I write and draw frequently, which I’ll be sharing with you here :) I also dump my random thoughts often! Requests: Closed Interactions are always welcome! 20 y.o.
Hi, there! Welcome to my blog!
My name’s Esu (she/they) and I’m a 20 y.o. medical lab tech major who enjoys writing every once in a while. Drawing is also another hobby of mine, but you can find my work on Instagram (@/pinkuberii). I started this blog a good three years ago and posted frequently in the beginning, but sadly, school kept me hella busy and time to write became non-existent basically. After a friendship and relationship break-up I decided to live life to the fullest so I’m picking my hobby up again! :D
Also, I may not be the best at writing, but I’m trying my best to improve so I hope you can see my growth on here <3.
Chances are great that I’ll only write for Genshin for now but that might change in the future.
English is my third language (Turkish and Dutch being first and second respectively) so my sincerest apologies for any mistakes. Feel free to correct me whenever. (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡
Lastly, I LOVE INTERACTIONS PLEASE SEND ME YOUR THOUGHTS ON A FIC OR UPDATES ON THE GAME!!!
That’s all bye-bye may everything work out in your favor xxx
- FORBIDDEN FRUIT: VAMPIRE!ARLECCHINO X NUN!READER -
CHAPTER 13: The Letter of Forgiveness
Tw: None I can personally think of
Wc: Around 4.2k
Genre: Fantasy
A/N: Hi guys, it's been a while, I'm surprisingly not dead????? Woah!!
I'm sorry it took me a while to update!!! My main priority right now is doing my internship and writing my bachelor's thesis, so I haven't been able to write the fic for a while :') I kind of rushed this chapter, though, because I wanted to publish a chapter really badly.
Also, to everyone who asked where the next chapter is: it's safely stored in my brain dw I just have to write it out :P
Also, big kisses and love to everyone who comments on my chapters!! I may not reply to all comments, but I reread them every week ngl. You guys are one of the main reasons why I continue the story <3 Once I defend my fuck ahh thesis in mid-June, I'll finally graduate and hopefully write and post more chapters during my summer break! I'll do my best to post another chapter in May, though, but I will see!
-> Masterlist for Forbidden Fruit <-
At night, three vampires had taken a seat at the long wooden table that resided in the dining room. Father was at the head while the twins sat across from each other. The hearth burned fiercely behind them as they discussed important matters and findings with gravity.
“So, to sum it all up, both of you saw the apothecary descend into the woods in the middle of the night to presumably gather herbs. Whilst doing that, he got attacked by three vampires yet managed to kill two of them despite being a human,” Arlecchino summarised as she calmly swirled the wine glass containing blood in her hand. “The last one got kidnapped by him after getting injected with an unknown liquid… Quite the interesting story you two are telling here.”
“He brought the vampire to his shop, but we do not have the slightest idea what he did with him there. Lynette and I didn’t want to enter without consulting you first, Father,” Lyney calmly clarified, eyes wandering from Arlecchino’s gaze to Lynette’s figure.
Lynette noticed the signal immediately and calmly began to describe their newly made plan. They would continue to spy on the apothecary as they agreed to. Once he’s out in the woods again, one of them would infiltrate his shop for a thorough search while the other would secretly follow him like usual. Freminet would also be asked to lend his aid if it was absolutely needed.
Arlecchino listened attentively as she took a sip from her glass. It seemed like an achievable plan in her mind, but every step and detail had to be carefully planned out if they wanted to conduct it successfully—and some extra help would definitely come in handy.
“I would advise both of you to make a detailed step-by-step plan as soon as possible. The apothecary could leave his shop at any given evening,” Arlecchino coolly explained, setting the glass aside for a bit.
The twins nodded in understanding. Lynette remained silent, yet Lyney carried the conversation further with a curious voice. “Does the nun share anything of interest, Father? Anything that could perhaps help us?”
Arlecchino let out a soft hum before closing her eyelids, thinking of the most important things you had told her. There wasn’t anything you had shared with her that could help her children with their plan, but knowing other aspects of your enemy could always be an advantage. “She is mostly on her guard around me, so I do not have anything of relevance to share. She’s quite lonely, however. Her father is the only family member she still has.”
Upon noticing their genuine interest, she continued further. “Her mother passed away a long time ago. The one who wrote in the notebook was her, apparently. That’s what she eventually revealed to me.”
“The one we found in her room a while ago?” Lynette asked, and Arlecchino quickly confirmed with a nod.
Lyney’s eyes lit up at the sudden realisation. “Aha! It would explain the absence of a name,” he remarked. “It’s risky for a woman to write something in that kind, better leave it unnamed if you still do.”
The other twin agreed before opening her mouth to ask something. “Do you perhaps have anything else to tell about the father?”
Arlecchino calmly told them every major detail that stuck around in her head, how you couldn’t leave the abbey because of him, how you couldn’t even rely on him. She even recounted that the two of you had to flee because of the Church.
The twins listened to their Father’s explanation with great interest, and with each detail they heard, the more they became thankful for having a parental figure who offered them nothing but a life full of unlimited freedom.
Something a nun like you could only dream of having.
--
“And? What did you write in the letter?”
“I invited him over for an overdue talk,” you replied to the abbess’s curiosity while handing the wax-sealed envelope to her. Her office was suffocating you, while her presence alone began to feel like a huge threat to your well-being.
The abbess looked surprised as she took the letter. “Just that?”
