XXVIII

With a big jolt, Kimi started awake. His mind was muddled and his memory was vague. His head was pounding furiously and he held it, wincing because of the pain. Kimi slowly sat up, confusion in his eyes.

Why did I just wake up? he thought, his eyes following his roommates who were moving from one corner to another. How did I fall asleep?

“Ugh...” He groaned in pain as he tried to get out of the bed.

“Kimi? Are you alright?” Silver asked softly, watching as Kimi weakly sat on the edge of the bed.

“Why... are you guys packing your stuff?” Kimi asked in a breathy voice, watching as his roommates slowly packed up their bags.

Dae-yang seized her actions and turned to face him. “Oh. Don’t you know? Last night the cad—”

“Parents are asking for the return of their children,” Silver answered quickly, cutting Dae-yang short. “It seems like someone had got badly hurt and they aren’t taking it lightly.” As Dae-yang gave him a confused look, he simply nudged his head towards Kimi, a knowing look in his eyes.

“Oh,” Dae-yang said under her breath. She scratched her head and said, “it’s just sad that I didn’t get to take a picture with Ren.” She squealed and said, “oh my goodness! His red hair is longer, and he’s even more handsome! And he—”

“Dae-yang not now!” Kimi snapped in irritation. He grinded his teeth in pain, his eyes narrowing. He spared her a small glare, putting up with the severe headache.

She shuddered in fright at his voice. Sadness caused her shoulders to droop and she muttered a small apology.

“Oh fuck. The almighty is finally awake,” Raja droned with an eye roll, rumpling his cloths and shoving them into his bag.

Silver shook his head and exhaled softly. He looked back at Kimi and almost rushed to him as he saw Kimi sway when he tried to stand up.

The room spun, making Kimi dizzy. He carefully shuffled to the bathroom, his back hunched in tiredness. Why the hell am I so tired? he thought in confusion as he pulled the door shut. Had I seen blood last night? And if I did, why can’t I remember it?

*

All the members of the school quickly packed up their things and rushed to the seaport. Some students had confusion written all over their faces. They were surprised as to why they were suddenly returning back to Rhodes Isles. Apparently, even the teachers had no clue except for the fact that some parents are extremely worried about their children. It was obvious that the picture and the messages had all been deleted before dawn by the cadavers. They had done that in order to sustain what little peace that was remaining.

“Where’s Principal Aardvark?” a student asked as they were taking roll calls.

Tobe paused his actions, dropped his hand and asked, “who asked that?”

The girl moved to the front of the group, her gaze on the floor.

Tobe pushed up his glasses and lightly said, “Principal Aardvark can’t make it. She’s sick and irreversibly ill.” He looked at all the faces of the worried students. “When you all go home, think about what you gained during this excursion and not what you wish you had done. And to inform you all, the school will be shut down till Wednesday. Take the rest of the week to rest.”

This drew their attention away from the late Principal because they started jubilating immediately. Tobe exhaled with a shake of his head. But when he noticed Jiaozi inhale sharply behind him, he gazed at her over his shoulder and gave her a weak smile.

“All right, freshmen first. Groups are still the same!” Tobe yelled over the sound of the ship that had come to life.

Students rushed into a line as they moved into the ship. Kimi shuffled from one foot to the other, his gaze on the sand. He was at the back of the group and his mind was like a clashing set of colours on a palette. He was brought back to life when someone placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked over his shoulder and his eyes grew wide at the sight of Aurum’s face.

“Can I talk to you?” Aurum said, gesturing to a corner.

Kimi nodded and slowly followed him, watching the back of the black hood of his jacket that had been pulled over his head. When they got a little bit faraway from the students, Aurum stopped walking. He was fiddling with something that was in his pocket.

“Um... last night I... I’m sorry... Um...” He cleared his throat, his demeanour awkward. He exhaled lightly and brought out whatever he was fiddling with. It was a locket and he gave it to Kimi.

Kimi frowned at its weird design. Instead of the usual flat surface, the locket’s top was done in a rose-like relief. He turned it around and blushed at what that was written at its back.

For the one I love, he read in his mind, a small smile tugging at his lips. Aurum loves me.

