Whisper in Elegy

Preface

{TJ}

"RUN!"

It was the night of the blood moon, the forest was black and foggy. I can hear her breathing as she ran and I can smell her sweet blood. Her bloodcurdling screams, the fear in her eyes, and the chills that ran down her spine. Her long black hair, dark brown eyes that looked into my very own soul, and lovely skin. Skin that I want to rip apart and drink the blood from her very flesh. I've been awaiting for this night and now the time has come to free the inner monster within me; pale skin, eyes black as the night, long sharp black nails, fangs, and black wings of a demon. As the leaves crunched beneath her feet, I continued to fly low to become close to her to grab her. To my surprise she ran pretty fast for a human because as I had gotten close to tearing my claws through her skin, she'd manage to get further away from me. I had to think quick and fast. The longer this charade had gone on, the more angrier and bloodthirsty I became. She took one sudden look back at me as she ran, and when she did I saw the tears in her eyes.

I was in love with her. And..... I believe I still am. I didn't want it to be this way, but I have no choice. She has to die by my hand, and when it's all over she'll be free. I hope that she will know in the afterlife that I still love her, and no one will ever take her place. She ran and she ran for her dear life, until she tripped over a branch falling down onto the dead leaves and hitting her head. I landed on my feet, and walked towards her. She was weak, blood was pouring down unto her forehead and I can sense the blood rushing through her veins. The tears that I had saw in her eyes began to spill down her face, and her body shivered. The pretty white spaghetti strapped blouse she wore had gotten dirty with mud, and the skinny jeans that hugged her bodacious curves perfectly now have a hole from where she had scraped her knee, and cuts from running through the briars. Sorrow took over this poor soul, as she sobbed right in front of me.

"Please have mercy..." she sobbed.

I kept silent as I motioned towards her, there's no turning back now. I know what has to be done, and now is the time.

Chapter I: New Beginnings

{Andrew}

TJ and I had just moved here to Atlanta, Georgia a few days ago. We spent a couple of days moving and unpacking into our new home, a large upscale Victorian house that had been been remodeled a year ago. We didn't have a choice but to come here, because a lot of things had happened...things I don't want to speak of. I hold a lot of guilt in my heart for everything that happened, but I had to realize that I couldn't do anything about it. I made a mistake, that's all there is, and I hold myself accountable. I knew he wasn't ready, but I didn't listen to my instincts. He changed and became a nightmare to watch. He spun out of control. I witnessed so much blood and bodies. TJ isn't like the rest of us, he's much more stronger than all of us, even the elders. None of us have the ability to change into that creature like he can, which leads me to believe that he's special; a rare kind to our modern coven. I worry if I can ever trust him again, though he's calmed down a lot since then, but sometimes I wonder if he'll revert back to his old ways again. TJ is humble with a sense of humor, and it's rare when he's mad in fact he never gets upset. He's like a brother to me, but now that we've exchanged blood he's become what I call a "blood brother" because I was the one that had bitten him. Everything that I have ever taught him through the course of the months to almost a year have gone in one ear and not the other. The rules have remained the same, what I cannot understand is: Why does he continue to be oblivious?

I sat down at the dining table with a fresh glass of orange juice and a small vial of O positive blood, while waiting for TJ to come downstairs. I poured my dose of blood in the orange juice , and stirred it around with a spoon. After taking a few sips, I shivered feeling the thick taste of it trickle down my throat. I'm still getting used to mixing blood with liquids, although it's the only way I can have breakfast, and feed at the same time. The tangy effect the orange juice has on the blood leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, I almost gagged. Anything mixed with blood takes away the true thickness and sweetness away from it. I'm used to it tasting like candy and nothing more. I don't see how anyone else can do this on a daily basis, mixing blood with the likes of human food. It's disgusting and torture. In spite of it all, TJ is always in the kitchen cooking food and creating ways to mix blood with everything because he doesn't truly care for drinking raw or straight from a cup or chalice. He believes it's a bit too old fashioned, ad wants to try newer ways.

