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Riven Wight Insomniac Vampire
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11 hrs ago
When they left the building, Izzy gave a sigh of relief as a light June breeze blew over her, the weather mild for the month. As they walked down the road, Trevor quiet in, as far as Izzy could tell, contemplation, she tried to think of an excuse to go on ahead of him, maybe take a detour, but, she had to admit, she was enjoying the conversation. At least, most of it. And she still wanted to deposit her backpack at home, eliminate the weight of a school year’s worth of locker clutter, and they had to go in the same direction for that, anyway. Besides, the road was the quickest way, and the sooner she got home, the sooner she could head out again.
She glanced to him when he spoke, and her expression hardened. She looked ahead of them as she answered. “Sanity,” she said harsher than she had intended to. “Fewer people to stab you in the back, or be broken up about, especially once I’ve left this forsaken city in the dust.”
She glanced to him when he spoke, and her expression hardened. She looked ahead of them as she answered. “Sanity,” she said harsher than she had intended to. “Fewer people to stab you in the back, or be broken up about, especially once I’ve left this forsaken city in the dust.”
Riven Wight Insomniac Vampire
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11 hrs ago
Izzy paused, staring at Trevor with inquisitive suspicion as he continued on a couple paces before she walked after him again.
“Normally,” she said slowly, still a couple steps behind him, “people just back off when I tell them I don’t want friends,” she answered the last couple of his questions. “And up to today, I was doing pretty good with avoiding people. Turning into a tree sounds great, but trust me; it’s harder than it sounds.”
She tapped her thumb against the outside of her pocket, hoping the conversation would turn to something else. She would even take sparkling vampires at the moment. “Why does it matter to you so much?” Her eyes narrowed slightly as she waited for his answer.
“Normally,” she said slowly, still a couple steps behind him, “people just back off when I tell them I don’t want friends,” she answered the last couple of his questions. “And up to today, I was doing pretty good with avoiding people. Turning into a tree sounds great, but trust me; it’s harder than it sounds.”
She tapped her thumb against the outside of her pocket, hoping the conversation would turn to something else. She would even take sparkling vampires at the moment. “Why does it matter to you so much?” Her eyes narrowed slightly as she waited for his answer.
Riven Wight Insomniac Vampire
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11 hrs ago
Izzy placed her hand to her chin and tapped her cheek in mock contemplation. “Nah,” she said after a short moment, returning her hand to her side. “I’d rather a tree. Too many people use benches, and plenty collect rocks. I’d rather not end up stuck in someone’s pocket or on display collecting dust, thank you very much. Besides, you can still enjoy the sunlight as a tree.” She reached out, letting the sunlight brush the skin of her bare arm and warm the sleeve of the other. "And the birds." She glanced up to the sky, shielding her eyes against the sun with a hand, searching for any birds soaring in the afternoon light.
“Oh, well, thanks.” Izzy gave Trevor a smile. “Right back at you.”
She stopped with him at the intersection. “Study? It’s summer, and you’re going to study?” She raised her eyebrows and looked at him incredulously before he requested to use her phone. “Oh, sure.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. "Wouldn't mind at all." She quickly put in the unlock pattern, then handed it to him.
“Oh, well, thanks.” Izzy gave Trevor a smile. “Right back at you.”
She stopped with him at the intersection. “Study? It’s summer, and you’re going to study?” She raised her eyebrows and looked at him incredulously before he requested to use her phone. “Oh, sure.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. "Wouldn't mind at all." She quickly put in the unlock pattern, then handed it to him.
Riven Wight Insomniac Vampire
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11 hrs ago
Izzy crossed her arms as she waited for Trevor to make a call. When he took longer to do so than she expected, she leaned to take a look at what he was doing--browsing the internet for something, maybe?--but scowled when he brushed her off.
“What’s a shame?” she asked slowly as she took her phone and thumbed through it to see what he had done as he continued speaking, answering her question. She found his number as he waved farewell. “Oh, you sly fox!” she shouted after him with a laugh. Regardless of her no friend vow, she could not help but smile as she headed toward home, shoving her phone in her pocket with a slight shake of her head.
With her headphones broken--or was this pair lost? She had lost track--Izzy’s only defense against her brothers was the meager stuffing of the pillow. If she had to choose between a herd of rhinos wearing tutus while doing the cancan on miles of bubble wrap, and her brothers, she would take the rhinos. After all, she could sell the rhinos to the local zoo. But her brothers? She would not wish them on any human, let alone the zoo animals.
