Blood lust

Chapter 2

Ellie has no trouble paying attention to little details. In fact, for ten years, she never failed to draw the face of the man who killed her best friend.

She started drawing his face when she's seven. At first, it just a circle head with red eyes and sharp fangs.

At the age of ten, Ellie then got better in drawing the vampire's face. That man has long and messy black hair. Most people will surely fall into his wide, doe eyes. But it will surely frighten the hell out of someone once his orbs turned red. His chiseled jawline used to be hard to draw; however, for Ellie; it now only takes several minutes to perfectly sketch that killer's jaw.

If there's something challenging to draw, it has to be his lips. His upper lip is thin; Ellie also remembers that the killer has a small mole below his bottom lip. When Ellie is drawing his luscious lips, she doesn't know if she has to make it pinkish or bloody red. Her mind is playing tricks on her. As far as she can remember, his pouty lips are pink. It just turned red when he sucked James' blood.

Ellie noticed those fine details, but how can she not pay attention to her teacher talking in front?

She looks around. Almost all of her classmates are not paying attention. Some of them are sleeping, some are busy with their phones, and majority are enjoying the company of their friends.

Ellie can never relate. She doesn't have friends here.

Up until here, people still think that she is a freak. Ever since freshman year, Ellie lived a quiet and lonely life. No one tried to approach her. At first, she didn't really care about them, but it is getting harder to be alone since most of their projects and assignments require teamwork.

"It's okay, Ellie. This is your last year in high school." She reminds herself. She did okay in those three years without anyone bothering her.

Just look at Ellie. Her class for today ended and she's now happily eating alone in the cafeteria. She should be fine, right?

"Excuse me! You're in my seat!"

Or not.

Ellie sighs upon seeing her soaked clothes. Valerie, one of the self-proclaimed mean girls in her batch, just poured soda in her chest down to her lap.

"Oopps. Sorry...." Valerie smirks while her two other friends laugh behind her back.

Ellie lets out a frustrated breath again. She starts wiping the sticky soda in her pants—totally ignoring Valerie's group.

They will leave if Ellie ignores them, right? But it doesn't seem like that is the case for the mean girls. Valerie hates it when people don't give her enough attention. Realizing that Ellie is treating her like a passing air, the mean girl's blood boils.

"How dare you ignore me!?" Valerie stuffs Ellie's face in the bowl on top of the table—making her wince in pain.

The food Ellie's eating is an extremely hot mushroom soup. It burns her skin and some of its ingredients went inside her poor eyes.

"Now do I have your attention, b***h?" The bully pulls Ellie's hair, she even had the temerity to smile upon seeing the victim's face.

Ellie bites her lower lip. She can take this right? Valerie will get tired of this. She just needs to act like it's nothing...like she's not affected. After all, most of the people in this cafeteria don't even give a s**t about the situation too. They don't care about Ellie. They don't care about any person getting bullied. The people here live for entertainment and not on thinking about the victims' feelings.

"You have to answer when I am talking to you!" Valerie tightens her grip on Ellie's hair. "What's gotten you so hooked up that you dare to ignore me!?"

But Ellie is wrong. Valerie didn't stop pestering her. The mean girl snatches Ellie's bag and drops all her things on the floor.

"You're so f*****g boring." Valerie snorts when all she saw are books and drawing materials. One thing catches the attention of the bully though.

"Oh, so you dream about pretty boys too, huh?" The corner of Valerie's lip curls up upon seeing the first page of Ellie's sketchpad.

It's a sketch of the face of the man who killed James. Ellie just finished drawing it last week. She actually plans to redraw it for the nth time because something seems off. She's not contented with her drawings; she needs to be more meticulous.

"W-What is wrong with you!?" Valerie's eyes widen when she turns the pages of Ellie's sketchpad. Not only that, Valerie also turns pale. Her stomach twitches and she feels like vomiting.

"Why would you draw something so gore!?"

Ellie isn't able to say anything. Scratch that, she purposely didn't answer. Ellie doesn't have any obligation to explain to anyone why she's drawing what she saw in Lacuna Forest ten years ago. Yes, her drawings are about the nauseating murder case of her best friend and no, she didn't draw all of this for anyone to see. She drew it for herself.

If she misses a single detail of what happened in Lacuna Forest, then how can she prove to her family and James' parents that her best friend did not die because of an animal attack?

The case has been closed ten years ago, but the guilt Ellie feels is still there. She blames herself, you know? If she didn't agree to play with James in that eerie place, then her best friend will still be alive.

"G-Give me my sketchpad back please..." Ellie tries to snatch her pad from Valerie's grip, but the latter just pushes Ellie's hand away.

"You're a freak! I'm destroying this s**t!"

Ellie watches as the mean girls tear her drawing into small pieces. She tries to stop them. She really did; however, the other friends of Valerie got in the way. They hold both of Ellie's hands, stopping her from saving her drawings.

