《Daily Life of NEET Vampire》 1– Zion Edited August 2022 Chapter 1 : Zion It''s been two years. I can''t believe I could last this long without stepping out of the light. When I watched anime staring with an otaku mc, who didn''t go out of his room for two years, I just couldn''t believe people could do that in reality. But now, I did it. I never really expected things to go down like this. Yet no matter what, I''m really reluctant to let this go. My life, you see, for me it was already perfect. Its more than perfect. I wish to live like this, waiting to die. Thinking about it again for the hundredth times, I nodded. This is really perfect! And there''s nothing I could wish for anymore. Money, power, or anything you could name it! Thank you! But I don''t need it. I''m already satisfied with my life and I plan on continuing this kind of everyday until the day I die. And...that¡¯s what I thought. You know, life is about change. And I didn''t know that my life would abruptly be turned upside down like this. So, what happened? Come on ask me. Aren''t you curious? Well, whatever. I''ll tell you anyway. It''s like this... Maybe, I''ll start off with my name. For the introduction, my name is Zion. Zion de Valle. Everybody calls me, Zee. It''s cool right. I like my name very much. It didn''t sound like a girl''s name, and it sounded more like a guy. Hehe. Right, Zee is a girl. A girl that didn''t look like one. Of course, if I try, I could be the most beautiful girl in the world. I just don''t have much interest in that aspect. What''s more... Age; I''m 22 this year. I graduated two years ago. And currently, I''m a NEET. Not in Education, Employment, or Training, basically a full time NEET! Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. When I graduated from college, till now, I didn''t expect to step on this road. I had worn full-on battle armor and was ready to face the danger of being part of the society. A month after I graduated, I finally got my first job. I can say that it wasn''t in line with the course program I graduated with, but I still choose to do this one. You see, I planned on continuing my studies. Maybe, get a Fine Arts degree, since it was the program, I wanted in the first place. But because the schools were really far, far, far, away from our home. Despite how I wanted to be a Fine Arts student, I gave up and turned towards the 15 minutes long University drive from my house. That school was a new school in our city. It was just 20+ years old. A baby, compared to those ancient schools in our country. Programs there are few, and I decided to take on BS Psychology and stayed there for four years. Why? Because, they said that Psychology didn''t have those f*cking math! But I was extremely wrong! (¥Î£à§¥¡ä)¥Îáê©ß©¥©ß Those guys were truly deceptive! In my first year, there was already math! And it just got harder and harder as the years went by. The only thing that I could be thankful for was, we don''t have calculus. It''s fine, I could take on Anatomy. Memorizing muscles, skeletons, or every little part of the human body system but Zee can''t really take on numbers. Chemistry was still fine, and I could still cope up with it. Genetic was fun too. But physics was hell. Nevertheless, major subjects were fun and enjoyable in every way. Abnormal Psychology, will take you for a ride where you''ll see everything abnormal. Clinical Psychology will make you describe everyone as mentally ill. Education Psychology was an exploration. There''s many more. But I could only say that, life as a Psychology student was really fun. I graduated beaming with ambition. I took advice from my supervisors from every internship we have. I already plotted out my future. I could say that I was already ready to face the harsh society, when I took my diploma from my school. But reality was really harsh. And I really thought I was tough. I got my first job, and I was so happy. Though it was really far, far, far, far, far way. I still tried. As a person who didn''t know how to commute by myself, getting a job far far away is very ideal for me. I wanted to try learning to be independent. I endure 6 hours drive from my home to our office every day. It was very tiring but I adapted very well. But Zee was scared away. Yup, it was humiliating and I feel ashamed for that, but I really thought that the outside world was scary. I thought I was mature enough and could face anything the society threw at me. But I was wrong once again. I resigned a month after my training ended. And I never left our house ever since. A year ago, I thought it¡¯s time to try again. This time, I was determined. However... Sad truth, I was stuck in the house again. Why? Because a f*cking pandemic strikes the world in disorder and even has the guts to stab my little determination and self-esteem to look for a job!! ©ß©ß¦à©c(`§¥¡ä)?¦à©ß©ß And now, two years have passed. Sigh~ And here I am, still laying flatly on my comfy bed staring unblinking at my phone. Sweat drips down my face and my back is already drench. I feel like a pancake being baked in a hot pan. In a low fire, slow and steady. It was super-hot, even though it''s nearing Christmas, the sun still shines like summer. And this heat lingers every day. I lick my dry lips as I continue reading a web novel, while my thumb swiping the screen up. This is my life. I woke up nearly at 12 in the afternoon just to eat. I read and read while eating, and lay again after. I read, then read, until I became hungry and ate again. From afternoon till night, I read. On normal days, I sleep between 3 and 4 am. On special occasions, where I found a gem and decided to binge read, I will never sleep until I finished the whole chapters available. I''m really satisfied with my life right now. Though I have no money or a job, I am just a parasite clinging hard to my parents. This life, I don''t want to give up on it. Yup, and I never really thought of giving up on this life. Even though, my life is not the same as it used to be anymore. Sigh~ Life as a NEET is truly satisfying. 2– Zion Edited August 2022 Chapter 2 : Zion The sun shine piercing my blurry eye sight. So, I close them and sigh. I continue forward, walking with my formal attire, holding the neat and straight envelope in between my armpit. I raised my face shield¨C it''s an innovative transparent plastic like glass in front of the face, used to shield the face and so the name speaks itself¨C and I pull my black mask down. I can feel my sweat dripping down to my jaw. I breathe in and out, taking in the polluted air. It''s friggin¡¯ hot and I feel like I am being toasted. Not to mention, I am walking right under the sun. I walk slowly as I look at my wrist watch and see the time¨C 9:00am. I have an interview appointment at 10, and right now... I stop walking, and stand still while looking left and right, at my back and in my front again. You should know why. Currently, Zion de Valle is lost. I took my phone out of my pocket, planning to look at the Google map again. However, no matter how many times I look at it, Zion de Valle is still lost. But I didn''t give up. The only choice I have right now is to ask for direction. So, even if I am embarrassed and shy, I will try! At 9:46am, I finally made it there. I greeted the security guard and said my purpose. The security guard is a nice guy. He talked to the lady in the counter, all I did was wait until I was called into the office. "Ms. Zion de Valle?" Asked the man sitting behind the table. He gestures his hand, inviting me sit in front with a smile. Still, I can''t help but feel nervous. When I was outside waiting, I saw many competitors. A year already passed since the pandemic, though the vaccine still has its risks and still yet available to the public. People is already used to it. Many people lost their jobs and many companies went bankrupt. And this year is the worst year to look for a job. More importantly, Christmas is just around the corner. Many companies will surely become picky at this time because of the 13th month pay. And many companies are still on the edge.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it However, despite my "thump thump thump" heart, I let out a happy smile instinctively, and greeted the man and extended my hand for a hand shake. "Good Morning, Sir. I''m Zion de Valle, it''s pleasure to meet you." The man reaches out his hand as I introduced myself to meet mine. "Cessar Jin, Nice to meet you." I sit on the chair after our friendly handshake. I was still smiling. I wish he didn''t detect my nervousness through that one handshake earlier. I hope so... I smile every time I feel nervous or scared. It is my defense mechanism¨C reaction formation, specifically. Because I am always anxious, I always react opposite to what I am actually feeling. I was called a weirdo in school because of it. I was a trouble maker before, and every time the teacher scolded me in front of the class, I laughed instead of reflecting. It was scary and nerve wracking, you know. I was elementary back then, and after I graduated and became a high school student, I became a loner and an introvert. "I am, by the way, the HR assistant and your interviewer for today. I received your resume and read it already. I just want to ask some points regarding your job experiences." Cessar pause and he looked at me in the eye. We made an I contact. I know what he was going to ask. I wrote many fabricated job experiences there. Everything written in that was all a lie. Zee actually only have ''that'' one month experienced before. Never before did Zion de Valle went to work. So, what can I present on my blank resume? "According here, you worked part-time as a virtual assistant." "Yes, Sir." I affirmed. "Actually, I have a job before and for some personal reasons, I resigned. I worked online, until my laptop broke last month. That''s why I''m here right now, Sir." Of course, it''s a lie. Like I said, Zee NEVER have a job in the first place. It is my friend who works as a virtual assistant, and I just wrote it in my resume. Well, let''s see. It was a half lie. Zee really planned on trying being a virtual assistant after resigning. The problem is...the laptop broke even before I was accepted on the job. When I received a confirmation email on my Gmail, the laptop now only has a black screen. So, taking a job online¨C forget it. "Oh. I see. So, can you tell me about those experiences then." I talked my lies base from what I had heard from my friend and from my memorized lines from the script I made. I talked with confidence as if all those nonexistent job experiences really happened. I speak out my worth, my capabilities and answered his questions one by one. Along the way, my heart thumped like crazy. I maintain a proper demeanor of a humble job seeker. My body felt numb, I was hungry and tired. And as I expected, at the end of the interview¨C I sighed as I remember what had happened. We, both stood up. Cessar smile at me and he reached his hand for another handshake. He said, "It''s nice talking to you, Ms. Zion. We will just inform you through the number you have given. It is a pleasure to meet you." I sigh again. It was a total failure. Will I ever get to have a job? "Tsk!" I clicked my tongue and finally went on my way towards the nearest fast-food restaurant. I feel super hungry after my nerves relaxes. As I eat, I ask myself, ''do I have to do this?'' I even regretfully thought of why I didn''t start writing web novel and earn little bit from that. If I did, then maybe mama won''t urged me to get a job right now. With my qualifications, I knew better than everybody else that getting a job is even harder. Even fresh graduates are a better pick than I am. More so, I don''t really know what people do at the office. I can learn, but I think I am not competent enough. Sigh~ maybe I should start writing now. Maybe I can use my vast imagination in this. I''ll search how to become a WebNovel author at home, later. For now, I still have one more interview left. And it was scheduled in the afternoon. I looked at the time, and I sigh. I slump my back at my sit and sigh one more. "...it''s just 1, I still need to wait until 3." I mumbled. "This is the worst. I don''t want to work..." 3– Zion Chapter 3 : Zion It was already 7pm. In the midst of rush hour, I looked outside of the bus window. The sun was already down and stars are now present twinkling beyond the smog and the city lights. Cars are building up, more and more. And the bus I am in is now stuck within the traffic. Thankfully, I manage to grab a seat, or else I will have to stand up along the way. I shifted my eyes and I accidentally saw my reflection through the mirror. Half of my face is covered with my mask, the face shield is transparent and didn''t hinder my view at all. Nevertheless, I can see exhaustion in my eyes. Of course! Who on earth would not get tired! A person who lacks exercise, a person who never basked in the hot sun for the entire two years was suddenly thrown out to look for a job under the blazing bright sun! I walked for a long time, and I keep getting lost. Map was useless for me and I had to ask many times just to get to my destination. If not for mama urging me to get a job, I will not go out of my comfort zone. Such a pain, who likes to go out. Zee is not an outgoing person! I diverted my eyes from my reflection and took my phone. I sigh as I open it and maybe read some novels along the way. I tried to read, but I just couldn''t focus my attention on them. I still felt frustrated. I already expected it, but no matter how much I try to brace myself from impending failure. In the end, I couldn''t help but feel a little disappointed. I already have low self-esteem and my presence is usually low. However, I still had some little self-confidence left in me. Zion never failed once before. That''s what I thought. I never failed at anything before, that''s a fact. It''s either excellent or average, or it was passable. Though I don''t care about my grades or results, I still have some pride that I wanted to keep, especially since I came from a family that didn''t lack outstanding people. The only reason why our family still maintains its current status is because papa is super lazy. Mama is smart and very responsible and an amazing person. But papa forbade mama from doing jobs and let her stay at our house as a housewife. My sister is very good as well. She took after mama and she''s very cool. Though my inferiority complex came from her and resulted from my lack of self-esteem, I still think of her as an idol. Her only problem is, she is a very adventurous woman, who spent money like water in the tap. Always going here and there, and everywhere. Complete opposite of Zee who dreams of experiencing the ''black room''. Before the pandemic happened; me, my sister and her friend went out to get some fresh air in the mountains. Yup, we went hiking! I was so excited. Before it was always the whole family with our car. But ever since my grandma died when I was still in elementary, this kind of outing has become a luxurious thing for me. It rarely happens now. And so, this is the first time going out again with the exception of school field trips. This is my first time I went together with some strangers. You know, those traveling agencies something something. Those tour guides with a bunch of packages and services. So, like that, three of us, together with a bunch of strangers went for some hiking. It was terribly cold and we friggin¡¯ came at the wrong time. There''s a f*cking typhoon and we climbed in a mountain of mud. And the attractions that we were supposed to see beyond the clouds at the top of the mountain were all shrouded by fog and rain. The only thing I enjoyed there was when we came to crawl under the cave and explore it. When we came out of the cave, my eyes were brimming bright with goal and ambition.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. "I will explore all the caves in the country!" That''s what I said. I was determined to get a job by then, so I could have funds to do this kind of activity. But the pandemic struck and I f*cked up. I lost interest and just gave up. So, I buried my head with all the novels and manga I could find and read. Anime too. I sighed. I didn''t know how many times I sighed today, but one thing I know is that I''m tired. Two years of confinement took a lot of toll on me. I''m having episodes of Depression every now and then. I even think that maybe I really have it now. But I don''t want to get ahead, since Psychology students really like to self-diagnose. As I was mulling over inside my head. My ears pick up murmurs of the other passengers on the bus. I ignore it, I don''t care and I don''t want to ponder about other people right now. I took my phone again, and stabbed my earphones in and listened to some music. My phone only has three types of music on it. Anime theme songs, Disney songs, and of course BTS!!! I''m an Army, BTW. (*¡ä¦Ø£à*) Thinking about it. I remember in college, me and my friend wrote a paper about a study detailing a process of how individuals learn. It''s actually our final project. Like we have to write something close to a theory, but not a theory. More like a hypothesis, centering the study of Psychology of Education. We, partners are both in the Army. We presented BTS as an alternative name for our paper. Because, like I said, it''s like a theory so we need a title for our theory right~ It was very cool. It was fun. Learning and interest is what our papers are all about. We are motivated to learn because of our interest! <(£þ¦á£þ)> Actually, she was the one who rope me in the Army, and I pulled her down towards the road of being a fujoshi. It''s like an equivalent exchange. That''s why, when we wrote that paper. Even if our professor only gave us five-day preparation, the two of us, partners, really enjoyed writing that paper. ... Sigh~ I''m feeling so frustrated, that I even doubted why I exited. I failed two interviews in a row. I sigh again as I thought of not wanting to look for a job again. I listen to ''Fire'', then ''Blood, Sweat and Tears'' and can''t help but reminisce about the past. How good it is to become a student again. Coincidentally, ''Boy In Luv'' was played. I should really try applying for WebNovel once I get back. A translator? An editor, I very much prefer that. I''m plotting plans again~ I want to go home. 30 minutes later~ I focus my eyes outside of the window. I see the same cars and the same line of traffic, and I still don''t feel the movement of the bus. For some reason I became anxious. My ears were submerged to the song ''Butterfly''. My nerves felt strain and my heart beat loud. The mellow music of ''Butterfly'' didn''t help and just made my anxiety worse. I can''t help but recall the MV when V jumped off the platform down to the sea. So, I removed the ear phones. Surprisingly, I heard murmurs again and it was louder than it was supposed to. I quickly turn my head; I stand up and look around the bus. That''s when I perceived that something bad had happened. I sat again, but this time I am more alert, more like I''m anxious. I stopped the music from playing on my phone and hid it in my bag. Focusing all my attention to my ears, I listen to conversations of other people. "How long do we have to wait here?" "I heard from the driver that there''s many casualties ahead. The train suddenly lost its track and slammed on the concrete barricade." "That''s weird you know. That has happened before. That train slammed into that barricade before but what happened now. How can it fall down?" "You didn''t hear it? It was actually very loud. When the train smashed itself into the concrete barricade, BANG! It was really loud you know." "Really I didn''t hear it." "''Cause you''re sleeping, idiot." When I heard that, I really wanted to complain too. I didn''t hear it either. When did that explosion happen? Why didn''t I notice it just now? I was shocked. I stiffly sat on my chair feeling colder than ever. I swear that the music in my phone is not that loud. Even if I am wearing headphones, I should hear a loud "bang" right? Such bad luck! So, when will they clean the highway? I want to go home! I want to sleep! I could only complain. But deep inside, I''m scared. I''m alone and it''s night. Especially, I don''t know what''s happening at all. Why is nothing going on my way? So, what''s going to happen now? When will I be able to come home? Why is this happening to me? I slump down on my seat trying to calm down. I am feeling anxious. I look out again, and stare at the long rail tracks above. Should I feel thankful that it didn''t hit our direction? 4– Zion Chapter 4: Zion 12:34pm. With a deep frown pasted in my face and my fringe hanging down covering the side of my face as I wear a black mask and the face shield. Coupled with a gloomy aura hovering above my head and the dark silent night, I walk out of the bus. I am the only one left, the last passenger at the last stop. Lifting my arm to look at the time, "12:38" I whispered. I look up and see the dark night sky, it is already deep within the night and I''m still yet to come home. I walk carefully, since my eyesight kind of blurry. I haven''t had time to have them check and buy an eye glasses, so I have to be careful. I look around as I walk. Actually, I wanted to run and immediately get home. But I''m scared of getting into an accident. What I had witnessed earlier really terrified me. "...shit...going out is really scary!" I said so to myself. I don''t want to remember what happened, but as I go further and walk towards the dark alley. I can''t help but recall what happened there. ... ... ... 8:34 pm An hour later and our bus was still stuck in its place. The passengers were already restless and some of them already went out to look at the situation themselves. I wanted to get out too, but I''m afraid that once I get off the bus, I won''t be able to find my way again. And that''s really bad. I heard some people who went out, telling stories in an excited state. Others speak out hinting their own trepidation, some were feeling nervous and impatient. Me, I feel like I am isolated from all this chaos. A bystander, like I have nothing to do with any of this. I just waited here in my seat, listening to all their conversation. But of course, I''m also anxious. They said it was bad. Really, really bad. The time the train went off its tracks, crashed and fell down was at rush hour. Although there''s still the pandemic, the trains were still full. The weird thing is, according to them. The train was in full speed when it crashed, that''s why it went flying down the highway. It happened before; I don''t know when. I don''t usually watch TV, but I saw a glimpse of it years ago. I don''t know if it was the same train and the same location but the train almost went flying then too. But because the speed was well maintained, it just dangled at the edge and it didn''t fall.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! However, the situation today was different from then. The train was at its full speed. Though it was an old train, it was still well maintained. They don''t know the exact situation, but they said that many people died. Of course, who wouldn''t die in that kind of accident. But I wonder if it was really an accident? Many people thought of that too. The passengers said many conspiracies and all of them were very interesting. Some said that it was a terrorist attack, others said it was a malfunction and it was the government''s fault that it happened. And there''s this very imaginative guy in front of my seat. He seems to have been suffering from chuunibyou and seems to be in a severe state. The voice sounded deep but it hinted at his childishness and immaturity. He said that maybe some supernaturals were fighting somewhere and this was the result. He even went on giving some examples, those people with esp or those creatures of the night. He has so many interesting and fun theories that I hope that it was true as well. Many otakus really hope for them to exist, and I''m one of those that was expecting. But that was before. I already bid my chuunibyou days a bye-bye and I don''t want to remember those dark histories ever again. Who wanted their shameful past to be dug out? It''s embarrassing and that''s the reason why I refuse to see my old classmates from high school again. They know that dark history and I don''t want to dig them up again. So, well, time passed and I was still on the bus. I slept a little bit since I can''t help it anymore. I''m tired. I woke up when I felt the bus suddenly move. It was exactly 10:08pm when that happened. When I saw the time back then, I really wanted to curse out loud. I got on the bus approximately at 6:00 and managed to ride until we stopped at this part at 7:30. And looked at what''s the time now. It was fucking 10pm! I almost cussed out, but then I felt my phone vibrate. I took it and it seems that my parents have been calling me since before. But I''m sleeping, so I didn''t manage to answer them. I''m sure they''re worried sick right now. This friggin¡¯ event was sure to be on TV live. So, I answered the phone. "...hello." ["Where are you now?"] It was papa. Sure enough, his voice sounded angry, it was firm and deep. I felt nervous when I heard his inquiry. I didn''t answer immediately but I hummed as I looked out of the window wondering where I am now. But when I saw nothing of the sort, like a sign or something that could tell my exact location, I just gave up and told papa that I was still on the bus. ["When do you think you can come home?"] He asked. He really did seem quite worried. But I don''t know what to say. The bus was driving slowly and we stopped every minute. "I don''t know. The traffic won''t subside, because of the train accident ahead. The bus I''m riding still has yet to pass that area." When I said that, papa went silent. I didn''t hear anything at the other end. ["I see. I go home immediately after. Be safe"] he said after a while. Then he ended the call, not even waiting for my reply. I sighed as I hid my phone in my pocket again. The same as always, I thought. Papa is always awkward and speaks out little words as possible. He was the complete opposite of mama, who likes to gossip everyday with our neighbors. The clock almost turned 11 when we reached the scene of the accident. The passengers all slept the entire way, but they woke up when we were almost there. Murmurs went back again and it was getting louder and louder as the bus went closer and closer towards the location of the wreckage. However, when our bus reached that point, everyone went silent. I don''t know if I could count it as good luck but our bus stopped in the middle of the accident. I felt cold and a chill penetrated my bones. My eyes looked outside the window. I don''t know what to feel. I don''t know what to think. I saw someone getting hit by a motorcycle two times now. But I didn''t feel anything. I just thought that outside of our house is full of danger and accidents can happen anytime. I always feel detached, like it doesn''t have anything to do with me. But this time, it was different. I can''t move my body, like I was frozen in place. My eyes, which could only see blurry things far away, were looking around. I felt goosebumps around my arms, and somehow cold sweat continuously trail and wet my mask. It was a scene of death. People were running everywhere. Alarming sounds of ambulances and police cars could be heard everywhere, even inside the bus. It echoes, reverberating on all four sides of the bus, making everyone more nervous. Passengers cursed, some gasped in disbelief and some just stayed quiet. Many took out their phones to film and took pictures of what''s happening outside. I did too. With cold hands and trembling fingers, I took a single photo. It took my everything just to take that one. It was truly a traumatizing, nerve wracking and fear jerking scene of horror. I thought I would never get a chance to see face off thriller movies. Never would I have expected to witness such a scene all my life. And it was the day I first went out after two years. 