• Mystic Vampire
    Chapter 5: Reality

    About three months later the two of us were waking up besides each other with no clue of how long we’ve been out.
    “How are you?” Andrew asks.
    “Are you going to ask me that every morning??”
    Andrew is on his knees looking at me with shock in his eyes. “What did you just say?” he asks.
    “You heard me, are you going to ask that every morning?” For some reason he’s acting kind of strange. So, he takes my hand and takes me to the 2nd floor in our house.
    “Without opening any doors, tell me which room is which.”
    And, I’m thinking, Okaaaay… “On the right side, first door we have the bathroom. Second door is my room. Third door is the guest room. On the left side, first door is your room. Second door is a storage room, I guess. Why?” Then he grabs me, holding me close to his chest saying, “Thank Goodness.”
    “What happened, Andrew?”
    “Does it really matter?”
    “Well, if something happened to me I want to know.”
    “Are you su--?”
    “NOW!! Just tell me!”
    “Well, you sort of… lost your memory.”
    “Ha-ha, very funny. Tell me what really happened.” Andrew just stares me down. “You weren’t joking, were you?”
    “Precisely.”
    “Oh,” I say in shame. Andrew puts his right arm around my shoulder.
    “Let’s go,” he says slightly laughing.
    Unaware of the time change, Andrew and I get ready for school. We still think that it’s Thursday. We get everything ready for school. On our way there, we watch the trees and listen to the chirping birds. There are little droplets of rain on the grass and all of the cars. The sun is shining bright drying up everything that surrounds the area. It took us about 15 minutes for us to get there. When we walk up in front of the school, everything has changed! There is a huge banner hanging across the front of the school that says, “Annual Festival, 2007” There are activity tables set up around the school, front and back. Inside the school, there are gazillion posters hanging everywhere. I mean, they even invaded the girl’s bathrooms and our lockers! The walls were repainted and the floors were redone. Everything looked so brand new. We peek inside of the classrooms and everything has been replaced! The desks are nice and smooth, brand new, untouched by the hands of demon students. There are all new textbooks, materials, chalkboards, and computers. What happened here? This obviously couldn’t have been done in one night, so Andrew and I go to check things out.
    Normally, when we pass by people they ignore us. Today is somehow… different. One; I feel as though we’re being watched. Two; everyone is so… cheerful. Three; It’s as though… it’s as though no one knows that Andrew was even a Vampire in the first place. How do I know this? Blake, the quarterback, and his ‘crew’ just past by Andrew and said “Hi.” And, that wasn’t an ordinary average every day, “Hi,” that you hear. That’s the same one you hear when you’re greeting someone close. The last time I checked, Andrew’s name was number one on “Blake’s Hate List.” Even Ashley, the school’s “Guru Drama Queen,” walked past me and waved, saying, “Good Morning, Kate.” That sort of had a good ring to it. Better than being called a “Loser” by her every time she crossed my path. Every time I turn a corner, it’s like extra invisible air is blowing the opposite direction; like my conversions are being spied on. Why does it feel like someone is after…my life? Some thing's definitely amiss. I decided to keep my suspicions from Andrew until I could get some proof. But, is that really the right thing to do?
    “Good Morning,” my English teacher, Mrs. Thomas, tells the class after the last bells rings. “You all have a worksheet for warm-up this morning. You will have 15 minutes to complete this, and then we’ll go over it. Make sure to write your name and date. Today is October 6, 2007.
    “The sixth of October!?!?!? What does she mean? What’s going on here!?” I turn to face Andrew and whisper. “Do you know what’s going on?” And he nods his head no.
    “Class, stop your warm-up for a sec.” We have a new student. His name is Jayden Hayes. The whole class welcomes him, and then Mrs. Thomas assigns him the empty seat behind me. Something about this guy just isn’t right though. He has eyes of death. They were pure black with no expression in them. Somehow it felt that he was after me. I made it through this class and so as my other three. Andrew said he was going to stay after school to help out everyone with whatever they were doing. He kissed me on the cheek and said, “See you soon.”
    I was on my way home when I saw Jayden leaning his body on the outside wall of an abandoned warehouse near an alley. Something about being near him just didn’t seem right. To get away fast, I turned around to take a shortcut. But, he ran up to me and said, “Hey, wait up!”
    “Hi! I’m Jayden. I’m the new guy who sits behind you in English class.”
    Wrapping an arm around my waist, and acting reserved, I say, “My name’s Katie, just call me Kate.” I reached my other hand out to shake his hand. It was freezing! I clear my throat quickly. “So, where did you move from?”
    “I came from California. My family decided to move here suddenly. I was forced to go with them. How about you… I mean, where are you from?”
    “Actually, I’ve lived here my whole life.
    “So, what’s fun in Florida?”
    “Well, we’ve got the awesome beaches, intense sunshine, fun amusement parks, and everyone here loves to have fun!”
    “Sounds great. Maybe this move wasn’t bad after all.”