Aurum quietly watched his expression for a while before he coughed, drawing his attention. “I had wanted to give it to you last night but you had fallen asleep after I had attacked you. And... after you had—”

“I don’t sleep Aurum because I’m insomniac,” he said lightly and Aurum’s eyes widened at his words. “I fall asleep or go unconscious only at the sight of gore.” The corners of his lips quirked into a small smile, his fingers fiddling with the locket. “And I know what you’re capable of. So thank you... for not letting me see blood.”

Aurum coughed awkwardly into his fist after a few seconds of silence. “No, thank you. It...” He left the word hanging and gazed over his shoulder. Nobody had noticed him. He looked back at Kimi. A tiny smile graced his lip. “Can I hug you? It’ll only be for a second.”

Kimi flinched, his face heating up. “O-okay. Y-you can... You can hug me.”

At once, Aurum moved into his personal space and wrapped his arms around Kimi. He cupped the back of Kimi’s head and buried his nose in his hair. “Goodbye Kimi. I’ll see you soon.” He raised his head and placed his lips against Kimi’s forehead.

Kimi flushed from the tip of his head to the edge of his toes at the feeling of Aurum’s wet, cold lips against his skin. He blushed deeply, his coffee skin immensely heating up as he moved away from Aurum.

He touched his forehead with the tips of his fingers, his eyes wide in shock. “Aurum... you k-kissed m-me?”

Aurum quickly leaned in and pecked his hot cheek. “And I did it again?” he said huskily, his face still close to Kimi’s. His eyes dropped to Kimi’s full lips and he swallowed thickly. Too early, he thought, straightening his back at the sound of someone approaching.

The sound of Duan approaching caused Aurum to groan under his breath. Great. Competition.

“Kimi the sophomores and juniors are already in the ship and you’re still here?” Duan said, pointing his thumb over his shoulder. He eyed Aurum, raising his eyebrow. “Who’s this? We should already be—”

Kimi quickly moved away from them. His heart was beating wildly, his hand was cupping his cheek. His eyes were still wide in disbelief. Aurum just kissed my cheek and my forehead. And he was about to make out with me.

“Hey! Wait up!” Duan yelled as he rushed after him. He didn’t hear when Aurum hissed angrily and quietly at his back.

Stupid Duan, Kimi hissed in his mind as he rushed up the stairs. That idiot just ruined my first freaking kiss. He needs to be exorcised of his freaking ungraceful stupidity.

*

The ship slowly left the shores of Ashville and headed back to Rhodes Isles. Luck was on their side because Level Os didn’t attack the ship on their way back. Still, they were on high alert, ready for any form of surprise. But it didn’t come.

Throughout the ride, Kimi merely laid in the confines of his blanket, fiddling with the locket. He hadn’t opened it yet and his heart beated faster each time he was tempted to open it to see what was inside.

No. Until I get home, he scolded himself each time he tried to open the locket.

It didn’t even take up to a second after the ship had reached the shores of Rhodes Isles did they all hear the sound of raging parents.

“Oh fuck,” Raja said as he plastered his face on the window. “My sister isn’t here. Thank heavens.”

All the students rapidly rushed out of the ship. Instantly, their parents dragged them out of the seaport, giving a cold glare to the ship on their way out.

“Excuse me. Excuse me! Where’s my daughter? Clover!” a woman yelled as she pushed through the crowd of students.

“Mummy!” Clover said from her position. She rushed to her mother with open arms. But her smile dropped when her mother simply held her head to the side.

“Are you alright?! Where’s the—”

“Eva, not here,” Mr. Mikher hissed, cutting off his wife.

The couple wasted no time and dragged their daughter away.

“All this ruckus,” Kimi hissed under his breath as he swerved though the crowd. His head was bent, his eyes on the floor.

“Kimi!”

Kimi looked up and saw his mother run to him. “Mother?” He frowned at the fear in her eyes. What’s going on? he thought, tugging his wrist out of her hand when she gripped it tightly as soon as she came closer to him. “What’s wro—”

“Kimi we need to leave. Now.” Kara’s eyes searched everywhere. Her hair was a mess and her cloths were immensely rumpled.