5– Zion Chapter 5 : Zion Shaking my head off from those recollections, I continue making my way out of the dark alley. My heart is still thumping like crazy. My body still feels cold and my lips and fingers still trembling. I feel scared, anxious. That terror and horror stab my mind deep and I can''t pull it out of my mind. Those blood, those scattered bodies... Chaotic scenes, panicked people... Dense negative emotions and the scent of death were everywhere. It was suffocating. I will never forget them. My body feels numb, and my steps slow. I could tell my feet will give in if I continue walking. But it was already deep within the night. And with me feeling afraid and frightened, more so, I''m alone. I wanted to go home quickly. I don''t know what I looked like right now, however, I feel my face heat up. My eyes sting and my eyes keep getting blurry. I persevered, I endured and I didn''t cry. I sniff and sniff but I certainly didn''t cry. Tears didn''t drop, it just accumulated at the side of my eyes. I have to go home. I have to go home. I have to go home. Feeling terrified, I walk quicker. I wanted to run, but I feel like I would trip if I tried. I gasp, feeling suffocated. I look around and feel weirded out. Why don''t I see anybody in this place? The public market is just ahead, and even if the night was already this deep, people still come and go in this area. And what''s more peculiar is the street lights were all off. I see one that has gone on and off. But staring at it just gives me a creep. This is giving a bad feeling. Thinking about this day, I can''t help but think that lady luck sucked out all my luck. And it seems that it is not yet over. What now? What should I do? I stood in place, feeling my legs giving out from all this thriller. I look around, but I really don''t see anyone, even a dog is nowhere in sight.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. It is very eerie quiet, and I can''t help but just look forward and continue walking step by step. I don''t dare look at my side or behind. I don''t dare be curious. I don''t dare wander around. I just walked forward, step by step to the location where I could get my ride. This kind of situation looks familiar. No. No. No. No. No. I have to go home. I have to go home. I have to go home. Chanting that repeatedly, I quicken my pace. My body is stiff and I clench my hands so tightly. Cold sweats are already gathering on my forehead, and my back feels so cold that I am shivering. This feeling is like when I tried the roller coaster one time at the amusement park before. My feet were wobbly, and I kept trembling tremendously. This is the worst. I want to go home. I want to go home. I frown my brows just keeping myself standing. This is really frightening, my heart never slows down and it just keeps beating much faster and harder. It''s beating my chest and it is making me breathe hard. I look like a person with asthma right now. I gasp as I breathe, I hold my chest and I walk step by step like an old man. Bang! Startled by that loud sound, I jumped as I stepped back. I almost stumble, but thanks to my quick reflex I manage to stand steady again. Unconsciously, my head turned towards the direction where the loud sound was. It came from the corner of the building of a store. There is a big bike there and it just fell down by itself. Yes, itself. Since I didn''t see anyone there. Then maybe it just got blown down by a strong wind. Yup, yup. A strong wind. I nodded my head as I convinced myself that it was nothing. There''s no ghost, right, there''s no such thing as a ghost. Maybe the bike stand broke off, that''s why it fell down. Right, it was nothing. There was nothing there. There was no woman there. Right. There''s no woman there that is looking at me too... Badum! Badum! Badum! Feeling the loud sounds of drums in my chest, I turn my head away from that specific location and continue walking step by step. That...that woman was just a nobody... Maybe she''s there to stand the bike again. There''s no way she just appeared there, right? I''m an idiot and my eyesight is very bad. That''s why I didn''t see it clearly. That''s why... Instinctively, a smile form on my lips and I chuckle thinking how stupid I am. It''s a form of consultation, thankfully I wear a mask. Ignoring the woman standing still beside the fallen bike. She is standing way across the road and I don''t dare look at her again. But then I remember, the ride I will be taking is... Across the road... Beside the street where the woman is standing. "..." Forget it. I should just walk home. Walking is exercise too. Right. I''ll walk home. Though it is 30 minutes¡¯ walk from where I am now, it doesn''t matter. Going across the road will kill me, and I don''t want to risk and pull out my courage. That''s right! My sister tested me on ''the horror movie test'' before and I am the kind that will not get killed until the end. Right! I am the kind that wouldn''t get involved in any horror events even if that scene is already in front of me. So, better ignore that woman. I walk, walk, walk and walk. Until I bypass the woman across the road. I quicken my steps and I feel happy I was getting away from her. I didn''t turn my head away in front. I didn''t look back nor look to the side. I didn''t look at the woman again. I just walk, walk, and walk. I wanted to get away from this place as fast as possible. I wanted to go home quickly. That''s all that I have in mind. I focus all my attention in front of me. Never looking back. Maybe that''s why... I didn''t notice... That the woman is already stalking behind my back... Until, it''s already too late. 6– Hungry Chapter 6 : Hungry The sun rests so high up in the sky. Looking down from there, it seems peaceful. It''s as if death didn''t linger on the earth yesterday night. People who aren¡¯t involved still sleep and wake up in time and do their own thing. They are all bystanders and could only watch from the side lines. ... Crunch. ["... authorities are still working their best as the death toll continues to rise. 135 people were already confirmed death, 35 people were in critical condition..."] Crunch. ["...and 187 were injured and currently being treated to the nearest hospital..."] Crunch. ["...in total, approximately 400 people were said¨C"] Click. The TV went out suddenly. The old man stood up, placing the remote on the coffee table and went on his way to do his usual walk. Unknowingly, this series of action, though looks normal, already offended someone. At the side of the living room, the stairs going towards the rooms on the second floor lies a girl with short stature and a petite body. She sat leaning at the edge of the railings watching the news from the TV. Her brow frowned, looking at her grandpa. She knew that this old man is already old and doesn''t have any sense towards his environment. And she really can''t blame the old man for not noticing her. She didn''t want to be noticed. That''s why she just sat here and didn''t go down entirely. But she still can''t help but feel dissatisfied. She sat on the stairs, munching on a cookie. "Tsk!" She clicked her tongue, and stood up, as finishing her cookies. She climbed the stairs and strode towards her room in haste. She opened the door and immediately closed it. She rushed and jumped towards the bed with her arms spread out. She closed her eyes and felt the soft mattress as she calmed down her nerves. She feels moody and she easily gets annoyed. Within this house, there''s no one better than plucking her strings until they snap than her Grandpa. Even that old man''s unconscious movement could pissed her off. So, it''s better to avoid that old man these days. Sighing, she reached her hand under her pillow to get her phone. She better read some novels; it will surely ease her nerves. ... ... ... "Where''s Zee?" Leon sat on his chair staring at his laptop, scrolling down. He looked up, staring at his wife, though his face looked indifferent and unfeeling, his eyes can''t help but express how worried he was. When Ginger heard his husband, she almost burst into tears. She really regretted it. She is worried about her daughter''s future. She knew how Zee is, as long as it is not necessary, she will not try to look for a job. That''s why, without informing Zion, she as a mother used her connections to let her attend some job interviews. She didn''t expect something like this to happen. If she knew, then she would not force her daughter to go out. Now that this happened, she was not certain if her daughter would be willing to go out again. She really regretted it. Without looking at her husband she answered with uncertainty, "Let her sleep for a while. She came home really late yesterday." Leon can''t help but sigh, hearing his wife. No one is at fault. It¡¯s just that their daughter was caught in bad luck just when she decided to face the outside world again. ... ... ... Wavering sight that refuses to let go of the light. Continuing clinging onto the little strength he left just to keep his eyes open, Severus Snape stared blankly at the young man looking at him from above. With fluttering eyelids on the verge of closing, he persisted. Looked at the young man kneeling, slouching in front of him, gazing at him unbelievably.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. His hold on his wand tightens, his eyes widen full of disbelief. His lips quivered, opened and closed but refused to say anything. His hand holding his wand was still raised. Despite his dumbfounded reaction, he was still on guard. Unblinking, Snape stared at the young man. He knew he was dying. Nagini''s venoms contain the deadliest poison, with just a bite he knows he is dead. The poison continues to circulate throughout his veins and seep through his bones and destroy his internal organs, in which carries unimaginable pain as it burns deep into his very core. But for him, this pain is nothing. Compared from everything he''s been through. This little pain is worth not paying attention to. From that day, she heaves no breath, with a heart that ceases to beat... With the cold stealing the warmth of her body... And her eyes that will forever remain closed. Severus Snape was already numb. Looking the same, indifferent and cold, Snape focused his gaze upon the young man. Gathering what little strength he has, Snape opened his mouth and whispered feebly. "...t-take...them..." Closing his eyes, he squeezed a teardrop, he watched as the young man gathered his drop of tear in a flask, looking doubtful and confused. Plop. With his tear remaining within the flask, Snape''s mission then came to an end. Unimaginable relief came to him in a flash. Heavy burdens disappeared in an instant, shackles bidding him from his neck and limbs shattered. He felt his body becoming lighter and comfortable. Pain disappeared in a blink of an eye. What remained was only exhaustion. He was tired, extremely tired. Hazy shadows slowly shrouded Snape''s sight. With one last shot, he focused his eyes at the young man. "...l-look...at...me..." He said using all effort and strength he has. Burning will power gleam from his blank eyes, wishing to last long until the young man granted his last dying wish. The young man looked back at him and met his eyes. Snape went in trance, his expression melted and his lips moved up slightly. Deep yearnings, hidden affection... Obsession, fondness... Guilt, sadness... And pure love. All flashes within Snape''s eyes, until it becomes a relief, and shows a satisfied gleam. And finally closes his eyes. After everything, in the end Severus Snape still died. But before he died, he took one last looked at his dying grounds. Dilapidated house, tattered old wood. The scent of dirt and old rotten wood... Just like those years ago, before he had met her. ¡­ ¡­ ... Gurgle. Gurgle. Zion squinted her eyes, reaching for her complaining stomach. She halted her constant moving eyes and shifted to the right corner of her phone, glancing at the time. "... f*ck, it''s already 7pm." Time really went on fast when reading. Nonetheless, her eyes moved towards the center of the screen once more and continued reading the whole chapter. It was already the last one. She decided to finish it now. This is a fanfic centering Severus Snape after he died in front of Harry Potter. Zee actually rarely reads fanfic novels. She only read doujin. This time, she didn''t know what occurred to her, but when she saw this fanfic¨C "Harry Potter: Snape''s Memoir"¨C while browsing new novels to read. She just went and read it on the spot. Actually, Zee really doesn''t know what''s the point of this series. It''s just a short novel with 30+ chapters. After Snape died, his spirit lingered on earth and actually went back on time. But as a spirit he can''t do anything and just watched everything from the sideline. So even if Snape went back on time, "Harry Potter" was still the same, except for the lingering ghost in the background. Well, the highlights of the series are Snape and Lily''s childhood. Lily can see Snape''s spirit and Spirit Snape is the one that led Lily to little Snape. The story went on the same. However, Spirit Snape became Lily''s spirit guardian. Teaching her everything she wanted to know. But Snape didn''t meddle with the timeline much. Spirit Snape watched Lily advance with her studies at Hogwarts. He watched as Lily became distant with Little Snape, and became more closer to his rival, James Potter. Spirit Snape was there when Lily married and became a Potter. He watched on the sideline, watching the days go on. Until the day Voldemort arrived to kill the Potters. That''s when Snape realized that no matter how strong Lily is. Even if she gave her life to protect Harry Potter, her effort would still fall short against Voldemort magic. Snape thought hard for a very long time why he appeared here as a spirit. He can''t do much, he can only watch everything happen and pass the day on the side. Now he knew. Snape used his little life and blended his spirit to Lily''s magic to protect Harry Potter. And then just like that, at least his wish was fulfilled. He died together with his love. As his spirit dissipated in the air, he saw himself walking in anxiety and flustered. The Snape of the past hugged Lily, his loved and cried in remorse and regret. Until the last sliver of spark of Snape spirit, he whispered to himself, "Live and protect the only remnant of your unfulfilled Love." At the end, it goes back to the scene of the Prologue, where Snape wanted to see Harry''s eyes once again before he died. When Zee finished reading the short fanfic. She actually didn''t know what to think. ''Is this actually a hidden plot?'' Even on fanfic, Snape didn''t get a happy ending. Such a sadistic author. Gurgle. Gurgle. Gurgle. Throwing the fanfic at the side of her mind. Zee rose from her bed and went down to eat her suffer. She''s hungry. Very very hungry. When Zee reached the Kitchen, she saw no one. It''s expected. Although Ginger, Zion''s mother is nothing but a housewife. Ginger actually has a small store in front of their house. And since the pandemic strikes, that store is the only source of income to their family. Leon, resigns for fear of getting sick. Since then, he just works online. And the old man was resting in his own room. Zee wasn''t that bothered seeing that she''s alone, and eating on her own while reading. After eating she directly went to her room. And continue reading novels with relish. However, an hour passed by when suddenly Zion threw her phone on the bed without care and quickly covered her mouth with both her hands. She strode towards the comfort room and kneel in front of the toilet and vomited. As Zion let out everything in her stomach, her eyes glowed bloody red. From the center of her iris, blood red light shone vicious light. Zion''s pale skin paled even more. After letting out the food on her stomach, she let her body fall on the tiles while caressing her stomach, while sighing. "...I''m hungry..." 7- Zion Chapter 7 : Zion "...ah..hah...ugh!..." Head forcefully tilted to the side, while my body limp and paralyzed. I felt my body turning cold seconds by seconds. *Suck* *Suck* *Suck* I could feel cold lips attached to my skin. Sharp teeth pierced my neck. Blood flows out of my body, slowly being sucked out. Slowly making my body cold and weak. I wanted to struggle but none of my limbs moved. I was paralyzed, weak and cold. I opened my mouth, desperately breathing in oxygen. I can see my surroundings turning dimmed. Stream of tears burst out from my eyes, clouding my sight more, until I felt that I''m blind. I can''t see anything. The surroundings were dark, making me more sensitive. I felt cold at the same time, hot. The part where I was bitten feels really hot, while my body...it keeps getting colder and colder. It hurts. It''s painful. My head is blank and I can''t think of anything. I felt scared, anxious and panicked. I don''t know what to do. I don''t know what to think. I was anxious, scared. Panicked and fear rose within chess as it heaves up and down. I didn''t expect this. I never want this. I was scared. Am I going to die? "Hmnn... surprisingly, your blood is really delicious, ahh~" she said, as she whispered in my ears. I felt her teeth retracted in my neck. It''s prickly, as if a thick needle was inserted and pulled out of my body and I can''t help but take a deep breath. And as I let go of my breath, I don''t know, but I felt numb. I felt something wet in my ear. It should feel ticklish, because it''s one of my weaknesses but right now...it''s as if I was hit by a lightning, making all the hair in my body stand up. I could feel it...her tongue licking my ear...and trailing down my neck. I couldn''t feel it...her breathing. She''s cold like ice...and it was very frightening. Then all of the sudden, my hair was pulled up, making my head raise up. My numb body turned from the inertia, and this...made me turn to her.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. It was the woman I saw as I walked frightened by the road. My blurry eyes saw terrifying red light in the depths of her dark eyes. Her skin is pale and white. Despite the hair covering her face, I saw it through the gaps... She was smiling. Two sharp teeth that can''t be covered by her pale lips appeared in front of me. I was terrified. I never expected this thing to happen to me. I never thought of involving myself in such circumstances. I am scared. Really scared. But my body is paralyzed and I can''t run. I can''t even tremble, it''s as if every nerve in my body stops working. All I could do is breathe...breathe as many oxygens as I need to stay alive. But is she really going to spare my life? "... you''re...really delicious." She looked at me. Her eyes glow bloody red. She licked her lips, as if she was thinking about the bloody, she just sucks from me. And repeatedly, she told me I was delicious. "...but sadly, you¡¯re not my type. If you''re a man, I would have kept you for days longer. But..." her smile widens, showing those sharp pointy teeth. When I saw them, I couldn''t help but feel apprehensive. Feel anxious, thinking that she would strike those teeth in my neck again, and suck my blood until I completely dry. I felt afraid, scared. I wanted to beg. Beg for her to let me live. I don''t want to die. At least not like this. It''s not that I''m afraid to die, it''s just that, I''m afraid to make my family sad. That''s the first thing that flashed in my mind as I thought of death. Mama will blame herself if she knew I was dead. I can''t let that happen. I tried opening my mouth, thinking that if I beg her, she might let me live. I opened them, trying hard to let out a sound. A word. But it was futile. I tried speaking but none of the words in my mind came out. I can only breathe. Nothing else. And this made me really helpless. As if something was pulled inside of me. My tears flowed unstoppable. But instead of feeling pity, I saw her eyes glowed more in amusement. She chuckled, and with a flash¨C without giving any warning, she lowered her head and opened her mouth wide, revealing the full length of her sharp pointy teeth. And quickly go for my neck. I could only let out a painful groan and my eyes rolled towards the back of my head. Then "thud" she let me go and I fell down like a puppet with my string cut off. And with little consciousness lingering, I saw her walking, bypassing my body. And before I completely passed out, I saw her coming towards someone. And if I''m not mistaken, that silhouette belongs to a man. ... ... ... Abruptly opening my eyes and breathing in air as if I just came out of water, seemingly like being drowned. My eyes were completely black, but within, an eerie bloody red light glowing at the depths of them. My body trembles and shivers unstoppable, as if I am being frozen in the freezer. But I couldn''t help it. I can''t stop the tremors of my body. My face was wet with tears. I looked around, panicked and fear filled my creepy eyes. I was alert and cautious. I don''t know where I am at first, but after a while... I realized I''m in my room. This familiar bedroom and the comfortable bed that usually invites me to sleep more... I am safe. There''s no monster here anymore. That time has already passed and everything is over now. Except... I''m not alive anymore. I woke up from my nightmares and I became one of them. I''m now a vampire. 8– Older Sister Chapter 8 : Older Sister ¨UTangerine is Orange: Papa pick me up at 5:30 okay! [/emoji] chibi orange winking [emoji]¨U Leon stared at his phone quite troubled and can''t help but sigh deeply in his heart. He scratched the back of his head and looked at the time on his phone. It''s just 2 in the afternoon. He turns to look outside the door of the store, towards their house and wondered if their second daughter is awake now. Leon didn''t know what their daughter was thinking right now, he was worried, but at the same time he didn''t know what to do. He was a man, a very quiet man, even his wife didn''t know what to do with their daughter''s situation how could he. Recalling the news that almost filled all the local channels right now, Leon couldn''t help but feel sympathetic for his daughter. Such a terrible scene was seen by his cowardly little daughter, he just doesn''t know what to do. Fortunately, Tangerine was coming home. Maybe that girl has a solution, and can talk to Zee. As Leon was thinking hard about his two daughters, a customer came and he threw all his thoughts aside. Anyway, Zee is already an adult. If there''s a problem she will surely come and ask for help...maybe... ... ... ... 