Under The Eclipse: The Blood Moon

Chapter 1: Through Flesh And Blood

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I dreamt about the moon and how darkness swallowed it last night. Red paint splattered on the castle walls and water turned into blood, as the silhouette of a man in a cloak attempted to devour every living thing. Werewolves gathered, their teeth bared, and their furious eyes glared at the man. They were stiff, veins still pulsating, but their bodies didn't budge. When the fire broke out and the pyre lit up, the man chanted in Latin as the ear-splitting sound of the bell resounded through the entire place. The silhouette would disappear at every chime, and the wolves would regain mobility as they approached the pyre. I didn't know where I stood, at that time, but I knew I watched from afar. A sudden force pulled me down, dragged me to a lake, and held my head under the water until I drowned.

That was one of the dream recollections I had last night.

The sun held my gaze until my eyes stung from the heat. If only my mind hadn't wandered elsewhere, I wouldn't have mistaken it for the moon. The loud thud pulled me out of my trance, as the cardboard box spilled its contents on the wooden floor. Mom sighed in exasperation, crouching beside the pile and picking up each accessory to put inside the box. Sweat trickled down her temples, strands of blonde locks cascaded to the side of her face, and her cheeks flushed from apparent exhaustion.

"Thanks for helping me pack." I moved closer to her and grabbed one of the picture frames. It was a photo of Mom and Tobias, my biological father. It was not meant to be packed along with my other stuff.

Her eyes darted to the frame and snatched it from my grasp. "Sorry, I––"

"Mom."

"I know, I just––well, Luke doesn't know I kept it."

"Luke shouldn't know you kept it. It's been years since my father died, Mom. It's unfair to Luke. He tries his best, not just for you, but also for me."

She pursed her lips and her eyes glistened with tears. "I know that. I really do. God, I wish I could bear this easily."

I placed a palm on her cheek and wiped her tears with my thumb. "I can't promise I'll be by your side all the time, but I'm here."

She pulled her face away from my touch. Her unsaid words lingered in the air and I watched as she rummaged through the clutter. The room seemed to shrink as if there wasn't enough space to occupy two––like my mother's heart. Had my father not died, would I still be forced to grieve with her? Every second of my existence was a reminder of what she'd lost. She spent less time raising me and more time moping over a dead person. Luke, maybe, had it worse. Forsaking his duty as a werewolf and breaking the rule of Goddess Selene to be with my mom––a human, a mortal––just to be treated like a prop, must've made him feel less of a man. He loved her enough to stay, which was a rarity Mom took for granted.

"Harvey's picking me up. You don't have to drop me off," I said, breaking the awkward silence.

She didn't respond. She tossed the picture frame onto the bed and taped the cardboard box. I'd stacked some of them last night and placed them in the corner of my room while Mom had an emotional outburst. She went on about doing everything by herself as a form of self-pity. I held myself back from reminding her that she was the one who decided that I move to Azen. And suddenly I was guilt-tripped for complying.

"He's downstairs right now. He said he'll wait until you finish packing." Then her eyes finally met mine, begging me to stay. I felt a sudden pang in my chest––guilt, perhaps. "Take care of yourself, Eleanor," she said with indifference.

"I will. The same goes for you, Mom." I stood in front of her and pulled her into an embrace. I tried to fight the urge to show affection, but I needed this. Despite my constant resentment towards her unintentional lack of regard for other people's feelings, she was still my mother; she once was all I had.