Strange Magic

Old Nana

Many times, Jenna tried to ask Leah the things bugging her but she stopped herself every time she was about to ask remembering what she had told Trevor. I don't want a noob following me around invading my space and asking me stupid questions. Jenna sighed to herself. As much as she wanted to know answers, she couldn't bring herself to ask Leah, especially not now.

Leah led her inside the building. Her footsteps were still tight and forceful. She still hasn't cooled down. She walked up two flights of stairs. She didn't say a word to Jenna. Jenna looked at her from behind. Leah's short hair looked blacker than black. She wondered if she'd dyed it. She was wearing a full sleeved black shirt.

Leah subconsciously pulled down the collars which she had pulled up before stepping out to the light. Sunlight hurts. It wasn't fatal, she could walk for hours in the sun but it is a major drainer. Vampires are not immune to sunlight. When exposed to the sun for long, they become two times weaker than the shadow walkers. The young girl and her gang were newly turned vampires, so sunlight wasn't much of a problem for them. They were vicious, out of control and always thirsty. They were still on the process of learning how to control their new strength and thirst. Damn those kids for bringing me out!  Leah hated light.

"I-I saw Ivy," Jenna said finally. She couldn't bear the silence anymore.

"No reason why you shouldn't," Leah shrugged in reply.

But of course, Ivy is also a vampire. No surprise she's here too.

"Where are we going?" Jenna asked.

"To see Old Nana," Leah replied without slowing down, and then added sarcastically. "She'll answer all your questions so you won't have to ask me anything anymore."

Jenna frowned. She still felt like she was a disease to Leah. Apparently, her confession to Leah didn't work, not that she really meant it but still. Leah had become more hostile to her after the confession. She wondered if Ivy had made a fool of her again when she said Leah likes girls.

Jenna was still lost in thought when Leah stopped outside a dark narrow door. She knocked and waited. A voice told them to go inside.

"Don't bat an eyelid," Leah warned her. "Stay normal."

Jenna was lost for words. Why? The door opened and Jenna stepped in to find herself in the strangest room ever. So good of Leah to warn!

The floor was plastered white and it was bare except for a fan protruding out in the middle of the floor. She gasped when her eyes caught sight of where the ceiling should be. Dark furniture took up space. There was a desk, chairs, drawers and shelves. All inverted. It looked like an upside down office. An inverted room.

"I see you can't take orders," Leah said, amused at Jenna's surprise.

Jenna couldn't stop gaping at the strange arrangement. She had to keep her head up to scrutinize the room. She felt she was actually walking on the ceiling. She saw a wiry thin woman with red hair sitting upside down at the desk. She was busy writing something.

"Old Nana," Leah said. Her voice was sharp and clear. "I've brought you what you asked for."

Jenna couldn't help but feel a stinging pain in her chest when Leah spoke like she was just some kind of object in demand by someone else.

At once, the woman's head was raised and her eyes focused on Jenna. Jenna couldn't see her clearly as she was looking at her from an inverted angle.

"Oh how lovely," she had a scratchy voice. Shrill and unpleasant. "Come sit down."

She motioned Jenna to the chair opposite her. How can i sit up there?Jenna glanced over at Leah helplessly.

"She's fresh," Leah simply said which made Jenna squint at her in confusion.

"Oh sorry, my bad," the woman replied and glided down. "I had no idea. I thought you still have it in you."

Jenna looked at the woman nervously. Nothing she said was making sense to Jenna. The woman had a pointy face with the same pale complexion everyone else have. A big round spectacle was perched on her pointy nose, hiding half of her dreamy gray eyes. She was dressed in an old fashioned dress covered by a floral cloak. She grinned widely, not caring to hide her pointy fangs as she inspected Jenna from every angle.

"Hi," Jenna said nervously.

"Oh please excuse me again," she said, straightening herself. "Sometimes I get carried away. Let me introduce myself. I'm Old Nana, the head of the circle."

Jenna looked at her. Why would anyone fancy to be called old? She didn't look old at all. In fact, she looked like she was in her late twenties.

Nana laughed.

"I look young because I died young," she said, as though reading her mind. "I'm actually almost two centuries old."

Things were getting more and more weird for poor Jenna who could only play dumb.

"Now let's see," she continued, circling round Jenna. "Jenny, isn't it?"

"It's Jenna," Jenna corrected. Nana didn't seem to hear.

"Haven't you been feeding?" Nana continued, oblivious of Jenna's correction. "You don't look pale enough. How many kills have you achieved lately?"

Jenna had no answer. Feeding on what? She'd been feeding on food. And why would she kill anything?

"Let me see," she continued, and suddenly snatched Jenna's hand. She twisted Jenna's arm making her wince in pain.

Nana grinned wider and twisted Jenna's arm further. This time Jenna cried out in pain.

"I said she's fresh," Leah interrupted through gritted teeth.

Nana turned towards Leah, scowling. Then she released Jenna's arm.

"Sorry again, Jenny," she said. "Like I said, I tend to get carried away sometimes. Leah, you can leave."

Jenna looked at Leah with pleading eyes, begging her silently not to go. She was scared of this crazy mysterious woman. Goodness knows what she would do to her once they were alone.

Leah stared coldly at Nana. But she couldn't refuse the head. Very reluctantly, she bowed and turned to leave, giving a brief glance at Jenna.

Nana smiled satisfactorily as Leah closed the door behind her. Then she turned to Jenna and smiled a fake smile.

"Now, where were we?"