5:19 "Hey, Orange, going home today~" Tidying up her backpack, Tangerine didn''t look up and just nodded as she was busy thinking about what to buy for her family later. "Who''s going to pick you up? Your boyfriend? Tell you boyfriend, to bring taro flavor sometimes." She asked again in a teasing voice. But her eyes never leave the delicious looking taro flavored ice cream on her phone. She was browsing FB casually and saw this pic and can''t help but crave it. Then she saw Tangerine packing her stuff, and remembered her boyfriend who likes to give away gallons of delicious Ice cream whenever he appeared. That''s why she asked. Tangerine rolled her eyes and answered to her disappointment, "No, it''s my dad." Closing the zipper of her backpack, Tangerine looks up, "Is the donut from the xxxx store delicious? I haven''t tried their donuts before." A woman who seems to be in 40s heard Tangerine''s question and answered her while still focusing on retouching her make up in front of a hand size mirror. "Tangerine dear~ if you wanted to buy donuts for your sister then you should buy from the YYYY store up ahead. They tasted like d*nkin donuts." "That good?" "Yeah, I tasted it before, Orange. Try it." After getting rejected by Tangerine, she let the ice cream fly off to her mind and continued browsing her FB, until she saw a certain video and played it. "Then I''ll buy it later." Then she glanced at her friend that suddenly stopped talking. "Hey, what are you watching? So serious." Tangerine wanted to joke around her friend. She rarely saw her this serious, even at work this friend of hers always gave off the feeling of leisure and carefree life. To think that there''s a time she will get this serious look on her face, this is a rare occurrence. She walked beside her friend and bowed her head to peaked at her phone. "It''s been two days since this incident occurred and they still didn''t know what made the train go off tracks." "Oh that~ the news is full of that train incident you know. So many people died. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Such a tragedy." She pursed and plumped her lips, making the lipsticks scatter in her lips. "Right~ dear Tangerine, did your sister see the accident that night. You said before that your sister went home the next day due to that incident on the train." "That''s right, Orange. Do you have news?" Tangerine stayed silent at first, she recalled her mom''s words when she called the day after Zion got home perfectly whole yesterday. [She seems wrong. Though it''s understandable how tired she might be experiencing but there''s something wrong with her. I don''t know how to describe it, but I felt very bad looking at her. We will observe her more, but try to talk to her when you get home tomorrow, okay.] "I''m not sure. But she might have seen it." ... "Give me a dozen of these flavors, please." These donuts really look delicious, just walking inside, Tangerine could feel the warm heat, and sweet and delicious scent coming out from a freshly baked and fried donut. Zion has a sweet tooth and loves donuts very much. On the other hand, her parents love western fast foods, but Zion doesn''t like them very much. It''s not that Zion is picky. In their family only Zee and her mother like to eat veggies. She...nah~ however for some reason, Zion doesn''t like eating pizza and hamburgers. She only eats mother''s cooking. And whenever she goes out, it''s either she eats spaghetti or just eats bread, cakes on the road. That''s why after buying these donuts, Tangerine still has to buy pizza from next door. Fortunately, she went there first. So, as the pizza is heating, she could buy donuts while waiting. After buying out the donuts and pizza, Tangerine went to her usual spot and waited for her father to arrive. She talked with her boyfriend on the phone as she waited. Seven minutes later, a huge black motorcycle stopped in front of Tangerine. Broom~ broom~ Tangerine looked up and saw a honey-colored skinned man taking off his helmet. He wore a black motorcycle mask that covered his entire face down to his neck, except for his eyes. But despite how his face was entirely covered you can still see that the man is good looking. More so, he is quite tall and he looks cool riding this black motorcycle.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. The good-looking man hugged his helmet with one arm and went to take the other helmet with his other hand from the back of his motorcycle and offer it to Tangerine. Meanwhile, Tangerine was still on her phone talking with her boyfriend. When the good-looking man went to give her the helmet, Tangerine just smiled but didn''t take it. She held her phone in one hand while holding the donut box with the other hand. She has a huge backpack on her back and the pizza was placed on a stone beside her. "Ice cream, my dad is here. Call you later. Luv u!" After hanging up, she immediately put her phone in her bag and quickly took the pizza. She went forward and bowed and let her good-looking dad put the helmet on her head. Yup, this good looking, cool man is her dad. Leon silently compromised with his daughter. He put the helmet on her and locked it. Then he put his helmet on and waited for her to come up to his back. Tangerine raised both of her hands that were full of things and went up to the back of the motorcycle. After struggling for a while, she was finally able to find a best position to sit with her stuff, and signal her father to go. Broom~ broom~ ... ... ... Waking up from her nightmares, Zion felt disoriented at first. Her head throbbed and she felt dizzy. She could feel her body numb and it took a while before she felt she could move them again. Instinctively, Zion breathed hard as if she was out of breath. Her chest heaves up and down. Her body convulse, trembling and shivering nonstop. She put her hand over her chess. A subconscious action for those who felt panic and nervous, wanting to feel their furious beating heart. But...there was nothing. Zion gasped. Her hand clenched her clothes tightly. She looked blankly at the ceiling, wondering nothing. Even if she wanted to think, her brain is blank, she couldn''t think of anything, there is only nothing. Like her breathing and heart. No sounds of breathing and no signs of beating. She doesn¡¯t know why she can still receive dreams, no, they''re nightmares. She was dead. A corpse. But surprisingly, she opened her eyes and walked home like nothing happened. She felt empty and lifeless. She fell asleep the moment she touched her bed. Then she woke up, and everything was the same. Everything is normal. Except for her. Overtime, Zion comes down. She slows her breathing while meditating. Inhale...exhale...until her breathing completely stopped. Her face is pale, her body is rigid and stiff, more so, her body is naturally freezing cold. So, when she just halted her breathing and just looked up the ceiling with her black eyes, she seemed to look like a complete corpse. She just died. Her body already stopped producing blood and her cells will no longer regenerate and multiply. She just died. Her blood was smoothly dried and she hasn''t eaten anything since then. Even if she did, she would only vomit it out. And that feeling is so horrible that Zion felt that she just wanted to die. It''s been a day and a half and Zion already felt that it''s better to just die. She didn''t know why she was still alive. She read many of these vampire series before, and Zee was not sure how these things work in reality. Did she become a low-level vampire now? Like those hungry unintelligent vampires who are called with a big letter "E" in a certain anime? Or that certain novel with a female lead accidentally turning into one with a single bite and didn''t even know who turned her into a vampire. And then suddenly falling into a deep sleep after at the center of fighting coincidentally, up to the end of earth time and meeting her father vampire who ruled an entire universe. There''s also that rule about a vampire feeding their own blood to turn human into a vampire. But Zion ultimately reject that idea, because she never drinks that scary woman''s blood. Forget about that, that certain webtoon about a guy who have a blood who smell and taste sweet. Where they will turn into a vampire with a single taste of their blood¨C is certainly not a possibility either. Anyway, Zee doesn''t know. She doesn¡¯t know. And she didn''t want to know. Now Zion felt like she was drowning and thinks that death is better than this kind of torture. ... ... ... Clink. "Hey! I''m home!" Walking inside the house, Tangerine first took off her shoes and took a pair of slippers and put them on. She''s carrying a big heavy bag full of clothes and a box of donuts. After a week of staying in the office, as usual she will go home on weekends and sleepover. Since the pandemic spread all over the world, because of fear of getting the virus, the high management of their company decided to let their employees stay in the office 24/7 or just work from home. Tangerine worked from home for a month before, after the virus was declared as a pandemic. But she was called at the office one day and had to report from there from then on. Her parents, of course, were worried for her. But still compromised since it''s work. At first Tangerine failed to get home for two months, because of the quarantine period. Nevertheless, as days go by, the government now gets the hang of this virus and people are getting used to this life, the quarantined life is now over. However, Tangerine still stayed in her office for convenience sake and for her own safety and will just go home at weekends. And every time she will bring a bunch of snacks and deserts for her family. The box of pizza was left for her parents to deal with at their tiny little store. Her dad also stayed there to accompany their mother. Tangerine looked around as she went in directly. She found no one and it was really quiet, like the house was empty with no one else living on it. She felt weird, and can''t help but feel a little creepy. The inside of the house is dark with only dimmed light lit off. It seems that no one has ever thought of putting the lights on. Tangerine''s brain worked fast and concluded that her grandpa must still be outside strolling, while her little sister...she must still be in her room all this time. Tangerine thought about what her mother had said, Zion must have been staying in her room since yesterday and doesn''t have a plan on going out. She might have just come out to eat. Since she has her own bathroom, then she must really have just come down to eat. Sighing, Tangerine put down all her luggage after turning on all the lights and went to carry the box of donuts with her upstairs. Facing her sister''s door, Tangerine raised her free hand and knocked on the door. ... After Zee woke up and finally calmed down. The first thing she did was to find her cell phone. Looking at the time, it''s almost six o''clock. Zion slept at 5:30 just when the sun was about to rise. Though, this was her usual routine even before, but somehow Zion could feel something different. Zion doesn''t know what''s the deal between the sun and the vampire. Is it the same as the certain black blood siblings where only pure bloods could handle the sun? If she walks under the sun, will she become like Jiro walking below the sun as if being cooked, fried and baked at the same time? Sizzling noise and smoke will come out of her body as she feels tired and painful...or maybe she could be like a certain vampire movie where she''ll just shine and sparkles when touched by sunlight. She could try it as an experiment, but thinking how starving she is, Zion just throws off that idea outside the universe. What if she goes ''shing~'' and turns into sand the moment the sunlight touches her skin, then wouldn''t that be bad? She stayed alive up to now, because she is worried about her parents. If she turns into ash and disappears all of the sudden, then what''s the point of all her sufferings. Sighing, Zee felt frustrated. She didn''t know what to do... She put down her hand holding her cell phone and lay down with her limbs spread across the bed. She stared at the ceiling blankly. Her thoughts are a mess. Is it possible to tell them? How could she tell? Would they believe her? Will they think she''s a monster too? She almost wanted to cry thinking these things, however as if she was poured by cold water¨C when Zion heard sounds coming from down stairs, she immediately sober. One thing that this vampire thingy made Zion convenient is that it made her senses sharper. Though, it''s not sharp enough like those described in novels, Zee felt that it''s because she was hungry that she''s this weak and could only hear vague sounds from afar. Zion doesn''t care though. These powers were useless to her. She doesn''t even want money, prestige or status, how could she want these super powers. Even if she had eight grade syndrome before and dreamed of having these powers, she never wanted them in reality. Despite her chuunibyou days, Zion is a realist, more so she is incredibly pessimistic. She, right now is surely going to be in trouble. Now, she really wished she just died back then. After a while, Zion heard knocks on her door. It was her sister. 9– Beginning of the Great Change Chapter 9 : Beginning of the Great Change *knock* *knock* *knock* Tangerine didn''t know why, but she felt nervous. When she walked inside the house just now, the atmosphere was completely different. It''s weird and it felt suffocating. Last time she felt this kind of air was after her grandma died. The wake lasted for a week then. Melancholic air filled the entire house. It was cold yet not chilly. And the wind somehow had a lingering smell of death. She didn''t notice it before, maybe because there was her grandma''s body inside the coffin, but today... Tangerine can''t help but swallow. What''s the matter with her? Tangerine could feel her hands slowly getting wet from nervousness and can''t help but wipe them to the side of her pants successively. Noticing no movements from the other side of the door, Tangerine frowned. She knocked again. *Knock* *Knock* "Hey Zee, I bought donuts. It''s from the new store near my office and tried bringing some back. Come on, they said it''s delicious!" Is she sleeping? Tangerine doubted whether Zion heard her or not. She thought that maybe she was reading something again and didn''t hear her. Or just didn''t want to pay attention to her, so she could finish the chapter she was reading. She knew her sister and she did it to her once, no! Several times! Especially when she is in the middle of a good part, even if she can hear her, this girl will just ignore her beautiful sister and carry-on reading. This infuriated Tangerine many times. How could Zion just ignore this beautiful orange! But she can''t do anything about it, that''s her sister. That''s part of her charm. If it was before, Tangerine might bang the door harder and stronger until Zion came to open it. But today, Ginger''s words were stuck in Tangerine''s mind. Coupled with this strange atmosphere, Tangerine can''t help but feel more nervous instead. ... Inside... Zee can''t help but feel annoyed. She was driven out of her sleep because of her nightmares. Her instinct as a human made her breathe hard as if she was deprived of oxygen for a long time. But after she calmed down, her breathing seized to go on as well. Knowing that Tangerine is still waiting outside of her door, she needs to breathe again. Though she was not sure if her sister was that keen to even notice someone''s breathing, Zion doesn''t want to make mistakes. Her body felt extremely heavy and she felt tired to the extreme. She doesn''t want to move and just wants to sleep...forever. But her sister is outside. When Zion heard Tangerine knock once more, and heard her say something about donuts. Though she was seduced by the word donuts and her eyes brightened, but then, she remembers how she kept throwing up the food she ate. Her eyes dimmed and frowns can''t help but form in her face. This is such a troublesome body, she thought. She imagines herself being a vampire many times in the past, she really didn''t expect to be one. Thinking back from her chuunibyou days...Zion eyes flickered red from excitement as her imagination started to work again. If Zion still has her heart beating alive, then it should''ve been beating very hard and excited right now. Zion has been extremely fascinated by vampires before. It started when Zion was still just a newborn Fujoshi, wandering from different genre to genre. Then she found a certain manga, VaSsaL*Rd. That''s when Zion started imagining being a vampire and doing all the sucking thingy. That manga is her favorite, the way Cherry plunged his teeth to Rayflo''s skin is way too sexy. He sucks out blood while maintaining eye contact, especially the scenes from when they were at the theater. Cherry seems to be giving Rayflo a blow job and it was super exciting! If only the author didn''t skip the smex scene, then Zion will certainly develop anemia every time she reads that manga. Zion complains about it many times and even wonders why the author didn''t draw those scenes but she has time to draw hard core scenes for her doujin. And it''s even incest, ah! Zion heave a sigh as if releasing the tension brought by her fantasies. Oh, she''s breathing now. She felt relieved but at the same time repulsive. She seems too perverted. Swallowing her thoughts back to her stomach, Zion tried to get up. Zion doesn''t feel anything except for hollowness and exhaustion. Zion does not feel that extreme fever seemingly like your blood turned into a magma and keep flowing through your veins. Maybe because she doesn''t have blood? She didn''t feel pain, but she felt hungry though. Super, extremely and ultimately hungry. One thing she''s thankful for, though. She didn''t turn into a mummy or a corpse looking like a dried squid. Recalling the mummies from a certain movies, those yucky corpse moving around...then replace it with her own face...(©¤.©¤||)??? Getting up, Zion had to struggle so much. She failed the first time, her arms trembled and it gave up halfway making her body fall. The second time, she can''t get up at all. It''s like her strength completely vanished from her body and that she is nothing but an empty shell. Zion was completely helpless. She almost cries, but she still remembers her sister that''s still standing waiting out of her room. She needs to be strong. Before attempting the third time, Zion rested for five minutes. Within those times, Tangerine called out two times and even tried to open the door. But it was locked. This made her dumbfounded. Her nervousness got worse thinking how her sister just locked herself inside alone. What could she be doing inside? While her thoughts became chaotic, her mind can''t help but project a picture from the video she watched from her friend''s phone before she went home. All those destruction and death. Even with just a video, it was permeated in Tangerine''s mind.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Then what about those who were at the scene? It must have been traumatizing! Then her mother''s words seem to play in her mind like a broken cassette. Playing all over again and again. "She seems wrong." "Something is wrong!" With all those things running in her mind, Tangerine seems to have touched a certain conclusion and can''t help but feel her blood run cold. Bang! Bang! Bang! "Zion! Hey! If you don''t open the door right now, I will go get the key and barge in myself!" Zion, like a dog, strictly guarded her territory. She hated people barging in without permission and touching her stuff. That''s why this threat never failed Tangerine before...even now. At first Tangerine thought it would fail as well. She heard no response, no sound. It''s as if there is no one inside the room at all. She almost run-down stairs to get the key and open the door herself, when the door suddenly opened. "Why are you so noisy, ah!" Wearing her overall panda style pajama, with a panda earphone covering her ears, Zion looked at her sister and complained insensibly. "I''m watching Uncle Roger. Huh? Why do you look like that? What did mama said to you, for you to look that anxious?" Zion cheeks have a faint blush, her lips curving up as if she just laughs from her heart''s content. Her straight black hair is tangled up¨C she might have been wearing her hoodie until she opened the door. Tangerine heard faint sounds from her panda earphones. Thinking how loud those sounds are. This girl didn''t hear her shouts until she bangs the door loud enough for the neighbors to hear¨C Tangerine can''t help but feel a little pissed off. She felt anxious for nothing! Because of this, she never questioned or thought why she never heard anything from the door. Neither her laughing or movements, when clearly the sound isolation of the house is not that good. That even when their parents are having a great time at night, it will be broadcasted to those who are still awake. "Donuts!" Zion snatched the donut box from Tangerine''s hand and ran back to her room. She left the door open, welcoming Tangerine''s presence inside. And without any hesitation, Tangerine followed. She sits on Zion''s bed unkindly and watched as Zion opened the box, snatched a piece of donut and directly bit it off happily. It seems that they were worried for nothing. Her sister is still the same as always. Sighing, Tangerine observed her sister''s childish actions of eating and lamented the fact that God wasted giving such a lovely face to her dear sister. Zion is not as beautiful as her, of course. Tangerine is an exotic beauty. She inherited their father''s genes in height and skin. She is both beautiful and sexy, with slightly dark skin¨C she''s the well-known black beauty. On the contrary, Zion''s exquisite beauty carries a Max level of cuteness and prettiness. With a height of five flat and petite body, adding her milky white skin that hasn''t seen the sun for years. Coupled with her strange style of outfits, she seems like a 15 years old wandering lost inside the society for adults. Maybe this is the reason why they indulge Zion''s homebody personality. Nevertheless, Tangerine knew despite how this girl looked, her mind is as rotten as the perverted uncle next door. Still, no matter how perverted her sister is, Tangerine was still amazed by the fact that her sister is really great with her hands. Looking around her sister''s room. This is one of the reasons why Zion hated others going inside her room with her permission. Her room is full of collections. Unlike the Otaku style room full of action figures, Zion''s room is like an artist room. All of these collections were made by herself. The first time Tangerine came inside this room, she almost stabbed her jaw in between her twin bunnies. Zion''s room is not that big, it''s just an average room. Her bed is single style and was placed in the corner left, opposite of the door. A window beside it, and a small shelf full of novels hung at the head board of the bed. The room doesn''t have a study table but a huge table almost the same size as a dining table placed on the other side of the corner in front of the bedside. That corner has everything, from tailoring to sculpting. There''s also a pile of canvas underneath the table¨C small and large. Paintings were sometimes drawn there but often it''s full of embroidery. On the wall, there''s a glass cabinet where Zion stores all her small crochet animals. The big ones were placed on the small sofa in the middle of the room and some were on the floor. One day, Tangerine asked Zion, "Why don''t you just sell these stuff online? Then at least you don''t have to trouble yourself in finding a job outside." But Zion''s answer almost made Tangerine want to smack this sister hard. Zion looked at her older sister as if she was looking at an idiot. "This is just a hobby. What''s the point of me studying four years if I didn''t use it for my career? I don''t want to teach, so let me find a job at the office." ... Now, seeing her sister eating with relish, Tangerine has an urge to persuade her sister to sell her stuff online once again, so that their mother won''t ask her to look for jobs outside again. And so, she did. "Zee, how about I create a page on FB. There are many online sellers right now. Since the pandemic occurred almost everyone turned towards online selling. I could help you manage the site; all you need to do is make something. I''ll sell them okay; Ice cream also knows a delivery company. What do you think?" Smiling faintly, "Okay." Zion glanced at her sister and said, "I''ll leave it to you." Then continue eating her donut. Tangerine linger in Zion''s room for a while. Half way, Tangerine stayed in and just talked with her boyfriend, while Zion was either watching Uncle Roger like her excuse and going back reading novels like she always does. At 8 o''clock, Tangerine and Zion went down stairs to eat. Coincidentally, they met their grandpa who always liked to walk outside even when pandemic spread on high. This annoyed Zion so much that she thought of chaining this old man so badly before. Even if this 86-year-old, old man is healthy as an ox, their mother has asthma and it will be deadly if she caught that virus. Their father decisively quit his job, fearing he will get the virus and spread it to his wife but this old man refused to submit through words. Now, Zion was irritated seeing the old man sitting on the couch watching news with Max volume. So, without speaking, Zion in haste walked directly to the kitchen. Tangerine on the other hand, stopped to ask whether their grandfather had eaten already or not. But because of the Max volume tv and the degrading hearing of the old man, Tangerine had to ask the question several times with a loud voice before getting a single word answer. Which made Zee annoyed again. So, after speedily eating dinner, with her good mood wasted like shit, Zion bid her sister good night and ran straight to her room. She locked the door immediately as she went in and strode to the bathroom quickly. Then... Zion squatted in front of the toilet, kneeling for almost an hour before her stomach stopped sending food back to her throat. Though, she said that she was not feeling any pain, but every time she went through this throwing up sequence after eating...that''s when Zion could feel tremendous pain all over her body, especially her stomach. Her body was cold all over while her throat felt painfully hot. Her stomach felt like something was stabbing it from within, while her insides felt like they were burning. Zion could only cry silently while she vomited in pain. She trembled and shivered severely. Her eyes looked blank and dead. After everything ease up, Zion felt dead. Her body feel like a broken doll on the cold tiles. She closed her eyes like a tortured slave finally having been granted amnesty of death. 