Boo

The loud stretching noise of her alarm uproars into the room. With Sun rays glowing, ascending cold winds blow the small curtains over her barely covered back. 

"Mom…" 

Her soothing languid voice slowly grumbled in deep slumber, limbs thrashed, and hands began to reach for the soft blanket near her lower body from the fetal position. The fount of warmth shall help to break off the loud blisters.   

Displeasing the whine emitted when her tired arms grasped nothing; she forced her nerve-racking body to sit up. The sudden light glimmered to her hazed vision. Squinting her eyes, she looked around in search of the loud noise.

Again the alarm rang from her bedside table. She gripped the small clock and shut it. Her eyes widened seeing the time."Shit!" She panicked. Her worrisome body was jolted awake. 

Leaping off the bed, when the cold floor met her step, and the chilling wind hit her bare-bottomed form, goosebumps irked down her spine. Since when did she get into the habit of sleeping naked? In the search for her clothes, she found them neatly folded over the bedside table near the alarm.

How they—Fuck it.

She can work on the questions later. There are a lot of things she has had a habit of lately but being late in Mr. Lee's class is not one of them.

Her actions were rapid in urgency pulling the blue jumper down over her T-shirt she began to look for her pants hastily she couldn't find them unless her gaze was drawn down to bed wearing the black plain jeans she brushed her teeth snatching her bag from the small study table she swung it over her shoulder and bolted out the room.

"Miss Warner, no running!" 

The hall monitor's voice was ragged as Eliena 's long legs sprinted through the hallway. "Sorry !" Her wild dark mane swept down her back as she rushed to the corridors, drastic beats of her heart pounding against her rib cage, her stomach growling in hunger.

Deal with it, deal with it. She mumbled to herself hurriedly tugging her hair up into a messy ponytail. Just a little more. 

Her step-shelled anxiety overwhelmed her senses when she neared the classroom of the History lesson. Taking a breath she opens the doors of misery. The befuddled gaze of her classmates scrutinizes her skin as she closes the door. 

"Thirty minutes late. Will you honor to serve an explanation, Miss Warner!" 

The cold tone pierced against her ears. She held her breath and turned to face the professor, who eyed her intently with hands crossed in front of his chest. She groaned inwardly; it wasn't like she had purposefully overslept even though she couldn't think how she managed to fall asleep in the first place without any struggles she faced every other night. 

Mr. Lee waited for a moment then sighed."Go sit. Stay after class." 

Great another hour of lecture. 

Despite the prior questioning look of her classmate followed her as she took her seat the lesson continued.   

" So, as I was saying, most of them look for a host to stay connected with individuals. The host can be any living thing." 

"But Sir, could it be possible for them to spend years around mortals?" 

Eliena hears someone inquire from the front seat. 

" No, there's a difference. The host they choose can't stay alive for more than a periodic time as in a mortal body. It eventually dies so again they've to look upon another host." 

"And what if they can't find another host? Will they never find an afterlife and reincarnate again." 

Was it History class or Theology of life after death? Was she in the wrong class?

"Sofia's pet died," Aster's voice whispers 

Eliena glanced to her left. "So?" like that little pet hamster can ever survive more than 3 years. It has lived his life. Why do people make small things a big deal?  

"Last night she felt a negative energy around the campus," 

Surely, Eliena surmised the events after that Sofia  Collins and her exclusive paranormal detective senses were fascinated by the professor but not by her. This whole thing was nothing more than a ludicrous waste of time; a faint snort caught slip before she could hold it back, earning the professor's attention.

"Something funny Miss Warner?" 

" Sorry Professor, it's just..." Eliena began, standing up in her seat. A few eyes were directed to her. She glared at them before looking back at him. " I don't think sprites exist nowadays, death is the only end, there's nothing like the afterlife." 

The corner of Mr.Lee's lips curls."There are certain things in this world our human eyes fail to catch sight of that doesn't mean it has no existence, just like air. It's around us, we breathe in it but we can't see it."  

"We feel it." Mila's encaustic voice chimed in 

"We do, that's why our other sense awakens whenever we feel we're near something unknown," his eyes drifted to the students. " It's on you to feel." 

It's yours to feel with. 

From somewhere, words were voiced like the gust of winds. Eliena found herself looking outside into nothingness to discern the speaker. Perhaps if she tried she would find them. 

"Anyway, let's get back to the lesson," Mr. Lee dismissed the life after death topic. Seeing his students standing still, he called. " Eliena ?" 

His voice pulled her back. " Yes, Professor?" 

" Open your textbook chapter five." 

Nodding, she did what she was told, an uneasy feeling inflated the skin behind her neck that pruritus to be scratched. She shook her head and focused. A hush groan on her right side she offered a glance at the tallboy next to her. " What ?" She murmurs looking ahead to the professor picking up the lesson 

" Library later ?" 

Confusion began to sweep over my mind even though Jasper Flynn was her growing-up friend and there was something they were supposed to do together. "Yes?"  

Jasper whined, running his fingers through his pitch-black hair. " The group assignment topic," he pointed to Aster who rolled her eyes. " Don't tell me you forget." 

Well, now she didn't, her head was directed to the right side. " Did you guys decide anything?" 

" Working on it," Mila answered from behind her. 

She was about to question again but the professor shot a dagger gaze as a warning.

For Sure another two hours lecture will be in her favour. 

As the class bell rang, the students began to pack their belongings. As they huddled to leave, her group glanced back, she assured. " To Library." 

Watching the door softly shut she looked back at the professor. His stoic face and poised gaze held nothing but curiosity. "Now since we're alone. Why are you late?"

She leaned back in her seat composing words. " You won't believe me." 

