
Fantastical Stories 1

By Juraj Vondena

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Published by Juraj Vondena at Smashwords

Copyright 2014 Juraj Vondena

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

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All characters, places and names in this book are a work of my imagination. Any similarities to actual places or people are purely coincidental.
CONTENTS

Phoenix

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Epilogue

Perseverance

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

A change of heart

Prologue

First Chapter

Second Chapter

Third Chapter

Epilogue
Phoenix

by

Juraj Vondena
PROLOGUE

She touched the stump of the old tree with her hand to support her balance. Emily held her under the armpit and helped her sit down. Little fragments of colorful chalks she was holding fell down into the grass. They looked like playing dice gamblers use in taverns to cheat unsuspecting travelers for their gold.

"Oh, my hands are not serving as they used to!" the old woman said, but Emily found the chalks and put them near her grandma's pieces of paper rolled into a tube. She always carried them around. "Thank you my dear."

She looked at her face and touched her bubbly cheeks. They were so soft and her eyes like two dark blue precious stones set above them. Emily smiled, "It's ok grandma. I'm going to take some flowers and herbs. They are in bloom now. They are so beautiful." She was very excited, their home will have more scent of the nature in it, if that's even possible.

"Yes, my dear. But don't go too far into the forest. I will be here drawing."

The meadow was so pretty, especially now in summer. The sun shone through tall trees around them, silent breeze of colder wind from nearby pond filled the air with the smell of blooming flowers, grass and wooden scents. Little birds flew around tweeting news and gossip to each other, bees went from flower to flower to collect nectar to make sweet honey and dragonflies chased each other in circles as if there was no tomorrow.

"Don't pick up the dark blue ones. They smell like a rotten carcass when they die!" she shouted at her after a while, "it's a defense mechanism they adapted so they don't get picked. Smart plants they are these ones!" But Emily already knew that, she knew a lot of things about flowers and nature in general.

It was a wonderful day to draw something great she thought as she unrolled her papers. Something she always wanted to draw but didn't have to, until now. The chalks were ready, she felt it. The image formed clearly in her head.

The chalks were just remnants, little pieces, nothing more. They were used again and again by her. She took a green one and started to draw her final picture. It was time ...
CHAPTER 1

"I can't do this anymore! I don't know! Please stop!" A woman's scream that could wake up the dead echoed through the dark room. Vials of different liquids stood in wooden stands covered in dust, old tomes of magic, alchemy, rituals and spells filled entire walls and tables, scrolls with unknown texts and symbols lied around the room as if they owned the place. A slight shimmer of lights and shadows from candles covered everything she could see with her narrowed eyes, making it appear more awful than it was.

The smell of coffee, herbs and polished wooden floors filled her nostrils. Herbs and other small flowers she brought him that day were scattered around waiting to be used in his experiments. The ropes holding her hands were tight and she could not escape. She tried several times but to no use.

A tall shadowy figure appeared in front of her from the back of the room. She could see the grin on his face even through his messy gray beard. The old man was dressed in a dark blue magician's robe and was very old. His short soft sparse hair was combed back and gave his face almost aristocratic feel. He seems like that kind you wouldn't want to meet at night in a dark alley.

Emily noticed his long fingernails again, they always disgusted her. What is it with magicians and their fingernails? Don't they have scissors? Or some useful spell to get rid of it?

"You are saying you don't know?" he spoke suddenly, moving slowly towards the joist she was tied to, hands behind her back. He had a strong voice she thought, him being old and all. Colorful and potent, vibrant and deep, not like her grandma, who could barely catch breath after speaking for a bit.

"No I don't. You are wasting your time!" she said curtly, looking right into his eyes. They, on the other hand, were old and empty, as if somebody drained all hue and life from them. It made her uneasy when she looked for too long, yet it fascinated her beyond belief.

"Very well Emily, this is your last chance." He stopped and stared at her immobile body, then he turned around, straightened his right hand and murmured some words she never heard before. A long quill from across the room that sat in a glassy ink canister started to wiggle a bit and in a split second flew right above the wizard's hand where it stopped, right there in the air. Blue ink from it's tip dripped onto his hand but he didn't lose any concentration at all.

"What are you going to do? I told you I don't know anything!" Emily shouted at him, scared for her life. She started to shake and suddenly noticed it was cold. It was always cold in the wizard's tower. But she realized only now, after all this time she used to visit him.

"I will have to get the information from you by another ... method, care I say," his voice deepened. A slow cloud of steam came out of his mouth as he turned around, the quill still above his hand. "I am sick of playing nicely, now ..." he didn't finish the sentence as she shouted, "Silence!"

The cloud of steam quickly separated and formed itself into five small icy needles that roughly pierced his upper and lower lips together, shutting his mouth and freezing it in place. Red drops of blood started to stream down his chin and neck onto his garment. The wizard's eyes widened in anger and pain.

"Mhm mhm!" the old man tried to speak but couldn't. He hesitated a bit, then pointed his long thin index finger at Emily's eye and the quill started to fly towards it, slowly, but surely.

She looked around, then at him. There was nothing she could do. The pointy end of the quill was closer and closer every second. A drop of sweat from her forehead dropped from her brow on the floor, creating a small darker point that was not dirty or dusty. She closed her eyes and braced herself. She waited, counting seconds and wondering what it will be like to feel that kind of pain.

But nothing happened. Her left eye opened slowly and the figure of her torturer appeared in front of her again in the dark, the quill in his hand, his mouth unharmed, forming an expression of contempt. "Is that all? I'm disappointed in you Emily!" He usually stressed her name and raised his voice when he was angry and that's what he did this time. "You silenced me but didn't have a follow-up plan? Very amateur, I have to say. Very novice-like!" he pronounced every word with special attention so she remembers her fiasco for longer.

When he snapped his fingers, the tight rope loosened itself and fell on the floor. She touched her wrists, they still hurt. "Well," she started, "I didn't know what to do."

"Knowing what to do after silencing your opponent is crucial in defensive magic my dear, taken they are practitioners of the arcane. Silencing a brute with a sword near your neck will do him no harm now, would it?" he said furiously and pointed at his table. "Shall we?"

She sat there tired and feeling useless while he grabbed a piece of cloth to wipe the ink off his hand. The moonlight just peeked into the massive windows.

"I just blanked out. It always happens to me."

"You have so much to learn, but you are getting there. Why didn't you use the flames from the candles to burn the quill? You know how to do that!" he said pointing at the flickering lights, " It's a good source of energy for you to manipulate. You need to think quickly and as I said already, you need to have a plan."

"I know. I know it now. But in the heat of it all, in the presence of danger, I just can't concentrate enough to think properly," she replied, "how do you do it?"

He moved in his chair. She was looking at him like a little girl asking a street magician, who does tricks for a living, how did he make the dove appear.

"Emily, it comes with practice. In situations like these, your focus is your strongest weapon. You see, in my times, if you got distracted, you got hurt or even killed. Concentration is everything! Remember that."

They talked for about an hour after that and made plans for the next lesson.

"Thank you for your time again, Luren. I promise I will get better," she smiled at him and went for the door.

"I hope so. World is a dangerous place, especially for a young woman like you, Emily. Be careful in the city. Thieves, muggers and other filth will be roaming the streets at this time of the night. If you hear some drunkards singing just go the other way to avoid them completely." said Luren while looking at some drawings he had on his table. "And say hello to Melissa," he quickly added.

"Yes, I will. She always asks about you. Good night!" She disappeared behind the door and into the darkness of the night, holding her coat tightly.

Luren looked at the scroll he was holding and put it back on the table. She made some progress he thought, a small one but progress nonetheless.

He stood up and tried to straighten his back a little, but it hurt so he stopped. He could hear the bones crying in his body for years. Not even magic can help, at least the kind of magic he knows. He could set things on fire, freeze water by his will alone or make people dance for him anytime he wanted but he could not heal old wounds and pains of old muscles and sinews. He could stop enemies in time and turn metal scimitars into paper toys but could not improve his sight nor return a color into his eyes. But she could. Melissa. She could do all that. And very easily.

When Emily got home, she noticed a faint light coming from under the door to her grandma's room. She was probably finishing her picture she started on today or couldn't sleep. "I could have some sleep finally," she murmured for herself and went straight to bed.

She slept the whole night with her window open. She loved the sound of cicadas and frogs calling each other at night, the whispering of leaves on trees was a lullaby for her soul.

Ian, her lover and best friend came home very late from his duties as a street guard in Lovewood, the town of sin, which is only five miles away from The Hut where they live. The Hut is an old wooden druid house built in a Lovewood Forest, which spreads across the whole country and serves as a natural border between Lovewood and Crimfield, a young city.

Luren is it's oldest living citizen obviously, not counting some of the elderly druids who sometimes wander behind the city walls. The major of Crimfield, lord Gurth the First is an "uneducated brute, with neck thicker than his head," Luren would say, but was elected as a successor to a previous major because of technicalities. Of course, these technicalities are never to be discussed or you could get beheaded. Especially when you are a wizard or a sorcerer or a bard or anyone who dabbles in magic in general, unless you use your powers just to help the major to achieve his goals and after you never speak of it again. In that case, you can be tolerated. But you better stay in your tower and play with your vials, potions and scribe scrolls.

The streets of Lovewood, a small town on the opposite side of the forest, were not safe for foreigners at night. For anyone really, no matter how many guards were on duty. Something always happened. Bunch of thieves on their midnight walk, harlots around every corner. Ian often wondered why they, the guards, even bothered. You lock someone up, more are back the next night!

But the payment was good. You can get killed, of course, but the money was good.

He took his shoes off and washed his face. As he looked in the mirror he noticed a bowl of soup on the table behind him. It was cold but good, he ate it quietly and quickly.

When he entered the bedroom, he could smell fresh flowers. He smiled and looked at the bed, Emily was sleeping already. He thought she'd wait for him to hear another dangerous encounter he had that day, but the stress of the day weighed in.

He fell asleep so fast he didn't even notice there was something on the window pane. A little eye that looked as if it was made of glass and marble was looking inside the room, and someone was watching through it.
CHAPTER 2

The Hut was silent and dark. The rose-bushes around the house were still giving their scent, making the stiff unmoving air breathable. Distant hooting of an owl on it's night hunt sounded clear to Eric as if it was just outside on the nearest tree. He was an apprentice thief first class after all, hearing a cat stalking it's prey wasn't an easy thing to master, but he had a good teacher. This will be an easy piece of work and he will be back in the tower in no time.

The little backpack he got from the old wizard had nearly no weight at all Eric thought, but he remembered seeing his "employer" putting something in it, a vial of some sort. He tried to listen to the old man carefully but it was really hard, because the tower itself was more fascinating. He was never in a wizard's tower before but there is a first time for everything.

Where was the lady's room again? Near the stairs in the kitchen, right next to a wooden drawer, he remembered. That's right. This should be an easy job, he'll just take the damn scroll and he'll be gone.

He looked around a bit, the night was warm and cozy. The owners didn't even have a dog. But this hut belonged to a druid before, what if they had a pet bear? That thought sent a shiver down his spine. The bush provided good cover for him but it was time to act. His brand new lock-pick sat in his pocket waiting to be used.

It was so exciting for him to be allowed to do something like this for the first time he thought as he slowly moved out of the cover to the front door. He stopped right in front of it and got on one of his knee, looking around just to make sure nobody is around. He was dressed in black to meld with the shadows. The man with a sword who walked into the hut must be dead asleep, no light is coming out from any of the windows.

Eric inserted the lock-pick inside the keyhole and manipulated it around a bit to feel how the metal frame is set. It was his lucky night. It was old and rusted a bit, wiggly on the edges but he approached this task expecting a major disaster. An alarm, magical trap or something more sinister. Thieves always do that and that was his first lesson to master. "Always expect the unexpected!" the voice of his teacher sounded in his ears.

It took him a moment to open the door. Holding the handle, he released a silent gale of air from his lungs to release stress and put the picks back into his pocket. After he went inside the kitchen and closed the door behind him, he immediately noticed the drawer near the stairs up but couldn't see any door. It was odd, the wizard clearly said there would be a door right next to it. He saw the door many times when he visited the old lady and the pictures were in her room. Maybe they changed it?

Eric looked around for a bit, squatting the whole time, sticking to shadows. The table was solid and clean, other drawers probably contained cutlery and plates, nothing he could use for himself or sell, vases with flowers, some fabrics lying around, a mirror and a wooden bucket filled with water. Nothing of interest. The wall where the mysterious missing door should be was just like the others. But his thieving senses didn't let him down. The wall was warmer to the touch, the warmth coming from the other side, but how? His hands were sensitive, they had to be for operating very small tools, strings and mechanisms and he felt something where the wall joined the floor. There was a little gap. It was so small, that maybe only a baby ant would get through it to the other side. The warmer air was coming from there, he could feel it. Other than that, there was nothing. No frame, no keyhole.

He formed a small circle with his mouth and let out another slow gale of air. Frustrating. Everything went well until this point.

They never teach you stuff like this these days. Nobody prepares you for something unexpected, not even the Thieves Guild. They tell you to expect it. No, not tell you. They shout it into your brain but do they tell you how to deal with it? Nah. All he heard was, "deal with those events accordingly." What's that supposed to mean?

"Oh god I can't screw this up or I'll never get promoted. I will be sentenced to roam the streets and pick pockets, I will be the laugh for the whole Guild!" he thought for a moment and opened his backpack. Maybe the vial he got will help. But he doesn't even know what it does. It was a long thin tube made of glass closed with cork at both ends with a piece of glass in the middle separating two different liquids it seemed. One half had runes that read "IN" carved on it, the other had "OUT". This must be it. "This will probably allow me to pass through walls like a ghost or something, or maybe it will just teleport me inside and out," his thoughts ran in his head and his heart started pounding.

As he opened the "IN" part of the vial and smelled the thick slimy goo a sound came from upstairs. A wooden floor crackling. And then another one. Somebody was coming down. Could they hear the cork sound as he opened the potion?

Eric suddenly realized that those sounds were getting louder and he was sure they were steps. Somebody was going down the stairs and he is going to be here in the kitchen with him any moment! Without further thinking, he quickly crawled behind the drawer right next to him holding the vial in his hand and squeezing it so hard it could break. His head on his knees, knees close to his body, merging with the shadow.

A tall man, the same one he saw entering the house before, came down the stairs and went to the table right in front of Eric. But the man didn't stop, he bumped into the table and staggered, leaning a bit to the front and side as if he wanted to dance with the table. "Oh bloody hell," the man said quietly to himself, "I am sleepwalking again." Then he just turned around and went back upstairs, as if nothing happened.

"That was close," Eric thought but didn't move for couple of moments in case the man came back, "it's now or never."

It tasted like snot. Not that he knew how a snot would taste like but he would certainly imagine it tasting exactly like the horrid vial. His face looked like a rumpled piece of pergamen for a while but he got used to it, the taste disappeared completely after some brief time. And so did he. At least it looked like that until he realized he is still in the same room but can see all over around him in all directions at once. He noticed he saw everything from a frog's perspective, or a beetle's maybe, something very small. A strange feeling really, for a fifteen year old boy who just turned into a thick goo in someone's house. What if the man comes back in his sleepwalk and steps on him? Would it kill him?