You confirmed those words with a nod, “Just that, ma’am. Wasn’t that the task you assigned for me?”
“It is, but–”
“Then I’ll be taking my leave now.”
The older woman simply sighed and wished you a good day, watching you leave her quarters with a smile on your face—one that disappeared immediately when you were out of her line of sight.
When the sounds of your footsteps couldn’t reach the abbess’s ears anymore, she got to work. Her wrinkled fingers quickly took hold of a letter opener from the depths of her drawer and attempted to unravel the contents of your letter.
After a little bit of fiddling with the envelope, the abbess succeeded. Yet the only thing she was met with was the truth. You had indeed written a simple invitation to your father to talk everything out—nothing more, yet nothing less. She had imagined the contents of the letter much differently, but seeing the truth with her own eyes brought her a certain level of disappointment. It only complicated the little investigation she was currently conducting with the Church.
With her cold fingertips, she massaged her temples before putting the letter in a new envelope. She sealed the opening with wax again, making it look like an untouched letter, and put it on a stack of other envelopes that were awaiting to be sent.
You, on the other hand, had arrived at the infirmary. After greeting everyone, you rolled up your sleeves and started with tasks along with Pernelle and the other sisters. Kindly, you fed some of the people who were too ill to feed themselves, and helped the patients dress up in freshly washed clothes.
Once that was done, you occupied yourself with the preparation of medicine while Pernelle had just begun to read a chapter of the bible for everyone residing in the infirmary.
While getting the ingredients ready in the mortar, your attention began to gradually shift to the story Pernelle was telling. The softness of her voice was hypnotising to you. Those sentences were read by her with such genuineness that you almost believed them. She made God seem like someone anyone could rely on during their darkest times. Someone who would forgive anyone in a heartbeat, despite all their sins in the past. An almighty entity that does not discriminate and sees every soul as equal. That was God. That was who everyone worshipped.
The pestle rested in your hands, but the grinding didn't come; instead, you stared at the bowl in your hands as you listened to Pernelle. Her words gave you a feeling of certainty that your heart had been craving for so long.
Perhaps if you wholeheartedly believed in God, as your sisters do, your troubles would fade away.
But would that ever happen? You doubted it, and you didn’t want to. Not after everything that had happened.
Besides, it was too late for your renewal of faith now that you were presumably experiencing your final days at the nunnery. Everything but an escape plan was occupying that mind of yours these past few hours.
I have to set the internal panic aside for a second…
Let's just say that you did escape before they had the chance to imprison you. What would happen to you after that? Running away wasn’t a possibility because they would catch up with you eventually. You didn’t have a single penny to your name either, so a carriage to somewhere far away wasn’t an option.
Unless…
Unless I ask my dad for some money…
But what would the reason be? Buying something? You were punished so you wouldn’t be able to go to the marketplace. Donate? Okay, but to whom or for what reason? Asking for it so suddenly would raise suspicions, knowing that you professed a vow of poverty a few years ago.
“Is the medicine finally ready?” Pernelle asked from the other side of the room as she closed the thick bible in her hands, causing you to bid a farewell to your internal thoughts.
“Almost!” Hastily, you began to grind the last of the herbs with the porcelain pestle, which had grown warm in your hand.
The day went by quickly, and you found yourself at the Vespers after having filled your stomach with some well-made dinner. Time there was spent thinking of an excuse to lay your hands on some money without worrying your father. Besides, Arlecchino was paying a visit tonight, so the last thing you wanted was to look stupid to her by coming up with a poorly-made plan.
I need a good excuse…
When the Vespers came to an end, you met up with Agnès and Pernelle for a little chat in the courtyard—as if you hadn’t talked enough during the evening meal with each other. Both of them seemed tired but had a little bit of energy reserved for you still.
“Sister Pernelle,” Agnès began softly as she walked between the two of you, “what’s a peculium? I’ve heard the obedientiaries talk about it.”
“A peculium? Uhm… if I remember correctly, it’s when a person has their own money, but it’s still managed by their superior. It’s been a while since I heard that word.”
Your ears perked up at the mention of money. This could be useful. “Do you still remember why they were talking about it? What was the subject?”
Pernelle gave you a huge side-eye, but truth to be told, she was just as curious as you. “Are you out for gossip?” Her question was soon answered with a nod and an innocent gaze coming from you.
The youngest girl just looked at you two in slight disbelief before explaining the topic. Apparently, nearby convents had been accepting nuns managing small bits of property if that said property was owned by the abbess. Basically, the delegated use of money and goods under authority.
“But isn’t that against the vow of poverty?” Pernelle critically remarked as she frowned.
There were three perpetual vows that you, Pernelle, and the sisters around the same age had to take. First being the vow of chastity that prohibited sexual relationships and marriages because your heart had to be dedicated to God, and Him only. The second one is the vow of obedience, meaning that you had to listen to and obey the will of God. The last one is the vow of poverty, which forbade you from having personal property and possessions of any kind.
You agreed with Pernelle’s comment but quickly noticed a loophole, “But it’s technically owned by the abbess, so it’s not really personal property, is it? You just kind of manage it if I understood it right.”
“But uhm… if the abbess owns it, doesn’t she also break her vows?” Agnès chimed in as she curiously looked at both of you.
Pernelle acknowledged Agnès’ words with uncertainty, while you just shrugged. “The higher your position is in the hierarchy of the Church, the more rules you can break without getting punished,” you mumbled quietly because those words were meant for their ears only—and you wanted to avoid trouble as much as possible. Agnès looked at your face in confusion while Pernelle made it clear with her gaze that she absolutely disliked the comment.