    Jayden walked closer towards me and my head began to hurt. It caused me to lose my balance, and I ended up slamming into a brick wall. The pain was like when I was becoming a Vampire. My mouth seared with a stinging sensation. Same thing with my eyes. They also scorched with pain. I was about to lose conscious, but Jayden lifted me in his arms and took me to my house.
    “How did you know where I live?” I said in a strained voice. “You know, considering that today is the first day we’ve met and everything.”
    “Well, that is…”
    “I knew something was up, from the first moment that I saw you. Even before that, it all makes sense. All those feelings that I was being watched -- stalked. Then this morning, we first meet. You stared me down with your dark, cold eyes. On my way home, you approach me, and now this. Who are you? Or better yet, what are you?”
    “Wow, you’re very perceptive, Ms. Nile. I’d never thought you’d figure out things that quick,” he says as he claps.
    “Well, answer the question!” I was finally able to stand up on my own.
    Jayden ran off and didn’t say another word. Maybe using more energy than I had was foolish. I fell flat down on my face, unconscious again. I must have the world record for passing out. I mean, it’s truly amazing.
    The next morning I was waking up in my bed. I couldn’t tell if half the things I saw were real or just a dream. I run downstairs to find Andrew. The first thing I say is, “Did anything strange happen to me yesterday?”
    “…And Good Morning to you too,” he jokes.
    “Good Morning, now tell me!!”
    “Actually no. When I got home you we’re sleep soundly in your bed. Is everything okay?”
    “Well, if you say that, then I guess so.” Wow, what a dream to have. Maybe my crazy thoughts about Jayden caused some sort of delusion. Or, maybe that’s what he wants me to think.
    The next morning, I walked to school looking like a ditz. I’m considering all the possibilities for what could have happened yesterday. Or, more like what did happen. If I figure this out, maybe the mystery of the school will be solved too. So, let’s see. Jayden could be a Vampire, set out to destroy our lives, although I see no logical reason for that. Or, maybe he holds a vendetta against the Vampire race. But then again, that makes no sense either. Unless he was turned into a Vampire and that’s not what he wanted. Or maybe that’s crazy talk. Ummm…how about he has supernatural powers and is some sort of mystical creature who is just a Vampire’s natural enemy? Dang it. That’s all wrong. Oh, I get it. Maybe he’s just a psycho! You know, like one of those crazy people who work at a news tabloid, doing whatever to write an article of empty lies and expose the innocent. They investigate you 24/7. If they don’t get enough info, their boss threatens to fire them. That would explain a lot. I mean, he did know where I live and my last name, which was never even mentioned. But, then again, that doesn’t explain everything. There was a side to him that was somewhat, inhuman… unearthly. I drop my head, which is now pounding with a headache or a migraine. I never really could tell the difference between those two. I hit my head shouting, “Stupid, stupid, stupid!” There’s no way that I can concentrate today.
    “Something wrong? “
    “No, nothing, not a thing. Whatever makes you think something is wrong?” I say holding my hand up to my chest.
    Andrew doesn’t speak.
    “My head hurts, I’m going home.”
    “Well, if you’re not feeling well, I’ll walk you back. Or I could stay home with you…” His voice begins to fade.
    “No, no,” I laugh nervously, “You go on ahead. I’ll be coming in late today… possibly. Okay, not at all” My eyes began to wander.
    “Well, if you want --” Andrew begins to say.
    “NO! I’ll be fine. Just go!” I shriek.
    “If that’s what you want. See you soon?”
    “Yeah.” I smile and turn around to head back home. “And, Andrew Evans, don’t you dare follow me!” I say playfully.
    “I won’t,” he smiled. Andrew pulled me close to his body and kissed me on the cheek, then the lips.
    Finally, Andrew ran to school in haste to make it on time, and I watched him as his image disappeared into the morning fog. The entire street cleared up and the only sound you heard was the wind brushing against the trees. I was about to turn around and head home, when I felt an excruciating sensation in my gut, which caused me to plunge to the concrete below me. Jayden was running towards the school, dragging his book bag against the jagged side-walk, trying to catch the last bell. He stopped and ran back my way, watching me as I suffer on the ground.
    “Are you alright?” he asked with concern.
    I leaned down in silence.
    “You’re ‘Kat’, right?”
    “It’s Kate,” I faintly corrected.
    “You don’t look so good, Kate. Let me take you home.”
    I agreed with no hesitation.
    “Which way do you live?”
    “Just up this street.”
    “Okay, hold on,” he said as he lifted me up and wrapped my arm around his shoulder. He guided me home, which was a block from where we stood. He walked me up to the front door and said, “Get well soon,” then waved goodbye. Then, half-way out of the yard he shouts, “Oh, I forgot to introduce myself! I’m Jayden Hayes. I think we have a class together, so see you in school when you’re better!” Then he runs off.
    Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I just imagined talking to him yesterday, or maybe it was just a dream. Either way, I couldn’t remember. Actually, there’s a lot I haven’t been able to remember lately. Should I trust Jayden Hayes?