"Try me." He softly mumbled. 

Intaking a breath she sighed. "I overslept." 

" You did?" His curious gaze held something more evident with natural interest. " Without any…"

"Without any precautions ." Eliena smiles briefly, avoiding the questions that are yet to come. 

He gave a dry smile. "Well, it means you're getting better," picking up a sheet he walked to her. " I was quite impressed with your last project."

Seeing the A+ on the paper all the hard work seems to be paid off. Her eyebrows knitted together. " You were?" her  eyes darted up admiring the delicate skin and warm complexion of the man as his gaze rested upon hers 

Biting back a smile he hummed. "But  you still have to take an hour-long lecture with Ms. Veronica for being late." 

"Oh come on man," 

"Language," He scolded lightly. Shaking his head without letting the self-assured, sanguine, unkept girl see the delightfulness on his features, he picked up his laptop and note files. " All the best Miss Warner." He voiced before getting out of the class. 

Eliena could tell he was going to enjoy discussing this in their next detention. 

Far as their last encounter, the teacher's pet Warner passed out during the exploring tour that was set for all the major honors students in his class a week ago hitting an abandoned ground, the cold deadpan man has become generous in his words for his student and no matter how she is comfortable in his company when they're alone. He never hesitates to enjoy her misfortune.

At least she was glad he didn't tell anyone. Or she didn't end up dropping dead in front of the other professors.

Just like the nurse has said, the foremost reason is because she had been overthinking radically, which causes her to hallucinate things sometimes, and sleepless nights are a bonus for syncope. 

It could mean last night she passed out on her bed. But naked? Why was she naked?

She huffs as her stomach growled in annoyance. " I know, I know sorry for that." She could only hope Ms. Veronica would show some kindness in her class. 

Drained taps of her steps grew as the quietness of the halls left her alone after spending the painful 2 hours with the head assistant teacher, Ms Veronica's lack of empathy and strict lecture.

Feeding some sandwiches to her empty stomach she spent the rest of her day trapped in the library to arrange a topic for their next assignment. 

The group frittered hours discussing the historical palace they visited the previous week and its rooted family dynasty, one specific unnamed damsel of the King who defied to be lone in their bloodline, or how the tragic illness elicited the downfall of their family. 

"A curse, she cursed 'em!" Jasper almost jumps to reason he was caught up in this mystery but Eliena wasn't. She was not interested in a nameless unface princess but rather in real affairs and facts.

Eliena scrunched it up as absurd. Why would they even work with blood and sweat on something that only seemed to be a folk story narrated by some local clans instead of following books with realistic information?

The apprehension and topic settled as they agreed to flip through events on; environmental, political activities, and the civil rights of Rustin. 

She was exhausted after eating in the dormitory dinner hall with the other girls. She left, heading straight for the showers, throwing her bag on the bed, and tossing her clothes in the laundry basket.

All the tiredness bled away beneath the hot water, streaming down her aching muscles. still, something was off; a sensation that she could not line was creeping to her skin. 

Inflammation behind her nape on her birthmark has thrived more than morning. Taking the citrus-scented shower gel, she began to scrub off the twinge feeling until her skin burned from the harshness; however, when she got out of the shower to the mirror to unveil if there was something wrong, she froze upon seeing her miserable reflection. Her still, settled mind now weighing in war 

The side of her neck, even her jawline, was shrouded in purplish bruises. Was she with someone last night?

Dark orbs blinked down and gasped audibly. Her rasing-chest was covered in tooth marks. The most painful was between the valley of her breast, reddish on her pale skin, only making it look more agonising. How come no one said anything about the face? Even she didn't notice it.

What's wrong with you Warner?

Turning around slightly she flinched when her eyes settled on crawling scratch marks dragged on her shoulder blades down the side of her hips the series merely deep, red, mad 

What is wrong with that person? How could she even let someone treat her body like this? This wasn't her thing.

Those imprints weren't from pure love-making affection sessions; whoever it was they were marking her, her skin, her body.

She gripped the edge of the sink, a pang in her mind stung. Closing her eyes, she attempted to collect all the leftover jumble flashes of memories, anything that she could grasp in the fugitive shadowy blur last night she was hanging out with Isabelle, they called someone, a process she was dazed and…

Mirror,  in the mirror visions, began to enswathe voices ensnared lips, full, kisses burning to her skin but with whom she squinted her eyes painfully gleams of someone.

A face. Pressing deeper into that vague image, slender, soft, cold a girl, no— A woman cries, tears, desperation begging for mercy, holding onto them, moans slipping from throats.  

Eyes. Beautiful yellow, red, angry, wild, hurt, feverish. It just had to be a dream. A very realistic dream. No focus. Brown. Amber. Right. In-depth brown siren, temptress. Majestic. 

Her name. What was her name? She shook her head pushing every other lecherous thought away. Her name. Utterances she has uttered it. Before. Replicas intertwine breathless encouragement words tear her flesh as they tumble down as they heed her name.  

".....Lilith…." 

Someone spoke afar softly whispering so no one could chant it again. 

"Lilith?" She mumbled breathly tasting the sweetness of words.

"Yes, Darling." 

Her head snapped back to the mirror. There it was. The woman. Looking into her soul. Standing behind. Hallucination. Maybe it was all fake. Her mind was playing tricks. There's no fucking way she could—

But those marks trace for a beat her eyes lingered on the hickeys. There was only one person who could answer her question. 

The woman tilted her head and a smirk crawled to her mouth as if she could read everything. " Boo," 

"Belleh!" Eliena  screams in horror.  

As the dim light flickers over them, the woman laughs in pure delight.