CHAPTER TWO - Not just a creature

   

Turning around and trying to grasp where I was, I took slow strides checking to see any passage way or exit door but there was just nothing. My legs were heavy and my feet felt like they could give out on me at any moment, It was like I was trapped in some kind of empty plane in my own mind and the darkness was consuming, suffocating and throttling in the most asphyxiating way. 

For a moment i could not breathe, so i held on to my throat and collapsed onto the cold, hard, dark ground wondering what I was doing here, and where exactly is 'here'.

I had been walking for hours and hours none stop, going through the same dead ends only to find myself yet again in the center of darkness each time I tried. I let myself go, sitting right in the middle of that same dead end and hoping the lonely torture would end soon when i heard it.

A voice. Deep and groggily rough but my body seemed to sense quite a familiarity with it as it spoke but then there was the chill that came along with it. A flare in the depths of the dark that had my neck hairs standing and my heart pick up pace.

"Hello Dianna!"

Just one word. One word that had me so self conscious I wrapped my arms around myself while frantically looking around like I was being stalked. 'Quite precisely i might just be...'  Squinting my eyes, I tried to get a better vision of the other person at the edge of this never ending plane.

"Who's there?" Moving my head from side to side warily I asked again, "How do you know my name?" My arms tighten around my arms with the statement that follows that.

"Do you want to know why you're here Dianna?" The voice was getting closer, so close it was like I could feel it breathing down my neck and my heart was beating faster followed by the slow movement of my footsteps as I backed away from something I could not even see.

Stupidly I went ahead and asked "Why am I here?"

"Because I put you here. Trapped in your own mind, your own thoughts while I trample on your dirt." The voice was chilling it sent waves of freight down my spine.

"Why did you do that?" My voice came out shaky, matching my emotions at the moment. The voice sounded a bit feminine this up close and that placed an unshakable feeling down my shoulders "Who are you?"

And just like it could hear my thoughts, It look soundless steps closer, each step dragging forward a large amount of satin lace then it stopped just a few feet away from me.

Before me, a woman. Dressed in a long flee black slit dress with full Dracula sleeves and matching heels. Long black hair sprawled around her shoulders down to her waist. Her Extremely long finger nails polished a deep shade of blood read, digging lightly into her own skin and then she pulled it out revealing a little spill of.... black blood?

My eyes widened and took another step farther away from this.... this... person. My fists squeezing tighter around my arms.

I watched as a huge smile crept on her face as she pulled her fingers into her full plum lips masked with heavy layers of dark red lipstick as she suckled on it.

But the part that scared me the most were her eyes.

Thick and long heavy lashes to accompany that blood red in her irises. It scared me... No it terrified me! I kept on speaking quietly to my self that this was just a bad dream and I'm going to wake up perfectly fine the next morning.... But then her eyes fluttered open, staring directly into my soul with a mischievous gleam that spoke hidden secrets of an eternity of destruction.

Then she uttered those words. Simple words in the English dictionary that held a lot of meaning. And in this situation, I couldn't find anything pleasant or humorous about it.

"Lilith" her sharp canines giving out the deadly expression on her face "your living nightmare ".

***

The next thing I knew, I fond my self in an unfamiliar surrounding gasping heavily for air and looking around myself to realize I was no longer in that place..... My mind drifted for a few seconds again, back to the terrifying red of her eyes.

Closing my eyes shut very tightly I convinced myself that although I don't know what it meant, it was just a dream and probably didn't even mean anything. Then I pulled my leads open and I wasn't even sure if what I just discovered was better or worse than the events of my dream.

The dusty smell of timbre and leaves had my senses on alert and self consciously I rose up to my feet shakily only to fall back down and realize I was naked. Every atom of clothing on my body had been shredded, my little Pokémon tank top was almost completely torn apart leaving only the patches of my breast line to hide part of my femininity. My short shorts was no longer a short but a damaged skirt hanging by a loose line on my waist to hide part my innocence.   Unintentionally I held my breath and pulled myself back up.

'I was naked and lost in the middle of the woods.'

This had to be another dream. My thoughts consumed me, but the raw, fresh blood on my hands said otherwise.

Panicked, I hurriedly searched my skin from top to bottom for any injury that gave out the leak of blood. Maybe just a little scratch or cut but I was clear, there wasn't even the slightest mark on my skin.

My breathing quickened. I felt the heat fusing right through my veins in a soothing but disturbing way that when the heavy blowing of the wind waved around me and the moving tree branches, i felt the need to cover up every little patch of my skin.

