DISASTERS KNOCKING AT THE DOOR

ALEX'S POV

Looking around the room I finally located the source of the scream. The T.V was on and a clip was being played on the screen.

A man ummm…..it would be wrong to say a man, a teenager had gripped the shoulders of a fragile-looking girl in his arms. The girl was screaming loudly for help and trying to free herself from his grip.

There were at least thirty-forty bodies lying on the ground. The girl let out a loud scream and then she went silent. After a few minutes, she dropped on the ground. Blood was oozing out of two holes on the neck.

When the boy faced the camera, my heart almost stopped beating. He looked like the reincarnation of the devil himself. Bloodshot eyes, blood trickling down his chin, and a demonic expression. I rubbed my arms in an attempt to get rid of the sinking feeling in my stomach.

Why did the canteen behind look like the one at St. Norman’s.

“Gosh! Isn’t this our canteen?” I said as my hand flew to my mouth.

Aaron’s and Susie's head snapped towards me. Their eyes were wide with horror and their faces had turned pale.

“What if it comes here too?” Susie managed to say between gasps.

I had no reply to this question. I slumped on the floor and held my head in my hand. Aaron turned off the television and sat down on the couch too. Silence reigned in the room.

“Hey guys, why are you all looking so worried? Is everything alright?” Eva asked walking down the stairs.

I gave Aaron and Susie a warning glare and said, “Nothing…were just discussing about Philip….”

Eva looked carefully at our faces. She walked towards Aaron and took the T.V remote from him and put on the news channel.

I let out a deep sigh. How could I hide anything from her? Even if she didn’t have supernatural powers, she still had 500 years of experience.

The anchor was saying,

As the situation becomes uncontrollable in El Rosa, it has been placed under curfew. No one is allowed to leave their houses for any purpose. The government has deployed a team of robots to look into the matter.

If you are still thinking of ignoring the curfew, watch this clip captured by one of the defense satellites.

The video was replayed. Eva started shaking like a leaf and sweat poured down her forehead. Suddenly she lost balance and started falling. Luckily I was already walking towards her. I caught her before she could fall down.

I carried her upstairs and laid her on the bed, cursing myself at letting the situation escalate so much.

I took out my phone and dialed the phone, pacing around the room desperately. Why was the doctor not picking up the call? I let out the breath I was holding when he picked up the call after the fifth ring.

“Yes, Alex…………….” His wary voice sounded through the phone.

“Mr. Steve, could you please come quickly.”

“What happened?”

“Eva fainted after seeing the video on the news…..”

“Oh…..Good….” the doctor said exhaling audibly.

“What?”

“No…Unnnn…..what I meant was that it’s a good thing that nothing serious has happened. She must have gone into a shock. Don’t try to wake her up. Let her wake up naturally. She should be alright.”

The doctor said and disconnected the call before I could ask anything more. I wasn’t sure if the doctor was giving genuine advice or was he just telling so, to save himself from coming here.

“Oh! Eva….Why did you come down and see that video.” I muttered and sat down beside her. I watched her face as I ran my fingers through her silky hair. I wished I could sneak her to a place where none of these problems could come near her.

“No! Tell me this is not true…..Please Aaron…..tell me this is not true. You are joking aren’t you?” I could hear Susie’s hysteric voice from below.

I had to go and check what the matter was. I kissed the top of Eva’s forehead and trotted down to find Susie shaking Aaron. Seeing me come down, she grabbed my shoulders and shouted, “See what Aaron is saying. He is saying that….Philip…..my……philip……is no more.”

Then she took my hand and placed it on her heart and said, “See my heart is beating, isn’t it? Then how could Philip have died? Wouldn’t my heart stop beating?”

She was looking at me with expectant eyes, hoping that I would tell her that Aaron was joking. My lips became dry and I felt as if someone had filled my mouth with sawdust. How could I break her hope?

Fortunately, Aunt Linda came and pulled her into a tight hug. She kept rubbing her back and whispered softly, “Everything will be alright.”

