7 Oh Sharmaine!

In an island far away from the Vampire Kingdom, two best friends are about to face each other.

One who has kept her sanity and pure heart while the other one is on the verge of insanity and filled with hatred.

While Alliyah embracing Areej back tightly, she cries silently and tells her that it will be her and Areej against anyone who may try to separate them.

A fear of separation breaks in between the two since this kind of situation reflects how unusual it is for a human and vampire to hold each other or even share a space without killing each other.

"Yes, my peanut! It is Alliyah and Areej against the world." declared by Alliyah to her little sister.

While Alliyah and Areej having a beautiful moment, from a far watching them. Someone is lurking from far away carefully watching the two.

"There you are, bestie!" a blood shot red eyed woman with dark skinned wearing torn dress covered with blood.

Feral looking vampire observes the Alliyah and Areej have their moment. Few moments after, it even watches the two eat the feral pig while the pig was being roasted to a campfire created by Alliyah.

It is eagerly and patiently waiting for the two to move.

Moments after, the sky becomes lavender and the wind breezes colder, Alliyah planned to clean the orphanage first without the trace of the lifeless bodies and would check what happened to the rest of the villagers before she lets Areej walk around the island.

"Little peanut, I will just get something and make sure that there is no more danger okay? I will be quick. One thing you should know I am faster now!" Alliyah tells Areej.

"Really? You are faster! Like you can go -- vroooom! Vroom!" Areej childishly making a fast hand gesture slightly up in the air and an adorable face which made Alliyah really smile and laugh despite her fears towards the new reality that she has to live from now on.

'How I wish, you were still here with us Sharmaine!' silently pondered by Alliyah to herself.

It brings her back to the ill-fated night where Alliyah and Areej witness a vampire surprisingly lunged on Sharmaine, Alliyah's best friend, and see her get sucked blood dry.

The smile of Alliyah fell and her face went back to regretful and sorrowful look.

"PLEASE! Wait for me okay? This time DO NOT go wandering around on your own. Just scream if there are scary things or beasts around that lurks or appears, okay? I have stronger hearing now. I can hear you from afar but I hope far enough even from Orphanage though." Alliyah informs Areej.

"WHAT! You even have SUPER HEARING? Wooooaaaahhhh !!!" Alliyah could not stop herself smiling from the exuding cuteness and animated reactions of Areej.

"Yes but not yet fully tested to how far I can hear so just scream as loud as you can, okay? ONLY if there is danger, DO NOT start screaming out for nothing." warned by Alliyah towards Areej.

Areej giggles because Alliyah really knows her well enough to even anticipate something that she would really do.

Before Alliyah starts to leave, she hugged Areej one last time to head out to accomplish her objectives.

As she starts to get moving and makes her way back to the orphanage, in order to accomplish her objectives.

From few meters away, a sudden sound from the bushes alarms Alliyah.

Wriggling sounds kept tipping Alliyah off which makes her feel uncomfortable and defensive. She kept looking around. Only branches of trees and thick bushes moving from the breeze of the wind and its caress. The wind further brushes against Alliyah's pale flawless skin and her curly red wavy hair.

Sudden movements alarm Alliyah. She closes her eyes and started focusing. Being one with the nature and feeling her surroundings.

Everything starts to slow and become aware to every distinct detail becoming readily distinguishable through her own heightened senses.

Falling leaves …

Waving branch of trees …

Sound of the ocean from a distant …

Random animal sounds from afar …

Then … A clear detail and sound of running footsteps …

Running footsteps ringing all over Alliyah's sense of hearing …

[*** Hyper Senses *** : Unlocked]

"Come out! I know you are lurking around hiding from the shadows. Show yourself, enough with trying to sneak behind because I am already aware of your presence." Alliyah's declaration

Then a silhouette of a familiar face reveals itself.

Slowly it reveals itself away from the shadow and completely makes its presence known to Alliyah.

"Hi there, Bestie!" greeted by a familiar voice towards Alliyah.

Then there it was, a complete shocking revelation for Alliyah.

"SHARMAINE --!" shockingly expressed by Alliyah.

There was only one person that calls Alliyah 'bestie'. Sharmaine, her fellow orphan who teaches in the orphanage, whom she treated like a sister and her only confidante in this entire world …

Alive and still breathing …

Though Alliyah is completely surprised and speechless, raw emotions of happiness came rushing in that the person she thought died as well, is actually still alive.

Alliyah was about to rush towards Sharmaine and give her such tight embrace but she realizes some difference in her.

The dress worn by Sharmaine is torn and covered with blood, then her skin looks not vibrantly healthy which shows the sign of her being dead with a clear bite mark on her neck which reminds Alliyah that her best friend was supposed to be dead too. And her eyes are completely blotched red which signifies that there is a huge change that occurred in her best friend.

A hesitant Alliyah is now re-thinking and analyzing what has happened to her best friend.

"Are you thinking what I am thinking right now … hmm?

Why is she still alive? What happened to her? Is she still the same?" Sharmaine outwardly stated towards Alliyah.

Before Alliyah could say anything else.

"Let me answer it for you. YES! I am a monster now and THAT IS BECAUSE OF YOU!!"

Begrudgingly accused by Sharmaine.

Alliyah became confused with her best friend's last statement

"What do you mean? How it became my fault? I did not want you to become like this."

