Immortal Bites (Vampire Love Story) [Ongoing]

Chapter 9

[ Tale Of The Devil's Bridge ]

Zero's POV

I gazed happily at the demon's bridge, mesmerized by how it created a perfect circle with its reflection. I took out my camera to capture another shot. As the flash made another click, I felt someone's presence.

"You also find it beautiful, do you?" a stranger said, giving me a tamed look.

"Yeah," I replied, turning my gaze back to the fantastic view.

I did not expect to have company at the moment, but it felt just fine to have someone to talk to.

Amazed by the perfect engineering of the bridge, human touch can't be traced from the sharp design. It appears to be naturally formed. The builder of that bridge might have spent a lot of time planning and finally launching the work.

"Do you want to know the real story behind?" he caught me off guard. Yes, I want to know the real story.

"Well, an in-love man built this bridge to prove his love to the lucky woman named Aurora. And that's it," I managed to shoot a relaxed smile. The man in black plain shirt is just intently looking at me with a smile plastered in his handsome face.

"That's the story in the surface, a man building a bridge to prove his genuine love. Then a happily ever after. Now," he paused as he motioned a step to a huge rock trailed all the way to the other side of the bridge, "let me tell you the real story..." flashing a smirk, he strode his hands on the overlapped three branch. I felt excited.

"Leonardo, a sturdy lad who grew up in a poor family, fell in love with Aurora. The moment that he laid an eye to the young girl, he knew that it was love. But he felt hopeless because a thread of difference in their life status was undeniably long. However, he showed the only way that he could afford and put effort into sending his love to Aurora," I hopped in a haste to go comfortably with his wide pace. "Every day, Aurora receives a bouquet of wildflowers from the forest with a little note saying 'Love, Leonardo.' She was really impressed. Slowly, she started to feel love for Leonardo. She secretly sent letters to the young man. In her last letter, she stated that she wanted to see Leonardo." He suddenly stopped, I almost bumped into his back. Holding tight to my bag strap, I crawled my gaze to the level of his head. He's looking somewhere in a posture like gearing up for the next part of the story. "But one night, his father learned about the relationship between his daughter and the poor guy."

"W-what happened next?" I initiated a hint that he must continue the story. He threw a gentle glimpse at me, his eyes started to glitter as tears signaled an attempt to escape.

"Aurora's father did every trick and tactic to quell his daughter's feelings for Leonardo, but he didn't succeed. He ordered paid men to bring Leonardo in front of him. Knowing well that the man lacked money, he targeted his weakness and wanted him to build a bridge for his daughter within the interval of two days. If he made it in time, he promised to give his daughter in wide-open arms—" His storytelling stopped because I suddenly grabbed his right hand; I tripped on the slippery rock. Fortunately, he was able to grab me at my waist.

"Uhm, please continue," I muttered in a trembling voice. My heart skipped a beat at the next thing that happened; he ducked in front of me, grabbed my legs, and carried me piggyback. I tried my best to resist, but pain trailed up badly in my left leg. I sighed, giving in to the idea that I have to be like this the whole day. Well, that's what I thought.

"So, the poor guy left in dismay. On his way home, a swirl made its way to block him. A man in a red hood played close. Tears started to well up in his eyes. He knelt and asked the Devil to grant him a favor. After an hour of trading, they came up with a final deal. The devil would grant the bridge, but after that, Aurora must cross the bridge first. Without hesitation, Leonardo clung to his only hope." He tightened his grip on my pants to maintain balance.

"To everyone's shock, it was one sunny afternoon, exactly at 3:25 pm, Leonardo showed the finished bridge. In the mind of Don Gerard (Aurora's father), he doubted but left with no choice. He gave his daughter to intertwine in love with the man." He took a deep breath as he made another heavy step. This time, we are nearing the middle of the bridge. "They wasted no time. Aurora and Leonardo decided to live together away from Don Gerard. At the back of his mind, he never forgot the deal. He led his girl to the bridge, walking side by side as they merrily chanted their plans of building a family. A swirl suddenly huffed and swayed the trees, and the devil appeared. Leonardo explained the request of the devil, watching his beloved back inching slowly to go cross the bridge. The devil beside him grinned and mumbled 'after crossing the bridge, your soul will be mine.' Leonardo, realizing the plan, jolted in full speed. He crossed the bridge to save Aurora." I sensed sadness in his voice. "Just before his breath was taken away, he managed to say 'I will look for you in another life, my love.' He threw his body into the innocent waters below this bridge," he continued. He gently lowered me onto the weathered, and aged cement of the historic bridge.

I breathed in the fresh air given off by nature whilst supporting my posture from the edges. "That's sad," I uttered in sincerity. It's tragic.

After a moment of dead air, he continued,"But there's more." A lonely grimace started to curve up on the face of the stranger standing like a statue before me. I gave him an intrigued look.

"Fate was merciful to give them another chance, in another life." As he stated it, events started to spin in my memory. It ached a lot. I wanted to scream out in disbelief and horror.

The stranger grabbed me by my wrist as I was about to fall, "You a-are Aurora,"  he stammered. I stared at his pink lips, they began to quiver but it managed to draw a fragile smile.

"A-and you are my L-Leonar-do?"

He took a step closer to me, he drew his face near mine. I closed my eyes tightly in thought that he will kiss me, but I felt his warm breath against my ears.

"No, I'm the devil and I'm here to take you."

Authors Note: Inspired by the idea of Fallen Weirdzard. Revised by permission ✨