THE IMMORTAL'S FRIEND

Chapter 4: Black Forest

Mom,

I know you won't let me to go even if I ask you a permission, so I'll just leave this letter to you hoping that you would take time to read it. I'll be leaving for a while. I can't just stay at the hospital and wait for another donor to replace Flare's heart inside me. I don't want Flare to leave me for the second time. If I let Flare's heart to be taken from me, I don't think I can handle it. I'll try to look for a way that would save both of us so please don't find me. I promise that I would return alive. I'm sorry if I need to be gone for a while. Please don't worry about me too much, I'll be back healthily soon. Take care until I return home, mom.

 — Mira

I left a letter to my mom before I escape from the hospital bringing only a small backpack to go to Hagaya town alone.

I bought a ticket and soon got to enter on the train finding out that there are only few passengers inside.

The train departed immediately.

While on the way, I can't help but to think about Flare. I remember a memory from before while silently looking outside the window.

flashback~

"Are vampires good, or bad?" Flare asked.

She was sitting on a wheelchair while I was sitting on my hospital bed. I looked at her with confusion after I heard her asking a question. It's just the two of us in the room so I'm sure that that question is for me.

"Of course if you would ask that question to people, they would answer that vampires are bad. Vampires drink people's blood and also kill humans so everyone believes that vampires are bad and scary, right?"

I answered and I saw Flare frowned.

"I just can't understand most of people." she said.

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"Some of them doesn't believe that vampires exist, but they believe that vampires are bad. They doesn't believe in them, but they believed that they are bad. Isn't that ironic?" she questioned while pouting and crossed both of her arms over her chest.

I kinda get her logic.

"It's just the same as this question : Are humans good or bad? People said that vampires are bad because they drink blood and kill people, but people do worse than that. Some people kill, steal, and do something that is inhuman. So aren't humans worse than vampires?" she added.

People are scary. Some people are bad, but there are good people too… just like Flare, my one and only best friend.

"Well, I guess we shouldn't describe someone or something in general. There are good and bad people, so I believe that there are also good vampires." I answered.

Flare smiled. She seems happy that I said that. I also smiled back.

There's a moment of silence between us, but just after a few minutes, she break the silence again by continuing to ask another question to me.

end of flashback~

I believe in what Flare said that there are good vampires. That is the reason why I'm going to look for them. I'll ask for their help so I won't need another heart anymore. I want to live with Flare's heart inside me.

I would do whatever it takes for it to happen.

##

The train arrived at the destination so I went down while carrying my small backpack. I'm not familiar with the place as it is my first time being here.

I roamed my eyes around wondering which way to go.

I searched for my phone inside my bag so I could use it for a map, but I got pale and scared when I couldn't find it. Did I forget to bring it or did I drop it earlier on the train? I started to panic, but I immediately calmed myself down. If I panic right now, I might also faint.

After heaving a deep breath, I decided to just hail for a taxi. My plan is to walk using a map on my phone but I don't have any choice right now since I lost it but to ride on a taxi. I will use all of the remaining money I have to pay for the fare.

I told the taxi driver to bring me to the black forest. He told me that it's the first time he'll drive someone there. He said that that place is dangerous—the most dangerous place existed here in Hagaya town. He even asked me twice if I was sure that I would go there. I answered him confidently with a yes and smile.

I know that going to the black forest is dangerous. I don't know who, but someone has whispered on my ears that I could find a vampire there so I need to go there.

I was sweating because I am actually scared, but there's a part of me that tells me I should go to that place no matter what.

I am already in Hagaya town so it's already late to back out now.

After 30 minutes, the driver informed me that he couldn't drive me near the black forest anymore. I need to walk for at least 10 minutes to finally arrive there. I could feel that the driver was shaking in fear as he's scared just by mentioning the forest.

I couldn't blame him though. It's getting dark already and there's no any street lights here.

"Please be careful. If something bad happens to you, I might blame myself for it."

The driver said after I paid for the taxi fare. I don't want him to blame himself as I am the one who wants to be here so I told him not to worry and thanked him for agreeing to drive me up to here and when he already left, I started to walk to the black forest.

With brisk steps, I walked fast so it didn't take me 10 minutes to finally see the entrance of the forest.

For a moment, I become hesitant if I should continue or not. But whenever I remember Flare, my fear changes into determination.

I am not alone, Flare is with me. I believe that I would encounter a good vampire here so I don't need to worry. I just hope that I will see the vampire immediately before a wolf sees me and devours me wholly.

I held my chest with my hand and closed my eyes. I took a deep breath. This is for Flare. Don't be a coward, Miracle. You can do it.

When I already calmed myself, I opened my eyes slowly and looked at the entrance of the black forest.

I need to be brave if I want to live. I continued reminding that to myself before I smiled slightly.

Now let the vampire hunting begin.