After Eden [Book #1 of The Fall Trilogy]

Seven ☾ ☽ Metal & Blood

"You taste like metal and blood, kiss like a man's last gunshot." - Elizabeth Hewer

Seven ☾☽ Metal & Blood

The uncanny note hung heavy in my pocket as if all the forces of the world were upon it. The red ink threatened to burn a whole through the thick wool, demanding my attention, but I remained resolute to push the simple yet vexing piece of paper to the basement of my priorities. Picking up the vile of the noxious smelling purple liquid in mirror to the Potions & Remedies teacher, I attempted to focus on something rather than strange notes and mysterious figures under the pseudonym of R.

And the fidgety girl from the hallway who had quite accurately pointed out my current state of vampirism before making a mad dash in the complete opposite direction seemed like an excellent place to start. I had all ready not so smoothly slide her discarded papers when I had been oh so conveniently seated right beside her onto the rickety, stained bench by Dr. Crazy Eyes.

His name was actually Dr. Crazenburg, but I figured that Crazy Eyes suited him better based on the one glass eye ball that rolled lazily in his head and the other watery, blue one that I was sure was about to pop out of its socket.

Anyway, my not-really-sly move on the antsy girl had only been awarded with wide, glassy hazel eyes positively brimming with fear. The girl didn't make one peep as she quickly jammed the papers into her abraded leather bag, and even after that she had curled up on the corner of bench, flinching if I made any unsuspecting movements. I would be lying if I said I was not hurt by her lack of gratitude.

I reached across the tabletop for a beaker filled with a meager size of innocent-looking white liquid. I held the substance to my face, swirling it around cautiously. I was prepared to mix the two fluids together when suddenly a hand was seized my wrist, ceasing my movements.

"You must be absolutely mad if you are going to mix amirthirite with mediocris ethanol!" the girl panicked, looking shakily at what I was about to do. "The whole class would be consumed in green flames in a matter of seconds."

Oh

She grabbed another beaker filled with the same looking white liquid and shoved it in my hands. "We're working with serosine, not mediocris ethanol," she corrected." How the girl could discern between the two was beyond me, but I nodded dumbly before dumping the vile into the beaker.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I studied the girl's expression as her eyes lit up at the like a child's on Christmas day at the sight of the synthesis of the two substances. She leaned impossibly close until she was breaths away from the spectacle of smoke rising and the beaker warming considerably. That's when I realized her once shy and frightened demeanor had now been crushed, replaced with one that had her invading my personal space just to get a better look.

I high-fived myself in victory.

As the smoke simmered down, realization must of dawned on the girl also because she reared violently back, lip quivering.

"Oh, God. I'm so sorry. Please don't-"

"I'm not going to hurt you," I deadpanned.

"Huh?"

I gave a tight-lipped smile, placing the concoction down and leaning back in my seat. "This is only my first day here, but I would appreciate if you didn't say anything about..." I trailed off, leaving it to her to fill in the blank.

I knew it was most likely inevitable to prolong the knowledge of my nature to my classmates any longer than I have already, but it was my last period of the day, and I was praying that I could make it to at least tomorrow.