He tried to move. It was hard at first but he managed to slither closer to the gap and he could see inside! The opening was huge from his point of view and he managed to slip through it to the other side.

The room was darker than the rest of the place but it was really warm. He couldn't see anything properly and started to think about what he was going to do in this form. He had no hands, no legs, no head. How does he even think without a head?

Eric got back into his human form really suddenly. So suddenly, that he bumped his head on something hard above him. The noise it made scared him more than the pain, what if the lady has a shallow sleep and wakes up to every little sound?

So he just stood there in darkness and waited, his head hurting. He could feel a little lump forming in the place of the impact and wanted to touch it but to his amazement, resisted. Nothing happened though so he slowly moved through the room as his eyes got used to the darkness. He could see shapes of objects but couldn't discern any of them, which was bad, but he had a solution ready. Glasses he got from his teacher sitting in his other pocket! They are just a simple metal frame but the glass you look through is enchanted with magic, so you can see in the dark like a cat. Or even better.

The blueish tint you see over everything is not a distraction for anyone who used the glasses before, you get used to it pretty quickly. As he looked properly at where he was, he saw her in the bed. She was sleeping. The blanket moved slowly up and down as she breathed, she looked so calm and old. The thing he hated the most was the fact she was facing the door. He had to hurry.

The room itself was nearly empty, one drawer, one bucket and couple of small tables with scrolls on them, mostly drawings, pictures and sketches, used candles. The amount of rolled up papers this lady had was astonishing. Are these all her drawings? What is in them?

Eric took a paper from his backpack and grabbed the first and the nearest drawing he found and put it in the backpack. His task was complete. Holding the other part of the potion, he prepared himself and drank it. The room vanished for a while in a whirlpool of colors in front of him. Another new experience for him this night.

He appeared in the wizard's tower and immediately noticed the old man staring at him from his chair. When he stood up, face full of expectations, Eric stepped back a little bit, not from the short dizziness of teleportation but from the mere expression on his client's face.

"Do you have it? Do you have one of her paintings?" Luren asked, breathing heavily.

"Yes I do, indeed!" Eric replied, trying to appear taller and competent. He was thinking he could get more jobs for this old man, something more dangerous.

The wizard started to smile, then the smile changed to a weird grin. "Good job. I just might use your services in the future, young boy." Eric was pleased with his success but this was time to show professionalism and courtesy.

"Yes sir. And this will be another twenty five gold pieces, the other half we agreed upon."

"Oh yes, don't worry about it. Here is the money. Take it!" He grabbed a pouch from the table and gave it to Eric. "Now, give me the scroll!"

While he was counting the gold, Luren stood back-turned to him and was talking to himself, studying the drawing.

The young thief couldn't understand a word and he didn't care, it was just a mumbling to him. The money was more important. He caught a glimpse of it for a while, it looked ordinary and common to him, vibrant colors, nothing more. What could be so important about a painting of trees and a pond? You can get one from street performers for mere three coppers.

"Anyway, thank you for your service again, " said Luren sharply turning to Eric," but be so kind and make sure the confidentiality agreement is followed to the smallest point. It is in your best interest. Also keep the backpack, I have no use for it. Now please leave I have some important work to do."

"Of course, sir. No need to mention that. I'll be on my way." he replied shortly and left. After the door closed, Luren went to his table, put Melissa's drawing aside and took a mirror off the wall behind him. It looked like an ordinary mirror, because it actually was an ordinary mirror, but arcane powers can enhance things of daily use to allow trinkets and tools to be used for something completely different.

Mirrors are used to see yourself. Some warriors use shields polished to a mirror-shine so their opponents can see their own faces in them and get distracted in hand to hand combat. Thieves use small mirrors to see behind corners or behind them. Wizards use mirrors not to see themselves, but to see others.

"I have it! I have one of her drawings Sarcus!" he whispered to the mirror, now lying on the table. A tired and sleepy man appeared in it, cleaning his eyes from crust.

"Don't you say Luren! You know what this means?" the other wizard asked, feeling very fresh at once.

"Yes, we only need to get the composition of the chalks and we can make our own. You should come as soon as possible," he said excitedly, expecting more praise from his friend, "imagine what we can do with a power like that!"

Sarcus, his best friend stared into his own mirror near his bed. He was only in his pajamas and looked sort of grotesque. "I actually have some ideas already. But first things first. Expect me tomorrow before noon, I will bring everything I can."

"Can't you come now? It's important Sarcus, you know that," asked Luren. "I have waited for so long to get my hands on this and I finally have it! And I need your help!" The frustration and impatience showed on his face.

"No can do I'm afraid! Long distance teleportation? With my state of mind? Ehm, no thank you. But don't worry, I will see what I can do and come tomorrow as I said."

The mirror went back to it's normal color, Luren looked at it for a while, then put it back on the wall. He kept looking at his own eyes, the saturation was almost gone.
CHAPTER 3

"Really? They are going to promote you? How come?" Emily asked Ian during breakfast, "does it include you doing something more dangerous? You know I am scared for you enough as it is now."

"Mhm. Yeah, you got it!" he replied with his mouth full, "there is no way around it I'm afraid." He took another sip of soup, "God this is delicious. Do we have more bread?"

"So what are you going to do exactly?" she was worried.

"Escort prisoners. It's dangerous yes, but the money is so much better. We could finally move out and start living together in Crimfield." He continued eating without waiting for her to say anything.

Both of them sat around the table and waited for Melissa to join them but she didn't show up. In her age, it took her more and more time to wake up, to walk or to do something.

Emily took some more bread from a basket and put it in front of her lover, "It's from yesterday, but it's good. I'm going to check on grandma, she told me to make sure she is up this time this morning."

After she pressed the secret button behind the drawer and the wall opened she went right in. Melissa was still in her bed, eyes closed. "Granny?" she asked her in whisper, "it's late morning. You wanted me to wake you up, you said it was important."

Her face was very pale, not like yesterday and her breathing was very shallow and irregular. "Gran?" she whispered again while touching her hand. It was cold, although the room was warm. "Granny?!" This time she shook her hand but still didn't get any reply.

"Ian! Come here at once! There is something wrong!" she shouted to the kitchen, 'Granny? Granny please wake up!"

"You don't need to shout I'm not deaf, sweetheart. Just a bit tired, that's all." Melissa said in a very faint voice while her eyes remained closed.

"I was so scared for you grandma and I didn't know what was going on," she nearly cried turning to Ian who appeared next to her, "I called you and you didn't answer. Your hands are cold."

"I'm alright, don't worry darling. I'm alright, just a bit tired," she opened her eyes, "and I would like some of that soup from yesterday with bread, if you don't mind."

"Yes, of course. You stay in bed, I'll be right here."

"Thank you Emily, what would I do without you?"

Emily smiled and smoothed the duvet, making Melissa more comfortable and warm.

In the kitchen, she turned to Ian, "I don't think she is good, something is going on," she leaned on him and her eyes started to water, "I think I am losing her." Tears started to come down her face, she couldn't stop them, "I'm sorry."

"No honey, no need to be sorry, don't be silly," he comforted her, "everything's gonna be ok."

"No it's not," she cried, "I can feel it."

They stood there hugging each other for some time while she sobbed into his arm and shoulder when Ian interrupted the silence, "I need to go to speak to commander Farwen and discuss my promotion. I will be back in couple of hours. Are you going to be ok?"

"I think so," she replied hastily wiping her tears, "and hope so." He kissed her on her cheek, took his hat and left.

"Here is the soup and bread," she said trying to keep calm while holding the bowls, "it will warm you up."

"Thank you."

"It's the least I can do and you need strength."

She barely ate half the bowl when she had enough. Her head turned to the wall and she closed her eyes. Emily put the bowl on the floor and touched her long hair. It wasn't gray as one would expect, it was golden blond. It glittered when sun shone on it so it seemed it shone on it's own.

"It is time," Melissa said all of a sudden in broken voice, "time for me to go."

Emily glared at her and couldn't understand, although she knew exactly what was happening.

"Grandma, I ..." she tried but a heavy lump in her throat didn't allow for more words.

"It's all good Emily," she turned to face her, "I think I have a day or two before my final journey. Don't be sad."

An awkward silence filled the room.

"I lived a wonderful life and now it's time for you to live yours. I am old and I have seen many things, things you only need to see for yourself." Emily started to cry, so she held her hand.

"When I took you from that orphanage, I knew you were the right one my dear. You were just a little girl but your presence filled the entire hut. I couldn't have been more happier. When you first fell and hurt your knee it was like the end of the world for me, it hurt me more than it hurt you," she continued talking, "and when you grew up, I knew you were interested more in animals and herbs than in people, you read a lot of books about them. I always loved to see the excitement in your eyes when I brought another book for you from Luren. And you read it in one day. Luren was angry sometimes when I showed the next day and asked him for more, silly old wizard." They both laughed at it through tears and Emily saw the color returned to grandma's face.

"You called me "gwan" when you were younger. I liked it. But some people stared at us, especially the nobles."

"Is this how it ends?" Emily asked but didn't get a reply she waited for.

"You need to think about you and Ian right now. He is a nice man, he will take care of you. And you need to continue your studies. After you know the basics of the arcane, you can get a scholarship for the alchemy in Crimfield's University."

"You didn't answer me," she asked politely, "what am I going to do without you?" She broke down again. She couldn't face the reality.

"Everything that has a beginning has an end. Everything begins to end as soon as it begins to begin. That's how it works. You didn't think I would be here forever, did you?" There was a slight pause. "You were always sad during winter, when the flowers died, but I told you they will come back. And they always did." She smiled and there was a certainty in her eyes.

"But you are not a flower. You are everything to me. I am not prepared for this. Not now, not like this. You are the only person who cared for me, my only family." Emily started to cry again, overwhelming emotions ran over her heart.

"I will never stop caring for you sweetheart. Ever. I chose you and raised you as my own. You, too, are my everything. I take you as my daughter."

Someone knocked on the door. "Who can this be?" Emily stood up and adjusted her dress. "I will be right back." She closed the door behind her and answered the door.

It was Luren. "Good morning Emily. I came to see Melissa. Can I see her please?" She could see that he somehow knew but she wasn't surprised, he was a wizard after all.

"Good morning. Please come in." After she closed the door, she asked if he wanted a tea but he just walked in front of the hidden door and looked at it for a bit. Then he said, "Please don't disturb us," and walked right through the wall as if it wasn't even there.

It wasn't his first time in the hut but he always felt uneasy. The hidden door opened silently and Emily stepped in prepared to shout at him before Melissa herself told her to let them spend some time alone, so she left.

"Melissa ..." he started, but she knew why he was there. She moved a bit and gave him a distant look.

"I told you before Luren. And the answer is still no." He stood there like a little boy. He didn't like what he was doing, but he had no choice.

"I have one of your drawings you know? The paint is being analyzed as we speak. Look, I'm sorry for everything, but it would be a great asset to us magicians if you just let us in, so to speak, on your secret."

She laughed but a caught cut it short, leaving her gasping for air. "You wizards never learn. Mainly you Luren, you have always been the one without any boundaries. You come here to my death bed and ask me for a favor. The one you have been asking me for more than fifty years."

He knew he was going nowhere. " The gnolls are the best alchemists in the world," he started walking around the room, "and they will find out everything they can about the chalks and paints you use. I paid them great money." He knocked over some scrolls accidentally and Melissa turned to him.

"People like you never give up, do they? You have so much power in your hands, so much control. But there is one thing that eludes you. Time. Your own time, to be exact. And that's something I can't help you with."

"I see," he said, "but know this. After I make my own chalks and learn the secret of it I will be the last to laugh. And I will tell the girl. I will tell her everything."

"Yes?" she asked sarcastically.

"Yes! I will let her know who you really are and who she is. After she knows the truth, even if you are dead, she will not love you anymore. She will be lost like a lost soul she really is. And you can't do anything about it. Unless, you help me the way you helped her," he raised his voice in anger, "and I taught her many things I know as you asked me and this is how you repay me?"

There was a long silence, they were both thinking.

"You wouldn't dare. I can't help you Luren, stop asking. Don't you see? I'm dying. I can't help myself, so how could I help you? You will have to embrace death the same way I am and I am not going to argue with you."

All this time, he wondered what was so special about her. Her hair that never went gray or her drawings that never lost color? Her ability to face death better than him or her lack of fear of his anger?

There was nothing else he could do, he tried everything. There and then, he gave up. He gave up all his hope he had in her to save him. The resignation came suddenly and he felt like a stone was lifted from his shoulders. "I can't do it! I spent my whole life studying and and looking for a solution and for what? For this?"

"You shouldn't have put your nose into things that don't concern you. The curse is your fault, nobody else's," she said curtly, "one would think you'd realize after all those years of searching for a remedy."

"Yes. The curse. That's all you can say. The curse. Do you really think I deserve this? To die an old man when I have my whole life in front of me? It's easy for you to just die and leave this world when you experienced all the joys of existence you miserable old ..." he didn't finish the sentence and just stopped, because she wasn't paying attention to him at all. She laid there with her eyes closed and slept. So it's true, her time has come.

"Keep her warm all the time," he said to Emily in the kitchen, "and I apologize for storming in, but we had to talk before ..."

"It's ok, I was just uneasy!" she interrupted him.

"Let me know if you need anything. I will gladly help!" he said before he left.

She realized he raised his voice. What was that all about?
CHAPTER 4

"Don't lift it, it's heavy. Let me help you."

Emily didn't even try and moved to the back. The treasure box was wooden and big with a metallic handle and obviously locked. Ian lifted it instead and carried it into the kitchen. "How are we going to open it, I looked everywhere and there's no key?"

"I have no idea. I don't know any spells that could help and I'd feel bad if we damaged it. We should think of something else. Are these all?" She pointed at the drawings they managed to put on the kitchen table.

"I think so, her room is empty, apart from furniture. Are you sure you want to do this?"

She wasn't, but they were moving out in two days and she didn't want to leave anything behind. "I should get hold of Luren, he might help. It's odd though, I haven't seen him since the funeral. And even then, he didn't stay long."

"Maybe he was scared of the druids!" Ian said, moving some of the drawings closer together.

"Not everyone is scared of men and women dressed in animal hides with tattoos and animal companions," she laughed, remembering Ian's face when he saw them gathering from all around the forest. The funeral was short and everyone was sad, even the animals. The highest druid took her body to be buried in their sacred grounds, she spent her whole life near the woods helping them. Nobody was allowed to see the ceremony but the closest people.

"They should work as guards in the city, honestly. Criminality would drop overnight."

They looked at the drawings, nearly all of them. They were beautiful. The forest, the nearby pond, the hut, all from different angles and during different seasons. Fallen leaves, the meadow in full bloom, a little fox chasing a rabbit, a pair of birds singing to each other, mostly nature.