It was dark so it was hard see through my surroundings but thankfully the bright gleam of moonlight shining down on the grass enabled me to navigate my way around but I could tell that it was already up in the morning and it wouldn't be long till the sun set.

And that's when I saw her.

A woman. No... a young girl lying by the tree right behind me in a pool of her own blood.

I gasped. My heart slamming heavy in my chest.

Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my fucking God!

She had a huge gash on her left abdomen. Her skin clawed out as flies gathered around the opening that was yet to have an offensive smell other than the sharp stench of murder.

My knees began to give out and I held on to a tree behind me for support, moving away from the body and almost tripping in the process as I struggled to regain my breaths. I looked down at my bloodied hand and back at the woman lying dead in front of me.

This has to be a coincidence! A fucking sick coincidence!

I'd never seen a dead body before. Especially not one that had their blood tainted on me. The tears unknowingly leaked down my eyes and I felt sick.

I quickly adverted my gaze from the brunette and picked speed. I ran, i don't know why or what i was running from. But i knew i couldn't be in that place for much longer unless I was going to lose every last sense of sanity in me.

But it didn't take long because for the first time in my life, I so desperately wished i could erase my memories, just for one night. The nausea hit me like a train and before I knew it, I was purring vomit all over the ground.

**

My palms were sweaty and i couldn't get the memory of this morning out of my head.

That woman in my dream,...she had this aura around her. This really dark aura that I couldn't read. I know I shouldn't have been putting too much though in this, it was just a stupid dream, but I can't help it. It didn't feel like a dream though. It felt so, so... So real.

I'm probably just over thinking it but i can't shake the feeling away.

"Are you sure it's okay for you to be driving this early again? " mum asked looking genuinely concerned for me. Her golden strands smoothly combed and packed into a low pony tail. Navy blue chiffon dress neatly ironed and stopping just below her knees with her nude flats and brown handbag hanging on her shoulder. "I could give you a ride on my way to work if you want."

I shook my head declining her offer. Mum works as a biology teacher in Randell high. The same high school I graduated from three months ago. She'd taken a vacation leave in order to take care of me at the hospital and fund for my bills, even though some of the doctors had told her it was possible I would never wake up, she never gave up hope, she slept in with me every night refusing to leave my side.

"Are you sure? " I followed her to her black Mercedes and helped her open the drivers door, gesturing for her to get in with a bump of my head. This car was gifted to her on her 40th birthday by my dad four years ago and since then she's thought about selling it countless of times, especially when we suddenly got broke and in desperate need of money. I was always the one who talked her out of it and made her change her mind.

I just couldn't let her sell it off to some random stranger. It was the last thing she had of him and even though she pretends to be okay, I knew it affected her deeply and she'll regret it if she does. 

"I'm sure mum. I think i can handle myself well enough. " I smiled at her.

"You know I don't have to go to work if you don't want me to. I can just... "

"Mum! "I whine, a small giggle escaping my lips and I fake groan "You're so stubborn. It's fine I promise, I can take care of myself okay so stop worrying about me alright? "

"I can't do that ".

"Then pretend. " I want to pull her to me and hug her so tight. But I don't, knowing how badly the chill from her body would affect me. So instead I place a quick feather light kiss on her cheek. "go on now " I grinned widely to show her I'm perfectly fine.

Finally she gave up, letting out a sigh and stepping into the car. "I'll be back early I promise."

"No please, take your time" I yelled as I watched her car drive out the small lot "love you! "

"love you baby."

I chuckle lightly and hug my sweater tightly to my body watching as the tires of her car disappeared from my view.

Letting out a light sigh, I moved over to my own vehicle. A vehicle that had been with me from scratch till date. I know nothing about cars so I'm not going to give you the edition or year of product, but just know its a really old truck that had been passed from generations. Okay, maybe that's a bit exaggerative, but honestly. It belonged to my granddad who passed it down to my mum who passed it down to me.

The old bugger is a survivor no doubt. The doubt is if he's going to start up and moving again considering he hadn't been used in two months.

The moment I put my hand on door handle, I felt a moment of Deja Vu and looked up to the scrawny window. My eyes widened, my hand dropped and i quickly took a step back.

The woman from my dream was staring at me with her tick lashes and blood eyes with a menacing smile on her lips through the dusty window reflection.

My heart picked up pace and I immediately turned to look behind me but nothing. I turned back to the car window and the only reflection I could see was mine. I closed my eyes, leaned my head against the hood of the car and let out deep breaths. It's probably just my paranoia that's making me see things that aren't real now.

When I was sure I was okay again, I'd jumped into the vehicle in serious need of cleaning and servicing. To my very own surprise, Freddie was still operating fine.