You quickly wished both of them a good night before they had the chance to say something and fled from the scene. Using a peculium as an excuse to ask for money should work. It was a plausible reason. Besides, your father never really had contact with the abbess, so he wouldn’t ask for further details. He’d just take your word for it.
Yet, you couldn’t help but feel bad about it. Trust is kind of like a fine piece of porcelain to you. It’s nice to have it, something so pretty that one can’t help but appreciate it whenever it crosses their mind, but all it takes to break it is one singular hit.
And when one sees all those broken pieces, they can’t help but wish they had been more careful. They could pick them up and glue them together, but it would never appear the same again.
By the time all that deep thinking was done, you found yourself looking at the wooden door of your room. You took a cautious glance to the right, then to the left, and after assuring that no one was nearby, you entered the room with haste.
It was dark, the curtains had been closed by someone, and the only source of illumination was a candle. The little flame was enough to show the figure that was currently sitting on your bed. Arlecchino had made herself quite comfortable there, with one leg over the other; her posture emitted nothing but confidence. "I was awaiting your arrival."
"A good evening to you as well, sir," you quickly remarked as you closed the door behind you and took the veil off almost immediately. The uniform wasn’t certainly liked by you; that much was made clear with your actions.
The vampire examined your moves with a cold expression, arms crossed against her chest as she squinted her dark eyes. “Are you trying to teach me manners?”
You immediately froze at the comment and began to apologize profusely after realizing what you had said, “I– I didn’t mean it like that, sir! I was simply joking. P-pretend I didn’t say—”
Arlecchino hastily interrupted your nervous words to reassure you that she wasn’t mad about it—that was quite hard to believe from your perspective, but you just went with it to let it die down.
"Didn't expect you to come this early, I'll be honest."
"It's not like I'd come into your room while you're sleeping,” the vampire mumbled as she shifted on the small bed, “that's quite impolite. Besides, I told you yesterday that I would be here around the same time."
You chuckled with sarcasm while taking a chair to sit in front of her, pupils fixed on the bright flame between the two of you. Arlecchino began with the conversation first, her tone filled with nothing but seriousness. "Did anything out of the ordinary happen today?"
A headshake from you was her answer. She listened to you talk about your day, how you had visited the abbess in the morning, what you did in the infirmary the whole afternoon, and the relevant gossip you had heard in the evening that would help you out. The words were rolling off your tongue so easily. What happened with being cautious around her?
Arlecchino, on the other hand, gave you a small frown when you mentioned the visit to the abbess and asked for clarification. That’s when it hit you that you had forgotten to tell her about a certain detail.
"The abbess asked me to write a letter," you answered with honesty as the palms of your hands started to get covered in sweat. Your heartbeat became faster while absolutely avoiding eye contact.
The vampire squinted with her eyes, "What letter, if I may ask?"
You decided to act clueless just this once. "D-didn't I tell you that I had to invite my father to a talk?"
The mention of the apothecary had piqued her interest; she slowly leaned forward, her arms resting on her legs as she loosely clasped her hands. "You did not mention that to me yesterday."
I hope she does not ask why…
“Why?”
Oh, for God’s sake, come on now!
With a deep sigh, you continued, "Guess I was too panicked to tell about it... Well, uhm, t-the abbess ordered me to…"
Arlecchino inclined her head to show you she was listening, "When will he come over?"
"That I do not know. I'm guessing in a day or two, if the abbess sent the letter already,” you answered with honesty. A feeling of nervousness began to flow over your figure, but you tried your best not to show it.
A faint ‘I see’ was the only thing she answered before asking you why the abbess had ordered it—she was awfully aware of your nervous demeanor, but seeing you struggle like that was entertaining to her. It was satisfying to say the least.
You gulped. "W-well... When I had to explain to the abbess why I got lost, I used the fight I had with my father as an excuse. No– Wait– Actually... I'll be completely honest, it's kind of the truth. It's been bothering me for a while," you admitted while tripping over your words. "S-she then ordered me to invite him for a talk. That's kind of it."
"And you did not tell me this when I asked for the reason for your disorientation in the woods?"
The right words seemed to disappear in your throat.
"Always so secretive, hm? Always trying to lie your way out of problems and misery."
She loved to verbally torment you sometimes, but it really wasn’t a lie this time. You genuinely had forgotten to tell her about the letter.
Your breathing became heavier and quicker. "I’m h-honest this time, sir. I– I swear! I swear on–"
"Swear on what? Go on." She was currently staring through your soul with that sharp gaze; those red X’s were focused on your face as her lips were forming a faint smirk.
"I swear on my mother’s grave that I’m telling the truth and nothing but the truth!”
Arlecchino could only chuckle as she sat up straight, one hand resting in her lap as the other supported her body. You were watching her in confusion while taking deep breaths to calm yourself.
“I’m just pestering you, little nun. Now tell me, what did you hear that would help you out of this mess?”
It felt like a huge weight had been suddenly lifted off your shoulders. You let out a deep breath while allowing yourself to slouch in the chair, “I don’t have a detailed escape plan as of now, but I was thinking of asking my father for money to afford a carriage somewhere.”
“And what’s your excuse for that money? Nuns can’t own a large sum of money as long as I’m aware.”