"I like this one. Our home in summer. Well, not our home anymore. We will have a brand new house in Crimfield. I will miss this place. I will miss grandma."

He hugged her and smelled her hair. It smelled like roses and honey.

"This is all of them." he said quietly.

"Yes."

After they ate a little, Emily asked, "When is the guy with the horses coming?"

"Later today. We should have everything prepared for him. We will carry all our stuff to Crimfield and prepare our living there."

"Sounds good. The druid pair will move in here the day after tomorrow, they just got married," she pointed out, looking around.

"Are you looking forward to it? To our new life?" Ian asked.

"I am."

Later that day, a young boy came on a carriage with two brown horses.

"Good afternoon! My name is Eric, I am here as you requested to help you move out?"

"Nice to meet you Eric, I am Ian. I see you didn't have any trouble finding the hut."

"No sir, not at all! It is a bit hidden, but I managed to not get lost!" he replied, his face turning slightly red. They put all their things inside including the treasure box.

"It's locked." Eric said when he saw it. He couldn't resist touching it and examining the lock he said, "It's a standard lock. Are your valuables in it? You should put it on the bottom to not get any looks from them locals."

"Oh, we don't know what's inside, we can't open it , because we don't have a key."

"Maybe I can help!" he quickly said.

"Well, if you want."

"Ok, but you need to turn around, I don't like people looking when I do stuff like this. And also it will cost you twenty coppers. Deal?"

Ian didn't like what he was hearing, but he wanted to know what was inside. "Deal."

He turned around and looked at the hut. He could see Emily taking the flowers from window panes.

"I'm done!" he heard from behind. The lock was open and the boy was smiling waiting for his money. Ian gave him what he promised and looked inside the treasure box. There were more drawings, but the paper was much older. There were maybe six of them and also a small wooden box. He closed the treasure back and put it at the bottom of the carriage. "More drawings."

On the way to the Crimfield they didn't speak too much. They were saying goodbye to everything they were leaving behind.

Their new home was bigger than the hut and much nicer. Painted walls and furniture with ornaments, carpets with lions and exotic trees made them feel like nobles.

It was situated in a quiet street close to the central square, next to the guard station where Ian will work after his promotion is final.

"It will take some time to get used to it, but we will be just fine," he said excited, "we will make new friends and it will be much closer for you to go and visit Luren."

They were busy putting their old things into the rooms, but they enjoyed the work. Making the place their own.

In the evening, after Ian left to work, Emily looked out of the window and could see Luren's tower in the distance. The top window was dark. What happened to him? "I hope he is not in trouble?" she thought for herself.

Her stomach started to hurt again a bit, it was getting worse she noticed. She felt dizzy so she sat on the floor and gazed into the corner where the treasure was.

She took the drawings out and looked at them after forgetting about them completely. First picture was her grandmother's last.

It was her, Emily, standing on the meadow looking at some flowers holding her belly with her hand. The belly felt heavy and bigger. She was drawn pregnant.

She quickly put the picture back inside and closed the box without looking at the rest.

The street lamps were shining bright, the light-keeper was a hard working man and did his job properly. A stray dog stood near a fence of a big house and played "who can bark louder" with another dog until the owner opened a window and shouted at them to be quiet. The lonely dog ran away thinking he won.

The streets were cleaner and cleaner as she approached the square, the fountain was a romantic place for lovers to talk during warm nights like this one, but it didn't work all the time. People used to throw coins in it for luck but stopped doing it because thieves cleared it every night anyway.

A beggar stepped in front of Emily, blocking her way, " Would you have any spare coppers ma'am?" He stank of rum and ale, it made her sick.

The Church of Amerill wasn't that far. She could see a light coming out of one of the windows so she knocked on the door and waited nervously. The young priest seemed surprised to see her at that late hour, but let her in without hesitation.

Churches like these were very common in cities, but she rarely went in, she liked the outside world.

"Pregnant you say?" the priest was surprised. In his short career he didn't help a pregnant woman yet and he didn't know anything about it.

"Yes, pregnant. I was having pain lately and I think that's the reason why. I need to know. Here is the money."

"It can be anything else, maybe food poisoning, but I will try my best. Give me a minute."

It didn't take long. The cleric didn't know if it was bad news or good news for her. "Yes, you are having a baby. Amerill congratulates you or is very sorry, depending on ..." he said frustrated.

"Thank you. That's all I needed to know. Good night."

"I can help you madam, whatever your problem is, let me just ..." he tried, but she was gone.

She could not understand. The picture showed her pregnant, but how could her grandma know?

She had to talk to somebody. Somebody who knew about these things.

"I have to ask Luren, I have to see him. I have to see Luren!" she was saying it over and over again as she was running towards his tower. Her mind was somewhere else, all over the place, her heart was pounding. She ran faster and faster and didn't notice she passed the tower and found herself in a dark alley behind some houses, right next to a small park. Two boys approached her.

"Good evening madam. Can we be of service?" one of them asked.

"What do you mean," she asked, slightly out of breath, "what kind of service?"

She became scared a bit and thought about any useful spells she could use. They were just boys, surely they mean no harm. But then she recognized the voice. It was Eric, the boy who helped her carry all their stuff. The other boy was hiding in shadows cast by a house, although standing next to his friend.

"Anything really. Do you remember me? I was your stable boy. Helped you with moving."

"I do. I need to go to see Luren in his tower. No time to talk. But thanks!" she said and turned around.

"You won't find him!" she heard a voice behind her. It was the other boy. She stopped and looked at him.

"How would you know?" she asked.

He slowly moved out of the shadows and she noticed his eyes. They were blank. He looked frightening, even as a boy with freckles, his black hair combed back. He stood there, hands behind his back, smiling.

"You won't find him there, Emily."

"Luren?" she said. The resemblance was noticeable but the posture was different. He wasn't leaning forward anymore, he stood straight.

"Yes. Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I don't understand. What happened? Why are you a boy?"

"The old hag helped me, sorry for the word. She somehow managed to remove the curse, but my sight is nearly gone. This is me. Real me. I'm sixteen."

She had so many questions, her legs hurt from the running.

They walked to her new house. Some drunk men passed by, also some odd men dressed in black, but after they saw Eric, they moved on. "You don't need to worry madam. Nothing bad will happen to us when I'm here."

She made tea for three of them and they sat at the table. The boys looked around a bit and told her they liked her new house.

"She said it was all my fault, the curse. I opened something I shouldn't have and turned into an old man. I was that old man for fifty years. I lost everything. My younger years were gone. I was old. Apart from my eyes. They aged normally, my body didn't. But later, they caught up. I was always seventy three, for fifteen years."

"Who cursed you?" Emily asked.

"I don't know. The curse was enchanted on the box I opened. I should have known. But, here I am, young again. I can start over."

"What are you going to do with your eyes?"

"It stopped getting worse but didn't revert back, so I have to save money. There is a cleric who can help but he is expensive, that old sod," he and Eric laughed, "but I will manage. My friend here will help."

"I see," she nodded, sipping her tea.

"What about you? Moved to a new house, starting anew as well," he asked, "funny how everything turned out."

"There is something I want to show you. Something I can not explain, but maybe you could."

She put the scroll on the table. Luren didn't look surprised. He took it into his hands and she noticed his fingernails were short. Thanks god.

"It's you. What about it?"

"She drew me pregnant. And I just talked to a priest, he said it was true."

Luren smiled, "She was smart. However, I can't tell you more Emily, I'm sorry. I want to put this behind me, forget about it."

"Why?" she asked, "I need answers Luren, I don't know what's going on."

"I promised her. Long time ago. I am not going to break that promise. I'm sorry."

"Wait, there is more. I haven't looked yet," she said hastily and opened the old treasure box.

Five more drawings joined the first one. Maybe it was better they didn't see them.

After they looked at them all, they sat there in silence. There was nothing they could have said that would make the situation any better.

"Alright. This is what I know," Luren suddenly broke the silence, " long time ago, when I was a boy studying the arcane here at the University, I met her in the park during summer break with a little girl, you. She was drawing something and I was naturally curious so I started to talk to her. I noticed her colors are vibrant and asked her about it, but she wouldn't say what they were. It infuriated me. I wanted to know. I gathered some information about her through scrying and found out where you two lived. I visited her. But it wouldn't be me if I didn't poke my nose around and that's when I opened the box where she stored the chalks. I bet it is still in the bigger one right there, where these drawings were. Of course, it was cursed. Only she could open it without being harmed." He went silent for a bit, those memories were hard to live through again.

"I begged her for years, threatened her, promised her wealth, my knowledge, my power. She didn't care. She didn't know who put the curse on the box, she didn't even know about where the box came from. All I knew from all those years was that those chalks have a magic power."

He continued, "It wasn't the chalks. I had them stolen and analyzed lately." Eric looked around as if it didn't concern him. "The gnolls laughed at me when they finished their analysis. Called me dumb. They were just that. Chalks. It was her, her all along. She had the power. Whatever she drew, came true. That's all I know."

Emily looked at him, her face without any expressions. She noticed he was speaking in the exact manner when he was old.

"You mean, she drew something and it became true?" she asked.

He raised his cup of tea and said, "You are a one smart woman. Now, when I see these drawings, I understand why she kept them hidden and locked with the damn box. Oh, do yourself a favor and don't try to open it."

When Ian came home, Emily was asleep. The drawings were on the table. He looked at each one of them.

Emily on the meadow. He liked it. His soon to become wife.

The Hut. Although it looked newer and the trees around it were smaller, he could still recognize it.

Next one was himself when he was younger, standing in front of the hut with a sword. He felt proud of himself.

Another one was a whole map of the World, everywhere the humans set foot.

A ball with continents, seas, and with clouds in the middle of black night and stars, whatever that was, was another drawing. Wizards call these "planets".

The last one was the oldest. Melissa herself as a girl, her golden hair much shorter, barely covering her ears.
EPILOGUE

Eric became a thief of third class in two years, but after one unsuccessful mission, he became a cook. In prison. He gained thirty pounds. Rat meat is a good meat.

Luren managed to restore his sight with a help of a shaman from an unknown tribe with an uneasy side effect: all his hair fell off. But there is nothing wigs can't fix apart from a nickname "Baldy".

Ian married Emily and got promoted again later that year. He is now working as a chief inspector for the local guards.

Emily passed exams for the alchemy lab and had a baby girl. She likes to draw pictures and has more hair than Luren. It's golden, like feathers of a Phoenix.

### 
Perseverance

by

Juraj Vondena
PROLOGUE

Bullying in colleges became a huge problem lately, not that it wasn't a problem before, but nowadays teenagers take it to the next level either with cyber bullying, which is inherently flawed because you can get sued for a lot of money if someone manages to hire a good lawyer, or a kind of bullying that cuts deeper into your soul: physical appearance.

Lucy Flawless (I'm not kidding you!) was bullied by other more popular girls relentlessly for looking odd. Her head looked like an 8$ watermelon from a local grocery store, her long curly natural red hair gave her a nickname "Carrotface" and her figure shouted sloppy and lazy all over the place. She had bigger breasts than any other girl at school, but unfortunately it was just another reason for the girls to pick on her. And her clothes? Let's just say they weren't fashion forward, ugly jeans with a washed sweater or her brother's football jersey, in summer she wore long skirts with flowery details that were sweeping the filth off the floors everywhere she went and a simple white blouse. If she managed to make her own jewelry, she wore a "friendship bracelet", but it was obvious she didn't have any. Even her imaginary friends left her.

She had other attributes that were superior to her physical ones though; she was smart and quiet, had an amazing imagination and a sense of justice. But who cares, right? Duh!

The bullying was worse and worse as you can imagine and she had no one to talk to. Her brother served in Iraq and her parents were working long shifts to make ends meet. It was getting to her more and more, you know. That's why she decided to end it all. Not at school or at home, because the bathroom was being reconstructed, she decided to end her life in the local hypermarket. The shopping center was far away from where she lived and she liked the place because nobody noticed her there. People wandered around, men in suits sipped coffees in cafes (some secretly touching boots under the table), women with young ones in their baby-coaches strolled up and down in their pick track suits; it was the perfect place. A final shout to the world!

She had everything ready and all planned out: she told her parents she was going to visit her pen-pal Silvia (if you guessed she made her up you are right) for the weekend; it was Friday and she would lock herself and wait in one of the toilets until the shopping center closes and everyone leaves. A razor in her bag (used once, her father was running out), couple of sleeping pills and a rope just in case. She hoped to find a hook on the ceiling if everything else failed, but why would it?

She took a bus. She thought that if she is going to end it all, she might as well have a last pleasant journey.
CHAPTER ONE

"You are late Maria! Again!" said an older janitor woman to a Hispanic girl who just came in for their meeting. It was nearly midnight and there was work to be done. The shopping center was already closed and everybody left.

"Sorry Edith! I met this wonderful man and he told me if I had sex with him he would buy me these shoes!" she replied lifting her foot, twisting it around so her friends and co-workers could see them from all possible angles.

"Oh god, they are gorgeous!" gasped another woman, "You are a piece of work, do you know that?"

They were the cleaning mafia, three independent and strong women: Edith, who was thirty-eight and was the leader; Yumiko, a Japanese girl in her mid-twenties and Maria who was twenty-two. There was nothing unusual about them at first sight. They were janitors who came here every night before midnight to clean stores and offices. They had their own little storage room with trollies, cleaning products, mops and all the stuff you use for cleaning. The table had only three legs, that's why they put it in the corner. The cattle was already turned on, they always started with a little meeting and a coffee.

"I'm so jealous, but you go girl!" Yumiko said smiling at her.

"Thanks! I like them so much and for five minutes of work? Why not!?" All three of them laughed for a moment.

"Alright girls, let's get to work! We are gonna make this place shine as usual. I will start from the back, Yumiko you go get the trollies and Maria bring the hoover with the extension cord and start with the offices," Edith ordered them, but they didn't look happy.

"We didn't even finish our coffees."

"Right, one more minute and then go. You young girls..." Edith walked away and they looked at Maria's new shoes again. They were red and very pretty, they must have cost the man a fortune.

"Yumiko, can you smell it?" It was an odor they both knew and liked very well. Nothing else smells like it and every kind of it has a different undertone. It was blood, they were sure of it. Their senses heightened instantly and they couldn't resist. It was the strongest lure in the world.

"It's coming from the lady's toilets," Maria said rolling her eyes, "we should clean it with bleach or it will distract us for the rest of the night."

The toilets were dirty as always, pieces of toilet paper were lying on the floor. The smell was extremely strong (mixed with other smells) and it was coming from the furthest cubicle.

"It's not what we thought Yumiko, somebody is hurt! I can't breathe, it's too much!"

They both covered their noses with the sleeves of their jackets and tried to open the door. It was locked from the inside. They heard someone moaning on the other side, silently.

"Go and get Edith while I try to force it open. Hurry!"

Maria ran away and nearly without breath said to Edith, "You need to see this, in ladies' toilets! Quickly!"

"If this is another unbelievably huge turd that didn't flush properly, I told you before: Girls have those as well! You should see mine this morning... " Edith said annoyed, but soon realized that wasn't it. On the way she smelled the blood as well and her stomach shrunk a bit. She sped up.

