The Ballad of Mona Lisa

He senses something, call it desperation

Monica took a step forward, reaching out for the guy she thought to be dead. To her dismay, he took a step back, not even making a sound. Her brows creased together in confusion.

“Is this real?” She whispered, more to herself than to this unbelievable silhouette standing in her hallway.

Brendon just smiled that same smile that always sent butterflies through Mona’s stomach. She kept her eyes on him. There was definitely something different about Brendon. His eyes were dark and his skin was pale. He glanced to his left towards Marina’s bedroom door. Mona again looked at him perplexed.

“Did she do this to you?” Monica asked in a hushed voice, stepping forward again.
Brendon opened his mouth, Monica felt her heart beat faster, she was sure it was audible to him as well.

“I need your help.”

Monica took a deep breath. He spoke, that sweet voice that greeted her ever so sweetly whenever he saw her. On instinct, she reached out for him, closing the space between the two.
She felt their bodies meet.

And then he was gone.

In almost an instant, she was very alone in the dark hallway. Monica glanced around, searching for Brendon, but he was nowhere in sight. She felt a cold chill go up her spine and wrapped her arms around herself.

“Monica?”

Mona nearly jumped out of her skin as she was face to face with her sister who was trying to sneak out of her room. Her older sister was fully dressed with her purse over her shoulder. Marina’s dark hair was un-brushed and rested on her shoulders in a hot mess. She looked to her younger sister in shock and anger.

“What are you doing?” Monica asked. Marina shushed her.

“What are you? Trying to wake the whole neighborhood?!” She retorted, shoving past Monica.
Monica rolled her eyes but followed her sister. “Where are you going?” She asked this time whispering.

Marina speeded down the stairs, “Home.”

Monica was finally able to stop her sister once Marina had reached the living room. “You can’t go there, it’s a crime scene.”

Marina glared at her, “It’s my house, I bought it –”

Mona instinctively shot back at her sister, “We both know that’s a lie.”

Marina opened the door and hissed at Monica, “Your jealous ass isn’t going to stop me from going to get my stuff.” Marina managed to walk out the door and close it slowly without making a sound.

Monica sighed exasperated. She needed rest, this night was just too much. She began to walk up the stairs once more when she felt yet another chill pass over her…and then a whisper.

“Follow her.”

She turned over her shoulder, searching for the source of the voice. “Brendon?” She called out quietly.

“Please Mona.” His voice pleaded. Monica felt a pain in her heart. She had to help him.

She grabbed her car keys from the coffee table beside the door and ran outside towards her car. Marina was already peeling down the street, so Monica quickly started the engine and followed behind her older sister. Monica knew exactly where Brendon and Monica’s house was, so she took a back road. It was midnight, so there were still cars driving around, Mona was sure to blend in.

“What am I supposed to do?” She asked herself, her eyes on the road ahead of her.

“I’ll let you know when we get there.”

Monica’s head snapped to the passenger seat. Just as she thought, there he was, sitting and looking at the road with intense eyes. Mona opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She just kept glancing from the road to Brendon.

He glanced at her and smiled, “Didn’t I teach you to always keep your eyes on the road. I do recall helping you during your Drivers Ed.”

Monica looked at him incredulous. She let out a small sarcastic laugh. “It’s kind of hard to pay attention to the road when I have a… a vampire sitting in my passenger seat.”

Brendon continued to smile at her but shook his head, “Funny as ever. But I’m not a vampire.”

Monica’s brows pulled together in confusion, “Then…” She tried to think of the most polite way she could say it, “What are you?”

“Angry.”

And If she had the proper words to say she would tell him