"No..." Ellie's tears fall. Her sketchpad is on the floor now and Valerie is pouring the remaining content of her soda on its torn pages.

"No!" Ellie repeats.

This is the last straw. The f*****g last one!

"Get away from me!" Ellie screams at the girls holding both of her wrists. She struggles to get away from them; howbeit the girls are just strong.

It made Ellie even madder.

"I said get away from me!" both of the girls instantly backed off when they felt a throbbing pain in their heads.

The girls don't know what to do. The pain is unbearable!

"What the hell!?"

Ellie switches her gaze back on Valerie after being contented with the current state of her friends.

"You had your chance." Ellie spits bitterly as her jaw clenches. She glares at Valerie and the latter's eyes go wide when her left hand involuntary twists.

"Oh my God! My hand!" Valerie screams. The pain in her hand is also unbearable. She tries to straighten it, though it keeps on twisting on its own. It's like her hand has its own life.

The corner of Ellie's lip turns up. With what's happening to Valerie now, she is certain that this mean girl won't be able to play the violin anymore.

But Ellie is not yet contented, her gaze darkens. This time, it's like Valerie's feet have its own life too. She keeps on walking backwards even though she doesn't want to.

The people in that cafeteria gasp and react violently when Valerie bumps into a boy wearing a lab gown. The boy is holding different chemicals and because Valerie bumped into him, the chemicals spilled on her body, starting a fire and burning her skin.

The painfully annoying and pitiful scream of Valerie dominates the whole cafeteria. Everyone is petrified. They try to help Valerie, but Ellie didn't allow it. She glares at the bully even harder, causing the fire to ignite more.

Ellie is being blinded by her anger that she doesn't realize that she's the one causing pain to Valerie. This is one of her powers. A dangerous and uncontrollable one.

If it isn't for the voice inside Ellie's head, the torture will probably continue. When Ellie hears a loud "Stop!" inside her mind, she suddenly snaps back to reality.

"No..." Ellie blinks; mouth agape with fear. The thing that just happened to Valerie is slowly sinking in.

'Did I do this?'  Ellie asks herself while watching Valerie. The mean girl is lying helplessly on the ground, the fire died down but its consequences are just spreading.

She watches as the people inside that cafeteria help poor Valerie. Some of the students even called 911.

'Yes. You did this to her, Ellie.'  The voice inside her head is back again, making Ellie flinch.

'Who are you!?'  Ellie thought again. Is she crazy? Are the ghosts in their house haunting her here?

'I am a witch just like you, Eleanor. You were supposed to protect humans and not destroy them.'

Ellie looks around. Everyone is busy aiding Valerie; no one knows that someone is f*****g with Ellie's head.

'Witch!? What do you mean I am a witch!?'  Ellie screams at the voice.

This isn't true. It can't  be true! Ellie shakes her head as she takes a step backward. She is also looking at the horrendous situation in front of her.

Valerie's friends are both okay. It seems like their heads don't hurt anymore since they are assisting Valerie now.

Ellie's tears stream down her cheeks. Her heart is beating so fast and she doesn't know what exactly to do. There's a voice inside her head telling her that she's a witch. A f*****g witch!

Who would believe this? A witch in year 2019? That is absurd!

But suddenly, memories of the past came back.

A witch...

The people in Lacuna Valley said that Ellie's grandmother is a witch. The kids didn't want to play with her because they think Ellie is also a witch.

"Oh my God!" Ellie covers her mouth. She's still looking at Valerie whose skin is way too damaged. However, Ellie's mind is elsewhere.

All she can think about is the word: witch.

A witch...

Another tear falls. Realization is now creeping in Ellie's body and soul.

'Ghosts aren't real.' Ellie tells herself while shaking her head; she is still covering her mouth with her hands.

Ellie almost laughs at herself. The things float in the air not because of the ghosts. It floats because of her.

She did it.

Every strange thing that happens to her isn't exactly unexplainable now.

A witch...

Ellie is a witch!

'Help me! Tell me more!'  She tries talking to the voice inside her head, but this time, no one answered her.

Ellie shakes her head again. Her heart hurts so badly. She needs an answer and she knows that there are only two people who can explain things to her. One: the voice inside her head who's now gone.

And the second one?

'Granny...'  Ellie tells herself once more. The image of her grandmother is flashing in her mind.

Upon this realization, Ellie didn't waste her time. Sure. She is guilty because of what happened to Valerie, but how can she properly acknowledge her mistake when she doesn't have any idea what the hell is happening?

She will be back. She is going to pay for the damage she has caused if she can really prove that it's her doing...that she is, in fact, a witch.

Knowing that her father will call her, Ellie is quick to turn off her phone. She will go back to Lacuna Valley to talk to her grandmother.