"I climbed over the door to open it from the inside. Oh my god, poor girl!" Yumiko looked desperate and also hungry, blood from the girl's wrist leaked on the floor, but she was still alive. "She took some pills as well," she added and twisted her head. The open bottle stood innocently on the toilet.

"It's Rohypnol, sleeping pills. It's obviously a suicide, but we need to do something, we can't just leave her to die."

"Or we can drink her blood and have a little feast. I have bread crumbs! We can soak them. Yummy!" Edith said sarcastically, but the joke wasn't received positively.

"Don't be ridiculous, we have to save her. I don't want any more problems with the police after our last fiasco. Remember?" Maria was the more sensitive one. Not because she was younger so to speak, but because she honestly cared.

They wrapped her wrist with tight elastic bands to stop the bleeding. Every task was hard to do with blood all around you, especially when you are a vampire. "Yumiko, can you clean up the blood? It's like giving first aid to a girl who fell into a huge birthday cake from the fourth floor balcony." She did clean it, constantly licking her lips.

They moved her to their little office and brought her stuff as well. Yumiko locked the door just in case, it makes one feel safer. "She is asleep. I don't know how many of these she took but we should try to induce vomiting or call for help. Otherwise she's not going to make it."

"Turn her on her belly and take her top off." They both gave her a weird look, but Edith rolled her sleeves up and lifted the girl's limp head turning it to face her. "Hold it. You know I was a psychiatric nurse before I was turned. This will take a moment." They held her head above the floor, but there was no need, her breasts would do it themselves. Some girls are this lucky.

Edith inserted her three fingers into the girl's mouth (that's right) and twisted them around. What came out of it was disgusting, "French toasts and beetroot?" She looked through it, "I can count seventeen, they are nearly dissolved. It's too late I'm afraid."

They stood there in silence, but knew what had to be done. They could just call for help, but the idea was different. Vampires, especially women, are curious creatures as everybody knows, and these were no different. Why did she try to kill herself? And in this place? Was it destiny that they found her? Does this mean they found their fourth member?

"I'm going to do it," Edith broke the silence and she had all the rights to do it, "I will make her one of us."

The bite was quick and painless (not that she could feel anything) and they sat around the table. The weak taste of cheap perfume the girl sprayed on her neck that morning reminded her of cinnamon and lavender.

"Is she going to wake up?" Maria asked.

"Not for a long time. Maybe fifteen hours. We will see.Anyway, I think she is safe here. She is not going to die, that's nearly impossible, she can sleep it out. We have work to do."

They were not paid for saving people's lives, they were paid to clean the place for the next day. The six hour shift passed rather quickly, they were checking on her now and then. The problem was how to take her out when employees come in to work. Surely they would notice three women carrying a sleeping woman. It didn't take long and they planned it out. After a while she was stuck on a trolley covered with sheets.

"We are taking these to the cleaner's!" they all said to the managers with big smiles. The men just looked at them and nodded.

"Help me lift it to the van girls." They drove hastily but couldn't avoid the morning traffic. They didn't want the sun to rise, it takes several days to heal the burns on the skin. They got stuck two more times in major congestion and the sky started to turn orange on the horizon.

"I feel like a germ in a pharmacy," Yumiko said yawning, "we should hurry."
CHAPTER TWO

Alfonz Manitall, a sixty-nine year old butler entered the bedroom where Lucy was sleeping. It was quiet like a butterfly's fart, dark and barely furnished apart from a night table and a wardrobe that has seen better days, window blinds were tightly closed and windows themselves shut. The air was filled with dust and a huge spider was climbing the wall. The small lamp near the bed lit up as he pressed the button.

There was a puke residue on Lucy's hair and he noticed how pale she was. She was redhead after all and now a vampire, but he could almost see through her. He got goose bumps with that thought and quickly checked her pulse. She had none, everything seemed fine. As he was going through her stuff he raised his left eyebrow in surprise. No wonder she wanted to kill herself, he would kill himself, too if he was her. The picture on her ID showed her smiling with braces. It took all the focus from her face though, so maybe it was a good thing. She had two school books in the bag, pens, pencils and a Spanish exercise book.

He noticed she moved a bit and opened her mouth. About freaking time he thought, leaning closer but trying to avoid her breath.

"Wakey wakey!" he whispered towards her. When she opened her eyes he stood up and smiled. It was a terrible smile that would scare the worst jail-hardened criminal, his pointy teeth reflected the light from the lamp like a magnifying glass in hot summer. He took good care of them and to be honest, they were the subject other vampires talk about frequently. Not because they were jealous, but because they simply admired his care for his appearance in general. He was tall and lean, his short grey hair combed to the side and he wore his butler uniform with pride and honor. He served in the house for generations and knew things others could only dream about.

"Where ... where am I?" came out off her mouth.

"You are in a safe place Lucy. There is no need to worry, you are just a bit sleepy." He sounded confident but distant, for him it was just a message he had to deliver, nothing more.

"What happened to me? I don't remember a thing," she asked after a while.

"You are dead. You killed yourself in the ladies lavatory in a shopping center by slashing your wrists with a razor and taking an overdose of sleeping pills."

"How am I dead? I can speak. I don't understand. Are you god?" Her voice sounded more exciting than scared and also louder, the dizziness was wearing off.

He hesitated for a bit and said, "Yes! Yes, I am god. You can call me Alfonz."

"Your name is Alfonz? I was expecting something more profound. I read a lot of books about you, you know?"

"Interesting." He wanted to play the game with her for as long as he could. "How do you feel? Can you stand up?"

"My head hurts," she lifted her hand and looked at the bandage, "and my hands feel numb. And I can taste sick in my mouth." She tried to sit up but was too weak and the pillow was comfortable.

"Well, I will bring you clean clothes, you just wait for me here."

When she looked at him when he was leaving, she felt disappointed. God was a really old looking man as they said, not attractive at all, with pointy chin and the place was a mess. Her eyes wandered around the room and she hoped that the rest of heaven looked different. She also imagined heaven differently; maybe this was just a reception or something? She will be joining the others in couple of moments for sure. And she will get wings like an angel, right? She tried to remember who else from her family was here. Grandma and grandpa from dad's side, aunt Katie with her three cute dogs who peed on every single carpet in their house and her cousin Jack from Texas who thought he could fight a bull with his bare hands. That reminded her of her parents. They were probably going nuts over her suicide, they must be devastated! Only if she could let them know somehow that she is alright, that she is in a much better place. She felt saddened when it all downed on her but strangely her body didn't react to it at all. She could not cry and didn't understand why.

Her body felt heavy, but she felt she was regaining control over her limbs more and more. When Alfonz, the god returned with a pile of clean clothes, she asked, "Alfonz, can I see my parents? I mean, people who end up here in heaven can see their beloved who are still alive down there, am I right?"

He knew immediately that it was a bad idea to continue this charade. He put the pile on the bed and looked into her eyes. "Look, I'm not a god. I'm a butler here in this house and my job is to take care of you. I just played a silly game with you young lady. Also, I thought you were smarter than this. Honestly, a god named Alfonz? What the hell were you thinking?" He took a thermometer out of his pocket and put it into her mouth. "It's rectal, but don't worry I haven't used it in ages. Just a precaution."

"So I'm not dead? What's going on then?" She began to rise her voice and she surprisingly wasn't scared at all. "Where am I? In a hospital of some sort, or a mental institute? I wanna go home!"

"No. You are not in any of these places, but you are still dead. And going home is not a good idea, the sun is shining. Also you are pretty cold, everything seems fine." He put the thermometer on the table and tried to look casual.

"How am I dead? I'm talking to you and I can feel my ..." she touched her left breast to feel her heartbeat, "I can ...I can't feel my heart beat!"

"Oh we are slowly getting somewhere! Splendid, and now let me help you change into these clothes and wash the ones you are wearing."

"Don't touch me you freak! Hands off!" she shouted, "I want to know who you are and what happened to me or I'll ... I'll ..." and quickly got lost for words.

"Yes?" he asked sarcastically, waiting for her to come up with something threatening.

"I'll scream my lungs out!" she said triumphantly.

"Do you want to wake up the others?"

"There are others like me?"

"Of course, you are not the only vampire in the world," he said waiting for her reactions.

"A vampire? Like the mythical nocturnal creature who sucks blood from the living? What is this, some kind of hidden camera show?"

"I know it's hard to believe young lady, but the sooner you accept it, the better. There is nothing you can do about it now anyway." Their eyes met and they starred at each other for some time. It wasn't for the lack of words, she had plenty of words on her mind, but it was to somehow keep the other person in check, to see who gives up first.

"How did I become a vampire?" she asked suddenly.

"You were bitten by one of the women who live here as well when they found you in the lavatory. They saved you, for god knows why, maybe because they were not able to save your life."

"Are you a vampire, too?"

"Yes. Is it really that hard to believe? You have no pulse because your heart is not beating, you are pale as the white walls around you and most of all, your wrist is almost completely healed up."

She slowly unwrapped the bandage. The deep cut she made was gone.

"So you are saying I was turned into a vampire by a woman who lives here. Can I talk to her?" she asked bravely, "I want to hear it from someone else as well."

"She is asleep now. We usually sleep during the day because of the sun. The rays dry and burn our skin very quickly."

"I see. The mythology was correct." She tried to look a bit smart, but sounded confused. She still didn't believe him, it was too impossible! But everything he said made sense!

"Not really. The sun is harmful to us yes, but most of the stuff is just rumors or fantasy created by people who wanted to scare their children. Crosses or garlic have no effect on us, we can't fly, we don't turn into bats or mists and we can see our selves in mirrors normally. If we couldn't I would kill myself again. Although there are elder vampires who possessed some of these supernatural abilities, like Dracula or Nosferatu. And before you ask; yes, we are immortal, unless you get decapitated. That would be the definite end for any of us."

"How about blood?" she waited before asking this question, "do we need blood to survive?"

"Yes, but not much. It's tasty indeed, but over the years we adapted so much that we can be without it for several days."

"Are our bodies completely shut down? I mean, do we eat, sleep or have sex?" She would blush under normal circumstances but that wasn't happening right now. She started to like it for some reason.

"Our bodies function normally apart from the heart, as far as I know. Because our blood doesn't circulate we are pale and a bit colder, but stomachs somehow work, and also the ... sexual organs."

"What am I supposed to do if all this is really true? Am I a part of some cult now? Can I see my parents and family again?"

"How would you explain to them that you can't go out on the sun? I suggest you contact them anyway over the phone and explain why you didn't return home and pay them a visit later at night and make some story up. The girls will help." He paused for a while looking at her face, this was usually the hardest part. But Lucy already made the plan so they don't worry about her not coming back. They think she is having fun at Silvia's house.

"We are not a part of any cult and we don't worship or work for any of the elder families, so you don't need to worry about that. We will talk about this later, ok? Now get dressed. I'll be in the kitchen." He put a tube with ointment on the table and walked out of the room closing the door behind him. He waited for a bit and started to count seconds. When he reached eleven he heard a scream of pain from the room as Lucy tried to open the window blinds to see outside and to "do the sun test."

"New record, very impressive!" he said to himself. The old watch on his hand showed two o'clock in the afternoon.
CHAPTER THREE

Lucy stayed in the room for some time and changed into the new clothes. She looked through her bag to check if she had everything in it. The burn on her face she got while trying to look outside of the window wasn't that bad, but visible. The ointment worked so far and it didn't hurt anymore.

When she opened the door and stepped into the hall, she smelled bacon, eggs and coffee. Alfonz was wearing an apron and smiled at her, then showed her to sit on the chair.

The kitchen was lit up with three bright lights on the ceiling and nicely decorated, modern appliances to cook, clean and make coffee are probably useful to vampires as well.

"There you go, I hope you are hungry," Alfonz said to her while putting plates on the table, " I tried really hard to make it perfect."

"Mhm," she replied with a toast in her mouth.

"Is the dizziness gone?"

"Yeah. I feel much better." She continued eating in silence, wondering what the others are like. Are they old and creepy or young and restless?

"The girls will be up any minute now, just relax." Was he able to read her mind or was it the expression on her face?

"Why do they work? I don't understand," she asked while they were drinking coffee, the dishes were already in the dish washer and Alfonz put the rest of the food in the fridge.

"To remind them they were human once."

"Oh, I get it."

It wasn't long and she heard noises from the hall and a loud burp. "That's Maria," Alfonz said and stood up to warm up more coffee, "that burp is her signature one."

"Hi Alfonz and hi Lucy!" she said while scratching her crotch. She was dressed in pink pajamas with white unicorns, not expected from an undead girl but Lucy was somehow getting hang of this and thought nothing could surprise her anymore. If someone else comes in a cowboy hat and a leopard print she'll just roll with it.

"Hi!" she replied, putting the cup on the table because it was empty.

"How do you feel?" Maria asked looking at her burnt face, then turning to Alfonz, "how long?"

"Eleven seconds. New record."

"Wow."

"I am better now, thank you. I just need to talk to someone, someone who is less creepy." She didn't mean to offend anyone but a girl to girl talk is always better than what she had. Under these circumstances everyone would agree.

"Well, excuse me young lady, but I tried my best." He wasn't upset or anything. He was over it already.

"Sure, we can talk after the breakfast, I'm so hungry!"

Lucy watched her eat while she drank another cup of coffee. Everything disappeared in her throat like rabbits in magician's hat and when they closed the door in Lucy's room she let out another loud burp; construction workers would be proud of her.

They were both sitting on the bed and talking about what happened the previous night. Maria went over many details and asked Lucy's questions with honesty when she asked, "Why did you try to kill yourself?"

She didn't know what to say. Who were these people? Why are they so friendly to her? On the other hand, there was nothing more for her to lose.

"I couldn't stand it anymore. My life is a mess. I have no friends, nobody likes me at school and my parents are just too busy. I had had enough. So I decided to end it all."

"I see. It seems that the end was just a beginning of something new."

"I'm not sure." She didn't say that to sound smart, she was just confused.

"What do you mean? We saved your life," Maria said, feeling let down.

"Yes I know, but I don't know if I'm thankful or just pissed it ended this way. Couldn't you just leave me there? I think being dead is better than this. Being really dead I mean. What am I going to do now? Even if this is real."

"It is real, trust me. It will seem hard at first. I remember when I was turned two years ago. I shouted and screamed, wanted to cry but couldn't. But I got used to it. There was nothing else I could do."

There was a sad expression on Lucy's face so she quickly continued, "Now I have the best friends anyone would wish for. My life was a mess, too."

"Did the same woman turn you?" Lucy asked after a brief moment. She realized it would be for the best if she asks questions to put her mind to rest.

"Oh no. It was a guy I had a crush on. He had a crush on my blood. He didn't care about me at all."

"I see. So where is this woman? The one who turned me?"

"Edith is still sleeping. She is older than the rest of us, well not older than Alfonz. She is also our leader."

"Alrigh. I will just wait for her if you don't mind."

