Fabricated Death (2)

When dawn came as golden sun rays shone bright above the mountains, a car stopped at front yard. Stuart and Shane came out, carrying their big backpacks where they put their weapon in. They went out in a hastened around midnight, so I guess it might be an emergency mission or something.

From behind me, a door opened and Karen walked out from her room. Still in pyjama, rubbing her drowsy eyes.

"You didn't sleep at all?"

"Yeah. I've overslept for days, after all." I offered a smile to assure her there was nothing to worry, but she didn't buy it.

Karen stared at me for quite some times. As Stuart walked in from living room, Karen broke her gaze and inhaled a breath.

"I'll make us breakfast. Could you please have some?"

Karen using polite tone asked me to eat was somehow felt painful. Then I remembered that I had not eaten anything yet since I gained my consciousness, which was about a week ago or so.

I promised Karen that I would eat. Hiding my disgust over this realization. My body did feel odd since I returned to senses, but it was different. I felt extremely well despite the fact for not getting any calorie for a week. This body of mine wasn't a normal human body anymore.

To be honest, I didn't have much appetite nor feeling hungry at all. I simply stuffed the sandwiches on my plate which Karen just made. Said it was good when she asked me about the taste. Apparently, my palate did not take an odd turn. Well, I would still stuff the sandwiches even if it did change. I only ate out of guilt for Karen. I had made her worry with my odd behaviours.

Stuart and Shane joined us at breakfast table. So did Zero who came a little late. Despite being two different species which supposed to hunt each other, it was a lively morning, as if we were having meal with a normal family.

"Shane, hurry up with your meal! Otherwise, we're going to be late," said Stuart when he noticed Shane's plate was still full.

"I think I'll skip today."

"Huh? Why? Did you get hurt somewhere? I don't think you did but."

"Nah, I just don't feel like to school."

Veins throbbing from Stuart forehead. "Seriously! You sound like a brat sometimes. What do you think a school is? Someplace to visit only when you're willing?!"

Bickering was probably one of their daily routines. Stuart who was the older brother often lectured Shane. He even acted almost like a mother. Shane was not amused by this and would always rebel, saying that Stuart was only born in few minutes prior so it didn't make sense for him to be an older brother.

"You guys go to school?"

I voiced my mind before I knew.

"Uh, yeah," Stuart replied. "Wait, you couldn't have a rude thought just now, could you? Something like we don't look like on age for school?"

"Ah …"

Surprised by Stuart was sharpness, I failed to conjecture some polite respond. And it seemed that it was written over my face. No need to hide it then.

"Um, sorry … I thought you are around twenty-five or more, so ..."

Stuart gave a shocked and painful look, as if my word just stabbed through him. Shane's spoon fell from his hand. Even Zero let out a chuckle.

"Twenty-five …?"

Shane mutter made me wonder if age was a particularly sensitive topic for them.

"Haha … stab us where it hurt. Well, you don't assume wrong that we're not really in the age of high schooler. We turned twenty this year, normally supposed to be in college." Stuart said. "We went to school three years later than normal because we trained to become vampire hunter."

"I see. Sorry."

"Please don't mind it." Stuart laughed it off. "Guess, we do look older than our real ages. It happened quite often actually."

"By the way, what are you planning to do from here on?"

Somehow, I was loss at words. I didn't really have any plans beside looking for information about von Blood and get my revenge. I seemed to have forgotten that we needed to take care whatever left after that tragedy. Police would investigate and probably concluded there were two missing girls. Then our relatives would search for us. We couldn't just disappear without a trace.

"About that, actually I planned to attend your school starting next month. But I would need to go home and take care of things over there."

I turned at Karen. Never expected her coming with such plan.

"You want to go to their school? Why is that?"

"Because it was a special school and there was dormitory for students. I can just say that I will stay in the dorm after accepted at the school."

"I see, that would be a good excuse."

A very good excuse actually if we wanted to stay with this party. Then again, how on earth Karen know about the school. She didn't even leave the house. As if reading my mind, Karen told us,

"Zero suggested it, so that I can stay here."

That explained it. But I should say, I was not amused by the idea of attending a school in the state I was now. If I was really turning into vampire gradually, would I be able to face people like before? Honestly, I really doubted I could.

Before that, there was another thing we need to take care. The thought made me swallowed some saliva. "So, when should we head home?"

"Uh … That's what I want to talk to you," replied Karen timidly. "Right now, we're listed on missing people. The search was undergoing. And police are investigating that tragedy."

"Yes, I figured as much. We can't just appear casually, can we?"

Karen nodded. "Actually, they assumed me staying in hospital for rehabilitation program, recovering from the trauma."

Hmm… Sounded like a well-made plan. Wait, hospital? Did Zero took us there? Then, what about me? I got a bad feeling on how the story would continue. Yet, I needed to hear it, so I urged Karen.

"Tell me in detail."

Karen told me about how we would fabricate a story to cover up my missing presence. It was indeed a well-made story that had already undergoing the time Zero took Karen to hospital. He did not take me there. And they planned to turn my status from 'missing' into 'unfound'.

I exhaled a long breath. Couldn't help but feel a bit shock.

"I short, you're going to go home for my burial ceremony?"

"Yes. B-but … if you don't like it, we can make another choice. I just want to talk to you first, and … I mean, um … you must feel terrible, so we don't have to do it."

Tears swelled up on the corner of Karen's eyes. Her cheeks turned reddish as she did her best to held the tears. She must feel bad for me about this burial. If I agreed, it mean that I would no longer be exist as me. Keira Wilder would be known as dead. And I could never meet uncle's family or people who know us. I could never show myself at our former little town in Minnesota.

"No, it's okay."

"B-but …"

"It's better that way. I know the consequences."

Karen's tears flew down her cheeks like rain. She sobbed and repeated the same words, "I'm sorry … I'm sorry."

Karen didn't seem like she would stop crying soon. So, I reached to her and gave a hug.

"I agreed to it. There's nothing for you to be sorry about."