With The Darkness

Why? Why do you have to crave for love, my dear? The past you have been through, the lesson you have learned, has already taught you, that there is no such thing as love, at least not for you. Why did you have to foolishly believe that there was going to be someone who actually loves you? The most handsome man you have ever met. The most shining smile you have ever seen. You went out with him. You drank his coffee. You laughed at his joke. You felt so happy. When you came back home, a piece of wizened leave fell, and it landed on his hair. So carefully, you reached out your hand and removed it for him. He caught your wrist, smiled so gently, and started to kiss you on the porch of the front door. It was wet and slimy, but also sweet and comfy. You felt so nervous. You couldn’t even breathe, but you closed your eyes and learned following his guidance. You cradled his neck with your palm, put your hand on his chest, and thought, finally, after being deserted and ridiculed for so many years, you had found the one who was meant for you. You let him lift you up, take you upstairs to his room, put you on his bed. You looked at him, feeling even more nervous but happy, waiting for him to shower you with more kisses and genuine love. And then, he shot you. Not with a gun, but with a needle filled with the tranquilizer, right into your neck while you were smiling at him sheepishly with him mounted. Your pupils dilated. You lost your strength. So did your voice. You saw guilt flood his handsome eyes, and then, a tall figure walked out from the shadows at the room’s corner. It was Beta’s daughter, Ava Lewis, your “best” and only friend since you were adopted by this mysterious werewolf family who lived in the middle of the thick forest. “It’s so disgusting to see you kissing a pig, but you did a nice job.” You heard the arrogant mean girl say when she stopped at the bedside, standing beside him, the Alpha’s son, Derick. Hateful spite filled her glaring eyes. That’s when you finally learned, as an orphaned human girl, you were never welcomed into this werewolf family. The hospitality, the happiness, and those sweet promises, were all lies. Once again, you realized, you were deceived, insulted, and perhaps about to be discarded and even murdered. Why? You want to ask. A drop of tear fell from the corner of your eye. But you couldn’t speak. You couldn’t even move your fingers. The tranquilizer paralyzed your body, only kept your consciousness awake. You could only think, and hear, and see. “It’s about midnight. The herald will be here soon. Let’s take her downstairs.” You saw the Alpha’s son, Derick, say. He kept his eyelids lowered the whole time so he couldn’t see the question in your eyes. The tears you shed. The empty needle was still holding in between his fingers. He threw it into the trash can, picked up his shirt from the floor, and got dressed. Ava cast you a hateful glare. You knew she wanted to laugh, to mock you right on your face, to insult you, to question you that, how dare you, a plain, featureless human girl who didn’t even have a friend, dream of having the most handsome man to fall in love with you? You probably would have answered: Because I am stupid. Because I want to be loved. Because I thought I deserved to be loved just as everybody else in the world. You were so desperate. But she didn’t say anything. She stopped looking at you. Perhaps because of the herald that you had never heard of. You saw her take out a cluster of white tulle from the drawer of the nightstand and cover your face with it. It felt like a veil that a bride would use on her wedding ceremony, but more of a shroud in today’s situation. “Hurry! I will take her head. You take the feet.” You heard Ava say. The white tulle was really thick. You could see nothing now, only hear. Derick walked up. You felt he hesitated, but still took your feet as Ava ordered. Together, they carried you out of Derick’s bedroom, downstairs, out of the front door, the porch, the garden, and then stopped outside the weather-beaten white fence. About two minutes ago, you held Derick’s hand here for the very first time. Now they put you down on the cold soil ground first, and then supported you up, standing between them with your head dropped. You had no idea what they were going to do to you, just heard their breaths getting more and more heavier as the night went deeper and deeper. The white tulle draped around you, completely covered your face. It was really a veil. Gradually, you heard the wind come to the forest, and owls started to howl. The air suddenly became really cold. Goosebumps rose from your arms to your neck. You knew something horrible was about to happen, such as a ghost, or even worse, something from hell. And then, you heard hoofbeats at your left side, from faraway distance. They were rhythmic, powerful, sonorous, and came really fast. You felt Ava clutch your arm tightly. She must be sweating now. You knew there was no way for you to escape whatever would happen tonight. All because you were so stupid, and foolishly believed that there was such a thing as love. You thought you would cry. But there were no tears in your eyes. You just waited, being supported by them like that, with that white shroud on your head, eyes fixed on the soil ground under the pull of gravity. And then the hoofbeat stopped right in front of you. It had a carriage along with it. You heard someone cold and stiff jump off the front seat, and say, “I am the herald from the castle. I am here to pick up the 15th bride for the Night King, Ava Lewis.” Now you finally understood what this was about. You were tricked and used as a substitute to be sacrificed. You heard Ava answer nervously, shaking, “Here she is, Sir. Sorry, she couldn’t stand up by herself. She was intimidated by the might of His Majesty.” This must have happened before, perhaps multiple times. You knew, whoever needed a 15th bride wasn’t going to be a nice king or whatever. The herald replied with nothing, but stepped aside and opened the door of the carriage. They stuffed you inside, fixed you on the seat, with that shroud on your head, covering your face. And then, they jumped out. You heard them close the door, and say, “Wish you all the best on your journey.” The herald didn’t speak, just got back on his seat, and whipped the whip forcefully. The horse neighed. It sprinted. That was how you were taking into the darkness that has no end with that white shroud covering your face…