Silent Secrets [Open]

[Scarlet Raelynn]

*Told in first person only for the opening post, I do roleplay in third person otherwise.

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IC: If I should die this very moment, I wouldn't fear. For I've never known completeness, like being here. Wrapped in the warmth of you, loving every breath of you. Steal my heart this moment, or it might burst.

[/color] My mum's body still managed to warm my checks and skin, even though her own skin was now covered by a white hospital gown. Lida Raelynn, my mum, was in a mental home. She had been there for almost four years now. Those years had changed her so much.

My mum had once been very beautiful, but now the doe like blue eyes had turned grey and weak. Her fair Irish skin tone had less color and pigment. Her body was smaller, thinner now, her breasts smaller. She had been fed and well taken care of here, yet still she grew weaker. None of the doctors knew why, and after four years of no luck, most had given up on her.

The long red strands of my mum's wavy hair were now lined with grey as they laid across my face. I never wanted to leave this embrace, I wanted to stay right here, until the end of time. But then I felt the firm, cold grasp of the nurse behind me, who pulled me back. 'Its time to go, Miss.' I heard the young woman say, her voice stern. My eyes remained on my mum.

I wanted to glare the woman down, tell her no, I wasn't ready to leave my dying prehaps crazied mum. No. My mum's eyes now held a gleam, one I saw everytime I was about to leave. Like there was something she wanted to say. It shown in her grey eyes, and seemed pursed upon her small lips. Her entire face showed anxiousness to speak, yet I knew no words would ever escape those chapped lips. My mum's voice had once been sweet, like dew drops or honey. But she was mute now, and her entrancing voice belonged to me now.

With a soft sigh, one of sadness and contempt, I kissed my mum's rough cheek and then left the room. The nurse accompanied me down the wing and to the front door of the mental home. Once I was outside and had been handed my school bag, the iron gates swung shut. The mental home was a frightening place. If I had not loved my mum so, I would never return every month like I did. Sometimes even more often, if I ever found a moment to escape.

The cool autumn air brushed my face, making my bright firey redish orange hair blow off my shoulders. It was late afternoon, and soon it would be dusk. I had visited my mother after school, I tended Saint Louise's Private School for Young Ladies. I distasted everything about it. The uniforms, for one. I wore black shoes, knee high stockings, a plaid skirt, blouse, black casmier jacket and black handband with a black flower on it. The school colors were dark green and silver, unusual colors. Luckily, this would be my last year at Saint Louise's. I was seventeen now, and soon I would be able to leave the wrecked place.

As I walked along the brick sidewalk towards the apartment area of the city, my thoughts remained on my mum. She had not always been mute, it was only a few weeks before she was put into that mental home that she had lost her beautiful voice. At first my da had thought she refused to speak, until we went to the doctor and discovered that she really couldn't speak. She was declared mentaly ill two weeks later. But I never saw my mother as mentaly ill and depressed. She had a secret, I knew it.

Everytime I visited her it seemed she tried to tell me her secret. But I could never understand it. My mum had always been a good woman, not the crazy type in the least. What had she done, seen or heard that had caused her to loose her voice? The autumn wind picked up once more and I hurried my pace, the cool air making my expose legs shiver. Never the less, autumn was my favorite time of year. Yet still, there was something, something almost-- magical about it. I peered over my shoulder behind me, feeling as if watched, before turning my head forward again. Its nothing. I thought to myself and continued on my way.[/size][/font][/blockquote]

[Jung-Hwa Pak]

OOC // Appearance, but far scruffier and bloodier....

[Scarlet Raelynn]

Scarlet was growing more and more accustomed to mystery, for there was an evergrowing number of unexplainable things happening in her life. Of course she wanted to find an answer to them, but she wanted most of all to know what was happening to her mum. There was something her mum knew that she was trying to tell her, there was no doubt about that. Yet it also seemed that she was stopping herself from telling her too. As if she hadn't yet decided whether or not to reveal her secret to Scar. But Scarlet wanted to know, regardless of what it might be. For all she knew, finding out that secret could maybe even get her mum out of that mental hospital!

