13 KiB
Chapter 22
The sun was starting to rise. Sarah and Katie were sleeping side by side and the look of fatigue on their faces was apparent. Sarah was doing much better, and the cuts on her body had been stitched up very well. Her color had returned to her face and, according to Calypso, she would be okay for the trip home. Calypso wasn’t asleep though. Rather she had run to the water and had been gone for hours looking for Michelle and Asher, who still had not resurfaced. Her fear had driven her to sheer hysteria. How could anyone bear the thought of losing two friends so suddenly? Tamil, who usually had some funny wisecrack or a humorous outlook on things, was now as silent as the grave, with an equally dark look on his face. He stared off into the void, listening and waiting for any indication that everything was alright. Abraham was sitting on the sands, and his eyes were gazing down at his feet. He felt guilt running through his mind. Had this all been his fault? Katie had said that a werewolf will always attack a human first…and because he didn’t run away or fight back, the others had been hurt trying to protect him…and now it was possible that Asher and Michelle were gone forever. Why wasn’t he stronger? Why couldn’t he do the things the others did? Why did he have to be the weak link in this family? As these questions filled his thoughts, his fists tightened and he bit his lip, fighting back tears of frustration.
Suddenly, out over the water, a silhouette could be seen. The suns glare made it hard to make out, but Calypso’s fin like ears were distinguishable. She swam over to the shore and climbed up onto the sand. Tamil’s head perked up at the sound, as if hoping it was Michelle or Asher he heard. “Any sign of them, Calypso?” Abraham called, running over to help her crawl onto the beach. At this statement, Tamil’s face darkened again. Calypso shook her head sadly, tears in her dazzling blue eyes. “I can’t find Michelle or Asher. I’ve looked for hours but haven’t seen anything!” She cried. “The current might have taken them out to sea…and if Asher doesn’t find shelter soon, the sun will kill him! “Let’s not panic, okay?” Abraham whispered. “I know that it looks bad…but if we start screaming, then everyone else will panic.” “What is the point?” Tamil grumbled. “Why they not back yet, anyway?” “I’m beginning to fear the worst.” Calypso sniffled, rubbing her eyes. “How could this have happened?” The three just sat in silence for a moment, waiting on Calypo’s legs to reform. When they finally did, the sun was now clear in the sky and was beaming down on all of them, causing the sand to heat up as well. There was no more time…the train to take them home would be leaving in a few hours, and they needed to get back to it.
“Guys…we need to go.” Abraham mumbled, hating the words himself. Calypso hiccupped sadly, but she nodded as well. Tamil stood up and began working to pick up towels, silently swearing in his Egyptian language. Sarah and Katie began to stir. They glanced around sleepily and began to take in the situation. “What about Asher and Michelle?” Katie asked. There was no answer. Everyone just kept their heads down and allowed Katie to take in the answer herself. She looked away and buried her face in her hands, trembling. Everyone began to pack their things, and Sarah offered to carry more to make up for the absence of Michelle and Asher. “We should…at least pay our respects.” Sarah said. “We don’t have time.” Abraham argued. “The train will leave without us.” “We can’t just go like this.” Calypso argued. “Michelle and Asher were important to all of us…and…I can’t go without saying goodbye.” The tears in her eyes and the heavy lump in her throat caused Calypso to sound on the verge of a crying fit. No one could blame her though…it was too much. The others all glanced at each other and nodded their agreement. This was something that needed to be done. “We’ll say our goodbyes before we leave.” Katie said.
The group gathered together on the edge of the water and stared out at the crashing surf. The sun was higher now, and there was no doubt that the inevitable had happened. As this sank in, Calypso couldn’t hold it in any longer and began to sob terribly. Abraham just stared out at the water, unblinking and unsure what to say. “I’m really not good at this sort of thing.” Sarah muttered. “I…I really hate goodbyes.” “Abraham?” Tamil whispered. Abraham turned to face the mummy who now looked more depressed and distant than he’d ever looked before. “Would mind saying goodbye for us?” “Why me?” Abraham asked. “Asher and Michelle both human once…both miss being human. Perhaps it right that human say farewell to them…as if they were still…” Tamil’s voice trailed off and Abraham nodded softly. “Okay, I’ll do my best.” He said. “Please, let’s just…let’s just get this over with.” Katie sniffled, rubbing her eyes. Abraham stepped forward and stared at the water, as if he could look out and see their bodies floating in the distance. “We’re here to…say goodbye to Asher and Michelle. Both were dear friends and like family to all of us.” Abraham started. There was a long pause as they took all the words in. “We shall honor their memories by-” “WAIT!” Tamil shouted. Everyone stopped and looked at the mummy, whose eyes were wide in surprise. “Tamil, what’s wrong?” Sarah asked. “Hear someone…in the water!!”
