Status: On-going series of chapters that will result in a completed novel of some sort.
Breath of the Midnight Reaper
Chapter III: Change
Larkin flew toward me, grabbing hold of my upper arm like he did earlier in the day. I let out a small yelp of pain as he dragged me toward the vampire. I tried fighting against him but he was too strong. He used his other hand to yank my head around so I was looking directly at the vampire. Its head shot up and it snarled and hissed at me like a wild animal.
“What the hell are you doing?” Max’s trance seemed to have subsided and he ran toward where I was knelt. “Stop it you monster! Who are you?” Larkin raised his hand, open palm and Max went flying across the room like a rag doll, only to hit the hot metal wall and slide down to the ground in a heap.
“What did you do that for?” I screeched but Larkin ignored me. Instead, he turned to look at Max and spat.
“Don’t ever cross me again you filthy, subordinate human!” His hand flew back to where he held my head in place and the vampires head flew back up to look me in the eye. I could feel its needless breath on my face and the hair on my neck prickle. I sucked in a deep breath and held it for a moment before slowly, silently releasing it.
“What are you doing Larkin?” I asked calmly, moving my eyes to look up at him. His piercing eyes stayed on the vampire and he looked as though he was aging. It was barely noticeable but it was there. His eyes looked old, like he had seen centuries. I looked back at the vampire; it was staring straight into Larkin’s eyes its concentration unbreakable. I furrowed my eyebrows as the vampire’s grey hair skipped several shades of colour and became bright orange, like fire. Its black eyes became blue and for a moment it seemed almost human.
Larkin sighed deeply and broke eye contact with the vampire. Its hair turned grey again and its sorrowful blue eyes faded to black. I sat back from where I was kneeling as Larkin released his grip on my face and arm.
“They could be like us again Harriet, but I just don’t know how.” He seemed defeated and looked at me hopeful, like I would have the secret answer. Instead a quizzical expression grew across my face.
“What are you?” I exclaimed standing up. Just as Larkin opened his mouth, I put up my hand to silence him. “Actually, I don’t think I want to know anymore. Instead, I am going to collect my broken friend,” I gestured to Max who appeared to be lying unconscious on the hot, dirt ground, “and I am going to go back to my P.E. class and forget that I saw any of this. I guess it’s your lucky day, I’m going to leave you alone now.” Larkin looked down at the ground where he sat and looked back up at me. He opened his mouth as if to speak but quickly closed it.
I walked to Max who groggily looked around as if he had just been rudely awoken by an alarm. I grabbed his hand to pull him up as he rubbed his eyes. “Where are we?” he asked looking around.
“Never mind that Max, we’re going to be late for P.E. and ‘hot head Oxford’ will seriously damage us.” I pushed Max ahead of me, out the door before turning to look at Larkin who was getting up from the dirt ground. We exchanged a glance before I turned to follow Max out. How could I possibly forget that?
“What the hell are you doing?” Max’s trance seemed to have subsided and he ran toward where I was knelt. “Stop it you monster! Who are you?” Larkin raised his hand, open palm and Max went flying across the room like a rag doll, only to hit the hot metal wall and slide down to the ground in a heap.
“What did you do that for?” I screeched but Larkin ignored me. Instead, he turned to look at Max and spat.
“Don’t ever cross me again you filthy, subordinate human!” His hand flew back to where he held my head in place and the vampires head flew back up to look me in the eye. I could feel its needless breath on my face and the hair on my neck prickle. I sucked in a deep breath and held it for a moment before slowly, silently releasing it.
“What are you doing Larkin?” I asked calmly, moving my eyes to look up at him. His piercing eyes stayed on the vampire and he looked as though he was aging. It was barely noticeable but it was there. His eyes looked old, like he had seen centuries. I looked back at the vampire; it was staring straight into Larkin’s eyes its concentration unbreakable. I furrowed my eyebrows as the vampire’s grey hair skipped several shades of colour and became bright orange, like fire. Its black eyes became blue and for a moment it seemed almost human.
Larkin sighed deeply and broke eye contact with the vampire. Its hair turned grey again and its sorrowful blue eyes faded to black. I sat back from where I was kneeling as Larkin released his grip on my face and arm.
“They could be like us again Harriet, but I just don’t know how.” He seemed defeated and looked at me hopeful, like I would have the secret answer. Instead a quizzical expression grew across my face.
“What are you?” I exclaimed standing up. Just as Larkin opened his mouth, I put up my hand to silence him. “Actually, I don’t think I want to know anymore. Instead, I am going to collect my broken friend,” I gestured to Max who appeared to be lying unconscious on the hot, dirt ground, “and I am going to go back to my P.E. class and forget that I saw any of this. I guess it’s your lucky day, I’m going to leave you alone now.” Larkin looked down at the ground where he sat and looked back up at me. He opened his mouth as if to speak but quickly closed it.
I walked to Max who groggily looked around as if he had just been rudely awoken by an alarm. I grabbed his hand to pull him up as he rubbed his eyes. “Where are we?” he asked looking around.
“Never mind that Max, we’re going to be late for P.E. and ‘hot head Oxford’ will seriously damage us.” I pushed Max ahead of me, out the door before turning to look at Larkin who was getting up from the dirt ground. We exchanged a glance before I turned to follow Max out. How could I possibly forget that?