Dead Bite

Dead of Summer

Depression? Check.

Anxiety? Check.

Losing the will to live?...

Luna sighed as she read over the stupid questionnaire that laid flat against her knobby knees. Losing the will to live?  That's the question that stuck in her mind that was becoming less of a thought, distracted, she couldn't help but to notice the numbness of her ass from the tiny chair beneath her. This was meant for a damn five year old, Why couldn't there be normal seating? She sighed once again frustrated. She couldn't help but be still distracted by all the children's play things that had sat around her. Thinking back with a smile to a time where she remembered true happiness...or at least that's what she told herself to shut out all the bad memories in their place. Tattered teddy bear. Broken Door frame. Off-key piano. Sound of Ma and Pa breaking glass. Headphones plugged into a beaten cassette player turned up as loud as humanly possible. Shot gun shells hitting the ground and sirens in the distance. 

Luna tried to place a single happy thing  to every bad memory that popped up. Toys, Music, familiar comforting smells, like pine and rain. It made being alone so much easier to cope with. After that unsettling night of terror her mind blocked out most things for her. All the memories simply drifted away to black nothingness behind her eyelids as her thoughts drifted away...

"Devoux?"

Luna was soon pulled out of her thoughts, she looked to the nice blonde lady in simple blue scrubs from the window she was all to familiar with. Though she hated this place, Loraine was always nice to her when she was forced to be here. 

You see, Luna never wanted to be here. Not in this office. This town. Not anywhere here. Being an orphan by law at the age of 13 and growing up in the system with court mandates, you kind of have to. She couldn't blame them though. After what happened with her parents, anyone would have questioned her mental stability. Not only that, she was absolutely alone which made it worse. She was the definition of outcast. After what her father did, no family would take her in, in fear she would carry the same tendencies. Her own and fosters alike. Her last name held a reputation that she could never escape in this tiny town.

Luna stood from the chair, wiggling to get her ass out of it as she had for the past two and a half years. She was stuck going to the only Childs therapist in town that would see her under her circumstances. Only for the next 4 months she thought to herself. As soon as she turned eight-teen she would be out of here. This office. This town. She would finally be free. 

"Miss Devoux, so lovely to see you this afternoon. Please follow me this way." Loraine spoke in almost a sickly sweet tone, as she always did. Though it seemed to bother Luna more today as her nerves were set a flame passing by the familiar offices. She knew this should be a safe place but she always hated being here. It always set off her anxiety walking through the swaying door. Ever since she stepped foot into this place, Its had this fake feeling of tranquility that was pushed onto whoever walked through those doors. 

The cream colored walls were covered in stock photos of smiling children at play and motivational quotes that made her uneasy. Not to mention all the awards and certificates that showed off the doctors achievements. It was nauseating. She always felt out of place. She hated fake. She hated pretending as if everything were alright, when if it were, she wouldn't have to be here like countless others she had passed over the years. She knew to most, it would bring comfort but to her, it did quite the opposite. 

Luna almost gagged at the fake cleanly smell that filled the hallway as they walked to the last office door. Something was off,  was the first thing she thought to herself. They stopped in front of the giant Cedar door stained with cherry-red lacquer as she had many times. It felt very different this time. Her anxiety paced as the acid poled in her throat, which she tried to suppress.  Bleach and something she couldn't place masked the usual smell of sandalwood and oak that filled the office. Hospitals. That's the smell that shocked her senses. So many memories connected to that scent as a sweat broke from her brow, with that she knew todays session was not going to pretty. 

"Alright sweetie, Doctor Montgomery will be ready to see you whenever you're ready. If you need me, you know where to find me." Loraine took her hand and gave it a little reassuring squeeze seeing the anxiety filling her expression. Luna took a deep three-count breath, as she was taught to not throw herself into a panic attack as the blonde woman left her side.  

Loraine was the closest thing she had to a friend, even when Luna found her cheeriness unnerving at times. But she understood Luna and Luna understood her. Ever since Luna first had come here, Loraine was the most comfort she had. 

Loraine was the first person she had contact with outside of the courtroom face to face. She would talk to Luna as she waited in the lobby, riddled with anxiety and crying from the confusion & loss she had endured. She would try to distract Luna and even when her stubbornness won't let her admit it, Loraine did a good job at it. The pain was sometimes to much for her and Loraine could see that. She did what she could to bring a smile to her face. Loraine was a mother of two and wanted to comfort everyone around her with her southern sweetness and home made food. Luna was quite fond of her because of how much she reminded her of her own mother. Bless her soul. 

"Here goes nothing." Luna sighed out as she rapped her knuckles against the Cedar door.  Her hands were shaking from the anticipation to get this done and over with like she did ever week.

But what came next was something she would have never expected... Was this really happening? 

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Alright, so, this is my first ever attempt at writing a story based on something that's not either fanfic or based off other stories and I hope you guys enjoy. I love writing and this is going to be a semi slow burn project for me and something that will keep you guessing. Now warning in later chapters some things may become graphic and I will post trigger warning for such things.  I hope the first chapter catches interest and I promise this is going to be different then other vampiric novels that are out there. 

Happy Haunts Dear Readers, 

XOXO

- Mystic A