"That's where the peculium comes in. I heard it from Agnès and Pernelle just now, and it seemed plausible to use it as an excuse. Especially because nearby nunneries have been thinking about introducing it."
Arlecchino nodded with interest. "And what if your lie gets revealed? What is your excuse then?"
"I doubt it will. My father and the abbess never interact," you explained while putting one leg over the other. "It pains me to lie to him, but I do want to put some money aside for a worst-case scenario."
"I understand your train of thought, and it’s logical to do so, but let's just say you didn't escape. What then? You need to come up with a concrete plan to save yourself if it all comes crashing down."
Arlecchino had made a valid point. Just asking for money wouldn't suffice. While shifting in your seat, you took a deep breath, unsure of what to do next. “I really can’t come up with anything despite thinking so hard… I have nothing. Literally nothing.”
Arlecchino wanted to open her mouth to say something to you, but decided to swallow her words instead. She didn’t want to drag herself into your mess.
"Maybe,” you spoke with uncertainty, “nothing will happen, and we're just being too careful? Perhaps it’ll all die down eventually."
The vampire shook her head and sighed, "You're too hopeful."
"What else can I try to be but hopeful in this situation? Await for them to imprison me? I'd much rather let my heart fill with hope instead," you defended yourself while your attention was glued to the flickering flame. "Anyway, if it’ll make you happy, I’m trying something out with the abbess as well."
That seemed to pique her interest once more. “Oh?”
“I sealed my letter with uncoloured beeswax, which has a yellowish colour, while the abbess always seals her letters with red wax. I think there’s a high chance of her opening my letter to read its contents, so once my seal is broken, she has to seal it again—”
“Which means she’ll put it in another envelope and secure it with the red wax,” Arlecchino completed your sentence without hesitation. “But how will you know that she did such a thing? Look through her documents when she’s not in her office?”
Well, that was an option, but you had something simpler and less exciting in mind. “I’ll just ask my father.”
The vampire’s face was filled with disbelief, but you decided to ignore it just this once.
Slowly, you stood up to grab another candle from your desk. “Just have a little faith in me, will you, sir?”
Arlecchino scoffed while her eyes followed your figure, “Can you see me having the tiniest bit of faith in a human?”
Okay, then don’t…
Before allowing her to ruin the mood even more, you decided to slightly change the topic. As you returned with the candles, you curiously asked her if she had seen people investigating in the forest again.
Prior to answering, the vampire hummed softly, her hand resting below her chin in deep consideration, "I did see men of the Church again, but their voices sounded hopeless. As if they couldn't find what they were seeking."
While lighting the candles with the flame of the other candle, your face lit up almost immediately at her reply. "Isn't that a good thing?"
The vampire silently agreed but warned you not to let your guard down yet. She also urged you to come up with a way to escape because, proof or not, the Church still might accuse a young woman like you. Misogyny still runs through their veins like blood.
With a deep sigh, you looked up at the ceiling, as if the wooden structure would offer the solution to all your problems. Arlecchino, on the other hand, wordlessly gazed at the bare skin of your neck. If she had seen the same sight a few months ago, she wouldn’t have hesitated even one second to pierce those sharp fangs through your jugular vein, but now–
“You look quite a bit better than yesterday.”
At the mention of your state, you surprisedly looked at Arlecchino while fixing your posture. “D-do I? I’m trying to feel better to carry on through everything.”
And then the most unexpected thing flew out of the vampire’s mouth before she could stop herself. It was one of the rare situations where her heart could act quicker than her brain. “You’re doing a great job.”
Once the sentence entered your ears and could be registered by your brain, you froze for a split second, before a faint smile appeared on your lips along with tears in your eyes. “Thank you, sir.”
During these rough times, you were doing nothing but your best to go forward, and perhaps at the end of the day, that was more than enough. You swiftly wiped your tears and took a deep breath before the vampire changed the subject. “Any idea when your father will pay you a visit?”
You shook your head but clarified to her that your father wouldn’t leave you waiting after receiving the letter. “So in a day or two, I’m guessing?”
Arlecchino nodded in understanding before asking if she could request something of you, to which you gladly made clear she could. You’d like to repay her for guiding the way back to the abbey that night.
“Could you perhaps put a dandelion right in front of your window if this whole situation starts to escalate? I cannot visit you personally every night to inquire about how things are going on this end… We cannot be caught together; it would put you at a great disadvantage.”
On her reasoning, you agreed. “If there aren't any dandelions around, can I put another flower? There are lots of flowers in the garden with vibrant colours.”
The vampire reassured you that it was fine before calmly standing up to approach your sitting figure; her figure was basically towering over you like a small tree as your gazes met once more this evening. She wanted to say something, but you beat her to it. “May I add another meaning to those flowers?”
The vampire’s brows knitted into a frown while awaiting your answer.
“If I put a bundle of dried lavender, it means that the meeting with my father went well… and–”
“Hm?”
Shyly, you averted your eyes as your fingers fidgeted with the skirt of your dress. “If I put a bunch of forget-me-nots together, I want you to visit me in the upcoming days.”
Arlecchino tried to hide her surprise by distancing herself from the candlelight, but this could only mean one thing to her: she was gradually gaining your trust, and this could serve as a huge advantage when it came to collecting intel regarding your father. With a faint nod, she agreed to the change without complaints and announced her departure, saying that she had other stuff to attend to.
You didn’t dare to question that business and simply bid her a farewell. Although deep down you wished that she had stayed a little longer for whatever reason.