A collective gasp came from the group and everyone turned to look out at the ocean. At first, nothing was visible…but slowly and surely, they began to see a strange figure rising from the water. “It…it can’t be!” Katie squeaked. “ASHER!” Everyone stared in stunned amazement as, from out of the water, staggered the wet and exhausted vampire. In his arms was an unconscious body…Michelle’s body. Calypso was the first to move. She sprinted to the water, but the instant her feet hit the surf, they transformed back into a tail, and she fell on her face, sending water everywhere. Tamil and Sarah both hurried to Asher to help him. Asher shot them both a furious look and they all stopped in their tracks. “H-help…M-Michelle…” He whispered. He then fell to his knees on the hot sand as his body was smoking and burning before their eyes. “Quick, over Asher!” Katie cried. Abraham and Sarah both grabbed a beach towel and threw it over Asher, shielding him from any further sun damage. While he lay in the sand, trying hard not to burn, Katie and Sarah both hurried to Michelle. Calypso crawled her way out of the water and lay next to Michelle, checking her pulse. “She’s alive…but she’s really weak! She needs shade and rest now more than anything.” Calypso announced. Sarah and Tamil went to work immediately setting out an umbrella for Asher to lay under. Katie, meanwhile, set out some bedding for Michelle to lay down on. “What can I do?” Abraham asked. “Get some of our food out of the bag, then head into the woods over there to find some firewood for tonight…we’re staying.” Calypso ordered. Everyone paused and stared at Calypso. “But we need to get home!” Sarah said. “I know, but given Asher and Michelle’s condition, they aren’t fit for travel. They might not survive the journey. We need to stay if we want to help them.” Calypso explained. Everyone hesitantly nodded and went back to work. As soon as the umbrella was up, Katie and Tamil moved Asher’s body under the umbrella in the shade. Asher instantly took on his little girl form once again, becoming Ashley so that he could curl up under the umbrella more easily. The transformation required energy, however…and within seconds after the transformation into Ashley, he slipped into unconsciousness…his body horribly burned and scarred by the sun. “Poor Asher.” Sarah sighed as she brushed Ashley’s hair a little. “We’ll let him rest. For now, let’s make sure Michelle is alright!” Katie urged. Abraham took this chance and ran to the woods to get the firewood as asked. He didn’t want to be in everyones way as they worked.
The day wore on slowly. Everyone was concerned about Michelle and Asher. Of the two, Asher looked in the worst physical condition, as his body was unbelievably burned and beaten. Michelle looked more intact, but it was clear that she was in worse shape, as she still hadn’t woken up, and her breathing was so faint, that more than once they panicked and thought she’d died. Time wore on, but the fact that they’d discovered their friends pleased them all, and their spirits were greatly lifted…until the sun began to set. “Asher should be feeling better by now.” Sarah whispered. “But he’s still too weak to even move.” “I know, but what more can we do for him?” Katie asked. “Give blood?” Tamil offered. “If vampire is weak…he drink blood. Asher drink blood, he get better too, yes?” The group looked at each other, liking the idea, but they still had a problem. “Asher can drink any kind of blood, but only human blood will bring him back to 100 percent.” Calypso explained. “Abraham…you’ll have to let Asher feed from you.” Abraham felt his face grow pale from this news. “What!?” “Don’t worry, we won’t let him bite you and we won’t let him drain you either. We’ll all keep watch and remove him the moment he’s got his energy back.” Abraham looked at Ashley and sighed. “Will I turn into a vampire?” I asked. “No. He has to bite you to make you a vampire. And we’ll make sure he doesn’t.” Calypso assured him. Abraham thought long and hard for a moment and then, at long last, nodded his agreement. “Fine.”
Abraham knelt down beside Ashley who looked up at him, too weak to even open her eyes all the way. Calypso helped Ashley sit up a little and then smiled gently. “Ashley…you need to feed from Abraham.” At this, Ashley shook her head. “N-no…I can’t.” “We won’t make you bite him, but you need blood.” “I don’t mind, Ashley…I agreed.” Ashley stared at Abraham as if puzzled, but she didn’t protest again. “If you’re sure that you’re okay with it…” Ashley whispered. Abraham nodded. As he did, Tamil handed over a small pocket knife and Calypso used it to make a large cut on Abraham’s neck. The blood began to flow almost immediately. Calypso lifted Ashley up to Abraham and he leaned forward as Ashley, almost instantly, began to drink from the open wound.
The feeling that washed over Abraham was like nothing he’d ever felt before. It was pure bliss…almost pleasure. This was the effect of the vampire saliva…to release pleasure hormones through the hosts body and make sure that they had no desire to resist. The more Ashley drank, the more weakened and excited he felt. He couldn’t move…didn’t want to either. It was heavenly. He’d experienced a small piece of this feeling when Asher had healed his wound on the docks, but this was something beyond that. This is what it was to be fed on by a vampire. Ashley’s eyes glowed red as she fed hungrily, all inhibitions and hesitation lost now. He was her prey now, and the only chance he had of being saved from her was if Calypso and the others could remove Ashley before it was too late. “Ashley, that’s enough.” Abraham suddenly felt the weight of Ashley come off of him and he opened his eyes to see that Ashley was no sitting on the blanket. Her eyes were open and her body looked a bit better than it did before. Many of her burns had healed and she smiled softly. “Sorry, Abraham…lost myself for a moment.” “It’s okay. How do you feel?” Abraham asked. “Better and better.” She laughed. She looked up at the sun as it was setting and gave a little smirk. “And when the sun dips below the horizon again…I’ll be perfect.” “And what about Michelle?” Sarah asked. Ashley looked over at the still sleeping Michelle and frowned. “Well, she’ll wake up soon…but let’s just give her some space for a while.” Ashley muttered. “She’s going to be really upset, isn’t she?” Abraham asked. “None of this is her fault.” Ashley snapped. “She won’t see it that way.” Sarah moaned. “To her, this was all her doing.” “But it wasn’t! It’s simply not true.” Abraham argued. “This club was created,” Ashley explained calmly, “because people often forget that there is a difference between what is true and what is paranoia. We ourselves sometimes forget that difference. To Michelle, she is a monster…but we know different. We know that this is not the truth.” “So what is the truth?” Abraham asked. “The truth…is that the only real monsters are those that don’t try to forgive and understand.”