The Brightest Part of The Night

Good Afternoon, Someone Is Dying

They sat against a wall, Aidan recently left the house again, trying to find their ring again. Their hand shook, they felt weak. Something was off. They knew it was.

When they tried to stand, their knees buckled, falling back down to the ground. Their bandaged hand kept them from using it as support, afraid that the wounds would open again. Holding their breath, they move back to the wall, closing their eyes.

Pains on their legs, on their arms, on their chest, all make themselves known when they bring their knees to their chest, wrapping their arms around them as best that they can.

Tala had also left the house, needing to take care of her brother, leaving Elliot home alone. They counted their fingers, trying to focus on something other than the mark pains.

"Well, what have we here?" Asks someone, with glowing red, deep set eyes. Elliot meets them, slowly.

Elliot can't respond, too busy fighting off pains, too busy trying to focus on anything else other than that.

"It seems that Aidan didn't take her mutt with her when she left." The person scoffs. "Might she not see things in you?"

The person points two fingers at Elliot, one of which having Elliot's ring on it. "You've got my ring," Elliot said, breathing heavily.

"Ah, yes, mighty fine jewelry if I do say so myself," the person commented.

"You're the bastard the took my arm." Elliot met their eyes, staring dead into them, the glowing red hurting their eyes a little.

"An unfortunate cost, my dear, for this ring you had."

"I need that ring," Elliot grunted as they stood up, swiping the hand they had left at them. The person dodges their swipe with ease, and they chuckle.

"My, my, a weak hybrid. Maybe Aidan was right by taking you in all those years ago."

Growling, Elliot swipes their hand at them once again. They miss again, but the vampire they're fighting stand there. "Wow. Couldn't even hit me standing still," they comment, watching Elliot's eyes dance around them.

"Fuck off." Swiping again, and clawing at their face, blood running down it. The older vampire hisses, and leaves, faster than Elliot's eyes can see. They fall back down to the ground, knees back up to their chest, breathing heavily.

Aidan walked around in the alleys again, searching. As usual, a couple ferals had bitten a person, made the person sick, and killed them. It didn't take her long to return home. When she did walk in the door, something was off about Elliot.

No loud music coming from their room, not even a single noise. The fact that they were against the wall was already a clue into something was wrong, whenever she was out of the house, normally Elliot was asleep or playing video games.

No movement from the elf whatsoever, no talking nothing. An uneasy feeling rested in Aidan's stomach as she padded closer to them, quietly. "Elliot?"

Their eyes look up. There's tears running down their face. She sits on the ground in front of them, holding out one of her hands. Silence between the two. An uncomfortable, deadly silence. "I found my ring, Mom," Elliot said, weakly. Their voice is shaky as if they'd been crying for a couple minutes, their eyes are scanning the ground for something.

"Do you have it?" Aidan asks, too loud, and too fast, scaring them. Toning down a little, she tries again, "Do you have it?"

Elliot shakes their head no. Their hand shakes as they rest it on their leg, staring up into Aidan's eyes. "You okay?" Aidan asks, as their marks flare up underneath their clothes.

A sudden realization hits Aidan. Their marks are killing them. Slowly, and painfully.