10– Zion Chapter 10 : Zion Silence screamed in my ears. Pain caressed my whole body. Darkness filled my sight, while cold occupied my senses. Weak gasps came out of my mouth, sounding soft and little. Through the silence while in pain, I could hear the beating of my heart from my chest. *Thump* *Thump* *Thump* It was slow and weak. While I slowly lost control over my breathing, I couldn''t help but choke as I felt my throat being blocked. It''s like my lungs just gave up and stopped working just like that. The pain doubled as I suffocated without air. The cavity within my nose burns as well as the inside of my throat. It hurts so much, I very much wanted to relieve myself from this pain. But I can''t move! Every inch of my skin itches painfully like I am being pinned by tiny needles. My veins hurt like they would explode and erupt any moment, but can''t. The pressure keeps building up and it brings me tremendous pain. I don''t know what''s going on. I thought that once that woman was satisfied and finished drinking all my blood, I could finally be free and death was just around the corner. But I was wrong. Even at death Zee would still get lost. This "corner" doesn''t seem to be around at all! Death seems to be hiding through the long way. And the road along the way seems to be filled with pain and torture! Zee simply couldn''t take it! What''s more, even with this torturous pain, I could still keep my rationality and consciousness. This is unscientific, ah! Every jolt and piercing pain stab through my mind like a tattoo being curved forever in the skin. From Zee''s 22 years of life, this is the first time I got to experience this kind of excruciating pain that etched through the bone! Maybe it is a pain within the soul! Zee couldn''t differentiate anymore. It hurts so much, if I could move, I would certainly want to hit my head hard on the concrete floor to end my misery and die early. But for some reason I could move. Even moving my eyelids is hard and I could only keep my eyes tightly closed. I couldn''t even bite my lip or tongue. Every bit of my cells are out of order. The nerves in my body didn''t listen to the order of my brain. It doesn''t hurt. It doesn''t hurt. Zee certainly doesn''t feel hurt. But no matter how much I hypnotized myself, the pain only got worse and worse. Feeling desperate, I could only repeatedly say the chant over and over again in my mind. It doesn''t hurt. It doesn''t hurt. Zee certainly doesn''t feel hurt. It doesn''t hurt. Nothing hurts. There''s no pain. Everything is okay. Everything is fine. Still, the pain only increases. I couldn''t shout nor scream for help. I feel helpless, scared and anxious. I didn''t know what was happening. I can only feel despair. Hopelessness keeps building up inside me. Why? Why is this happening to me? It hurts so much. Why can''t I just directly die? Why should I have to experience this pain? Can''t they just let me die off peacefully? Cold tears flowed continuously from my eyes, soaking my face. I cried silently, as I felt more and more suffocated. I tried to gasp hard but the pain hindered me from doing so. I don''t know how to stop this pain. I tried to breathe but a stinging pain cut through my lungs. I stopped but I could feel a clear sensation running throughout my whole body.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. It hurts so much; I just wanted to die and finish this all off. I wanted to pass out, but still up to now, my mind is clear and is hurting. I wanted to pass out, or die off directly but I can''t. Why can''t I? It''s like I''m being punished?! What did I do?! This pain is like a punishment for me to remember for all eternity. Why?! Just why does it have to be me?! Is it because I don''t want to work? Is it because I''m too lazy to go out? I didn''t steal anything. I didn''t kill anyone. I didn''t scam, nor hurt anyone. Why is this happening to me? I keep questioning everything, while suffering this so-called punishment. Amidst this torture, as the pain heightens to the extreme that I couldn''t take it anymore, my heart finally stopped. And for what I thought to be the end... Is only just a beginning for me. I lived again. But not truly living. I woke up nearing four in the morning. The streets were already buzzing like busy bees going to and fro. Though the sun was still not up and some were still dead asleep. And even with the pandemic, these crowds were unstoppable. But even so, it''s like no one saw a collapsed person that looks like a corpse in the middle of the street. They ignore me. Those who were walking will avoid my area like plague. And it seems that they never saw me. My appearance is wrecked. If anyone could see me, the first thing they would think is that I was raped. My hair is a mess, the buttons in my shirt were all torn off. My face is dirty and sticky. And my whole body is full of mud and dirt. It''s like I rolled around the street and played in the canal. Anxious and confused, I tried standing up wanting to speak but couldn''t. My feet wobbled and I fell down on my knees. I''m pretty sure I scraped my knees because when I got home, the knee part on my pants had a hole and there''s a slight smell of blood coming from it. But when I saw my knees it''s still shiny and smooth. Even the scars and birthmark in my leg were gone. I thought I would be surprised to know all of this. But I guess I still didn''t know myself very well. Or maybe from the way I walked home after my initial confusion, Zee was able to accept everything easily after that. That time, I walked home dazed after trying to stand for several times. My body is weak and my limbs ache and numb. I can feel my body is hollow and empty. I was scared at first, but then when I felt my heart was not beating nor was I breathing... All my anxiety, all those fears, those confusions went puffed and went to dance with the wind. But one thing in my mind is that... I''m already dead. When that realization struck me, I didn''t know but in my dazed state I was finally able to stand. Step by step I walked home. The half an hour walk became an hour. I came home when the clock almost turned six. By the gate of our house, I met the old man, my grandfather. But I ignored him and walked straight into the house. Like how those people in the market reacted, the old man didn''t even notice when I passed him. When I opened the door of the house, I was welcomed by the warm wind carrying the delicious scent of bacon and eggs. With this I knew mama was already awake and was cooking breakfast for the family. And papa, by this time I''m sure he was at the store preparing for its opening. I stopped by the door, staring blankly ahead as I didn''t know what to do or what to say. I actually wanted to run, and directly hug my mother and cry my heart''s out. I was so scared! So much! I am hurt! I experienced so much in one day! I don''t want to go out any more! It was so painful! It was so scary! I am alone, it was dark and cold! It was scary and painful! And mama I died! I died! I''m not alive anymore! I died! What should I do? What should I do? I don''t know what to do? I''m so scared. Help me. This is so hard. I wanted to say all that, wanting to be comforted. Wanted to throw all my grievances and problems to them. But I can''t. I know I can''t. I closed my eyes tiredly and walked upstairs slowly and silently. I went straight to the bathroom in my room and took a bath. Without drying my hair, I let my body fall on the bed and closed my eyes to sleep thinking maybe this is all just a dream that will vanish like all those years from my childhood. ... ... ... Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Time passed for no one cares how long. From within the dark void of my consciousness, I could hear sounds. It was like this the first time as well. Even while sleeping I could hear sounds from the outside. Sounds normal people can''t hear with their normal capabilities. I heard the sound of the clock from down stairs. And some other sounds coming from the kitchen. It was screeching sounds of metal rubbing into something. Screech. Screech. It was a slow and steady sound. Screech. Screech. Then it stopped with a click. And the sounds of kitchen utensils sounded quite loud. Porcelain plates rang as stainless forks or spoon touches. Hearing these noises, I knew what''s going on down below. It must be that old man again. When I heard the sound of footsteps, I knew that old man was walking from the kitchen to the living room. He must be planning to watch TV again. And I was right. Like drums beating near my ears, as the TV downstairs was turned on. Deafening sound immediately assaulted my ears, making me frown and immediately wake up from my sleep. I opened my eyes and I immediately saw two eerie red lights with a woman''s shadow reflected on the mirror. I stared at it and found out it was me. I was startled, it was dark and gloomy, I looked around and found myself lying on the cold tiles of the bathroom, almost hugging the bottom of the toilet. The mirror where I saw my reflection was hanging above the sink in front of the toilet. What I saw is the silhouette of my head to my shoulders. From my perspective, it looks like someone is peeking out from the mirror and this almost freaks me out. I was really surprised; I''m sleeping in the bathroom. What happened? Why am I here? As if me questioning myself is a cue. I started to feel the pain in my body and finally remembered what happened earlier. I passed out. My sister came home, I ate a lot of donuts, ate dinner and finally vomited everything and passed out from pain. I already expected it. Shaking my head awake, I stood up, carrying my weak body. Trying not to fall down, I walked like an elderly with arthritis. I went towards my closet and changed my half wet and dirty panda overall into a XL size hoodie. Wearing it for my size and stature, this oversized hoodie became a knee length dress perfect for night clothing. After changing I let my body fall in the bed again and roll the blanket around my body like a sushi roll. Before going to sleep I peaked at the digital clock on my bedside table. 1:34 am Seeing the time, I closed my eyes and fell asleep again. Anyway, these changes. There''s nothing I could do but to accept them. My only problem is whether these people around me could accept these changes themselves. Zee could only hope that they were strong enough to know these changes. Or Zee will really have to result to suicide, just so Zee could hide everything forever. This is Zion''s only fear. It''s best to disappear if that happens. At the very least I wouldn''t know what they look like after everything is said and done. 11– Suspicions Chapter 11 : Suspicions Beyond the deepest abyss of the dark, a red light that is more red than blood shone a dangerous light that was sharper and piercing than any sword and spear. However, contrary to what may seem, annoyance and irritation could be seen within those bloody lights. Zion stared at the ceiling unblinking. Her black eyes shone red light looks frightening but clearly beyond those creepy eyes lies a child''s temper tantrums. That''s right, right there and then, Zion wanted to shout a curse. In her mind, she already repeatedly cursed everything and anything around her. "...f*ck! Bloody hell! I now know why Vampires sleep in a coffin! This is b*llsh*t, ah!" Zion wanted to tear her ears off or stab her ear drum with anything, just to stop this ear shattering noise. Gritting her teeth, Zion endured...and endured. She closed her eyes trying to swallow her ranging anger building up from her irritation, and tried to concentrate and learn how to lessen all this noise she was hearing. This is driving her crazy! That old man was driving her insane! Sighing deeply, Zion wishes to be in a coffin and to be buried underground. At least there, it''s quiet. She doesn''t need to worry about the noise. She didn''t need to breathe. She''s not claustrophobic either, and enclosed space actually made her feel at ease as well. Her only problems were the bugs and those yucky worms. Maybe that''s why no Vampires wanted to be buried. They all sleep in a coffin inside an old castle or mansion. Anyway, Zee only wanted quiet. Covering her body with her blanket, Zion rolled until she became a sushi roll. Then she covered her head with pillow and held it tightly. "...I wonder when will this stop." ... ... ... Living room downstairs. ["As of November 2020, there are 24, 638 active cases reported around the country. Over all there are 436, 342 confirmed Y virus infected cases after the DoH reported 1, 097 additional cases on Friday, November X, 2020¨C"] (A/N: The numbers and Data stated above and below ain''t true, alright. It''s just me randomly typing numbers, okay!! So, don''t bother adding it all up as well. They won''t match up!©d(?¦Ø?*)? ) Click. Chanel change. ["...Chlorophyll Pharmaceutical was now undergoing clinical trials after having the approval of the Country G FDA. Y virus infected volunteers¨C"] Click. Chanel change. ["...November X, 2020. GreenHouse Inc. a Biotech company in Country R, after achieving a more than 90% successful stage one clinical trial, were now preparing to engage into the next trial involving more than hundreds of Y virus infected participants, after having the Country H full support. GreenHouse Inc. stated that, if this clinical trials were successful, for the first month of the next year or so, the vaccine¨C"] Click. Chanel change. ["...third day from the night when the incident occurred. More than hundreds of people died, hundreds were critically injured. According to the authorities, there are 35 people missing. Currently, as of now the government is still investigating the reason the train malfunctioned. Based on the evidence found, it was very much unlikely for this incident to be a terrorist attack. From the record found in¨C"] Click. Chanel change. ["...untry A President Triumph insisted the Federal Government to open up a case investigation under the gist of election fraud. *Scene change* President Triumph speeches contain all his election doubts as "there is no way he would lose his position in this term". Triumph supporters are protesting against Joseph Bitten''s electoral victory and demand a re- elec¨C"] Clink. Channel change. ["... according to the CCTV footage found on the inside of the train itself, before the incident occured, the speed of the train maintained it''s 60 kph of operating speed. Not until the train conductor appeared to have symptoms of heart attack did the speed of the train change and even beyond the speed limit it should have. More importantly, after the speed of the train car reached beyond the normal speed, the CCTV footage recorded some bizarre scenes which are still undergoing investigation. *Scene change* See this. This is the front car of the train. Apparently, unlike Country J''s bullet train, our country''s train technology is very outdated. However, since pandemic, because of the national lock down, authorities gasp this opportunity to renovate almost every railways and tracks. They also improved every train car and changed many old cars used today. Which is why authorities were puzzled about this sudden incident. *Footage magnified* Look here. This handsome guy here is our Train conductor. He is Engr. Depot, 34 years old. According to the autopsy, he died from a sudden heart attack. As you can see from this footage, *footage pause* *footage went backwards* *footage pause* *footage play* Engr. Depot was still acting normal when he suddenly felt something and gasped his chest. He was now having a symptom of a heart attack right at this moment. *Footage pause* *footage magnified* This here is the train speedometer. According to experts, even after Engr. Depot was experiencing a heart attack. The speed from the speedometer did not change. Professional analysts who have seen the footage said that the speedometer in this footage maintains safe speed of operation. *Footage minimized original size* But right at this moment, even if the speedometer says 60kph, the train suddenly speeds up. See this here, *footage change* This is the scene from before the train speeds up. It''s the usual picture of people sardines into the train. But here, exactly at 6:47 pm, the people were pushed back. This reaction could only be the cause of the force of inertia. Meaning at this time the train just suddenly speeds up. Then, let''s go back to the footage from before. *Footage change* Here as you can see, exactly 6:47 pm. It''s the same time. Our train conductor also felt the train speed up amidst his heart attack. He tried to salvage to problem, but he di¨C"]Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Clink. The TV immediately darkens. ... In the kitchen. Tangerine sat on the stool while munching potato chips. Her right ear was covered by her phone, on the other hand, the left ear was currently listening to the news broadcast from the max volume TV in the living room. While her mouth chews non stop, from time to time she murmurs something in her phone. Then she heard the TV changing channels, at first she wasn''t interested, but when the channel changed into local news television, her attention was piqued. ["So, what are you planning? Do you want to create a new FB page or create a website instead? Or how about creating an account in some online shopping sites and post all your sister''s works there. Hey, Rin are you listening?"] "Huh? Be quiet for a sec. ice cream." ["What''s wrong?....ummm...you''re curious about the news about that train incident? Seriously, I pity your TV. I could hear it on my phone loud and clear. Hear it? I can hear it''s bass like a bomb thumping the speaker. Your TV ain''t broken is it?"] Tangerine poured, "I don''t know. It''s not like I could do anything about it. If I''m not wrong this is the third TV this year. But Francis, aren''t you curious? According to the news, that incident is already weird itself. The fact that many people died was really weird." ["Well...it is. Hey, let''s switch to video. Is that okay?"] Snatching a piece of chip, Tangerine heard the TV clicked off and threw the whole chip inside her mouth. Then she hummed in agreement. Waiting for her boyfriend to video call her, Tangerine let this opportunity walk towards the fridge to get some glass of orange juice. "~?'''' Tangerine answered the phone and immediately a handsome man with medium long curly hair appeared on the screen. If Tangerine skin color is honey tan then this handsome man has ivory skin tone. It''s not as white as Zion''s milky white skin though. His brownish curly hair makes his face look clean and bright, like the boy next door kind of guy. At first glance, people can tell that this man is gentle and smart. Adding his voice that seems to be a DJ from a radio¨C not too deep and too high. His clear pronunciation and diction is addicting to hear. No wonder Zion, this voice- con have a crush on this man before these two get together. ["Why do you look like that?"] Francis saw Tangerine and can''t help but frown his brows. Tangerine has very thick black wavy hair that went up to her waist. Though, it''s not hard to touch and felt soft instead, if not brushed regularly they became unruly. And right now, Tangerine''s hair¨C she looks like a lioness with black hair. ["You''re anxious. What happened?"] Sucking on her thumb, Tangerine stared at her ice cream frowning on her phone. She chuckled while she sucked her index finger next after sucking all the flavorings in her thumb. "Nothing happened. Don''t worry." But Francis is not convinced. He thought for a second before responding to his girlfriend. ["We have been talking about your sister since you came home. And you are interested in the news about that train incident. You''re worried about your sister, that I can understand. But what are you anxious about? Did Zee experienced traumatic symptoms after all?"] Shaking her head, Tangerine now frowns her brows in contemplation, at the same time, she sips on her glass of orange juice slowly. She was wondering what''s wrong as well. She didn''t know but she was feeling apprehensive, like something happened but they didn''t know about it. What is it? Tangerine opened her mouth and was about to speak her worries, when she heard the TV turning on again. Loud voices from the TV came to her ears full force, making her ears hurt a bit. "Wait, I''m going to my room. Let''s talk there." ["Mn."] After cleaning the mess she made in the kitchen, Tangerine sped off towards her room upstairs. Of course she saw the culprit behind all the loud noise, her grandpa. He sat on the sofa looking at the TV. Tangerine wondered if he was watching or not. So, she walked closer and patted her grandpa''s shoulder. While doing so, Tangerine saw the time on the TV and went to confirm it to their own clock. 6:09 pm. When her grandpa noticed her, it was only after several attempts. Tangerine asked her grandpa if he ate already, if not Tangerine reminded his grandpa about the meal her mother cooked at the kitchen. She went her way towards her room after confirming that her grandpa heard her words. Tangerine''s room is beside Zion''s. Before she goes to her room, she knocks Zion first wanting to ask if she already likes her grandpa. Tangerine lacks money right now, which is why she stayed in the house all day watching k-drama on Netflix. And all day, as she watched with relish, she didn''t see Zion going down even once. Not even when it''s time for lunch or even snacks. She knew this was normal for her sister. There are times when Zion truly never went down to eat at all. When she remembered to eat, it was already the next day. However, ever since Tangerine came back yesterday. Although she saw Zion act normal¨C this acting normal felt so abnormal to her. Tangerine is not certain whether she knew Zion well, but she knew this routine very well. The first time, Zion had her menstrual period at 12, no one was alerted. If not for their mom sneaking inside her room to get Zee''s laundry¨C they will never know their youngest was already a lady. Even when she was sick and had a terrible fever, she never thought of saying anything. If not for those times where she or their pops catch her at night sneaking some medicine in her pockets, no one in the family will know this girl was suffering. But it seems Zion learned very well. Everytime Tangerine went to her room, whenever there''s an opportunity Tangerine quietly went rampaging her drawers. And there, at the bedside drawer. In the first drawer, Zion hid a medicine box where everything was present. That''s why, everytime something bad happens involving Zion, when she acts normal like right now. Something surely happened to her. More so, her guts are telling her, this is the facts as well. Nevertheless, even if she thought so, she knew her sister. She''s very cowardly and despite everything, she will choose to remain close off and will hide everything from them. Zion, this girl is always afraid of something. It was not noticeable, because she was not timid at all. She was strong, smart, brave yet very cowardly. "Hey. Zee. Are you still sleeping? It''s already night time. Seriously, are you really sleeping?" But her voice was overwhelmed by the TV below. Tangerine wasn''t sure if the sleepy head behind this door heard or not. So, she repeatedly said all her words again but in a much louder tone. Of course, who is Zion now. Because her stats rose incredibly after changing her race¨C from human to vampire. Zion heard her sister clearly, even amidst those loud noises. Zion is already pissed off every since she was awoken by this noise early in the morning. Up to now, she was still enduring...enduring...and enduring. She was hungry like she hasn''t eaten anything for weeks. She felt weak, plus all these irritations. Zion was so stressed she wanted to slit her throat and end everything right off the bat. But Zion knew it won''t end that easily. Suicide will just make her life much more miserable. That''s why she endured...endure...and endure. Hearing her sister knock on her door almost made her temper snapped. She almost rushed towards her older sister and directly went for her neck. Thankfully, Zion was really weak and doesn''t have any strength left to spare. If not, her thoughts alone could trigger her body to attack almost immediately, without letting her think twice. After all, Zion is just a newborn vampire. With no one to teach her anything and no one to share her problems with, Zion is more vulnerable and fragile than ordinary young vampires. After realizing her thoughts just now, Zion cursed herself fiercely. Her thoughts were especially dangerous just now. Zion was sinking more and more. She doesn''t know what to do. Zion wanted to just cry and let everything go, but she couldn''t. She could only try her best to remain normal. Nothing will change whether they knew or not. It will just burden them more knowing anything. Zion wishes to disappear without them knowing anything. Now Zion''s desire to become a witch became more apparent. The spell Hermione used on her parents is very useful. Zion wanted to learn and use it as well. 12– Zion Chapter 12 : Zion *Gurgles* *Gurgles* "...hungry." Stroking my flat stomach, this Zee is very troubled. It''s been three days since this girl became a vampire. And from those three days until now, all I have experienced is something beyond my expectations. While looking at the ceiling, I