With a disgruntled groan, she tossed her pillow to the floor. She had to get out of here before what she said to Trevor about not being a serial killer turned into false-reassurance.
Grumbling under her breath, Izzy sat up, took her phone from the nightstand beside her bed, and shoved it in her pocket. Hurrying to the common chorus of her brothers putting their sports training to the boys’ best version of good use, she grabbed a flashlight from her dresser, collected her walking stick from where she had leaned it against the wall after her usual hike earlier in the day, and all but ran downstairs to the front door, not bothering to leave a note or explain where she had gone. Not that she expected Zach or Blake to notice her absence, anyway.
With the door confining the cloud of pandemonium that always followed her brothers to the house, the relative quiet of the neighborhood greeted her welcomingly. It was a wondrously mild night. Laughter floated down the street from a few doors down where a small crowd sat out on a porch, enjoying the summer’s eve.
Izzy took a deep breath and began walking down the street, the rubber tip of her walking stick padding against the concrete a step ahead of her. Despite the vacation, with the artificial glow of the streetlamps marking the time for most youngsters to be indoors, the streets were mostly deserted save for a few people on porches. None of them payed Izzy any attention as she passed.
Maybe everyone’s indoors because of the vampire, she thought with a smirk.
As she went, the houses grew slightly further apart, her feet knowing the path she would take all too well.
Soon, she made it to her destination. A park with a wooded backdrop and a spattering of trees and shrubs around its manicured lawn sat before her. It was set far enough from the road that the golden light of the streetlamps did not fully reach it, ascertaining it would be emptied by dark. The utter quietness of the area was music to Izzy’s ears.
Holding her flashlight at the ready, just in case, she strode confidently toward a playground, its equipment dark lumps in the night. At the edge of the sandy lot that marked the playground, she paused, waiting to see if the light of the moon would be sufficient enough once her eyes adjusted. To her delight, it was.
She attached the flashlight to a loop in her belt, and strolled across the sand of the playground toward the metal merry-go-round. She stopped by a backhoe digger nearby, rubbed one of the wings of the owl carved into the knotted top of her walking stick, then leaned it against the equipment.
At the merry-go-round, Izzy got it spinning, then hopped on. She leaned back into the open middle, her legs hanging over the side, and stared up at the stars and waxing moon as they swirled around slowly. Each rotation, the merry-go-round let out a gentle squeal, slicing through the silence of the night until it slowed, turning it into more of a quick thump-thump, like a rhythmic metallic heartbeat.
“What’s a shame?” she asked slowly as she took her phone and thumbed through it to see what he had done as he continued speaking, answering her question. She found his number as he waved farewell. “Oh, you sly fox!” she shouted after him with a laugh. Regardless of her no friend vow, she could not help but smile as she headed toward home, shoving her phone in her pocket with a slight shake of her head.
* * *
With her headphones broken--or was this pair lost? She had lost track--Izzy’s only defense against her brothers was the meager stuffing of the pillow. If she had to choose between a herd of rhinos wearing tutus while doing the cancan on miles of bubble wrap, and her brothers, she would take the rhinos. After all, she could sell the rhinos to the local zoo. But her brothers? She would not wish them on any human, let alone the zoo animals.
With a disgruntled groan, she tossed her pillow to the floor. She had to get out of here before what she said to Trevor about not being a serial killer turned into false-reassurance.
Grumbling under her breath, Izzy sat up, took her phone from the nightstand beside her bed, and shoved it in her pocket. Hurrying to the common chorus of her brothers putting their sports training to the boys’ best version of good use, she grabbed a flashlight from her dresser, collected her walking stick from where she had leaned it against the wall after her usual hike earlier in the day, and all but ran downstairs to the front door, not bothering to leave a note or explain where she had gone. Not that she expected Zach or Blake to notice her absence, anyway.
With the door confining the cloud of pandemonium that always followed her brothers to the house, the relative quiet of the neighborhood greeted her welcomingly. It was a wondrously mild night. Laughter floated down the street from a few doors down where a small crowd sat out on a porch, enjoying the summer’s eve.
Izzy took a deep breath and began walking down the street, the rubber tip of her walking stick padding against the concrete a step ahead of her. Despite the vacation, with the artificial glow of the streetlamps marking the time for most youngsters to be indoors, the streets were mostly deserted save for a few people on porches. None of them payed Izzy any attention as she passed.