She sighed, knowing that it was unlikely, though she still secretly hoped there was a chance. Scarlet was supposed to be heading towards the flower shop her family owned, since today was usually her shift. But she had decided not to open the shop today. There was too much on her mind to pay any attention to the needy plants and flowers. She would just be sure to get in extra early tomorrow. Scarlet thought she heard a noise, a rustling behind her. But when she turned around, there was nothing but leaves blowing along the sidewalk.

Scarlet frowned slightly, and faced forward again, continuing. Then she felt a tugging sensation at her chest, and glanced down at her silver locket. It was her mum's, the one thing she had from her. The locket-- couldn't open. It seemed to be sealed shut. But there was something inside of it, she was sure of that. All the same, it felt as though the locket was tugging at her, as if it was alive or something.. prehaps some sort of magic. Scarlet almost laughed at herself at that thought. Magic. She thought and rolled her eyes. But then again, that feeling. And then it happened.

The sidewalk infront of her flashed and inbetween the flashes she saw another picture, a chess board, with all of the pieces lined up. She saw the queen, blood red, and in position to eventually capture the only white pon that remained. As the flashes continued, the blood red queen seemed to get closer and closer to the pon. Then as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. Scarlet blinked, feeling her heart racing faster now as she stared down at the locket. What was that supposed to mean? It looked to her.. almost like.. a chase, a game.

Scarlet took a brief moment, closed her eyes, her heart beat returning to normal. Then she opened her eyes and stared down at the sidewalk. It was cut into large squares, almost like the chess board. She smirked, some sort of mental click occuring inside of her mind. Scarlet turned and stared down the long sidewalk as the wind blew, turning the leaves up into the air, blowing her long red hair off of her shoulders. "Starting is only half the task you know. Do you plan on finishing?" She asked the emptiness before turning back around and continuing her way down the sidewalk.

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[Jung-Hwa Pak]

[/U] him. Sometimes, upon stalking his prey, he found that some were far more sensitive than others, sensing his presence when he had yet to reveal himself to them. Licking his lips, he narrowed his eyes as she remained still, her heartbeat increasing noticeably—most would run, but she didn’t. It was good she didn’t, for Jung-Hwa loved the chase; but to come across prey that did not act accordingly, bought them time. However, no one had ever escaped him, no matter how confused they had rendered him by the time his teeth sunk into their flesh. Instincts often took over his thoughts if he sensed failure, and in the wake of vampiric thirst, humans never stood a chance; unless of course, they had weapons.

When she spoke, he tilted his head, familiar with only a few words in her vocabulary. In fact, when he thought about it, he surprisingly knew what she meant. Her hair was exquisite, a hue not native to his ethnicity’s gene pool; and he found himself admiring it as it flowed behind her. By the time he tore his attention from the jumble of English he had deciphered, he realized her hair was moving because she was walking.

Again, the vampire set out in her footsteps, manipulating the shadows until he reached an expansive area in darkness. With celerity at his fingertips, Jung-Hwa made it past her in no time, reappearing a few feet ahead of her. Lips pressed into a thin line, he cocked his head sideways in order to gauge her reaction at the sudden materialization of his form.

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[Scarlet Raelynn]

Scarlet didn't know why she had just said that. It seemed to just slip out, as if the rest of her had known what to do when she hadn't. All that she did know was that the locket had told her to say that. Told her. The tugging had stopped now, and yet something still felt off.. different. There seemed to be something strange hanging in the atmosphere, something that she could sense that she hadn't been able to before. Scarlet now sensed that she wasn't alone.

Surprisingly though when a stranger, who was probably the one who had been following her, stepped out a few feet ahead, she didn't jump in alarm. Her eyes widened in surprise, but then her body relaxed after the sudden appearance. Now the chess board image made sense. She was the pon, and this stranger was the blood red queen. And if the sidewalk had been the board, the queen could strike with just one move.

