SO, THE GIRLS ARE STANDING THERE, looking around the mansion with wide-eyed expressions, like they can't believe what they're seeing. It's a mix of amazement and, let's be real, a healthy dose of fear.
Meanwhile, I'm huffing and puffing as I run down the stairs, my heart pounding like a jackhammer in my chest. The girls are still gawking at me, probably wondering where the heck I came from and why I'm acting so spooked.“Thank you,” I manage to say, trying to keep my voice steady. And before they can say anything, I just throw my arms around them both and give them a big ol' bear hug. I mean, I'm so grateful they haven't ditched me outside, and now that they're here, this place doesn't seem quite as lonely.They kinda awkwardly pat my back, and when I let go, they say, “You're welcome.”The one who isn't too keen on helping me glances around the mansion and says, “Wow, this is a really nice place.”“Thanks,” I reply. “It's my parents', but they're away dealing with some important stuff. Hey, make yourselves at home; I'll be right back.”And with that, I sprint through a doorway and into the kitchen. But the second I step inside, something feels off. My eyes dart around the room, trying to pinpoint what's wrong.I gotta tell you, the place has gone through some serious changes. It's like I've stepped into the future or something! “Unbelievable,” I gasp, taking it all in.The old stove and cabinets? Gone. In their place are these sleek, shiny appliances.I hear this low humming sound coming from a tall metal box in the corner, and curiosity gets the better of me. “What the heck is that?” I mutter, approaching it cautiously.When I open it up, my eyes nearly pop out of my head. It's filled with all kinds of colorful fruits and veggies — stuff I've never seen before! “No way,” I breathe, peering inside. “I've never seen anything like these!”I pick up this small, round, orange fruit that looks like a tiny pumpkin, turning it over in my hands. “What an odd little fruit,” I murmur. “I wonder if it tastes as weird as it looks.”And the surprises just keep on coming, my friends. You see, over on the counter, there are these bottles of crazy colorful liquids that look like some kind of funky, new-age tonic. “Fanta? Coke?” I read the labels out loud, scrunching my face in confusion. “I've seen people guzzling this stuff while peering out my window at the world outside every day, but I've never gotten the chance to taste them myself!”So, I grab any edible thing I can find from that freezing-cold box and put them on a tray before leaving the kitchen. As I make my way to the sitting room, it's like strolling through a super-fancy, futuristic museum or something. The sights, the smells, the sounds – everything is different, but it all seems to fit together in this bizarre, new world.As I walk into the sitting room, there's this gigantic, flat, black rectangle hanging on the wall, playing moving pictures like some kind of magical portal!“This is just too weird,” I mumble, setting the tray down on a swanky glass table that looks like it belongs in some fancy art gallery.I point at the goodies on the tray. “Alrighty, help yourselves, folks.”The girls thank me and are all like, “Wow, all this just for us?” And I just give them a little nod and a smile.I look over at the girl who had been a little hesitant to help me earlier and say, “Oh, and I got you some Fanta – it's your favourite, right?”She blinks at me, looking like she's seen a ghost or something. “My favourite?” she asks, totally confused.I try not to laugh because the look on her face is priceless. “Yeah, and there's this other one you love, with a stick that has a bar on top.”She bursts out laughing, her eyes crinkling with amusement. “Oh, you mean a lollipop?”“Yeah, that's the one!” I exclaim, not sure, but relieved that we're on the same page.She chuckles again, shaking her head in disbelief. “How did you know I'm a sucker for lollipops and Fanta?”So, I run my fingers through my hair—an old habit I can't seem to break, especially when I'm nervous. “Well, you see, I've kinda been watching you from my window every morning,” I confess. “I've noticed you always cycle to school with a lollipop in your mouth.”She raises an eyebrow, looking at me like she can't decide if I'm cute or just a little bit creepy. “You've been watching me?”I feel my face getting hot, and I quickly try to explain. “Not in a stalkerish way, I swear! It's just that you've got this whole routine, and it's pretty hard to miss.”To my relief, she laughs—a sound that's starting to feel like music to my ears. “Well, I guess I'm a creature of habit,” she admits, grabbing a Fanta from the tray.While she's busy enjoying her drink, I figure I should probably pay some attention to her friend, who's been pretty quiet up until now. She's just sitting there, kinda smiling to herself and playing with her blonde hair.