Chapter 4: More Incidents and the scent of death

I woke up that very next Morning in the boring bedroom. I looked out the window, and to my expectations he wasn’t there. I looked over to the old stereo clock, and it read 6:45.
I knew he wasn’t coming to pick me up. I shook my head and walked over to the disheveled wardrobe. I picked out a red tank top and a black t-shirt to wear to school. As usual I put on my hoodie.
I heard a horn outside my window. He was there smiling, and I shook my head and walked down stairs. My mom, Materia, was beautiful as always. She had her beautiful long red hair tied up in a knot.
She sat at the table plainly with a cup of coffee. “Hey, got to go, bye.” I huffed and picked up a jog. She looked up from her newspaper and smiled. I walked out to Drew, got in the car, and he smiled. “Did you really think I would forget you?” He asked.
I huffed. “Well I was a little surprised when you showed up after what happened. I mean it kind of was awkward.” I admitted. He shook his head. “Do you remember anything I told you last night?
I assume you weren’t paying attention then.” He questioned hazily still looking at the road as he had been. “Well that depends on which part you were talking about.
I mean we did say a lot.” I retorted. He grimaced at me, the first time he looked off the road. “The part where I said I wasn’t going to forget you. I told you numerous times I wouldn’t.
Really, Aaralyn you need to start remembering things that happen. Even though I said what matters is the present, the past still has somewhat of an effect on the present.
Words in particular. Words always matter. Words matter because you can never take them back.” He lectured me. I nodded and huffed. I looked out the misty window.
“I hate the cold.” I muttered. “Why?” He asked. “Do you remember anything we talked about last night? Obviously you did not. If you did, we wouldn’t be talking about this.” I challenged him.

We drove to school laughing and talking. That day was wonderful, and the rest of the days for about a month were completely normal.


One cool October morning, Drew and I sat outside on the lunch table.
We talked and laughed like we did normally. I started to get chills, even though I was wearing a jacket.
My mark started to ache and burn. I started to feel dizzy and my head spun in circles.
WHAT I DIDN’T KNOW: I blacked out completely, and my then limp body lay lifelessly there on the table.
Drew immediately picked me up and walked swiftly and carefully to the nurse’s office, not completely sure about what was going on. He laid me on the table, and I began to regain somewhat consciousness.
My eyes were half open, my mind not completely with everything. “Drew.” I whispered. “I’m here.” He whispered back. I asked for him again and again. I started to lose control, and I began to scream.
“Drew! Help me!” He then realized why I was screaming and what was going on. He picked me up and ran out of the office. I stopped screaming, and I seemed perfectly asleep in his arms.
He slid me in the car, and drove as fast as he could. He stroked my face the whole time. He pulled in somewhere, and took me into a large manor type house.
He laid me on a couch, and again I began to scream and roll. Drew held my hand for hours upon hours as I continued my “episode.”
I began to slow and slow my rolling and screaming, and I lay asleep on the couch just as perfectly normal as if I was asleep on my own bed. Drew’s parents stood behind the door.
“So that’s why he loves her so much.” Ulrich, his father, realized as he saw the mark on my neck. “No, it isn’t just that, it is real love.” Serena his mother, whispered.
Soon I began to gain consciousness and I could see Drew clearly. “Drew?” I whispered. “I’m right here, I’m not leaving I’m here.” He stroked the side of my sweaty and cold hand.
“Where am I?” I muttered again. “It doesn’t matter, just sleep.” He whispered sweetly in my ear. All through that day I was awake and not truthfully feeling better as I told him.
I knew he could see the tired and worn down look in my eyes, saying I am not okay, but he halfheartedly believed what I told him. “Aaralyn you don’t look so good.” He seemed worried.
“Thanks.” I managed to smile weakly. “Your, your face is like sheet white now…you feel okay?” He asked stroking the side of my face. It became extremely hard to breath and I started panting to catch my breath.
He leaned in closer to me. “Aaralyn breathe…take a deep breath Aaralyn breath! Breath!” He yelled. I blacked out again and I began to slowly fall into sleep, but decline from the state I was in.
I fell into another episode, and rolled down hill rapidly. I drug on barely clinging to life for hours.
Drew was by my side the whole time. I started screaming again, my face was sheet white, I was sweating, and I was dying. I eventually stopped breathing. Serena and Ulrich came out. “Drew, we have been watching her the whole time.
She knew she was dying. But she didn’t want to tell you and let you get upset. She was acting better and happy so she could spend her last few hours with you.
She knew it all. Drew, she really loves you.” Ulrich whispered. “I have to save her! How do I save her?” He yelled. “Drew, I know this is so soon, but answer three questions.
Do you love her?” “Yes, incredibly.” “Would you lay down your life for her?” “Absolutely.”
“Will she always be your only love?” “Yes, absolutely.” “Drew, take this knife, and carve her Fire Heart out of her neck. Yours will open, and you need to spread your blood on her opening.”
Ulrich was calm during the situation. Drew quickly took the knife and carved into my neck. He took a yellow goop from his neck, and spread it on mine. Immediately my eyes opened and I looked at Drew.
My morbid neck began to ache incredibly, and I put my hand up to clutch it. Drew held my hand down. “Honey no. Don’t touch it, I know it hurts, don’t touch it.”
He kissed my hand and clutched it to his heart.

By the next few weeks, I began to recover, and my neck healed. Drew went with me everywhere, and we were pretty much official.