after almost 4 years being away, it's weird being the
“- after almost 4 years being away, it’s weird being the new girl in the town I grew up in. Even the guy who moved in in elementary school has found a spot for himself. This shouldn’t last for long, I was assistant to the head cheerleader in my junior year and I have im not the same small town girl when I left –“
“- I ran into Sirena. I can’t believe we were once friends. She’s a complete nerd and in your face about it also. She has no shame and doesn’t even try to hide the fact that she’s such a smart ass. It’s embarrassing that the other girls remember that I associated with her. But, whatever, I haven’t spoken to her since running into her at the grocery store and I’m going to avoid going back, at any cost. – The girls don’t seem to mind that Heinrick still hangs out with her. They find it cute, like she’s his charity case or something. Knowing how badly he’s doing in chem, it’s probably the other way around. The double standards are ridiculous, he shouldn’t be able to commit such a social faux pas. If it we’re up to –“
“- The parentals have left again. They said it’s a local job, nothing to be too worried about they said before they left. They gave me enough money to cover the weekend and the usual speech about bolting the house down every night and checking the sigils. I told them to stop talking to me like I’m five, I’ve been responsible for the upkeep of the defense runes since we first left. If I’m going to learn more about our family history, then they need to start trusting me, and I’m seriously getting bored with being left behind. Not to mention they still haven’t told me what’s in the basement.”
“- They came back last night. I was making some mac and cheese after camp. They looked worried but smiled my questions off. Mom stole my mac and I thought I could help with their bags, but Dad almost shouted at me to not touch anything. They left to the basement pretty quickly after that, mom brought the bowl of mac with her. Seriously she stole my food and didn’t give me any info, this is ridiculous. I pretended to read some stupid summer book while they were upstairs and then followed them to the basement. They closed the door but I still sat against the wall, listening. Didn’t hear much but weapons being put away and their low voices. They mentioned about it happening again. I’m going to pull up the local newspapers tomorrow –“
“Ran into Sirena at the library. Seriously does she live here or something? She told me she works here part time or some bullshit. With the outfit she was wearing she could be part of the scenery. Who seriously told that girl curly hair and glasses were cute? And she needs to lose weight, her curves are just getting out of hand. But she was helpful in pulling up the local newspaper clippings for the last couple of years. -Her perfume smells good also. She said it was just soap and told me the brand. I’ll see if I can find a bar for myself. – -Doesn’t really smell the same, I think she’s lying to me.-“ “-I think I found out why we came back-”
Chapter 1: Child disappears in the day, never to be seen again.
It was raining, pouring in the middle of the day blurring the view from any windows and drenching anyone who would brave the rain. It didn’t even feel like day with how dark the sky looked but no one was really looking out the window or pulling open their blinds to take a look. Kids were at school, parents at work, and those who stayed at home were buried in their covers, ignoring the weather. A woman stood in a middle of a messy bedroom, a worn looking purple hardback in her hands, flipping casually through the pages, skimming quickly through the cursive handwriting. “Her penmanship is terrible,” she murmured and a man snorted from the doorway. “They should still teach cursive at least, I can barely understand this chicken scratch.” “I don’t know if that’s good or bad,” the man huffed back, shrugging his shoulders slightly as he chose a slightly more comfortable position. “It is her diary” “Quite a useless piece of literature,” she agreed. “Though I have read far worse that were published. She just needs to work on vocabulary, grammar and of course, keeping her thoughts on track. Not a terrible writer, it’s not inspirational but she has promise.” “I’m sure the girl didn’t write the thing in mind that people would be reading it,” he smiled back at her. “Why not? What’s the point of writing something if it’s not to be read?” she asked and snapped the book shut. “Well, whatever the case, it has yielded no valuable insights and has only given me the confirmation to those I already had.” “Where are we going next then?” he asked, stepping inside the room and shutting the door. “We stay, if only a little bit longer. This family always gets me a bit nervous and the fact that they’re back,” she frowned. The man nodded and looked over at a family crest that was drawn haphazardly on a small canvas. The work of a child and yet the painting itself held much significance to the two people presently in the room and those who lived in the building. He walked over to the desk and picked up sheets of paper, photocopies of newspaper clippings with highlighted bits and more of the previous writing on the sides. “If we find out why they’re here we can get them to leave,” he said, flipping through the pages. “No, they won’t leave again. I know this generation, the daughter is back in school for her last couple of years. They’ll want to establish some sort of normalcy if they intend to send her off to college,” she replied and squinted out the distorted windows. “And they aren’t the primary concern for me right now.” “We came back because they moved here,” he reminded her and she nodded absently.