Then Aunt Linda led Susie to her bedroom leaving the two of us alone.

“Is it true?” I stuttered.

“Hmm…” he said pursing his lips.

“Ummm…,” I said swallowing the lump that had formed in my throat. “Funeral?”

“I had called the hospital. They have already burnt the body. They are not ready to give us even the ashes. They have advised us to stay at home.” Aaron said putting his hands around my shoulders.

In a way, it was good that we didn’t have to keep a funeral service. I had no courage left in me to do something like that.

“Do you think it’s close by?” Aaron asked with a worried expression.

“Maybe. If it had come to St. Norman’s, it must be somewhere close by.” I tried to reply as neutrally as possible.

Aaron immediately set to work. He closed all the doors nad secured all the windows. I watched him with a blank expression.

How could I tell him that doors and windows could do nothing to protect us against the hooded creature? But, if it gave him some sense of security, then I would just let him do it.

“Isn’t it great that Athena, Melisa, and Ryan stayed back yesterday?” Aaron said slumping down beside me, with a sigh.

“But what about the others, Aaron. I can’t imagine what their plight would be?” I shuddered even at the thought of seeing the hooded creature close to me.

“What are you guys still doing here?” Eva said gripping the railing for support. She climbed down the stairs slowly one at a time. I ran up the stairs and met her half-way, supporting her as she walked down.

I was annoyed that she had walked down rather than calling me upstairs but I kept mum. I didn’t want to give her any more stress.

After I had made her sit comfortably on the couch she repeated, “What are you guys still doing here?”

“What do you mean, Eva?” Aaron asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Shouldn’t you guys be at St. Norman’s? They must be so scared. I thought that you must already have gone there to support the students.”

I felt a pang of guilt when I thought about the students. It was not that I didn’t care for them, I hadn’t got the opportunity to think about them. I wondered if I should tell her about Philp. Wouldn’t it make her more stressed?

I looked at Aaron to find his eyes mirroring my confusion. He nodded his head signaling me that he would support any decision I make.

I sat down beside her and said, “You look so tired. You shouldn’t have come down. If you wanted something you should have just called me!”

She was about to say something but then she gasped loudly. Following her line of sight, I saw Aunt Linda come with Susie. Her eyes were swollen due to crying, her hair was disheveled and her jaws were taut with the effort of not crying.

Eva rushed to Susie and grabbed her wrist saying, “What happened Susie?”

She withdrew her hand as if she was electrocuted. Then she said with a loathsome expression, “Don’t touch me you b****, you killed my Philip. I have always supported you whenever you were in trouble.

I have motivated you when you were depressed. But, what did you do? You killed Philip! You took away the soul from my body. Now, what are you waiting for? Do me a favor please kill me too………….”

Her breath started coming in short gasps with the exertion of talking nonstop. Susie held her forehead and the next moment, she was lying on the floor.

“Susie….” I shouted and started walking towards her but since Aaron was closer to her, he picked her up and carried her away. Aunt Linda followed him.

I walked towards Eva who was frozen like a statue and shook her slightly, “Are you alright?”

Tears started streaming down her cheeks as I said these words. My heart broke seeing her like this.

“Oh……Eva……” I said and hugged her tight.

“Alex…..How can Susie say something like this? Have I ever harmed anyone deliberately?” Her pained voice sliced through my heart.

“Of course not Eva, You didn’t harm anyone even when you were a vampire. Now that you are a human how can you harm someone? Don’t take anything Susie says to your heart. She is disturbed by his death.”

Eva suddenly disentangled herself from me. Then she wiped her eyes and said with a determined expression, “You are right. I should be strong. Come, Let’s go to college. The students need our support.”

I opened my mouth to protest but I knew it was useless. She would go alone if I refused. So, it was better that I went

along.

A shiver coursed through my body as I wondered what we would find there. I sent a silent prayer heaven-wards seeking protection.