Chosen

1847 Romania

Our small village in the hills of the Carpathians never had many passersby. One early fall day a strange man blew in with the autumn wind. He wore a long dark traveling duster with the collar around his neck. It was a major contrast with his pale skin as if he didn't spend much time in the sun. His eyes were narrowed and he had very dark hair.

I was just coming out from the market when I saw him. I felt my eyes widen in surprise when I saw him. As soon as I stepped outside his head whipped around and his dark eyes bored into mine. A shiver went down my spine and I slowly stepped back into the shadows of the market coverings. I hoped that he would just pass through and I would never see those fathomless black pits again. I was wrong. In fact, my life was just about to get much, much worse.

One week later

I was just turning the corner to my house when I heard the bloodcurdling screaming. I raced down the other alley towards the sound. As I turned into the alley, I realized that I was too late. I saw the blood pooled around the young girls body and the fleeting shadow rounding the corner. I wanted to give pursuit but instead turned to the fallen girl. I dropped to the ground and gasped as I recognized who it was. It was my best friend, Cornelia. I burst into uncontrollable tears. How had my best friend been murdered in cold blood? I needed to get help but I didn't want to leave my friend. I raised my voice as loud as I could and screamed for help.

As I waited, I sank against the wall and mourned my lost friend. I fell into a sort of trance and seemed to be floating above my body. Soon the men arrived to carry away my friend and I followed completely numb. As we walked to the town square, I had a sudden thought. I hadn't checked Cornelia to see how she died. I woke out of my trance and scrambled to the front of the line. I examined her body and saw some of her limbs twisted at different angles showing that the person had broken some of her bones. That is where most of the blood was coming from. I continued to look until I came to the junction at her neck and shoulder. There was a huge gash leaking blood. The area around it was pale white and it was spreading. I racked my brain for solutions until it hit me. But that couldn't be possible! How is that possible? I felt the weight of everything crushing me and then everything went black.

My eyes cracked open and bright light blinded me. I closed my eyes and blinked several times. I thought that maybe I was in Heaven. Maybe I had joined Cornelia! Then I felt a sharp pain on my cheek.

"Christine, wake up!",a sharp voice hissed. "You've been asleep for two days and it's about time you wake up!" I inwardly groaned at the irritable voice of my grandmother. I opened my eyes wider and started to sit up but was pushed back while my head swam.

"You're not strong enough yet. Sit up, nice and easy." A new voice that was soft and kind but with a cold edge to it. I followed the voice and sat up slowly and I wasn't dizzy. I opened my eyes to see where the voice was coming from and almost fell back again at who was standing in front of me. I shook my head and blinked but he was still there. As I looked at him he smiled a slight crooked smile and winked at me. He made a shooshing motion with his finger. I knew immediately who he was. It was the man I saw a week ago. The creepy pale man...

Now, what was he doing here, in my house, playing doctor? I tried to look as awake as possible and perfectly fine so that he would leave but I guess he didn't take the hint. Instead he leaned closer and only whispered softly in my ear. All he said was four simple words.

"I'm so very sorry." Then he stood back up and announced louder, "Everything should be just fine. just rest and take it easy." He winked at me again and then quietly left the room. I sank back into my pillows happy that he was gone and sighed. Who was this man and what was he doing here? How did he convince my family that he was the doctor? And last of all... What does he want from me? I closed my eyes again and fell asleep.

I dreampt that the man appeared and he was following me across town. I started to run and hide in the shadows of the buildings. I felt like my legs were stones that I could barely move and my breating was getting very heavy. I turned a corner and there he was right in front of me. I turned around to run the other way but felt a stone fall on my back. It was the man. I started to scream but felt a sharp pain on my neck and then everythng went black.

I jerked up in bed soaked in sweat and screaming at the top of my lungs. I clamped my hand over my mouth to stop and lay shaking in my bed. Then a smooth voice covered my mind. I looked into the shadows of my room and saw glinting eyes watching me.

"Did I scare you?" It asked. "I hope that didn't bother you too much."

"Who are you? What do you want with me?" I asked with a quavering voice.

"That's not the question you really want to ask...is it?", his silky smooth voice washed over me. I seemed to be in a sort of trance. I wanted to hang onto his every word. I knew he was right and that I really did want to ask another question. But did I really want to know the answer? Yes.

"Did you kill Cornelia?" My voice shook with fear even though I already knew the answer. He stood there looking at me for a moment and then winked his signature wink and vanished. I stayed there in my bed with the sheets around my shoulders and watched every corner of my room, waiting for the dawn to save me from this endless night.

Weeks passed and my life seemed to go back to normal for the most part. I still mourned Cornelia but I tried to forget about the strange man and my unanswered question. Maybe I did know the answer but why not go through life ignorant at times? I continued to spend time with my other friends. I did my chores around the house and I even made myself a beautiful new dress.

So all in all, my life was just fine until the day I was walking to town square and heard the wailing...

"Christine!" I heard a familiar voice calling out to me. I looked up to see my Aunt Seraphina running towards me. She was crying very hard. "Oh, Christine! It's all so horrible! Why is this happening?", she wailed.

I already knew what was happening. It was only like this when something terrible happened to our village. I knew that someone else had died. I also knew that it was someone in my family and that he was behind this crime. I turned around and ran. I was done with this. I was going after him and was going to give him whatever he wanted.

My aunt called after me and I vaguely heard her say who had died. My grandmother. Dusk was falling as I raced down the crooked streets of our village.As I ran, his voice filled my head. I tried to clear it and yelled. I told him to go away but he continued to fill my head with his voice.

"Don't you understand?" he asked. "I have to do this. It's how my world works and now you are apart of it whether you like it or not."

"Why me? Why? Why must you destroy my life?" I sobbed. I couldn't stop the tears from coming. I was fourteen years old with two people dead and a stalker. How was I supposed to deal with this?

"Because you are the one I chose. The one that we chose to carry our secret next. Forever..." He let go of my mind and I collapsed to the ground. Sobbing. I was gasping for breath and all I wanted to do was leave and get away from my friends and family. I wanted to protect them. I knew he wanted me to come to him so I went to the most hidden place in town. The abandoned windmill.

I looked up at the hillside where a small light clicked on inside and I knew that that was where I had to go. He knew I was going to come so I picked myself up and started towards the hill and my destiny...

End of Part One