Maybe everyone’s indoors because of the vampire, she thought with a smirk.
As she went, the houses grew slightly further apart, her feet knowing the path she would take all too well.
Soon, she made it to her destination. A park with a wooded backdrop and a spattering of trees and shrubs around its manicured lawn sat before her. It was set far enough from the road that the golden light of the streetlamps did not fully reach it, ascertaining it would be emptied by dark. The utter quietness of the area was music to Izzy’s ears.
Holding her flashlight at the ready, just in case, she strode confidently toward a playground, its equipment dark lumps in the night. At the edge of the sandy lot that marked the playground, she paused, waiting to see if the light of the moon would be sufficient enough once her eyes adjusted. To her delight, it was.
She attached the flashlight to a loop in her belt, and strolled across the sand of the playground toward the metal merry-go-round. She stopped by a backhoe digger nearby, rubbed one of the wings of the owl carved into the knotted top of her walking stick, then leaned it against the equipment.
At the merry-go-round, Izzy got it spinning, then hopped on. She leaned back into the open middle, her legs hanging over the side, and stared up at the stars and waxing moon as they swirled around slowly. Each rotation, the merry-go-round let out a gentle squeal, slicing through the silence of the night until it slowed, turning it into more of a quick thump-thump, like a rhythmic metallic heartbeat.
Riven Wight Insomniac Vampire
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11 hrs ago
Izzy gave a choked scream and stumbled back, tripping on her own feet when the man looked to her, impossibly alive. Her flashlight and walking stick fell to the ground beside her. From the ground, the beam of the light reflected in the man’s golden eyes. Which had to be a trick of the light. But there were far more important aspects to be worried about.
“H-hold on,” she choked out, kneeling on the grass. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone with a shaking hand. “Focus on me,” she breathed. “What’s your name? What happened?” She turned her attention to the phone, glad to look away from him. She put in “911,” and hit dial. “I-I’m calling for help. Just hold on.”
“H-hold on,” she choked out, kneeling on the grass. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone with a shaking hand. “Focus on me,” she breathed. “What’s your name? What happened?” She turned her attention to the phone, glad to look away from him. She put in “911,” and hit dial. “I-I’m calling for help. Just hold on.”
Riven Wight Insomniac Vampire
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11 hrs ago
Izzy jumped at the man’s loud opposition. She blinked at him, unsure of what to say and not paying attention to whether or not her call had gone through already. “You need an ambulance!” she tried to finish for him, before his last exclamation.
Did he really just say... Her eyes locked with his, a light emanating from them competing with her flashlight. She sucked in a breath as she got a better look at his entire face, and his inhuman fangs.
She startled back with a gasp. She dropped her phone and grabbed her walking stick with both hands, brandishing it in front of her like a weapon.
Think logically, Izzy! she scolded herself, gripping her stick tightly nonetheless. Veneers. He’s gotta be a psycho wearing fake fangs and some sort of freaky contacts.
“Th-there’s plenty of that at a hospital,” she said breathlessly, slowly bending down and reaching for her phone. Psychotic or not, he was hurt. Bad. She looked away from him only to glance to the device before grabbing it. “They can get you patched up there.”
Did he really just say... Her eyes locked with his, a light emanating from them competing with her flashlight. She sucked in a breath as she got a better look at his entire face, and his inhuman fangs.
She startled back with a gasp. She dropped her phone and grabbed her walking stick with both hands, brandishing it in front of her like a weapon.
Think logically, Izzy! she scolded herself, gripping her stick tightly nonetheless. Veneers. He’s gotta be a psycho wearing fake fangs and some sort of freaky contacts.
“Th-there’s plenty of that at a hospital,” she said breathlessly, slowly bending down and reaching for her phone. Psychotic or not, he was hurt. Bad. She looked away from him only to glance to the device before grabbing it. “They can get you patched up there.”
Riven Wight Insomniac Vampire
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11 hrs ago
Izzy stopped, phone in hand, its white light shining on the ground for a couple seconds before fading. No pulse? She paused, the description Trevor had given her of the acclaimed vampire coming to mind. Though only the blond hair applied at the moment, it was clear enough the dismembered stub-of-a-man was inhuman. No human could survive being little more than a bloody stump, let alone drag themselves far enough to be found.
Holding the walking stick with one hand more for support in her crouched position with one knee on the ground, she met his gaze, her own eyes wide in shock and horror.
