Chapter 13 : First Night Out

Bzzz. Bzzz. Street lights flickering on and off. Despite having a full moon, it's as if the whole world was devoured by shadows. Even sounds seem luxurious.

Zion should feel happy as she finally has some peaceful night. Especially, this is the first time she went out after that incident that changed her whole life. But that night made her afraid instead.

As she walked down the street, Zion can't help but rubbed her arms wanting to feel comforted at the least. Though she didn't feel cold, however, in such situations, you could help but feel goosebumps all over her body.

Zion walked slowly and cautiously. Every step she looked left and right, but she dared not look back. Light went out every time she passed them– street lights, and even the night lights at the gate of the houses beside the street.

The dark street is so quiet that Zion is beginning to think that she has turned deaf. However, the noise of the electrical circuit from the lights flickering betrayed this thought. Because of Vampire's inherited disposition, Zion can clearly see through the foggy darkness. And as she walks along the street, Zion remembers the night she met that creepy woman.

It was the same eerie silent night, without light and only shadows. It's as if Zion walked in a different dimension separate from reality.

Just then, Zion stopped. She immediately held onto the wall for support as she felt her legs go soft. Her eyes wide open. Deep within her dark black eyes, frightening red light shine that looks very prominent within this shadowy environment. Nevertheless, her creepy eyes faded in comparison to the scene playing in front of her.

In Zion's eyes, reflecting the terrifying scene she never thought she would be seeing in her first night out. This really proves Zion was right, her first times were cursed by Lady Luck.

Normally, how much probability of something bad happening when one went out for the first time? In Zion's case, it surely will be 100%.

Sounds of bones cracking echoes, flesh being torn and chewing accompanied the background. Black smoky creatures encircled a man lying on the cold concrete road. He was facing towards Zion's direction with his arm stretched out seemingly begging for help before he died. His eyes were wide open as tears and blood flowed dried on his face. His agape mouth was bloodied. Though he was dead, his body kept moving as the creatures occupying his torso were vigorously devouring his flesh like they haven't eaten for years.

Zion was so frightened, that she trembled and her hand slipped, then fell down. She didn't make much noise, but this is enough to announce her presence towards those creatures.

They stop their feast as if someone halted the time. The air stilled for a moment. Then slowly, the black creatures titled their heads as if confused, then simultaneously rotated their heads at Zion.

If Zion was still a normal human, her heart would be beating furiously as of now. Enough for someone healthy to pass out, frightened. However, Zion doesn't have that luxury.

With her body frozen, scared and her head muddled and blank out, Zion didn't manage to move her eyes off those creatures immediately. Within those seconds of intervals where those creatures turned their head without moving their neck towards Zion, she witnessed all of it with her own eyes.

Elongated head with three black holes, representing their eyes and mouth. Black liquid trails down from within their orifice and slowly evaporates in black smoke as soon as the liquid leaves their bodies. When they saw Zion kneeling there beside the wall, they stood still for a second, then let out a loud scream. Their mouths opened wide. Zion can clearly see the abyss of emptiness through the opening of their mouths. Nevertheless, because of their loud scream, Zion is finally able to close her eyes and move her body. She curled her body desperately as she tightly shields her ears from their loud screeching.

Now, Zion totally regretted going out tonight. Who decided this night out, Zion wanted to smash her head open, wanting to see why she suddenly thought of stepping out of her safe haven.

She really wanted to curse the author to heaven. Ah, you should experience this d*mned author! QAQ

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...

Several hours ago.

Bam! Tangerine softly closed Zion's door. She really felt this sister of hers is weird. And after she came back, she was even weirder. Tangerine was worried. She's an older sister after all. But, as long as Zion kept quiet, she can't do much with the situation.

Anyway, she has a job to do. She wanted to go ahead and post her sister's works. She plans to empty Zion's room full of many things.

Tangerine quickly went to her room and immediately called her boyfriend. Francis' clean face immediately appeared on the screen. But contrary to his appearance earlier...Tangerine stared at her Ice Cream; her eyes heated as she unconsciously gulped down.

Dimmed white lights, and grey tiles as the backdrop. Clear sounds of showers became the background music. Tangerine glazed speechlessly at the man on the screen.

Francis' light brown hair was damped, straightening out his curly hair. Now his medium long hair seems longer than before. Francis brushed his hair back using his fingers, revealing his clean face. Droplets after droplets run down from his face to his neck, all the way down to his chest and... abdomen.

Francis figure isn't the muscular type. He isn't skinny either. It's enough to say that Francis isn't the type to grow muscles, and also not the type of person who hates exercising. Francis actually has a good bodily feature, enough to call it sexy and seductive. Well, that's what Francis looks like from Tangerine's point of view. Francis' body is just normal, passable for some ladies, but for men, they might laugh at him for being too skinny and white.

