It had been six months since Claire and Clarence started living together in the Fontaine City. However, even in this setup, they could only really get to see each other for few times. Claire would only go home during her two-day off while Clarence was mostly away with his job as an Argent Securities agent. She would also opt not go home if he would be away.
For the last two weeks, Clarence was finally free and was mostly at home. Claire was also at home during her off. Yet, she felt like she's alone in their unit because her brother would just stay in his room. She knew he was inside because he was responding to her from his room. She also noticed that he was not eating because the foods she would leave for him looked like it wasn't consumed even a little. She knew there was something wrong with him but she couldn't force him to tell her, given that the door of his room was always locked.
Then one day, she was awoken when she heard a loud sound of falling glassware from outside her room. She immediate went out and finally saw her brother in the dining area. For some reason, she instantly felt a chill deep within her when she saw him standing on the other side of table.
He looked different – his head was a bit lowered; his gaze was cold and expressionless. The gentleness of his face and his whole aura was gone. There seemed to be blood on his mouth. His right hand was bleeding.
She stood there frozen but she tried to take control of her body by saying something to him. "Good morning, bro--"
But fear started to overcome her when he slowly walked toward her. She took a step backward, nothing more, as if she was totally frozen now.
He stood in front her.
She met his blank blue eyes that seemed not like his. He grabbed her left hand forcefully with his bleeding right hand. He moved it near to his face, his fangs growing and bit it.
Claire's eyes widened in horror in what she was seeing. The sharpness of his fangs sinking on her hand - specifically the side palm - was deepening and was getting painful every second.
"What is brother doing? Why is he drinking my blood? What's going on? Is he a vampire? No, vampires are not real!"
"Wait. He told me he turns into wolf, but I never really saw him transform."
Her thoughts and confusion were racing on her head.
She wanted to pull her hand away but she seemed powerless. Her strength left her.
That moment seemed forever...
... Until Musica and Sora came.
Musica pulled Clarence away from her. Sora came between him and Claire, whose knees was now down on the floor. She still looked confused, her head lowered.
"Clarence, what are you doing?" Musica angrily scolded him, who did not resist nor fight back.
Clarence also fell on his knees. His eyes were now not blank, as if he was back to himself, yet he did not meet anyone's gaze. He remained silent.
The whole place became quiet for long until Sora came forward to Clarence and grabbed his shirt.
"Do you know what did you just do?" He glared at his expressionless face.
Clarence finally spoke up that sounded more of a command, "Let go."
Sora let go but remained in the middle, in fear he might come at Claire again.
Clarence let out an angry sigh which made the three felt more uneasy.
Still with his head down, he put an arm to his chest-level knee.
"Before my father died," he started, "he told me how to break our curse."
"Eh?" both Musica and Sora reacted since they knew that he was still looking for ways on how to become a real human, but now he was telling them he knew all along ever since he went back at their world. It was still before he met finally Claire.
He continued, "Finding our own long-lost blood relative, the only female one, to survive our clan is not entirely a lie. It is not on the physical multiplication though, but on increasing our lifespan. Based on the deaths that happened, each one of us has the same number of years to live. When the full circle in our chest becomes complete, we will die and turn into ashes. Father said that the only cure to that is her. Drink her blood to increase our years or eat her heart to become human again."
Hearing that, Claire, Musica and Sora looked in shock and in horror. They felt a sharp sensation cutting their whole being in that instant.
"My gut really turned upside down when I learned that. That's very inhumane to do to be a human, right? So ironic. That's why I already gave up on finding her. Six months I was back in my own world supporting the remaining people in my clan in all that I could.
I couldn't tell Sora that I felt despair and hopelessness. How I just wanted to die too back then. I didn't even want to leave that place. I really didn't want to go back here if not for Abie. I promised her that I would become a human and marry her.
When I went back here, Claire was already found, standing in front of me. I was not really happy. I felt so sad. My chest felt heavy. Guilt and regret filled me. But I just smiled since I saw her very happy and excited. It is as if I saw myself in her, not to mention our face looks a lot. That could have been my expression if only I didn't know the truth.
I continued my usual life here thinking that what Father had said might just be made up. But when I saw her bled for the first time when we rescued Abie from her kidnappers, I felt certain. She really is the way to break my curse.
But you know about us. We didn't hang out much often, nor lived together until now. When she went away on New Year's Eve, I have decided. I decided that that would be my last chance. To finally become human. That's why I desperately wanted her back and suggested we finally lived together.
There was actually an incident when she accidentally dropped a glass on the floor. She got hurt by picking it up. That was also my excuse to taste her blood without raising suspicion. That was the night before the first day of the Flower Festival when it was really full moon. You saw me that day too. That night I went outside to pick Claire and her friends. That whole night and the next I was still in my human form. That was the first month I stayed human for the whole month. And even the next. Two months.
Recently, I couldn't hold myself anymore. I wasn't feeling hungry. I just wanted to taste her blood again. But I can't do it. I'm afraid that I won't stop that she might die."
He slowly looked up. "I'm glad you two came before it's too late."
He slowly stood up and started to walk.
Claire looked up to meet his gaze but he just walked past her. He stood near the window and leaned his back on the wall. He opened the window and gazed blankly outside.
"I'm such a selfish and cruel brother, right? We might not even be siblings at all. Just close blood relative."
On his words, Claire's heart sank deeper. She bit her lower lips. She wanted to speak up, but she didn't know the right words to say.