Lacuna Valley is three hours away from Anemone City, the place where Ellie currently lives. If she is lucky, she will be able to reach Lacuna Valley before the sun sets. Truthfully, Ellie is so afraid right now. Ellie hates the dark. For straight ten years, she goes home while the sun is still up. This is going to be the first time in a decade that she's going to be outside during the night.

Ellie went back home to write a short note for her dad, indicating that she's going out for a while. She didn't write in the letter where she's going or when she'll be back. Knowing her father, he'll probably freak out and go straight to Lacuna Valley to pick up Ellie there.

They have a car and Ellie can drive, though she still doesn't have a driver’s license. As much as she wants to commute, she knows that the transportation system in their country sucks. If she chooses to ride the bus, it will take more than three hours before she reaches Lacuna Valley.

And so Ellie uses their old pickup truck. Ten years already passed but she still knows the way to Lacuna Valley like the back of her hand.

Fortunately, the streets aren't full of cars yet. Rush hour starts at five pm and she left Anemone City at quarter to two in the afternoon. All in all, it's a hassle free ride.

The heartbeat of Ellie doubles when she sees the familiar banner that says: "Welcome to Lacuna Valley." Her stomach is turning upside down because of fear, excitement, and pain.

Yeah. Pain...Ten years ago, she remembers screaming at the top of her lungs while furiously staring at the welcome banner of Lacuna. Ellie didn't want to leave. Sure. No one treated her right except James and her family in this place; nevertheless, it is still her home.

Home is where your heart is at. Ellie left her heart buried in this place together with James. For ten years, she lived without a heart. She is basically an existing person and not a living one.

She stops in front of a bungalow house. It is the same from a decade ago too. If you look at it, nothing really changed. The look and the cozy vibe are all the same.

The same.

Ellie's been saying that everything is the same, but now that she is standing behind the small figure of her grandmother, everything doesn't seem the same anymore.

"Can I help you?" the coldness in her grandmother's voice is visible, making Ellie shiver.

Her grandmother hasn't seen Ellie's face yet. The old woman is busy watering her plants. Does she know that her granddaughter is the one who's behind her back?

Probably not...Wilnadette has been always been kind and sweet to her. She would make Ellie a warm chocolate drink every morning. During night time, the old woman reads bedtime stories for her grandchild, and when Ellie's parents are fighting, Wilnadette assures the kid that everything will be fine.

"Granny..." Ellie is about to touch the back of her grandmother's shoulders; however, Wilnadette suddenly turns to look at her.

Wilnadette's face is flushed red. Her eyes go wide, mouth agape with irritation and fear.

"W-What are you doing here, Eleanor!?" the old woman's lips trembles as she grabs Ellie's wrist.

Ellie groans. Her grandmother's grip is too tight.

"I..." Ellie trails off. The gaze of her grandmother pierces through her body, making her soul bleed.

"Leave!"

What happened ten years ago flashes in Eleanor's mind. She's right. Nothing changed. The pain of being push away by the person you love is still insufferable.

"G-Granny...hear me out first--"

"No! Leave now, Eleanor!" Wilnadette literally pushes Ellie back to the car.

"You destroyed the balance of nature by freeing that monster! The witches are not on your side so no one will protect you!" The old woman tries opening the car, when she realized that it's locked, Wilnadette raises her hand.

Ellie's jaw hits the floor when the car suddenly opens.  Did she just use her power to open the car!?

"Leave!"

But Ellie didn't move a single muscle. She is perplexed. Hurt. She is going crazy with all of this!

"Granny, please! Don't push me away! I need to ask you about myself--"

Ellie has been cut off again. Wilnadette glares at her grandchild and in an instant, Ellie is thrown inside the car by some sort of force. She's not able to do anything when the door automatically closes and the seatbelt also clicks in, locking Ellie in the safe place.

"Listen to me very well, Eleanor. If you want to maintain your normal life and keep your father safe, never come back to this place."

The engine automatically starts. Ellie still can't hide the shock on her face.

"Granny..."

All Ellie can do is hold the steering wheel and start driving. She doesn't really have a choice when the car is moving on its own.

Ellie thought that she's the one in control while driving, but when she sees a man standing in front of the street while she becomes impotent to stop the car from moving, all she can do is scream as the car hits the person before her.

"No!" Ellie covers her eyes—too afraid to look at the man she has probably killed.

Her heart is beating so fast, beads of sweat formed in her forehead and her hands are shaking so bad.

Minutes passed before Ellie uncovers her eyes to see the awful situation. However, she regrets doing so because what she saw made her tremble more.

The sun is setting down so fast, the birds fly rapidly like they know there's danger coming.

Ten years passed but for the nth time, nothing changed...for the man standing in front of Ellie's car is the same man she saw ten years ago.

With his red eyes and sharp fangs, Ellie knows it is him.

The man who killed her best friend is right in front of her.

When the man smiles, she knows it's time to run.