CHAPTER SEVEN

𝙰 𝙳𝚛𝚒𝚣𝚣𝚕𝚢 𝙽𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚'𝐬 𝐏.𝐎.𝐕.

Though hidden behind the night clouds, the full moon shone brightly against the midnight black colour of the sky. Wearing only a hoodie over a worn-out white tee alongside a pair of sweatpants, I decided to stroll the neighbourhood, even if the dangers of the night were gnawing on me. It is Friday, probably about a month and a few days have already passed from the time the strange attacks on me happened. I touched the almost healing wound in my neck, remembering the dangers I had faced in the past days. It was rather chilly for a summer night. And tonight is one of those nights that the sky chose to let off some drizzle, cooling off the heat the daytime had, a reason for it to be chilly though it is a summer night. I did not bother to bring an umbrella, it was only a drizzle anyway.

Walking on the side of the road with street lamps, passing by the convenience store I frequent, I went inside and fetched a cup of hot chocolate. I went out and approached a waiting shed deciding to just sit there for the time being. Appreciating and admiring the beauty of a drizzly night with the cup of hot chocolate in my hands, I found solace in this spot. It is so peaceful, the silence of the night broken by the light taps of rainwater droplets over the roofs and the vast ground of the street. A lightly cool night breeze blowing from the east adding to the refreshing feeling the night gives. The way the light of the street lamps and the drizzles falling down on and around it made a rather astonishing view. Beautiful scenery I am lucky to have seen. Needless to say, I am gradually feeling relaxed and I almost forgot about those strangers who had jumped on me nearly every single night, 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵.

The peaceful ambiance I found to adore was suddenly shattered with a low snarl that came from the barely lit part of the street. I squinted my eyes trying to somehow get a clearer view of the source of that snarl. "𝘖𝘩, 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘯." I nearly rolled my eyes as I tried my hardest to steady my breaths while my heart was beating inhumanly possible. I shall stay composed. It is not the first time this has happened. I need to stay level so I can at least escape from here.

What an unlucky night out. It is probably one of those nights I greatly regret going out because it is one of those nights where these strange creatures appear and would either pounce straight and directly at me or for instances like this, they will let their presence be known first, they like the chase, I guess.

I am mentally screaming to myself. I wanted to run away from the man, but my feet seemed to not get that memo. Of all the time my body coordination failed to function, it perfectly chose to be this time. Damn. In the blink of my eyes, the man was already only a couple of feet away from me. Sniffing as if he just smelled his favourite cuisine being cooked. I certainly knew from that gesture that I needed to go, but I cannot bring myself to even take a step back. I felt small, making me cower over a stronger strange persona that was in front of me. Within seconds, I felt my back hit the ground as the person pounced on me. He leaned his head forward, jerking my head to the side exposing my not-so-well healed, yet slowly closing neck injury. He sniffed again, leaned more and I can feel his teeth almost baring on the crook of my neck.

He leaned back. Just as I thought he would let go, he leaned forward again. Biting on the side of my neck, his teeth slowly ripped the tender skin over that part of my sensitive neck. And, the weight on me was gone. Just like the past nights, the creature was off of me, only that tonight, the man never got to taste the blood that was about to flow out from my neck.

The same set of a silverish grey mop of hair appeared before me, snarling to the raven-haired man who is now limping away. I hurriedly ripped the lower part of my shirt, wiped the blood that trickled from the wound in my neck, and dressed it. I already anticipated for my saviour to flee right away so I tried my best to keep my wound hidden even with shaky hands. The silver-haired man turned in my direction and was about to run away just like always, like how I anticipated, but I hastily grabbed his wrist to stop him. I need answers, and I need those, 𝘯𝘰𝘸.

"𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗠𝘂𝗰𝗵. 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱." I said silently as I loosen my grip on his wrist. I figured the reason he never took a glance or stepped closer to me was that chasing my attacker away was the extent his self-control can handle. I heard his slow breathing like he was calming himself before he slowly turned to face me, only that his eyes were glued to the ground. "𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗜 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻, 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗸." I repeated. "𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱." I added. I watched as his gaze slowly went up from the ground to my face.

"𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂?" I asked, wanting to shoot question after question, although this may be true, decided to take it easy. I was still shaken from what happened, probably my knees would totally wobble in the event that I try to stand up, so I remained seated. The silver-haired guy just stared at me, he seemed hesitant to answer. "𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆? 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝙮𝙤𝙪?" I asked again which only gained a step backward from the man before me. "𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲... 𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀." I pleaded, desperate to have knowledge and enlightenment of my current situation. He let out a sigh. "𝗜 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲." he then said. I almost purr to the sound of his voice, rich and velvety, if it was not for the weight his first sentence had.

"𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝗱𝘆. 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴." he had said that got me gasping.