Rosie’s POV:
I pull up the long sleeves of my dress, grateful that no one had noticed exactly how much of my body my dress strategically covers; Allen’s idea… Bruises colour my arms, some deeper in shade than others, creating a pallet of pain that escapes my own memories. Allen’s busy at the ‘banquet’ so I pull down my sleeves and retire to the lounge only to find Zack sitting in the kitchen area with his usual scowl on his face. I go and sit on one of the sofas, hoping to catch some sleep, like catching smoke for me these days, as Zack looks up and notices me. He looks torn between concerned and withdrawn so I ignore him completely and rest my head on the armrest of the sofa, closing my eyes and waiting for the awkward silence to proceed.
“Are…are you alright, Rose?” I look up as he calls my ‘Rose’ as he used to, he’s trying to connect; it worries me how bipolar he is…
“I’m fine, just tired…” I mumble my words, attempting to convey my mock-lethargy, I don’t know if he hears me and I shouldn’t care. It’s silent for about a minute and then he speaks again.
“You look nice in your dress…” I roll my eyes behind my closed lids.
“Cheers.” Another thirty seconds go by and he’s at it again…
“Where’s Mina and Maria?” God knows why he’s asking about them; probably trying to make conversation…
“Maria just went down to the banquet, last I saw Mina, she was heading down there too but it’s been a while…Why do you ask?”
“Just so I know what’s happening…” Whatever… Another few minutes roll by and he says nothing, I begin to drift in and out of consciousness. I hurt all over with bruises I can’t remember receiving, I know Allen did it. It feels as if I’m in a dream, that I want to call out but my voice is gone, I try to run but my legs move in slow motion. No one’s ever going to find out what’s happening to me, the only option I have left, the only one he’d forgotten to compel out of me, is the unthinkable; taking my own life. But no matter how bad things get, I can’t do it. He’s feeding on Maria tonight; places like this change you, you learn to ignore the woes of others and just be grateful it’s not you, Maria is my best friend here, but she has a safe life, she remembers almost everything, I will need years of therapy to recover the horrors I’ve experienced.
“Rosie…” I hear Allen’s voice, he’s come towards me with his fangs extended; he’s going to rip my throat out.
“No, please…” I scamper away from him, feeling blood pump around my head, my limbs move in slow motion.
“Rosie, wake up…” What? I resurface from the nightmare like the drowned, my scream of terror, not fully formed, causes Hayley to jump from me. “Wo, Rosie, easy, it’s just me…look, you’re in the lounge, you’re safe…” I look around me, I haven’t moved from my spot on the sofa, but there really was something real about my dream. “Some dream you had there,” she puts her hand on mine, “What was it about?” I try to speak but I can’t, like the part of my brain that handles speech is suddenly just gone. “Rosie, you okay?” Her question releases my voice,
“I’m fine.” Of course she’s not convinced, but she drops it. “What did you want to tell me?”
“Covas told me that Mina’s back.”
“Back from where?”
“I don’t know, I guess they took her somewhere…”
“What else did Covas say?”
“Just that she’s in his room.”
“That it?”
“Ye.” He must be trying to tell us something.
YOU ARE READING
The Blood Bank
Vampire~ He leans down and brings his lips to my ear, his breath brushing against my skin, causing havoc to my heartbeat. My eyes close of their own accord... ~ Mina lives like any other person with a messed up family, she just gets on with her life...