thought. When reading vampire novels, of course, there is also their share of sufferings. Ranging hot fever and overwhelming hunger to the point of going out of control is everywhere. There are also many varieties of different bodily changes. Like some novels totally change the whole anatomy of vampires that they could only drink blood and could not eat human food. There''s also some that, well allow vampires to eat and enjoy many delicacies, and only drink blood for restoring their strength and power. Zion de Valle is a NEET that read so many supernatural and fantasy novels but for some reason, I finally realized that no matter how realistic those protagonists¡¯ reactions and behavior were, when you''re really facing all those predicaments...everything will become useless. Having a mob, NEET protagonists is very trending these days¡¯ novels, manga, and anime. No matter how OP they are, of course they have to overcome psychological burdens due to sudden changes in their lives. Many of those mob, NEET characters depend on their own knowledge from all the novels, manga, and anime they read and watched. Let''s add the games as well. Nevertheless, I, Zion de Valle could testify, that all of those were d*mn nonsense! (¥Î£à§¥¡ä)¥Îáê©ß©¥©ß That''s right! This reader read so many of those novels as well. Even I, up to now still can''t help but believe that I am now becoming a son character of my own story. I said that not because of my eight-grade syndrome is recurring, but because this girl is god*mn suffering! Main characters...all of them suffered whether they are villains or the hero. That''s the only thing that I could say is true when it came to those novels. When you really stand in those protagonists'' position, really, you won''t be able to think at all. And even if you did think...how the hell will you be able to apply all those things in real life! Personality wise, it¡¯s all Impossible! Ah, what about character development! That''s even more absurd! And even if there is that development...what? there is still a long length of time for the protagonist to suffer and reflect. Character development happens when a character undergoes tribulation! It''s like getting struck by lightning tribulation and ascending. You have to suffer first! But many who underwent tribulations died¨C they were called cannon fodders. They don''t change, so they just died. Main Characters we''re all flexible, and prone to changes. They adapted well; they weren''t called main characters for nothing. More so, I don''t think protagonist Halo and plot armor can be applied in reality, unless this friggin¡¯ world is just a novel. *Gurgles* *Gurgles* "...I''m hungry and I wanted to eat..." But I can''t, ah! Speaking is so tiresome. Moving is so troublesome. Thinking is a pain, even more so, doing everything I can to lessen what I hear is truly burdensome. Although I''m hungry, I still couldn''t feel anything...only hunger. I could still feel cold, a little bit, but pain...I don''t know. It¡¯s painful though, when I eat human food and vomit it out. Wow~ human food just came out really smooth, thinking about it. It was truly torturous, and only masochists would do those repeatedly. But I think even for a masochist, that experience was truly not fun. I''m even wondering whether or not I turned into a zombie or a vampire. Both were dead, but zombies are decomposing corpses while the vampire is a preserved corpse that can only become more and more beautiful when drinking blood. Hehe. Zee confirmed it. I think this is the only thing worth being a vampire. Forever youthful. I checked and I saw all my scars and birthmarks disappeared. My skin also became much smoother and whiter. It''s like I was injected by gluta, turning my skin whiter than chalk. It''s sickly, pale white, like I was a frozen corpse. *Gurgles* *Gurgles* Sighing deeply, I can''t help but frown my brows wanting to dig out my stomach to stop it from complaining. I pursed my lips feeling a sense of urgency. Maybe, this is anxiety. It''s like something is going to happen if I don''t solve my problem soon. But no matter how I feel, I just can''t help it. I don''t know what to do. I wasted all my time reading all those novels for nothing. It''s like seeing things you don''t usually use, but when the time comes, you have to use that thing. Suddenly you find out it is now gone... *Gurgles* *Gurgles* Still, I don''t think I cut out being a protagonist. Within these three days, although I only felt pain and torture when I eat, I could already see myself slowly growing tired and exhausted. This kind of life is really futile. I can''t even read my novel because I feel hungry and weak. I even wished to have my eyes to never open again. But then, I thought that, what if that wish came true but I am still alive, then I am the one who will truly suffer. Everything in my body could go disappeared, except my eyes and my hands. How could I read if I don''t have my sight anymore? There are too many dilemmas going on inside my head and I just couldn''t bring myself to solve them one by one. Just then, while thinking, a loud sound stabs right through my ears piercing its way in my brain. I immediately cover my ears, so tight, I almost scream. But I bite my tongue and endure. Being a vampire ranks up my senses. My eyes could see through the night, as clear as the day. My ears could hear clearly from miles away, like they were talking just beside me. My sixth sense¨C perception perhaps. They became more alert and sensitive. So, now I kinda understand paranoid people. Every night, every day, every suspicious sound I heard, became my enemies. Coupled with my wild and colorful imagination, if not for my sane mind, I will surely surrender myself in mental hospital these three days. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. They might be awesome, when you read them in creative literature. Sights that could see into the night, hearing that could hear clearly far and wide. Ability that could detect and sense even an invisible person. But actually, they''re not... I could see within the dark just like how I could see in the day. However, for some reason, when the sun is up, it is opposite of that. My sight became blurry as they were, before I became like I am now. My hearing...I can''t control what I could hear and what I wanted to hear. Sounds beat my ear drums, and it hurts like hell. I am a fledgling that didn''t know anything. I am both hungry and weak. This torture is unbearable...and this makes me want to give up living more and more. Then when I closed my eyes, my ears could only receive more deafening sounds. What maddens me more is the loud noise I always hear downstairs. My hearing upgrades every day. The first day, it didn''t bother me so much. But as days went by, not only did the changes in my body integrate in my soul, the instinct of a vampire influence me more and more. I wanted to drink blood. I wanted to bite...my teeth itch and ache. I tried biting my wrist already, just to satisfy my desire to bite even a little bit. But I seem to have made a wrong move. Every time I bite my wrist, I just keep wanting more... My skin is cold, and I don''t have blood much left in my body. Every bite heals for about a day. My regeneration ability is slow and this really eats up my meager energy. And just a while ago, I did it again. And my arms are full of bite marks. Holes without any blood. Not even a drop. That creepy woman really sucks me dry that night. And now this! I really wanted to cry! I wanted to scream! Yet I endure, endure, endure. I could only curl my body and cover up my ears tightly trying to filter up that crazy noise downstairs. I gritted my teeth and bit my tongue, stopping myself to think. Not one word was registered in my mind. But I knew it was news being broadcast on TV. Only that old man watches news that loud in this household. I calmed my mind and my ranging irritation, even swallowing the anger building up in my belly. Even the intense hunger I''m feeling was forgotten. I need to calm myself or else my instinct might overthrow me. But I know enduring it will become my demise someday. All these pent-up emotions will explode one day. However, my stubbornness keeps me hiding them away. I curled up my body more, as I felt colder. Weakness is overwhelming me, and I don''t really know what to do. If only they knew, I wouldn''t suffer this much. Maybe they can help me...should I tell? I keep hesitating. But as hesitation filled my mind, hope kept filling in as well. Nevertheless, a coward is a coward. I am scared... Tears dropped from my closed eyes. Despair embraced me. I no longer know what to think. I clenched my fists on my ears, I gritted my teeth, and tightly shut my eyes. Then... *Knock* *Knock* *Knock* ["Hey. Zee. Are you still sleeping? It''s already night time. Seriously, are you really sleeping?"] As if cold water poured over my head, I subconsciously gasped and abruptly opened my eyes. Seemingly like a thief being caught in the act, I panicked. My mind blank out and I just stared out dazedly at the air. Even amidst those deafening sounds of tv from below, I could still distinguish my older sister''s voice and could decipher every word that came out from her mouth. She''s right outside of my door... Then I heard her knock and shout again. I wanted to ignore it, but I''m afraid of them getting suspicious. I don''t really know what''s my problem...my life seems to be full of drama since I came out of the house for the first time after two years. But I can''t die by my own hands either. Death as far as I know, is nothing to me. I could accept that. But as a coward, I can''t kill myself. Even more so, I''m afraid of becoming an even more burden to my family. I hate my weaknesses. Why am I even alive anyway? Yet I stood up, gathering my strength. I inhale and exhale trying hard to breathe like normal. At the same time, every time I step, my skin changes. From pale white to a slight healthy coloring. I learned this after persistent practicing. It''s forcefully circulating the little bit of blood left in my body. Vampires really have great affinity to blood. Concentrating on the areas visible, I can make my skin look as healthy as they looked when I am still alive. Yesterday was the first time I used this very practical ability, when my older sister intruded in my room. Thanks to this, as of now they still didn''t know that my race was changed. They may be suspicious of my behavior but it doesn''t matter. It''s not like I could hide my circumstances forever. Let them worry about me. Let them guess what I''m going through. Anyway, it''s not like I could just tell them everything by myself. "Lo and behold, I am now a vampire!" I can''t just shout that to them. I walked towards the door of my room with my head still buzzing and dizzy from the loud sounds. I walked closer and closer. The door is just a few steps away from my bed, but I felt like the door and my bed were far apart. While I continued moving forward, I noticed the buzzing in my head stopped. Feeling bewildered, I halted. Everything was wrapped by silence, I can''t help but feel delighted about it. I don''t know what happened, but I wanted this silence. I thought of closing my eyes to feel more of this silence, when I heard another sound. Thump, thump, thump, thump. It''s been a while since I heard this familiar sound. This is a live beating sound of a heart. Warm blood flows through the vein being pump by that beating heart. It sounded so beautiful, so mesmerizing... I walked deliriously to where the sound came from. I could hear it. It''s calling out to me. Thump, thump, thump. Unconsciously, I opened my mouth slightly, revealing most of my front teeth and especially, my newly formed fangs. They weren''t sharp, unlike the two sharp long pointy teeth of that creepy woman. These two fangs are still growing. They were very sensitive, and right now, both of them were so itchy, I feel like biting something. Thump, thump, thump. That beat is still calling for me. How great would it be if I could hold onto that beating heart. I lick my dried lips, then my front teeth. My black eyes looked eager as I stared at the door where I could sense the sound is coming from. I didn''t know that my eyes were now glowing frightening red, gazing intently at the door without blinking. It''s as if I couldn''t wait to tear that door apart and plunge my hand towards that warm chest so that I could hold onto that beating heart...and eat it...in one go... *Gulp* I reached out my hand and held the door knob. Thump, thump, thump¨C the sound is much louder than before. The thing I want is just behind this door. I really wanted it. I tried twisting the door knob, but failed. My grip is so weak that they just slide as I twisted it, creating a distinct sound. It''s as if, the person outside heard it, she once again shouted, ["Hey Zee! Still not coming for the door?"] And this shout finally awakened me. My hand holding the door knob trembled and my legs softened. I almost went down on my knees. If I were a normal human now, cold sweat would drench me furiously. Fortunately, or unfortunately, this girl no longer produced sweat. Except for tears, my sweat glands are now rendered useless. I didn''t think much more. I hurriedly tidied myself and opened the door. Immediately, I saw my big sis. I scratched the back of my head, and looked at her in question. "What''s up?" I saw my big sis lifting up one of her brows as she looked at me. I could feel her eyes observing me from top to bottom. But that didn''t make me falter. "Did you forget what we talked about yesterday?" I looked at her confused. The hell is she talking about. Many things happen every day for me. And a day for me feels like a week. I only remember her intruding my room yesterday and stayed here for hours. Because of unpleasant feelings in my body, not one word was registered in my brain. So, this girl totally didn''t know what this older sister was talking about. She sighed and reminded, "I''m talking about you selling your works online. I''m talking with my boyfriend about it now. Just giving you a heads up. By the way, have you eaten dinner?" Startled by her words I almost shouted "no! Why''d you sell those things online?!" in reflex. Thankfully, I''m so weak to shout right now. I could only agree with a scowled pasted in my face. Then I told her I already ate and finally drove her away. "Fine. Just ready your goods, alright. Tomorrow is Monday, so, next Saturday, I want all of them ready. I will take a picture of them one by one when that time comes, okay?" "Yeah. Yeah. Go. Go. Go. I''ll make you your Christmas dress for your date with Francisco in December. I''ll design you a black dress." "Dare used black in my dress or I''ll post your pictures on FB. I want royal blue. Okay!" "Sure~" Bam! After closing the door, my knees finally gave in and I fell on the floor. I stopped my fake breathing. Finally, I can''t help but weep silently. I cover my face and cry. Everything is wrong... I seem to want to eat someone¡¯s heart, instead of drinking blood. What to do. My instinct is also going stronger and stronger. I might not be able to control myself the second time I went out of my mind. I stopped crying after a while. I stared at the air and blocked out all my thoughts. But in my heart, I knew I already made a decision. I may not have the courage to tell them my circumstances... Still, Zion isn''t born timid. I could still resolve this. Maybe I could lessen the symptoms of my growing Instinct. Let''s go for a night hunt. 13– First Night Out Chapter 13 : First Night Out Bzzz. Bzzz. Street lights flickering on and off. Despite having a full moon, it''s as if the whole world was devoured by shadows. Even sounds seem luxurious. Zion should feel happy as she finally has some peaceful night. Especially, this is the first time she went out after that incident that changed her whole life. But that night made her afraid instead. As she walked down the street, Zion can''t help but rubbed her arms wanting to feel comforted at the least. Though she didn''t feel cold, however, in such situations, you could help but feel goosebumps all over her body. Zion walked slowly and cautiously. Every step she looked left and right, but she dared not look back. Light went out every time she passed them¨C street lights, and even the night lights at the gate of the houses beside the street. The dark street is so quiet that Zion is beginning to think that she has turned deaf. However, the noise of the electrical circuit from the lights flickering betrayed this thought. Because of Vampire''s inherited disposition, Zion can clearly see through the foggy darkness. And as she walks along the street, Zion remembers the night she met that creepy woman. It was the same eerie silent night, without light and only shadows. It''s as if Zion walked in a different dimension separate from reality. Just then, Zion stopped. She immediately held onto the wall for support as she felt her legs go soft. Her eyes wide open. Deep within her dark black eyes, frightening red light shine that looks very prominent within this shadowy environment. Nevertheless, her creepy eyes faded in comparison to the scene playing in front of her. In Zion''s eyes, reflecting the terrifying scene she never thought she would be seeing in her first night out. This really proves Zion was right, her first times were cursed by Lady Luck. Normally, how much probability of something bad happening when one went out for the first time? In Zion''s case, it surely will be 100%. Sounds of bones cracking echoes, flesh being torn and chewing accompanied the background. Black smoky creatures encircled a man lying on the cold concrete road. He was facing towards Zion''s direction with his arm stretched out seemingly begging for help before he died. His eyes were wide open as tears and blood flowed dried on his face. His agape mouth was bloodied. Though he was dead, his body kept moving as the creatures occupying his torso were vigorously devouring his flesh like they haven''t eaten for years. Zion was so frightened, that she trembled and her hand slipped, then fell down. She didn''t make much noise, but this is enough to announce her presence towards those creatures. They stop their feast as if someone halted the time. The air stilled for a moment. Then slowly, the black creatures titled their heads as if confused, then simultaneously rotated their heads at Zion. If Zion was still a normal human, her heart would be beating furiously as of now. Enough for someone healthy to pass out, frightened. However, Zion doesn''t have that luxury. With her body frozen, scared and her head muddled and blank out, Zion didn''t manage to move her eyes off those creatures immediately. Within those seconds of intervals where those creatures turned their head without moving their neck towards Zion, she witnessed all of it with her own eyes. Elongated head with three black holes, representing their eyes and mouth. Black liquid trails down from within their orifice and slowly evaporates in black smoke as soon as the liquid leaves their bodies. When they saw Zion kneeling there beside the wall, they stood still for a second, then let out a loud scream. Their mouths opened wide. Zion can clearly see the abyss of emptiness through the opening of their mouths. Nevertheless, because of their loud scream, Zion is finally able to close her eyes and move her body. She curled her body desperately as she tightly shields her ears from their loud screeching. Now, Zion totally regretted going out tonight. Who decided this night out, Zion wanted to smash her head open, wanting to see why she suddenly thought of stepping out of her safe haven. She really wanted to curse the author to heaven. Ah, you should experience this d*mned author! QAQ ... ... ... Several hours ago. Bam! Tangerine softly closed Zion''s door. She really felt this sister of hers is weird. And after she came back, she was even weirder. Tangerine was worried. She''s an older sister after all. But, as long as Zion kept quiet, she can''t do much with the situation. Anyway, she has a job to do. She wanted to go ahead and post her sister''s works. She plans to empty Zion''s room full of many things. Tangerine quickly went to her room and immediately called her boyfriend. Francis'' clean face immediately appeared on the screen. But contrary to his appearance earlier...Tangerine stared at her Ice Cream; her eyes heated as she unconsciously gulped down. Dimmed white lights, and grey tiles as the backdrop. Clear sounds of showers became the background music. Tangerine glazed speechlessly at the man on the screen. Francis'' light brown hair was damped, straightening out his curly hair. Now his medium long hair seems longer than before. Francis brushed his hair back using his fingers, revealing his clean face. Droplets after droplets run down from his face to his neck, all the way down to his chest and... abdomen. Francis figure isn''t the muscular type. He isn''t skinny either. It''s enough to say that Francis isn''t the type to grow muscles, and also not the type of person who hates exercising. Francis actually has a good bodily feature, enough to call it sexy and seductive. Well, that''s what Francis looks like from Tangerine''s point of view. Francis'' body is just normal, passable for some ladies, but for men, they might laugh at him for being too skinny and white. Anyway, for Tangerine it doesn''t matter. She adjusted her hold on her phone¨C titling it up and down, as she instinctively thought that by adjusting her phone, the camera would follow as well. Faced with such wonderful scenery, her IQ became negative. She didn''t realize that by moving her phone around, her video being transmitted to the other side will become shaky and blurry. Francis guessed what she wanted to do and can''t help but let out an amused and deep chuckled. "Want to see?" He asked to deepen his voice, and with him being in the bathroom, there''s an echo effect that made his voice much more provocative and inviting.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Being found out, Tangerine flushed in embarrassment. She moved her eyes away from the screen and covered her face with her hand, wanting to hide from the other. "Ahem. Why did you bring your phone in the bathroom?" She asked, wanting to divert the topic to another. However, it seems that Francis didn''t think the same. "I can''t? I thought you wanted to see." Tangerine face turned red in an instant. She really does want to see...but of course, who in the world would honestly say it. Tangerine glared at Francis and denied her own thoughts. Francis laughed and didn''t tease her anymore. "Fine, let me finish my bath, I''ll call you in a minute, okay?" Tangerine saw Francis hand magnified on the screen. She didn''t know if it''s intentional or not, but the focus of the video moved from Francis'' face. It went down, from his jaw down to his white neck, his chest to his visibly six packs. Tangerine''s eyes brighten thinking about the thing below the abs. She saw the sexy mermaid line...then...she heard Francis laugh again and him saying "later", then there was no more. Tangerine didn''t know whether to get angry or disappointed. She sighed and plunged herself in her bed and buried her head in her pillows and squealed excitedly like a fan girl who just saw her idol. Meanwhile... Zion lay unmoving on the floor like a shrimp being cooked, her body was curled up with both her hands covering her ears. But unlike the suffering she''s feeling earlier when she was bombarded by noise pollution, this time Zion was experiencing different kinds of suffering. Like she has eaten something sour, Zion''s face crumpled like paper. Zion knew this couple liked to video chat each other, but alas, she was naive indeed. She liked Francis before, because of his voice, and hearing him like this...for Zion this is the first time. Although, Zion knows she was kind of eavesdropping, but she couldn''t help it. She can''t choose what sounds to hear. So, it''s not her fault either. But this isn''t the reason why Zion was feeling sour. Though, she liked Francis before, it was only the like towards a senior, not that kind of like towards opposite sex. More so, what added to Zion''s love is exactly Francis'' body. Francis'' body is like those K-pop idols, they looked skinny at first glance but it was full of muscles and didn''t have any excess fat. And Zion, this rotten girl, before hearing Francis'' voice, eyed his body up and down with a creepy smile as she thought of something extremely rotten. Hearing the sounds from Tangerine''s room, Zion wanted to see that body as well. Without clothes. Francis, for Zion is an ideal bottom. The gentle and mature kind, but have a mischievous teasing side kind of a bottom. After Zion and Francis first met, Zion read many bl novels and manga with that kind of main character. Zion even had an urge to explore the whole world wanting to find a perfect partner for Francis, but it was easily extinguished when Zion heard Francis'' voice. From being a rotten girl, Zion turned into a voice- con fan. Anyway, Zion was feeling envious. She can''t feel anything now but emptiness. She wanted someone to hug her as well. Her body was cold, she wanted to feel at least a little warmer. She was suffering here alone, while they were flirting casually. Zion was unhappy. Clicking her tongue, Zion swears, "...I''m going to find a boyfriend too, just you watch...no, maybe a girlfriend?" She''s too shy to be paired with a boy, and Zion feels like girls can only be her best friends. However, thinking about what she has become, maybe a best friend is even more impossible for her. "Speaking of, it¡¯s been a while since I contacted those two. Maybe they can help me..." ... ... ... Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Silence finally engulfed the night. Everyone was embraced by a sand man enjoying the dreams he brought. However, like any novel openings that start like this, there is always an exception to everyone. As Zion''s family slept like a log within the deepening evening, Zion eyes opened. Red light pierced the night, as her eyes glow in the dark. Zion already decided to start trying to survive. She wanted to try at least; she doesn''t want to become a burden. Her body is already starting to decay from the inside. Her mind as well, is starting to blur. Zion is afraid of her personality being erased in this case. Zion read many supernatural stories. Sometimes, race changes can cause personality to be overwritten. She read many cases like this, and Zion doesn''t want to become like that. Zion ain''t afraid of her disappearing, after all, she thought of her personality as super defective and if she could, Zion would choose to change. But thinking back, that creepy woman''s attitude towards humanity... never mind, she doesn''t want to change. Her family...Zion can''t help but shudder towards the thought of her drinking her family''s blood like what that creepy woman did to her that night. Zion doesn''t want to become a monster. She thought she could do it. Zion might be able to persist her ranging hunger, but her instinct proves her wrong. She almost attacked her sister earlier. So, Zion should at least try. Since she couldn''t die, then her only choice was to survive and not cause any trouble. That''s why, tonight, Zion will go out for a night hunt! Twilight style! There''s no forest though. And there''s no fierce animals. She wonders how raw chicken blood tastes like. A bird? Or maybe stray cats and dogs on the street? Zion hesitated a little, can she do it? She can''t help but feel a little nervous. Just when Zion is having second thoughts, the sound pollution comes to attack her again. But this time, it seems that the old man from downstairs gave Zion a little rest, as he didn''t turn on the TV this time. ... 1:08 am The lights from the living room suddenly turned on. Zion''s Grandfather walked slowly, dragging his feet towards the kitchen as if he was sleeping. Carrying his big beer belly, Zion''s Grandfather switched on the light in the kitchen and went to open the pots that mother Ginger left at the stove. There are two pots occupying all space on the stove. The first pot is a pot of beef mother Ginger left after being boiled all day. She didn''t bother taking it inside the refrigerator, since it was still boiling hot when mother Ginger went to sleep. It won''t spoil being left there overnight. The other pot is cooked rice. There''s no rice cooker here at Zion''s home. Maybe, electronic kitchen appliances just aren¡¯t compatible with this family¨C rice cooker and the like won''t last longer than six months under this household. Because of that, when mother Ginger finally went to buy an oven, every time, after she used it, she would carefully pack it back inside it''s box and hide it under the bed. Her blender, mixer and even the coffee maker we''re all boxed in under her bed. That''s her treasure. Mother Ginger will scream loud and talk nonstop if someone touches those without her permission. Well since those appliances last after years and years, no one complains about it. Seeing the half full rice pot, Zion''s Grandfather put back the lid and carried the warm pot of beef off the stove toward the counter. He then took out a pan and switched the stove on. He pours the oil in, and leaves to get an egg from the refrigerator. He cracked the egg and fried it on the pan. Using a spoon, Zion''s Grandfather mechanically stirred the egg until all of it was cooked. Scratching noise rang in a quiet environment. It was shocking, if it was heard by others, since the scratching sounds was accompanied by something literally being scratched off. Thinking that the egg was cooked enough, Zion''s Grandfather turned off the fire and went to take his plate. As Zion''s Grandfather walked towards the other side of the kitchen where the plates were, he passed by a dark corner. Unbeknownst to him, as he does all those things at the kitchen someone was watching him from the very beginning. Two dots of red-light flash beyond that dark corner. A silhouette of a girl in hood stood there watching the old man unmoving. It''s Zion, of course, who is acting like a ghost. She planned to go out at 2 o''clock but she was irritated by the noise, so she got up her bed in advance. Before, mother Ginger only hides her precious oven, but since this old man saw mother Ginger''s new non-stick pan, who knows why but this old man begins to cook as he sees fit. And that pan that old man was using is exactly the new non-stick pan mother Ginger bought. Because Zion''s grandfather often used stainless steel spoons, it can''t be called a non-stick pan any more. Mother Ginger just left that pan there and bought another again, but this time, she hides her pans as well. Also, counting in a day, ever since he got that pan, Zion''s Grandfather eats at least five times a day. With the pandemic sneaking all around the globe and the economy slowly sinking down, mother Ginger cried many times because of this old man. Of course, it''s not only because this old man always eats. But because not only did this old man only know how to eat, he only knew how to waste food. Zion watched coldly as her grandfather spoon out large amounts of rice on his plate. He then poured a huge amount of fish sauce over his rice and egg. After settling on the table, Zion''s grandfather slowly eats. Spoon by spoon, Zion just stood there watching. She saw his grandfather finish the egg but not the rice. There''s still half of it left on his plate. But because the rice is filled with fish sauce and oily residue from the egg, it can''t be put back in the rice pot. So, without any hesitation the old man just poured the left-over rice in the garbage can and left his plate on the sink, and went to sit in the living room until he fell asleep just like that. Zion really wanted to kick this old man. Many times, she imagines a life when this old man finally flies off to heaven. That would be great. Her thoughts might be despicable, but Zion really hated her grandfather. Zion really didn''t know how she came to feel that way. Her grandfather is nothing like those abusive or lecherous old men from the movies, but every word, every action coming from this old man just appeared as an eyesore to Zion. Maybe, her personality is just defective. Zion walked out of her house dazed thinking about these things. She walked and walked and didn''t pay attention to her surroundings. Not until her stomach grumbled loudly that she finally snapped out of her stupor, and finally managed to see exactly where she was. She was still in a familiar street, just a few blocks away from her house. She didn''t walk that far. However, there''s something different... It was too quiet, too dark and somehow there''s a creepy vibe radiating in the air. As Zion walked, she recalled the time she went out of the bus that fateful night. Her feet touched the ground, a cold air welcomed her. She instinctively closed her eyes that night, she didn''t know that when she opened her eyes again, she was already in a different space. And though Zion at the present, has an inkling of it, she was still not sure of it. At first, she plans on going home immediately, but when she thinks of her first step as a Vampire, Zion finally braces herself and takes her a step forward. And so, led Zion to where she is at the moment. 14– First Night Out: Nightmare Wonderland Chapter 14 : First Night Out - Nightmare Wonderland SCREECH!!! SCREEEECCCCHHHH!!!! Loud piercing cries rang almost shattering Zion''s eardrums. Zion wanted to retaliate by shouting back at those unknown black creatures. She wanted them to stop. But it seems that it back fired instead. When Zion shouted "Shut up!" out of agitation, fear and impulsiveness, those black creatures thought Zion was going to attack. These creatures don¡¯t have any intelligence at all. All they have is their basic survival Instinct. They scream simultaneously at Zion as a warning. They were eating a feast that hadn''t appeared after a long while, when a vampire suddenly appeared. They smell that this vampire is starving and thought the vampire is here to snatch their food. So, they screamed as a warning, ''this is our food, go look somewhere else!'' Never would they think that this young vampire dares not step back, but shout at them instead. They know this young vampire is weak, so they are not afraid. However, vampires are creatures that rank 10 times, no 100 times higher than them, even if the vampire before them is weaker than them, their instinct keeps ringing, warning them not to attack. Still, this didn''t mean they will tolerate this newcomer. The moment Zion shouted at them; they were already ready to welcome any attack from this vampire. Zion will surely cry if she could know a little bit of these creatures'' thoughts. She doesn''t want to carry these baseless accusations, ah. She may be hungry but she doesn''t want ''that'' as a food. She is still human at heart! The screams grew louder and louder, Zion heard some glasses shatter from the houses nearby. This made her even more fearsome. ''What should I do? I anger them. What should I do?'' She thought over and over again but nothing came through. Her mind is blank, only filled with these Earth-shattering noises. She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes. Zion curled her body down, shrinking herself beside the wall. Her legs were soft, her knees trembled. She doesn''t know what''s going on anymore. With her small stature and short height, when she curled down her body, she looked exactly like a child who was wronged. The black creatures stared intently at the frightened young vampire from the distance. Black goo keeps flowing out of their rounded eyes and mouth, while the black smoke that surrounds them just keeps getting thicker and thicker. They encircled and guarded the ''food'' on the ground and continued threatening the vampire until she went away. Zion almost passed out from pain. She felt as though her ears will fall off and her brain turning mush with these creatures keep screaming at her without end. She can''t run or move. She felt weak and soft, she was truly frightened this time. The vampire she saw that night look human but these creatures...Zion wanted to cry without tears. If this continues, Zion will certainly pass out, she really wishes she could. At least she wouldn''t know when she died. However, as if fate wouldn''t let her have a comfortable ending, the high pitch screeching suddenly stopped. Zion didn''t open her eyes immediately and stayed curled up in place. Everything went silent. It was too quiet, Zion thought she really passed out this time, but then she heard something. Flap. Flap. It sounds like wings flapping as it flies. By the sounds of it, it was a huge wings. Zion sneakily opened her eyes one at a time. When she saw nothing, she completely opened up her eyes, blinking as she stared blankly at the place where the black creatures and the dead man were supposed to be. There was nothing there. Shocked and bewilderment filled Zion. She wanted to curse this unbelievable world. She doesn¡¯t know what''s happening anymore. She just wanted to hunt peacefully and eat, and go back home and sleep. Why does everything not go her way?!If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Just when Zion is about to open her mouth to curse this wonderful world, a black feather falls in front of her eyes. She almost choked on herself after swallowing all the curses she wanted to shout out loud. Zion''s eyes followed the black feather as it fell to the ground. The feather is silky black and slightly bigger than the feather used in quill pens. Zion wondered where this feather came from, when she heard that sound again. Flap. Flap. Flap. She looked up. Her eyes widen in disbelief. Again, she saw something she never thought would exist, even if it did, she never thought she would see it first-hand. It was a big black bird. It flew circling Zion like an eagle preying on a rat at the ground. The bird was quietly flying above her, she didn''t even know when it appeared. Zion froze, in her heart she guessed that this black bird is the reason why those black creatures disappeared. This must be a big boss. Sh*t! She has yet to recover from the fright she got from those unknown black creatures, and here she is stuck unmoving in front, no below another unbelievable creature. The streets were dark and shadowy. With a little light, this big black bird was able to blend within the dark. If this black bird didn''t shed a feather, Zion wouldn''t even know there''s a bird lingering up above her head. Thinking about it makes all the hair in her body stand. This place is full of danger. Every corner, even the shadows, there might be something there unknowingly lurking. Zion stepped into such a world, now she was more doubtful whether she can even come out alive. Zion sat unmoving, watching with her eyes wide open as the big black bird slowly coming closer and closer, covering her sight with its shadow. Soon, everything within Zion''s eyes became dark and black. The last thing Zion saw was that big black bird opening its wings wide as its huge red eyes stared at her. Then the whole world turned black. ... ... ... Zion thought she was dreaming. She always dreamed ever since she came back alive that night. No, it was a nightmare. And no, she ain''t living anymore. That was the biggest and scariest nightmare of all. And now, Zion dazedly stared at her surroundings. Maybe she was really in a dream. There was nothing here at all. There are no streets, the night sky and the fading moon where no we''re in sight. In doubt, without moving her eyes, Zion slowly lifted her right arm and tried touching the wall beside her with her hand, only for it to pass through. There''s nothing there either. Where the hell is she? Zion pursed her lips together in a straight line. Her mind is more chaotic than before. She bowed her head and looked at her hands. She knew her eyes could see through the night like a cat, but this is a totally different thing. She can only see the blackness of her surroundings; however, she can clearly see herself. Her small fingers and pale hands looked very bright and shining in this dark world. It''s like looking at a black paper with a white dot at the center. Such a puzzling thing. Unbeknownst to her, as she looks all over her body, confirming that she, herself is the only one that''s visible, above her, there''s a round eye ball gazing at her, observing her movements. It has a red Iris, the same eyes belonging to a certain black bird. It blinks as it moves, rotating in every different direction. ... ... ... The full moon brightly hangs on the night sky as it shines red light. Above the roof of the house, stood a man. In his feet, a black cat lazily lay on the roof, swinging its tail leisurely. "Isn''t she the girl that woman drained cleaned three days ago? She''s still alive?" The black cat with its half-lidded eyes looked down at the girl still sitting curled up beside the wall. It''s green eyes sleepily tried to keep awake, it kept yawning as it tried hinting it''s useless master why they were here watching a weak girl being bullied by these low-level creatures by asking useless questions. And as it thought, it''s useless master just answered him with a "mn~" using a tone clearly expressing his amusement. The black cat turned its green eyes towards its useless master, wondering whether its useless master got affected by that sadistic woman. If that happens, that''s really alarming. That woman is crazily sadistic, especially towards men. Maybe because she was injured and weak, she laid a hand on this pitiful girl that night without any other choice. When in normal circumstances, that woman would never even look at girls even a single glance. This cat didn''t care though. It just wanted to go home quickly and lay on his warm and soft bed to continue sleeping. Nevertheless, for a second there, this black cat expressed interest towards this girl. Why is she still alive? She doesn''t have any human scent anymore. Her heart stopped beating and her body was clearly drained, without any drop of blood circulating in her system. But she was still able to move. What''s more interesting is that her body is emitting a scent that belongs to a vampire. That''s why those Night Walkers don''t dare to attack her, and could only scream a warning. But not all low-level creatures are stupid as Night Walkers. Night Owls, despite being classified as low level beings, were still known as the most intelligent in their ranks. And now it chooses to prey on a vampire that is clearly higher level than it. It knows this vampire is weak and starving. Still, this Night Owl has guts, wanting to eat premium meat. It¡¯s useless master has been watching this girl since she suddenly stood up three days ago. The black cat knew it''s useless master wanted to know how long could this girl survive the hunger. It seems that observing her as her will power ran out, amused this useless vampire. Alas, after three days, she can''t hold it anymore and she finally went out of her nest. It''s master even pulled out this black cat from it''s sweet dreams to watch this newly formed vampire finally take her first steps. Still, the black cat can''t help but lament this young Vampire''s misfortunes. The black cat blink it''s sleepy eyes and watched as the Night Owl preyed on this unsuspecting newborn vampire, then looked up at it''s master, thinking, when will it''s useless master go and save this pitiful child? Seeing it''s master unmoving, even gently rubbing his chin as he watches the event with interest, the black cat can''t help squinting its sleepy green eyes and clicks its tongue in annoyance. "...useless." 15– First Night Out: Opening a New World Chapter 15 : First Night Out - Opening a New World The girl was squatting down, holding her head while trembling. Because her head was covered with her hoodie jacket, the black cat wasn''t sure of her expressions. However, with its superior eyesight, the black cat saw clearly, there''s a big drop of water dripping down, wetting the concrete floor. Squinting its eyes, its triangular soft ears quiver, hearing soft sobbing cries coming from the little girl down below. Yawning, the black cat looks at it''s useless master again. This little girl is so pitiful. Does the master really turn sadistic now? This lazy man wasted three days watching a fledgling struggle with her changes, hunger and thirst alone, and finally see her step inside a world she didn''t know about. The black cat was uncertain what this old vampire is thinking, after all this is the first time in hundreds of years this master of it has taken interest in something other than sleeping and drinking different varieties of blood all around the world. And it also lasts for three days! The black cat doesn¡¯t know whether to be astonished or something. Its master is worse than a child who has ADHD, who loses interest in something for almost immediately. Now, this black cat really wonders if this little girl is special. Still, the black cat can''t help but feel sympathy for her, after all, this is a Night Owl. They have zero physical attack power, that''s why they can''t climb up to ranks and stay at the peak of lower-level beings. Nevertheless, Night Owls specialize in mental and psychological attacks. They imprisoned their prey inside an Illusionary realm, where all they can see is a dark place. Then the Night Owl will create images of fears their target greatly feared the most. What these Night Owls eat aren''t flesh and blood of their prey, but their fear and emotions. Mostly, their prey will die of a heart attack, or sometimes will just go into a coma and will never wake up again. They are like Dream Demons but inferior and weaker. The black cat didn''t know what the little girl was seeing, but whatever it was, no one wanted to experience their fear over and over again. Sighing, the black cat closes its eyes and doesn''t bother thinking anymore. Its master is known for his peculiarity. The black cat felt tired of guessing what this old vampire was thinking. ... Contrary to what the black cat is thinking, Cedric wasn''t thinking of anything at all. He was just curious that''s all. After all, it''s been a long time since a vampire like Zion was born. Stories sometimes tell truths and facts, but in just a roundabout way. Vampires we''re all once humans. They were born within the dark, chaotic years on Earth centuries ago. They crave warm blood to replace what they don''t have and what they lost. People like Zion, who turned into a vampire after death, are a rarity itself. Maybe she mutates? Or does she have vampire genes in their family? Cedric is really curious. Recently, he puts himself into watching so many marvel movies that he rarely goes out. He was watching Dr. Strange and didn''t really plan on going out that night, three days ago. However, that woman suddenly called for help. Cedric was happy, so he immediately paused Dr. Strange and went straight towards that woman. Guinevere, that prideful woman never reaches out for anyone before. Recalling how badly injured that woman is, Cedric couldn''t restrain himself and chuckled delightfully. Down on his feet, the black cat that just closed its eyes to sleep, was shocked when it heard Cedric laughing happily. The black cat shuddered, as it finally came to a conclusion. It shook its head, feeling ill fortunate to have a master like Cedric. Not only did it have a useless master, it''s master even turned sadistic. What can it do? This black cat is just a talking cat, it could only accept its Master''s new hobby. Cedric, who''s ignorant about his familiar''s thoughts, threw Guinevere out of his mind and looked at Zion again. He smiled and turned a little thoughtful. He just wanted to test her resilience, he didn''t come here to watch her die. Cedric is currently addicted to acting like a kind elder, who is always thinking about the future of the young generation. The world she will be stepping into is a cruel world, where survival of the fittest is always on trend. However, Cedric wasn''t sure of it anymore. Recently, the Supernatural Society is planning something huge. Guinevere was injured because of it as well. More so, the pandemic...Cedric is certain they have a hand in that as well. ... ... ... The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Meanwhile... Zion looks at her surroundings with caution and alertness. She keeps rubbing her arms, trying to ease up the goosebumps in her body. She was feeling scared and helpless. She wanted to curse, wanted to ask why she was experiencing this out loud. But her body is trembling hard so that she could say even a word. She could only swallow and gritted her teeth, watching her situation turn for the worst. Zion bowed her head and cried letting out her emotions that were out of control. Cold tears fell down her face nonstop. She pulled her hood down, covering her face. Even in this situation, Zion didn''t want anyone to know she was crying. She let her body fall and she kneels on the ground. Actually, it didn''t feel like the ground. It didn''t feel like she was stepping into anything. It''s like she was inside a water, floating, but not at all. She isn''t sure where it is up and down, but since she can stand without falling, she didn''t dwell on these problems more. She covered her face with her hand, while her other hand was still holding onto the edge of her hoodie. Blot. "Huh?" Zion thought she was hallucinating, when she heard that sound. When she thought of ignoring it, it sounded again. Blot. Blot. It sounded wet and sticky, and at the same time seemed like a bubble that pop opened. Zion can''t describe what that sounds is, but as she hears more and more of that sound, she''s beginning to imagine things in her head. In the dark place, with nothing around but herself. There''s nothing to see, there''s nothing to hear. She is alone, standing in blackness. When all hope is almost shed, suddenly a small sound comes. That small sound sounded more and became louder and louder, as if it was coming closer and closer. Zion shivers, wanting to shut down her brain. As the sound became louder, her imagination became fuller and colorful. This is one of the things Zion specializes about. It was guessing the next plot of the story. And this didn''t fail even in this kind of situation. She wanted to deny it by uncovering her eyes, laughing at herself and her active imagination. But... When she moved her hand, coincidentally she was looking down as she cried. She thought she would see the same blackness, but she was wrong. When she opens her eyes, something opens its eyes as well. Accompanied by the same "blot" sounds, a round eye ball with clear visible red pulsating veins greeted Zion. "F*ck!" Zion stood up quickly as if she was stung. She steps back, away from the disgusting eyeball, but because she stood up abruptly, she was off balanced and she fell down on her butt within the second step. "...aww...f*ck..." Something changes within the surroundings, yet Zion didn''t know what. Her eyes linger at the eyeball that is also looking back at her. "...what the hell is that..." Feeling creeps in her bones, Zion unconsciously wanted to hug her arms. When she tried moving her hands up, finally Zion felt something not quite right on her hands. Looking towards one of her hands...Zion wanted to scream but no voice came out of her throat. In her hands, another eyeball. It was wiggling in her palm like it wanted to get her hand