ADRIA’S POV
My heart began to beat fast without rest, and I began to drag my body back little by little. But the Great Vampire’s steps seemed faster than the pace at which I moved.
But to my surprise, the Great Vampire only picked up the book that had fallen, which was beside me. Even as she picked up the book, I still felt like my heart was going to pop out of my chest. The three Vampires rushed in, looking like they feared that she had seen me. But to me, it seemed like she didn’t see me. She couldn’t purposely ignore me as she looked like a really thirsty vampire.
Even Veronica, Valerie, and Victoria, looked as surprised as I was. The Great Vampire had passed me by, and placed the book in a vacant space in the bottom shelf. They gazed at me and then gazed at the Great Vampire, and I could tell that they were wondering what had just happened.
“Oh, my goodness. She can’t see me.” I thought to myself happily.
“I guess you aren’t ready to fix up the ladder.” The Great Witch, finally spoke out.
“We’ll uhm… fix it out soon.” Veronica responded, with an awkward smile.
“So, you weren’t hiding anyone here after all.” The Great Vampire said as she looked around.
“Yes. We won’t lie to you.” Valerie chuckled, lightly.
“Good. But if I find out you were lying; I will ensure that the person will not get to live again. I will take my leave right now.” The Great Vampire said, then walked out charismatically.
I could hear the sound of her heels hitting the ground, and I waited until it faded away. I breathed a sigh of relief after ensuring that the Great Vampire was far away. It was a big relief that she had gone, because it felt as if I was facing death in the eye. I laid on the ground to feel alive after the fear that moulded in her heart when the Great Vampire was still here.
After a while, I stood up, and walked towards the bottom of the shelf to pick up the book that I had removed before. I reached out my hand to it, and had almost gotten my hand on it when Veronica’s voice stopped me.
“Do not touch it!” She ordered with her eyes looking fiery.
“oh, oh.” I voiced out, not knowing what to say.
“Is that what you were taught? Trespassing, and touching things like they were your own?” Valerie spoke out too.
“I am sorry. Pardon my manners.” I apologized, and fiddled with my fingers, feeling somehow embarrassed, and a bit scared as it seemed as if they were annoyed with my actions.
“Next time you do something like this, in case you have to come back here for anything, we won’t let you off the hook.” Valerie added, and folded her arms.
“I understand. By the way, is there a reason the Great Vampire didn’t see me? Because I know she couldn’t intentionally ignore me. I actually thought I was going to be caught.” I asked, inquisitively.
“We also don’t know. But thank goodness your chameleon self, appeared. If not, she would have caught you when I instructed you to hide.” Veronica shot the words at me like she was trying to scold me again for not listening to her.
“My chameleon self? Do i…”
“What she is referring to is your ability to hide in times like this. The camouflaging, and all. Do you even know how you did that?” Valerie asked, sneering at me.
“I really do not know. I guess it happened because I felt threatened, and in trouble.” I replied, hoping they could tell me anything about it.
“I guess. Anyways, without wasting much time, you should be back to your game.” Veronica said, then snapped her fingers.
Immediately, I was back to the woods, and fear resumed in me as Iscanned around the woods. The knife was back in my hands surprisingly, and all I desired the most was to be back to consciousness right now, because it seemed as if the intensity around here had been leveled up since I was gone. I didn’t want to kill anyone, and didn’t know how to go about it either.
If only things could change, and I do not have to kill.
I kept looking around, and it became harder for me to hold the knife as my hand shook and became sweaty. The wind was making it worse for me by making my sweat cold.
“So, you are back for me. I thought you chickened out.” The voice said, cunningly.
“I didn’t chicken out. I was taken away because the Great Vampire appeared all of a sudden.” Emerald defended herself.
“Wow. And you are not dead, yet. That’s new.” The voice said, sounding curious.
Suddenly, a mist began to form, and I squinted my eyes to make a sense of what was going on. I moved backwards when I realized it was the lady who was appearing in her real form.
This time, she was without a cloak, and when she was in her human form, she didn’t look nice at all. One could tell that she could act wicked.
“Surprised to see me?” She said, and blurted out a wicked laughter.
Emerald’s breath ceased a little bit as she felt frozen and unsure of what to do or how to kill her. This was really seeming like a difficult task to do. If only the Great Vampire’s interruption came with my freedom.
