ZONEVILLE PART II:The rage

SARAH

She was at her doorstep in no second, she knew something was wrong. How was it possible for her to be where she was now, when she was running from the hospital less than half a second ago.

Her hands were shaking, she was surprised. What was happening to her?

Her thoughts were in that hospital room where she left that poor man dead.
She did that. Still not understanding why. And her eyes, they where red. Blood red.

She needed to see her mum that's why she went home. She couldn't make out what was happening to her, she needed her mum's confort.

To late she realised she wasn't in her normal clothes but in an hospital gawn. Her stuff weren't with her. The keys for the house wasn't with her and the house was in the dark, which meant nobody was there.

Even like that, she wanted to be at home. Probably wait for her mum to return from wherever she was.

She wasn't sure if it was gonna work or not but she tried. Usually in movies they left and extra key somewhere near the house just for emergencies. She never had a problem with her key so her mum never told her about having a spare key somewhere around, still she started looking and soon after that she found it. In the little flowerpot close to the window.

She opened the door eager to get in her home but as she walked, she suddenly stopped.

She leaned her head to the side obviously confused and then tried again. She stopped in a halt as if something invisible was blocking her way in.

She tried again and again, but she was never able to get in. It was making her angry, enfurieting her that she couldn't get into her own house. So she tried once more. She backed away a few metres in a straight line and then run almost in a blur again towards the door but she only bounced back -with a scream- farder away from where she started running -probably because of the speed and strengh she used to get in- making her fall bottom down.

What the hell was happening! She thought. She wanted to cry and she felt as if she was crying but when she touched her eyes surprised that her cheeks were dry she realised that she wasn't crying. She couldn't cry. Why? She sure felt like she was.

The neighbour's porch light switched on and she run away.

She appeared -again in a time record- at Crystal's -her best friend- doorstep.

The lights of the house where on, she found herself shocked when she realised that she could hear Crystal talking on the phone upstairs. But normal ears wouldn't be able to hear that. She also started looking around, panicking as she could hear lots of voices in her head, but nobody was around. Everybody were at their houses. This neighbourhood was more populated than hers and all the lights on the area where on, which made her want to harry and get into a safe place.

Crystal was alone in the house, she could tell as she wasn't able to hear anybody else in that particular house but Crystal. And she could hear her loud and clear, her voice almost shaking as she spoke on the phone with somebody that probably gave her bad news, or shocking news.

She pressed the bell. It sounded too loud for her ears. She felt as if somebody stucked that bell inside her head and it was amplified by a deadly echo that made her wince.

Soon enough Crystal hanged up and walked downstairs "coming!" She said while she let the phone in the living room. When she opened the door she couldn't hide the surprised look on her face when she saw who was standing at the other side of the door.

"Sarah honey what are you doing here?" Sarah was happy to see her friend but her face was blank, she didn't want to walk close the door as she feared that something like what happened at her house would happen here too.

That would frighten Crystal and she needed her friend more than anything else at the moment. She nedded to feel safe. She needed to feel human.
What's wrong with her? Crystal thought and Sarah's eyes that were at the floor quickly flickered to Crystal's face. Sarah shook her head, repliying to Crystal, but what she didn't know is that Crystal never said anything. She thought it.

"Evereybody is like crazy looking for you Sarah!" Crystal sighed "are you ok?" She doesn't look ok, Crystal thought again, Sarah never answered, neither question or thought.
"What are you still doing out there, is freezing cold and look what you are wearing!! Did you escape from the hospital? We need to call your mum" Sarah's eyes brighten a little at the thought of her mum "I was on the phone with her a minute ago, she's about to loose it Sarah, why did you leave the hospital?" Sarah was still in silence looking at the floor, consciously trying to hide her red eyes from her friend, red eyes that suddenly reminded her of St. Martyr's day.
It was written in the history of Zoneville that in St. Martyr's day they would hunt for those with red eyes. They always thought they talked about animals but she wasn't so sure anymore. After all, somebody attacked her and it didn't feel like an animal. In some ways and now her eyes were dark red.
"What are you still doing out there!" Crystal said now walking back into the house. "We don't have all night, I have to call your mum" Sarah remained hesitant at the door.

What's wrong? Crystal thought, is she ok? Is she in a trauma? Oh Sarah, she kept thinking.

"Sarah could you please come in? Now" but Sarah remained at the door now almost shaking. Crystal walked out and put her arm around Sarah's shoulder. Sarah sniffed the aroma of Crystal's skin instintively. It really was pleasant but she shook her head to try to clear it from that thought.

"C'mon honey, let's get in, oh! you are frozen!" Crystal complained while pushing her in.

