The musty scent of death that had filled the air, lifted up as the scenery returned to the hallway. The bulbs flickered a little, as my eyes adjusted to the change of environment. I stood there, affixed, grasping slowly what had just happened.
"What are you doing, standing in the hallway, all alone.", a male voice resounded behind me.
I turned around to look at who had spoken. It was Derek. I had not noticed him walking up to me. Not that I could blame myself, he did have the habit of appearing out of nowhere.
"Huh?", I said, still trying to get a hold of reality.
"Where is France-lyse?"
France-lyse? Oh, France-lyse! My head had become steadier, and I slowly became more aware.
"France-lyse?.... I do not know. I'm not sure. What time is it?", I asked, my words coming out in stutters.
"It's 2:15pm."
He looked at me like I was a queer runaway lab experiment.
"Oh."
He sighed, adjusting the bags of foodstuffs in his hand.
"Follow me, Seer. I'd track her scent....and for Heaven's sake, please Tobi, do not get lost again."
He turned, sniffing in the air so deeply I thought he'd inhale the whole building. His head twitched, and for a brief moment, I saw his eyes glow red. He walked.
Unlike the last time, I remembered everything I had seen. The destruction and death that had befallen the world. I remembered, vividly, what the old man had told me...about a tree I had been predestined to protect.
None of it made any sense.
"What do you know about the SilverTrees?", I asked, glancing briefly at Derek.
He paused for a brief moment.
"Quiet. You'd distract me."
I could hear his grunt as he spoke. Mayhaps, I did distract him, or perhaps, the topic had made him uncomfortable.
"Hmm.."
We walked in silence, occasionally glancing at each other. The sounds of our footsteps, drowning in the growing noise of people. France-lyse was close. I could sense her essence. What truly was my power?
"Wha...t?!", Derek stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes were widened in shock, and his expression was one of horror.
"What?! What is wrong?!"
No sooner had I spoken did I feel a strong sense of dread. Something.... No. Someone was here. Somebody very powerful.
"France-lyse is in trouble. Quick!", his voice whispered in horror.
With speed only a Vampire could possess, he zoomed out of my face, leaving in his wake, a cloud of air and dust.
I ran.