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CHAPTER ELEVEN
beauty of the dark
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( history repeating, pt. ii  )

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There's something freeing and exhilarating about riding a bike alone by yourself at night. The cool night air blowing past you, the moon illuminating the night sky, and the owls' hooing in the trees. Every once in a while, I'll even pass an old couple walking their dog.

Mystic Falls at night is like a whole other world, a beautiful one at that. If there really does turn out to be nothing going on with my friends, I won't regret taking this nightly bike ride. It's an experience that I don't get to have very often.

The distance from Elena's house to Fell's Church isn't very far, but the closer I get, the more nervous I become. I really have no idea what to expect when I get there. Is Bonnie really in trouble? What am I even walking into?

The urge to turn back is also growing stronger. I can't shake off the worry in the back of my mind that my mother is going to come pick me up early from Elena's house and find out that I'm not there. I've subconsciously already come up with several excuses to tell her, like "Elena took us out to eat at the Grill" or something.

Before I know it, I'm turning the bike into the old cemetery. It won't be long now until I reach Fell's Church. I start to peddle slower, not wanting anyone to know I'm here yet. It's just Elena, Stefan, and Bonnie who are supposed to be here, so I really don't have any reason to be afraid. However, I still can't help but feel like an intruder.

It gets to the point where the trees become too thick to navigate between, which forces me to slow the bike to a stop. I lean it against a tree and continue on foot. I swear in the distance I can make out the red glow of a fire. The first thought that comes to mind is that they're making marshmallows or something, but that would be completely ridiculous.

Then that's when I hear it . . . Bonnie screaming.

My legs move on their own accord, toward the sound, picking up speed. I don't think I've ever ran faster in my life. All I can think about is getting to Bonnie, figuring this all out. This all feels like a fever dream.

The sight that greets me when I finally get to Fell's Church makes no sense to me at first. Bonnie is lying on the ground with blood on her neck while Stefan is crouched above her. Elena is watching the two of them, and — and Damon is here too.

What . . . the . . . hell?

My mouth opens before I can stop it. "Bonnie!" I cry out.

Everyone turns their head to look back at me, but only one person truly has my full attention.

Damon. His — His mouth . . . it's covered in blood . . .

Vampire, that's the only word that comes to mind, vampire. Maybe I've been reading too much Twilight, but what other explanation is there? The bite marks all over Caroline's body and Bonnie's bloody neck. It all makes sense, but it can't make sense. Vampires don't exist.

Elena walks over to me and puts her hands on my shoulders. "I can explain," she says.

I look around Elena's shoulder at Bonnie's lying form on the ground. "Is she okay?" I ask tentatively.

Elena removes her hands from my shoulders and nods. "Yeah, she'll be fine."

The two of us help Bonnie off the ground while Stefan goes to talk to his brother. After I retrieve Elena's bike from where I left it, I meet up with Elena at her car with Bonnie.

Poor Bonnie is crying.

"I don't understand," she chokes out. "Elena, what happened to me? He attacked me, and his face was like . . ."

"How do you feel?" Elena shushes her while delicately wiping the blood off her neck. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she responds immediately. "It's just this blood. I don't . . ."

Bonnie falls silent, and I realize that Stefan has come back. He's here. She's afraid of him. And if Damon is some sort of bloodsucker, Stefan could be too.

The thought makes me uncomfortable. I just want Elena to explain everything to me already so I can understand. I wonder for how long she's been apart of all this.

"I'm not gonna hurt you," Stefan says, looking at Bonnie then to me.

I trust Stefan. I honestly do. I've never had a reason to dislike him. So whatever secret he and Elena are hiding, I really hope it doesn't ruin my view of him. 

"What's going on, Elena?" Bonnie begs.

"I'll explain everything, Bonnie," Elena assures. She turns her head to look at me. "To you too, okay? Let's just get out of here."

Bonnie doesn't move a muscle. Her eyes remain warily locked on Stefan.

I wanna know what he did to make her so afraid of him.

"Bonnie. Bonnie, look at me," Elena tries to get her attention. "Trust me. He's not going to hurt you." She starts to move Bonnie towards the car. "Come on. Come on," she urges. 

Bonnie does what Elena says and gets into the car. Before closing the door, Elena turns to me. "Will you get in with her? I need to talk to Stefan."

"Yeah, sure," I say without complaint. I trust that Elena will explain things when she's ready. She really doesn't have a choice anymore. We all saw everything, and it's not like we're just going to forget what happened tonight.

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*Time Skip*

I know everything.

Vampires are real — but not in the way you might think. They don't sparkle in the sun or have skin as white as snow. They are just like you and me. One could be right in front of you, and you wouldn't even know it. That's how long it takes for them to kill you, swift and fast. No time to scream. No time to call for help.

Damon and Stefan are vampires. They've been this whole time. I always knew there was something different about them, but I never questioned it. I just assumed it was because of their good looks and charm, not because there was something hidden beneath their mysterious personas.

Then there's Bonnie. She's a witch, like a real freaking witch with magic and everything. And her ancestor Emily really did possess her . . . and knew Stefan and Damon from the past somehow . . .

Vicki is dead. Damon killed Mr. Tanner. He was the one behind the animal attacks, and he killed Lexi who was also a vampire . . .

Suddenly, my mother's car jolts as we go over a bump in the road, snapping me out of my thoughts. A roar of thunder follows, rumbling in the distance.

"This thunderstorm came out of no where," my mother remarks from the driver's seat, her voice pulling me even further out of my cluttered mind.

I don't say anything to her in return. Yes, I know it's about to rain, but I have more important things to think about. Vampires exist, and two of them are aware that I know they exist. One is good, and one is bad. Who knows how many else are out there . . .

When we get home, I rush to my room and lock the door. It's time for bed, but I can't even fathom the idea of sleeping right now. I don't even bother to change my clothes. All I'm capable of doing is pacing back and forth.

To keep my parents from thinking that I'm still awake, I turn the light off in my room and instead leave only my bedside lamp on. The only sound in my room being the pitter-pattering of rain against the house.

Am I safe? I keep asking myself over and over again. According to what Elena had told me and Bonnie, vampires can only come into someone's house once they have been invited in by the owner. As far as I am concerned, no vampires have ever been invited into this house, not even Stefan because he has never been here before.

A bright flash of lightning from outside my window stuns me into shock for a moment, my heart beating so fast that I can hear it in my ears. I'm already uneasy as it is, so I go to close the curtains. Before I fling them shut, my eyes scan the street outside the window.

My heart stops.

Damon is out there. I can see him as clear as day, like a serial killer stalking his prey. He's gazing up into my window. He's —

Another lightning strike flashes, blinding my eyes for a moment. And when I look at the street again, Damon is gone.

Horrified, I swing the curtains closed and scramble backwards. My back meets the bedroom door, and I crumble to the floor, pulling my knees to my chest in a protective ball. I can all but taste my heart in my throat.

I come to the realization that it is pitch black in my room. The power must have gone out after that powerful lightning strike.

I involuntarily whimper. I'm scared. I'm really scared. I don't feel safe anymore, not with the door locked, not with the curtains closed, not even the fact that I'm in my safe place — my room.

Is this what the rest of my life is going to be like? Living in fear? Because, if so, I hate it.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I liked it better when vampires were just characters in my books.

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( word count: 1.6k )