elemental • n. m.

36. suck on a lemon

As we continued walking through the tunnel in the Old Lockwood Cellar, Elena comments, "So, the Lockwoods really have no idea that these tunnels are underneath their property?"

She looks around, the flashlight in her hand moving with her.

"Careful where you shine that thing. Bats hate the light." Alaric said.

"Wait, what?" Elena says, as if she can't hear.

I roll my eyes at the attitude.

Damon secretly comes up and whisper shouts behind her. "Elena!"

She turns around fast and sees him.

Damon mocks, "Boo!"

She jumps from fright, as I giggle. "Hey Icy eyes."

The doppelgänger gasps, "Ah! God, Damon!"

Damon rolls his undead eyes, "Scaredy-cat!"

Alaric casually places an arm around my shoulders, turning to Elena, "Just ignore him. That's what I do."

Elena asks, "So, you really can't get in?"

I whistle lowly, "No, ma'am."

Damon glares at my mock, "No. Seems even the ancient Lockwoods were anti-vampire."

Elena questions, "What do you mean, ancient?"

Damon gestures forward ahead, "See for yourself."

We walk further into the tunnels, to the portion of the cave with drawings on the walls, reminding me of a certain someone.

Damon stops in his tracks, "Well, this is as far as I get to go."

Elena heads on forward and enters the chamber and shines her flashlight on the walls with the drawings.

"What is all this?" She inquires in respect to the many drawings.

"Well, as far as I can tell, it's a story." Alaric says.

I continue, "In simple, archaeological terms, it's a really, really old story." I point at the wall. "That right there, is the moon cycle." I point at an adjacent drawing as I continue, "A man, a wolf."

Elena pulls it together, "A werewolf."

Damon scoffs, getting antsy, "Yeah, it's the "Lockwood Diaries: Pictionary-Style."

"I don't understand. I thought the Lockwoods came here with the Original Founders in the 1860s."

Alaric shakes his head, "I don't know. Maybe the Lockwoods did, but according to this wall, these werewolves have been here a lot longer than that."

"How long?"

Damon drawls, "Long. It gets better. Show her, Ric."

Alaric nods, "Names. They're not native. They're written in Runic, a Viking script."

Elena, "Vikings?"

"This name here, I translated it and it reads Niklaus."

"Klaus." Elena breathes out.

"And Elijah...and Rebekah." I sing song leaning in to touch the names.

A sudden flashback rolls into my head as I can't help but be transported to the 900s.

Rebekah is using a knife to carve her name in Runic into the cave wall. Niklaus is standing behind her, watching while holding a burning wooden torch for lighting.

"Rebekah, let me have at it!" Niklaus says, as if worried that Bekah may harm herself in the process of carving.

"Quiet, Niklaus!" His sister rolls her blue eyes, "I am to have more concentration if I am not to slice off a finger."