Memories Are All She Has

26. A mission

Vanessa's POV

I wake up without having to rub my eyes or stretch because I'm perfectly awake and ready to get up. That's because I have a reason to wake up today. I have a mission.

I push aside the thin white blanket and stand up. I take a cool and refreshing, but brief shower. I wear my black leggings and favourite baby pink coloured sweatshirt. Then I brush my long strawberry blonde hair and fasten it into a high ponytail using an elastic band. After that I look at myself in the mirror for a moment. Everybody sees me as a frail, delicate and shy girl and that is how I usually act, but on the inside I am not the same. I act shy because I'm afraid of people and how much they can hurt me if I let them get too close.

I focus on the sapphire orbs looking right back at me and today I see a change in them, a complete contrast to how they usually look. Usually they are guarded and shy, but not today. No, today, right now I see a steely determination and resolution in them. A burning need to finally get out of this forsaken place that overshadows everything else. And to escape and find Damon. To spy on him and find out his evil plans. Even thinking of him as evil sounds wrong, sounds bitter on my tongue. It makes me flinch and my heart aches a little bit, so I push such thoughts away. If I think that way, how will I ever be able to save him?

Instead I let my thoughts flow in a completely different direction. He is not pure evil. He can be saved. For now, I let my determination to get out of this place, overrule the conflicting storm of emotions and thoughts in my head. Yes, I can do it. I want to do it. And I will do it. With that little mantra, I tighten my ponytail and start packing my stuff.

I don't really have much to pack, so the ordeal doesn't really last long. One thing I make it a point to pack is Damon's diary. Even though all it makes me want to do is curl up in a corner and cry, I need it. It is what fuels my need to get out of this place. Only if I get out, can I save Damon. Yes, I can save Damon. Or so, I tell myself.

I eat a light breakfast and set out, carrying my sling bag filled with a few clothes and the diary as I mentioned earlier. The air is cool and pleasant with a slight breeze kissing my skin. The sun is shining in the sky, but its heat is not unbearable. Overall the weather is very pleasant, warm with a cool breeze to balance it out.

As I look around, everything seems brighter. The sun, the grass, the blue water in the pool and even the golden gates ahead of me. Maybe that is because I have been cooped up in that accursed mansion for so long. It feels great to be walking outside after all this time. The slight scraping noise of my boots against the grey cobblestoned path, the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves all feel like music to my ears. I want to twirl and sing and dance around, but I don't because I don't have the time for that.

So I briskly jog up to the gate and stand before it with a completely flabbergasted expression plastered onto my face. Th- the gates are open? What? Is this some sort of cruel trick my mind is playing on me? Has staying in that mansion for so long started chipping away at my sanity. I blink heavily and still see the gates wide open, beckoning me on towards them.

I take one cautious step forward and when nothing happens, I step through. I feel like shouting out with joy that I made it out. I finally after all this time made it out of the mansion. Though one thing keeps nagging at me. How did I make it out? Who freed me and why? Okay, fine that's three things, but whatever.

I wander the streets asking around for the name, Damon Whiteshade. I really hope that he didn't give me a fake name because then all my plans will fail. How will I be able to save him if I can't even find him? After asking around the bustling streets for half an hour, the hope and resolution in me begins to dwindle. The loud noises of honking cars and chattering people drowns out the sound of my defeated sigh.