"Oh not at all. Look, you will get over this. You said you had no friends, now you have us. We are here to help each other, you will not be alone anymore."

"Why are you so friendly? I thought vampires are evil and dislike people, or see them as food. But I guess I was wrong about that as well."

"That's right, but don't get fooled, some of us are bad news. Most of the families wage wars with each other, but not us. Some vampires even turn against their own, it's horrible."

That reminded her again. "I will miss my family. And the school, going out in the sun, going to the library. How can I live like this?"

"Don't be silly. Do you think there are no night schools? Do you think there are no teachers who are also like us? And about your family, isn't it time to move out? You can live with us!"

It sounded exciting at first, but the overwhelming feeling of sudden changes left a lump in Lucy's throat, one she couldn't swallow. Maria touched her hand to show sympathy. It was cold and she felt uneasy.

"Why didn't you leave me to die?" she asked again. She didn't feel the previous answer was enough and thought she would get a different one every time she asks.

"Because you deserve to live, even if it is like this. You can ask Alfonz."

"What about him?"

"He killed himself as well, it was long time ago. He doesn't talk about it much but when he does it's heartbreaking."

"Ok, I understand." It didn't sound convincing.

"Look Lucy, this is not one of those moments when you think you can just close your eyes and pray it'll go away like another Kristen Stewart movie." She gave her a nasty look and added, "we are going out tonight to have some fun and you are going with us."

"Alright, sounds good," she nodded. Nobody ever asked her to go out clubbing before.

"Come on, I'll show you around the house."

Maria took her to every single room in the house. It had a small library, three bathrooms, huge living room with a cable TV, basement gym with a vine cellar, couple of guest rooms, the kitchen and even a balcony. The house was very old though and looked like a haunted house from the outside probably, the wooden stairs to the second floor reminded her of the movie Dracula, but it was more because they actually had his picture framed on the wall. Maria smiled at the picture, "Cute, wasn't he?" Lucy just shrugged and followed her upstairs.

"This is Edith's room, don't go inside without her permission," she whispered, "next she has her office here, I never went in and these are guests rooms as well. At the end of the hall, there is a door to the attic. It's empty and filthy, don't even bother."

Back in the kitchen, Alfonz was talking to someone on the phone. He sounded angry. "What do you mean you deliver only during business hours? I told the customer service guy I am not available until late evening! Be so kind and call your manager, I don't have time for your crap!"

"Come with me, I wanna show you something!" Maria took Lucy's hand and they ran to her room. Lucy liked it. Does that mean that they are friends?

"It looks nice, doesn't it?"

"Yes." It was bigger than her room, filled with girly things. Make-up, clothes, a laptop; shoes, more shoes under the bed and more shoes.

"You can borrow any pair you want!"

"Oh, thanks!"

She started to like her new life and her new friend. Maybe it wasn't all that bad and for the first time in her whole life, she laughed with someone. Someone who shared something in common with her; they were both vampires.

"Do we grow teeth? Those sharp pointy ones? Or do they appear suddenly like in the movies?" she asked while looking at some photos in Maria's album.

"They will grow a bit on their own but appear fully only if you are angry or hungry. You can do it by will but you need to practice. Look at mine." She made a grin and her teeth appeared. They looked like they could do serious damage.

"Guys should have this ability as well, but with something else, don't you think?" she laughed, "Do you have a boyfriend? Are you seeing anyone?"

"No."

"Do you like someone?"

"I, ... maybe."

"Tell me about him! What's his name?"

She hesitated a bit, it was embarrassing. "Larry Stone, he plays football in our high-school."

"Larry and Lucy, sounds about right!" she said and laid on her bed, "So what is he like?"

"Handsome. But never mind, he is with someone. Lorna McDonnell, the most popular girl and my worst nightmare."

"What do you mean?" It was a stupid question.

"She hates me and picks on me. Everyday. The girls who are around her worship her and agree with everything and anything she says. She is pretty and everybody either wants her or be friends with her. No wonder he is with her and not me. I mean, look at me, why would anyone want me? I'm hideous."

"Don't you say that again young girl or I'll wash your mouth with cheap brandy! You are beautiful and that guy is a loser not realizing what he is missing!"

"I'm not stupid, I know you are just saying that."

"No I'm not. But if you don't believe me, we will see tonight. A bit of make-up, nice dress, high heel shoes, and we will turn the house down!"

Someone knocked on the door. "It's me, can I come in?" It was Yumiko.

"Lucy, this is Yumiko, my best friend in the whole world!" Maria was very close to her, not because she herself turned her, but because she was longing for a girl friend like her when she lived here with Edith and Alfonz alone. They made friends from the first day they met.

"How are you feeling? I see that Maria is taking care of you," she asked and hugged Lucy. She smelled of hand cream and toothpaste.

"I'm getting used to it, nice to meet you."

They talked for the rest of the day, looked at pictures, their Facebook pages, planned their evening out, watched TV together and Lucy waited for Edith to wake up. They ate dinner later and it was getting dark outside, but Edith wasn't coming down.

"Is she alright?" Lucy wondered.

"She will wake up much later, she must be exhausted from the turning. It's not exactly easy to do. You leave your mark on the other person's body and it drains your soul," said Alfonz while taking away the dirty dishes.

"I see. Anyway, I would like to call my parents, if you don't mind. Just to let them know I'm ok." All three of them looked at each other, probably thinking the same. Lucy excused herself and went into the living room while Alfonz picked up the phone in the kitchen so they could listen in.

"Hi mum, it's me! I am at Silvia's and we are getting ready to go out. Yes, yes, we will be safe. Also, there is something you should know," she said and they heard her voice is breaking, "there is this thing ... maybe I will get a job in a local supermarket and maybe later move in with Silvia?" There was a slight pause, when Lucy said, "No mum, I'm not a lesbian. Jeez!"
CHAPTER FOUR

It was a colder night and three of them walked in the park talking about clothes. They were all dressed up for the night-out, Lucy borrowed Yumiko's black dress, her pale skin and red hair instantly popped out. She looked magnificent and she liked her new look. Maria wore a red mini skirt with pink blouse and huge circle earrings and Yumiko had long and lean sexy jeans, high heels and a light blue floaty cardigan.

"There is a bar just two blocks away when we get out of the park girls," Maria pointed out. She knew all the bars from around here, personally.

It was called "Dudes&Hoes" and youngsters liked it. It had several pool tables, although most of the cues were broken because of fights that broke up now and then. The usual bowl of peanuts on the bar was filled up regularly and the beer was served chilled.

"Did you know that an average bowl of peanuts has seven different kinds of urine in it? It's true, I'm not making this up," said Lucy as they entered. It was warmer inside and smelled of cheap perfume. It wasn't big, rather smallish really, but cozy with a dance-floor in the middle. They sat in the back.

"Ew, I'm not touching those." Yumiko was disgusted by the information but couldn't resist for long enough and soon found herself stuffing her mouth with delicious peanuts and piss. They ordered their drinks and were ready to have some fun.

"This is my first time, you know?" Lucy said all excited, "I was never in a bar, apart from once when my mum sent me to pick up my dad and my brother from one lousy one when we won the Nationals. Oh god, they were so drunk!"

"Are you serious? You have so much to catch up on!" The girls started to explain to her how to behave in a bar like a lady, how to accept a drink from a stranger and how to secretly check if the guy asking you out has a wallet full of cash to find out if he's a bum or not.

It didn't take long when the first guy came to their table and asked Maria to dance with her. She went happily enjoying the attention. When he tried to touch her bottom she giggled but slapped him later to not look easy.

"Well that was fun," she said when she returned, "but he didn't ask me for a phone number, weird."

"I wonder if someone comes and asks me to dance," Yumiko said looking bored, "I haven't danced with someone in ages."

"What are you talking about? You danced with that handsome guy last weekend!"

"It was in a gay bar! That doesn't count!"

They laughed and ordered more drinks. The mood was getting higher and the songs played were slower and slower. Maria was on the dance-floor nearly all the time and Yumiko got lucky as well.

Lucy started to think, if this is what her life is going to be from now on. She finished her drink and changed her seat to observe everything better, that was when she saw him. Her heart would jump (if it could) in a situation like this, but she was calm inside. She flinched backwards a bit, as thought she had been struck. He stood there in the dim light, small lights from the disco ball circling around him. She didn't know if it was the alcohol (we all know it wasn't) or her new found confidence, but she stood up and went to talk to him.

"Hi! Busy night, huh?" she started, looking seductively at him.

"Yeah, my colleague went home minutes ago, but I can manage. Enjoying yourself?" he asked.

"Definitely. Especially with a cute bartender like you." She giggled and made a weird face, but he couldn't see it properly in the dark.

"Don't you say. Do I know you? You seem familiar."

"I don't think so, this is my first time at this place, but I'm sure I'll be coming here more often!"

"Well I'll be happy if you do."

"So, what does a girl like ma have to do to get a glass of Martini?"

"Pay four bucks?" He smiled and she took the money from her purse.

"I'm Lucy."

"I'm John. Enjoy your drink."

She winked at him, taking the glass to her lips. "Mmm." There was a long pause, she didn't know what to say. John was going back and forth with glasses and a towel, cleaning stuff here and there but she thought it was just a charade he put on so he didn't have to talk to her. She wasn't going to give up this time.

"Do you work here long?" she asked suddenly.

"Four months."

"Do you like it?"

"The money is good, so yeah."

"Are you seeing someone?" (no she just didn't!)

"Erm, no. Why? Are you interested?"

"Do I look interested?" she asked crossing her legs and trying to look sophisticated.

"You do." He didn't know if that was the right answer. Did he just call her horny?

"When do you close?"

"In an hour or so, but I need to run home soon after that. I am here every night though."

"What a shame. Very well. Here is my number and we can arrange something if you want."

"Sure." He took the piece of paper and put it in his pocket.

She was very pleased with herself. First time in a bar, first time talking to a guy and she almost got a date. Her two friends were sitting at the table laughing with some guy whose hands were too friendly with Maria's breasts, but it seemed she didn't mind that much.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Lucy this is Gareth. He is Welsh, visiting America for couple of weeks. Gareth, this is Lucy."

"Nice to meet you," he said politely in his welsh accent. It was sexy.

"Nice to meet you, too."

They talked for a while when four men in football jerseys came in loudly with couple of girls. They gestured to the bartender for a round of beers, but he pointed to the clock on the wall, meaning they were closing soon. They wouldn't have none of it.

One of the men threw out a couple from their table and the group sat down. Soon after they started to sing some stupid song about winning a match. They were already drunk and were probably going from bar to bar causing trouble.

"That's Larry!" Lucy gasped, "with Lorna and couple of his team mates. We should go! I don't want her to see me here."

They stood up collecting their things when a loud sound of a breaking bottle reached their ears. John fell to the ground holding his face, his hands covered in blood. People started to take their things and swiftly moved for the door.

The girls looked at each other and Yumiko said to Gareth, "You should go, now!" He looked at them and didn't understand a thing. He thought they were having a good time and a bar fight wasn't anything new for him. "I told you to go!" Yumiko insisted, showing her pointy teeth. He didn't need reminding again and went for the door. This will be a good conversation starter at dinner parties.

"Look what the cat dragged in!" Maria shouted at them, distracting them form hurting John even more. He slowly dragged himself away from them. Lucy tried to help him, but the smell of the blood was too much to handle and she joined the girls instead.

One of the men stood in front of them, looking all tough. The girls who were with them sensed there was something bad going on, as they realized most men wouldn't dare to get in a fight with their boyfriends and these women in dresses actually weren't scared.

"What do you mean? I don't have a cat, you dumb woman. Also ..."

"Shut up!" Maria interrupted him.

"Let the inbred speak Maria," Yumiko added to the heat.

"What did you call me?!" he shouted and clenched his fists, but Maria was faster and punched him in the face. He wobbled a bit and hit the floor. The rest of the men stood up, the girls screamed and moved back, holding each other. They were used to this.

"Anyone else wants a facial treatment? It looks like all you douchebags need couple of them regularly."

The bar emptied by then and John was calling 911 on the phone.

"You ladies think you can handle the rest of us? My friend here was drunk, but we are pretty sober to teach you a lesson!" Larry said, getting ready to strike. A quick kick in the balls from Yumiko got him leaning forward with his legs tight together. Lorna looked at him in amazement and disappointment, "Oh no! Not the balls!" Her friends rubbed her on the back, it must have been hard on her. The two remaining guys looked at each other. They didn't think much, took their girlfriends and ran away. Lorna tried to help Larry to stand up, but he was heavy.

"Hi Lorna," Lucy said sarcastically, "haven't seen your face in a while."

"We'll be in the back if you need us." Maria and Yumiko went to check on John, who was treating his wounds on his own. They understood she needed some alone-time with her "friend", they needed to sort couple of things out.

"Aren't you gonna say anything to me?" Lucy asked, but all she wanted to do was break her pretty nose, "I see you don't have your friends or your boyfriend to back you up."

"Leave me alone!"

"How about no? Did you leave me alone when I begged you? Did you give me a break when you tortured me day after day?" The first punch came that very moment. Lorna's nose gave a loud breaking sound and she fell on her butt. "Aaargh!"

"Like last Tuesday. You told all the girls to distract me and you took my bag just to put a matchbox full of ants in it. You had a great laugh, didn't you?" When Lorna managed to stand up somehow, she punched her again. It felt better than the first one; it seemed that some weight of her past was finally lifting.

Her face didn't look very pretty like it usually did. She looked scared and humiliated and Lucy was ready for her final performance. Her vampiric teeth came out and she showed them in their full glory. Lorna laid there sobbing, holding her nose, looking at her. "You, you are a beast! A monster!"

"Me? A monster? What are you then?!" she shouted at her full of rage. Then she got on her knees and licked the blood of her hand. She never tasted anything so good. Lorna quickly pulled it back, but Lucy grabbed it ready to bite.

"That's enough!" Yumiko said from behind.

"If you ever hurt someone again, I will find you Lorna and I will finish this once and for all, you hear me?!"

"We should go, the cops are on the way."

"Is John alright?" Lucy asked when they got out and got into the park.

"He is. Are you?"

"I don't know." She thought it would set her free, but the relief was temporary. The scars were permanent. "I just wanted to punch the soul out of her, but that bitch doesn't have any."

"I don't think you wanted to punch the soul out of her. You wanted to punch the pain she caused out of you." Who would have thought that Yumiko was the smart one? "Oh and nice right hooks you were throwing at her by the way."

"Thanks. They were coming from my heart."

"Well I don't know about you girls, but I had a good night!" Maria said excited.

Lorna couldn't say the same thing about her night. The night nurse looked at her one more time while bandaging her nose and asked, " A vampire?"

"Yes! A vampire! I have been telling you the whole time! She had pointy teeth and her two friends knocked my boyfriend and his friend down in a single punch."

"Okey-dokey! Let me just call someone who can help. I'm sure we can sort this out." The nurse dialed a number and started to speak in a stifled voice, "I would need a psychiatrist here as soon as possible, please. I have a delusional patient here, possibly aggressive. Thanks a lot."