“Hey, you want some Fanta or maybe one of those weird fruits?” I ask, trying to make her feel welcome. “Or I could grab something else, if you'd rather.”She shakes her head, still smiling shyly. “No, thanks. Fanta's great.”I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and stick out my hand. “I'm Snow-white Van Hellsing, but you can call me Casper. Snow-white's more of a nickname, you know?”The girls both nod and smile, and the girl busy enjoying her Fanta speaks up. “Snow-white suits you,” she says. “It matches your pale skin.”I can't help but grin, feeling my cheeks warm a little at the compliment.“I'm Winter,” says the girl who saved my miserable life earlier. She's got this whole mysterious vibe going on, with these blue, expressive eyes and a calmness that makes her seem older than she probably is.Then the other girl, the lollipop lover, the one who wasn't too keen on helping me at first, chimes in. “I'm Scarlett.” She's got this delicate, almost doll-like face that's hard to look away from.As we all settle in, sipping our drinks and getting to know each other, it feels like the beginning of something special.Just when we're all getting comfortable and everything seems to be going great, Winter hits me with a question that kind of sucks the air out of the room: “How did you even get locked inside the house, and why didn't you just phone someone for help?”My heart starts pounding like crazy because there's no way I can tell them the truth — that I've been trapped in this place for a hundred years, give or take. But I have to protect them from that reality, so I do what I've always done — I use my mind powers to steer them away from the subject.“It's really not important,” I say, trying to sound casual, even though my emotions are all over the place. “Trust me, you don't want to know. The main thing is that you guys helped me, and I'm okay now.”For a second, they just stare at me, and I'm scared that maybe my little mind trick hasn't worked this time. But then Scarlett laughs, and it's like the tension just melts away. “Yeah, you're right,” she says, turning to Winter. “It doesn't really matter now, does it?”Winter nods slowly, still looking a bit confused, but I can tell she's letting it go.Winter kind of blushes and goes, “Yeah, sorry for prying.”I just grin and shake my head. “Don't worry about it,” I say, feeling pretty relieved that my mind-mojo has done the trick.AS WE CHATTED AWAY LIKE OLD FRIENDS, Scarlett and Winter shared their stories, their voices filled with a mix of wonder and confusion. Winter leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, like she was sharing a secret around a crackling campfire. “Now get this, Casper – Scarlett couldn't see this house from the outside. Not even a tiny peek! But the moment she steps foot inside, poof! There it is, big as day, like it was playing some crazy game of hide-and-seek with her all along!” So, I kept up the act, pretending to be totally blown away by the whole thing. Scarlett, she just frowned and shook her head, like she was trying to work out a really tough puzzle. “I know, right? It's super weird. I just can't make sense of it.” Her fingers fidgeted with the soft cushions of the couch, like she was looking for something solid to hold on to in this storm of strangeness. “You know, maybe the house was there all along, but I guess I never paid it any mind before – isn't that j
As I lay on the floor, it suddenly dawned on me: all those years of being starved of a proper blood diet were finally catching up to me. My body screamed for sustenance, like a neglected houseplant begging for water.Desperation washed over me as I realized I needed blood, and fast. Without it, my body would continue to wither away, turning me into a dried-out, lifeless husk. But, wouldn't you know it, the sun shone like a big, round middle finger, taunting me from the sky.Time ticked by at a snail's pace as I lay there on the ground, feeling my strength ebb away. The sun seemed to taunt me as it took its sweet time crossing the sky, each passing minute stretching out like an eternity.With nothing else to do, my mind started playing tricks on me. What if I didn't make it until nightfall? Would I end up as a dried-up, shrivelled shell, a fraction of the being I used to be? The thought sent shivers down my spine, but all I could do was wait and hope that I'd survive long enough to see
THIS DUDE'S FACE SCRUNCHES up like he's trying to solve a riddle as he asks, “So, when did you get here, and how?” His eyes were all bright and curious, and I couldn't help but crack a smile.I let out a chuckle and teased, “Come on, man, you think I'm just going to spill the beans like that? Give me some credit!” His frustration was kind of hilarious, I had to admit.I switched gears and took a look around. “Hey, by the way, I'm Vivaldi Monteverdi,” I said, admiring the place. “Your crib is sweet! It's cosy but super cool at the same time. It seems like you are flying solo here. Maybe we could room together or something?” I suggested with a hopeful grin.But the dude's face went all serious, and he demanded, “What are you doing here?”I couldn't resist poking the bear a little, so I quipped, “Don't you mean, What brings your fabulous self to my humble abode?”His gaze got all intense, and his voice dropped low. “Just answer the question.”I let out a sigh and levelled with him. “Look
