tightened around me as the crowd swarmed around us.

He had warned me earlier about how festivals were often packed with young folks, destructive folks that were too drunk to even realize who they were following into the darkness. The perfect type of people to feast upon.

"Don't worry, they won't even notice you." He assured me. "But they will if you keep staring at the ground like that."

"I'm just nervous."

"About what? You were human just a year ago." He couldn't help but chuckle at his words.

"What if someone recognizes me?"

"We're no where near your old town. No one here will recognize you. I'll find someone, all you have to do is make yourself look busy."

I let my fingers slip off his and walk off on my own. His fingers brush against my lower back before he disappears into the crowd. A comforting touch to let me know that he'd be back. My first instinct is to head towards the small stands that are selling items. Food, drinks, clothes, and jewelry. I look at everything but don't stay long enough to get noticed by the sellers, nothing caught my attention anyway. Except for a necklace.

I reach for the purple pendant and then a hand catches my wrist. I jump when I see the old woman staring me down.

"You're beautiful." She muttered.

I relax and glance in Chrollo's direction. His back was facing towards me as he looked at another stand.

"Thank you." I say quietly and try to pull away. But she holds me tighter, her nails digging into my wrist.

"Have we met before? I swear I've seen you from somewhere."

"I don't think we have." I yank my wrist away from her grip.

She sighed, "I'm sorry, I must've confused you with someone else. I've just been on my toes all week. My daughter is sick and I keep thinking she's going to get better but it's been months now."

I take a peek over her shoulder to find the girl lying on a soft blanket on the ground. I figured she couldn't be left alone without being watched, her mother was afraid she'd come home to find her dead.

"How old is she?"

"Nineteen."

"What if I can help your daughter." The words rolled off my tongue before I even realize what I had said. She looked up at me, somewhat offended yet interested at what I had just said. The thought of feasting on someone had been thrown out the window. I was thinking far ahead, way ahead of myself.