The Chosen One

The light at the end of the hall beckoned Kelly onward. She was dressed in her nightclothes from the hotel; drenched in water, her feet leaving prints as she walked along the concrete hall. The hall itself seemed to be closing in on her the farther that she walked. A lit torch could be seen at the end, next to a cracked door with a golden light streaming into the darkness. She listened closely, hearing voices on the other side of the door. Was it Elijah and Klaus arguing?
“Was hast du getan?” a male voice came, but he didn’t sound like Klaus nor Elijah. The tone sounded disgusted, appalled even.
A different voice suddenly shouted, echoing down the hall making Kelly freeze mid-step.
“Ich half ihr!” there was a pause of silence, “wir nicht halten können, so zu leben” the voice was now calm and sullen.
She ventured forward, curiosity driving her on. She reached the door and pulled it open; the bright light blinding her.

Kelly woke startled, gasping in desperation for air. It was like she had been holding her breath while she was asleep or something. Her heart beat painfully against her ribcage. What the heck was that? She had never had that dream before. And why have that type of dream? It would make sense about her having a nightmare about Carmen, but two guys yelling at each other in some other language? What had they said?
Her own questions made her head spin. She let out a sigh and got out of bed, going into the bathroom to splash water on her face in hopes to cool herself down. She stared at herself in the mirror for some ten minutes before giving it a rest and going downstairs.
After her and Klaus’ ‘little’ spat last night she promised herself she would never talk to him again. She wouldn’t even look at him. And if he didn’t like that then he could get off his high horse and take a walk for himself.
The mansion was quiet as she made her way through. Finally getting to the parlor she saw Elijah sitting in a leather couch with an old-looking book spread out on his lap. Klaus lay on a sofa not far from him. He seemed to be asleep from what she could see.
Elijah looked up and pursed his lips. He slowly closed the book and nodded “Come here please” his tone was calm. He gestured for her to sit on the arm rest next to him, so she did.
She looked over and saw Klaus’ eyes were open and watching her with a smirk. Kelly turned away, snubbing him.
She looked to Elijah who seemed to be studying her warily, appearing to choose his words carefully.
“You must learn to, if not fear Niklaus, then to respect him” he said softly “Because if you don’t, I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to stop him if he does become angry”
Kelly found it odd that he was telling her right in front of Klaus. Did he not have common sense?
“I’ll be sure to remember that” she said stiffly before getting up, he caught her hand.
His eyes bore into hers “I mean it”
She nodded, pretending that Klaus wasn’t there “Right well, you can tell him he can kiss my…” she was interrupted by Rebekah slamming through the place.
“Elijah. Why are all of my credit cards rejecting? I thought you said you took care of everything” she crossed her arms, looking more and more like a bratty teenager by the second.
Elijah let out a sigh “Alright, I’ll take a look here in a moment. Do me a favor and take Kelly out today. She could use some time out of this place” he took out a few bills from his wallet and handed them over to Kelly.
“Fine, come on Kelly. I bet you’re starving. I heard what my brother did. Horrible isn’t he?” she didn’t wait for an answer; she turned on her heel and headed out the door.
Kelly pursed her lips “I think I’d rather take my chances with a bear”
“Oh she’s worse, trust me” Klaus smirked
Kelly sighed “Yeah, trust” she got up and walked out after Rebekah. The only good thing to this was getting away from Klaus.
She went to the car where Rebekah was already in the driver’s seat, tapping the steering wheel clearly agitated. When she stepped in the car Rebekah flung out of the drive way like a maniac before Kelly was even buckled.
“Whoa…could you slow down?” she held on to her seat.
Rebekah just laughed “Seriously? Wow, humans are so annoying” but she slowed down to 60 in a 45 speed zone.
“Thanks” Kelly said sarcastically.
She rolled her eyes and they arrived to their destination in no time. She stepped out, feeling a bit sick from the car ride. The streets and side-walks were swarmed with tourists trying to get the best pictures of buildings. She had to remember, she wasn’t in Ohio anymore. Now she was in New Orleans, the hometown of jazz and voodoo.
Rebekah sighed impatiently “Come on” she walked through the crowds, not seeming to care about leaving her behind.
Kelly frowned, shoving past people to catch up, but she was gone. She stopped, a smirk appearing on her lips. This was perfect. Rebekah left her on her own, she could escape now. She looked around for some sort of bus stop or phone.
Farther down the street she could see a pay phone on a corner. She rushed through the people, pushing past them, violently if they didn’t move. Finally reaching it she waited for the person already using it to be done. The door was cracked, allowing her to hear some of the conversation.
“i gesagt, es würde funktionieren” the man said into the phone.
Kelly froze listening closely. It was the voice from her dream last night, she knew it. He spoke in the same language and accent. Who was this man?
The man wearing a dark cloak hung the phone up and stepped out of the phone booth. He saw her and flashed a white smile. A little less than half of the right side of his face covered in scars. She watched him walk away; chills running down her spine like electricity.
Kelly looked at the phone booth and then to the back slowly disappearing into the dark alley. She groaned as the curiosity gnawed at her. Curse her natural need to find the truth. She just had to know how she dreamed about that man, who the other person was, and what they were talking about.
She ventured after him, keeping her distance as she made her way through the dark alley. She came out the other side and looked left and right, but the man in the dark cloak was nowhere to be seen. She frowned seeing it was an empty street where no tourists seemed to go.
Kelly decided to go right so that even if he didn’t go this way she’d be able to swing around and get back to the pay phone where she could call the police.
As she walked she passed a store where a TV stood in the window. She paused to look at it. The top read “Missing” and her picture was plastered beneath it. Kelly smiled, they were looking for her. Then her smile faded, who would think to look in New Orleans for her? She was basically a lost cause. She sighed taking a step back, knocking into something solid. She spun around, eyes wide.
It wasn’t the man from before. This man had darker skin than the other and there were no scars.
“Sorry” she muttered before sidestepping out of his way.
“No problem” he chuckled watching her “Were you going in?” he asked eyeing the store.
Kelly glanced over her shoulder, looking past the TV in the window to see dream catchers, spell books, shrunken heads, and many more weird oddities. She looked back to him.
“No” she shook her head, pursing her lips.
He nodded “Alright. I’m Marcel” he offered her his hand.
Even with his kindness she somehow felt she couldn’t trust him. She nodded “Kelly” she said, stuffing her hands in her jacket pockets.
“Why are you wearing that? It’s hot out” he cocked an eyebrow at her smiling.
“I uh… I don’t know. Can you tell me where the nearest bus station is?” she touched the money Elijah had given her in her pocket.
Marcel smiled “I can give you a ride. Where do you live?”
“I’m actually heading out of town. If you can’t help that’s fine” she turned to walk away
He was suddenly in front of her “I never said I couldn’t help you. Follow me” he started walking the opposite way she had been heading.
Kelly frowned, not feeling right about it but followed slowly. Her gut told her to run the other way, but there was something forcing her along. When they got to the end of the street he turned right, then headed down another alley way. She could see the bus stop sign at the end of the alley, her hopes shooting sky high as she walked a bit faster through the damp dark. And she almost made it too.