Anyway, for Tangerine it doesn't matter. She adjusted her hold on her phone– titling it up and down, as she instinctively thought that by adjusting her phone, the camera would follow as well. Faced with such wonderful scenery, her IQ became negative. She didn't realize that by moving her phone around, her video being transmitted to the other side will become shaky and blurry.

Francis guessed what she wanted to do and can't help but let out an amused and deep chuckled. "Want to see?" He asked to deepen his voice, and with him being in the bathroom, there's an echo effect that made his voice much more provocative and inviting.

Being found out, Tangerine flushed in embarrassment. She moved her eyes away from the screen and covered her face with her hand, wanting to hide from the other.

"Ahem. Why did you bring your phone in the bathroom?" She asked, wanting to divert the topic to another. However, it seems that Francis didn't think the same.

"I can't? I thought you wanted to see." Tangerine face turned red in an instant. She really does want to see...but of course, who in the world would honestly say it. Tangerine glared at Francis and denied her own thoughts.

Francis laughed and didn't tease her anymore. "Fine, let me finish my bath, I'll call you in a minute, okay?" Tangerine saw Francis hand magnified on the screen. She didn't know if it's intentional or not, but the focus of the video moved from Francis' face. It went down, from his jaw down to his white neck, his chest to his visibly six packs. Tangerine's eyes brighten thinking about the thing below the abs. She saw the sexy mermaid line...then...she heard Francis laugh again and him saying "later", then there was no more.

Tangerine didn't know whether to get angry or disappointed. She sighed and plunged herself in her bed and buried her head in her pillows and squealed excitedly like a fan girl who just saw her idol.

Meanwhile...

Zion lay unmoving on the floor like a shrimp being cooked, her body was curled up with both her hands covering her ears. But unlike the suffering she's feeling earlier when she was bombarded by noise pollution, this time Zion was experiencing different kinds of suffering.

Like she has eaten something sour, Zion's face crumpled like paper.

Zion knew this couple liked to video chat each other, but alas, she was naive indeed. She liked Francis before, because of his voice, and hearing him like this...for Zion this is the first time. Although, Zion knows she was kind of eavesdropping, but she couldn't help it. She can't choose what sounds to hear. So, it's not her fault either.

But this isn't the reason why Zion was feeling sour. Though, she liked Francis before, it was only the like towards a senior, not that kind of like towards opposite sex. More so, what added to Zion's love is exactly Francis' body. Francis' body is like those K-pop idols, they looked skinny at first glance but it was full of muscles and didn't have any excess fat. And Zion, this rotten girl, before hearing Francis' voice, eyed his body up and down with a creepy smile as she thought of something extremely rotten. Hearing the sounds from Tangerine's room, Zion wanted to see that body as well. Without clothes.

Francis, for Zion is an ideal bottom. The gentle and mature kind, but have a mischievous teasing side kind of a bottom.

After Zion and Francis first met, Zion read many bl novels and manga with that kind of main character. Zion even had an urge to explore the whole world wanting to find a perfect partner for Francis, but it was easily extinguished when Zion heard Francis' voice. From being a rotten girl, Zion turned into a voice- con fan.

Anyway, Zion was feeling envious. She can't feel anything now but emptiness. She wanted someone to hug her as well. Her body was cold, she wanted to feel at least a little warmer. She was suffering here alone, while they were flirting casually. Zion was unhappy.

Clicking her tongue, Zion swears, "...I'm going to find a boyfriend too, just you watch...no, maybe a girlfriend?" She's too shy to be paired with a boy, and Zion feels like girls can only be her best friends. However, thinking about what she has become, maybe a best friend is even more impossible for her.

"Speaking of, it’s been a while since I contacted those two. Maybe they can help me..."

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Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Silence finally engulfed the night. Everyone was embraced by a sand man enjoying the dreams he brought. However, like any novel openings that start like this, there is always an exception to everyone.

As Zion's family slept like a log within the deepening evening, Zion eyes opened. Red light pierced the night, as her eyes glow in the dark. Zion already decided to start trying to survive. She wanted to try at least; she doesn't want to become a burden. Her body is already starting to decay from the inside. Her mind as well, is starting to blur. Zion is afraid of her personality being erased in this case.

Zion read many supernatural stories. Sometimes, race changes can cause personality to be overwritten. She read many cases like this, and Zion doesn't want to become like that. Zion ain't afraid of her disappearing, after all, she thought of her personality as super defective and if she could, Zion would choose to change. But thinking back, that creepy woman's attitude towards humanity... never mind, she doesn't want to change. Her family...Zion can't help but shudder towards the thought of her drinking her family's blood like what that creepy woman did to her that night. Zion doesn't want to become a monster.

She thought she could do it. Zion might be able to persist her ranging hunger, but her instinct proves her wrong. She almost attacked her sister earlier.