“Yes, but they’re presence here only signifies that I’ve been away too long,” she told him. “It’s true they’re not our natural enemies but too them,” he trailed off. “We cannot reason with the vampire hunters,” she agreed and he threw the pages back on the desk. “I believe it’s time we paid a visit to the caretaker.” “The last one didn’t go well,” he sighed and she smirked back. “He doesn’t like being told what to do,” she said. “but who does really?” “Did we find everything here?” he asked after a pause. The woman looked once more around the room, cluttered with half empty boxes, scattered clothing and notebooks piled on the floor near the desk. She raised an eyebrow back at her companion. “I don’t believe we’ll find much in this war zone,” she grinned and he shrugged, pulling opening the door for her and walking a step behind as they left. “Did you bring your umbrella?” she asked and he reached inside his dark overcoat to pull out the weather beaten object. “I think we should get a new one before we visit our friend. I don’t feel like spending the rest of the day soaking wet,” she squinted and he shrugged, laughing drily. “You’ll survive,” he told her and she rolled her eyes at him. “I’ll survive many things, doesn’t mean I have to martyr myself to them,” she said. “plus your umbrella is useless at keeping the both of us dry.” “So just get your own then,” he told her. “Now come on, let’s go before the rain drenches the room.” *
Heinrick was used to the commotion a new school year brought, being a sophomore and with a new student joining their ranks, everyone at Vergennes High School was eager to start the year with a bang. Some showed up in their new cars, their close friends piled in the passenger seats and the students in their senior year all had a feeling of aloofness while side-eyeing the rest of them as they passed. “Hey, “ a voice called from behind and Heinrick turned in time for Sirena to bump shoulders with him. “So I ran into Diana at the library again over the weekend.” “Again?” he asked as she fell into step with him. “Yeah weird right?” she replied. “You know I don’t remember her being like that when we were kids.” “Yeah,” he said, unsure on how to respond.
“Well you didn’t know her all that well right?” Sirena continued. “Where’s your locker anyway? Did they move hallways again?” “Hall J, locker 65,” he told her after he pulled out a paper from his back pocket. “Sweet, locker buddies,” she grinned up at him. “Damn you’re getting taller. Another growth spurt?” “Seems like it, or you’re just getting short,” he smirked back and she kneed him in the thigh. “Haha very funny,” they stopped together and Sirena looked over when a locker banged shut loudly and a bunch of girls shot her a look before walking away. “You’re fan club isn’t pleased we’re still talking.” “They’re not my fan club,” he told her and she shrugged as she opened the locker next to his, dumping her rather large bag in it. “You dated the leader and she broke it off, hooked up with Dillan, broke up with him and you saved her from him when he caused trouble at the summer bonfire,” she pointed out. “fan club.” “Whatever Siri,” he replied and she kneed him again. “Seriously you have got to stop calling me that,” she said. “I’m not a robot that lives in your phone.” “Nah, but you’re super smart and you’re my best friend. So those other girls can bite me,” he told her, patting her shoulder awkwardly. “Yeah that’s not the only thing they want to do to you,” she smirked and he flushed. “Look I’m off to Cal, what’s your first class?” he asked but stopped short when another person joined them. “Please continue,” Diana smirked. “I don’t want you to feel like I’m interrupting.” “You’re not,” Siri replied and Diana nodded her head before opening the locker next to hers. Heinrick and Siri just stood, looking at each other in silence as Diana put her things away and paused to text for a second. “Looks like we’re locker buddies nerd,” she said, closing it shut and leaning against it as she smiled at Siri. Heinrick glared and Diana laughed. “Don’t get all huffy prince charming,” she told him, leaning over she wrapped an arm around Siri’s shoulder and looked up at him from where she perched her chin. “Siri and I have been friends way longer than you have, I’m allowed my jokes.” “Doesn’t sound like a joke.” “Heinrick,” Siri pleaded, looking a bit frazzled but still apologetic. “Don’t worry S-I-R-I,” Diana pronounced, leaning back and lifting her school bag unto her back. “I’ll leave the best buds alone, I’m off to meet Vanessa.”
