My Friend, Blood

A few drops of my blood. A white candle. Some chalk and salt. A needle. Sunlight. All of these ingredients and me.
“Okay, the book says that I have to make a circle out of the chalk and sprinkled salt on the circle while I am inside.” I repeat to myself, reading the book as I do the procedure. Some of these ingredients were hard to get without being seen by Isabella whose eyes were more distracted by reality shows rather than my creeping around the living room. A white candle was already in my parents’ room next to the sink in the bathroom, the salt I stole from the kitchen, the needle from the living room, the chalk from my art supplies in my room, and well, the sunlight from the curtains which I had to be very cautious about in order from avoiding death by light.
Angel face told me that this spell could either kill me once I step into the light, kill me before I step into the light, or do nothing at all. That brought hope into my heart as I frown at that information. It made me ponder how he knew that, but I didn’t want to bother asking. The urge of blood kept me focus on my mission.
“Okay, now all I need to do is light this candle, put it near the sunlight, say these words, and put my blood into the candle.” I sighed at the circle and sat down on the ground, carefully to not sit near the light. I picked up a lighter and lit the candle before shoving it toward the light. The small fire swirled back and forth from the thin wind coming from the window, the sunlight kindling its own blood into the flame. I sighed, pleaded that this works, and began to speak the words written on my mother’s book, editing some of the words out and adding my own.
“To live long and to feel light. Oh fire, burn, burn bright, and make this sunlight untouched on my skin. To be free and to desire thirst, oh fire, burn, burn bright, and let my own blood vanish toward the sunlight.” I prick my ring finger with the needle, a quick pain spread across my face, and let the liquid drop onto the fire, causing it to burst higher and higher, almost merging with my finger. I yanked my finger back, took a napkin to wipe the blood off my finger, then wait for something to happen.
And wait. And wait. And wait. Nothing.
“Angel face, I don’t think it worked.” I sighed in exhaustion, standing up to put my mother’s book on the bed. I frowned at the fire, spitting sparks out in mockery. I folded my arms and sat on the bed, questioning what to do next. Wait until it is night, I guess, I told myself, paining at having to sit in this house taunted by the fresh, delicious blood that is pacing in my living room. I stared down again at the fire, hoping it would stop laughing at me, teasing at my failure. A tear fell down to my cheek and splash down to the wooden floor.
The fire suddenly burst up to the ceiling. A burn mark was left scarred on the ceiling as the flame then split and shrink to gas. Smoke filled the room up, fogging it up. I coughed, fanning the smoke away from my mouth. I closed my eyes for one second to avoid the smoke from clouding my sight, but when I opened them, the smoke vanished. The room was now filled with the sun, spreading light onto my toes to my legs to my waist to my neck to my eyes. I screeched in horror, folding into a standing fetus position on the bed, expecting my body to dissolve to ashes onto the ground.
Nothing happened, though.
I relaxed off the bed and stood stiffly in the light, touching my soft skin, not dust. A smile crept onto my face, stretching from ear to ear. It actually did work.
“It worked!” I shouted, jumping in joy. I hugged myself and kissed my arms, twirling in the sunlight. I let my arms go loose and moved them around, dancing on my tiptoes. Eyes closed, I let my happiness take over as I felt my long hair hit my face lightly, my feet spinning ballet-like on the floor, my arms swinging front and back.
A laugh escaped from my mind. I stopped in place and frowned. He was laughing at my joy.
“Are you enjoying this cause this is the only time you will ever see me dancing?!” I shouted at him, my finger pointing at the ceiling. I heard a smirk then another laugh. I folded my arms and waited for him to stop his laughing so we can go back to business. A smile kept trying to form on my face, but my lips curved back to a straight line.
Oh, come on, Alek. Lighting up.
Silence only answers for me.
All right, all right, you win. Let’s get back to business.
“Okay, so what do I do now? I got the spell to work.” I went next to the bed to pick up the book then stood against the windowsill, letting the sunlight beamed against my hair, vivified light red in my hair. The wind blows it out of the window, causing a hair storm to happen over my face. I wipe my hair back behind.
Well, we are taking a trip to the woods. I think that would be the perfect place for you to get some-thing to drink.
The woods. Okay, that sounds fun. Deer, squirrels, rabbits. All seem like a tremendous meal, but I had to fight my disgust, for I was extremely thirsty, still smelling Isabella’s blood downstairs. I nodded to myself then turned around to look out the window. I smirked and climbed onto the windowsill. Hanging onto the side of the window, I glanced down at the spring green grass below me, waiting for me to land on it. The sun glowed upon my face, sparkling my smile. I dropped the book on the ground below me then flew out of the window, my feet floating in the air for a brief second. I felt so alive, the wind lifting me up and bringing me gently onto the grass, a little kid coming off of the swing in a flying attempt. I rolled onto the ground and laughed, my legs up in the air. I looked up to the sky and wondered to myself how long it has been since I saw the white puffy clouds flowing in the sky. I closed my eyes and imagined that last time I did.
It was late June, the year before mother died. Both mother and I were outside in the backyard, mom wearing a loose white blouse covered in green grass stains and dark blue jeans and me wearing my favorite watermelon skirt with my v-neck sequin green shirt. We both wiggled our toes in the grass, pointing at the clouds. A smile appeared on my face, my brown eyes brightened by the sun’s warmth. My mother’s hand was entwined with mines, holding them close to her chest.
“Mom, look!” I pointed to one cloud, “A starfish on a rock!” My mother laughed and searched around for something to spot out.
“There’s a fish singing with a walrus.” She pointed toward a cloud by the house. I squirted my eyes at it and then chuckled out loud.
“That’s not a fish singing with a walrus. That’s a bunny hopping with a cat!” I corrected. My mother gave the cloud a second look and then awed at it.
“You are totally right.” She turned to her side and looked into my face. “You know what else I see?” I turned to face her and shook my head no.
“A monster attacking a little girl.” She roared at me. I screamed in excitement, and she tickled me on the belly then on the sides as I rolled over the grass. Our laughter absorbed the neighbor, me screaming while my mother tickled me to death. It was one of the those happy moments mother and I had before everything went wrong. Before the night where all of my nightmares have come true.
Your mother and you must have been really close. Whatever happened between you two?
I rise off the ground, my elbows and hands supporting my weight from the ground. I stood up and wiped off the grass stuck on my clothes before bending down to get the book. I sighed and flipped my hair back behind me.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” I said sharply. I began walking down the sidewalk, putting my hoodie over my head to avoid the world from seeing my face. I placed my heads in my jean’s pockets and look down to the ground, holding mother's book close to my side. I felt a tear about to fall from my eyes, but then it didn’t. I think I was running out of tears.
I’m glad you are actually not crying. It makes you vulnerable and weak. Being a vampire, that’s not good for you.
I frowned. I am getting sort of tired of angel face, no matter how cute he is. I heard a chuckle in my head at that.
You think I am cute? How sweet.
I smirked. He is so funny, I joked.
I know I am funny. Just you dancing is funny to watch.
I laughed and made a mental note to punch him on the shoulder if I ever meet him. I continued to walk, going to my destination. Off to the woods I go.