"Is that…is that fish I smell?"
"How do you know?" Mary chuckled. "I made some fish porridge, you want some?" She showed Aurora the bowl, but it only made her feel queasier.
"No thank you," Aurora said and stood upright.
"Now, do you care to tell me why your face looks paler than usual?" The young lady with black straight hair said in a soothing voice.
Aurora took in a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She looked into Mary's concerned eyes and finally spoke, her voice trembling slightly. "I felt like someone was following me in the forest. It was... unsettling, Mary. I've never felt so scared before."
"Oh my dear," Mary said, her expression softened even more, filled with concern. She placed the bowl of porridge aside and walked over to her her friend. "Did you see anyone, or was it just a feeling."
Aurora paused for a moment trying to recall what happened. Of course she didn't see anyone but she was sure that someone had been following, she just knew it. She thought.
Aurora seeing her friend lost in thought let out a sigh getting the answer she needed. "Maybe it was just your imagination playing tricks on you." She shrugged walking to the other side of the room while aurora followed her from behind.
"You think?" Aurora said.
Mary paused in her track and once again turned to her best friend. "Did you have enough sleep?" She asked.
Aurora but down at her bottom lip's remembering she had trouble sleeping last night and also woke up early this morning.
She struggled to find words to defend her encounter and mary seeing her hesitate remarked. "It's alright if you are not sure."
Aurora nodded. "Maybe you're right," she said, her shoulders sagging in relief. "But it felt so real, and it all started after seeing that vampire being beheaded."
Mary looked surprised, her brow furrowing in confusion. "What vampire?" She asked, clearly puzzled by Aurora's statement.
"Aren't you aware?" Aurora stated sure that the news would have spread across by now but seeing her friend shook her head she continued. "Yesterday afternoon, a vampire was caught and brought to the town square were if was beheaded infront of all the villagers."
Mary let out a gasp, her hand over her mouth. She had been so busy yesterday, helping her mother, she never got a chance to go out and worse she had missed witnessing a vampire being executed.
"Aren't vampires supposed to be afraid of the sun?" Mary asked curiously as they found stools to sit on in the cozy cottage.
"That's what we all thought, but it turns out they've evolved and grown immune to the sunlight," Aurora replied, sharing what she had learned from the gruesome event.
Curiosity piqued, Mary leaned forward, her eyes wide with interest. "What did it look like? I heard they have long, sharp fingernails like claws, bloodshot red eyes, greasy and matted hair, thin bodies with veins visible, like they've been starved for days."
Aurora leaned back and took a moment to gather her thoughts before responding, "Well, it's quite the opposite, except for the red eyes."
Mary raised an eyebrow, fully interested. "Opposite? How so?"
Aurora sighed, her eyes scanning around as she bit her lips trying to find the right words to describe the creature she had witnessed. "The vampire we saw, it was different from the stories. Its skin was unnaturally pale,. Its hair was sleek and dark, not matted at all, it was strong, much stronger than I expected." she paused for a brief moment before whispering. "Do you know the best part?" a small smile tugged the corner of her lips.
"What?"
Aurora leaned i, her face flushed and her voice dropping to a whisper. "The vampire looked...human. In fact, he was rather handsome."
Mary gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth. "No, that can't be true!" She exclaimed in disbelief.
This caused Aurora to chuckle at her friend's reaction and she remarked. "I know it sounds unbelievable, Mary, but I saw it with my own eyes. It was as if he could blend in perfectly with humans."
Mary sighed, her eyes wide with concern as she up right. "This changes everything, doesn't it? If vampires can now pass as humans, how will we ever know if we encounter one?"
Aurora nodded solemnly. "That's the question that's been haunting me since yesterday. We need to be even more cautious, Mary. The danger might be closer than we think. That's why I get the feeling that I am being watched.
"That's terrifying!" Mary exclaimed, her eyes filled with concern, mirroring Aurora's own unease.
Aurora nodded in agreement, the weight of their discovery settling heavily upon them. The idea that vampires could now easily blend in with humans was indeed unsettling.
Trying to shift their focus to something lighter, Aurora decided to change the topic. "By the way, Mary, are you home alone today?"
Mary got up from her seat and replied, "Father and mother went to the town." causing Aurora's lips to curve into an 'o' as she watched Mary pour water from a jug into a cup before taking a tiny sip. She turned to aurora, their gaze meeting for few seconds before continuing. "And Adrian—"
Just as Mary was finishing her sentence, the door suddenly swung open, revealing a tall, broad-shouldered man who looked to be in his mid-twenties. He had the same dark hair and brown eyes as Mary, and his face bore a strong resemblance to hers. He was dressed in rough-looking clothes, stained with mud and grime, and he carried a large axe over his shoulder. His expression was grim, and he looked around the room with a quick, assessing gaze.
The man's face, which had been set in a grim expression, suddenly broke into a wide smile as his eyes fell on Aurora. He let the axe slip from his shoulder and leaned against the doorframe, as if he had all the time in the world.
"And Adrian just got back from working in the fields, as you can see," Mary said in a nonchalant tone taking another sip from the cup.
Adrian greeted with a nodhis smile only widen as he said "Hello, Aurora. It's been a while."
Without taking his gaze from Aurora, Adrien took a step into the living room, his heavy muddy boots clomping against the wooden floor. As he moved Mary let out a loud, sharp yell, spilling some of the water. "Adrain! Take off your damn boots, I just got this place cleaned."
"Oh my dear sister, you are such a drama queen," Adrian said with a chuckle. His voice was deep and smooth, and he carried himself with casual confidence.
He took another step forward, leaving another muddy print in his wake. Mary let out a huff of frustration, throwing her hands in the air in exasperation. "If you're going to act like a child, then I'll treat you like one," she said, her tone stern.
She strode over to Adrian and grabbed his arm, pulling him towards the door. "Out of the house, now!" Aurora arched a brow, fascinated by the drama between the two siblings. and although Adrian was older, Mary was always the one doing the scolding.
As Aurora watched the siblings argue, she couldn't help but feel a pang of longing. She had always wished she had an older brother or sister, someone who would protect her and guide her through life. Instead, she was an only child, and her parents were far too busy to give her the attention she craved. As she thought about it, she realized that she saw a bit of herself in both Mary and Adrian. She had Mary's fiery temper, and Adrian's carefree attitude.
"I can't imagine having a sibling," she said to herself shaking her head.
Adrian let out a dramatic sigh, but he allowed Mary to lead him out of the house. As they reached the door, he turned back to Aurora and gave her a wink. "It was nice to see you again," he said with a smirk. And with that, he disappeared out the door, the sound of his footsteps fading into the distance.
Mary let out a deep breath and closed the door, shaking her head. "I'm sorry about that, Aurora," she said. "He can be such a pain sometimes."
Aurora chuckled softly and shook her head. "No need to apologize, Mary. I didn't mind at all," she replied, her smile warm. In truth, she found the interaction between Mary and Adrian quite entertaining, and it had momentarily taken her mind off the unsettling thoughts about vampires and the strange feeling of being watched.
Mary rolled her eyes playfully and let out a small laugh. "You're too kind, Aurora. Sometimes, he needs a little scolding to keep him in line. And he's such a flirt." she said, her gaze shifting to aurora who had her eyes fixed at the door. Mary suddenly noticed a pink tinge on Aurora's cheeks. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and she leaned in closer, studying her friend's face. "Are you blushing?" she asked.
Aurora's cheeks grew even warmer, and she stammered, "N-No, of course not! It's just... it's warm in here, that's all." She tried to hide her embarrassment, her hand hiding her flushed cheek.