"Now, that's sorted. A nice man will come in couple of minutes to have a little chat with you, alright? And don't worry about your nose, it's not broken, just swollen. You will take these every eight hours until it heals up completely."

"Good, at least something is being done. I will call my dad now to take me home." She waited for him to pick up the phone, but he was sleeping, it was nearly three o'clock in the night. She put the phone back in her purse and looked in the mirror. The bandage made her face looked like she just had a plastic surgery and that's what she is going to tell everyone. Of course she was not going to say she got beaten up by Lucy Flawless and be the laugh of the whole school.

The new doctor took her to a hospital in an ambulance; weirdly enough, nobody talked to her during the drive, they just smiled and nodded to everything she had to say.

They offered her patient's clothes but she refused. She would rather sleep in her own ones. The nice doctor gave her an injection to ease her sleep, she didn't object. The painkillers were wearing off and she needed a good night sleep. She had her own room, but it there was no furniture.

When she woke up the next morning, she couldn't move her legs and hands, she was tied to the bed and she realized she was in the mental hospital. The door to the room opened and a nurse came in, Lorna caught a glimpse of her father standing outside talking to the doctor.

"Hello Lorna, how are you feeling?"

"Why am I tied to the bed? What is this supposed to mean?"

"It's for your own protection I'm afraid, and for ours. I hope you understand. But don't worry, your father is very worried about you and came to see you."

"This is some kind of a mistake. I want to talk to my father right now!" she shouted angrily.

"Now don't get angry, it only makes the things worse. I will inject this into the infusion to help you calm down."

"No! What are you doing? I'm not mental!"

"Of course you are not, sweetheart! Apart from seeing vampires and other creatures, right? This will help."

There was a knock on the door and her father came in with doctor Saymore.

"Daddy! Why am I here?"

"Lorna." He was lost for words. "Do you take drugs?"

"No she doesn't Mr. McDonnell we already checked her urine. We are sure she is suffering from delusions. It's for the best she stays here for observations."

"That's not true! These people are lying! Dad you have to believe me!"

"Lorna, calm down. You are making fool of yourself." The nurse couldn't stop herself from smiling and the doctor looked like he was going to explode any second.

"No you calm down! I'm telling you I saw it! That girl Lucy Flawless from college! She had vampiric teeth like they have in the movies and she licked blood off my hand! I'm not making it up!"

"You see Mr. McDonnell. It is in your best interest and in your daughter's that she stays with us. Would you like us to leave you two alone for a bit?"

"Yes, please." Doctor Saymore left with the nurse and he looked at his daughter. She looked horrible.

"Why are you doing this to me? Am I not your favorite daughter?"

"Of course you are, but you need help! Look at yourself. Vampires? Have you lost your mind? The doctor told me they will keep you separated from the rest of the patients because you can have bad influence on them! A guy who occupied next room asked to be moved further away in fear you might hurt him. Surely he suffers from some kind of paranoia and he thinks he is Napoleon Bonaparte and that explains a lot, but you have to admit this is too much."

"Daddy, please take me home. I don't belong here, there is nothing wrong with me! Maybe I just had too much to drink!" She started to feel drowsy and closed her eyes.

"You are sleepy now. Oh well, see you soon." He kissed her on the cheek and went to talk to the doctor.

"She is asleep. It must have been a rough night for her."

"Considering her condition, I agree."

"I will come and visit her tomorrow as well and we can discuss further action. Be so kind and don't dope her with sedatives or anything alike. I'm strictly against that."

"I understand. But what if she gets worse? Surely, for her safety ..."

"Keep her tied to the bed, but no sedatives. I will be here tomorrow."

The girls slept the whole day and woke up when it was already getting dark. Edith sat in the living room watching Judge Judy, laughing at the defendant's stupidity.

"Hi, we finally meet," she said to Lucy.

"Nice to meet you, you must be Edith!"

"Yes. How are you getting on? Are you coping?"

"Yes, thanks to you and the girls. And Alfonz of course. Edith, I ..." she started, but forgot how to continue.

"Oh, don't mention it. It was about time we got another member to our family." Lucy felt relieved she didn't have to tell her everything. How her life changed and she is finally happy, but she was sure there will be time in the future when she will tell her everything.

"Chocolate cookie?" Edith offered her. There was a whole pack on the table, her favorite brand.

"Yes, please!" she took one and sat down on the couch, "what are you watching?"

"Judge Judy. This defendant is a complete moron, it's hilarious! Talking about morons, your friend Lorna is in a mental hospital."

"Really? How do you know?" she asked surprised, almost choking on the cookie.

"I tended to her wounds last night and she mentioned some vampires? I made sure she ended up there. You are welcome."

"I don't know what to say Edith, I'm sorry, I was carried away."

"We all were." The girls were standing in the door. They didn't know if they should feel guilty or heroic.

"It's ok, it's perfectly possible she deserved it. If you want her to stay there, I can arrange that as well."

They didn't say anything after that.

"I am nurse Carver and I am here to see miss Lorna McDonnell," Edith said to the receptionist and looked around nervously, "here are the papers." The older woman looked at her all bored and uninterested, took the papers, signed them and went back to doing her sudoku.

Lorna's room was just around the corner. She stood in front of her bed and gave her a gentle nudge.

"What do you want?" Lorna opened her eyes, "is it time for another of your pills?"

"No Lorna, it's time for you to scream!"

Her teeth came out and Lorna gave out the loudest scream of fear she could. It went on and on, until the nurse came storming in. Edith tried to look shocked, "I don't know what happened! I tried to explain to her that she would me more than welcome in our hospital in St. Mary's when she started to scream like a lunatic."

"That's not true, she is a vampire! She is one of them! She came to kill me!"

"Oh god I'm so sorry I didn't realize it was so bad. I'm so sorry." Edith tried to ease the situation, but the nurse wasn't upset at all.

"Don't worry about it, we had worse cases and I'm sure you had as well."

"Are you a vampire as well? I know you are! Show me your teeth! Show me! You think I'm scared of you!" Lorna continued, her face getting red.

"Let's just leave her. Wanna cup of coffee?"

"Sure," Edith replied, knowing her mission was over.

Lorna stayed in the hospital. Her father didn't object, the reports said it all. She was obviously mental. A lot of students at college felt safer and happier after they heard the good news.

Lucy enrolled in a new night college with the help of her new family, but she didn't forget about her old one. She will visit them regularly, only after dark obviously, the burn she got still didn't heal up completely.

### 
A change of heart

by

Juraj Vondena
PROLOGUE

Asteroid AST-72300B was a medium sized rock that flew in a larger asteroid belt around a big unknown planet of a G class. Scientists from Sci-Tek found it five months ago when one of their scout ships flew by on a scouting mission to find one of the rarest ores in the galaxy.

It was dangerous to set foot in this territory, because it was unexplored and people didn't know what could be lurking around. But it was necessary to increase trading indexes and the ore was just the right thing they needed.

Later that day, after the scout ship returned, they immediately prepared a group of terraformers and other workers who will prepare the hostile environment for more people to expand the base.

The first expedition arrived on a big ship and landed on the asteroid to find the radiation so high, that the first thing they had to do was to raise special radiation filters to make the place bearable for humans, animals and plants. This process was very lengthy and expensive, but there was nothing Sci-Tek wasn't willing to do for credits. And the asteroid contained Nexos, the ore they wanted the most. That's where the radiation was coming from.

A single kilogram of Nexos was worth three hundred thousand credits on a bad day and nearly a million on a good one. The price fluctuated between these two on a monthly basis, traders all around the sector were excited to know there was more of it to dig out.
First Chapter

Mark Howard, a science engineer for deep mining in outer space, opened a bottle of Thirexian champagne with a loud pop and poured two glasses for his visitor. She sat on a red leather chair in his small apartment in an unprotected residential block.

Her name was Uma Star, which was uncanny for a daughter of a captain of an explorer vessel. She was tall and lean with a great posture, long black hair combed back forming a ponytail, green eyes and pointy chin she inherited from her father. The dark blue outfit she wore for this occasion was simple one in a shape and cut of those military uniforms police was wearing on the streets. Mark couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was full of life.

In the academy, they became friends almost the first day they met, he was a loner by default and she was afraid other students would dislike her because of her status and her family history. But fate plays different notes and rhythm for different beings.

She never thought she would fall in love with a lower class, but when he walked into the cafeteria on the first day of training, she knew he would change her life forever and was grateful when he finally mustered the courage to ask her out.

It wasn't the fact that he was taller than her, with the same hair color or manners, it was his unstructured way of living she admired so much. She didn't care about his deep blue eyes and wide shoulders or his deep manly voice, it was how he used all these attributes to make her feel desired. She had never met a man like him for five years and there were plenty of men to choose from in the military.

If her father knew, he would be displeased, but he wouldn't object to her choices probably, after all she was well trained and he trusted she knew what she was doing, but she wasn't sure of that. They kept their relationship a secret.

"Cheers!" Mark said and their glasses touched.

"Cheers. To the asteroid 72300B!" she smiled back at him, sipping the spicy drink, "and to the new colony already thriving on it."

"I can't believe my life is finally turning around. I waited for so long. And I will fly there with you. My dream came true," he said while looking at her, "going to an unexplored part of a galaxy on a mission with a woman I love." She blushed a bit and lowered her eyes. He found that moment excitingly erotic. He leaned forward, took the glass from her hand and kissed her. She didn't resist and pressed her lips against his.

They drank and talked for several minutes about what they are going to do when they arrive at the asteroid, how they will spend time together after work, when the door to the apartment opened with a silent hiss and Andrew, Mark's brother stepped in holding a brown old looking teddy bear in his hands.

Uma met him already, but she always jumped at the sight of him. They were twins and they looked exactly the same apart from the posture and demeanor. Andrew suffered from a mental illness that caused his brain not to develop properly.

He behaved like a ten year old child or so, he was innocent, unsuspecting and playful. He didn't care about space and colonizations, science and progress, he was interested in toys, stories and ice cream.

"Good afternoon!" he said in a strong voice, it seemed he had it prepared. His brother taught him manners, how to greet people properly, how not to talk about childish things in front of his colleagues, because most of the people laughed at him and asked Mark cruel things about him and he didn't like it.

"Hi Andy!" she replied, "it's nice to see you again."

"I will be in my room," he said hastily and walked away. He didn't want to disturb them, he would rather play alone.

His room looked so much different than his brother's. He stuffed it with toys and shiny balls, plastic animals, pictures of him in the park or in the zoo eating candy. He smiled on every single one of them, unaware of dangers of life.

Mark took Uma to his room. It was clean, almost surgical, white sheets on his bed, metallic walls, a large PSA (personal friend assistant) screen, one big light in the middle of the ceiling, a simple table with a computer and a window that showed nothing but more residential blocks outside.

They made love for an hour while Andy was in his room, he didn't disturb them this time like few weeks ago.

"It's late, I should go and prepare for the flight," she said looking at the ceiling.

"Probably. I have to finish packing as well, Andy wants several things he can't take with him and it's pain in the ass to explain to him he will get new ones when we get there. He is not very excited we are leaving," he complained while turning towards her under the sheets.

It was her work that Andy was allowed to go with him. He had nobody else and he wasn't willing to leave him to authorities.

"Aw, I'm sorry!" she kissed him and messed his hair. He never liked it, he wanted them to be straight and precisely where they belonged, but he didn't say a single word this time.

"It's ok, he's is only family I've got. And you." He kissed her back.

"I'm glad you are close. I always wished for a sibling. Someone to share secrets with, gossip and laugh with."

They later waved good bye to each other in the private camera he had next to the intercom one more time and Uma left the residence complex.

Andy was playing in his room when he entered, he was talking to his toys again, telling them goodbye and explaining heartily that he had to go but that he still loved them. He then put his favorite ones into his baggage with his clothes.

"It is nine o'clock," the PSA said in a calm voice, alarming them to the fact that a colony issued curfew is in effect.

"Did you pack all your stuff?"

"Yes," he said while putting a picture of their parents inside his bag.

"Alright. Don't forget to brush your teeth with the sonic brush."

"No I won't, because I already did and already packed it."

"How are you gonna brush your teeth in the morning then?"

Andy thought for a moment, then unzipped his bag and took the sonic brush out. "I'm scared." He sounded sad and melancholic, and Mark knew what was that all about. Every time they moved somewhere, he got scared about the same thing. "Promise you will not leave me, like mum and dad."

"Of course I will never leave you, you are my brother," he said trying to sound comforting, "why would I leave you? Andy, there will be many families where we are going, families with children and young people you can make friends with, a lot of things to do, many new animal toys we can buy, you will see you'll like it!"

"Do they have little brown horses with saddles?"

"Plenty of them! Now, good night. Computer, set the alarm clock to six o'clock," Mark told the system, looking at his brother, "we are leaving early."

The ships landing pad was smaller, it was a small ship. It only had living quarters, the bridge and protected storage facility. It didn't cost a lot of credits and it was used for common purposes, like long distance travels for Sci-Tek employees and for ore transports.

Andy and Mark were standing near a coffee machine looking around.

"Do you want coffee Andrew?" He called him that when there were officials around, although he couldn't see any.

"No. It makes me not sleep for a long time," he replied.

His brother swiped his card across the screen and it turned brighter. A picture of a cup full of coffee appeared on it.

"Welcome to Sci-Tek's coffee services. Please select your order," he could hear from it.

"Black!" he said and looked around at people moving closer to the checking point with their baggage.

"Your order is being prepared. Please wait, it will take a moment. Our coffee is enhanced with the best ion based molecules, making drinking our coffee a wonderful and refreshing experience. Our products contain the best ingredients in the whole sector. Ingredients that will ease any pain you might be having, relieve stress and calm stomach problems by aiding the right development of your micro flora. Special formula in each of the cup will kill harmful bacteria in your mouth and whiten your teeth while you drink it. Enjoy!"

He didn't see Uma anywhere, but he remembered she is probably on the ship already, because her class used another entrance.

The living quarters were small and they shared, but of course he didn't mind. There was plenty to do during their flight and it was only three weeks. At least he can look at the assignment papers and talk to Uma. She sneaked to their quarters many times when Andy was watching old movies with other passengers. They just had to make sure to put some of the plastic animals back to their original place on his blanket or he would get mad.
Second Chapter

The asteroid itself was huge and the colony already established on it was growing everyday. Robots and workers were working on it constantly and more than seventeen buildings were fully functional, including living residential blocks with full life support, pleasure dome, medical center and power generators that used solar energy and nuclear power to produce electricity. Radiation filters were scattered around like pimples on teenagers face on a bad day, but their necessary existence reminded all inhabitants the dangers of the mission.

Every colony started the same way, it was a procedure to be followed to the point. First vessel with fifty workers and officers comes to the location and lands on the rocky surface. A smaller force field generator is raised to protect the ship and the crew explores the region. First living quarters are built within 24 hours with a help of robots and machines. The building itself is small and functions as a primary base, everything else is done from there. Air processor is built next. It uses micro plants to produce oxygen and a radiation filter, a huge building consisting of a huge and long base to reach the highest points of the force field. It's end is a special alloy of several metals and secret components that act as a radiation nullifier; it looks like a massive child's kite for playing during windy autumns on Earth. Several of these are built if needed.

