The Other World

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Switched Off

Joyce's POV
I pull into Damon's driveway and run inside. I charge up the stairs and into Damon's room. I see the window open and blood on the window seal. I walk over to the window and look out, trying to see if I can see any more clues. The Blood trail goes across the tree and into my room. I carefully climb out the window and onto the tree. I watch my step as I make my way across the tree, remembering not to look down. I slid through my window which I must have left open from this morning. I close it behind me and I start to search my room.
"Joyce" I hear my name called from the bathroom. The voice sounds tired and weak.
"Jordon?" I call out. I walk over to the bathroom and see him resting in my bathtub. There is blood all over him but the blood is really dark, almost black. He smiles at me but I can tell he's in pain. I grab a towel and soak it in water. I try to wash the blood on his face. "where did the blood come from?" I ask him.
"I coughed it up," He says faintly. "Did you get the blood?" He asks. I reach into my bag and pull out a blood bag.
"Yeah, drink up," I say while handing him the bag. He snatches from my hands and drinks it within a few seconds. As he drinks the blood, colour returns to his face and he looks less tired. He chucks the bag on the floor when he finishes.
"Thanks," He says. His voice sounds normal again. I feel relief that I wasn't too late.
"It's all good," I tell him. "What would have happened if I took too long?"
"Well, we start to lose our human values slowly. Almost like going savage. We would have drunk literally anything at that point" He explains. "That's why I wanted to stay as far away from me as possible," He tells me. I smile at how sweet he is and I give him a quick kiss.
"I love you," I say. He smirks at me.
"I know" He answers. I roll my eyes at him and he just laughs.
"Damon is at the high school looking for Ashlee. Let's go" I say. I help him up and we start to make our way out of the house. I make sure to bring my bag and we get in the car.

Damon's POV
"Ashlee this isn't you" I try to tell her. But she doesn't seem to be listening to me. "Look, Joyce is going to be here soon" I inform her. "We can clean up before she gets here, our secret" I try to bargain with her.
"You think I care what she thinks?" She says coldly. She chucks the body on the floor and walks over to me. "I don't care about what anyone thinks of me" She states. She stares at me as if I'm a rodent and talks to me as if I'm a child.
"This isn't you," I say.
"Is that so?" she asks. she walks to a desk and sits down. "Then please, tell me who I am," She says. while gesturing for me to talk. I sigh since complimenting people isn't my strong suit. I start to think about her usual personality is like. I got dramatic, Self-centered, Sassy and annoying.

This is not going to go well...

I got to think so something or she is going to keep killing people. "You are a very...generous person" I start with. She looks at me as if wanting me to keep going. "Since you always share...the spotlight and attention" I lie. She rolls her eyes at me and stands up.
"I definitely know your lying. Even I know I'm self-centred" She states. "Well since you obviously have no clue who I am. I'm going to go continue being...me" She says. She goes to walk away but someone calls out her name.
"ASHLEE!" the voice calls out. It sounds like Joyce.

Joyce's POV
We arrived at the school and I parked my car next to Damon's. The door has been kicked down and the lights are off. Jordon gives me a worried look. "I can smell blood. lots of it" He tells me. I start to feel sick in the stomach as if something bad is about to happen.
"ASHLEE!" I call out. It echoes down the hallway and through the school. We start to walk down the hallway and when we pass Ashlee locker I see her mirror is smashed. I walk over to it and see blood all over her school books. "Jordon, we need to find Ash before we're too late" I remind him. He nods in response and we keep walking down the hallway. We pass an open door and we see Damon. He gives us a concerned look as we walk in the room. As I walk more in I can see Ashlee with blood all around her mouth and clothes. The blood looks fresh and then I notice the bodies on the floor. I count about four students and a teacher.
"What did you do?" Jordon asks Ashlee. She just stands there and smiles, as if proud.
"I did what vampires do, I drank blood," she says so simply. Jordon sighs in disappointment.
"You can't just walk around and drink anyone's blood," Jordon tells her. She laughs and rolls her eyes.
"And why would that be?" She asks him.
"Because you will sit down one day and think about this and it will tear at you," I say. "You will regret this because I know you! You wouldn't hurt a fly" I tell her. She drops her smile and looks at me with a blank look.
"Not if I flip the switch," She says. What does she mean flip the switch, I'm confused?
"Don't!" orders Jordon.
"What does she mean flip the switch?" Damon asks. Jordon sighs and looks at the ground.
"It's when you turn off your humanity, you have no emotions" He explains. "That means no guilt"
"Ash, you can't! I need you." I try reasoning. She closes her eyes and when she opens them there is something different about her. She doesn't look different but she just seems different.
"There, that's better," She says. Her voice sounds so blank and emotionless. Her face expression is the same, it's like she's a robot.
"Ash it's not too late to go back," Jordon tells her. "The sooner the better" He tries to explain. She doesn't care, she doesn't even acknowledge him. She just stares at me with an evil glare. As if she about to rip me to pieces. The look in her eye is full of anger and hunger, not a good mix.
"Bye, kids," she says before zooming off and smashes through the window. She already too far to follow.
"Now what?" Damon asks. I look around the room, we have five bodies drained of blood and a broken door and window. I look at the corners and there are cameras too which we will have to wipe clean.
"We make it look like we were never here," I tell them.
"Jordon swipe the cameras clean, Damon you can take care of the bodies and I will fix the door and window," I tell them. They nod in agreement and we get our jobs done.