Darkness

2.1

I woke up from my restless sleep, right as the sun peeked in my room, and stumbled downstairs. My birthday present was unravelled while my mum placed some of my clothes on my bag and felt me behind her. I remember her kissing me with a beautiful smile on her face, my dad smiled too whilst taking our bags to the car. I thought my therapist was the culprit for this unexpected idea.

Due to my lack of sleep, that night, I remember as I got in the car my consciousness left into oblivion, dreaming of the dark. It was a peaceful sleep and one I hadn't had in almost two years. Unfortunately, it wasn't a long one since flashes of light and darkness sped through my closed pupils. As I fled from my darkness and opened my eyes, a familiar sight came to view. The skinny trees flashed through the car window and anxiety creeped in again, just for a second. The memory of the empty house we left behind didn't bothered me anymore as the undenied future gushed throughout my body. Excitement was yet again born within me and so the last of my rationality flew away, like a bird that escaped from its cage. It was selfish, but at the time, I was ecstatic. My life was about to begin, and whatever it was – pain, guilt or death – I wanted to embrace it.

My dad must have seen my eagerness and told me – We're almost there, confirming what I was afraid off, my selfish dark desire of meaning. I didn't know what to do, or what to say because I wanted it.

The same skinny trees that hunted me in my dreams were now surrounding me. The fog was quiet, probably because of summer; for the sun was its enemy and so it hid away in the darkness, leaving only the strongest mist behind.

I was afraid something bad would happen, but at the same time I wanted to know what would happen. I laid back on my sit thinking. Maybe they'll think I came back to die. Maybe they'll have something more to show me. For the first time, the idea of death didn't soothe me. I wanted more... I wanted to know. But death was probably the most certain answer, because I knew something that I probably shouldn't, and although I was starving for more, I thought if I died, my parents would live and that would be the day my suffering would end. Unexpectedly, the idea of dying didn't seem so bad. Only the unanticipated future wouldn't leave me peace, as it whispered in my ear, tales from another world. And for how much shooting darkness felt, life seemed much more thrilling. That day, in our tiny car, I felt like living.

I will write this as well as I can remember.

The first thing I heard, pulling me out of my mind, was a strong manly voice as the car came to a stop and it said: Welcome. I looked at the source of this voice and fear stroke me like a knife to the gut. The man that had once stood behind the boy, stood outside our car smiling. I called for my mom, but she got out of the car before I could catch her attention. After they greeted each other, my dad called for me to come out. Needless to say, I was reluctant to leave de car. The only comforting thought that came to mind was that, maybe these two years that had passed by, changed me so much, that he wouldn't recognise me. I wasn't sure if he actually saw me before, but I was hoping that the best description that little boy could master, was purely different from what I looked like after 2 years. My anxiety had lost me my chubbiness, I was taller, and my hair had grown as long as my back. Altogether, my body was different, I was turning into a woman, and I hoped it would be enough.

I heard my mum calling my name this time, rushing me. I shyly came out of the car.

I remember his words, – Luna, beautiful name – while he smiled again extending his hand to greet me. I didn't shake it, instead I looked at his teeth imaging the blood dripping from them, like it did on that boy.

I got startled as my dad urged me, cutting off my imagination, and shook the man's hand without thinking. I looked at his face again and wondered if he knew.

My parents engaged in conversation with the man as he led us away from our car. My brain was too clogged up with everything that was happening. I didn't know what to do, or if I could do anything.

I walked behind them over the humid dirt, when something from the corner of my eye caught my attention. Standing at the porch of a big wooden house, was the boy. Compared to me he didn't change much. He looked about the same hight as before, skinny as before. The only difference was that his curly hair was gone, he cut out the curls that hid his dark eyes. I knew, from the way he looked at me, my human disguise didn't hide anything from his eyes. He stood at the porch looking at me like I was the wild animal ready to kill. He looked more frightened of me than I was of them.

You should have killed me; I remember thinking as I frowned at him. Hope flourished within my chest I as hoped he would tell me I wasn't crazy.

That surge of courage was cut short as I heard – You're a brave one uh? – The man looked amused over my... bravery.

I still remember my words to him: I guess that's why they think I'm crazy – It wasn't something I wanted him to know, but rather a thought that came to mind. He asked if I was referring to my parents and I shrugged. Everyone – I said. I was hoping that my craziness would wash them away – like everyone else –, but instead of fear, his face faintly looked strung by sadness. He nodded while his amused look faded away and he told me, I'm sorry. I didn't understand why this man was apologizing to me – I must've been a sad thing to look at – I simply said: It works in my favour sometimes. I really didn't know what to do, but I tried to scare this big man off with my words. It wasn't a lie though, at least I didn't have to deal with people, because they normally stayed away from me.

However, he smiled again as he agreed with me. It was strange, such a big man smiling all the time. He didn't look like a friendly person. He looked like order and respect. But he felt... kind.

I gazed at the house yet again, trying to find the boy but instead I saw a lady, staring at us like she was trying to hear our conversation. Except that was impossible, she was too far away.

An older man came to meet us, to take us to the house we would be staying in. It took at least fifteen minutes to reach the house. Probably ten if we had walked faster. Five if I ran, maybe?

When we arrived, I looked back to the other house, at the end of the road, it seemed tiny from where I was standing.

The old man said the same in his raspy voice, when he heard my name – Beautiful name – as he took my hand in his, without my consent, and patted it. I remember it because it was odd. No one ever told me that. It was just a name.

The old man left with my dad and the man. Whilst the man went to help my dad with our bags, my mum went inside and called after me, but I chose to stand at the entrance looking out for my dad. Watching them as they went back and came back, just to make sure.

Instead of saying our goodbyes, the man started with small talk before asking my father for us to come by for supper. The image of the boy's mouth full of blood flashed in my mind as my dad agreed. I tried to interject saying we needed to unpack but my dad looked at me with a disapproving look.

Within the mess I created the man decided to say what we would be having for supper – deer. My brain wasn't able to panic as my dad asked the man if he hunted, feeding my thoughts. And the man said yes –I've actually been teaching my boy to hunt. Maybe Luna could come with us some day. I thought of it as an invitation to my death. Although I'd decided to live, it would be ok if my parents lived instead.

As my dad started to reject the idea, I responded with, I would love to. But the man seemed genuinely happy with my response and that made me confused. My dad tried to refuse saying I was only sixteen. Which the man replied: Well Isaac is eighteen now, it's not very far off. Maybe you'll be good friends.

He smiled at my dad and my dad smiled back, although, it was clear, he didn't like the idea one bit.

Author's Note: 

So part 2 starts with them meeting again. Do you think they'll be friends?

Please vote and comment!!