Chapter two: First Encounter

Cold breeze blew into the room.

Someone was caressing my feet, moving up to my knees, and then my thighs. I sighed in pleasure, the hands then trailed up my arm. Then suddenly grabbed my neck tightly with icy cold hands. I choked and trashed.

"Open your eyes." he roared harshly. And as if hypnotized, I popped open my eyes, coming in contact with a pair of black blood shot eyes, long nails and fangs. The eyes burned into mine and I screamed, then it instantly bite me.

Sharp piercing pain and I sprang up, holding my neck. Heart racing, blood pumping, panting and sweating profusely. I turned and groped around furiously, looking for the thing or beast that had hurt me. But to no avail, it was no where to be found.

"It was only a dream." I sighed in relief, my heart rate gradually returning to normalcy.

Then I heard a loud yell that startled me, speeding up my heart again, I held onto my chest immediately. The cry was so deafening compared to the impressive silent night and frightening. It was different from a normal shout for joy.

I gazed out the window, into the still darkness. Then came another sudden alerting noise coming from two adults arguing… they were at it again.

"Good night!." Yelled Mum, slamming the door behind her and I'm guessing it's her room door. Dad just groaned in irritation while stomping back down the stairs.

Then there was a sudden hush… the clouds rumbled, then came a patter on the roof, the clouds bursted and the sky exploded as rain poured down its content, drumming hard on the roof.

Like as if nothing just happened or perhaps it was washing away our sins along with the streets.

I plunked a pillow over my head.

*

I was so anxious, It was a cloudy morning promising rain again. I had already packed, taken my drugs, done my morning exercise and dressed, I decided on wearing a black long sleeved turtle neck shirt and Jean joggers with my slids and white socks. I didn't plan on dressing complicated since it was just packing in day, then finally wore my dread up in a doughnut. I am a light skinned black lady who didn't know much about make up so I didn't even bother. Now I just needed to wait for Jo to arrive. I'll only visit home on weekends.

Dashing down the stairs you could've cut the atmosphere with a knife, No one said a word. Taking a sit at the dinning table opposite Ben whose attention was on his phone and my parents whom where at both sides of the table.

Mum was five years younger than Dad but she looked older now cause she was squeezing her face in a frown that didn't adapt to her kind-looking, charming face. Dad on the other hand acted like he didn't care and nothing happened and his grey bearded face looked calm. Mums glare tightened making her look like she was sucking on something very bitter.

Just then Jo barged in, throwing a flower vase on the floor mistakenly. Breaking the atmosphere.

"Oops! Sorry I came in like that." God bless her for that. She bent restlessly to begin picking up the pieces.

"Oh! Come on dear, don't be like that." Mum smiled `you're always welcome here.' Jo picked up a broken piece. "No! honey, don't bother, Ben would get it."

"Hm! What?." Ben popped his head up, and then she motioned for him with her head. `Oh!.' He realized getting up.

"We don't want you cutting yourself now do we?."

"Oh! Hey, Jo." Dad greeted.

"Morning, Mr and Mrs Alison." She waved awkwardly and was preparing for my turn.

"Jo!." I roared, almost knocking her off her feet.

"You must be joking." She breathed wide-eyed as we impacted, knocking the daylight out of her.

"How've you been?." We pulled apart.

"You look so…" She groped for words "Different."

"Yeah! Really? You too."

I motioned at my very good looking best friend those days. Her bright blond hair, very dark green eyes which had always seemed weird to me and her amazing smile. I've missed that look since junior high. Now it felt like old times again, the only person missing was Sarah and I don't know if we'll ever see her again.

But all I truly wonder is if our friendship would still be tight like it used to. I don't want to be strangers again. could we be friends? Or are we now acquaintances?

"I guess different is good, right?." She asked uneasily.

"Yeah!." I replied. "yeah, ofcourse." I pulled her by the arm. "Why don't you take a sit next to me." We sat. "And tell me all about it." I smiled, placing my chin on my hands in a thoughtful manner and Jo just sniggered obviously embarrassed by what she was about to disclose to me.

"Yes and while you're doing that, I'll fix you breakfast." Mum pecked Jo on the head.

*

After breakfast Jo and I had hit the road, on our way to springdale school of arts. I wanted to experience the full novelty of Darkville Town so I turned on her cars stereo but all the songs where either sad moody or depressing. Then I came across the Pentatonix version of `Mad World'.

The sky then shuddered and the dark clouds opened again, pouring its content. My vision was beginning to reduce, cutting us from the rest of the world.

We wondered into the hostel all wet and began unpacking my case. The room was small and Jo had done a good job clearing out space for my things, we had a reading table and flat screen TV, atleast the room wasn't all lonely. I didn't realize I was staring.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it." She smiled and I smiled back and continued unpacking. When a loud thump and bass filled the entire room, it was (Hey boy by Sia ft Burna Boy).

I stared shocked at Jo who stretched her hands towards me. No-No! I shook my head mimicking ands giggling.

"Come on! We need some good vibe in our system." She yelled on top of her voice and at last I took her hand.

We swayed, circled, held hands, bumped asses together with the rhythm that pulsated through our bodies until we were lost to the beat. Screaming, jumping with ecstasy it was more intoxicating than alcohol. I laughed into Jo's eyes and she laughed into mine, I've got my friend back.

*

Fluttering open my eyes and there it was again, the blood shot eyed beast. Resting on my window and glaring at me.

"Jo." I began to tap her."Jo!." I shook her furiously.

And I yelped wide awake, gazing out the window. Had it followed me here? But no! it was no where to be found. Jo was still sound asleep. No,no,no! shaking my head wildly like a crazy woman, I ran to the bathroom washing my sweaty face.

I then looked in the mirror, brushing my hand through my brown dread locks with tints of gold… and there it was, two red marks on the shoulder of my pijamas.

Afraid to check it, I quickly tugged at the sides of my shirt and it revealed two tiny wounds, just between my neck and shoulder.

I stumbled almost falling and at the same time scattering the tooth brushes and medicine kits in the process of trying to grab hold of my balance.

"Nickie, are you okay?." Came Jo's worried voice.

Holding my chest and trying to put the pieces back together, I gradually came to reality `Nicole!.'

"Ye- yeah, I'm great." I tried to sound casual, but my head kept spinning with many questions.

This is real! Am I turning into something? What bite me?

I quicly grabbed my phone, browsing. I typed in bite marks and I got two kinds. The normal bite marks inflicted by using living things around and abnormal bite marks the one inflicted on, in an unusually awkward way.

I clicked on abnormal and saw a story of a lady Emily Stonewood in the late 1950's who complained about being compelled by a Demon and was biten right before her eyes and there and then she felt passion for him and followed him and fed him her blood when he wanted. But she was delivered when the Demon was stabbed at the spine and burnt to death in her house.

People found the story hard to believe, with no evidence, but there where other similar cases of people being biten by unknown beasts. At night, in broad daylight, on the streets and while asleep… I gasped.

I browsed further and they began talking about vampires, werewolves and missing peoples reports, some in the same way after being biten or compelled and most cases where disclosed or discovered in the Town of Darksville.

I stepped out of the bathroom looking petrified.

"Why are you looking like you've seen a ghost?." Jo chuckled. But I stared blankly at her. "you know what would help." She smiled, nodding. "Going out to a good club."

I looked bewildered, shaking my head violently. "Don't worry, trust me its within the walls of school, you'll love it. I've gone there twice and I promise I won't leave your side. The only disaster would be you wearing all black. We don't want guys thinking you're a widow."