The Path to Love

Chapter 10: D'une manière très particulière

We are born into this world, innocent and pure. Unblemished with guilt and the horrors of this world. However, this innocence and purity is eventually lost as one realizes the true nature of evil that lurks on this earth.

The clock seemed to tick slower since the day I met Thane and Whintar . My days ,more mundane. My nights , increasingly more sleepless.

It had been one month since I heard from Luna and Caelan . It was almost as if they disappeared from the face of the Earth .

Even Delilah and her clan were nowhere to be found. I'm not complaining though. 

Oscar and I had grown a little bit closer, having lunch a few times, in the last month. Most of the time, I spent my lunch in the music room, practicing on the piano.

But something in the air felt strange and ominous.

I was not attentive during any of my classes , something felt so amiss that almost all my focus was internal .

Caelan was replaced with Mr. Lance, a short ,old and pudgy teacher. His high pitched and nasal voice did nothing to make the class more interesting .

During the class ,I finished writing an Etude and watched the clock tick, silently and slow . Many students were asleep or disinterested in the lecture.

At long last, class ended and we were all free from Mr. Lances clutches.

As usual, loud voices and sweaty bodies filled my school hallway. However, I didn't see them. I saw through them as my thoughts continuously filled my mind, working like cogs in a machine. There was so much uncertainty, so much enigma . I felt as though I was on my way to something profound. Though, the path I was on , was convoluted and confused me to no end. 

First, it was my strange attraction to my teacher, Luna's children surprised that I was human, the pain I once felt in my chest. In a dream, I saw myself screaming in pain, clutching my chest. Luna looked frightened. I think we were inside a car. Then I awoke to Whintar. What a strange lady she is. So very strange. And the strangest of all was seeing Caelan and Whintar' furniture levitate. It was so difficult to fathom. And what did Thane mean when he said that over time, everything would make more sense?

All the secrecy, unanswered questions lead to my desire to play the piano. I needed to channel all my thoughts and feelings because I was beginning to feel overwhelmed. I decided to go to the music room , since it was available. After I entered the room, I ran my hands on the body of the piano, then its keys savoring the feeling ,before I played.

Instinctively, I began to play "D'une manière très particulière" by Erik Satie. The mesmerizing melody filled my being as I entered another dimension of ambiguity. Subsequent to that, I played more wonderful compositions. 

Whenever I finished playing  particular pieces of music, I always wanted to stay longer, it as if the piano had an invisible and gravitational pull on all that I am. However, my practice session was over and it was another students turn to use the room. When I exited, the student looked at me with a pensive expression before entering the room.

During my walk out of the school, Oscar stopped me in the hallway. His red hair looked more disheveled than normal and his green eyes held mine , for an unusual period of time before he asked, " Would you like to hang out after school?" To which I responded, " Yes, I will like that," as I walked to my locker.

Oscar was my only acquaintance at this school. He wasn't much of a talker but was a great listener. He listened  when I played music or when I had anything to say.

We decided to walk to a park a couple of blocks from the school premises. At this time of the year, mid October, the leaves soundlessly dropped to the ground as soft and cool winds hummed . The sun, hidden by the clouds, continuously shone , but its heat could not be felt.

Walking in silence gave me  the opportunity to take in the lovely scenery ."I don't think that's the right way , Oscar", I spoke, surveying my surroundings. For an evening, the sky was a bit dark, making the alleyway appear more intimidating than it would appear, if the sun shone brighter.

"This is just a shortcut." He responded, quickening his pace . Now, he was  a few feet ahead of me and I struggled to keep up with his pace. Internally, I suspected the inevitability of danger. The inevitability of some impending doom . 

"You know what ? It's getting a little dark. I think I should just head back home." I suggested, as I hugged my coat closer to myself.

Oscar turned around , ready to reply but something swift beat him to it as he was pushed to the ground. I backed away as I beheld two beings, as fast as lightening pounce at him. 

My perturbed state made it incredibly difficult to think clearly. I wasn't even sure what I was looking at. One moment, the beings were in one spot, another moment, they were in another. 

"Claire?!" Oscar screamed out, as he rolled on the ground. I did not know what to do . I shakily reached for my phone in my pocket, wanting to call 911 but one of the beings was in front of me in seconds, slapping my phone far away from me.

Now that it was in front of me , I could clearly see that it was a very pale woman in a long black dress. Her eyes were completely black and so was her silky straight shoulder length hair. Her red lips slowly widened into a smile as she flashed her fangs.

My eyes widened in shock  whilst she gripped and lifted me at my neck. I struggled to breath, choking on my breath. I squirmed, thrashed , kicked and my eyes darted around, struggling to find Oscar. 

She lifted me higher and that is when I saw Oscar being dragged deeper into the alleyway. I heard his pain filled cries, wishing I could help him. She extended her fangs closer towards my neck , and I felt the closeness of death . I kicked even harder, trying to escape her grip. But then, she stopped.

She sniffed my chest and quickly dropped me to the ground as if I was a plague. She pinned me to the ground with her shoes and spoke.

"This one is marked. We can't kill her. "She announced, glaring at me with a deep hate. I had no recollection of being marked but said nothing.  In a matter of seconds, her partner, was beside me and Oscar in a chokehold. His long black hair almost covered his eyes and his skin was paler than hers, like a ghost.

"Please, leave us alone!" I pleaded, worried for our lives. They cackled, throwing their heads back and displaying their sharp fangs. Oscar did not look like he had much time to live.

Without any hesitation, she gripped my jaw tightly, her nails digging into my skin, and sharply turned my head sideways. The man dragged Oscar, so that he was directly in front of me. 

I wrinkled my eyebrows in confusion but that confusion was very short lived.

"If we can't kill you, we can kill your friend." The man spoke. The glee in his voice and smile on his face sent shivers to my bones. I protested, begged , but to no avail. He was sick, enjoying the pain he inflicted on Oscar.

Right in front of my eyes, he sunk his teeth into Oscar's flesh and Oscar let out a blood curdling scream.  I watched as more blood than I had ever seen in my life exited his body. His eyes rolled back and tears rushed out of my eyes, guilt flooding my mind. If only I had declined his offer to hang out with him. 

The lady pushed me away, joining in, slurping and drinking Oscars blood as if her life depended on it.

 For the days to come, his scream replayed in my head like a broken record.