Sarah moved slowly towards the door frame and surprisely she didn't feel somethig in the way. Something blocking her. So she relaxed and walked in.

"Ok, go upstairs ok? get a few of my clothes while I prepare something hot for you and then we'll call your mum, she's really worried" Sarah nodded and started walking upstairs but not before she heard Crystal's thoughts again, poor girl, she thought as she walked towards the kitchen.

By the time Crystal came back into her room with a mug of delicious hot chocolate, Sarah was already changed and sat beside the window, deep in thoughts. 

"Here it goes honey" Crystal said as she gave the hot chocolate mug to her. Sarah loved hot chocolate but as the aroma got into her nose she suddenly groaned digusted. Crystal didn't miss that.

"Is there something wrong?" Sarah was still trying to hide her eyes, so she answered looking trhough the window "I'm fine".

"Sarah honey, what are you doing here? Why aren't you in the hospital" Sarah wasn't intending to answer that question. You can trust me, Crystal thought "I know I can" Sarah said answering Crystal's thoughts. That made Crystal blink confused "what do you know, honey?" She asked "that I can trust you" Sarah replied making Crystal more confused. I didn't think I said that out loud, did I? Crystal thought "what are you talking about Crystal?" Sarah kept answering her thoughts.

"I haven't said anything" she replied "what do you mean you haven't said anything you just wondered if you said that I can trust you out loud" Crystal that was still standing suddenly sat on her bed, wide eyed with shock "I didn't say that out loud either" she tried to search for Sarah's face but she couldn't.  

"what do you mean?" Sarah said still calm.

 What's wrong with her? Crystal thought again "would you stop saying that something's wrong with me! Nothing's wrong, I'm fine" Sarah snapped, still looking through the window "well something is definetely wrong cause I didn't said that out loud either" Crystal eyes were on her friend, waiting for her to turn. Suddenly she knew that she shouldn't move, her instincts said that to her.

"What?!" Sarah asked while turning, now obviously annoyed and there...Crystal saw it.

"what's wrong with your eyes Sarah!" Crystal said, Sarah stiffened as she realised she's been discovered.

She looks totally different now that I see her in the light, she's so...pale, Crystal thought.

Sarah's eyes widened as she realised that Crystal was talking without moving her lips. Could it be that...? No it couldn't be. Is not possible Sarah thought to herself but again there were voices inside her head all the time. Was it possible that she was listening to Crystal's thoughts? She's been saying that she hadn't said certain things out loud so what else could it be.

A sudden thirst made Sarah's fangs grow out again. She winced at the sudden pain she felt and turned towards the window as she realised that this strange thing was happening again.

Soon after she did that in the hospital, she murdered somebody.

Please no, Sarah thought. Not here, not Crystal.
"Sarah you are scaring me, let's call your mum"
"no!" Sarah snapped and in no second took the phone from Crystal's hand and crashed it in her hands. Oh my gosh! Crystal's facial expression was now in between horror and concern as she saw her friends fangs, and red eyes now glaring at her viciously. 

Sarah saw Crystal's face, she was scaring her best friend. She didn't want to hurt her so she better left that place before things got out of control.

She disappeared again in a blur.

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The girls were already ahead of me walking towards the door.
"yeah keep going I'll be right behind you" I said as I locked the door of the car.

As soon as I turned to walk I jumped as Christopher materialised in front of me, his eyes furious on me "where are you going!" I glared at him but I had other things to do apart from arguing at the moment "let me through" I snarled 

"you can't" his voice was threatening but I ignored him "let me through" I said again trying to walk pass him but he moved as I did impeding me to go through.

"Gabrielle" he said now his eyes full of concern "is dangerous" what was he talking about? Why was he so worried? "She's been bitten" he suddenly said through clinched teeth "what?" I quickly said not understanding what he meant and I didn't have time to understand either "let me through!" I said again angrily.

He looked at me for a few seconds I could see the indecision in his eyes but he then vanished leaving the sound of his voice like a whisper behind "I'll be watching you".

I shook my head and looked around making sure nobody saw that to be able to confirm how weird Christopher and his family really were.

I walked into the hospital shuddering at the thought of me stepping into a hospital again but it didn't take me long till a got back out as I realised my phone was still in the car -i had to let Jeremy know that we were ok- the girls were already far away from me so I walked outside, it would be just a second, nothing could happen in a second could it? Plus I knew he'd be around watching me -he said so- so I walked out into the darkness of the parking lot. I didn't realise how dark it was until I stood beside my car alone.

I send a text message to Jeremy as soon as I got my phone.

