Break Me // ONC 2022

CHAPTER FIVE

This book is several pages deep, but I haven't had much luck with finding any tie to the spinel and the creatures I'm seeing during the day. Even if the legends were true, night is the only time they should be out. According to the story they are trapped here in this town but aren't supposed to be top-notch killers. Although they are vampire-like creatures out looking for blood, the folktale states that they only feed, never kill. Nightwalkers aren't supposed to be sadistic creatures like in the fictional world that we read about today. I mean every group has their rebels - maybe that's what these things are I'm seeing in daylight. Rebels.

My phone chimes. A notification informing me that the Founders Day masquerade ball is in one hour. Despite the poignant stench of death surrounding Ruby Creek, the Mayor decided to move forward with Founders Day. His words were, "Folks need a sense of normalcy, and that's what we hope to accomplish with Founders Day this year."

It was a week-long party leading up to tonight's big masquerade. Sunday kicked it all off with a parade in town, there were side-walk sales, and now today Friday, is the ball.

The moment I got in from school I started tearing through the book, like I've done every day for the past week. Tonight, I lost track of time. Maybe I'm worried about tonight and seeing something I know I shouldn't. Then there's Jaime. Ever since the funeral he's been checking in on me, even bought me lunch a few days during the week. I can't get a good read on him, but I'm slowly becoming okay with his company.

I flip through some more of the book. I'm about to give up when I come across a passage in the middle of a large amount of text.

The curse will fall upon the shoulders of the one whose blood runs cold. They will possess a gem - the red spinel. A gem so powerful that not even they will know the true power. To break the curse, they mustn't tell a soul that they see the nightwalkers turn to daywalkers. Death tolls will rise, until the other half of the gem is restored from a stranger.

My eyes itch as if I've gotten a speck of dust or something in there. I blink away the fuzz and re-read the paragraph. Again, I get these flashes of images like a movie when the main character is putting the pieces of a puzzle together in their mind.

Flipping to the next page I expect to see more, but the page is gone. I run my fingers along the torn edges of the paper. I'm about to turn back when there's a knock on my door. It's already ajar, but Elvis still headbutts his way into my room. He jumps up onto the bed and sits his fat ass on the book. I narrow my eyes at him but can't be mad because he's blinking up at me with wide puss-in-boots eyes waiting for a pet.

Grandma comes in after.

"Hello dear. Are you heading out to the masquerade soon?"

"I am. Are you sure you don't want to join me tonight?"

She chuckles and sits beside me on the edge of the bed. "No, I'll be okay."

"Promise you'll lock up?"

"Why so glum? You seem jumpy lately too. I know all of these deaths seem like the craziest thing, but you and I, we're strong, we can fight whatever evil forces are out there."

"So, you believe it's something beyond our control?"

She nods, touching the golden chain around her neck. She runs the chain between her thumb and pointer. Reaching back, she detaches the necklace.

"Turn around, dear."

I listen, lifting my auburn locks up so that she can set it around my neck. As the charm drops onto my chest, I grab it. Inside a golden cocoon-like ball is the spinel. A cool rush hits me with a force so great that it almost feels as if I've been shocked.