“Can’t you just let me kill you?” I asked, looking like a puppy who has to face a lion, and hoping deep in my heart that she was going to surprisingly allow me to carry out my mission.
The woman busted into laughter, and held her belly to laugh as much as she wanted. This was definitely mockery, and she didn’t have to mock me right in my face, so bad.
“Do you think this is a child’s play? Do you know what I have been promised if I am able to win this fight?” The woman threw a question at me.
Now I see. There was something in for her just like the way there was something in for me. It means both of us were driven by what we wanted to achieve, but what we wanted to achieve made the difference between us. The difference in our resilience.
“No.” I shook my head lightly.
“I have been promised freedom. Do you know how hard that is, to come by? So, I guess you are the one who is going to end up in grave, my dear.” She chuckled, and sneered at me.
That was like a sting to my heart, but what else could I do than to face this situation.
“Please don’t do this. I still have a family to go back to.” I pleaded to her as my eyes began to well up, hoping that she would be touched by it.
After all, she was supposed to be used to staying somewhere like this, so, allowing me to leave should be quite easy for her to do.
The woman cackled and held her belly as well. This time, she laughed more than she did the last time, and this made me suspicious. I think I might have found her weakness, and that might be what I would have to aim for.
Normally, that might not be too funny for any wicked person, but to her, she laughed a lot over one thing.
“I better have to try this assumption out.” I thought to myself.
I moistened my lips, and calmed myself down.
“But don’t you think I could get you killed. Don’t you think it is possible?” I said, trying not to allow my breath shake, and hoping that the woman falls for her trick. This was going to be my test.
Even as I was hoping for this to work out, I still was trying my best to get prepared to strike in case I let my guard down.
“What? How possible is that?” The woman sneered at me.
“Because I believe I will.” I responded, with confidence.
Then the woman burst out into an uncontrollable laughter, holding her belly forcefully. Immediately, I took up this chance, and ran up to her as fast as the wind, and raised my hand to stab her in her heart.
The woman screamed in pain, and fell down slowly to the ground as her mouth gaped open in shock, and she placed her hand on her heart which was oozing out blood.
“How…dare…you?” She managed to speak out, with a fiery glare shot at me that could cease my breath out of fear.
“I told you I would.” I imitated a roar at her, then a small bottle appeared in my hand.
I guess this was what I was to use to get her the blood she needed.
The woman dropped dead with her eyes opened, and I had to fight back the tears in me, because I still couldn’t believe that I had killed the woman even when she also wanted to kill me, just to gain freedom.
Suddenly, the woman’s body began to disappear into ashes, and I gasped in shock and fear that nothing would be left of her to get blood. I quickly opened the bottle cap, and took out of the blood which was trickling down to her side before she turned into ashes completely, and fortunately, I was successful in doing that.
I glanced at the hour glass and exhaled in relief as I realized I still had enough time. In no time, I was brought back to the Vampires’ castle, and they applauded me, which wasn’t quite what I was expecting, but you know what they say? Enjoy the moment while it lasts.
“Wow. That’s a tough girl in there which we can’t see, and you obviously can’t see.” Valerie complimented, indirectly.
Yeah, I know right? A human like me in my subconscious was able to take down a woman which sounded like a powerful creature. But then, all these made me have questions which I wished to ask.
“Do you perhaps know why I have to go through all these? I’m always having nightmares, and all. You all seem like you might know many things.”
“It doesn’t mean we can tell you anything or decide to delve into matters which we are not to.” Veronica interrupted, and sat down. “By the way, let’s get on to the third task.” She said, and crossed her legs, then sipped in a chilled juice.
I gulped my saliva down my dry throat. I also yearned for something that chilled, but I dared not ask because I knew they wouldn’t be kind enough to give to me, and even if they decided to give me, I couldn’t trust them enough to accept such kindness. By the way, what if it was blood which I really couldn’t see the color just as much as they did?
I inhaled sharply, waiting to hear the next task they had for me.
“As for the next task, it is going to be a phase which you would have to go through alone, just like you did, in all these tasks, and once you pass it, you’ll wake up. You won’t need to be snapped back here.” Victoria said, with a smile.
Her made me feel uneasy, because if she was smiling, then it was something that could make me cry. I exhaled sharply and stared at her with confidence.
“Alright, I’m all ears.” I said, and exhaled sharply to prepare myself for the next task.
“You’ll be facing your nightmares. The one you have been running from.”