As I closed the door I saw a shadow from the corner of my eye, I replied instinctively as I turned "I'm already going back" thinking he would try to make me go home, but it wasn't him the one that was now standing beside me. 

Her dark red eyes wide, eyeing me with a vicious look "huh-ho" I now realised what he meant by her being bitten, it was so obvious that I wanted to kick myself for not listening.

Sarah now as white as a corpse was standing a few inches away from me, her face contorted as she glared at me, her lips pulling back showing her sharp teeth as she sniffed her nostrils flaring. I took a step back unconsciously and she moved forward as I did.

"Gabrielle" she said as I kept moving backward and she forward following me till we were out of sight, near the trees that surrounded the area.

"You smell really good I never noticed before, mouthwatering" she kept following my slow steps till I couldn't walk no more "how's Ben?" She said wincing as she said his name "if I take you now you won't be able to have him" she chuckled, she was obviously enjoying this, the fear in my eyes, the shake of my trembling hands.  

She was now a vampire and she was looking at me as if I was a piece of meet.

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 Ben was about to call Sarah's and Gabrielle's name out to get their attention. They've been like crazy looking for Sarah and she was out here all the time but he stopped when he saw Sarah launch towards Gabrielle. Are they fighting again? he thought while he chuckled. He didn't have the chance to see how their first fight turned out. He just heard about how Gabrielle punched her in the face last time. Of course he wanted to stop them but Sarah, -a person that just a few hours ago was almost catatonic in a hospital bed- was now so energetic.
That made him happy, if Gabrielle was the reason behind her being so strong then he thought that allowing them to fight for a few minutes wouldn't a problem. But just a few minutes.
He was about to stop them when he saw Sarah moving from one side of Gabrielle's to another side in less than a second. What the heck was that?!! he thought. He rubbed his eyes, did he see properly? "Sarah please, you don't want to do this you need to control yourself" he heard Gabrielle plead. Sarah laughed out loud "oh this I want more than anything in the world, I'm so...thirsty and you smell so good".
Ben observed what was happening wide eyed. He didn't know what to do, his feet wouldn't move. He now understood that something was wrong with Sarah, she wasn't fighting with Gabrielle, she was trying to kill her. He now saw how Sarah almost flew towards Gabrielle and with a move of her hand she sent her flying across the lot and run towards her before Gabrielle's body could touch the ground. Gabrielle screamed and when Ben was about to get involved when he saw two shadows suddenly materialise beside Gabrielle, one of then helping her up and the other in front of her as a shield. Soon after he realised they were Leonard Trivani and Christopher Martyr.
Of course he thought to himself, they are always around the scene of the crime as he told Gabrielle in school, he was right. As he kept looking at the situation he saw how Sarah attacked Christopher but he was much more stronger than she was and he shoved her away without a problem. Suddenly Leonard that was beside Gabrielle run almost in a blur towards Sarah, he locked her arms at the sides of her body in an unbreakable grip while Christopher grabbed her head and with a quick movement ripped it off her body making Ben almost scream in horror.

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after Sarah vanished in the air as dust would, Leonard run towards me taking my face into his hands so fast that I didn't have time to react.

"are you ok?" I could see Christopher groaning and wincing behind Leonard. Then I focused on Leonard's concerned eyes and nodded, he then sighed letting his hand fall and hang at the sides of his body.

I then turned towards Christopher "what took you so long! You said you'd be watching" he had and apologetic face but I wasn't being fare, I was the one that disobeyed him in the first place.

Leonard quickly put his arm around my waist and led my shaking body towards the hospital door before Christopher could even reply to my now unanswered question.

I glanced at him as I turned towards the door. I didn't like how I felt when I did. His eyes  were on me, arms folded on his chest as he saw me leaving with his cousin.

I almost forgot Leonard still had his arm around my waist pushing me forward and I shuddered as I remembered how much closer we were the last time I saw him.

I didn't have time to shove him away as he did it himself once we crossed the door and Brook and Jenny run towards me, their faces full of shock as they saw Leonard with me or so I thought.

They greeted him warmly -thing I never expected- but their faces were still in shock as they panted in front of me.

"Sarah's gone" Jenny said "and somebody's been attacked inside the hospital, his body was drained of blood" realisation came to mind, she must have been thirsty as soon as she woke up.

I remembered what Christopher told me about them. The morning after they were bitten they woke up really hungry without knowing what they were. They almost killed someone but thanks to Byron they didn't -i could find a few flaws in that story, things that I would find out later- Sarah in the other hand, was alone in this hospital filled with people with wounds and blood.

