In a lifetime

Chapter 48: Veronica Thompson

I couldn't sleep at all last night, after seeing someone you actually know laying lifeless in front of you doesn't help.

Nessa called her friend over at the police department to take over so it's not seen as a supernatural event.

She said that her friend would bring her to the funeral home and have a funeral for her tomorrow which is today.

Me and Eli stayed together for a little while after everything happened. We tried to process everything together but it was all too much, I can't even imagine how Joseph's doing.

Eli said that he looked ready to hurt someone and I don't blame him, his parents died not that long ago, and now his best friend. If I was him I'm not so sure I would be able to stay here.

He hasn't been responding to any of our messages except for the one he sent which was, "just come over tomorrow to head over" space is what he needs but how much?

I stare at my ceiling slowly getting irritated. I should've been faster, I could've been but I wasn't and now a life was lost because of that.

I get up before I go any deeper in my self-despair.

I pick out the only black outfit I have and get ready to head over to Joseph's.

My mom is out working so she won't be with me even though she really wanted to, for me.

Once I get to Joseph's, Eli lets me in as soon as I reach the front door.

I thank him and walk inside, "where's Joseph?" I say while scanning the room.

Daniel says that he's upstairs still getting ready and we sit on the couch waiting. While we're waiting Daniel expresses his concerns about Joseph saying that he's acting distant and almost dark for who he usually is.

We all look at each other with concern and he comes down. He looks at us emotionless and asks if we're all ready.

We nod and head out but I stop him letting the others go out first, "hey, how you holding up?" I ask and he clicks his tongue before saying, "well she died in my arms and right after my parents so I'm as fine as I can be"  he says continuing to walk to the door.

I grab his arm to stop him again and express my concerns as well as the others. He looks at me and at my hand and back at me, "let go" he says, and right after, a sharp burning pain shoots through my hand causing me to let go.

Did he just use a spell on me? He walks out as if nothing happened and now I'm really worried.

We don't say much to each other on our way to the cemetery.

Once we get there we join her family on the side.

Just when the funeral started I begin to tear up and I try fighting them so they wouldn't fall but the thoughts of not being able to save her and the fact that she wasn't having a good day to start with and it ended with her death didn't help.

As the funeral continues it starts to rain and Joseph was called to say something for her parents.

He goes on about how they met and who she was and it's sweet but when he finishes I can see that he's trying to resist something like he's ill and is going to puke.

He walks back to us and the funeral was finished, her parents invited everyone to their home one last time as they are moving away.

We follow everyone to their home and stay there for a while.

A few people in her family came up to ask how we knew her and stuff like that. I walk around to check up on Joseph but he's nowhere to be found.

I ask Daniel where he is but he said he went home, that he wasn't feeling good. I nod in understanding and carry on.

I left when the sun was going down and walked home. Once I got there my mom hugged me and asked how it went.

I answer and head up to my room to get changed. I pull out my laptop to watch some Netflix to make myself feel better but then I hear glass break downstairs.

I open my door and ask my mom if things are alright, she says yes and I relax.

Shutting my door I jump back when I see Joseph sitting in my window seat.

Putting a hand in my chest I say, "Jesus Christ you scared me, how did you even get in?" And he looks at me intrigued.

"I'm a witch, I can appear anywhere," he says getting up.

He starts walking towards me slowly, "Joseph are you okay, what's going on?" I say backing up and he gives a brief smile.

"You know what I learned yesterday, you can't beat a monster without becoming one yourself," he says pausing for a moment.

A monster? Oh, shit he's using dark magic, Nessa warned him what would happen if he used it.

"Okay Joseph you have to resist the dark magic, it's taking you over, it's corrupting you, you're losing your compassion," I say moving away from him but he gets closer.

"My compassion is what got my parents killed, it's what got Natalie killed, I trusted Nessa that Laurel can be saved, and look where that got us, if we're thinking about it, out of all of us Laurel terrorized us the most," he says stopping in his tracks and maybe he's right.

I stare at him which I think he wants me to answer but answer what?

He starts moving towards me again but he spelled me so I can't move. "I'm sorry it had to be this way but I think we can help each other and you want to know the best part, every vampire before you has shown to have a humanity switch," he says smiling which is almost like Laurels and I start to freak out but I still can't move.

As he puts his hands on my head I can feel every good part of me get pushed aside where I can't feel them or anything.

All my good memories are suppressed and only the bad ones remain on top.

I blink a few times before I regain full consciousness again.

"So how do you feel," he says and I really can't feel anything, nothing good at least but now I see his point in all this.

He smiles and says, "I learned this new trick" he opens a portal to what looks like an abandoned church.

"Dark magic has so many uses, it holds so much power, imagine what I could do once I control it," he says walking through and I follow him.

I can tell that he's beginning to devise a plan.