Grapevine (Zetheria Series #1)

Chapter 2: Dear Selene

"I am Selene Rose Rodriguez."

She was intelligent for someone so poor. Many told her that she should keep her dreams realistic, in line with her status and to not be too greedy. Her friends, family and mentors all told her the same thing.

Despite it all, Selene was able to study at a prestigious university on a scholarship, taking Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. She was dubbed as the great know-it-all by some people.

She stayed at different households as a working student when she was in high school. And if she was being generous, she would describe herself as a strong and adaptable person, forged by hardships that came with poverty and her desire to lead a fulfilling and comfortable life.

In reality, she's an ambitious person who wouldn't mind stepping on others to achieve her goals. This was one of the reasons why no suggestions or advice will make her stop pursuing her dreams.

"It's like my conviction is being tested once again," she murmured to herself, catching a floating rose petal.

She submerged her body in the fragrant water and closed her eyes, feeling the warmth permeate her skin.

She stayed like that for an hour before coming out. Finally covered with a bathrobe, she stared at her own reflection in the mirror.

The face of a stranger. She was unhealthily thin. Her cheekbones were sharp and her overall appearance was gaunt and pale. Her green eyes looked cold and unwelcoming, looking out of place in the harmony of her features.

Her hair cascaded down her shoulders like wilted lavenders. Its color sharply contrasted her pale, ivory skin.

Selene Antonette Rosseficent looked no different from a sick person. Her eyes were dull and lifeless, yet there was a hint of intelligence hidden beneath it. The creepy part in all of this was the fact that Selene's brain still get shocked when she sees her own reflection. It's like she's looking at a different person, but her movements would follow her commands, making her feel like a puppeteer. All in all, it was an uncomfortable sight.

She tucked a stray hair behind her ears, noticing a leaf sticking to her skin. It was so tiny and insignificant.

Without much thought, Selene brushed it off. She thought that it was just one of the herbs the maids put on her bath along with the rose petals.

However, in the next second, a sharp pain assaulted her senses. She let out a yelp and massaged her forehead.

Information about a certain type of fungi appeared on her mind. She once had a nightmare about mushrooms growing on her flesh.

'What's stopping mushrooms from growing in a human's body?'

The thought made her shudder.

Calming herself, she reached for the drawer and found a pair of scissors. She took it and cut the stubborn leaf.

An indescribable pain crashed on her like a siege ram.

She held onto the sink as the wave of burning pain made her lose her senses.

A scream came out of her lips.

It was then.

Thin vines crawled out of her fingertips like a growing plant on timelapse. The pain made her incapable of making sense on what's happening with her body. She fell on the floor and convulsed, her bones cracked and her iris rolled to the back of her eyelids.

Amidst the torment, Selene forgot everything. She didn't even know who or where she is. The only thing in the world was pain, as if a sharp knife is tearing her soul apart. It came from her heart, her head, and muscles. It came from everywhere.