Granddad got this car after working so hard and saving up on his 20th birthday, he loved and cherished it so much that he named the car Freddie. A name that myself and mum used to tease him about whenever he came by. Moments that can't be remade because sadly, cancer got to see him before I turned nineteen.

Damon had called me last night, said he was coming over and at the time it was already past midnight. I asked him not to considering the distance from RBU to where I live but he didn't listen, still he'd been driving past the speed limit to get to me which got him stopped by the police for speed driving and he had to spend the rest of the night in a cell.

He didn't tell me that though. He'd lied about his car breaking down in the middle of the road and not being able to make it until the next day and he was really sorry. But I've always been able to see through Damon and when I called Jaime, Ming's cousin who was also one of Damon's close buds in high school, he confirmed it and gave me Damon's new address.

I pulled my car to a stop in front of the small looking apartment and got out. Carefully accessing my surroundings. The walls were painted a light shade of green with white stripe like designs. According to Jaime Damon stays at the second floor so I had to take the elevator knowing he had no idea I was coming.

Three knocks to the front door with no response had me rethinking my actions and questioning why I decided not to call him instead.

What if he's not around? What if he's on his way to my house right now? What if they haven't released him yet? Or worse, what if he had classes and I was making a complete fool of myself by coming here.

I mentally face palmed myself.

Just as I was about to turn around and leave, I heard the clicking sound of the door lock that made me freeze on my steps. I'd suddenly I felt nervous. All night I had been waiting to see him so badly. When I'd woken up from that hospital bed the first person I thought of was him. I craved his presence so much it made me anxious.

And now staring at his broad form against the door, I couldn't help the leap of joy and excitement bursting through me.

His blonde hair a wet mess, falling slightly in front of his eye brows. grey eyes staring at me in shock, full pink lips parted slightly at the sight of me with his left arm leaning coolly against the door. My eyes trailed down his body, his perfectly toned muscular arms not so much hidden behind the grey tank top, black jeans and boots he had on.

I swallow, my boyfriend looks hot. He always does. But more importantly, he looks like he just got off the bathroom and was on his way out. I made it in time then.

"Dian? " my name comes out breathy from his lips, making me realize just how much i miss him.

I look up and stare right back into his eyes just as he stares into mine "Damon." 

When he grinned, that toothy grin of his that melts my insides completely, I lost it. Without thinking, I lunch at him and pull my arms around him. Squeezing him to me like it's the first time I'd seen him in years.

He chuckles, hugging me back equally. But I pulled away and palmed his face between my hands and attacked his lips like a hungry savage.

My lips connected urgently with his own and I kissed him. It wasn't soft and slow, no. It was hungry and passionate and he didn't hesitate to kiss me back just as equally.

His lips tasted like coffee, a taste I'd gotten very used to, a taste I'd missed so much but sadly this moment didn't last because my brain might have blocked the feeling of his freezing hands around me and icy lips being flamed by mine, but my body wouldn't forget it, it hurt and that made me pull back with a bit too much force that had Damon staggering back a bit.

He looked at me with confusion in is eyes as i struggled to calm my breaths. "what's wrong? "

"N-nothing I just, feel a bit dizzy. "

He took my hand in his to lead me into his apartment but I immediately retracted and walked in on my own.

The place was plain, other than the few tattered boxes of pizza on the table and a shirt hanging of the armrest of his black couch, there was no other evidence that someone actually lived here. The walls just like the outside was painted a light shade of faded green and a few white stripes.

"You haven't been here long have you? " I asked.

"A month and three weeks " he said moving to take out the littered pizza boxes "sorry about that. I didn't know you were coming."

I smiled, honestly I didn't care about his disorderliness, trust me, Damon is a huge definition of disorderly, I was just really happy to see him.

"Are you okay? "he asked with genuine concern in his eyes, sitting beside me and searching my face for any signs of fatigue. "I'm sorry I couldn't make it last night. My car... "

I chuckled cutting him off "I know you got pulled over Dame, I asked you not to come ".

"And let you go crazy wishing to be with me? Hell no. " he smirked.

Ah... There he was... I almost thought I'd lost my cocky boyfriend. My grin was so wide it nearly split my face in two.

"And besides, " he sucked in a breath "I fucking missed you. "

"I'm sorry "

"You have nothing to be sorry about" he grabbed my hand in a comforting gesture, the friction caused me to jerk away so fast but that little touch was enough for him to catch on to, "you're burning up " he palmed my face this time causing me to hiss out loud due to the freezing of his hands. "I'm taking you to a hospital."