After waiting almost an hour, TJ had finally came downstairs dressed up in a white button down shirt with a black tie and black skinny jeans. He's tall with tanned skin , and short black hair that grew long at the top and kept shaven on the sides and was sometimes curly but he refused to wear it that way for some reason. His eyes are a deep crimson but held a bit of sadness inside. He looked at me as he took a seat across from me at the dining table while intertwining his fingers keeping his silence. He blames himself for what happened and it's tearing him apart inside. Although he feels this way, he still manages to crack a smile as if nothing had ever happened. I wish I could have his conscience to just pretend the way he does to escape reality. I won't hold it against him though the kid deserves a piece of mind. After all, he couldn't control himself right? Only a fool would think otherwise, and I won't be the one. Only I know the truth, and only I know the real TJ. Do I need to say more?

I turned my gaze towards him, returning a serious look in his favor. His smile then returns back to somber, and I have every reason to believe that he thinks I'm holding a grudge against him. I'm disappointed. I thought he knew better, but I was wrong. As he looks into a nearby vanity mirror, there seemed to be a light of happiness on his face, but then sighed deeply at his own reflection. The tension between us is heartbreaking. There's too much angst. The silence must be broken.

"Morning," I said.

His expression brightened on his face, and the happiness had restored within those crimson eyes.

"Well...hello," he responded with a smirk.

His voice was soft, and calm towards me. I was a bit shocked because I wasn't expecting this kind of reaction from him.

"Today should be interesting," he smiled.

"Oh? Someone sounds excited for their first day of school," I chuckled sheepishly.

TJ sighed as he turned around looking at me smirking, while slightly rolling his eyes.

"Don't push it. It's bad enough that I even agreed to do this. I mean I've already graduated...I'm too old for this."

I chuckled as I took another sip of orange juice that I poured blood in earlier, still tasting bitter and quite disgusting of course.

"Sounds like someone hasn't had their morning blood yet. "

"And I don't plan on drinking any either. I don't need that stuff."

"TJ, we talked about this. Don't do that..." I growled.

"I'm not doing this today, Andrew. I didn't sign up for this."

My eyes widened at what he just stood in front of me and said. In fact, I had almost choked on this orange juice I was drinking. I frowned at him, almost outraged but I kept calm for our sake. I don't want our brotherhood to be torn again but I must ask myself: Is this the same brother that I changed into an immortal? Is this a sign telling me that this was a true mistake and that I was right all along?

"Yes, you did, " I grumbled as I stood up from the table.

He stubbornly shakes his head and motions towards the door. I motioned towards him slowly, but I then stopped midway leaving a gap between us.

"Have you already forgotten? I saved you, and you wouldn't be here today if I hadn't. You'd be dead or suffering had I chosen to go another route. You know how all of this goes, TJ. You're not going to stay a newborn forever. It's time to come to terms and learn. You're an immortal now," I explained.

TJ leaned over forward placing his head on the door and looked.

"This is so much to take in. You don't understand..." His voice quivered.

"I do understand. I went through the same thing you did. The same pain, everything. You're no different. Trust me, I know what it's like."

He turned his gaze towards me, sighing in defeat.

"You're right, I'm sorry. I just can't come to terms with it. Nothing is the same."

~ ♥ ~

We were silent on the way to school, and I noticed TJ slouched down in the passenger seat with his eyes locked onto his phone most likely scrolling down his social media. We always have that conversation. It never fails. It's always turmoil. Although he seems happy for the most part, but I still worry. I just want everything to be OK. I don't want another tragedy.

I'm not used to being an immortal. It seems so surreal to me. It's like I've kind of forgotten how to function, and it's a weird feeling. After all this time I still don't know how to act or handle myself. I never meant to hurt anyone. That wasn't my intention. Maybe I should've listened. Andrew tried to tell me that I wasn't ready for this life. I killed innocent people out of spite. I craved for blood. It's what I've always wanted. All of this and I have nothing to show for it. Andrew should've killed me when he had the chance. I'm not worth saving. I'm the reason why we had to leave in the first place, to get away from it all. Had we stayed there any longer, I would've ended up exposing our existence first chance. He had the opportunity to make everything right in the blink of an eye, but brotherhood is what he wanted. He doesn't need me.