Perhaps you began to long for her company when you’re all alone.
They 😊 are 😊 not 😊 letting 😊 me 😊 do 😊 those 😊 experiments 😊 I 😊 have 😊 to 😊 watch 😊 someone 😊 else 😊 do 😊 it 😊 and 😊 write 😊 that 😊 in 😊 my 😊 own 😊 bachelors 😊 thesis 😊
- FORBIDDEN FRUIT: VAMPIRE!ARLECCHINO X NUN!READER -
CHAPTER 12: The Dubious Truth
Tw: A little trigger warning for mentions of corpses and a detailed description of kidnapping? (not the reader!)
Wc: around 6.1k
Genre: Fantasy
A/N: HIIII GUYS I'M BUSY W MY INTERNSHIP BUT ITS GOING SO WELL I AM SOOOOO HAPPY :D I love working w bacteria omg
Also I passed all my exams so I'm soooooo happy about that!! I hope every single one of you has been well and I would like to thank everyone for the kind comments, they keep me super motivated especially when I start to doubt my writing <3
-> Masterlist for Forbidden Fruit <-
The sun’s vibrant rays peeked through the tall windows as you uneasily took a seat on the wooden chair that faced the woman with the highest position in this convent: the abbess. A tense, suffocating atmosphere was present in her quiet office. Not even a word was exchanged between the two of you yet, but the anxiety was flowing through your veins already.
Right after sunrise, you were called to her office by an obedientiary.
After coughing in her fist, she began, “Good morning. I am guessing you’re aware as to why you’ve been summoned here.”
You murmured a faint ‘yes’.
“Good. I’m going to be direct: I have my suspicions about your lateness,” the abbess calmly admitted, “but blindly accusing someone without evidence wouldn’t be wise. God gave us the ability to think rationally for a reason.”
Thankfully, He did… The world would be a much better place if only everyone could do the same.
A nervous nod was all you could offer her as an answer while mentally being thankful for her common sense. The abbess wasn’t mad, though she didn’t seem too happy about the situation either.
“Now, tell me everything from the start of your trip to the end of it,” the elderly woman inquired as she shifted in her wooden seat. “I would like to hear what you have to tell before deciding whether or not I should alert the church.”
There was a quick moment of hesitation—a deep breath.
And then you leaped into your story, which would hopefully save you from the mess you unintentionally got yourself into. You would tell almost everything to her, except the parts where Arlecchino was involved—obviously.
“My trip to the graveyard began close to midday after the morning prayer,” you explained with a hint of unease in your voice. “I took the usual route but arrived later than anticipated at my destination because of the rain. There was a willow tree nearby, so I waited under it for the rain to stop and continued when it did. After a while of walking, I safely arrived at my destination. Once I gave each grave a dandelion, I made my way back to the abbey.”
The abbess leaned forward in interest, nodding to show you she was listening with attention. It had been a while since she had to call someone over. “Hmm, alright, and what happened then?”
“Then I made my way back here,” you continued with the story. “But I soon realized that I had gotten lost. My thoughts happened to be elsewhere, and the darkness only complicated things further.”
The look on the abbess’s face was unreadable to you. The uncertainty made you concerned, to say the least. It felt like the dumbest excuse ever, yet it was the truth.
“Is that so? And where exactly were your thoughts, child?” The last bit of the story did not sound plausible to her ears.
Revealing personal affairs was something you would not rather do, but there was a chance it would pull you out of this mess—and you’d be an utter fool if you didn’t take it. “Well… First of all, I was scared of getting attacked by a vampire because it happened more than once. Second, I argued with my father not too long ago, and that’s been a huge weight. I couldn’t think clearly.”
“Well, I can understand the stress you experienced knowing what you went through… And this argument only started affecting you while heading back to the nunnery?” The old woman asked with a glimpse of curiosity in her voice. “Not at the beginning of your stroll?”
You shook your head in disagreement. “To be fair, it’s been affecting me since the day it took place. I tried to ignore it, but when I was all alone with my thoughts in the forest, they got the better of me. It is still a mystery to me how I got lost this easily, considering I took the same path I always take. It just happened, and it took me a while to find my way back.”
The woman nodded whilst listening with concentration. “Well, you certainly took your sweet time. Life is full of unexpected twists and turns, and it’s important not let them affect your daily life… But it’s still illogical to me. Why did it take you so long to find your way back? Did you not have a map or a compass?”
Is she serious?
“No, I did not, ma’am. The more I tried to find my way, the more I got lost,” you clarified hopelessly.
The abbess nodded once more as the back of her hand went under her chin for some support. “And if the issue with your father bothered you this much, why didn’t you take the time to solve it? You’re free to visit the city twice a month.”
She had made a valid point to which you replied with honesty. “I’m aware, but the reason is unknown to me as well. Part of me feared it,” you admitted before taking a deep sigh, shifting uncomfortably in the seat you were sitting.
Having a tête-à-tête about your true feelings wasn’t something you were feeling ready for.
“You sure are clueless regarding your own situation, aren’t you? Each of your answers contains an ‘I don’t know’.” The abbess sighed, “Listen, child, sometimes, you must take the big step and do things when they feel the most uncomfortable. That’s the only way one can move forward in life.”
Once more, the only thing you could bring your anxious self to do was nod in hopelessness as your mouth rested shut. Your trembling hands were resting on your lap as the pressure drove your mind insane, yet her advice gave you a bit of comfort that a part of you had been craving for so long.