Kimi frowned at her unkept appearance. ”Mother what’s the matter? Is something wrong?”

“Kimi please ask no more question and come with me.” She bunched up the edge of her maxi skirt in her hands and tried to push through the ocean of restless people. “We need to leave.”

“Leave? Where are we leaving?” he asked in a confused tone, struggling to keep up with her, fighting the urge to throw people aside so he could walk with ease.

“Rhodes Isles.” She waved the aeroplane tickets in her hand. “We’re leaving Rho—”

“Why?!” Kimi stopped moving and held onto his mother’s skirt. He held it stiffly, causing her to stop. Frowning deeply, Kimi gritted his teeth and asked, “why are we leaving Rhodes Isles? Why are you so afraid? What are you afraid of?”

Kara turned around. She swallowed a thick lump in her throat, her neck squeezing visibly with the action. She moved closer to Kimi. “I know what that had happened on the ship Kimi. I’m never ever going to let the past repeat itself.” She tugged her skirt out of his grip and hissed, “let’s go. Now! Listen to me Kimi and let’s go!”

Kimi sighed and followed after her. He placed his hand in his trouser’s pockets and stopped as he found it empty. Where’s it? He searched all the pockets in his cloths. Where’s the locket? I can’t freaking lose it!

Kara looked over her shoulder to confirm that Kimi was still following her. Her eyes widened in shock at the sight of Kimi rushing back to the ship. “KIMI?!”

“I’m coming! I just need to get something I’d forgot!” he screamed on top of his lungs, his voice somehow getting carried to her by the wind despite all the chaos.

Kara stomped her slippers against the floor. “But I’ve already packed your bags! You won’t be needing whatever you’ve forgotten!”

“I can’t because it’s important!”

Kara whimpered in defeat, knowing too well that she couldn’t change her son’s mind. She growled in anger and frustration. “Meet me in the carpark! Taxi number eighty-four!”

“Okay!”

Kimi managed to get through the people, hunched over in disgust at the feel of their body against his. “I’m going to freaking kill Aurum the next time I see him again.”

Kimi rushed back to his bedroom. He searched it and found it on the edge of his bed. Maybe he had forgotten it while he was packing. Kimi quickly shoved it into his trouser’s pocket and scurried out of the room. As soon as Kimi stepped out of the ship, he knew at once that the mood had changed. Everyone was running helter-skelter. The adults were clutching their children to themselves.

“What...”

“Call an ambulance! Now!” someone yelled as they ran towards the door that led into seaport. His hands were covered in fresh blood.

Kimi held his throat at the sight. He rushed to the carpark, moving as quick as his legs could take him. In the midst of all the chaos, Kimi called out for his mother, his eyebrows knitting in confusion.

“Mother?” He looked around, his legs automatically taking him into the carpark. “Mother?!”

He moved to the taxi that she had told him to meet her at. The closer he got, the better he could see that their luggages were still by the car and not in its boot. With a quickening pace and heart, Kimi rushed to the taxi in fear for his mother.

“Mother? Mother!”

He rushed to their things and saw them splayed everywhere. His wide, frightened eyes passed from the open, empty boot, to their boxes that laid carelessly around the car. He heard a pained groaned and shuddered in fear. Kimi reluctantly walked towards the side of the car. A frightened cry left his lips as he came face to face with the bloodied driver.

The driver was laying in front of the open car door, his head turned to the side to show a bashed in head. Kimi held his throat, holding back his vomit of fear. Tears welled in his eyes as he tensely pressed his face to the car window of the back seat and saw nobody in the car.

“Mother. Oh Mother!” He rushed back to their things and dropped beside them. He pulled them to himself and cried into his hands. “Give me back my mother. You’ve already taken my father! Aren’t you already sated?!” His shoulders shook as he exhaled harsh breaths, his throat clogging up in fear. “Mum. Mum please come back! I finally called you Mum so please come back. I’m sorry! Mum! Mum please! Please come back!” he cried out, his eyes welling up.

Kimi cried into his hands for what felt like minutes. He stopped when he heard the sound of quickly approaching footsteps. He froze as he peered through his hands and spotted the Vdéllas rush past him. Silver was with them, but his cousin’s face was being pressed into Illiad’s chest so he couldn’t see Kimi. He seemed like he was crying. People who seemed to be their house servants were carrying their luggages in their hands.