♥

He's driven himself into a deep somber and it's not like him. He's usually content with a smile, but he's cursed himself with the blame that it's taken over. I thought he wanted immortality, but I guess I was wrong.

I focused on the road, driving steadily as it poured down rain. The wind was loud on this strange morning and it was quite misty. I would look at TJ every once in a while and watch him ponder, and I'd then turn my attention back towards the road. After passing through a small town, we finally reached Kingston High. From what I can see, it seemed like a fairly nice school from the outside and it reminded me of the academy back in California that I used to attend. It was a grey building with a large parking lot for students and faculty members. I parked next to a black Chevrolet Camero in front of a pole that held the school flag. I leaned back sighing after turning the car engine off, almost not even ready to walk into another shithole, but like I said before, we don't have a choice. We have to do something with our lives here, rather than to be the average of our immortal coven, and spend all of eternity murdering innocent humans just for the hell of it.

I looked at TJ as he did the same turning his gaze towards me. I knew I had to give him instructions on what to do and how to act. Who am I kidding, what are the odds of him actually listening to anything that I say anyway?

"Listen you know we're here on a fresh start. This is serious. I won't allow you to make the same mistakes. Always remember what you are, and stay incognito," I said.

He rolled his eyes at me and chuckled while doing that signature smirk of his. It was as if everything I had said was bullshit. I simply stared him down hoping we weren't about to go down this road again.

"What?" He frowned. "Don't look at me like that." He folded his arms turning his gaze towards the window.

"TJ...this isn't a joke," I growled.

His eyes widened when he turned around. He was hurt, but moreover flabbergasted.

"Andrew, really?"

I shrugged.

"I can't believe this. You do realize that you've known me for years right? I am the same person that's been there with you when all the other kids didn't want to be friends with you. "

"Wait a minute, this is not about me, this is about you. I worry because I fear that you don't have control like you've claimed, but I don't see it TJ...I don't see it."

"You know you can trust me. Like you've said, we're practically brothers. You know how I am. I know how to keep a low profile. "

"Well, I hope you're right. As a matter of fact I want you to prove me wrong."

"Alright, I will." His tone had lightened up as he turned towards me having his back turned against the door.

"Don't sell yourself short. It's not as easy as you think it is. When you become an immortal, your life changes. Nothing will ever be the same. When you were human you had advantages–"

"But when you become an immortal you have more advantages. Life becomes eternity; death is no longer an option. "

I froze at his choice of words, and one point I didn't know what to say or how to respond. In this moment, I realized that this is inside and it's deep like a suture wound that's in the process of healing. The wound bled out as much as it could but no more. The silence between us is like a silent somber morning, with the fog swaying through the field.

"You made the right decision when you changed me. I can handle myself, I don't have any intentions of killing anyone. I know I'm new to this but there's a first time for everything, and you have to understand that I'm growing, and I'm still learning. You need to know that whatever happens just happens."

"TJ..." I sighed. "I get it, trust me, I do, and I'm not trying to put aside your feelings, but for now I don't want to discuss this anymore, and now really isn't the time. Maybe we can talk about this again some other time. I cannot continue to debate on the basic shit."

I shook my head in frustration as I reached inside the dashboard and a green and white container and handed it to him.

"You can't be serious. Really? Contacts?"

"Yes, TJ. What's the problem now?" I sighed irritated.

"Why should I waste time putting on contacts when I can simply do this?"

TJ kept his gaze at me and as his eyes widened I watched his irises turn from crimson to dark brown. He then smirked as he dropped the contacts in the cup holder.

"Cheeky...very cheeky."

I shook my head at my friend, but at the same time I was a bit concerned at how easily he was able to change his eye color. I sense that he's becoming stronger with his abilities, and I see strength within him.

~ ♥ ~