But was she really trying to comfort you? That you did not know.
“I’ve known you since you entered this abbey as a little girl. Despite all the dislike you had for this place at first, you were always obedient, and to this day, you still are. I’ve never received a complaint from a fellow obedientiary regarding your behavior or duties,” she began to enumerate. “And don’t get me started on your heroic deed back that night. Many of your fellow sisters lack the bravery to do such a thing.”
A quick summary about your positive actions threw you for a loop: This was going in a much more positive direction than expected.
“I can’t see you breaking your vows so easily, especially chastity. The sole reason for our suspicion is that such occurrences have become more common in other nearby convents. I won’t alert the church regarding this matter, but I’ll be requesting a few things of you.”
You let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding. “Y-yes, of course, what might they be?”
“One, I’m asking you not to leave the abbey for the next few months, whatever the reason may be. See this as your punishment for not being able to come here promptly,” she informed. “Two, I want you to invite your father here so you two can resolve the problem. Write the letter, and I shall get it delivered to him.”
This was the exact level of relief you had felt back when Arlecchino had let you live despite the burn wound you gave her. “I definitely will,” you excitedly exclaimed. “I won’t break the first rule either!”
“Oh, I don’t have any doubts about that… And child–”
“Yes?”
“Go rest today. Your dark circles almost match the color of your dress,” the abbess commented as she leaned back in the chair she was comfortably seated in. “You’re dismissed.”
With hesitation, you arose from your seat. A frown equipped your face. “But my duties–”
“I’ll inform the obedientiaries of your absence,” the abbess reassured you while grabbing a nearby sheet of paper. She wasn’t paying much attention to you anymore. “Now go to your room.”
You politely thanked the old woman with a grateful smile before leaving her office for a long-awaited and much-deserved reunion with your bed. The doom scenarios that prevented you from having a decent sleep a few hours ago turned out to be exaggerated products of your imagination.
Besides, even if I did break my vow, they would discover it after nine months…
At the thought of pregnancy, your mother flashed in your mind. According to the stories your father sometimes recounted, you had given her a hard time back when she was pregnant. From nausea to the pain of giving birth, she had endured them all just to bring you into this world.
And here you were, totally cloistered from said world.
Those monthly period cramps felt unbearable sometimes; you didn’t want to imagine the pain of pushing a literal baby out of your body, not right now while getting ready for bed. The dress you were wearing was discarded for a much lighter one before draping the covers over your fatigued yet relieved figure.
For once in a long time, you slowly entered a deeply peaceful slumber without any worries lingering around in your mind.
—
While you were sleeping, a certain apothecary had silently slipped out of his abode when the moon was resting high in the night sky. The cloaked man’s footsteps echoed through the town’s empty streets as he wordlessly made his way to the forest. One would consider that terrain dangerous at this time, but for the man, it was a way to peacefully gather items that piqued his interest.
And those items could range from medicinal herbs for diseases to vampire corpses for research.
With a lit oil lamp in one hand and a blade in the other, he descended deeper into the woods in the hopes of finding what he was searching for. After a small bit of scouting, he discovered some interesting-looking mushrooms he could utilize and hastily plucked them to put them into a basket.
To the twins, who had followed him all the way there and were secretly inspecting him from above, the scene looked all too bizarre. What kind of sane person would gather mushrooms in the middle of the night?
“Do you think he lost his mind?” Lyney whispered with sarcasm as his eyes watched the apothecary carefully.
“Not necessarily… but his moves are abnormal,” Lynette answered, her eyes focusing on the same figure.
After taking enough fungi, he switched to colorful flowers and herbs, but before the basket could be filled to the brim, an unexpected visit was awaiting.
Three pale figures had silently appeared behind him in the hopes of killing him for consumption. Their eyes, full of lust, were pinned on the apothecary’s back while their mouths were salivating.
The apothecary had noticed their arrival long ago, but despite that, he didn’t pay them any mind and continued to calmly tug herbs from the ground.
Lynette frowned even harder while Lyney became more confused. “Why isn’t he doing anything?”
“I have no idea… Let us see what’ll happen.”
The three vampires, on the other hand, were under the impression that the poor man hadn’t sensed their presence, which they saw as a clear invitation to attack from behind. When one of them took the first step, the apothecary turned around in a flash and didn’t hesitate for even a second. He launched at the creature until the blade met the cold flesh of its neck, cutting through to reveal a hastily flowing crimson liquid.
“You!”
“Get ready to be bitten!”
The second one was sent flying against a tree with a single brute kick.
Lastly, the third vampire charged towards him without any thought. He started throwing his fists with admirable speed, but all of them met the man’s forearms, which were covered with metal.
“Did you really think I would let the three of you kill me so easily?” the man cockily asked before sweeping the vampire off his feet with his leg. The sound of his head hitting the ground clearly gave away how hard he had fallen. Just as the vampire was about to stand up, the apothecary pierced the blade through his heart, which led to his death immediately.
Only the second vampire remained, but the impact of the kick had knocked him out cold. His motionless body rested in an abnormal position on the ground.
The apothecary’s hands were stained with fresh blood as the dark cloak over his face hadn’t moved an inch; he was proudly appreciating the mess he made.
Three vampire bodies lay unresponsive in front of his feet as he was busy catching his breath. The crimson liquid slid from the handle of the blade until it reached the tip, only to drip down on the damp grass. It was quite the feat for a simple human to be able to slay powerful monsters like it was child’s play.