She walked passed, bumping shoulders with Heinrick aggressively and when he turned to glare she stuck her tongue at him. “She still doesn’t like me,” he said after she left. “She doesn’t know you,” Siri replied and sighed when he didn’t respond. “I’m off to Spanish, enjoy Cal.” “I have professor miller I don’t see how I’ll enjoy it. He’s gonna bust my balls for not joining mathleets this year,” he sighed and walked off. Sure enough Professor Miller spoke to Heinrick after class about joining mathleets, he also got grabbed by the baseball coach to come to try outs. By third period, Heinrick had more papers for the different clubs professors were trying to get him to join than actual class syllabi. On his break he met up with the guys, who caught him up on the drama and asked him to join the team again. Some girls joined the guys at one point, others got up to join their girlfriends. Heinrick barely paid any attention as they made plans, it didn’t feel real. Almost like a dream, he’d been feeling it more & more over the summer. At first he thought it was just the laziness of the break getting to him, but even now, he still felt it. As if he was out of his body watching it go through all the works. Sighing he followed Jason to English, sitting somewhere near the back and a window to have something to distract his wandering mind. Siri came in with her handful of friends, choosing the other side of the class and the girls opened their notebooks expectantly while more students filed in. Diana and Jessica were the last to come in, strutting their way to the front of the class and taking their seats. Mrs. Walters came in last, a stack of used school books already in piled high in her arms and she divided the stacks on the desks of the ones who had sat at the front, asking them to pass the volumes back. She walked to the blackboard and started lecturing about this years goal, basically getting them ready for the exams and prep them for next year when they’d be applying to colleges. The book was one on basic grammar and Heinrick flicked through it as she spoke, throwing a look at Jason as he held the book against his face in anguish. There were the Lsats and Sats to prep for those interested, entry essays to write and they needed to start early if they wanted to make a good impression. More meaningless crap and he had to stop from texting or doodling on the book he’d just been given. He practically ran to his next class though it was art, took the sheets of sketch paper and chose his easel again in the corner. Jessica joined him and smiled softly as she placed her things next to her stool. He smiled back and tried to remember she had broken up with him, not the other way around. The art teacher demanded that they fill their sketchbooks every day with some doodle, anything to keep the creative juices flowing and stem the tides of stress he predicted would follow them this year. Then waved his hand and asked for a sketch of a human in motion before sitting behind his desk.
“- I ran into Sirena. I can’t believe we were once friends. She’s a complete nerd and in your face about it also. She has no shame and doesn’t even try to hide the fact that she’s such a smart ass. It’s embarrassing that the other girls remember that I associated with her. But, whatever, I haven’t spoken to her since running into her at the grocery store and I’m going to avoid going back, at any cost. – The girls don’t seem to mind that Heinrick still hangs out with her. They find it cute, like she’s his charity case or something. Knowing how badly he’s doing in chem, it’s probably the other way around. The double standards are ridiculous, he shouldn’t be able to commit such a social faux pas. If it we’re up to –“
“- The parentals have left again. They said it’s a local job, nothing to be too worried about they said before they left. They gave me enough money to cover the weekend and the usual speech about bolting the house down every night and checking the sigils. I told them to stop talking to me like I’m five, I’ve been responsible for the upkeep of the defense runes since we first left. If I’m going to learn more about our family history, then they need to start trusting me, and I’m seriously getting bored with being left behind. Not to mention they still haven’t told me what’s in the basement.”
“- They came back last night. I was making some mac and cheese after camp. They looked worried but smiled my questions off. Mom stole my mac and I thought I could help with their bags, but Dad almost shouted at me to not touch anything. They left to the basement pretty quickly after that, mom brought the bowl of mac with her. Seriously she stole my food and didn’t give me any info, this is ridiculous. I pretended to read some stupid summer book while they were upstairs and then followed them to the basement. They closed the door but I still sat against the wall, listening. Didn’t hear much but weapons being put away and their low voices. They mentioned about it happening again. I’m going to pull up the local newspapers tomorrow –“
“Ran into Sirena at the library. Seriously does she live here or something? She told me she works here part time or some bullshit. With the outfit she was wearing she could be part of the scenery. Who seriously told that girl curly hair and glasses were cute? And she needs to lose weight, her curves are just getting out of hand. But she was helpful in pulling up the local newspaper clippings for the last couple of years. -Her perfume smells good also. She said it was just soap and told me the brand. I’ll see if I can find a bar for myself. – -Doesn’t really smell the same, I think she’s lying to me.-“ “-I think I found out why we came back-”
Chapter 1: Child disappears in the day, never to be seen again.
