Thirty One Days

Suspicion

My mind was traveling at a thousand miles an hour with no stop in sight. Had Madam Luna told me that I was dying, just very slowly, which would explain everything then I would have gladly believed it. Or even, if I had been bit by something, a vampire even, I could have lived with that. However, she didn't tell me any of those things, in fact she told me something worse. Istvan and I were part of a dying breed of Night People, what does that even mean? What does any of this mean?
"What does all of this mean?" Istvans voice derailed my train of thought abruptly and brought me back to the present. He was hunched over, which was an odd sight to see considering his height, and looked sad, almost like he was defeated.
Madam Luna was watching him with sorrowful, ocean blue eyes and placed a ringed hand on his should. Bending down in front of him she smiled brightly. "It means many things, but most importantly it means hope."
"How?" I croaked in disbelief, I knew staying optimistic would be best but I couldn't help but feel more lost. The more answers we find the more questions surface.
Pulling her hair away from her face she glanced at the groaning, lurking tree that sat behind us. Her eyes twinkled while her mouth twitched into a smirk. "I also happened to find Professor Thorne's predecessor,"
Istvan's head flashed up, inches away from head butting Madam Luna who fell back onto the heels of her black knee high boots in response. "Can you get up with him? Can he help?"
She nodded and stood once again, wiping a small spot of dirt off her coat. "I've sent him a letter explain our situation and until he response I'll be studying Professor Thorne's notes for clues. Answers. Messages. Anything." She patted her chest, where I assumed the book was hidden. "Promise to let you both know if and what I find." She drew a X over her heart.
Excitement bubbles up inside of me, we've covered ground, buried it, and rediscovered it. However, this time we had a promising lead that knew the Professor and his work. Which meant this guy could have more answers than just whatever Madam Luna can uncover in the professors journal. 

Mom placed a set of salt and pepper shakers on the table, "I'm so glad you decided to join us for dinner Istvan," She offered him the tradition mom smile with a wink. It's the same smile she always gave Chelsea when she use to come over. Thinking of her made my heart ache.
"Thank you for having me." Istvan said politely and returned the smile. He kept his head down while he ate the pot roast mom made. We had been careful to not be seen together, as to not arouse suspicion or catch anyone's attention with the amount of time we had been spending together.
"Dylan should be returning soon for fall break," Mom continued the conversation, I vaguely wondered how much she knew about Istvan. "We'll have to have a big family dinner, maybe bring your parents?"
Istvan smiled again, "I'll let my mom know about the invite. Thank you."
"Aren't you in college?" Dad grunted, I had over heard him and mom talking about work related issues early.
Istvan nodded, "Yes, but someone brought bed bugs with them from home. Everyone in Castor Hall, the dorm hall that I stay in, has been cleared out until the new semester."
Mom tsked, "How have you been in school?" She has stood again to fill dad's glass for him, "and in general!" She laughed slightly. I was happy to see my parents act so normal and was embraced with a feeling of old times when Dylan constantly had Istvan over.
"Bio might be the death of me but college is going good, and I'm good."
"The school has you taking online classes?" Dad asked, adding more pepper to his potatoes. One of the potatoes rolled over and started blinking at me as dad added the pepper. Instantly, I sharply inhaled and heard Istvan choke, when I faced him I realized that all the potatoes on the dinning table were like that. Blinking between Istvan and me, switching back and forth.
"What's wrong? Are the potatoes under cooked?" Mom asked, cutting into one of the eyes and sloshed it into her mouth. My skin crawled in response as I forced myself to drink some water, which was thick. Glancing down at my cup I realized that it was crimson blood, my mouth began to burn like I had swallowed acid and I was unable to hold onto my glass. It shattered on the floor, Istvan and my parent stared at me in silence.
Mom looked at me horrified, dad was confused with a piece of roast half way in his mouth, and Istvan was spitting his blood -his water- back into his cup.
So much for not raising suspicion, Stevie.