“ENOUGH!” he growls, pushing her away. “I'm not giving in, Vivaldi. I'm done with human blood, and that's final!”He turns to the girl, his voice strong and steady. “You gotta get outta here, sweetheart. Run as fast as you can and don't look back until you're somewhere safe.”The girl glances back and forth between us, her eyes wide with fear. After a moment, she nods and makes a break for the door.But I'm too quick for her. In a flash, I'm by her side, my hand gripping her arm tightly. “Not so fast,” I hiss, trying to use my mind control. “You ain't going nowhere 'til you get my bro to take a bite. That's why you're here.”The girl's eyes dart between us, fear dancing in her gaze. But when she looks at him, her expression softens. She pulls her arm free from my grasp and makes a break for the door, disappearing into the night.I'm totally confused. I've mind-controlled her to stick around and tempt my bro until he caves, but somehow, his mental juju is stronger than mine. How the he
STANDING AT THE FRONT OF THE CLASSROOM, I am the center of attention, and you can almost taste the excitement in the air. The class leader, Sarah, clears her throat and announces, “Everyone, this is Casper, but you can call him Snow White. He's a new student, and I'm sure you'll all make him feel right at home.”I give a small smile and nod hello, my sharp senses catching the flood of curious whispers—a storm of interest and excitement. A girl in the front row leans toward her friend and whispers, “He's really good-looking. I wonder where he's from.”“I heard he's from some small town up north,” her friend whispers back.With a confident walk, I make my way to the desk they've given me, feeling the energy in the room. Sarah's introduction hasn't been enough for my new classmates. I smile politely at the people around me, but the whispers continue, spreading through the room like wildfire.Just then, someone from the back of the class calls out, “Hey Snow White, did you bring any dwarv
FOOTSTEPS START PADDING OUR WAY, and I can't help but scrunch up my face in anticipation. I know that voice, I reason. There is something smug and familiar about it that sends a shiver down my spine. But before I can dismiss the thought, the owner of the voice appears in the doorway. Damn it, I curse in my mind. It is him – that little brat – and as he turns to look my way, his face breaks into that Cheshire cat-like grin that always manages to piss the life out of me.“Hello, brother,” he says, his voice dripping with self-satisfaction. I can't help but let out a resigned sigh, knowing full well that my night is about to get even more complicated than I could have possibly imagined.Turning his gaze back to the girl who is on the verge of exposing my secret, Vivaldi speaks in a calm, collected voice. “Honey, why do you keep your friends standing outside like that?”The girl fidgets nervously for a moment before replying, her voice trembling with fear and confusion. “He's the one I tol
AT HIS DECLARATION, Chloe's face turned a brilliant shade of red, and Winter's gaze bounced between the two of them like a ping-pong ball, her brows raised in curiosity. “Your gorgeous Chloe, you say?”With a triumphant smirk, Vivaldi proclaimed, “That's right. Chloe is my girlfriend.”The room went dead silent, all eyes bugging out in shock at his audacious claim. The first to recover was Scarlett, her laughter breaking through the tense atmosphere. “Oh, come on!” she exclaimed, disbelief clear in her voice. “That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!”Vivaldi merely quirked an eyebrow, looking thoroughly entertained by their scepticism. “You don't believe me, huh?” he challenged, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth as he crossed his legs casually, leaning back like he didn't have a care in the world.As Scarlett's laughter slowly died down, she took a good, long look at Vivaldi's dead serious expression. “Y-yeah,” she stammered, her voice betraying a hint of doubt, “y
“OH MY GAWD!” Scarlett screams, stumbling back and staring at me like she's just seen a ghost. “Your face!” she exclaims, her voice shaking.Right at that moment, Winter and Chloe show up, looking all confused. “What is it, Scarlett? We heard you scream,” Winter asks, totally clueless about what's going on.“His face!” Scarlett blurts out again, her trembling finger pointing straight at me. Winter and Chloe step closer, examining my face with curious eyes.“There's nothing wrong with his face,” Winter says, shrugging her shoulders. I let out a huge sigh of relief, realizing that my face has gone back to its normal, human appearance.“But it was skeletally pale, his eyes were red, and… and…” Scarlett stammers, trying to find the right words.“You're just freaked out from Chloe's story,” Winter suggests, waving her hand dismissively.At this point, I'm super curious, so I chime in, “What did Chloe say, anyway?”Winter explains, “Chloe says she was viciously attacked on the neck by a rabi