“What are you?” she asked, her voice little more than a hoarse whisper. She waited with bated breath for the answer she suspected he would give, her knuckles turning white with how tightly she gripped her walking stick. If he lived long enough to say it, that was.
Holding the walking stick with one hand more for support in her crouched position with one knee on the ground, she met his gaze, her own eyes wide in shock and horror.
“What are you?” she asked, her voice little more than a hoarse whisper. She waited with bated breath for the answer she suspected he would give, her knuckles turning white with how tightly she gripped her walking stick. If he lived long enough to say it, that was.
Riven Wight Insomniac Vampire
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11 hrs ago
The smile he gave her made Izzy’s blood run cold. She glanced behind him, at the trail of blood shimmering in the soft light of her flashlight, the beam unhindered by the man’s form. How had she not noticed his lack of shadow before?
Her attention turned in full back to him as he spoke. Even expecting it, Izzy gawked at him. She let her phone fall back to the ground and ran a hand through the portion of her hair that hung loose around her face. She was staring at a real, flesh-and-blood vampire. Or, what was left of him, anyway.
A new thought struck her. Vampires were supposed to be one of the strongest, fastest creatures, right? But something had torn this one limb-from-limb, which meant there was still something else out there, something that could still be lurking in the shadows. Izzy’s heart skipped a couple beats and she looked suddenly toward the darkness pooling around the protective barrier of her flashlight. From the stories she had read, werewolves were the mortal enemies of vampires. Could one of them be out there somewhere?
“What... what happened to you?" She looked back to him. "What did this?"
Her attention turned in full back to him as he spoke. Even expecting it, Izzy gawked at him. She let her phone fall back to the ground and ran a hand through the portion of her hair that hung loose around her face. She was staring at a real, flesh-and-blood vampire. Or, what was left of him, anyway.
A new thought struck her. Vampires were supposed to be one of the strongest, fastest creatures, right? But something had torn this one limb-from-limb, which meant there was still something else out there, something that could still be lurking in the shadows. Izzy’s heart skipped a couple beats and she looked suddenly toward the darkness pooling around the protective barrier of her flashlight. From the stories she had read, werewolves were the mortal enemies of vampires. Could one of them be out there somewhere?
“What... what happened to you?" She looked back to him. "What did this?"
Riven Wight Insomniac Vampire
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11 hrs ago
Izzy took a deep breath. She needed to know if there was something still out there, something that could be a danger to her family. If it killed someone else, her parents would be a couple of the first people on the scene, which could put them in danger. And as annoying as her brothers were, she did not want to see them get hurt, either.
She wanted answers. He wanted blood.
“Tell me what did this,” she swallowed, her voice shaking slightly as she continued. “and you’ll get what you want.” Determination settled in her eyes and dusted her face. “It doesn’t look like you have long. Better decide quick.”
She wanted answers. He wanted blood.
“Tell me what did this,” she swallowed, her voice shaking slightly as she continued. “and you’ll get what you want.” Determination settled in her eyes and dusted her face. “It doesn’t look like you have long. Better decide quick.”
Riven Wight Insomniac Vampire
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11 hrs ago
Izzy held her breath when Cerasus snarled, resisting the urge to back away. The anger on his face made any pity she had for him cower away. When he finally told her what had torn him apart, she nearly gave a sigh of relief. No one else would be in danger from vampire hunters, as far as she knew.
She took a deep breath when he asked for his part of the bargain, and nodded stiffly. Though she dreaded the thought of his fangs sinking into her skin, a deal was a deal. Unsure of what else to do, she sat her walking stick on the ground and quickly rolled up the sleeve of her scarred arm. Though she doubted it would do much with his limbs missing, at least she might be capable of easing the agony he indubitably felt in payment for his answer.
“Only because you said ‘please,’” she said in a meager attempt at calming her nerves as she moved closer. With her hand clenched into a fist, she placed her arm before him.
She took a deep breath when he asked for his part of the bargain, and nodded stiffly. Though she dreaded the thought of his fangs sinking into her skin, a deal was a deal. Unsure of what else to do, she sat her walking stick on the ground and quickly rolled up the sleeve of her scarred arm. Though she doubted it would do much with his limbs missing, at least she might be capable of easing the agony he indubitably felt in payment for his answer.
“Only because you said ‘please,’” she said in a meager attempt at calming her nerves as she moved closer. With her hand clenched into a fist, she placed her arm before him.
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