The Moonlit Desires: Bound by Blood

Emma

With a forceful push, the old, creepy door swung open, and I was forcefully thrown inside, causing my body to crash onto the unforgiving ground. A sharp hiss of pain escaped my lips as I felt the door close behind me, its echoing crack sending a horrifying chill down my spine.

“Emma…..!!”

“Is Emma…..!!”

Suddenly, I heard a voice, filled with both excitement and fear, screaming my name. It was a voice I recognized, and as it drew closer, I could sense the tremble of fear and pity in her tone. The sound of footsteps grew louder, and it was clear that it wasn’t just two or three people approaching. From the intensity of their footsteps, it seemed like there were many more. The pain was unbearable, making it impossible for me to lift my head and catch a glimpse of them. My head was spinning, and it felt as if the weight of the entire world was resting on my shoulders.

“She seems terrible,” someone whispered about me, and I could hear others mirroring her sentiment before erupting into laughter.

“Don’t you dare laugh at her! None of you seem any better… Instead of offering help, you all just stood there to mock her!” I heard that familiar voice once again, but this time it was filled with anger. I could sense the anger and pain in her words, and yet, I couldn’t respond. I knew she was standing up for me.

“Hey! Warlock, watch it there!”

“Don’t you dare!” She shrieked back at the girl.

On hearing her outburst, I brought my head up, desperate to prevent her from doing something reckless because of me. But as I did, a sharp pain shot through my back, causing me to instinctively hiss in agony. The sudden outburst caught their attention, and Alma hurried towards me, gripping my fists tightly. “Emma…” Her soft voice echoed in my mind, but before I could reply, my vision blurred, everything doubling before my eyes.

“Hey, Emma….. Are you there!”

I could feel her shaking my body, desperately trying to keep me awake. But sadly, I could feel myself drifting away, her voice fading into echoes in my head. I struggled to open my heavy eyelids, but they seemed impossibly heavy. And just like that, I slipped into unconsciousness.

TICK. TICK

In a small village nestled among mist-covered mountains, I found myself in a mysterious and ethereal world. The air was thick with clouds, obscuring my vision and leaving me completely disoriented.

As I turned around, my heart skipped a beat. Standing just a few meters away from me were my parents, who had tragically passed away a few months ago. Their presence filled me with a mix of disbelief, longing, and joy.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I reached out to touch them, but unfortunately, my hand passed right through their incorporeal forms. And that’s when I realized that this was not a reunion in the physical sense, but a moment of spiritual connection.

Sensing my confusion, my parents smiled warmly at me, their eyes filled with love and pride. My hand was still stretched out to touch them again to confirm my assumption but as I took a step forward they drew back. I stepped forward again, now my heart was a bit broken but they moved back again. Filled with pain, I sadly snapped my head to look at them, my eyes twinkling with a mix of confusion, sadness, and pain in them. And without uttering a word, my parents conveyed a message to my soul. It was a message of strength, resilience, and the pursuit of justice.

“No…!” I shake my head vigorously, refusing to accept their heartbreaking message. But just then an unexpected strength surges through me, empowering my entire being. “No… Please, Mom,” I plead, stretching out my trembling hands, tears streaming down my face. I can’t bear to part ways with them again.

They should take back their strength and allow me to be by their side. The world inside is terrifying and dreadful, and I cannot bear to be alone amidst those bloodsuckers. Besides, there is nothing for me back in that world. Everything I desire is right here in front of me – my parents. I long to find solace with them. Out there, I am burdened with responsibilities that surpass my own capabilities.

“Emma,”

I blinked my eyes, trying to clear away the tears that had blurred my vision when suddenly Alma’s voice cut through the haze again, soothing and gentle. “Emma,” she called out to me, her voice filled with concern. “Emma, can you hear me?”

“A. Alma,” I stammered, my voice trembling with uncertainty. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

Snapping my head towards my parents, I desperately searched their faces, hoping they had heard Alma’s voice too. I needed confirmation that I wasn’t just imagining it. But as I turned back, the voice echoed in my head once more, sending shivers down my spine. “Please, wake up… You can’t do this to me,” it pleaded, filled with a mix of fear and desperation.

“A… lma,” I mumbled, my voice barely audible as I struggled to comprehend what was happening. It was unmistakably her voice, but she wasn’t physically here. How could this be? I glanced at my parents, their expressions mirroring my own confusion. It was evident from the look on their faces that they had heard the voice too.

“M…. mom,”. “Da…. d”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“It is time, child,”

“Tim… time,” I stuttered, my voice trembling as the realization washed over me. I lifted my head, locking eyes with my parents as their voices echoed in my head. My face flushed with a mix of emotions, and my eyes widened in total disbelief.

“Please… I can’t go back,” I pleaded, my voice filled with desperation. But before I could fully comprehend the weight of my words, a spark of light appeared out of nowhere. Suddenly, blinding flashes of light engulfed my face, tearing me away from the comforting presence of my parents and thrusting me back into the horrifying world of uncertainty.

Tick. Tick

“Emma,”

My ears were nearly deafened by the excited scream from behind. I felt a figure rushing towards me, her arms enveloping me in a tight embrace, cradling me against her chest. I could sense her silent prayers, a mix of relief and concern.

Slowly, my eyelid twitches as I fought to keep my eyes open against the blinding ray of light that flooded the room.

“Al… ma,” I stuttered, my voice barely a whisper as I opened my eyes.

“Emma,” I whispered, feeling her slowly release herself from the embrace. She pulled away, a mix of relief and worry evident in her eyes. “You scared me,” she murmured, her voice muffled and filled with concern.

“Where… Where am I?” She asked, my voice trembling as I ignored Alma’s concerned words. Confusion washed over me, and I desperately sought answers about my surroundings.

“In my room,” she answered, her voice filled with a mixture of worry and relief. “But I remembered passing out…” My words trailed off, and pain etched itself onto my face.

Though I didn’t get to finish when she suddenly cuts in, “Yep, you collapsed at the lobby, so I pulled you inside with the help of some people who were kind enough to lend a helping hand,” she finishes with a shrug before looking back at me.

“You looked stressed out,” she mumbled. “I hope you didn’t mind that I cleaned you up,” she asked, earning a sigh from me.

The look on her face says it all like she wanted to really know what happened that might have caused the wounds on my back that were tangled with blood. Sighing, I couldn’t dare to look into those curious eyes of hers, so I tilted my head to the other side, pulling my gaze away from her.

“Care to share what happened?”

BANG!!!

Immediately the question slipped out of her mouth, the door was busted open, startling us and pulling our attention to the scene. Standing there were four huge men with broad shoulders. Looking at them, I already knew why they were here. Alma seemed scared, like a rain-soaked chicken.

“Get her,” came a famine voice.

Titling my head to the side, I saw Serena. How could I have not seen her? Alma gave me a skeptical look, though I could see what felt like concern and pity swirling beneath her eyes.

I was still trying to get up when two of the men hurried toward me and forcefully dragged me out of the bed, away from the room. My heart raced with fear as I struggled with my weak body against their grip, desperately trying to break free. The adrenaline surged through my veins, fueling my determination to escape their clutches. The hallway seemed to stretch endlessly before me as we moved further away from the safety of the room. Each step felt like an eternity, the tension building with every passing moment. The air was thick with tension as if time itself had slowed down. It was at that moment that I realized this was only the beginning of a much larger, more dangerous journey ahead of me……. Something way more painful and worse than what I have been through.