“Oh shit I smell blood again,” Homer hissed as he walked past Kimi’s crouched form.

“Give it a rest and let’s go,” Qharis growled as she pulled her brother by his arm.

Kimi kept his head bent and didn’t raise his head until he heard the sound of roaring engines. He flinched as he spotted the faintest speck of blood on the van’s dashboard.

He growled throatily in anger and he hissed, “you had taken my father, you’re not taking my mother.”

He stood up and watched the van speed out of the carpark and onto the paved streets. He watched the van move up the elevated road and his followed the track till it reached a forest at the edge of the sloped road.

He scoffed bitterly and whispered, “guess it’s high time I visited my past.”

*

All the buildings and streets blurred past Kimi as he unskillfully drove the taxi up the hill. He was driving with all the anger he could muster, his fingers tightening around the wheel. He didn’t need to follow the van like a baby because he knew the road by memory. A very cold memory. Kimi could still hear the voice of his father as he had explained to a young Kimi what the types of trees were. The Kimi back then hadn’t known that it was their last father-son excursion.

Kimi drove up the path, his hands tight around the wheel. He looked up to the rear-view mirror and saw that the road was empty. The open boot was thudding loudly and he grimaced at the image of him trying to get the driver to a place where anyone would spot him and help him. That’s if he was still alive.

When Kimi spotted a thick forest of trees barricading the road, he amateurishly packed the taxi on the side of the road, pulled a stray can of perfume into his pocket and jumped out of the car. Kimi tugged the hood of his jacket over his head and rushed up the road. Above his head, the sky was angrily rumbling.

When Kimi got closer to the large gates, he silently crouched low to hide in the bushes. There were various guards parading around the gates. He held his breath, passed his lips over his dry lips and carefully stood. Leaving the same way he had come, Kimi quietly walked back to the taxi he had packed faraway.

An earthen smell filled his nostrils as he looked up at the dark sky. Maybe even nature knew that the bad times were about to begin. Thunder resounded in the distance. Trees swayed with the breeze that had picked up.

Kimi sharply tugged his hood closer to his head and gave the taxi a hard look. Without wasting anymore time, he walked down a connecting road that was covered in tall grasses. The grasses reached up to his knee as he treaded through the peculiar path.

It’s still here, Kimi said with a shiver, his eyes glued to the tall warehouse that was up ahead.

Tugging his hoodie closer to his face, Kimi quickened his pace and rushed to the rusted, metallic fence. Once he was closer to it, he followed the curve of the fence down a path until he came closer to a large wall.

Kimi clenched his jaw, sinking his teeth into his top lip in thought. Now how do I get in? he asked, his eyes sizing the tall, dirty wall.

He twirled around and looked from side to side. When he spotted a tall tree that had its branches sticking into the compound that was beyond the wall, his breath stuttered in surprised gratitude.

“Fuck my bad luck. Today’s not its day.”

He rushed to the tree and placed his hands and legs to it. Having spent most of his life in different environments, Kimi was a somewhat perfect blend of rural and urban lifestyle. He climbed the tree with little problem, his feet never slipping once. When he got to the top of the wall, he tested a nearby branch by toeing it. Simply jumping over would have been a problem seeing as the mansion was full of people with super hearing.

Kimi carefully and hastily walked down the branch. As soon as he got close to the fence, he jumped onto it, its thick width aiding his jump. Kimi crouched low in the shadow and perused the environment. Luckily for him, that part of the building wasn’t guarded. His eyes flinched at the sight of the massive mansion that was done in a Victorian Gothic style. Cars of different kinds and sizes lined the large, faintly-lighted courtyard. He scowled at each and every car as he readied himself for a jump.

Nothing could hold him back as he jumped down the fence and crouched to break his fall. His fall was silenced by loud, rumbling thunder and he hissed at the ache that stung his ankle. Kimi beard the pain with gritted teeth as he swiftly limped down the length of the wall in order to discover the nearby entrance. He spotted an old, wooden door and sped to it. Kimi held onto the handle and weakly loosened and came off. He gave it a weird look before he dropped it into the flower vase that was by his feet. With bated breath, Kimi pushed the door open and came face to face with a dark doom.