It was raining, pouring in the middle of the day blurring the view from any windows and drenching anyone who would brave the rain. It didn’t even feel like day with how dark the sky looked but no one was really looking out the window or pulling open their blinds to take a look. Kids were at school, parents at work, and those who stayed at home were buried in their covers, ignoring the weather. A woman stood in a middle of a messy bedroom, a worn looking purple hardback in her hands, flipping casually through the pages, skimming quickly through the cursive handwriting. “Her penmanship is terrible,” she murmured and a man snorted from the doorway. “They should still teach cursive at least, I can barely understand this chicken scratch.” “I don’t know if that’s good or bad,” the man huffed back, shrugging his shoulders slightly as he chose a slightly more comfortable position. “It is her diary” “Quite a useless piece of literature,” she agreed. “Though I have read far worse that were published. She just needs to work on vocabulary, grammar and of course, keeping her thoughts on track. Not a terrible writer, it’s not inspirational but she has promise.” “I’m sure the girl didn’t write the thing in mind that people would be reading it,” he smiled back at her. “Why not? What’s the point of writing something if it’s not to be read?” she asked and snapped the book shut. “Well, whatever the case, it has yielded no valuable insights and has only given me the confirmation to those I already had.” “Where are we going next then?” he asked, stepping inside the room and shutting the door. “We stay, if only a little bit longer. This family always gets me a bit nervous and the fact that they’re back,” she frowned. The man nodded and looked over at a family crest that was drawn haphazardly on a small canvas. The work of a child and yet the painting itself held much significance to the two people presently in the room and those who lived in the building. He walked over to the desk and picked up sheets of paper, photocopies of newspaper clippings with highlighted bits and more of the previous writing on the sides. “If we find out why they’re here we can get them to leave,” he said, flipping through the pages. “No, they won’t leave again. I know this generation, the daughter is back in school for her last couple of years. They’ll want to establish some sort of normalcy if they intend to send her off to college,” she replied and squinted out the distorted windows. “And they aren’t the primary concern for me right now.” “We came back because they moved here,” he reminded her and she nodded absently.
“Yes, but they’re presence here only signifies that I’ve been away too long,” she told him. “It’s true they’re not our natural enemies but too them,” he trailed off. “We cannot reason with the vampire hunters,” she agreed and he threw the pages back on the desk. “I believe it’s time we paid a visit to the caretaker.” “The last one didn’t go well,” he sighed and she smirked back. “He doesn’t like being told what to do,” she said. “but who does really?” “Did we find everything here?” he asked after a pause. The woman looked once more around the room, cluttered with half empty boxes, scattered clothing and notebooks piled on the floor near the desk. She raised an eyebrow back at her companion. “I don’t believe we’ll find much in this war zone,” she grinned and he shrugged, pulling opening the door for her and walking a step behind as they left. “Did you bring your umbrella?” she asked and he reached inside his dark overcoat to pull out the weather beaten object. “I think we should get a new one before we visit our friend. I don’t feel like spending the rest of the day soaking wet,” she squinted and he shrugged, laughing drily. “You’ll survive,” he told her and she rolled her eyes at him. “I’ll survive many things, doesn’t mean I have to martyr myself to them,” she said. “plus your umbrella is useless at keeping the both of us dry.” “So just get your own then,” he told her. “Now come on, let’s go before the rain drenches the room.” *
Heinrick was used to the commotion a new school year brought, being a sophomore and with a new student joining their ranks, everyone at Vergennes High School was eager to start the year with a bang. Some showed up in their new cars, their close friends piled in the passenger seats and the students in their senior year all had a feeling of aloofness while side-eyeing the rest of them as they passed. “Hey, “ a voice called from behind and Heinrick turned in time for Sirena to bump shoulders with him. “So I ran into Diana at the library again over the weekend.” “Again?” he asked as she fell into step with him. “Yeah weird right?” she replied. “You know I don’t remember her being like that when we were kids.” “Yeah,” he said, unsure on how to respond.
