Static Reflections: Book 1 of The Mortal Guard Series

Chapter 61 - Pierce: A Craving

Chapter 61 - Pierce: "A Craving"

Days passed at Downing Manor, filled with resting and hanging around while Leah continued preparing for the ritual. Tyler talked with Adam about his past life, learning various things about the 80s while, in turn, Adam was shown various movies and games from this time period. Pierce felt better, and they bonded more with the group as a whole, becoming good friends with Tyler, and even Adam.

Everyone had to consistently avoid Molly and Gerald, who was still trying to hire new caretakers after all of the others "quit." When something of the supernatural nature did slip, Leah had to alter their minds after each subsequent freakout. This happened three separate times.

One particular night, Pierce was lying wide awake in bed while Tyler slept curled up beside them. The lemur stared at the ornate ceiling, their mind wandering to what their life used to be like before the whole vampire incident. If all of these supernatural beings had never come into their life, they probably would have kept making videos for MyTube, their channel would have reached 500 subscribers, and they might have even become a well-known content creator.

Sadly, it was only a faded fantasy that crept up in their mind every once in a while. Reality was much harsher. They were something they had only read about, always wondering if creatures of the night were prowling around out there, but never quite believing it. Now, a normal life was out of the question. They had to find a new normal.

Their eyes shifted to the wood that covered the windows, nails implanted within each plank so they'd stay in place. Tyler and Adam had helped them put them up one of the nights, ensuring that sunlight would never be able to enter the room and reduce them to a pile of ash. It was Tyler's idea, and they were thankful. It allowed them to sleep comfortably during the day in a normal room.

Speaking of the room, something about it felt off. Pierce knew that it was Boris's room. The otter's body may have been with them, but his energy and personality were void, creating a lingering ghost within the space. The lemur was sure they could imagine the real Boris walking around, and they were certain Tyler did that often.

The middle-sized box was a little messy when they first took refuge there, but all it took was a little time to get it cleaned up. Hopefully, Boris would appreciate that. Still, there was something in the corner that Pierce's red eyes stayed focused on.

The unfinished portrait of Leah.

They weren't quite sure why it made them feel sad, but Pierce could feel a kind of potential energy from the art. It was unfinished business, and the nightcrawler wondered if the artist would ever return to see it to its completion.

As Pierce fixated on dark-colored eyes of Leah, their mind drifted to think about their own and how they had been changing. Originally, their eyes were an amber color, but ever since they began drinking their own blood, their corneas had slowly been shifting to a dark red. It unsettled them but seemed harmless. The day before, they had almost completely turned.

Pierce's sudden impulse turned to action as they sat up, glancing at the two boys fast asleep on the mattress. There was Tyler, who snored when he slept, and then Adam, who was as quiet as can be. The animal was just glad that everyone could trust him again. It seemed like trying to kill Tyler was a genuine mistake. Pierce worried about what would happen if they didn't have Leah to turn to. Tyler might have been a goner, for sure.

The lemur got up, feeling wide-awake as it was the middle of the night. They were wearing clothes that they borrowed from Molly. It seemed like everyone borrowed from Molly. Pierce grabbed their phone from beside Tyler's on the nightstand and shuffled in their socks to the door, pulling it open and slipping out.