"Oh! You did not want me to become like this?

YOU LEFT ME TO DIE !!!

YOU RAN WITH AREEJ AND LEFT ME TO DIE !!!

THIS IS YOUR FAULT !!!

I BECAME LIKE THIS BECAUSE OF YOU !!!

I AM A MONSTER BECAUSE OF YOU !!!"

Sharmaine angrily blaming Alliyah.

Memories of the hellish night came back haunting Alliyah's mind.

Guilt … Regret … Denial … Torment …

All those emotions came flooding in altogether within Alliyah, shaking her entire being.

"That is not true, OH SHARMAINE!" Alliyah breaks down to tears but the moment she tries to approach Sharmaine …

Sharmaine quickly jumped on Alliyah taking her down to the ground.

"LIEEESSS!!! YOU- clearly left me to die and saved that little kid over … ME!

YOU- let me suffer!!!" angrily shouted by Sharmaine.

"NOOOO!!! IT IS NOT LIKE THAT…" Alliyah replied in tears while trying to prevent Sharmaine cut her throat and defending herself.

"I thought it was too late already for you. I thought you would prefer for me to save Areej and make sure for her safety. Remember our oath to Mother Superior? We will do everything to protect and always assure the kids' welfare above than our own life. I thought that's what you would want for me to do because that what I would want for you to do as well."

Added by Alliyah while crying.

An evil smile forms into the face of Sharmaine,

"Well …

YOU ARE WRONG! I NEVER TRULY CARED FOR THE KIDS." Sharmaine revealed.

"No! That is not true!"

"WELL! IT IS THE UGLY TRUTH!" deviously revealed by Sharmaine towards Alliyah.

Both Sharmaine and Alliyah struggle to keep from each other's claws.

While both of them intensely struggling, Memories kept flashing back in for each other's mind.

*** –– During when both are still 16 years of age –– ***

Alliyah walks around the island with Sharmaine carrying an empty basket towards the market. Both happily prance around with their beautiful sunny dresses while trying to make their way to the market for an errand for their Mother Superior.

Every person Alliyah and Sharmaine passes through are being mesmerized by the beauty of Alliyah. Her wavy blood red hair bounces and moves along with the wind enchanting the teenage boys into her charm and laughs with Sharmaine.

Soon as they arrive the market, both Alliyah and Sharmaine catch their breath. Sharmaine notices that some teenage boys followed them and they are only looking at Alliyah including the teenage boy name Alejandro.

Alejandro was a well-built tanned boy. He was the son of the chief of the Caragua Island. His height was a bit taller than the boys his age.

It was a crushing moment for Sharmaine to realize that the boy she admires fancies her own bestfriend. She tries her best not to be envious but she could not stop to compare herself with Alliyah …

Whom everyone adores …

Whom everyone is fascinated with …

Whom everyone enjoys her company and talks about whenever they see her …

When they finally finished their errands, they both went back to the orphanage. And as they get to their beds, Alliyah noticed Sharmaine's silence and change of mood.

'What's wrong Sharmaine? Is anything bothering you?' Alliyah curiously asks her best friend.

Sharmaine still remained silent.

'Come on! Please tell me, you know we are each other's confidante and you can trust --ME.' plead by Alliyah.

'It is nothing!' lied by Sharmaine.

'If it is nothing then why you can't even look at me straight? I know you Sharmaine, there is something bothering you.'

There has been a long pause between the two childhood best friends.

'Just remember this, whatever that is bothering you, I am here for you! You are my best friend. And THE BEST person in my life so YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MY FIRST.'

Alliyah genuinely professes to Sharmaine.

'Really? I am your first and BEST person?' Sharmaine asked Alliyah while laying down flat in her belly burying her face in the pillow.

Then Alliyah rushed to Sharmaine giving her a big hug.

'Of course! YOU ARE MY BEST and NUMBER ONE!'

Sharmaine smiled hearing Alliyah's genuine avowal and pronouncement to her.

*** –– Back to Present –– ***

"YOU DO NOT MEAN THAT!" Alliyah rejects the last statement of Sharmaine.

"I was supposed to be your number one, remember? But those KIDS! THOSE KIDS! I became less important to you as you chose them more over me. YOUR BEST FRIEND!" pure anger takes over Sharmaine.

Alliyah and Sharmaine were not only just best friends, confidante to each other but they have treated each other as sisters.

"YOU ARE NOT LESS IMPORTANT TO ME!"

"THEN WHY LEFT ME TO DIE! WHYYYYYYYY??? ANSWER ME!!!"

A deafening question that haunted Alliyah. Even her tight grasp on the wrist of Sharmaine is starting to weaken. She is trying her best to prevent Sharmaine from slashing her throat with her sharp claws.

Then something wicked came off from Sharmaine's mouth.

"WHAT IF- I TRY, give a quick taste on your little precious Areej. Since I am your number one, time to prove me and share that little brat!" An evil smirk released by Sharmaine.

"NOOOO!! I WILL NOT LET YOU !!"

"OH I THINK I WILL!!"

"OH SHARMAINE! PLEASE NO!" desperately begged by Alliyah but Sharmaine suddenly got loose from Alliyah's tight grasp.

A desperate race that Alliyah never imagined in her entire life to happen.