off it. Making Zion felt like being struck by lightning every movement of it. It was wet, sticky at the same time soft...it was disgusting! Zion immediately takes her hands away. She thought of standing and running away from these eyeballs, but when she looks forward, her legs can''t help but soften. "...what is this?! Are you Pride?!!" So many eyes! Zion felt so frightened that she froze in place again. She was a coward, after being exposed to many ups and downs, Zion just wanted everything to end quickly. The eye balls, looked at her all at the same time, blinking at her. Zion felt electrified, she was having a feeling that she''s going to die for sure. She was full of pessimism. Still, she accepted her death without any qualms. Closing her eyes, Zion imagined herself laying on a plate and readied herself to be eaten. But after a long time, Zion felt nothing. "...???" ... Cedric didn''t know how to react. Even he, himself, wasn''t sure what happened. The Night Owl was just about to succeed, when it suddenly failed? It seems that the little girl manages to stabilize her own mentality just before the Night Owl manages to take a sip of her own emotions. Jumping down from the rooftop, Cedric reached where the Night Owl is hiding, like he teleported. Not giving it time to react, he strangled it and snapped its neck, and threw it away to the side. He looked back observing the fledgling at the distance. The girl never moved, she was still squatting in the same place, but she stopped crying and she didn''t tremble as much anymore. Cedric walks closer. He hesitated a little, but still tapped her shoulders lightly to wake her up. Zion didn''t respond. Cedric watched her for three days, and he knew how troublesome her stubbornness was. So, instead of trying to be gentle, Cedric just let his true nature come out and casually smack her head so she can open her eyes quickly. The black cat saw it all. Since it already accepted its Master''s sadistic tendencies, it just shrugged its shoulders and turned a blind eye to its Master''s actions. However, Zion still didn''t respond. So, Cedric smacked her head with more strength. Zion opened her eyes, feeling irritated. Her heart was ready. Her mind was ready. Her body, although she was feeling a little scared, who doesn''t feel scared of pain? But she was ready. She thought she would die almost immediately, even if she didn''t, it was just like what she experienced with that creepy woman when she died the first time. Anyway, it¡¯s not like this is her first time dying. So, when Zion didn''t feel the familiar pain, she felt flustered. She is like a death row prisoner, waiting in line to be sentenced, when suddenly what was delivered to her was a word that her judgement day will be delayed. Instead of feeling anxious and worried, Zion felt annoyed and irritated. She is going to die, anyway she doesn''t care anymore. People who didn''t care about death usually will become more courageous than usual. So, when Zion was welcomed by Cedric face first thing as she opened her eyes, her hand clenched into fists and "pang!" straight to Cedric''s face. The black cat on the side line could only open its mouth dumbfounded. Cedric: "aww!" 16– First Night Out: First Revelation Chapter 16 : First Night Out - First Revelation Caesar: "!!!" Zion: "??!!" Shocked and surprised filled Zion''s eyes. Her brain blank and she stared at this newcomer with wide eyes. Cedric, on the other hand, rubs his reddened nose. Though he was not hurt, this action is a subconscious reaction. He glanced at the little girl up and down, as if examining goods, which made Zion shivers in fright. After her initial shocked, she finally pulled her wits together. She focused her attention to the newcomer and the first thing she noticed were his eyes. He has the same frightening black eyes that glow red light on the center of the Iris. Just like hers and like that creepy woman who turned her into a vampire. Afraid of her own speculation, Zion stopped thinking all together. F*ck, she really wanted to cry. What''s wrong with the world?! It always digs a pit for her! First there were those shadowy creatures that looked like ghouls, then she was swallowed by creatures with many eyes. And now, Zion just wanted to curse everything. This is a vampire! A vampire! The very same being that sucked her blood!! Just as Zion is thinking of what to do, the vampire started talking. "Don''t look at me like I''m going to eat you. I will feel very troubled." Cedric said breaking the ice. But Zion still didn''t say anything nor did she feel assured. Zion won''t believe someone who speaks for themselves! It''s like a scammer saying, he''s not here to fool people! The black cat who was ignored from the very beginning, finally couldn''t take it anymore. His useless master just doesn''t know how to treat a child, more so a girl at that. Though Cedric''s face couldn''t be any more than being called gorgeously handsome, the black cat who knows more about human common sense than its master, knew how scarily creepy it''s master looked right now. Humans worship good looking people, they always do. But not every is like that. Zee is the kind where she will choose to watch behind the screen, then took an opportunity to watch her idol live. Moreover, with Zion''s experience with Guinevere, she would likely choose to stay far away from good looking people. Especially with those that have red eyes. The black cat understood this, so it guessed that their little friend here was even more frightened than when she faced the Night Walkers and the Night Owl earlier. After all, the vampire was the reason why she was in this kind of situation. The black cat really guessed it all. Right now, Zion was so scared she almost peed on herself. Thankful, she wasn''t human anymore. This kind of humanly behavior, Zion was detached from it three days ago. This kind of anxiety and fear, she really hated it. Suddenly, while she wasn''t paying attention, a black bundle of fur walked towards her. When Zion discovered it, the black cat was already by her side, rubbing it''s nose and forehead onto her hand. The black cat, as it''s master is not that reliable, finally stepped up and volunteered itself to calm down this little girl. Humans like cats, it knew it too well. And in today''s age, they never care about the color of the cat''s fur anymore. Moreover, not only did Caesar comfort the little girl, it could feel good as well. It''s Master''s hands were so hard and heavy. Everytime, he went to stroke this black cat''s fur, it always had an inkling that it''s beautiful fur would get plucked out of its skin. However, girls are clearly different. They not only have soft and small hands, they are also gentle. Caesar really likes being caressed by girls the most. "Tsk." Seeing how his cat acted, Cedric felt that it was ridiculous. How could this lazy cat act like this to strangers but not to its master? Whenever Cedric wanted to pat and stroke it''s cute little ears, what did he get? Scratches!! Now, Cedric was seriously thinking hard whether he should shave this thing bald, when they go home. ''Let''s see if you still have the nerve to act coquettish to others, other than your master.'' Meanwhile, Zion completely gets VIP treatment from the black cat. Caesar let Zion stroke it''s chin and caress it''s cute ears. It purrs with its eyes closed, savoring the wonderful feeling of being stroked by a girl. The black cat''s fur is black, and it almost blends with the dark. The cat was big, bigger than normal cats, but it looks the same, and even more cuter. Seeing the black cat, Zion, a cat lover immediately felt a lot calmer. She hesitated a little at first, but she still reached out her hand to caress the black cat. And the cat responds to her and it even purr happily under her palm. Though Zion was curious, and had many questions chaotically banging her head, wanting to come out, she stayed silent and obedient, while serving the black cat.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Cedric at the side, watched as these two; cat and little girl pair played together. He endured and endured until he can''t take it anymore. He interrupted. "That''s enough." He grabbed the black cat''s naughty tail and dragged the cat back to his side. "We didn''t come here to play, Caesar." Caesar hissed at Cedric, with its black fur puffed up, it almost rushed and attacked Cedric with its sharp claws. But before Caesar could take action, Cedric already let go of its tail. Glaring at Cedric, Caesar pitifully looks at it''s tail fur that was ruined by Cedric. Caesar hopped on top of the wall, and there it lay and turned to groom it''s ruined tail fur. Without any cat to distract Zion out of her fears, she stiffened up in front of Cedric. So, Cedric without any other choice assured her over and over that he didn''t not came here to hurt her. Seeing Zion look unconvinced, Cedric doubts himself. He glanced at Caesar, who is still licking its tail fur, and asked with his eyes. Did he look like someone who would just attack anyone he sees on the street? And without giving face to it''s master, Caesar meowed in confirmation. Cedric frowns. Really? He thought hard, is he really like that. However, no matter how he digs his memories, he can''t find anything that could provide his innocence. It seems that he was really like that. Who can blame him? Blood is Vampire''s food. And fresh blood that just came out of the veins is the most delicious. Cedric stared at Zion again. Isn''t this little girl already a Vampire as well? Why is she still afraid? He coughs, trying to gain Zee''s attention. "Vampires belong to intelligent races which forbids internal killings." He stated. Cedric wanted to let the little girl know that she doesn''t need to be afraid of him, since she is a vampire as well. "Punishment for hurting or killing a vampire is severe, nobody wants to try to experience it. That sin could also result in eternal sleep. You know what it means right." Cedric won''t, and can''t hurt her. Zion eyes waver, she opened her mouth wanting to day something, but she shut her mouth in the end. She pursed her lips as she stayed silent, while preserving her humbled posture. She spoke to Cedric from time to time, then waited for him to say something more instead. Cedric heaved a sigh of relief, and began introducing himself. "Anyway, sorry about that young lad. I''m Cedric, by the way. You might not remember me, but I was there when Guinevere dried out your blood three days ago." Caesar hoped it never heard Cedric self introduction. This cat never heard such terrible introductions for centuries. Only Cedric would be proud of declaring himself present at the scene of the murder, watching the murder happen, while saying it all towards the victim themself! Caesar really doesn''t know whether to feel astonished at this moment. "Oh. Guinevere is that woman preyed at you that night. The one who drains your body out of blood. That crazy looking woman, with her hair all over the place. That''s Guinevere." Caesar could only paw faced at it''s Master''s uselessness. He can''t even comfort a little girl properly. It sighs and continues grooming it''s fur tail again. Out of sight, out of mind. Contrary to what Caesar expected, Zion raised her head instead of trembling in fear. Zion understands the implication of what this Vampire, who calls himself Cedric was saying. Cedric is a vampire, and that creepy woman, who turned out to be called Guinevere is a vampire as well. It means that she is safe...for now. Zion looked at Cedric, she was observing him. Cedric, like Caesar proclaims, Cedric really is a beautiful man. He was tall, the tallest Zion has ever seen face to face. Nope, wrong. Zion met an American basketball player by coincidence before, when she rode a bus home from her work two years ago. He was two feet tall. He felt like a tower, so intimidating. Cedric, on the other hand, he is tall, indeed. Nevertheless, unlike that basketball player, who has very wide shoulders and super long legs. Cedric is like those tall models with a great proportionate body. He ain''t skinny like Francis, or those k- pop groups. He was tall and muscular. However, for some reason, because of Cedric''s name and Cedric being a vampire, the image of Cedric Diggory, the main character from twilig¨C no, from Harry Potter, keeps appearing from Zion''s mind. And because of it, she can''t help but compare. Blinking her eyes, Zion diverted her attention to the black cat grooming it''s tail on the wall. She heard Cedric call it, Caesar. ''So, we have Cedric Diggory, and we also have Julius Caesar.'' Starting from that thought, Zion''s brain hole immediately began to play. ''There''s also Guinevere. What about Lancelot and Arthur? This is becoming more and more like a fantasy. Don''t tell me, those legends were real! King Arthur, Lancelot, even Beowolf. Those epic stories...maybe they are.'' Bowing down her head again, Zion continued. ''woah, woah, wait, wait. It seems that I''m getting something. Cedric speaks of intelligent creatures earlier, so I bet there are those without wisdom. Don''t tell me, it was those guys I met earlier. But what about the eyes? Also, I feel like there''s more to it that this. Like the saying goes, if darkness exists, there will always be light. No way...'' Zion''s brain hole walks through adventures, digging down hell and flying through heavens. And even thinking about the moon as the origin birth place of vampires, because of the influence of a certain ''RecOrD of a F?ll¨¥N Vampire''. ... Waiting for the little girl to finish playing with her thoughts, Cedric leaned on the wall with his arms crossed on his chest. He saw this little girl always dazed within those three days. At first, Cedric felt something was wrong with her, but when he tried peering through her mind, he too fell dazed. This little girl''s mind is so colorful and full of fun things, that Cedric won''t get tired doing it for a year. Except for those times that Zee was in pain vomiting all the food she ate, Cedric, by passing Zion''s privacy and would always read everything on her mind. This is why Cedric is able to remain watching her for three whole days without getting bored. This is also the first time Cedric enjoyed having his ''Gift''. He always deem his Gift as troublesome and a pain. He suffered so many times because of his Gift, so he was not very fond of it. But thanks to this little girl, Cedric somehow found fun, when using his troublesome ''Gift''. He didn''t think of it before, he really hated using his gift. People''s minds are full of dirty things, and he felt disgusted seeing and experiencing them. However, it seems because he limits the use of his gift, he hasn''t truly explored them well. Fortunately, Cedric came to know this imaginative fledgeling. Now, Cedric learned to control what to see in people''s mind. He can push off all the things he didn''t want to see and will only see things he wanted to see. Cedric wanted to thank the little girl, so he put a little something on her brain to intensify her hunger and planted an idea on her head, so she would go out tonight. It was all within Cedric''s plan. Smiling, Cedric looked at Zion with interest. It was rare for a vampire to be created. Nowadays, there are only pure blooded vampires¨C vampires are borne between two vampires after they vow a blood oath. However, newborn vampires are hard to come by. Cedric was born between his vampire parents, and it took them almost hundreds of years for Cedric to be born. And pure borne vampires are all powerful. Nevertheless, according to history, first generation vampires¨C those that became a vampire after death, like this little girl were more powerful than today. At the same time, they are weak. And unlike what humans told in their stories, pure blooded vampires can''t stand the light of the sun. It was deadly for them. Contrary, first generation vampires only turn weaker under it. Cedric at first doesn''t have any intention of helping this young lad. Humans, for them, are nothing but food. And this young lad is a transformed one. She was human at first, she was completely different from them¨C those who were from the darkness. However, that''s what makes it so interesting. As he thought so, Cedric''s eyes flickered, then scoffed and shook his head, and went back to look at Zion again. He wonders what this young lad''s Gift would be, and which side she would choose in the end. 17– First Night Out: The Blood of Pure Blood Chapter 17 : First Night Out: The Blood of Pure Blood Of course, Zion still knows her own situation very clearly. After filling up all the holes in her brain, she finally snapped out of it. She raised her head, and looked at Cedric, who was still leaning towards the wall with a clear relaxed and nonchalant attitude. Seeing that, Zion kind of feels envious. She always wondered how they always stayed clear headed and relaxed at the time like this. But thinking back, Zee is nothing but a novice player who knows nothing, and this man is clearly a legendary god player that could only be seen from a distance. After Zion relaxes her nerves with her excuses, she is finally able to think more clearly. She opened her mouth, she hesitated to speak, but seeing the man just looked at her, somehow she was encouraged. "...t-this...w-what..." ''What do you want from me?'' is what she was supposed to say, however she stopped at the last second. Maybe her words are a little rude? She only heard that sentence from the female lead who was full of suspicious, those who really don''t care and casually asked, and those female lead that were on the verge of getting r*pe¨C or not... Zion didn''t know what to say. Much more she doesn''t know why she was thinking like this. She opened her mouth and tried again. "...w-why..." ''Why are you here?'' isn''t too direct, right? Zion was so frustrated. She was too nervous, she was tongue-tied and couldn''t get her words right. She thought with her being like this, she would end up annoying the Vampire. If that happens, then... Before she could even think about her own ending, Zion went into dazed, her ears twitched. Just now, she heard a light chuckle. Her eyes unconsciously went to look for the owner of that sound, and couldn''t help but blush. Cedric was still standing leaning by the wall, his eyes focused on Zion. His carefree expression he had earlier was now gone. Cedric now looks like he was enjoying himself, like he was watching some kind of entertainment. His eyes were curved, and his lips were smiling and on the verge of laughing out loud. More so, he didn''t look scary at the moment. The current Cedric...really made Zion blush. He looked cool in that posture. Although his aura was still there, nevertheless, seeing him smile and laugh, Zion couldn''t help but want to record this beautiful picture. Such a shame she doesn''t have that luxury... "It''s fine though. It''s not like you will forget about how cool I looked right now." Listening to his words, Zion was stunned. Her eyes widened, but soon she calmed down. "...y-you can read my mind..." Her voice was so soft, she basically murmured her thoughts. Fortunately, everyone present here is not ordinary people, or else they certainly wouldn''t be able to hear Zion''s insect-like voice. Cedric heard her and finally laughed out loud. "You are really amusing, you know that." He said amidst his loud laughter. "I knew many geniuses who could think different things at the same time, there are also those who are like you, but you are the most funny one." Although confused, Zion just bowed her head wanting to hide from Cedric laughing eyes. "I can''t believe you could still think ''those'' things despite your own situation." These words stab Zion like an arrow stabbing all her vitals. She did think ''those'' things, but the subject just flashed by her mind. She didn''t even manage to catch it, but he...he obviously saw through her. "It''s fine though", Cedric reassured. "With how handsome I am, I can''t really blame you for thinking of me doing ''those'' things, especially, with how perfect my body is. I don''t mind, really, I don''t mind." "Hey, Caesar." Cedric called the black cat grooming it''s own tail, minding its own business on the wall. "Maybe this is the power of those so-called rotten girls. You don''t believe what I saw when I peer through her mind earlier. If you knew...umm..." Cedric wonders, what if he knew. Thinking about Caesar''s human form, Cedric''s eyes glimmer in curious amusement. Meanwhile, Caesar who was supposed to ignore it''s stupid master shiver inexplicably. It looked at Cedric warily wondering what stupid things was he thinking of doing now. Nonetheless, seeing it''s master was still talking to the little girl, Caesar let things go and threw it''s suspicious somewhere far. Cedric continued to talk more and it was becoming more and more absurd. Zion was so embarrassed. She felt so ashamed that she almost went flying straight to the moon just to disappear completely. "S-stop! Please stop. I understand. Even if you could read others'' minds, please don''t broadcast what''s in them." "Heh. You finally speak properly." Cedric stood and walked closer to Zion and squats down, so he could look at Zion eye to eye. Zion was stunned by his action. She never expected this proud vampire to kneel in front of her. Of course, it''s not the proposal kind of kneeling. Though, he knelt in a vertical position, like he was proposing, but instead of his arms raised and his hands holding onto a ring. His arms were lazily resting on his thigh. Though his back is straight, coupled with his handsome face, he looked like a prince from fairytale, who was asking a commoner girl if she was alright or not. But his aura gives off oppression that belongs to a demon king! Zion really wanted to cry without tears. Suffocated, Zion doesn''t dare to talk impulsively again. She bowed down her head, evading Cedric''s terrifying eyes. Zion shivered. Watching this scene, Caesar wanted to scratch it''s master face with its sharp claws! Bullying a little girl, this man is becoming a crook! Caesar scratched it''s claws on the concrete wall, making a sheer noise that was very painful to hear. Cedric frown, then shifted his attention to his black cat. He saw sparks flying, as the black cat sharpened its claws. He sneers internally, ''wait for us to go home. Let''s see how I deal with you, then.'' Then went back at Zion again. Cedric moved his hand, slipped it inside his pocket and took something. Fling. A black ring fell right from Cedric''s hand, as he raised it above Zion''s head. The ring dangles in front of Zion''s face with a black chain keeping the ring from falling. When Zion saw the black ring, her mind became blank. Her eyes focused on the ring, following it''s swing, not blinking even a bit. The black ring was gorgeous. It was an engagement ring with a criss- cross ring design. The emerald shaped diamond in the middle was beautiful, and there''s a tear shaped five petals flower beside the gem at the center. There''s also a diamond embedded at the center of the flower. Such a gorgeous ring. Zion couldn''t help but gulp down as she suddenly felt nervous. She was just thinking about how this proud vampire knelt before her in a proposal stance. Only the ring is missing....and now, looking at the ring still dangling before her eyes... Zion''s brain was on the verge of breaking down. