The Curse

Chapter Eight- Vampire Again

     What...? What...happened? I think, as I try sit up and focus on my surroundings. There's a pretty large hole in my stomach and I'm laying in a puddle of blood.
I shakily sit up and force myself to look at the wound.
I gasp and my eyes widen. I try to let it sink in; the injury seems unreal. But the pain that follows the numb shock introduces me to the cold reality of the situation.
I quickly cover the wound with my hand.
Vampires apparently heal quickly, because within a matter of minutes, the bleeding stops. But the gash in my stomach is taking longer to patch up.
I cringe.
And it is still stinging like heck.
I cautiously try to stand up, but stumble and fall up against the wall.
I remember the closet...and pain.
And then I remember with a start Kuroji's scream.
"Hello? Is anyone here? Kuroji?" I call out.
The room I'm in is pure white. It's just big enough to fit me and maybe one other. Like the room I was in before when that guard gave me the substitute for blood.
"What's going on!?" I call out.
At this point, I'm so desperate to find out what happened, I would be okay with the HeadMaster answering me telekinetically.
You want me to talk? the HeadMaster asks me in my mind.
"Speak of the devil. Alright, what exactly happened?" I ask.
Ah...I thought you'd ask that. But the thing is, it would be more fun for me to just let you find out! he replies.
The HeadMaster is being no help whatsoever, when suddenly, a white casket rises up from the floor.
I am confused at first; I open it, running my fingers along the delicately carved edges on the lid.
I gasp when I see what's inside; inside lies Jephudach's dead body.
I feel that feeling; the feeling in your stomach that makes you want to burst out in tears, and I succumb to that feeling.
Immediately tears stream down my cheeks and I cover my mouth with my shaky hand.
But then I notice something I'm surprised I didn't notice before; Jephudach looks a lot like the HeadMaster.
Another feeling of realization hits me; I bet she was his daughter.
Then...was all of that...fake...?
Did the HeadMaster put her up to all of that?
Then I hear The HeadMaster's voice in my head yet again.
Yes...she was my daughter. She was always so obedient...and she would've made a great HeadMistress, so I won't let her die in vain. You either get tortured for leaving, or get killed. Which do you choose?
Which one should I choose...?
If Kuroji and Mom are both dead, then death would probably be better for me. But if Mom and Kuroji are still out there, I can't leave them without a goodbye. It all depends.
I bite my lip, knowing I have to choose, and that there is no other way out. "Torture," I decide, wiping the tears and trying to collect myself.
A white door slides open.
Someone with a white cloak walks in, and says, "Stand up. You may go,"
I try to stand up, but become dizzy and fall again.
I shake my head, and crawl over to the door way.
But as I'm crawling out, the cloaked person grabs my hands and chains them to my own feet.
It hurts more than expected. Then, it picks me up and places me in a chair.
"Turn or be turned," the cloaked person says.
What's that supposed to mean...!?
Is this more vampire jargon I don't know yet?
Then they drag out a human.
I can't tell who it is or what they look like; it's too dark.
"Hurry up, Nobara. Choose," he hisses.
Turn means...I turn a helpless human into a vampire.
"No way! I...I choose be turned," I say, and then spit at his feet.
I just can't make someone else's life miserable. Not again.
They drag the human away and the cloak person walks away after them. Then, you-know-who glides in.
"I knew you'd have to start talking face to face sometime," I say.
"Are you sure you pick turning?" the HeadMaster asks, folding his hands together.
"Yes," I say.
He smiles, and waves his hand in front of my head; a ball of white light appears to come out of it.
He whispers, "Itami,"
Then, he places the ball over the side of my neck. He pushes it in.
I can't see. I can't breathe...can't move.
My fangs sink in.
I feel my pupils return to their normal spherical shape. Tears well up in my eyes and I can't help but scream.
The HeadMaster turned me back into a human.
My breath gets caught in my throat at another wave of pain coming from my stomach. I look down at my wound.
It's bleeding again.
"That wound is just too much for the human body to take," the HeadMaster says, grinning. "Have fun," he cuts my ropes and frees me.
But where do I go? Everything is blurry and I can't move...and I don't have my vampire speed anymore.
I try to crawl, but groan.
After what feels like an hour of shuddering on the ground in never ending pain, I collapse and black-out.

     I wake up in the chair again. "Please...make it stop...!" I moan.
"The torture isn't over yet," the HeadMaster says.
Then he makes his way behind me.
I feel his smooth fangs, his powerful, sharp, long fangs, rub up against my skin, and then all at once, they sink into my neck.
He's turning me back into a vampire manually.
I scream worse than last time.
Worse than ever. Worse than any physical or emotional pain I've ever felt in my life combined.
My face is damp with tears and I lose my voice after screaming at the top of my lungs for ten minutes straight.
The townspeople said the HeadMaster's bite is the most painful, and that he's never turned someone into a vampire because they will gain some of his DNA when he injects the venom.
I think all of that is true. Because it's the worst pain I've ever felt.
Did I already say that...? Or think that? It hurts to even think at this point.
The HeadMaster laughs and with a snap, disappears.
I'm on the floor now.
Once again, I'm a vampire.
My fangs let me know that I really can't turn back now.
I catch a glimpse at some strands of my hair as it hangs down and I see my hair isn't my normal color.
It used to be brown...now my hair is white, with brown streaks.
Yes...I must have some of the HeadMasters DNA now. That part of the rumor must be true as well.
The HeadMaster picks me up and calmly carries me out of the castle and out of the gates.
Then he throws me out into the street.
"Visit me when you're done suffering," he laughs, before I hear his footsteps fade into the distance.
I never found out whether Kuroji and Mom are still alive.
At this point, I'm too weak to find out.
I can't leave this vampire village. I can't move...or breathe, or...or do anything but close my eyes and let sleep overwhelm me.
But right before I pass-out, I hear Kuroji scream from inside the castle gates.
"What did you do to her!? What did you do to her instead!?"
And then I hear the HeadMaster's terrifying response.
"After what I do to you, you'll wish she had chosen to turn you,"