MoonLove: a mythological story

Facing reality

Lilith woke up at the feeling of a soft caress on her hair. It felt so good after all the pain she had gone through that she could not believe it was actually happening to her; or maybe everything had been just a dream, she was not sure about it. Lilith opened her eyes.

She was laying in her dorm bed, the room proud her suddenly seemed to be just a fantasy of what had just happened to her, it was just too calm and common for her to trust her eyes but she knew she was actually in her dorm and that dawn had taken her completely after a very very long night. She tried to get up but she fell back down when her head began turning, what was going on? Then a warm voice answered her.

-          My beautiful lady! You must be careful. You were injured and barely survived the ritual to set you free, unfortunately part of the curse could not be broken.

-          J... Jared... wh... What happened? Honestly I cannot remember a thing. All I recall is terrible misery, fear and despair but I do not know why... Could you tell me what on earth happened?

-          Lilith, if you really want to know I will tell you, but if you do not remember I would prefer if it stayed that way.

-          Jared, please! I need to know what happened to me. I can barely move, and everything in me is aching, beside I feel as I have been drained of everything I had inside on me.

-          Lilith, you were kidn*pped by Mors, Joseph’s father.

-          Oh, dear... wh... What happened there?

-          I do not know, you did not tell me, all I know is that you were scared to death. But he put a bad curse on you, so my father and I broke it. But it hurt you, and we did not know that another part of the curse was inside of you, in your heart to be precise and you almost died.

-          What? Why I cannot remember all that?

-          I am not sure about the reason, but I might be able to ask to see if I am able to find a reason for that. But I would prefer if you left it that way.

-          I wish I could but... I need to know what happened, so they cannot use it against me again.

-          You are wise my lady, but his time I must insist. If in the future you really need to know, I will tell you with details but for now, please my beloved, leave it that way.

-          I will.

Lilith tried to stop thinking about what had happened that she was not able to understand or remember, but she was willing to accept Jared’s advice.

She tried to get up again, but this time slower, feeling her head settle down as well as the rest of her body. She could feel every single muscle in her body aching, and her intuition told her that she would not like what she looked on the mirror, if she dared to look at herself after whatever it is that happened the night before. Even with that warning she decided to do it anyway, after all sooner or later she would have to. She walked to the full length mirror and opened her eyes to look at herself, what she saw almost made her faint. She caught her breath and sat on the bed to keep herself from falling.

What she saw on the mirror was just a ghostly shadow of what she had been just a few hours ago. Her normally bright eyes were foggy, her skin was sickly pale, her burning red hair was all dry and looked as if it had been burned with direct fire; but what really freaked her out was the blood on her face and pyjamas shirt. She was covered in her own blood (she assumed) and on her neck she had marks as if someone had tried to strangle her once and again and again. But it was only until she saw the middle of her chest. That was way more worrying. She had marks as if someone had tried to rip her heart out.

-          Or tried to put something inside – Lilith whispered to herself.

Then she remembered Jared’s words. “We did not know that another part of the curse was inside of you, in your heart to be precise... “

Then Lilith understood, whatever the curse was, she had it inside her heart and there was the mark so she could remember every time she looked at herself that she was not hers anymore, but that someone could actually find her where ever she was at any moment. And it was no more and no less than Joseph’s father.

A single tear ran down her face. She was cursed, and there was nothing to do about it.

Lilith tried to get back to bed, she did not feel like doing anything anymore, beside she could not go out looking that way, everyone would begin bothering her and dealing with that was the last thing she wanted to do. It was better to stay inside and try to recover. She closed her eyes to try and get some sleep but then someone knocked on her door. b****y hell.

Lilith got up, and walked towards it.

-          What?! – She was really annoyed, and actually she did not want to speak to anyone, but still she asked - who is it?

-          Lilith... are you ok? – Answered a shaky annoying voice – it is. ..

-          What do you want Martha? I am really not in the mood to speak to anyone.

-          Lilith please, it will be just a moment. I promise I will not stay long, but please...

Lilith just sighed and went to open the door, when Martha saw her she almost fainted.

-          Oh, god... Lilith, what on earth happened to you? You look as if you had barely died las...

-          Martha... what do you want?... I am sure you did not come here to speak about my aspect.

-          But Lilith...

-          Martha... speak now if you do not want me closing the door now.

-          Ok, may I come in? I think it is better for you to sit when I tell you this.

Lilith retired from the door and left her inside. That was going to be a very long talk.