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ''What does this mean??'' ''Is he proposing to m¨C'' But before Zion could continue her chaotic mind from thinking the meaning of the ring, Cedric stopped her. "Halt!" Cedric retrieved the ring, and went to flicked her forehead. Zion looked at the Vampire blankly, while rubbing the place she was hit. "Don''t use that brain for thinking something ridiculous! Don''t forget this mind reader could clearly see what''s inside your mind!" Cedric''s face was twitching nonstop. He really regretted looking at her mind just now. He can''t believe he just saw himself, kneeling and proposing to this fledgeling! A transformed one at that! Who is someone who hasn''t known their Gift yet! Cedric didn''t know whether to feel insulted or what. He is of noble blood from Griffith Family. Countless women lined up just so they could warm his bed. But none of them dreamed of having a blood contract with this young master, because I''m an untouchable flower in their hearts! ... Meanwhile, Zion felt embarrassed and scared. She didn''t want to offend this Vampire. Though she was convinced about the law Cedric was talking about, she still didn''t want the other to go away. Now that a veteran Vampire was in front of her, Zion wanted to squeeze information out from the other. If there''s a way for her to live...then... "... sorry. I didn''t mean to." She immediately apologized. "It''s fine. Anyway..." Cedric took out the black ring again in front of Zion. "You should be familiar with space rings. With all those novels scrambled in your brain, a simple item like a space ring should ring a bell." Zion''s eyes brightened in understanding, and she nodded like a chick eating rice towards Cedric. Seeing this, Cedric proceeds with his intentions. "Just think of it as a senior looking out for his junior. Or an elder looking out for the future of the young generation. Or you can just think of me as a good Samaritan passing by and helping the needy. Anyway, I''m bored, so... nevermind." When Caesar heard these words from Cedric''s mouth, its eyes went wide and it''s furry mouth almost fell off. Caesar couldn''t believe how shameless it''s master is. If only Caesar could take off its ears, he really didn''t want to hear this useless master saying ridiculous things! "Well, going back. You see this." Cedric shoved the black ring towards Zion, forcing her to take it. Zion held the black ring in her palm. It was cold, and she could feel that it was a bit heavier for a ring. "This is not an ordinary space ring. Let''s see. Let''s see. I think in games this ring should be classified as an epic grade item. Heh. Aren''t you happy, you are just having your first step, but you met me! You should consider this young master your golden finger!" Zion blushed, feeling embarrassed for this vampire. Such chuunibyou words, aren''t he ashamed of shouting them with a face full of pride?? Fortunately, at this time, Cedric gave up watching Zion''s mind, if not, Cedric will surely explode in embarrassment. Swallowing her thoughts, Zion just thanks the vampire wholeheartedly. She already has a general idea of what Cedric was about to say next. And she was really feeling thankful to him. After all, he doesn''t have any obligation to help her. And based on the facts in front of her, this Vampire had watched her, since that time she became a vampire. It felt creepy as hell, but whatever, Zion doesn''t care about it anymore. "You know, the Supernatural Society created a school for intelligent creatures from Shadow Earth. Right, Shadow Earth is here." With wide open arms, Cedric smiled at Zion. "Shadow Earth is the shadow of the Earth. Get it? It''s funny, right. Right, right, I was just watching Doctor Strange three days ago, when I came to help Guinevere. I could explain it like that mirror dimension something. Shadow Earth has existed for a very long time. I dunno the exact date, it was not stated. Maybe the beginning of time? Anyway, if Earth lets humans live in it, Shadow Earth lets creatures of the night live inside it comfortably, without being afraid of being exposed to the sun." Cedric stopped for a moment, seemingly contemplating what word to say. He wasn''t good at giving an explanation. Scratching the back of his head, Cedric went to look for his familiar. "Hey, Caesar! How about you go down here and help me explain." Swaying it''s newly groomed tail, Caesar succumbed to it''s fate. What can it do? Caesar is just a cat. Clicking it''s tongue, Caesar took over. However, unlike how Cedric words appeared to be casual, Caesar''s words were full of heaving meanings and deep conspiracies. "Shadow Earth existed as a prison for Creatures of the night. This fact is widely known, don''t ask why. Moving on, over the years, as humans advanced their technology, intelligent creatures from different species also searched for a way to crack this prison. And they succeeded." Caesar vertical green eyes shrunk. "And years after they succeeded, many creatures from Shadow Earth began to learn how to integrate in human society. You should understand what I''m talking about. With so many myths and legends from long time ago are still past down until now¨C all of them...should be true." Zion already thought of this before, so she was not very surprised. "Nightmare University¨C N.U. is the school my master was talking about earlier. Every intelligent being born from darkness needed to undergo schooling. After graduation, the Keeper of Proofs will sign their names into the record book and they will permanently become residents of Shadow Earth." Caesar paused, as if he thought something. The black cat looked at Zion, lowered it''s voice and softly spoke out, "One who is bound by law and order." Zion felt something heavy behind those words. Before she contemplated it further, she heard Cedric''s voice. "Okay, enough. You get it now, young lad?" Zion nodded to his inquiry. Cedric then pointed at the black ring in Zion''s hand and said, "inside the ring are the old books I used to have when I attended that school. If I''m not mistaken, there''s the thick book of Shadow Earth Law and Order in there. The encyclopedia for monsters and demons. The history of Shadow Earth. There''s also the species of monsters, ah! This subject will make you wanna cry. It''s so confusing, you just wanted to massacre all of them, so you don''t have to memorize everything in that book anymore. I failed this subject many times! Anyway, there''s more. Demons'' rank and hierarchy. I also slip some books about vampires there. The history, how vampires came to be. Books about blood, etc., etc., etc." Listening to Cedric''s blabbering, Zion was so touched, she actually wanted to hug the vampire. For Zion, this is the thing she needed the most¨C information. Never did she think that the pie would just fall out from the sky! "...t-this...thank you..." "It doesn''t matter. Come here." Cedric held her wrist, while he urged her to look at the ring he picked up from her hand. "Drop a blood on the gem, and it will be yours." Hearing his words, Zion''s eyes brightened. Her black eyes seem to be filled with stars, and the red light at the center of her iris keeps flickering, as if celebrating. Cedric saw it, and he felt it was funny. He laughed softly, then signaled Caesar to scratch Zion''s finger. Silver light flash. In an instant Zion''s left hand middle finger revealed a small but deep cut. However, no matter how long they waited, no blood came out from the cut in her finger. Zion was flustered, she looked at the cut in her finger intently. She even squeezed it, but there''s still no blood. She could see her skin opening and closing as she squeezed it. The wound is deep, she could even see pink flesh underneath her skin. But there is no blood. Caesar looked at the two idiots squatting on the ground. Their expressions, their postures, coupled with their innate pale complexion¨C the two look like total drug addicts Caesar always saw at the back alley squatting on the ground in a circle, inhaling weeds. The black cat scoffed, then it''s paw moved. Pang! Cedric received Caesar''s paw smacking! Despite how tender and cute those paws looked, they contain a huge amount of strength. Cedric was forced to lean down because of the force Caesar used on its paw. Then with a bang! Cedric''s forehead colliding with Zion''s. Zion collapsed on the floor on the spot, suspecting to receive a critical blow enough to have her skull cracked! On the other hand, Cedric was caressing his head where he was attacked. Now, this one hurts like hell! Tears gathered from the corner of his eyes, but Caesar just acted as if it didn''t see it''s idiot master. Vertical green eyes looked at the little girl now lying on the ground with additional injury on her forehead. Zion looked dazed. She didn''t know what happened. Before she knew it, she was now lying on the ground. "Ah!" Then she heard Cedric exclaim as if enlightened. "I remember." Clicking it''s tongue, Caesar ignored the two again. The gem on the black ring in Cedric''s hand lit up, then a bag of blood emerged out of thin air. Cedric held the bag, and threw it towards Zion, who was still lying on the ground. "Drink it. That''s my blood." Zion sat up, and turned to look at the blood bag in her hands. It was really a blood bag. However, instead of the long transparent cord and a thick needle, it was a straw. Zion removed the seal blocking the opening of the straw and began sucking the blood inside, while feeling complicated. But as the blood came into contact with her tongue¨C "c-chocolate!" She exclaimed. Zion was astonished. She read many vampire novels, but their description when it comes to drinking blood is all the same. "Huh? Chocolate? So my blood tastes like chocolate for you." Seeing the young lad''s curious expression, while deliciously drinking his blood, Cedric explained. "I don''t know why, but blood differs in taste depending on a person. Maybe because we have different taste buds. I saw books about a study of vampires'' tastes in blood at the library, but I think it''s irrelevant, so I didn''t ste¨C took it." "Anyway, there''s a total of 30 bags in there. Since you already drink one, there''s only 29 left. You need to drink one bag everyday." Zion kept nodding at Cedric''s word. Though she seems casual, she actually engraved every word Cedric was saying deep in her mind. After Zion finished the blood bag, Cedric waited at least 10 minutes before cutting her finger again. Within those 10 minutes, Zion felt incredible. Her stiff skin and flesh went back to normal. She still looks pale, but she''s looking much better than before. Her skin became tender like baby''s. She felt light, and her mind is much clearer now, than in the past. Zion even suspects that she can memorize a whole book in one sitting! The wound in her finger healed and so, is the injury in her forehead. More so, Zion felt warm, like she was soaking in the hot spring. She was so refreshed, she felt like she could fly! After giving her finger a cut once again, blood oozed out from it. Cedric let a drop of blood fall on the gem in the ring, then let Zion''s injured finger healed up in seconds. When Zion''s blood touched the emerald gem on the ring, it shone green light. Slowly the light changes color to red, then it becomes scarlet. The moment the light disappears, the gem in the ring already changes color. The emerald gem became a ruby, and it specially looked more beautiful with the black ring. While observing the changes in the ring, Zion noticed Cedric standing up, so she shifted her attention to Cedric. Zion saw Cedric reaching out his hand with a smile. "Welcome to Shadow Earth, Zion." Zion clenched her fist with the ring, and held Cedric''s hand and let him support her to stand up. Without letting his hand go, Zion took the lead and shook Cedric''s hand, and finally gave a smile for the first time. "Thank you!" 18– Zion Chapter 18 : Zion <"Jingle Bells? Jingle Bells? Jingles All the way~?? "> "...so this Gift? They can''t even think of something unique." <"Oh, what fun it is to ride~??"> I looked at the book lying on my bed and couldn''t help but feel bewildered. On the book, written with black ink were letters of language I haven''t seen before. But surprisingly, I could understand them well without a problem. <"~? In a one horse open sleigh!"> When I saw these symbols for the first time, I realized that I was talking to Cedric in different languages as well. It felt so natural that I thought he was speaking in my language instead. But it turns out, I was the one talking in his language. No, more like their language. <"Hey! Jingle Bells? Jingle Bells? Jingles..."> I close my eyes and slowly control my senses, then finally limit the things I''m hearing. Basically, it''s like selective hearing. I don''t know how it was done, but instinctively, I knew how to do it now. It''s 3 in the afternoon, and my mom is doing a cleaning spree downstairs, as she listens to Christmas songs. My dad is the one at the store. My sister, as usual, is at their company. While the other one, my grandpa is wandering outside yet again. It is now December and it''s only a matter of time before Christmas arrives. Turning the page gently, I stared at the script and read it silently. ... It''s been, what? 8 or 9 hours since I came to know Cedric, the Vampire and his cat, Caesar. When I got out from Shadow Earth, the sun was already brightly smiling down on me. If I hadn''t managed to drink blood earlier, I would be sand by now. I don''t know if Vampires will turn into dust when exposed under the sun, but anyway, I felt awful at that time. It''s the first time I got exposed to the sun, and It felt more horrible than when I was throwing up all my guts out in the toilet. It f*cking burns and I felt like being purified. And when I saw black smoke coming out of my skin, I was scared shitless. That''s why I felt like I almost turned into dust. Fortunately, my house is nearby. I ran and sneaked to my window, and immediately closed it and covered them with the curtains. I changed my clothes at a fast speed and jumped straight towards the bed and covered myself entirely with the blanket. It took a while for me to calm down. I shivered as I let my fear get to me, like venting everything. Cold tears flowed gently on my cheeks. And for once I felt alive somehow. I was actually feeling a little warmth here. I touched my chest with my hand, but still there is no heartbeat. But I seriously felt a little warmer in my chest. And this made me forget my fear a lot faster. Then somehow, as I mulled over this new sensation, my fingers touched something cold in my hand. Under the blanket, I curled up unmoving, staring at the ring embracing my finger. I''m not being narcissistic, but I really thought that the black ring looks beautiful in my fingers. (*¡ä¦Ø£à*) My hands are pale, though they are small, they are slender looking. With the ring being in dark color, it contrasts the color of my skin making it more visible. Especially the red gem resting on the center of the ring. It was especially beautiful. The red gem on the center of it gleamed darkly. I was enticed by it and can''t help but caress it gently. I was so preoccupied by it, that I didn''t notice it gleaming more than before. It was not until images rushed to my mind that I came to know it''s strangeness. I looked at the ring, my eyes sparkled brightly. The scarlet light in my iris was somewhat gone. With only the blackness in my eyes, they seem weirdly normal. Actually, if I don''t look at them closely, I can see that my eyes didn''t change much at all. After all, my eyes were dark brown. It looked like black under the dimmed light. But if one looks at my eyes closely, it is scary. Even I feel that they are very creepy. Anyway, back to the images I saw. When I experienced it, I felt like the world is not the same anymore. The things I saw were all the things inside this little black ring. And I''m surprised to see that it has such a huge space inside. "...Cedric didn''t lie! This is really an epic grade item!" Considering what''s inside, it could even rank up! Not to mention, it feels more and more like a cultivation novel! I saw numerous books that could fill an entire book shelf. The blood bag Cedric was talking about before was also in there. More so, it''s not only books and the blood bags. There''s also weapons and guns. When I saw those, I couldn''t help but recall what happened there. I almost died again. ''...to think that I was preyed upon by those creatures...'' and there are still more of them. I thought darkly. I spaced out a little bit more, before turning back at the black ring again, and browsing the books in there. Before Cedric and Caesar said goodbye at last, they advised me to read something about the "Gift" first. Because I''m a transformed one, he said that my ''Gift'' would manifest late and I might not be able to control it once it came out. Knowing that I will have that so-called ''Gift'', at first I was excited. Who wouldn''t. I could be Superman, no, villain maybe. I could have the power of darkness and could teleport using the shadows. Or maybe like Shikamaru, or Pride, no! Thinking about those shadows full of eyes, makes me shudder. Since I''m a vampire now, maybe I could control my blood or something, like the four eyed female lead from a certain BTB anime. But there''s this ''Gift''. Chewing that word, I contemplated its meaning. Talent is synonymous to gift. Gift could also refer to something like elements when it comes to magic. I stopped thinking about it after some time, since I need to read the book anyway.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. So, here I am back to the present. I am reading the book "Manifestation of Gift : History of the Sins". I picked this first because the title seems bad ass. Like some kind of Western novel or something. More so, "History of the Sins" seems kind of novel. "...between the light and the darkness is the shadow. Light represents Heaven, and darkness, of course, is Hell. So, the shadow is the Shadow Earth in between these two realms..." I murmured, as I summarized some important information from what I read. Actually, this book was really hard to understand. Although I learned their language automatically, it seems that I am not quite adept at using it. I don''t understand some words, and my comprehension was almost grind with just a few pages of this book. "...then what is Earth?" I asked myself. Actually, my brain already responded, mocking me like an idiot. ''The Earth is the third planet revolving around the sun, and part of the solar system located in the Milky way Galaxy.'' It was such a scientific answer that I can''t help but ridicule myself. Because, I know until now I still want to deny everything. The changes are so abrupt that it didn''t even let me prepare even a little bit. In the blink of an eye, everything is not the same anymore. The darkness I see is not even the true darkness but it was just a shadow. The true Abyss is far beyond. And once it was touched even a bit, you can''t go back anymore. The darkness will only slowly swallow you up, unable to turn back. Sighing, I pushed everything out of my mind and focused on what''s in front of me. Using a person as a model, everything could be explained much more easily. The Earth represents the person. The light is Heaven, while darkness is Hell. If the three combine, a huge tall shadow will form stretching from the feet of the person. That''s why it was called ''Shadow Earth'' because it was a copy of Earth itself. But this copy is not that beautiful unlike the original. Shadow could only copy the silhouette, not the entirety. More so, the thing that formed the Shadow Earth is the filth of the world. If my understanding is correct, these filths were called sins. Before Shadow Earth was called Shadow Earth, Heaven and Hell treated it as a garbage can. As humans evolved together with their minds. Both positive and negative things will follow suit as new things come by. However not all good things are good and not all bad things are bad. And so, everything the Heaven and Hell judges as "cannot be fixed" will be thrown into the garbage can. Of course, since good things could also be thrown in as thrash, like a single rippled in calm waters, it could bring back a storm. The ''filths'' were already called ''sinners'' by then. Heaven and Hell also entirely sealed off the entire garbage can, so no miasma could escape out of it. When they accidentally threw a pure, at the same time tainted soul in the thrash... It changes everything. The ''filth'' became a ''sinner'', and when that soul came, the sinner could finally have a name; they became the Creatures of Darkness. I clap three times when I read this passage. It was so cool, like reading an epic fantasy. A hero fell from the sky and saved the prisoners and freed them from their shackles. Still though, what does it have to do with ''Gift''? Actually, I almost forgot it as well, since I was surprised to read about Heaven and Hell. So they are real. But why do I feel like they were just a recycling company. Especifically, the Heaven where souls went for reincarnation. And Hell is like a refining company, where they will have to clean the soul first before kicking them off to Heaven to reincarnate. The book never describes what Heaven and Hell actually does, but the thing is...they really exist. Anyway, this soul was judged by Heaven as bad and so it was put to Hell, but Hell judged the soul as good. However it was rejected by Heaven, and so was thrown straight to the thrash unable to be fixed anymore. The soul witnessed how deadly chaotic the garbage can was, and thought of bringing reform to everyone. The soul was very fascinated by these creatures and studied and learned a lot. "Manifestation of Gift : History of the Sins"¨C the book was entitled like this because it describes how the soul found out that the ''filths'' being thrown in Shadow Earth have designated characteristics. That''s why the Creatures of the Dark all evolved differently, it is because of the different filths they are exposed to. The soul called these different classifications as ''sins''. And when a certain creature reaches a certain rank, the different sins in its body will manifest into a unique power with the strongest sin being more prominent. The soul then told the creatures of the dark that it was a blessing, and called it ''Gift''. These sins are blessings, a gift for them to use. The more sinful it is, the stronger they are. Tap. I closed the book, feeling my head ache for trying so hard. The history is actually very interesting. The problem is that it''s hard to read. As I heaved a heavy sigh, the book disappeared and went back inside the ring again. Then somehow, I realized that I just sighed. It seems that even if one no longer needs to breathe this kind of habit can''t be changed. I turned over and crawled on my bed. I went towards my pillow and slid my hands under it, then patted my cell phone. I lay on my back again with my phone in my hands, and looked at the time. It''s already past seven in the evening. Taking a deep breath, I tried breathing again, like a normal human being, then I got up and went downstairs. It''s been a while since I ate human food. And if I continue to not do so, my parents will get suspicious. Anyway, vampires have the same tongue as humans, except for the taste of blood becoming delicious, eating human food is the same as always. I also learned how to digest the food now, so it didn''t matter if I eat regularly from now on. Ah. I didn''t need to vomit so much again! More so, I could eat everything and wouldn''t even get fat! Feeling delighted inside, I went to the kitchen. Surprisingly, I saw my mom there boiling something. She was seated on one of the chairs, browsing FB for people who give tips on gardening. "What are you cooking?" "!!" Shocked, my mom jolted awake from browsing on her phone and turned to look at me. "Why are you so quiet?!" I went towards the pots looking for food. I saw the freshly cooked rice, then turned towards the thing my mom was boiling. "That''s for tomorrow." She pointed somewhere and added. "There''s stir fried tofu and pork there. It''s still hot." "Wow~" Everything that has tofu in it is my favorite. So, after hearing my mom, I quickly take my plate and serve myself food. I am in a good mood, and I feel better than ever. So, I almost ate three plates of rice. If my mom didn''t stop me, I would still continue eating. Of course I didn''t forget to digest it and expel it out of my body. See, like I thought. This is becoming more and more like a cultivation novel. As I eat, I concentrate some energy on my stomach. I needed to continuously circulate that energy until every food I consumed became a gas or something. Because I need to blurp it out. Black smoke came out of my mouth as I did it. It''s just like how immortals expel filth after consuming human food without any spiritual energy. Going back, my mom is still the same. As usual, as I eat my meal, she keeps blubbering nonstop. It''s like she has a never ending story to tell. But one thing stood out from all the words she just said. "Do you know the beggar walking around our street?" "Huh? The man who has tingling?" As I said that particular word I pointed my index finger in my temple and moved it in circles. "Yes. People just found him dead on the street this morning. The scary thing is, he was found at our street corner!" At first I thought it was the same "dead" news. After all, since the pandemic bombed the world, I don''t know how many times I heard my mom saying someone died here and there. But I was wrong. It was the same, but not the same at the same time. "So, how did he die?" "They said that it was a heart attack? But it was confirmed that he was infected by the virus. But according to the neighbors, the man has multiple organ failures. But I wasn''t sure. Anyway, he was already cremated." "Hey. Mom, you said he was found on the street." "Yeah. He was lying in the middle of the road. He was almost hit by a car. Fortunately, the driver was very careful and managed to spot the corpse. But it was still dangerous, the man was infected. Now I''m worried about your grandpa. Why can''t he just stay inside the house...? If he got infected..." Ignoring the rest of my mom''s muttering, I blankly stared down and contemplated something. I don''t know why, but when I heard my mom say the man was infected, I can''t help but feel suspicious. Especially, when my mom speaks about organ failure. I don''t know but the man from last night came to mind. That man... He was lying dead, while being eaten. I saw it. Those creatures we''re eating his insides. His stomach was hollowed, bits and pieces of his organs were scattered on the ground and some were in the hands, and mouths of those creatures being chewed. When I thought about it. I felt a cold chill touching my back to my neck. And couldn''t help but recall Cedric''s words of farewell. ... ... ... "Something''s going on with the Supernatural Society right now. So, you better lay low. Don''t get discovered. And just a warning, don''t get yourself mixed up with that virus, ok." Seeing me confused, he gave me a pat on the head, and smiled. "That world wide virus is something. What is it called? Panda- something." "Y virus. And it''s Pandemic." Caesar corrected. "Oh. Nevermind that. Anyway, since you''re already one of us, there''s no way you''ll be infected by that virus anymore. Maybe, you''re already infected before you turn into a transformed one. If that''s really the case, then that''s not very good." Shaking his head, Cedric tried to straight up tell me his warning without diverting the topic again. Nevertheless, it was still quite shocking. It seems that it was not only me that had to experience this change. I wonder how much of it would be accepted by the world. ... And me too. If only I bore this warning deep within my soul. I thought I was prepared, but who knew. However, there is only the "what ifs", and there''s nothing I could do about it now. Still, if only. Then things wouldn''t have turned out to be like this right? ''They'' wouldn''t have to die.