Creatures and Legends (Wattys2018)

5: When We Were Young

I wake up in Thomas' arms, not realizing what happened last night. After a few moments, I remember hurting him and bringing him back to his room, then... I blush at the thought. I pry off of me and head back to my room, my cheeks flaming. Whatever happened last night, I don't want to repeat it. I linger in my room as long as possible before heading to the dining room for breakfast. Hopefully, Dale had not heard about last nights sleeping arrangements.

***

"I only did it because he couldn't walk me back to my room." My cheeks are on fire as I take my seat. "This doesn't actually mean anything."

Dale mumbles something in response.

"What did you say?" asks Thomas, walking into the dining room. Dale stands from his seat and shoots the hardest glare I've ever seen at him. I'm poised to run back to my room and stay there until this all boils over, hearing shouts already.

Krista runs out of the room as the two young men shout at each other.

"Why did you let her sleep with you?" Dale's words cut across the room like a knife. "I have as much a right to the crown as you do."

"What was I supposed to do? Take her back to her room when I wasn't even able to walk on my own?"

"The least you could have done would have been sleeping on the floor, and leaving her the bed. It's the chivalrous thing to do you know."

"At least I know how to be chivalrous. Have you given her anything yet? I don't think so."

Dale chuckled sourly, "Are you joking right now? I'm not the one who's tried to eat her on three occasions now."

"And I'm not the one who wasn't around when we got attacked. That makes up for trying to eat her doesn't it?"

Dale doesn't respond, but instead swings a fist at Thomas, catching him square in the stomach, where Krista had injured him.

Thomas collapses, clenching his stomach as he doubles over in pain. A few seconds later, Dale rushes over to where Thomas is lying, groaning in pain.

"I'm so sorry, brother..." he says, solemnly. He frantically attempts to pick up Thomas, continuing to apologize. Thomas stays silent, not knowing what to think about what just happened. After many minutes, Dale has Thomas lied on dining room table, food now gone. He chuckles out of the blue, confusing Thomas.

"What are you laughing about?" he asks.

"This whole sire and crown thing has us both crazed. Do you remember when we were only kids? We used to play and get in trouble with mom?" Dale says, continuing to chuckle lightly. Thomas catches on and chuckles as well, ending the poisonous aura surrounding them.

"Yeah... those were the good days, huh? Do you remember that time when mom yelled at us for catching the shed on fire?"

Dale laughs and responds with a hearty smile. "Yeah she was so angry at both of us, yet..." he says pausing, "I think she was more proud than angry."

"Why do you say that?" Thomas asks, sitting up.

"Because, if you remember, that was the first time that we stood up for each other when one of us tried to take the blame. She even took us out to the park that night." Dale continues.

"Oh yeah, I remember that now," Thomas says. A long pause passes between the two.

Dale finally breaks the silence. "I miss her too, you know. I know it doesn't seem like it sometimes, but I'm constantly thinking about her... It wasn't your fault she was killed..." Thomas stayed silent, staring at the floor as Dale continued, "neither of us could have done anything to save her... Even dad couldn't do anything..."

Thomas nods and Dale does the same in understanding.

***

It's been about half an hour since the yelling had begun and I fled from the dining room and the wrath of two vampires. I sit on my bed trying to hear what they're saying, but I'm only able to catch a few words. I hear what sounds like the word 'crown'. What could they be talking about by 'crown'? I listen again to hear what sounds like 'sire' and 'crown' again. They've stopped shouting and I'm unable to make out what's being said. I continue to think about what they meant by what they said, but I'm unable to put it together. I give up when I see a note once again appear from thin air.

'We apologize for interrupting dinner. Please return to the dining room so we can eat.'

I sigh heavily and decide to not bring up what I heard to prevent another fight tonight. The disappears with a puff of smoke. I walk back to dining room and am greeted by the boys sitting next to each other. Thomas seems agile but serene and the aura of the room is still a bit awkward. Dale greets me, apologizing again for their behavior. I nod quietly and tell them that I ran off because I was worried I would get hurt. They both nodded in understanding.

The evening goes on as normal without any conflict. The boys drop small talk here and there, but I don't pay attention to the topic of conversation. I continue to think about what has been said over these past few days, attempting to piece everything together. As dinner winds to a close, the boys bid me goodnight and I walk back to my room.

I'm almost to my room when I see what seem like two tiny lights in the distance. I stop in my tracks, my body not allowing me motion. My stomach turns as something inside me realizes that those aren't lights, but eyes in the inky darkness of the hall. A few moments pass and the creature looks at me from afar.

My body begins backing away slowly, but I trip over something, falling. The loud thud seems to startle the creature and I begin to panic. As creature inches closer I scoot slowly backward. It seems to notice that I'm unable to stand and run so it begins running towards me in a full sprint. I back away quicker and attempt to stand and run. I fail and realize I twisted my ankle. My heart pounds as the creature becomes closer and closer and I scream as it is only a few feet away from me as I know that I'm about to die. Within the next few seconds, my arms are raised to a shielding position and a bright amber light causes the creature to cry out in pain. Apart from the creature's cries, I also hear running footsteps behind me suddenly stop. The last thing I hear are two gasps from behind as I lose all energy in myself and everything becomes black as the sky on a stormy night.