-          Lilith, I came here to speak to you about Joseph.

Lilith took in a deep breath, which was the last topic she wanted to speak about, nevertheless if she did not want to get her guest suspicious, she would have to go through it as the best a t she could ever perform.

-          Well... speak, I am waiting.

-          Ok, just... do not freak out and let me finish, ok?

-          As if I had an option... speak.

-          Well, Joseph had been looking for you since the last time you two met. He is actually freaking out because he is not able to find you or reach you in any way. He has been talking about telling his father to look for you also, but it does not give me a good feeling, I think you should take care.

-          Martha... Martha look at me! Do I look ok to you? b****y hell that i***t already sent his father after me and this is what happened! So, thank you for your warning but it is a little late for it now.

-          Oh, Lilith I am so sorry... I wish I could have told you earlier, but....

-          Please Martha, save your excuses, I am not interested on listening to them. Now if you do not mind, I would like to go to sleep and try to recover from this experience I refuse to repeat.

-          Lilith please. ..

-          Martha. .. I am tired, hurt and I want to sleep, would you mind to leave me alone now?

-          Just one more thing, it will be fast I promise.

-          Ok, speak.

-          This is a lighter topic, remember, you have to pick all your schedules and subjects until Friday, after all we begin the new semester on Monday.

-          Oh, b****y hell! I completely forgot! – for the first time in a long time Martha reminded her of something useful – thank you, I will go to do that tomorrow.

-          Ok, just do not forget about it. That was all, now I leave you so you can rest.

With that Martha showed herself out.

Lilith was worried about what she was supposed to do with her schedule and her classes, after all the most important thing at the moment was college, nevertheless she felt just too weak to get up again so, she laid down completely, covered herself and closed her eyes but she opened them almost immediately, what if it happened again? Lilith began to get worried until she found the black hair pin tangled in her covers, she took it against her heart and fell asleep.

Martha walked out of the dorms building thinking on what had just happened, she knew that Joseph was behind Lilith, but she never imagined he would actually do as he said, after all he was supposed to love her but that moment she really doubted his feelings towards her. She was thinking about the whole scenery when a hard big hand fell on her shoulder. Martha froze on her place, she knew that energy and it only meant problems to her.

-          Well, well, finally I get to meet the famous Martha – said a low, glass shattering voice – well little girl, tell me where she is!

-          Ex... Excuse me... where is who? – answered Martha with shaky voice

-          Do no play with me stupid b***h, you know who I am talking about! Now again, tell me where she is!

-          I do not even know who are you, how could I be able to know who are you looking for.

With an exasperated growl he took her by both shoulders and turned her to face him. Martha went suddenly deathly pale, which made him smile widely in a very cruel way. He loved to see her scared in the edge of fainting.

-          Well, little Martha now you know who you are with – Joseph said smiling wider

-          Y... yes, you are the one who has been looking for Lilith, you are Joseph Shepard.

-          Very well stupid girl. Now tell me where she is!

-          I... I do not know, I saw her going out but I do not know where she went.

-          Oh, Martha, Martha... and why is it that I do not believe you at all.

-          I... I reminded her of the schedules and she said she was going to do that, but I am not sure if she went there now, so I could not assure anything.

-          Well, it is better than nothing – Joseph look at Martha in the eyes – do you know who I am little Martha?

-          Y.. yes

-          Then do not disrespect me again!

With that Joseph slapped Martha so hard she fell to the floor and got her lip bleeding. She looked up at Joseph but regretted it immediately, he was looking at her fear and pain with insanely delight. He lowered and whispered to her.

-          Look at me in the eyes again, or answer me in a disrespectful way once more, and you will learn what real pain and despair is.

With that he got up and left.

When Martha felt that Joseph had completely disappeared in the complete opposite direction of the dorms, she got up and began running. She had to warn Lilith about it.

Lilith woke up at the sound of someone pounding on her door. What on earth was happening? She opened her eyes and began moving slowly. All her body was still aching but she felt better even if she had slept only for what felt like 5 minutes. She suddenly heard a scream calling her. It was Martha again. Lilith thought about leaving her there, after all, she had suggested her to go pick her classes, but something in her voice tone told her she was not there only because she wanted to bother her sleep. She had desperation in her voice and only that was the reason Lilith got up and opened the door.

-          You have to get out of here! NOW! – said Martha while pushing Lilith back in

-          What th... what? Why? Martha if this is another of your dramas...