The twins silently watched the scene unfold in front of them as they remained hidden in the dense leaves of the tree—being spotted would complicate their mission.
“Is he just going to let the bodies lie there?” Lynette asked.
“I think so,” Lyney answered while rubbing his eyes. The next thing he espied made his words disappear right before they reached his tongue: A sharp needle containing a clear liquid was in the man’s hands as he took slow steps towards the unconscious vampire. When close enough, he leisurely kneeled before him and punctured the needle through his vein, pushing the end of it to inject the liquid.
Lynette felt a wave of uneasiness wash over her, but she tried to pay it no mind. “We’re seeing some interesting things tonight,” she mumbled to her brother.
Lyney showed his agreement with a quick nod while having an unexplainable feeling himself. “Father will certainly be pleased with this discovery.”
After discarding the needle, the apothecary pulled some ropes and a blindfold out of his pockets. The man got to work quickly. Soon, the vampire’s arms and legs were tightly bound together while his eyes were covered—the restriction of his movements was certainly guaranteed.
Lastly, he retrieved a large woven bag to put the body in and slung it over his shoulder after tying it shut. The oil lamp he had put down somewhere was also snatched from the ground. With one bag in his hand and a lamp in the other, the man made his way back to the town, as if he just hadn’t kidnapped a literal vampire—completely unaware that two sets of eyes were watching him the whole time.
—
By the time your eyelids had the motivation to open themselves, the sun’s golden beams in the sky were awaiting your gaze. You gently stretched your arms before throwing the bedsheet off your figure. There wasn’t a trace of tiredness present anymore.
The hunger was starting to make you nauseous, however, so you quickly put on your veil before making your way over to the kitchen in search of some food. As you were walking, a familiar figure emerged from the opposite direction.
The tall girl was relieved to see you, to say the least; her blue eyes went wide as a big smile coated her lips. “You’re finally awake!”
With a smile and a quick nod, you greeted her back, one of your hands going to your eyes to rub some drowsiness off. “How long did I even sleep for? It’s almost evening, so I'm guessing a good twelve to fourteen hours,” you mumbled between a yawn.
Pernelle laughed heartily as she shook her head, “You managed to sleep a whole day, silly!”
“Huh? Wait, I really did,” you asked for confirmation while yawning once more.
“Yes, you really did. I’m guessing everything went okay in the end, considering the abbess gave you a day off?”
“Ah, about that… I did receive a punishment for arriving late. I can’t leave the abbey for a few months, but I honestly can’t tell you how relieved I absolutely was when she believed me.”
The girl nodded in agreement, “I can imagine. You had the most unconvincing explanation ever—don’t get me wrong, though. Agnès and I truly believed that you were lost, but other people wouldn’t believe such an explanation so easily.”
Just as you were about to open your mouth to respond, your stomach gave Pernelle a crystal clear answer.
“Maybe it’s better if we find something for you to eat first,” the girl chuckled as she turned around to head over to the kitchen. You wordlessly followed her.
Once there, Pernelle quickly smeared some butter on a piece of freshly baked bread and handed it over to you. When the first bite made contact with your tastebuds you swear you could taste heaven itself on your tongue. “The breaf yu meyk tyastesh the besht!”
“Don’t speak when you’re eating!”
“Shorry.”
Pernelle shook her head. “Anyway, let me know if you want anything else, but don’t fill your stomach too much; we still have to eat breakfast together. Agnès will be happy when she sees you.”
While listening to Pernelle, you happily munched on the last little piece of bread left. “This was more than enough to get rid of my nausea. Thank you. I hope she wasn’t too worried when I was sleeping my tiredness away for a literal day.”
“I mean, she was, but she tried not to show it.”
You clicked your tongue, smiling at the thought of the young girl. “I’ll apologize when I see her.”
When the time for breakfast finally arrived, Agnès was impatiently awaiting both of you. As soon as her eyes spotted two familiar figures, they immediately lit up, and she excitedly signaled for you to come over.
You gave the girl a tight hug when you were close enough and reassured her that everything was fine now—and apologized too, of course.
“Look, I told you everything was going to be okay in the end,” Pernelle comforted the young girl as she sat down. “She received a small punishment. That’s all.”
Agnés swallowed her food before uttering a reply, “Sister Pernelle… weren’t you as worried as I was?”
“I was worried… but there’s a huge difference between my amount of worrying and your amount of worrying. Yours was just on another level,” Pernelle clarified before flicking the young girl’s head. “Now eat your food before it turns cold.”
“Ouch!”
With a gaze of contentment, you watched the scene unfold, but soon that positive feeling turned into something more bitter when whispers coming from a nearby table reached your ears.
“Wasn’t she the sister who was accused?” Someone hastily whispered between her bites. “How come the abbess let her go so easily?”
“Her father’s an apothecary in the city, apparently, maybe money’s involved somehow,” another woman answered.
People were starting to gossip about you, much to your dismay, and it left a bad taste in your mouth for the rest of the morning.
Luckily, the rest of the day went by more smoothly as you performed your duties as a nun.
After the long embroidery class, you were at the chapel for the Vespers. Once that was over, you raced to your room for fresh clothes because your mind and body were craving a bath after everything that had happened.