“Well you didn’t know her all that well right?” Sirena continued. “Where’s your locker anyway? Did they move hallways again?” “Hall J, locker 65,” he told her after he pulled out a paper from his back pocket. “Sweet, locker buddies,” she grinned up at him. “Damn you’re getting taller. Another growth spurt?” “Seems like it, or you’re just getting short,” he smirked back and she kneed him in the thigh. “Haha very funny,” they stopped together and Sirena looked over when a locker banged shut loudly and a bunch of girls shot her a look before walking away. “You’re fan club isn’t pleased we’re still talking.” “They’re not my fan club,” he told her and she shrugged as she opened the locker next to his, dumping her rather large bag in it. “You dated the leader and she broke it off, hooked up with Dillan, broke up with him and you saved her from him when he caused trouble at the summer bonfire,” she pointed out. “fan club.” “Whatever Siri,” he replied and she kneed him again. “Seriously you have got to stop calling me that,” she said. “I’m not a robot that lives in your phone.” “Nah, but you’re super smart and you’re my best friend. So those other girls can bite me,” he told her, patting her shoulder awkwardly. “Yeah that’s not the only thing they want to do to you,” she smirked and he flushed. “Look I’m off to Cal, what’s your first class?” he asked but stopped short when another person joined them. “Please continue,” Diana smirked. “I don’t want you to feel like I’m interrupting.” “You’re not,” Siri replied and Diana nodded her head before opening the locker next to hers. Heinrick and Siri just stood, looking at each other in silence as Diana put her things away and paused to text for a second. “Looks like we’re locker buddies nerd,” she said, closing it shut and leaning against it as she smiled at Siri. Heinrick glared and Diana laughed. “Don’t get all huffy prince charming,” she told him, leaning over she wrapped an arm around Siri’s shoulder and looked up at him from where she perched her chin. “Siri and I have been friends way longer than you have, I’m allowed my jokes.” “Doesn’t sound like a joke.” “Heinrick,” Siri pleaded, looking a bit frazzled but still apologetic. “Don’t worry S-I-R-I,” Diana pronounced, leaning back and lifting her school bag unto her back. “I’ll leave the best buds alone, I’m off to meet Vanessa.”
She walked passed, bumping shoulders with Heinrick aggressively and when he turned to glare she stuck her tongue at him. “She still doesn’t like me,” he said after she left. “She doesn’t know you,” Siri replied and sighed when he didn’t respond. “I’m off to Spanish, enjoy Cal.” “I have professor miller I don’t see how I’ll enjoy it. He’s gonna bust my balls for not joining mathleets this year,” he sighed and walked off. Sure enough Professor Miller spoke to Heinrick after class about joining mathleets, he also got grabbed by the baseball coach to come to try outs. By third period, Heinrick had more papers for the different clubs professors were trying to get him to join than actual class syllabi. On his break he met up with the guys, who caught him up on the drama and asked him to join the team again. Some girls joined the guys at one point, others got up to join their girlfriends. Heinrick barely paid any attention as they made plans, it didn’t feel real. Almost like a dream, he’d been feeling it more & more over the summer. At first he thought it was just the laziness of the break getting to him, but even now, he still felt it. As if he was out of his body watching it go through all the works. Sighing he followed Jason to English, sitting somewhere near the back and a window to have something to distract his wandering mind. Siri came in with her handful of friends, choosing the other side of the class and the girls opened their notebooks expectantly while more students filed in. Diana and Jessica were the last to come in, strutting their way to the front of the class and taking their seats. Mrs. Walters came in last, a stack of used school books already in piled high in her arms and she divided the stacks on the desks of the ones who had sat at the front, asking them to pass the volumes back. She walked to the blackboard and started lecturing about this years goal, basically getting them ready for the exams and prep them for next year when they’d be applying to colleges. The book was one on basic grammar and Heinrick flicked through it as she spoke, throwing a look at Jason as he held the book against his face in anguish. There were the Lsats and Sats to prep for those interested, entry essays to write and they needed to start early if they wanted to make a good impression. More meaningless crap and he had to stop from texting or doodling on the book he’d just been given. He practically ran to his next class though it was art, took the sheets of sketch paper and chose his easel again in the corner. Jessica joined him and smiled softly as she placed her things next to her stool. He smiled back and tried to remember she had broken up with him, not the other way around. The art teacher demanded that they fill their sketchbooks every day with some doodle, anything to keep the creative juices flowing and stem the tides of stress he predicted would follow them this year. Then waved his hand and asked for a sketch of a human in motion before sitting behind his desk.