Normally running into a stranger was nothing, and she would think nothing of it. But this stranger was different. Instinctively, part of her told her to turn around and run, get away from this man. As for the other part, it was curious. Once more she felt the tugging of the locket, yet this time no image appeared. She suddenly realized that she had to be careful, there was something off about this stranger. Scarlet looked at the man, his clothes tworn and.. was that blood? Her blue-grey eyes made their way up into his, not breaking eye contact as she spoke. "Who are you?" It was usually the first question to ask a stranger, yet the way she spoke it showed that it was not a robotic, noncaring question. She was curious, yet watching herself, almost playing the mind game, but being careful all the same. Her Irish accent mixed in with every word she spoke, though for some strange reason, she felt like he didn't speak her language. Prehaps that was just a feeling though.

[Jung-Hwa Pak]

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[Scarlet Raelynn]

Scarlet heard the man speak in a foreign tough.. what was it? Chinese? Or prehaps Korean? Neverminding that, it was clear that communicating wasn't going to work very well. All the same, she seemed to sense that something was wrong. After the man spoke in the foreign language, which had almost been in a whisper, he added 'Help' in English. She mouth opened slightly when he turned, revealing the stick in his back. She winced at the thought of that happening to her, and therefore could only imagine that pain that she thought he was experiencing now.

The locket tugged once more, saying that she shouldn't help him. Her gut was also saying that, telling her to be careful. I will. She told herself mentally before walking towards the man. When she reached him, she took her school shoulder bag off and sat it down on the sidewalk. Then she looked into his eyes as if to say 'okay, i'll help you' since her mouth couldn't say that in his language. She frowned when she saw how deep it was in him. Scarlet wasn't weak, but she wasn't exactly an athletic girl either.

"i sangcheoleul jundago.. gotong." She said, speaking the little Korean that she knew, if Korean was in fact that language he was speaking. Her school required three languages to be mastered, and she already knew English, Russian and French. She had been taking a little Korean, but hardly enough to actually converse with. Even now, her accent was probably terrible and she most likely miss-pronouced the words. Yet she hoped he had at least some kind of idea of what she had just said. With a breath, Scarlet placed both hands on the stick and pulled, hard. At first nothing happened, and her heart sank. But with the second tug, the stick moved a little. She tried once more and it moved a few inches. Scarlet gave it two last tugs, and at last the stick came out of his body, covered in blood. Scarlet looked at it, the stick looked like an arrow. Then she looked back at the man.

i sangcheoleul jundago.. gotong ---- This might hurt a little.. pain (I used a translator here, so I'm sorry if that's completely wrong)

[Jung-Hwa Pak]

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[Scarlet Raelynn]

Scarlet was unsure what to do once the arrow had been removed from the man's torso. Was this it? Should she just leave now, without helping him further? He seemed to be alright now that the arrow was dislodged and out of his side. Yet for whatever the reason, she felt a slight change in the atmosphere, and had a hunch that she wasn't going to get very far if she decided to continue on her way now. Even worse, her locket wasn't tugging anymore, not telling her what to do next. She would have to decide for herself now.

She bent down, picking up the strap of her school bag. But then she heard two familiar words, spoken in English. 'Thank you.' She looked up at him as he straightened his clothes and she nodded silently. Scarlet rose, brushing a few loose strands of her hair out of her eyes and behind her ear with her fingertips. She watched, her eyes widening slightly as he ran his thumb along the bloody tip and then sucked on it. Blood, his own.

Her burrow furrowed, the strap of her bag falling off of her shoulder as she moved, unaware that she was circling him as she gazed at him curiously. She wasn't a mind reader or fortune teller, but Scarlet was smart. She sensed, no, she knew that something was off. Something was wrong about this picture. A stranger, who had seemed to have been stalking her, suddenly appears before her, wounded. His clothes blood stained and tworn and tattered. He spoke in a different language, and had an arrow sticking out of his torso. Most of all, he seemed to enjoy the taste of blood, even his own.

