hh!

esperate an

as

ring glass startled an

run... E

ice intertwined with the soun

l th

of a predator. Cold, blood-scented eye

nd y

hh!

wide, unfocused eyes were gradually brought back t

e the darkness of the night had been w

ng ha

times surfaced in her dreams-initially agonizing, now numbing. Her

and headed to the kitchen for breakfast. As she passed Richard's r

eep her composure. She gently

Knock

hard

.

from within the room, but it was as though she

... are

no response. However, just as she finished speaking, the door

ic

he door locking. Before she could react, she was y

kly that Richard executed a series o

e expression on his face as he looked down at her. The young man's intense, serious

consumed Ellen's mind, leaving her unable to t

.. a-are

vements. He simply kept her firmly restrained beneath him, h

tense, nor awkward. Yet, it lingered, stretchin

breakfast, or you'll

eality. The sound also seemed to bring Richard to his senses

ts lethargic, and turned away, avoiding her gaze. As Ellen scrambl

rry...

mumbled a quick reply and hurried out of the suffocating room. In her haste, she failed to not

she noticed that the Barons each had a glas

faltered

stead, she quietly sat down and

the bus stop. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed an

as a habit of

onments. They liked to watch the bustling crowd, full of e

ed to the food on the w

It looked like... the wo

ought back memories of the red liqui

ery time there was a full moon, the morning after, the Baro

rinking red-colored food as part of a rit

creasingly wild thoughts. Forget it, she told herself. W

walking, the elderly woman-who had been cal

in those eyes sent a sh

eerie gaze. When it became clear the woman was starting

nto her, and the twisted smile w

y reach her, the sound of the bus horn star

getting o

llector snapped her back to her sens

door. As her foot stepped on

had been standing was n

-

d the end of class, Ellen slu

hed and asked, "What's

y shook h

ough she had uncovered a juicy secret. Isis leaned in a

was her only res

ically. "Yes, you know

l moon, Richard always skips school the next day." She smiled innocently a

f in his room on full moon nights. Every time, before closing his door, he would always warn her to lock he

y killed

that all

wouldn't see Richard. But

g, the intensity in his eyes, and the st

se their bodies had been du

es, she took a

lood on Richard's bod