Fate [Rewriting]

four

Safe and Sound- Taylor Swift (feat. Civil Wars)

It's been about four hours since I awoke from my slumber. My father sits on the flat, sunken couch reading. His eyes scan the papers that are spread across the coffee table. His eyebrows are furrowed in concentration and a frown occupies his thin mouth. I sit adjacent to him, curled up with my knees hugged up to my chest to retain onto every last ounce of warmth and comfort that my thin sweater can provide. In my lap I hold one of my favourite novels, To Kill A Mockingbird. I have an obsession with books, especially classics. Books were there for me when no one was, they helped me to look beyond the confines of my my mind and learn from the world. My mind becomes absorbed in the words on each page. Page after page filled with ink and thoughts. The old cover feels smooth to my touch and the yellow aged pages crinkle softly when I turn the page.

I'm snapped from my thoughts when a sharp rap sounds at the door. It's time. I glance nervously at my father as he rises to answer the door. He gives me a reassuring smile before he swings it open. I sit frozen in my spot and overwhelmed with thoughts as I listen with rapt attention to my father conversing with the officials.

"Sir, we are here under order from His Majesty The Honourable King of Vampiria. According to our papers, your daughter, Clara Elizabeth Anderson has turned the eligible age of twenty. She will be brought to our labs and tested to determine if worthy of becoming a working vampire for our kingdom. Is this correct?" a deep voice says from the doorway. I gulp and quickly hide my book away in the bookshelf. I run up to my room and grab my small leather journal. It fits in my hand perfectly and I tuck it in my jacket, hoping that it won't be too obvious. I know that once I leave I won't be coming back.

My father replies,"Yes, that is correct."

"Splendid, now where is she?" The vampire rudely pushes past my father into the living room where I stand terrified. The man who was talking with my dad appears from behind the door. He stands arrogantly, his buff frame bulging from beneath his black uniform. Dark hair resides on his head, neatly combed while his dark eyes glint coldly. His partner has a smaller build and lighter hair. His pale skin appears as a stark contradiction to his black attire. Obviously the bigger one is the one in charge. My father stands powerless and frail behind them.

"Ah, you must be Clara. You will be coming with us today to be examined. But I'm sure you're already aware of that." The beefy man smirks. I shiver under his cold gaze.

"Yes," I barely squeak.

"Excellent, we have all we need now so we shall get going."

I'm roughly taken by my arm and shoved towards the door. I panic. My mind reels at top speed and my stomach flips over like a pancake.

"Dad!" I cry. Tears well up in my eyes and I reach to give him a goodbye hug but I'm tugged back from him.

"No, I need to say goodbye." I said, paranoia sweeping through me. The larger man gives a grunt and drags me away.

"It will be alright Clara, just do as they say." he says, though I can tell by his voice that he doubts it himself. His eyes are glossy and laced with worry with a touch of anger.

I blindly shake my head as I'm pulled farther away from him. I kick and scream as I'm practically dragged across the front yard, yet the firm grip on my arm tightens making it impossible to wriggle under his grasp.

"Get her under control!" One of them barks.

Over the commotion I hear a different voice who I assume to be the other vampire say something. Before I can register what he was saying, I feel a sharp prick in my right arm. My actions begin to slow and I suddenly feel drowsy. My eyelids feel as if they have weights on them and my limbs fall limp at my sides before darkness envelopes me with the screams of my father.