She stopped in front of him once more, her head tilted to the side slightly. "You were being hunted.." She whispered, almost asking the statement, as if she was unsure. Her sea blue grey eyes looked up from his torso and into his eyes. "Why haven't you killed me yet?" She asked, forgetting in the moment that he was not very familiar with her own language. Yet her body language, her actions, and even her eyes seemed to all be asking the same question.

[Jung-Hwa Pak]

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[Scarlet Raelynn]

Scarlet mimicked his actions, raising an eyebrow as well when he asked why she did not run. She herself did not know exactly why she still remained where she was. Scarlet wondered, what was the point? If he intended to kill her now, why should she waste energy and try to run? She knew that she would not beat him, he was clearly stronger and faster than her, being whatever he was. Yet she did not move, and somehow she knew she had been right to stay.

She saw the blood in his mouth as he punkered his tongue with his left fang. Vampire. Her guess had been right, though when she had questioned him earlier, she had still been unsure of what he was. But this now cleared it for her, yet also left her wondering. All that she knew about 'vampires' made the situation she was in now strange. From what she knew, vampires couldn't be out during the day. But then again, who was to say that she believed everything that she heard? And after all, this was definitely not the case, since he was before her now in the daylight and clearly fine, minus the wounds.

Scarlet nodded when he flashed her a smile and asked if she knew what he was. "Yes, but I do not know everything.." She said, her eyes once more flickering over his features and his wounds. "Are you evil? Is that why you were being hunted?" She asked as if she was talking to an old friend, and not a dangerous vampire. Scarlet flashed him a smile right back as she pulled her long vibrant red hair together and tied it back into a ponytail to keep it out of her eyes, waiting for an answer from him all the while.

[Jung-Hwa Pak]

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[Scarlet Raelynn]

Scarlet didn't know why she was shaking with fear or trying to make a break for it. Prehaps she knew it was useless to run, she was intelligent enough to know that much. However, that did not mean that she did not value her life. Scarlet just knew that that attempt at escape and survival would only end in death. So what could she do that would keep her alive and breathing on this earth? The vampire had not killed her yet, but she knew that she was pushing her luck with every second she remained before him. Scarlet knew that her time was running out, and she had to act quickly.

The only thing that she could think of as to what would he would do was kill her now. Drain her blood or whatever vampires really did to their victims. Was there no escaping this? She could try to fight him, but she almost laughed at herself at that thought. Scarlet knew she was not nearly strong enough to fight a human, let alone a vampire. No, physical strength and running away wouldn't save her here. So what exactly would? Or really, was there anything that could save her now?

Scarlet realized that she had bought herself time because of doing what the locket had told her. But now it was silent, and she could tell that he was getting impatient. Her eyes over the last few minutes had gone grey, her eye color having been a mix of blue-grey, tended to change to one color or the other based on her mood. It was not a dull, ugly grey however, like the sidewalk she now stood upon. It was a bright, silver coin like shade, piercing. Scarlet listened as he said that she hunted, he hunted, everyone hunted. Though his words were little and not quite proper English, she understood what he was saying.

When he asked her if she was not scared of death, she shook her head slowly, looking up at him as he stared down at her, meeting his gaze. "I do fear death. But I'm strong enough not to run from my fears." She said, and regardless of whether or not he understood what she spoke, Scarlet's words showed that she knew he was going to kill her. "I would run, but I am not fast enough. I would fight, but I am not strong enough."

Her eyes reflected a bit of fear now, but it was mixed with bravery. She did not just want to be there to been taken, she did want to fight for her life. But she did not know how, and Scarlet had even told him so. "I do not want to die, but that is not my decision, its yours." She said, speaking the truth as she glanced down at the arrow that had been in his torso. Since she could not run or fight back, though she expressed that she willed to, the choice was now up to him as to whether or not he would kill her. "Are you going to make my worst fear come true?" She then asked, staring back up at him, her gaze strong.

[Jung-Hwa Pak]

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