A Day Passed, One Hundred Years Passed

Chapter 8: Return

I land on the roof and look out on the woods, “I can’t believe…we’re finally back!”

Jenna smiles, “I know, seems like forever.”

Kaine lands next to me and jokes, “It’s only been…ehh a hundred years give or take a year.”

I roll my eyes and Lydia laughs, “Come on, let’s get settled in.”

“I’ll be down in a second Lydia.”

Jenna asks, “You okay?”

“It’s been one hundred years since I was last here.”

Jenna nods, “I’m going down and helping settle in. Come down In a bit okay?”

I nod and then sit on the roof. When we arrived in Wisconsin Jenna and I attended school and got part time jobs. We just were the night shifts at a restaurant and when we had to clean up we sat back and talked while it cleaned itself. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was just like Kaine had said, we stayed in one place for ten years and then moved. It was weird because Jenna and I would always just become drop outs that didn’t bother to go to college after high school. I have really grown close to my new family and have met other vampires all over the country. I can’t believe how much I’ve learned. I mean I am fluent in like five new languages now, it’s incredible.

While in New York I came across Paul, he was grown and a successful doctor. He was traveling around the world and owned hospitals all over the country. I was so proud of him, by now he has passed and was buried here. Right back here at home. He married when he was thirty and she died a few years after him.

I see figures in the distance and then I see closer up its other vampires. One looks my age and another that looks Kaine’s age. By age I mean they probably were turned at the same age as me and Kaine. I can never tell how old a vampire is. The man lands and he has silver eyes, “Who are you? Well now you’re my dinner!”

I just remove my contacts, “Calm down, I’m a vampire.”

The boy steps forward and has golden eyes like me, “I’m Jake.”

I smile, “I’m Natalie.”

The man extends his hand, “I’m Kaleb and I’m a good friend of Kaine. Where is he?”

I smile, “Follow me.”

I lead them down and Kaine and Lydia light up, “Kaleb!”

Jenna runs and hugs Jake, “Jake!”

Jake hugs Jenna and then smiles, “How have you been?”

Jenna laughs, “You know, alive.”

We all laugh and I get to know them all. By mid-day we all are lounging around the house. Kaine asks, “What brings you here?”

Kaleb stretches, “Wanted to visit! Is it a crime?”

Kaine smirks, “Only if it’s you who’s visiting.”

Kaleb crosses his arms while we all laugh. Jake stands up next to Kaleb, “Actually we’re here to make sure everything is okay here. Making sure the humans aren’t getting close to our secret.”

Lydia stands up, “What’s this about?”

Kaleb clears his throat and points out the window, “A couple here was getting too close to a vampire’s secret and were killed for it. It was a huge, but now anyone from that generation is gone, so we are making sure it’s safe again.”

I ask curious, “Who was the couple?”

Kaleb shrugs, “Some couple that came across a grave, of a vampire but made the connection. Apparently though, there was a child that also knew their secrets that never left the town. Just to make sure the kid didn’t go snooping the parents were killed!”

Jake pulled out an old newspaper clipping, “Here, it’s the article.”

I catch the title and freeze, “What the,”

Jenna reads it quickly, “Natalie!”

Kaine looks at it, “Kaleb, this is my new daughter. She’s Jenna’s age. Her name is Natalie Parks. She was the daughter of that couple.”

I look at Jake and demand, “What’s the story!”

Jake backs up scared, “I don’t know, all I heard was that during that time we had to stay low.”

Jenna punches the wall softly, “It’s my fault I shouldn’t have told you I was a vampire.”

Kaleb looks at me, “Your parents, they stuck their noses in things they shouldn’t have.”

“How all they did was work!”

“What did they do?”

I bite my lip getting flustered, “They worked for a big department chain. They were the marketers and went around making sure all the stores met their conditions.”

Jenna grabs my arm, “Wait! Remember they found my grave!”

I look at her, “What are you talking about?”

Jenna looks into my eyes and I’m suddenly on the grass at the park. I’m sitting with Jenna in the grass and I’m human still. My phone is ringing and I answer. I remember the conversation. Jenna’s grandmother was really…Jenna. I’m back in the living room and everyone must’ve seen the vision because no one is saying anything. I look at Kaine, “That was an accident!”

Kaine looks down, I can see the pain in his eyes, “I’m sorry Natalie.”

I look at the floor, “So my parents were murdered by vampires…because they found Jenna’s grave?”

Kaleb puts a hand on my shoulder, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know.”

I jerk away and yell, “No, it isn’t right!”

Jake tries, “Please, calm down!”

I push past him and the window unlatches itself and Jenna exclaims, “What are you doing?”

I run and jump out the window and fly off to a high tree branch. I lean against the cold bark and try and calm myself down. I look out on the town and let the tears fall, “I can’t believe it!”

I turn around sensing Jenna behind me. I look at her, “Leave me alone!”

Jenna puts a hand on my shoulder, “I’m so sorry.”

I’m not angry with her, I’m shocked. Jenna has only been helpful to me, I need her right now. I hug her and cry, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so rude.”

Jenna strokes me hair, “It’s fine, that was some big news.”

I shudder and she spreads her wings out over me like a blanket, “Natalie, it’s okay. It’s going to be okay.”