He was up on his feet in a second, grabbing for his car keys. "it's fine Dame, I'm fine I promise "

"Is that why you don't want me to touch you? "

I nodded my head in agreement but the deep crease between his brows wouldn't disappear "has it been like this since you woke up? " I nodded again. "this is bad love you have to see a doctor."

"Damon I'm fine "I sigh, getting on my feet to match his height. Only he's still at least two feet taller than me. "All I want right now is to be with you, can you do that for me? "

He still doesn't look convinced but he gives in either way, "I'll get you some milk " he said, disappearing into the joint wall of the small kitchen.

**

"So, RBU huh? "

We were both lying on Damon's middle sized bed on our backs, looking up at the ceiling and making small talk about the things that have been happening in his life since I was gone.

"It's temporary. "he answered making my brows crease.

"Temporary? "

"Yeah. After you... After the accident, I almost gave up " I sucked in a deep breath. He almost gave up... On me. "I got accepted into NYU but I wanted to wait for you. We planned everything together you know? We had a whole life ahead of us together. I was going to take a gap year but then my acceptance would be cancelled completely and my chances of getting accepted on another application would be close to zero. So technically I put it on hold for the first semester".

My heart felt heavy. He'd put his life on hold for me just like Faye did. A feeling of guilt washed over me. "I'm so sorry ".

He turned his head to the side to get a sharp look at me and smirked, lifting an eyebrow "baby, you can't feel sore, we haven't even started anything yet ".

Is it stupid that I'm sometimes a bit too slow? Because it took me a little while before I caught on to his innuendo. My cheeks flushed red "shut up! ".

He fell back laughing, a full laugh that exposed his complete set of white teeth. By the time his laughter died, he moved closer to me, being careful not to make direct skin contact, and I know he hated it.

"The only thing you should be sore-ey about is keeping me waiting for so long," he smiled "man! Two months without sex? That's fucking starvation."

Is it possible to flush any hotter? I swallowed.

Then his expression turned serious, as he played with my hair and stared right into my soul "two months without you?" he scoffed "that's fucking suicide. It's a miracle I'm still alive ".

Without my knowledge, a single tear dropped from the corner of my eyes but lucky for me he didn't notice it. But even though he might have escaped the slight tear, I know he didn't escape the intensity of my feelings.

"Hold me" I said and he frowned.

"I thought it bothers you?"

I shook my head energetically "I don't care. Just for a little moment, please, I need you to hold me."

And he did. He cocooned me in his arms like a mother hen protecting her baby egg from the predators of the wild. Our bodies tangle together on the little bed. His chin rested above my head and mine buried in the hardness of his chest, as I tried to ignore the feeling of icy torture on my skin and welcome the warm consuming feeling in my heart.

***

"Ae you even listening Dian?"

"Huh! Yeah I am "

Faye asked if we could meet at Joe's 'the diner that Ming now worked at. Which is apparently the best in town, the place never gets dull.' she said she had something really important to talk about.

I knew it had something to do with the creature that attacked us that night. A part of me wanted to just bury it and move on with my life, but I had to admit, I was also curious. The whole story just seemed really shady and I secretly wanted to get to the bottom of it. But a little voice in my head kept telling me I wouldn't like what I find, and should just pretend it never happened to keep living smoothly.

But then again, the word smooth, doesn't exist in my life. I've never had anything happen smoothly for me before and I probably never will. After all, life is nothing but smooth.

I had talked to the police in charge of my investigation about the attack and what they found with my mom. He'd simply said and I quote "it's not natural ". Of course those words were just meant to be a harmless metaphor, but I was slowly starting to believe them now.

The thing left no trace to where it came from but the huge claw like prints on the ground of Ming's living room said that whatever it was we were dealing with was something big and dangerous. 

Ming had to move out. It was inevitable anyway, considering she had gone broke loosing her family's funds. Lately she's been staying with Jaime, or Faye whenever she closes too late from work and doesn't want her cousin to loose his shit worrying about her.

After a month of investigation, the cases was completely dumped, side tracked and abandoned with the mare assumption that it was just a wild animal. I can't say I was too surprised, this is Randall after all.

"I know you probably think I'm very crazy, but I spent almost a whole month researching on this now, I can guarantee you I know exactly what I'm saying " Faye said pulling out a bunch of books and papers and placing them on the table in front of us.

"That thing that attached us that night... " she scrambled through the books then came to an abrupt halt and pushed the book closer to our line of vision.

"That wasn't just any creature Dian. " I stared confused at the picture before me.

Ming was quiet all through not saying anything. I bet she was really as confused as i am.

Faye dropped her voice so low that only the three of us sitting on that table could here her.

"It was a demon."