"She's dead" Leonard said making the girl's eyes widen in surprise "what?" Brook said "she's been bitten by a vampire" I finally said "she just attacked me, the cousins saved me" Jenny run towards me "oh honey are you ok?" I nodded though I wasn't really ok.

"Oh my god!" Brook suddenly said making Leonard rigid beside me, I guessed he already heard what she was thinking cause he vanished from my side leaving a "wow!" Slip through Jenny's lips.

I looked at Brook instantly "what's wrong?" She looked back at me confused. 

"He just heard your thoughts but I haven't and obviously is something bad so why don't you tell me" I explained, she nodded comprehending now the situation.

"Ben went out looking for you, you were taking long" I also stiffened at the thought of Ben being out there in the dark when Sarah was around "but she liked him, she wouldn't hurt him" Jenny said. "Not all vampires are like the cousins, she already killed, if she was thirsty I'm sure that wouldn't stop her"

Leonard came back in so fast that if we had blinked we could have missed his entrance.

"He's not around, he must have left" relive crossed through me.

"We better go home" I said and we walked towards the car Leonard behind us.

He escorted us and then vanished.

While driving home I asked the girls why they were so polite and warm towards Leonard, I knew they felt I was wrong about staying away from them but it didn't explain how they reacted when they saw him. Instead of answering, they ignored my question asking me about why did Leonard bring me home fainted two days ago.  

I ignored that too and we were suddenly giggling as we realised neither of us was intending to answer either question. But still I was intrigued. "What will happen with Sarah? People will be looking for her" Jenny asked. I really didn't know either...

"She'll be counted as missing I guess" I said

"is the one in the hospital going to turn into a vampire too?" She kept asking "I doubt it, he was dead already Sarah wasn't"

And we left it at that.

Driving in silence, I could tell we were all thinking about the same thing.

Sarah.

We got home and each of them turned to their respective cars, I groaned at them telling them to stay in my house for the night. Even though they could still attack in the morning I didn't feel good allowing them to leave now.

"Don't worry we are covered" Jenny said with a smile.

covered? I raised one brow "Renzo?" I asked amused by the fact that he was still protecting her. But that was just Jenny "what about you?" I turned to Brook worried "covered" she said too. covered by who?

She got into her car before I could ask anything else and waving through the window she left.

What was going on here? Was it really ok for them to leave? Anyway they left leaving me astonished as they did.

I walked towards the door when Leonard called my attention from the border of the woods, I didn't want to go but I did, my legs moving without a warning.

"What do you want?" I asked at once, ostil again.

I already started shaking, we were alone and I didn't like what that reminded me of.

Waves of electricity already floating around us. "Don't be that reckless again" he said his eyes warm and melting into mine "if Christopher or I wanr you about something, you listen" I didn't like how he said that, it felt like an order to me. He sighed "I don't know what I'd do if I loose you again" his eyes were suddenly sad. I shook my head trying to brush away all the thoughts that were now making their way into my mind.

My leg started bouncing nervously and that caught his attention. He looked from my face to my leg and then smiled widely.

I turned to the side and punched my leg to stop, he caught that too.

MERDA I thought. I needed something else to think about and I needed it quick. I was already feeling that magnetic pull towards him.

And it came. Something to talk about, something I wanted to ask him before I could pull away -from the magnet- and go home.

Sarah.

"About Sarah..." I said my breath already coming fast

"yes?"

"She turned today didn't she?" I thought that was most probable as the now dead patient was found today.

He nodded "I  thought she was supposed to turn over night as soon as she was bitten as you guys did..." I broke off. He was already frowning "you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to" I said as I took in his silence as an I'm not talking about that.

He eyed me for a while, then shook his head, then sighed, then smiled and then sighed again.

How confusing, what was he thinking about? "You don't necessarily have to" he said "to change over night. It all depends of the state of your body" he continued while pacing from once side to another, hands tight behind his back as if a teacher lecturing in front of a classroom "if you are healthy and strong it might take a few days for you to completely turn as your body will resist against it. Sarah was bleeding badly when they found her so the vampire blood had to spread slowly healing her body before turning her"

I waited patiently as I hoped to hear about his story. I suddenly found myself wondering about him, about how he really felt about being a vampire.

Christopher told me once that Leonard found it cool.

I actually forgot that I was mad at him and just waited for the time to come while I seated on the grass.

It felt like that very day I found the truth about my mother. They day she died I already had a hint of the mysteri but I needed the whole truth so I called Leonard knowing or hoping that he would open my eyes once and for all so I wouldn't be in the dark. That day he told me to meet him at the meadow. And now I realised that, that was the meadow he used to take Gabriella to. He told me that day that Christopher didn't know about that place. Gusebooms raised the hair on my arms as I tried to push all those thoughts away and focuse in our conversation.

