SLAVE TO THE VAMPIRE KING

HALLUCINATION OR NOT?

Samantha

A hazy gaze constructed around me as the clouds above conflicted, swirling into a chaotic storm. A breathless fire erupted out of nowhere, its flames rising high, painting the sky in a sinister glow. I felt an inexplicable pull toward it, even as I recognized the danger. The heat enveloped me, intense and suffocating, as if I were trapped in a volcano, the lava ready to consume me at any moment. I struggled to breathe, my windpipe constricted, smoke choking my lungs.

Panic gripped me when my voice refused to break through the silence. All I wanted was to flee this nightmarish place, to escape the reality of the burning sea before me. Had Satan dragged me here? Or had I somehow managed to incur his wrath? Was I really such a misfortune?

“Samantha…” A voice broke through the chaos, disrupting my spiraling thoughts. Faint echoes lingered in my ears, buzzing and disorienting.

The voice felt familiar, yet distinct, sending chills down my spine. Something in the darkness made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. As I slowly opened my eyes, I realized the surrounding shadows had thickened, except for a pair of red eyes piercing through the dark. I found myself locked in a hypnotic gaze, those obsidian depths boring into my very soul, drawing me in like a moth to a flame.

Suddenly, I gasped, jolting awake from a deep slumber as cold water splashed over me. Shock coursed through my veins, numbing my senses. I froze in place, blinking away the remnants of my vision, only to find my mother glaring at me with pure resentment. Back to reality, I was in my room, the memory of the woods fading. How did I return? Had that been a hallucination? My mind was a jumble of confusion.

“Get up! It’s already eight in the morning. How long do you plan to sleep?” Her voice dripped with revulsion. I had overslept? How?

As far as I recalled, I had been in the woods. How had I ended up back in this hellhole?

“Mom!” I thought of asking her what had happened.

“What?” she replied, her tone sharp, barely glancing my way.

“What happened last night?” I asked, desperation creeping into my voice.

“Why? You don’t remember a thing?” she screeched, her gaze finally piercing through to me.

“Mom, please! I remember running into the woods. How did I get back?” Fear clutched at my chest.

“Well, yes, you ran away, but you came back after an hour. Your dad demanded an explanation about your behavior, but you ignored him like he didn’t exist and locked yourself in your room for the whole night.” She yelled at me as if I had done it on purpose, but I didn’t recall any of it.

“I don’t remember doing that,” I said defensively.

“Of course, you’ll make excuses to escape responsibility. You’ve caused us a lot of problems, Samantha! We’re fed up with your attitude. I can’t believe I raised you this way,” her voice echoed with embarrassment and disappointment.

Guilt surged within me for the first time in my life, yet why should I feel guilty? My mother may have raised us all the same, but love was divided. Tears stung my eyes, and I wiped them away before they could fall. Maybe I had truly lost my mind.

I noticed my mom had walked away, leaving me standing alone in my room. I stumbled to the bathroom, splashed cold water on my face, and grabbed my backpack, stuffing it with the essentials for class. Peeking carefully around the house, I saw that Dad had already left for work.

Sighing, I rushed out in silence. School felt like a blur as I dragged my body into class, relieved that we didn’t have literature today. The day slipped by quickly, my thoughts consumed by the haunting pair of eyes I had seen the previous night. I remembered venturing into the woods but had no recollection of how I returned.

The only way to uncover the truth was to go back to the woods. After school, I crept back into my room like a cat, wanting to avoid any commotion that would alert my parents to my absence.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Amanda stepped inside, her eyes surveying the mess before landing on me. Dressed impeccably, her blonde hair tied neatly, she was the epitome of perfection in my parents’ eyes.

“What?” I shrugged, irritation bubbling beneath the surface.

“This place is messy, just like you,” she remarked with a smirk.

“Well, thank you for the observation. If you don’t have anything nice to say, you can leave. I’m immune to your insults,” I rolled my eyes.

“I’m not interested in sticking around anyway. Dad wants to see you,” she shot back, her glare burning before she exited, leaving me seething.

Here came the trouble. I had to face Dad now. I descended the stairs quietly, the tension in the air palpable. Dad, Mom, and Amanda awaited me, their expressions a mix of irritation and disappointment. I inhaled deeply before stepping into the lion's den.

“Good evening, everyone!” I tried to sound cheerful, but no one replied. Mom gestured for me to take a seat.

I sat across from them, a heavy silence settling in.

“Where were you last night, Sam?” Dad’s voice was low, almost growling.

There was no escape. I decided to be honest. “I went into the woods,” I whispered.

“You yelled at your mother! How could you do this? Are you really our daughter?” Dad’s fury simmered just below the surface, and I gulped, sensing the trouble I was in.

“I came home tired from school, and Mom was yelling at me. I tried to explain, but she wouldn’t listen. She scolded me for everything I’m not,” I clarified, my voice shaking.

“And you yelled back? She was trying to help you, Sam. Look at yourself. You don’t even try to take care of your appearance. Baggy clothes and an attitude of a rebellious child. Failing grades and no hope for a future. That’s what worries parents,” he shouted, his words piercing like daggers.

“Dad, this is the third time this week you’ve called a meeting just to interrogate her! She won’t listen. All these years, she has become immune to us,” Amanda interjected, a smirk dancing on her lips.

I glared back, my anger flaring. How could she do this to me? It reminded me why I despised her.

“You’re grounded for a month! No cell phones, no hangouts! Focus on your studies,” Dad announced, his voice final as he left the room.

Mom followed without sparing a glance, and Amanda brushed past me, intentionally bumping me as she left.

Rage surged through me, and I stormed back to my room, fury coursing through my veins. I collapsed onto my bed, crying until I felt lightheaded, but it didn’t help as much as I hoped. From the corner of my eye, I thought I saw someone standing at the window. I gasped and recoiled, but the spot was empty. Chills crawled over my skin, a cold sweat breaking out.

I hurried to the window, peering outside, but saw no one. Was I hallucinating again? What was happening to me? Was I going insane? I was about to step back when I caught a glimpse of something.

Those same red eyes shone in the dim light of the street, fixed on me with a powerful gaze. A lump formed in my throat as I pinched myself, desperate to distinguish reality from the dream world. Nope! Those eyes were undeniably real.