Transition

Garnetta awoke to the sound of soft music drifting through the air, a gentle melody played on a piano. For a moment, she lay still, letting the notes wash over her, soothing the lingering tension in her body. The hunger was still there, a dull ache in the back of her mind, but it was manageable, at least for now.

She slowly sat up, the velvet covers pooling around her waist, and glanced around the room. In the dim light, she could make out the ornate furnishings—a large wardrobe in the corner, a vanity with a mirror that reflected her pale, ghostly image, and a tall window draped in heavy curtains. It was all so different from the simple, modest home she had known before, and the contrast was almost surreal.

With a deep breath, Garnetta swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood, her movements slow and deliberate. She felt oddly light, as if the very air around her had changed in some imperceptible way. The silence from before had given way to the faintest hum, a vibration she could feel in her bones. It was as if the world itself had a pulse, one she could now sense with every fiber of her being.

She crossed the room to the window, pulling the curtains aside just enough to peer outside. The view that greeted her was nothing short of breathtaking. Beyond the glass, a vast landscape stretched out before her—endless forests bathed in the silver light of the moon, with the distant silhouette of mountains on the horizon. The sky was a deep, velvety black, dotted with stars that seemed to burn brighter than she had ever seen before.

For a long moment, Garnetta simply stared, taking in the beauty of the night. She had always loved the dark, the way it wrapped around her like a comforting blanket, but now it was different. Now, the night called to her, whispered her name like a lover beckoning her to join in its eternal dance.

A soft knock on the door broke her reverie, and Garnetta turned as Raphael stepped into the room. He looked as composed as ever, his dark eyes catching the light as he regarded her with a calm, steady gaze.

"Good evening, Garnetta," he said, his voice as smooth as the music that still played in the background. "I trust you slept well?"

She nodded, though the word "sleep" didn't quite feel right. It was more like she had drifted in a strange liminal state, neither fully awake nor truly asleep. "I… I think so," she replied, her voice sounding oddly foreign to her own ears.

Raphael smiled, a hint of warmth in his otherwise cool demeanor. "It will take some time for you to adjust. The first few days are always the most disorienting."

Garnetta wanted to ask a thousand questions—about what she was now, what her life would be like, and what had happened to her old one—but the words caught in her throat. Instead, she found herself focusing on the music. "Is that… you playing the piano?"

He inclined his head. "Yes. Music has always been a great comfort to me, especially in times of change. I thought it might help ease your transition."

She listened for a moment, letting the soothing notes calm the storm of emotions within her. "Thank you," she said softly, meaning it more than she could express.

Raphael took a step closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "You must be hungry," he said, a statement rather than a question. "It's a sensation you will need to grow accustomed to, but I will teach you how to manage it."

At the mention of hunger, the dull ache in Garnetta's chest flared into a sharp pang, reminding her of its presence. She pressed a hand to her chest, as if that could somehow lessen the intensity of the craving. "What… what do I do?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Raphael reached out, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "Come with me. I will show you."

She followed him out of the room, down a long corridor lined with portraits and tapestries that seemed to watch her as she passed. The manor was vast, its halls winding and seemingly endless, each corner revealing more of its ancient, opulent beauty. Garnetta couldn't help but wonder how old this place was, and how long Raphael had lived here alone.

Eventually, they reached a large, open room that looked like a cross between a library and a sitting room. A grand piano sat in one corner, its polished surface gleaming in the candlelight, and the walls were lined with shelves upon shelves of books. The air was thick with the scent of old paper and wood polish, a scent that Garnetta found strangely comforting.

Raphael led her to a side door that opened out onto a balcony overlooking the expansive grounds. The night air was cool against her skin, and Garnetta inhaled deeply, savoring the freshness of it. She felt more alive in that moment than she ever had in her human life, every sense heightened to an almost overwhelming degree.

Below the balcony, the forest stretched out like a dark sea, the trees swaying gently in the breeze. Raphael gestured toward the woods. "The forest is where you will find your sustenance. You will learn to feed on the wildlife there, just as I have for centuries."

Garnetta looked out over the treetops, her mind grappling with the reality of what she was about to do. "Feed… on animals?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Raphael nodded. "Yes. It will sustain you without the need to harm humans. It is a choice I made long ago, and one I hope you will consider as well. There is a certain… dignity, in taking only what is needed, and no more."

The thought of drinking blood, even animal blood, made Garnetta's stomach turn, but the hunger gnawed at her relentlessly, pushing her toward the edge of desperation. She closed her eyes, trying to summon the strength to face this new reality. "I don't know if I can do this," she admitted, her voice trembling with uncertainty.

Raphael moved to stand beside her, his presence a steadying force. "You are stronger than you realize, Garnetta. And you will not face this alone. I will be with you every step of the way."

His words were reassuring, but the fear still lingered at the edges of her mind. She opened her eyes and looked up at Raphael, searching his face for the calm confidence that seemed to radiate from him. "Why did you save me?" she asked suddenly, the question bursting from her before she could stop it.

Raphael's expression softened, a trace of sadness flickering in his eyes. "Because you deserved a second chance, Garnetta. I have seen many souls pass from this world, but something about you… it touched me. I could not simply let you go."

She swallowed hard, the weight of his words settling over her like a blanket. "But why me?" she pressed, needing to understand.

Raphael turned his gaze to the distant mountains, his eyes distant as if seeing something far beyond the horizon. "Because you remind me of someone I once knew. Someone I lost long ago. Perhaps, in saving you, I hoped to find a piece of that lost soul within you."

Garnetta was silent, unsure of how to respond. There was so much she didn't understand, so much she was still trying to grasp. But as she looked out over the forest, with Raphael standing beside her, she felt a small spark of hope. Maybe, just maybe, she could survive this new life. And perhaps, in time, she would find her place in this strange, immortal world.

For now, all she could do was trust Raphael and take the first step into the unknown.