I lied.� I was usually alone and caring for myself even when my parents were around.� I just wanted to be close to the man, no the creature, who freed me from them for good.
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| There isn't much I remember about my life parents. My father would come home everyday smelling of blood and gunpowder.� My mother spent her time cooking and cleaning the meat and blood my father dragged into our home.� Its funny looking back on it: even in life my world revolved around blood. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| The year was 1824.� I was fourteen years old.� My parents and I lived in a straw-roofed cottage among many other straw-roofed cottages in one little village amongst many other little villages with no more than two miles between them.� At the end of our village, a mountain stood as tall as the sky.� On the top cliff of the mountain sat a castle.� I was a naive girl, never noticing the castle until I was physically brought to it.� But, that is later. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| It was a usual event: my father came home from his nightly trip to the pub. He walked in stinking worse than usual, instead of just blood and gunpowder; he also reeked of sweat, beer, and vomit.� My father walked over towards my mother and began beating her.� He uttered something about blood on the floor and hit her again.� After three good blows, he turned around on his heel and hit the floor passed out drunk.� Now it was my turn.� My mother turned to me and laid the beating she just received onto me.� Apparently, it was my fault that there was a blood stain on the floor. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Normally, I would have quietly taken the beating, wait until my mother crawled into bed, and then sneak out to the creak to wash out my wounds.� I wasn't given the chance that night.� Before the final blow was laid on me, a hand grabbed my mother's arm.� She was spun around by her shoulders and screamed.� I looked up in time to see my mother fall to the floor with a thud.� She had puncture wounds on her neck, but there was no blood to be seen, I looked slightly to the left and saw my father lying the same way.� Finally, I looked up and saw him.� We made eye contact for only a moment and he was gone before I could blink an eye.� He was beautiful: dark hair, dark, clear eyes, and alabaster skin that seemed almost translucent.� | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| I became obsessed.� The next evening I dressed myself in my only pair of slacks, should my father need the help of his child while he was hunting.� He never did and I figured my journey to find him would break them in nicely.� I passed by the pub and found one of the town tramps slumped on the sidewalk.� He had puncture wounds on his neck, but no blood.� I was hot on his trail.� A few miles down, another tramp in the same situation, but his flesh was still warm.� I looked forward and saw him.� Before he could get away again I ran up to him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You!" I said breathlessly, "You are the one who killed my parents!" | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| "They needed to be taken care of.� I did what had to be done.� You appeared to be able to care for yourself." | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I cannot. I have never been alone before.� I am still in need of someone to care for me." I lied.� I was usually alone and caring for myself even when my parents were around.� I just wanted to be close to the man, no the creature, who freed me from them for good. |
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| He sighed and said, "You can come with me. I will provide for you if you do the chores I set for you.� You must obey my orders." | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| And with that, before I could blink an eye, we were gone from town and in front of a castle.� It was beautiful with high walls and exquisite gardens on every side.� For the first time ever, I felt like I was home. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| "This will be your room," he said as we walked down the east wing hall, "All of the young men that I teach board in the west wing so it is very important that you stay in the east wing.� Your meals will be delivered to you three times a day.� Now, I am not saying that you are confined to one room.� Just the ten that make up the east wing. Understand?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yes."� And with that he was gone.� | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| After a few hours of being confined to the east wing, I snuck out to explore the rest of the castle.� I was always successful at sneaking out of the house at night, every night, so I assumed sneaking around inside would be no hard task. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Who are you?" squeaked a booming voice. I jumped and then froze.� "I said, 'Who are you?'" | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| "My name is Annabelle." | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That does not answer my question." | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| "My parents were killed and I live here now." | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Do you mean to tell me that Vlad has begun to take girls now?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I do not know what you are talking about. Who is Vlad?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I am Vlad and I told you to stay in the east wing. I told you not to interact with any of the young men I teach. And yet here you are." | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I am sorry. I became restless. And hungry. I have not eaten since breakfast yesterday." | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Nicholas, since you are already acquainted with our young guest, fix her supper and bring it to her room. In the east wing."� He turned his attention to me, "This is your only warning."� Once again he disappeared. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I would follow Vlad's advice and disappear yourself.� You do not know Vlad like I do. And you do not want to know." | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Continue to Part 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Index | ||||||||||||||||||||||