Kimi held his arm to his nose at the smell of blood. He quickly shuffled through the dark and came in contact with another door. He placed his palm against it, warily pushing at it. It slowly moved open and a blinding light flooded the room. He looked over his shoulder to see what was in the dark room, and he jerked in shock at the sight of shelves of blood bags.

Kimi cupped a hand over his mouth and rushed out of the door. He tumbled forward and landed on his hands and knees. Kimi’s breath hitched when a hand was placed on his shoulder. He waited for a slap or a punch or a bite, but nothing came.

“Oh my word. These aristocratic children!” the person said, her voice a soft lull. “If you had wanted a sip you could have just asked.”

Kimi looked up in confusion and watched as the lady—who was dressed in a maid’s attire—walked to the room that was behind him and turned on its light. He froze in fear as he heard her sway through the room before she came out of it with a blood bag.

“I suggest that you take it lightly. Dinner will be out soon,” she said as she held out the bag.

Kimi gave the blood bag a frightened look. A sharp sigh escaped the woman as she held onto his hoodie and pulled him to his feet. Kimi shivered in irritation at the small room that was filled with rolls and rolls of a butcher’s knife. A large, chopping table was in the middle of the room.

Noticing his expression, she clicked her tongue. “All you cadavers. Just because I’m a human doesn’t mean that I don’t have my fair share of strength.” She shoved the blood bag into his hands, pushed him away from the door and out of the room.

Kimi shuffled on his feet before he shook his head, remembering what he had come for. He rushed forward, but then grimaced he at the warm sensation in his hands. He shuddered in disgust and threw the bag into a nearby waste bin. Drops of blood had dripped onto his fingertips and he cleaned them off on a nearby wall.

Kimi got back into concentration and walked through the dimly lit hallways. He let his eyes enjoy the Victorian interior of the house. Almost everything was covered in wood: The ceiling, the floor, some parts of the wall, even the windows were covered in fine wood. His eyes drifted from one corner to the other as he walked through the never-ending hallways.

Where’s everyone? he thought as he noticed that except for the woman, nobody had bumped into him. Maybe he was on another floor different from the others.

Kimi walked for minutes, going in and out of various, empty hallways. But when he walked into a hallway and heard a pair of loud booming voices, he paused his walking. He quickly slammed himself into the wall, a hand to his mouth.

“...oh shit Jabu that was funny. Did Lord Seiva really make you do that?! What did Lord Ọbafi say about that?” came a loud, pitched voice.

The other person laughed loudly. “Well... since I’m no longer under his authority he shouldn’t have—”

Kimi bristled in trepidation as the person stopped talking without warning. His breath stuttered when he heard the person sharply inhale a long, noisy breath.

“Jabu? What’s—”

“I smell a human,” the person said, groaning as his steps became lighter. “And blood.”

The other person scoffed before they said, “Jabu calm your shit. It’s just one of those brats. Maybe they spilled their fancy cup or something.”

Kimi held a hand to his mouth and silently scuffled away from the edge of the wall. His heart started palpitating, already giving him away to the cadavers. He heard the both of them hiss loudly in unison; this was a clear evidence that they knew that he was there.

“Okay... now I can hear a heartbeat,” the other person said, their voice firm.

Kimi quickened his pace when the sound of the person’s shoes against the floorboards got louder and closer. Because he wasn’t paying much attention, he bumped into a vase that was almost his height. Kimi cussed in his head and rushed down the halfway, the loud thud of the vase on the floor following after his loud footsteps. Kimi peered over a shoulder. He shrieked a little at the sight of bared fangs and bright eyes in the dim hallway. He turned a corner, catching a smirk on the taller one’s face as he started running.

“You want to run?” the one that had noticed him first said. “Let’s run!”

And a race between a predator and a prey started.

Author’s Note: This book was supposed to be darker and bloodier than this. And I had intended for it to be a Gothic novel. I guess the house signifies that. Well, please vote and comment your thoughts. Finally, the climax. Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ How is the stay at home going for you? And how is NaNo if you’re participating in it?