 "In our case" he finally said "we were ill but not hurt, no cracks or wounds were anywhere in our bodies so we changed quickly" I nodded instinctively.

"Do you enjoy being a vampire?" I said the words before thinking.

He already stopped pacing and his back was towards me. He stood in silence for a while and then he answered "I did When it started. I thought it was great, apart from the fact that I needed blood to survive I did pretty much the same as when I was human. I was exactly the same person with a few more advantages. I was stronger, faster, agile. I thought of it as the best thing that could have happened to me till you..." He broke off.

I understood what he meant and I smiled encouraging him to continue "then I thought of it as a curse, everybody we knew was dying before us. I knew I was never gonna die, Byron already told us on what we were capable of but I never grasped it until it happened. Until years started passing by as quick as hours. We saw the transformation of this town from the shadows, we know the real story about Zoneville not that stupid version they give in history class, that's why I didn't choose that subject this time, they always change it to their convenience. I used to argue with the history teachers every now and then a lo largo de los siglos".

I swallow at that thought, he's been around for quite some time.

"You argue with Mr. Kent too?" He looked at me surprised and then started laughing so loud that I fiered Jeremey would come ot of the house.

"No, no he would never dare to argue with me" what did he mean by that?? "Does he know your secret?" I asked with my eyes wide open.

He laughed again "Gabrielle, he's one of us" my mouth hanged open as I proceesed that information, but that explained lots of things or at least the way he used to talk so polite and ancient with Christopher or the way it didn't bother him that he missed some of his classes. Did Christopher ask him to do the movie thing and switch off the lights that day? No, probably not, I'm just leaving my imagination wonder, right?  

"Christopher didn't tell you?" He asked

"No he didn't"

"Well now you know" I couldn't process that, I didn't understand "but-but he's not pale!" I said, now I was the one talking loud. He chuckled again. "Well he needs to be really thankful towards the modern live" I stared at him confused.

"Make up my dear"

"Oh" was the only thing I managed to say and I nodded. This was actually cool.

Talking to him I mean, surprisingly I was at ease. "So does he agree with history then?" I asked, he just said he used to argue with teachers a lot because of History and it turns out that this year's teacher is a vampire that knows about history more than the authors of that history book.

"No he doesn't, but what to do? Teaching is what he loves. He was a teacher before and he will always be"

"why does he ware make up" I was amused by that.

"Everybody has notice the strange colour of our skin, it was just convenient for us if they thought he had no connexion with my family" I nodded again.

"Did it hurt? becoming a vampire I mean"

"hmm though it didn't hurt me as much as it did to Christopher, I'll have to give him that. I was already unconscious when Byron came to me, Cristopher... he saw it coming".

It was annoyingly easy to speak to Leonard even with this sudden waves of magnetic attraction.

I started picturing them in the 17th century both of them lying in their beds waiting for the bite to come. I remembered the anguish I saw on Christopher's face while he told me about that precise part of the story.

It made me shudder.

When I focused my eyes on Leonard his face was already a few inches away from mine, eyes narrowed with anxiety.

"Are you ok?" He said brushing his fingers on my cheek. I gasped as I relised how close he was.

I did it again.

I nodded trying to snap out of my trail of thoughts when he relaxed and moved forward eyeing my lips. Oh no I thought, not again please but I didn't move.

I was already dizzy breathing faster when his head suddenly snapped to the side, eyes wondering around looking for something.

He straighten up and urged me to get inside the house. I guessed danger was near so I stood up.

"Be careful" I said concerned but he smiled, obviously not worried at all. 

"As long as you stay in that house I won't have to worry so don't worry about me, now go"  and I left.

I saw him still looking at me till I reached the door and then he left.

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This time Christopher was the one that launched at Leonard's throat first.

"Don't you dare touch her" Christopher was out of control.

"Don't you get tired of threatening me? I already did" Leonard said with a teasing and mocking smile "Do you wanna know the reason behind those 2 days she burned in fever?" Leonard opened his thoughts towards Christopher so he could see for himself everything that happened 2 days ago.

The way he hold her in his arms, the way she reacted at that kiss was what set him on fire. Christopher's lips pulled back showing his white sharp teeth. His eyes were full of hate towards Leonard but he was in pain, in deep pain.

Nobody could imagine how much he loved Gabrielle and the fact that history was repeating itslef made it hard for him to handle.

"You already lost" Leonard said now serious

"Again"

TO BE CONTINUED.....