-          Lilith, Joseph went to me while I was heading down to my dorm. He was desperately looking for you. I told him I thought you had gone to make your schedule but it will not take him long to discover you are not there, and he saw me going out of here, so he will be here in no time. You have to get out!

-          Oh dear, not again... Thank you Martha, I am going out now.

-          But where...

-          Do not ask, I will not tell you where I will go just in case Joseph get on you again.

-          But Lil. ..

-          No, end of discussion!

Lilith, picked her things as fast as she could while she could hear on the background Martha babbling something about where she was going to go. She could be as dramatic as she wanted but that information was going to be fully private, especially for her. Lilith was almost at the door when something made her lo back at the bed she had been sleeping just a few moments ago, and then she saw it. A golden rose with a note which warmed her heart. Jared.

“My beloved lady, do not let Joseph find you, he will unfortunately... you know where to go. Keep Odette near your mind and she will look after you.

Jared.”

That beautiful suggestion reminded her of one of the most important things she thought she has completely forgotten about. The pin which had helped her so much. She recalled having it in her hands before falling asleep, shall had taken it to protect herself but she could not remember where it was that moment.

-          Lilith, please hurry! Joseph might be he...

-          Here in any moment, I know Martha! You just told me! I must look for something first.

Lilith took the beautiful note and the rose. Just when she lifted them she found what she was looking for, the beautiful black pin was there waiting for her to take it. “Keep Odette near your mind” that was what Jared had told her, then it hit her. Odette was the pin and near her kind was on her hair, so she looked at her on the mirror and slowly put the pin in her hair in a say no one could see it unless they were looking for it.

-          Lilith! Were you looking just for a hair accessory! You got to be kidding. ..

-          Martha shut up!! Is not your problem!

With that Lilith resumed her way.

Martha walked beside Lilith until they reached the front door of the dorms building, once outside a complete circus caught their attention. They looked to their right and it was a mess of a lot of young ladies looking for someone’s attention; Lilith knew who he was then, Joseph had caught them faster than she assumed, she had taken too long to run away. She looked back at Martha who had suddenly gone pale as death.

-          Martha, listen to me! I am going to leave now and I am not coming back on a short notice. Do not ask me where am I going or when I am going to come back, because to be honest I do not know.

-          But Lilith, how will I be able to contact you? You cannot just disappear!

-          Yes, I can and I will. You will not contact me, I will contact you if there is need for you to know something, and otherwise you will know nothing.

-          But...

-          Martha shut up! I am out now.

With that Lilith turned to her left and began power walking through the nearest door and she disappeared from her “friend’s” sight and completely out of the campus in no time.

Martha began to get desperate, Lilith has let without giving her any clue nor nothing for her to be able to find her. How was she going to report to her mother if she did not know where she was? But that went to a secondary problem when the same shattered – glass voice reached her.

-          Where is she! You told her! Where did the little b***h go!

Martha did not know what was happening, her mind had gone completely blank, and she could not understand what Joseph was telling nor who was supposed to answer him until she felt his fingers digging deep on her arm.

-          You stupid w***e! You told her to run away! Where is she?!

-          I... I do not know... what is going on? Where is who?

-          Lilith you i***t! Where is she?!

Martha was still blank, she could not remember who Lilith was, and why that man did thought she knew, it has no sense for her at all.

Joseph began to rage against the woman in front of her, he took her by both arms and dogged his fingertips into her arms. Martha began screaming, the pain she felt was unbearable and a thick desperation began running through her veins, her eyes filled with tears when she looked up to the man’s eyes. Who was he? Why was he doing it to her?

Joseph felt her eyes on him, and his rage turned into something else burning inside of him; how on earth did that little b***h dared to look at him on the eyes after his warning! He was about to rip her eyes out when he noticed something. The eyes of the women in front of him were empty, she was completely confused about what was happening. Martha actually did not know a thing.

Joseph sighed with frustration, what the hell was happening there? He knew Martha had warned Lilith about him, but for some reason now she was completely empty; he knew he could make her speak if she actually knew something but he was sure it was going to be completely useless. Someone had blocked her memories, and it was more than obvious she did not know who he was. This time he was going to let that go, but just because he could see her being empty and more confused every single time. Later he would get revenge on her for this, he wanted her to be completely conscious and to actually remember every single thing he did to her. He let her go by pushing the confused girl away from him as if she had just burnt him and kept walking as if nothing had happened.