The Thirst In Me

Sixty-Three

"Our greatest joy and our greatest pain come in our relationships with others."- Stephen R. Covey

Keisha's POV

"Keisha wake up. It's time to go." I heard my mother's voice. I sleepily took up my phone and glanced at the time.

12:07 a.m. December 10

Today is the day that I finally leave this place but for some odd reason, I felt like staying.

Veron hasn't spoken to me since yesterday although I tried everything that I could think of. I wrote him notes, and I apologized over and over but he wouldn't listen to anything I say. I have to try one more time before I leave.

My mother made me pack only one small bag. She wanted to make sure that no one knew where I was. I also had to leave the phone that Veron bought me.

"Let's go," Mom whispered as I hurriedly got dressed.

"I have to say goodbye to him mom....please. I probably won't see him again."

She nodded. "Two minutes. Hurry up."

I slipped out of my room and walked silently over to Veron's room. His door was open but he wasn't there.

I walked down the stairs and toward the kitchen. The place was so quiet and peaceful. It was like the calm before the storm.

Veron had his back turned to me. He was drinking a dark liquid from a glass. "You shouldn't be here. It's not safe." He said.

"Veron. I'm sorry about what happened." I pleaded.

"Oh really?" He turned to face me, his eyes filled with anger. "You're sorry that you made me fall in love? You know what Keisha I'm sorry too. I'm sorry that I ever met you."

"Veron I love you." I was shouting now as my eyes watered and my tears threatened to fall.

"Spare me, please! You don't know what that word means! Pretending to care about someone, that's not love. You're a filthy liar Keisha. I can't believe you looked me in the eye and told me you love me. I can't believe I was foolish enough to believe you-"

What happened next made me scream until I was hoarse. Veron was grabbed from behind and flung across the room by a vampire I didn't recognize. 

Suddenly they were everywhere. Glass was being broken, people smashed into walls, the whole house seemed to be shaking.

Someone grabbed my arm and pulled me away from Veron and the vampire that was fighting him. "Keisha. You have to go now." My mother dragged me behind her. My legs were moving but I felt as if I was walking on air. This is really happening!

My mind was working faster than a bee in summer. Will Veron be ok? What about Damion? He's human! They are going to kill him!

We reached the garden and my mom handed me my bag. I have been over this routine so many times, that it was hard to miss up. There was a secret tunnel in the garden that lead to a river near the mansion.

"Leaving so soon." A girl said as she grabbed my mother and tried to sink her fangs into her.

"Mom!" I screamed.

"Go, Keisha!" She shouted at me but I stood fixed to one spot as I watched my mother struggling with the girl.

My mother looked into her eyes and suddenly she stopped fighting and started observing each flower and smiling at them like a lovesick teenager.

"Get out of here Keisha!" Mom shouted again.

"Aren't you coming with me?"

"Not yet." She answered. "I have to make sure that no one is following you."

I reluctantly left my mother, went down on all fours, and started crawling through the secret entrance. Going through this passage in the day was quite adventurous but it was after midnight now and everything was dark and damp. I tried not to scream as my hand touched something soft and slimy.

Think about bright sunshine Keisha.....think about flowers and clouds and rainbows.

I let out a long shaky sigh when I was finally able to stand up straight. The moonlight was bright and made the stones by the river glisten. I stood in the shadows and waited to try to see if there was anyone by the riverside.

"Right on time," I screamed when I heard someone speak directly behind me.

I spun around and was face to face with a weird-looking woman. She had blonde dreadlocks and she wore beads and pearls on almost every strand of hair. Beside her stood a young lady that was much easier on the eyes.

"Hi. I'm Natalie." She extended her arm toward me and I shook it gingerly.

"I'm Keisha."

"Ok, we need to go." The lady with the beads said. She didn't even introduce herself to me yet. "The boat is waiting. Let's go." She ushered us toward the river.

There was a huge boat on the river. I have no how I missed it the first time I scanned the river.
As I stepped up into the boat I glanced at the entrance to the secret passage. "Goodbye Veron," I whispered silently although I know he cannot hear me.

"There is a bed over there," Natalie said to me. "Make yourself comfortable."

I went over to the bed and dropped myself on it. The boat roared to life and I got up frantically. "Wait! Mom isn't here yet. You have to wait for her." I told them.

The beads lady looked at me. "That's not what Evelyn told me. She still has things to do there. The boat will come back for her. We just need to get you out of here first."

I relaxed a bit. I have to trust Evelyn right? She is my mother. She knows what's best for me.

The boat rocked slowly as we went down the river. A few minutes later I fell asleep, wondering if my friends and mother were ok at the mansion.