Hydrophonics is another important building, one created to melt ice into drinkable water. It's strictly machine operated after some malicious incidents on different asteroids where secret agents used the water storage to kill all the inhabitants. Green houses and little farm houses are built around it to support food demands. These buildings are separated from mines themselves, as not to contaminate the food.

Security Base with a jail and Main Operations are built last, including tall residential blocks, the tallest buildings in every colony, because the area on the surface can accommodate only so much.

The report about the ore deposits deep in the rock itself was a secret to everyone but the highest officers and managers of the mining facilities. All people knew was that there is Nexos here and their job was to extract it and bring it home.

Salaries started from 10 credits for janitors to 250 credits for the mining experts and engineers who wore light blue uniforms to distinguish themselves from the others and to be granted entrance to places of importance. You could find any sort of people here, men and women trained and prepared for long distance space travel, cooks, cleaners and even prostitutes who slept during the day and roamed the streets at night looking for a hookup.

Mark never wondered how all this technology worked, force fields creating an impenetrable bubble around the whole colony, air processor creating breathable air and so on. He knew his stuff about mining and that was all he was interested in.

He was assigned to Seismic Penetrator 4A that was just built two days ago, he could still smell the fresh paint on the walls and he was already nervous about the penetrator's placement. It was near the edge, if you can call that, where the rock is thinner. Mining here was more dangerous, any tunnels you dig can damage the infrastructure and a piece of the asteroid can tear off and fly away. He knew it never happened before but it made him nervous.

The control room was big and spacious, well lit and had better computers than classic mining stations, because the tunnels were much deeper and required better technology. There were three leather chairs in front of the control panels, a big table with two chairs, a fridge, shelves, some flowers and four windows. Three of them showed nothing but buildings, the one closest to the edge of the asteroid showed nothing but vast endless space. The force field had bluish tint but seemed almost invisible when you got used to it.

Mark worked with two other engineers overlooking the whole operation. Thomas Perk, a new inexperienced and excited guy who looked barely twenty five, with short blonde hair, slim body and thick glasses. John Trival on the other hand was a veteran who went on tens of missions like this, and it showed. He carried himself with a nearly military posture and expression on his face showed an emotionless person who suffers from constipation. He was the leading engineer and was responsible for everything going on in this room and in the tunnels below them.

"Can I see the full infrastructure report?" John asked in his deep voice, leaning in his chair.

"It's on your screen now." Thomas quickly answered after bringing it up on the monitors.

"Good, all seems fine. The infrastructure has enough stability to support three tunnels going parallel to each other one and a half mile straight down." It was obvious he considered everything. He looked at the monitor as if he was decoding a secret spy message and added "I suggest we dig here, here and here." His finger pointed at different but close enough locations and the area on the screen lit up. "The one on the right will be supported by the Stabilizator just in case. Does anyone have any suggestions or questions? "

Mark and Thomas agreed and started to prepare the final report and the plan for the miners to work with. It usually takes several hours to finish, but this will take more than a day due to the Stabilizator support. It is a heavy sonic device that must be installed prior to any diggings.

During that day Mark noticed that Thomas wasn't interested in talking to him about anything but the work. He smiled at that thought, remembering how he used to be consumed by his job when he was new. It slowly changed over the years and even this opportunity didn't change the fact.

"Are you going to eat?" he asked him later.

"Not hungry. I want to finish this."

"Ok," he replied and swiftly moved out.

He could never get used to seeing stars all around him, he could stare at them for hours, imagining all that is out there to explore, all the dangers and knowledge. He noticed it was cold, but not enough to see his own breath. Plants used for harvesting for food were in their special houses with different air temperature, these houses were most likely in the center of the asteroid. He kept walking, kicking a small rock now and then, passing some miners who nodded their heads and moved along. There was an unwritten dogma between miners and engineers; you never interfere with each other's work, if it's above the ground, engineers have the final say, if it's underground, miners do. It was odd at first. Miners were dependent on engineers and vice versa, so they should cooperate as much as possible, but nobody cared enough to bring it forward.

The cafeteria was humming with people and the smell of food brought a happy grin to his face. The brown plastic tables were the first places where people discussed everything happening around, everyone was laughing and making friends, meeting new people or just chatting. It changes later. Everything will calm down and all the talking becomes a tool to fill an empty space and kill some time before going back to work.

Uma sat in the back, close to the window view. She was wearing her uniform as usual and looked stunning with the stars in the background. Her long beautiful hair tumbled loosely around her shoulders like a waterfall. He walked to her and wanted to surprise her, remind her of the first day they met, but she saw him first.

"You cheeky little thing!" she smiled, "don't you think you can get close to me without me noticing."

"It was worth a try! How are you getting on on the first day of assignment?"

"Ugh, it's beyond boring, you wouldn't believe it!" she complained, rolling her eyes around, "if I have to endure another sleep-inducing meeting like the ones I had today about health and safety, I think I will kill myself!" She moved in her chair. "How about you? Are you gonna eat something?"

He ordered a salad with extra olives and two slices of chocolate cake for both of them. The woman behind the counter was nice and took his 9 credits with a smile of a little girl who tries her mother's lipstick for the first time.

"Aww, you shouldn't have," she smiled back at him. He had an incredibly sweet tooth. He could eat a whole cake and never put on an ounce. Unfortunately, she couldn't say the same about her metabolism.

"I need something sweet to calm my nerves, I was never so excited in my life."

"I wish I had an exciting day. So what's up?"

"I am at SP4A with John Trival, go figure. I have a feeling we were put in his team because this is our first time so far away, Thomas and me. Speaking about Thomas, he doesn't say a word not related to work the whole day. I think I will start talking to the plants in the control room soon."

"Is he that new?" she asked finishing her meal and looking innocently at the cake.

"I think so, he wears his badge on the outside and jumps up every time John says something."

"What a noob!" They both laughed and talked for some time, planning how will they meet after work.

"I finish at three," Uma said swallowing the last piece of her cake. It was delicious, the cooks did a great job.

"Me, too" he got excited, "we can meet in the pleasure dome and check it out. I wonder what entertainment they provide for all the colonists."

"Sure, sounds like fun."

Back at the station he pressed a coffee button on the machine to make coffee, he had a bad feeling the rest of the day, even if it was three more hours, will feel longer. Thomas was looking at the screen and talking to himself as he counted all the numbers on the diagrams, the light from the monitor reflecting in his eyes and his body leaning over.

"Anything new?" Mark asked.

"Nothing really, the simulation is nearly over and all numbers are in green apart from the correct Stabilizator placement index which is in yellow. We are missing half of a percent for a perfect safe position." He paused for a while and asked, "Did you see Mr.Trivial? I haven't seen him here since he left."

"No, I didn't. Hang on, let me have a look."

They both sat at their stations pondering what should be done, but they exhausted all their options it seemed. There was nothing else to try.

"We will need a confirmation from him or somebody in control. The miners nearly finished the basic shallow digs for the big machines to be installed. It's just half a pro-cent, really." Thomas said with confidence, but Mark could notice a slight distress in his voice.

"We have to wait for him to look at it. I don't think the miners will proceed today anyway. Send him a message on his personal computer to get hold of him."

"Yes I will."

John didn't show up for the rest of the shift and the miners went to their resiblocks, so did Mark and Thomas, who went quickly to his new home to change clothes.

The apartment, if you can call it that, was small but comfortable and had everything a person would need so far away in a distant galaxy; a bed, shower, personal computers, tables and chairs, wardrobes and two big windows. The walls were light blue with white ornaments, it was calming and looked really pretty. Andy was kneeling near a table playing with plastic animals and didn't even looked at Mark.

"How was your day? Any new adventures Andy?"

He looked at his brother with a sad face and shook his head. His favorite horse broke it's leg and couldn't stand properly and apparently the rest of the animals were not able to help.

"Aaww! Don't worry about it, we will get another one! We are going to spend some time in the pleasure dome, I'm sure they have plenty of attractions to go to!"

"Do they have ice cream?" he asked after a while, his face changing a bit.

"I bet they do! No human could stay without ice cream for more than five months!"

After Mark changed to something more easy going, they left and headed for the dome. It looked like a huge bubble made of darkened glass from the outside and wasn't very inviting, but on the inside it had everything you can imagine to waste some time and have fun. Colorful lights lit the areas with different attractions, people were selling teddy bears and other stuffed animals, ice cream, lollies; it was a pleasure to look at. There was even a small cinema in the back with old movies to watch when you really had nothing else to do.

Sci-Tek was taking care of people when it came to things like these, but it wasn't like this all the time. Many years ago the colonists and miners colonized an asteroid and mined whatever they could and left, there was no reason to stay. Later though, people had nowhere to go and stayed in the colony and lived there for many years. The colony itself worked as a station for refueling ships that were flying by or as a smaller trade centers with other human colonies or known alien species.

"There!" Andy shouted excitedly and ran towards the ice cream stand. Mark followed him while looking for Uma, it was two minutes past three and she should be here any minute.

"I would like a chocolate one and vanilla one please." They ate it silently while waiting and Mark was thinking how to keep his brother busy while he would talk to his girlfriend. They waited for half an hour and saw her standing near a bouncing castle looking around.

She didn't smile when she saw them, "Mark we need to talk!"

"What's wrong?" he asked. She looked confused and scared.

"Andy, it would be better if you have some fun time in the bouncing castle, ok?" She paid for him and watched how he took his shoes off, he had a hole on one of his socks, but he didn't care and went inside where some children laughed while jumping and falling on their bums.

"What is going on?" Mark asked nervously, holding her hand. They walked to the front of the castle and sat on a bench. There was one man standing close to them but was watching his daughter in the castle. There was enough loud music so they could speak privately.

"We received a report that several Mauna ships are approaching this sector. Everybody is on their feet. It's classified for now but they will not be able to hold the information secret for a long time, obviously!" she said in one breath. Her eyes widened.

"Oh god, are you serious?"

She nodded.

Mauni were an alien species who were in war with everyone, including humans. They didn't care about ore that much like the others, they were just interested in warmongering, testing weapons and annihilation other species. They were technologically advanced, aggressive and very powerful, this was really bad news.

"But there is something else," she continued, "the scout report about ore deposits on this asteroid were kept secret as well."

"Why?" he asked, lifting his shoulders nervously.

"There is more Nexos here that they allowed us to know. Much more!"

"Is that why the Mauna are coming here?"

"We don't know. There is a rumor going around that a human agent working for them is among the officials, but that's nonsense. I don't know any human who would help Mauna and risk being executed for parricide. But people will do anything for credits I guess. Anyway, there is enough supply of Nexos here to make us humans number one supplier on the intergalactic market and that means more power, more ships, more colonies and ..."

" ... and less control for Mauna!" he finished the sentence for her.

They sat there in silence for a bit, both thinking what would it mean if they reached the asteroid with their fleet. It would be destroyed in minutes.

"How long?" he asked, expecting every answer to be bad.

"Three weeks. The long sensors are inaccurate though, so we expect fourteen or fifteen days."

"What is going to be done about it? Do we have any weapons here? Could we defend the asteroid for long enough?" He immediately realized it was a silly questions. A colony like this had weapons for close combat only and they were assigned to security guards; and couple of turrets mounted on the rooftops to try and protect the most important buildings, but that was all.

"Our own fleets are on the way as we speak, Battleships and Destroyers. That's all they could send, but they will arrive too late and there is no way to intercept them. Braccatians who are closest to us excused themselves and denied us help. They will not risk angering the Mauna more after what happened to their colonies in Sector H512."

"This is unbelievable, we helped them! Many lives were lost defending their colonies. Our people lost their lives! And now they don't help us?" he said angrily clenching his teeth.

"My father said to continue working on the extractions for couple of days and if no help comes, we need to evacuate the whole colony."

"But that's not possible! Two ships are on the way back to Earth for supplies, there is not enough room for everyone!"

"Yes," she said and looked down on the floor, "there is, if we leave the machines and the ore here."

He looked at her confused. "So what are we waiting for? We should leave now, before it's too late! If we can't take the ore with us, why continue mining? We should just leave!"

Uma kept looking down, hiding her face from him. She used to do that when there was something wrong, something she could not control or change. She didn't respond to him, anything she would say would make things even worse. She was ashamed of what was really going on with the situation they were in and he knew. He got used to it. He had to read her expressions like a book.

"Is that what this is about? They will not leave the ore, they will leave people here!" he shouted and stood up, "I can't believe this is happening. Now I understand, it all makes sense! The colony built in the quickest time, high number of workers, new and inexperienced engineers. Nobody would miss them! Are you going to tell the people?" She was quiet, but he continued, " They will say we got attacked and they managed to escape with most of the ore and will be seen as heroes, survivors!"

Andy approached them with his laces untied and a happy grin on his face. Mark took his hand and they walked away. Uma sat there in tears until some strangers asked her if she was alright. She nodded and walked home to talk to her father. She somehow knew it will be a long night. How is she going to tell him that she is in love with a person from lower class? He will never understand.
Third Chapter

Everything looked different from that day on. Mark noticed people really didn't know what was happening and he wondered who will be left here to die and who allowed to leave. Was it the badges of different colors, higher ranks or status in the society? Will it be women and children first, or people with families or people with sovereign wealth funds? He thought about it for the rest of the night while Andy slept like a little boy.

John didn't show up to his station the next morning. On the other hand, Thomas was already there and he looked like he didn't get any sleep as well.

"Are you alright, Thomas?"

"I'm fine, just a bit tired," he answered shortly kicking his brown bag deeper under the table. Mark didn't give it another thought.

"Thomas, do you have any family?" Mark asked suddenly. His co-worker looked at him surprised and nervous, he probably wasn't used to answering questions like these.

"Yes, I do. My parents are teachers both living on Earth, and my younger sister is a medical nurse on a ship patrolling Sector N114. Why are you asking?"

He didn't think this through. He wasn't expecting he'd ask why, but he wanted to know more about him. Will he be saved because he has a family?

"Just a normal question. We will work together so I thought I'd like to know you better."

"Oh ok. How about you? Do you have any family?"

"A twin brother, Andrew. He suffers from Deep Space Debilitation since he was five and his brain didn't develop properly. He caught it from my parents who were infected with it on the way home from a mission and were cured successfully. It didn't help him. My parents died after two years fighting the Mauna and I have been taking care of him ever since. Long story. My brother is all I have, but we are managing." There was sadness in his eyes and a bit of relief. Telling someone about yourself makes it easier to open up about other things.

His childhood, his whole life had been a sad mixture of hope and longing for his parents. They were constantly away on missions and he felt alone. If it wasn't for his brother, he would have lost his mind. Taking care of him was everything he had and they were very close.

"That's sad, I'm sorry. "

They worked for nearly two hours when John stormed in with an angry expression on his face.

"How is it going? I got your message about the Stabilizator location. Don't worry about it. The placement is correct and will suffice. I'm giving you all green. Send the workers to do their job."