So, Zion should at least try. Since she couldn't die, then her only choice was to survive and not cause any trouble. That's why, tonight, Zion will go out for a night hunt! Twilight style! There's no forest though. And there's no fierce animals. She wonders how raw chicken blood tastes like. A bird? Or maybe stray cats and dogs on the street? Zion hesitated a little, can she do it? She can't help but feel a little nervous.

Just when Zion is having second thoughts, the sound pollution comes to attack her again. But this time, it seems that the old man from downstairs gave Zion a little rest, as he didn't turn on the TV this time.

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1:08 am

The lights from the living room suddenly turned on. Zion's Grandfather walked slowly, dragging his feet towards the kitchen as if he was sleeping.

Carrying his big beer belly, Zion's Grandfather switched on the light in the kitchen and went to open the pots that mother Ginger left at the stove. There are two pots occupying all space on the stove. The first pot is a pot of beef mother Ginger left after being boiled all day. She didn't bother taking it inside the refrigerator, since it was still boiling hot when mother Ginger went to sleep. It won't spoil being left there overnight. The other pot is cooked rice.

There's no rice cooker here at Zion's home. Maybe, electronic kitchen appliances just aren’t compatible with this family– rice cooker and the like won't last longer than six months under this household. Because of that, when mother Ginger finally went to buy an oven, every time, after she used it, she would carefully pack it back inside it's box and hide it under the bed. Her blender, mixer and even the coffee maker we're all boxed in under her bed. That's her treasure. Mother Ginger will scream loud and talk nonstop if someone touches those without her permission. Well since those appliances last after years and years, no one complains about it.

Seeing the half full rice pot, Zion's Grandfather put back the lid and carried the warm pot of beef off the stove toward the counter. He then took out a pan and switched the stove on. He pours the oil in, and leaves to get an egg from the refrigerator. He cracked the egg and fried it on the pan. Using a spoon, Zion's Grandfather mechanically stirred the egg until all of it was cooked.

Scratching noise rang in a quiet environment. It was shocking, if it was heard by others, since the scratching sounds was accompanied by something literally being scratched off.

Thinking that the egg was cooked enough, Zion's Grandfather turned off the fire and went to take his plate. As Zion's Grandfather walked towards the other side of the kitchen where the plates were, he passed by a dark corner.

Unbeknownst to him, as he does all those things at the kitchen someone was watching him from the very beginning. Two dots of red-light flash beyond that dark corner. A silhouette of a girl in hood stood there watching the old man unmoving. It's Zion, of course, who is acting like a ghost. She planned to go out at 2 o'clock but she was irritated by the noise, so she got up her bed in advance.

Before, mother Ginger only hides her precious oven, but since this old man saw mother Ginger's new non-stick pan, who knows why but this old man begins to cook as he sees fit. And that pan that old man was using is exactly the new non-stick pan mother Ginger bought. Because Zion's grandfather often used stainless steel spoons, it can't be called a non-stick pan any more. Mother Ginger just left that pan there and bought another again, but this time, she hides her pans as well.

Also, counting in a day, ever since he got that pan, Zion's Grandfather eats at least five times a day. With the pandemic sneaking all around the globe and the economy slowly sinking down, mother Ginger cried many times because of this old man. Of course, it's not only because this old man always eats. But because not only did this old man only know how to eat, he only knew how to waste food.

Zion watched coldly as her grandfather spoon out large amounts of rice on his plate. He then poured a huge amount of fish sauce over his rice and egg. After settling on the table, Zion's grandfather slowly eats. Spoon by spoon, Zion just stood there watching. She saw his grandfather finish the egg but not the rice. There's still half of it left on his plate. But because the rice is filled with fish sauce and oily residue from the egg, it can't be put back in the rice pot. So, without any hesitation the old man just poured the left-over rice in the garbage can and left his plate on the sink, and went to sit in the living room until he fell asleep just like that.

Zion really wanted to kick this old man. Many times, she imagines a life when this old man finally flies off to heaven. That would be great. Her thoughts might be despicable, but Zion really hated her grandfather.

Zion really didn't know how she came to feel that way. Her grandfather is nothing like those abusive or lecherous old men from the movies, but every word, every action coming from this old man just appeared as an eyesore to Zion. Maybe, her personality is just defective.

Zion walked out of her house dazed thinking about these things. She walked and walked and didn't pay attention to her surroundings. Not until her stomach grumbled loudly that she finally snapped out of her stupor, and finally managed to see exactly where she was.

She was still in a familiar street, just a few blocks away from her house. She didn't walk that far. However, there's something different... It was too quiet, too dark and somehow there's a creepy vibe radiating in the air. As Zion walked, she recalled the time she went out of the bus that fateful night. Her feet touched the ground, a cold air welcomed her. She instinctively closed her eyes that night, she didn't know that when she opened her eyes again, she was already in a different space. And though Zion at the present, has an inkling of it, she was still not sure of it.

At first, she plans on going home immediately, but when she thinks of her first step as a Vampire, Zion finally braces herself and takes her a step forward.

And so, led Zion to where she is at the moment.