Back at Clarence, he moved a little so that his back was in the middle of the window's ledge.
There was a heavy silence as the three could only looked at him.
"Goodbye," Clarence said as he bent his head backward towards the window, slowly dropping his whole body out.
Both Musica and Sora ran toward him but it was too late. He was already on the ground in his wolf form. He hurriedly ran away from the condo building premises.
>>>><<<<
Claire lay on her bed with her face burried her on the pillow. She gripped her bed sheets tightly as she silently sobbed.
"It's all my fault." She told herself, filled with guilt and regret. "I should have listened to him more and agreed to go with him to his original place where the whole clan was. But I just shoved him off, telling excuses of "next time".
Truth is, I'm actually scared of knowing my origin. I'm afraid of hearing nonsense anymore.
And it's because I'm scared of finding out my own self that I ended up being alone again. I even let my only blood relative be alone too. I'm so selfish. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, brother."
She turned her head on the side and looked at her hand, especially at the bite marks left.
"Brother..."
With many more thoughts flooding her mind and making her breathing difficult, she fell into slumber, wishing to forget what happened even for a little while.
>>>><<<<
Slowly opening her eyes, she saw again her scarred hand. She slowly sat up, inserted her feet onto the slippers and stared blankly on the floor.
Though her head ached due to her silent sobbing, her heart felt nothing. A void she thought was already filled up, but it just came back again.
She titled her head up with closed eyes.
She went out of her room and closed the door behind her. On the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of two figures on the left, which was the dining area. She didn't turn to them and just proceeded to the CR.
Musica's and Sora's faces lit up when they saw her. But they can feel a deep sadness from her. They saw her eyes were red and puffed. They stayed because they were worried about her. They heard from Jane that she already tried to kill herself a lot of times before but to no avail because of who and how she was.
She went back inside her room after taking a shower. She put her backpack and went out. She just proceeded to walk without looking to them.
Before she could touch the knob of the main door, Musica and Sora followed and stopped before the narrow path.
They seemed waiting for each other as to who would start to speak up. Before they could open their mouths, Claire turned a little to her side and just nodded. She opened the door and went out.
She continued walking the streets until she reached a musical instruments shop.
She entered a room where there's a white piano in the middle. She sat on the chair, touched the cover of the piano and lifted it up. She put her fingers on each keys.
With closed eyes, she tilted her head up.
Silence came over her. She felt a chill from within her, as if cold water was washing her down from her chest.
She took a deep breath.
She started pressing the keys and a soft, mellow tone was heard.
Her fingers were gracefully pressing the piano keys. With every hit, she could release all her pent up feelings since that morning incident.
On that seemingly last note, she put an interval before continuing. She opened her eyes, looked at keys in front her and started playing again. She opened her mouth to sing.
♪
When confusion's my companion
And despair holds me for ransom
I will feel no fear
I know that You are near
When I'm caught deep in the valley
With chaos for my company
I'll find my comfort here
'Cause I know that You are near
[Chorus:]
My help comes from You
You're right here, pulling me through
You carry my weakness, my sickness, my brokenness all on Your shoulders
Your shoulders
My help comes from You
You are my rest, my rescue
I don't have to see to believe that You're lifting me up on Your shoulders
Your shoulders
You mend what once was shattered
And You turn my tears to laughter
Your forgiveness is my fortress
Oh Your mercy is relentless
[Chorus:]
My help comes from You
You're right here, pulling me through
You carry my weakness, my sickness, my brokenness all on Your shoulders
Your shoulders
My help comes from You
You are my rest, my rescue
I don't have to see to believe that You're lifting me up on Your shoulders
Your shoulders
My help is from You
Don't have to see it to believe it
My help is from you
Don't have to see it, 'cause I know, 'cause I know it's true
My help is from You
Don't have to see it to believe it
My help is from you
Don't have to see it, 'cause I know, 'cause I know it's true
[Chorus:]
My help comes from You
You're right here, pulling me through
You carry my weakness, my sickness, my brokenness all on Your shoulders
Your shoulders
My help comes from You
You are my rest, my rescue
I don't have to see to believe that You're lifting me up on Your shoulders
Your shoulders
My help is from You
Don't have to see it to believe it
My help is from you
Don't have to see it, 'cause I know, 'cause I know it's true
♪
After that, calm and peace came over her. She lifted up a corner of her lips in relief.
>>>><<<<
When she went out of the shop, she saw again Musica and Sora waiting for her. This time, she faced them with a straight face and clear eyes.
"If you need help, just let us know," Musica said sincerely.
Sora added, "If you want to see him again, we'll find him for you. Promise."
She smiled lightly and nodded. "Thank you."
They felt she was now okay and there seemed no sign of her committing something that might hurt herself. They smiled in relief.
She added, "And also for... coming in earlier."
"He actually sent us an 'S.O.S' message," Musica said. "We were actually worried about him as well because he was not answering our messages for the past days."
"He really didn't want to... hurt you," Sora softly said. "That's why he asked for help. Please don't think bad ---"
Before he could continue, he was interrupted when he saw a calm yet determined look of Claire.
"I will go see brother again."
The two men smirked and nodded.
"Leave it to us!"
"Yes, please." Her tone asserted them. "But first, let's eat. I'm hungry."
FOOTNOTES AND CREDITS:
♪Song Title: Shoulders
Artist: for KING & COUNTRY
Writer(s): Tedd Andrew Tjornhom, Benjamin Glover, Joel David Smallbone, Luke James Smallbone