He disappeared shortly after.

Mark knew what was it all about, they wanted as much ore extracted as possible before the attacks. His personal computer beeped signalling a new private message was received. It was from Uma and it said, "I love you." He responded to her, "I have a plan, will talk during lunch. Sorry about yesterday. Love you, too."

He didn't feel anger or resentment, it was just an overwhelming feeling of betrayal. It wasn't her fault and he knew that. But he couldn't stand the idea of people being left here to die for the sake of saving some pieces of radioactive rock for credits. He should have known that Sci-Tek as a mega corporation and designer of the most expensive ships will value Nexos over human lives, but being so blatant about it was just too much. There was something he had to do about it. Should he tell everyone or just start a rumor? How would people react? He couldn't just do nothing and allow this to happen! Tens of lives would be lost and his own and his brother's as well. How many colonists are here? Hundred and fifty? Hundred and seventy? Fifty in the mother ship, the rest is lost. Hundred people would fit in the storage are easily, but Sci-Tek will not allow that. He still could not believe this was actually happening, his mind was counting every possibility, his heart was pounding.

He couldn't wait for the lunch hour and there was nothing much to do, so he excused himself and left. The miners started to place the machines in their locations according to plan. He could almost hear their thoughts; they wanted to earn credits, make their lives easier, get the work done and get home in couple of months. Some of them would stay and do something else, managing the facilities or cleaning after the mission. If the sector is colonized, they can be among the first inhabitants and have their names engraved on a metal plate. But Mark knew that their names will be engraved on gravestones instead.

"I looked at the ship's plans last night. There are life support modules that can be launched into space and travel for some time on their own. If we eject the module with us on-board, we have a chance that the fleet from Earth will find us on the sensors and save us!" he told Uma at lunch.

"That's not allowed, it's against the law to do that without permission. Also the module can sustain in space for forty-eight hours with three people on board before it goes to stasis. The chance somebody will find us is minimal and the module can crash into something killing us all. It's used only for emergency evacuations if the mother ship is in danger of explosion. It won't work!"

"Well it's the only thing I could think of and I need your help. Uma, this is my only chance to get home. And Andy's." He was looking at her seriously and saw disbelief in her eyes. She wasn't good at hiding emotions.

"I don't know. It's risky."

"All I need is the security codes. You can say I stole them from you!"

"Even if you survive, you will go to jail! The Military Court will not be lenient! Mark, I talked to my father about you and Andy. He will do everything he can to help you!" she said, but he knew she lied, " Trust me, he doesn't like it either!"

"That's easy for him to say! He will be on the ship on the way home while we will be here as a fodder for Mauna's missiles. You have to help me Uma, I can't make this work without you!"

"Mark, I really can't!" her voice broke.

He sat there in silence. She couldn't look at him, it was too much.

"I will tell everyone. I will tell the truth. People will be outraged, is that what you want?" He knew it wouldn't work but he tried anyway.

She took a deep breath. "If you tell everyone they will put you in jail now. Let me handle this, please."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing. All I'm asking for is the codes to get to safety! I don't trust your father, he doesn't like me, because I'm a lower class!" he raised his voice and people started to turn around to look at them. It wasn't that he didn't value her help, he just very well understood the difference between kindness and love.

"I'm sorry for all this, but I'm trying my best! Just wait for couple of days and my father ..." she tried but he stood up and left in a haste. She didn't finish her lunch, her stomach felt small like a top of a pin. People still kept staring while she walked pass them and headed to see his father and talk to him again. After last night's conversation, she wasn't sure if he was serious about helping her lover, he didn't seem genuine. It seemed to her that all he wanted was to save themselves.

Her father was sitting in a leather chair in his office talking to someone over the intercom when she stepped in. His strong jaw line moved up and down as he spoke but she was not listening to any of the conversation. She poured herself a glass of brandy and drank it slowly, looking around the room. She looked at the glass and sighed inwardly.

As a child she missed him very much, he was always somewhere else, anywhere but home. After she joined the military he had been always around. He was a strict and tight man concerned for his reputation. He demanded respect at all costs and wanted people to respect him, to acknowledge his achievements.

Uma knew what she was going to tell him will spell nothing but trouble and she felt embarrassed at first, scared a lot, but she had to do it. Mark was the best thing that happened to her in a long time and she wanted to protect him.

"Uma," he said looking at her tall and strong posture, "the evacuation must begin now. There is no time left, the Mauna are approaching faster than we thought and they will arrive in the sector in two days."

"How is that possible?"

"We received an encoded message from our network of agents. There is a spy in this colony feeding them information!" he said looking angry, but not scared, "He is someone of clearance of level 4 or lower."

"Understood," she said. After she put the glass back on the table she added, "Mark and Andy are going with us. If not, I'm staying here with them." She squared her shoulders and waited a split second for his reaction

"Pardon? What are you saying? Have you lost your mind? Listen, I don't have time for this, there are procedures we have to follow, I have my orders and you have yours, pack your stuff and meet me later at the landing bay. I don't understand why are you under the impression that your opinion matters?"

"You heard me. If they are not allowed to leave with us, I am staying here. I made my choice!" she shouted at him and ran out before he could argue. This was the first time she disagreed with him, ever, and she couldn't believe she actually did it, but it felt good. Now he had to deal with her disapproval. On her way home she sent a message to Mark.

"Elliot, the emergency evacuation starts now, let people of level 7 or higher know. And make sure my daughter boards the ship, don't lose her!" he said hastily into the intercom.

"Yes, sir. I will send three men to escort her to the mother ship."

Few hours later the sirens went off, the sound was loud and of imminent danger. People started to run around, some stayed in place wondering what was it all about, but the word of Mauna approaching did spread and everybody realized soon enough that it was time to leave.

The panic lasted for an hour or so. The whole colony gathered outside near the landing pad for the mother ship, awaiting orders, but none of the officials showed up. Nobody knew what was going on, there were even rumors that Mauna are already orbiting the planet and will attack any moment. The crowd was huge and people started to elbow each other trying to get closer to the landing pad, their bags in their hands. Everybody was talking loud, some where standing still expecting the ship to descent lower. It's silhouette was clearly seen just bellow the force field, it's own shields calibrated to the same frequency so it can pass through it easily.

After five minutes of nothing but waiting and shouting a loud female voice came off from the speakers. Everyone went quiet in expectations.

"Dear inhabitants, this is an emergency evacuation. Will all officers of level 7 and above please gather near the landing pad to be taken aboard the ship." The voice repeated the message over and over, but nobody listened. Everyone ran to the landing pad and the mother ship slowly started to descent. When it landed a metal staircase was put down from it's back and the hangar door opened.

Officers and engineers of the allowed level tried all they could to get to the front, but the crowd was stronger. Nobody wanted to stay behind. Some men and women lifted their children and carried them, just to make sure they don't get lost.

"Please keep calm and allow the higher ranked officers to board first!" A man in a military uniform shouted from the hangar door, "there is another ship on the way and will take all of you to safety!" Even he himself didn't believe what he was saying, but persisted with his tone.

"I said, let the officers to get in first!" he shouted moments later. Couple of people got in the ship if they had the right badge, the rest was pushed back. It was getting worse and worse, the panic and shouting. Nobody noticed that the highest ranked officials swiftly used the back entrance to get inside.

"I want to get in, I have a young baby! Please!" a woman cried in the middle of the crowd but was pushed back anyway. The baby started to cry and she tried to calm him.

"Another ship will take you, madam!" the man tried to make her feel safe..

"There is no other ship, they are leaving us here to die!" Mark shouted from the back, "they knew about this before! There was enough space for all of us, but they are taking the Nexos with them! We could all fit in the storage facility and sleep on the floor! But Nexos is more valuable for them!"

The crowd got even angrier and more aggressive, some people fell on the ground shouting and moaning. Someone threw their bag at the security guard and hit his shoulder. There was a plasma shot that very moment, it went through the air above them and got absorbed by the force field. The man standing in front of the door held his rifle firmly in his hands and looked at the crowd. All went silent. Nobody tried to move, especially those in the front rows. Two more armed men joined him to help control the mass.

"Officers of level 6 can now approach the ship! If anyone else tries to get in, I will shoot them! Is that understood?" the man shouted spitting saliva around him. Mark looked at his badge, he was clearance level 4. There was no way he was going to make it. Andy held his hand firmly and looked scared and bewildered, his horse with a broken leg in his hand, a small bag on his back. "Mark I'm scared!" he said.

"Don't you worry. I will take care of you."

"You always do." Andy confirmed and smiled a bit, looking at his brother's stressed expression.

Mark heard a familiar voice behind him. "I guess this is the end." It was Thomas Perk. He stood there all pale, his hands shaking. His badge showed number 3.

"Maybe not, but I need your help."

"How could I help you in a situation like this? We have no chance!" he resigned.

"Can you manage to connect my personal computer to the ship's interface remotely?"

"I would need a better antenna for it, but I guess so."

"How about one from a Radiation Filter?" Mark asked.

"I think that would work."

They both ran towards the nearest filter, Mark dragging Andy like a limp puppet, but the entrance was locked. They couldn't get in, the lock was electronic and protected from surges or heavy damage. "Don't worry about it, I know what to do," Thomas said while putting his palm over the lock, "just wait a bit." There was a silent click and the door opened, Mark wondered how that happened but didn't want to waste time.

"Here it is. What do you want me to do?"

"Use my computer to get a remote control, it should be easy to get access to evacuation modules. The code is there as well," he added, "launch all ten of them and navigate them to land here!"

It took several minutes for Thomas to be able to connect to the interface; Mark paced around the room nervously while Andy stood in the corner biting his finger. The allowed passengers were probably all in and the ship will be leaving soon.

"Got it. EM one to ten are under my control. How did you get the security codes?"

"No time for that now, hurry! Make sure they land near the pleasure dome, we will meet you there. Andy, follow me!" Mark went out first but his brother hesitated. He was looking at Thomas for a moment and then said, "See you later."

The lights on the dome were still on, the entrance was lit as if nothing was going on. Several smaller modules were landing near it and most of the people were gathering around. The mother-ship was nearing the orbit, prepared to leave for good.

All three of them got into the last module, there were seven people in it already. It seems all colonists were on-board.

Is Uma safely on the mother ship?

"We made it. We need to launch the modules to intercept the battle-fleet that is on the way here from Earth so they can find us while we are in the stasis sleep. The oxygen will not last long for three people and there is ten of us."

Thomas looked at Mark surprised. "I hope we can still make it."

Being with nine people in a small module can be uncomfortable, but everyone was happy. There were stories being prepared for the media, lawsuits pondered against Sci-Tek for mistreatment of it's employees. The people were angry.

"This is Mark Howard from EM10 to all modules. The stasis sleep will start in seven hours or maybe sooner. Find a sturdy place on the floor to sleep on. Don't sleep on the beds, you can fall off. And pray we make it."

Andy played with his toys for the rest of the journey, sitting next to his brother. Mark didn't know if it was better for him, not knowing that they can die in couple of days, or get stranded in the universe. The air became heavier and heavier, the indicator showed 7% in red letters on the screen. Their speed was below average, but they managed to steer the module to the right path to meet the flotilla on the way. There were no planets or asteroid fields in their course, if they are lucky everything will be alright.

The red letters changed to 3% and the computer noticed all the passengers that the stasis sleep procedure is being activated. Soon after, the lights went off and everything went dark.

Nobody knew exactly how they were saved or how many when they woke up in the medical center on Earth. The neon lights were burning Mark's eyes as he looked at the ceiling. There were needles sticking out of his hand, the smell of disinfectants nearly made him vomit and the bleeping of medical computers made his headache worse every second. He had a weird taste in his mouth but he was happy.

"How are you feeling?" The voice belonged to Thomas. He was standing right beside his bed with a smile on his face. The lights were so bright that Mark didn't notice the laser gun in his hand.

"My head hurts like hell!" he said slowly, trying to close his eyes tighter, "but how are the others? What happened?"

"Seven modules were destroyed before they could be retracted to any of the battling ships of the battle-fleet, the Mauna followed the mother ship and their fleet was nearly destroyed. Two of their ships escaped though. I have no idea how they knew where we were going."

"For how long were we in stasis? Is my brother alright? Uma Star, captain's daughter, the mothership, did they make it?" He tried to swallow and it hurt. His eyes still didn't get used to the bright lights.

"For one week as I recall from the reports and yes, they are alright. Shame I can't say the same thing about you."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb you ignorant pig!" he said through his clenched teeth, his voice suddenly changing, "Do you really think I am that stupid? We are survivors and they will re-check our personal IDs. It will not take long to realize who I am."

There was a quick flashback in Mark's mind. The brown bag under the table in the office, the quick way Thomas opened that secured lock, something was not right.

There was a silent bright explosion from the gun, Mark felt a strong pain in his chest and everything went black again.
Epilogue

Mark Howard was sitting in a fast moving train looking out of the window. The buildings passed by in a blur, he should be home any minute now. He was reading his last messages on his personal computer again.

"Dear Mark,

there are things in life we can not change. One of them is our family. I wanted to stay with you in the colony and face my destiny by your side, by the man I love. But that wasn't to be! I had to board the mother ship with my family. I was forced to leave! I hope you understand.

I have decided to listen to my father and further my career. I want to change things I can change and leave things I can't control to fate.

After I heard that Andy died, I did everything I could to help. Nobody knew that stasis sleep would kill all neurons of a brain infected with Deep Space Debilitation, but I am sure doctors already told you that. I will miss Andy, too. But most of all I will miss you.

With love,

Uma."

It was short and he somehow knew she was forced to write it. It wasn't like her at all. Will he ever see her again?

The second message was an official military report.

"Dear Mr.Howard,

due to your personal circumstances and because of the attack against you by criminal Thomas Perk in the Sunset Medical Facility, who was later apprehended and executed for helping and working for Mauna as an agent, we hereby state that all allegations made against you by Sci-Tek are considered void. Instead, a penalty of an immediate dismissal from the company and full life ban on all future military operations in outer space imposed on your person has taken place.

For your deceased brother, you have our sympathy.

Sincerely,

Admiral Timothy Slown."

He thanked god he doesn't have to see those people again.

The medical report read:

"Dear Mr. Howard,

due to unfortunate events and unforeseen circumstances, your brother Andrew Howard passed away shortly after being awaken from his stasis sleep. Let me assure you that the medical staff at our facility tried everything they could in their powers and abilities to save his life, however, without a success.

The traumatic event that left you mortally injured was handled swiftly and accurately though. Your body accepted your brother's heart without any problems or complications. The cost of the transplantation was covered by Miss Uma Star, who also gave consent. The full medical report is available on request.

Our condolences Mr. Howard. In these hard times, let us remind you that our therapists and psychiatrists are available to your service at the clinic at a mere cost of 500 credits.

Sincerely, Dr. George Heartly."

He took the pony with broken leg out of his pocket and held it for a moment. The window went blurry like the buildings behind it. He didn't try to stop the tears because he will never see his brother again.

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