Once the said bath was taken, you were back in your bed. With a thin nightgown over your shoulders, you grabbed a certain notebook from the drawer. You wanted to read a few pages whilst waiting for your damp locks to dry, but the only source of illumination was a lit candle, which made it difficult to read the small handwriting.
Eventually, you gave up and decided to examine the carefully drawn plants instead.
As your tired eyes inspected the drawings, your fingertips tenderly caressed every messily drawn line. Knowing that your mother’s gentle hands had once touched the same paper gave you a hint of comfort, even though the idea was a bit absurd when you thought about it.
While inspecting, your brain reminded you of your punishment. Your liberty was taken away once more just because you dearly wanted to put some flowers on unknown people’s graves.
The most upsetting part of it all was that your mother’s grave never received a flower that you had personally picked for her. The chance to visit her grave never occurred, not even once.
With a deep sigh, the book was put down, eyes now staring at the wooden ceiling, as you got lost in your thoughts about your future.
Will I even stay in this abbey until my death?
That was definitely not what you desired, but what other life could await a nun? A nun just can’t leave the nunnery permanently as she wishes. Although let’s just say, hypothetically, you did. What would happen next? Be your father’s assistant at the risk of experiencing social ostracism?
As long as I’m free, I guess… But that means I’ll never see Agnès and Pernelle again.
A faint knock against the door pulled you out of your thoughts. The notebook next to you was quickly put under the sheets before telling the person behind the door they could enter. A cloaked figure quickly welcomed themselves. Upon the sight, your heart rushed in fear, and just as you were about to say something, they lowered their hood.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Do you still not recognize me?” Arlecchino asked as she slowly slid her cloak off and gently put it somewhere close by.
You were feeling an unexplainable mix of emotions; part of you didn’t mind the fact that she was here, but another part of you was still afraid of her. “W-what are you doing here? You said you didn’t have a reason to visit me anymore.”
“Well,” she commenced, taking a seat on a nearby chair, “I have a reason tonight.”
A feeling of uneasiness emerged, “That being?”
“A few officials from the church were inspecting the graveyard quite intensely this afternoon, the one you visited a day or two ago. Any ideas on what that was?” Arlecchino asked, putting one leg over the other as she crossed her arms. Her voice was sharp like always, but it didn’t sound threatening.
You shook your head to say no, not understanding what the correlation with you might be, yet soon the realization dawned upon you, and your hand flew to your mouth in utter disbelief. “That woman! She lied to me. She fucking lied to me.”
The vampire leaned forward, curious to learn more about the situation, as your sudden outburst surprised her. “Who, if I may ask?”
“The abbess,” you mumbled as panic kicked in, forcing yourself to take deep breaths. “She… She told me… Ugh, I can’t believe it!”
Arlecchino’s brows knitted into a frown. “What did she tell you?”
“She told me that she believed me after hearing my story and that she wouldn’t alert the church… But she did! Why does everything go wrong just when I thought they’d go right?”
Noticing your state of panic, Arlecchino stood up from her chair and carefully sat down on your bed, next to you. “I can see that this information brought you into a state of anxiety, but could you quickly explain everything to me so I can understand it better?”
You took a deep breath and nodded. “O-okay… So, to quickly summarize it, I was being accused of breaking my vow of chastity because I arrived quite late after my trip. As if I even look at men to begin with,” you explained with a trembling voice. “I had a talk with the abbess after my arrival, and she had made it clear that she believed me. She was even praising me and stuff!”
“Seems like she alerted the church behind your back,” the vampire commented. “Quite the backstabber.”
“And the worst of all is that literally everyone knows of this now. Some sisters are gossiping about me, and I try not to mind it, but it hurts. I’m being falsely accused of something I didn’t do, and I received punishment for it, too.”
“Oh, you did? Nothing too severe, I hope.”
“I can’t leave the abbey for a few months,” you mumbled with a dejected tone.
As silence enveloped the room, your lower lip began to quiver while drops of tears began to form in your eyes, ready to roll down your cheeks at any second. “I’m so tired. Just when I thought everything was going to be fine, this happens,” you mumbled shakily between your sobs, trying to wipe your tears down without making much sound.
Arlecchino, on the other hand, was hesitating over what to do in this situation in which she currently found herself. Comforting humans who were on the verge of bawling their eyes out wasn’t exactly her forte, but getting up and leaving would be extremely rude and would worsen things. So, she carefully put a hand on your back to rub some soothing circles there, not a word left her mouth unless you spoke.
The intensity of your emotions made it hard to appreciate the comfort she was offering; all you felt like doing was crying, but you were thankful nonetheless—and surprised too. “Y’know, I feel so alone sometimes. It’s as if God Himself is making sure that I never experience happiness or something,” your voice broke. “I’m sorry for bothering you with these thoughts when you probably don’t even care.”
“Am I giving off such an impression?” The vampire asked quietly with a curious face.
You shrugged, “Most of the time I can’t tell what you’re thinking, but I don’t think my sadness is one of your worries, considering you’re super cold and are against emotions and stuff.”
“Well, if someone told me they believed in me, just to investigate the situation behind my back to confirm how honest I was, I’d be disappointed too,” the vampire sympathized as she continued with the circular motions. “Not to mention how hard the abbey has been on you for the past years… And you’re not even here out of your own free will. This may sound like a lie to your ears, but a part of me understands how you feel.”
A laugh cropped up between your tears at the absurdity of it all.
“Why are you—”
“It’s so strange… Just a few months ago, you were tugging my hair and throwing threats at my face. Now you’re rubbing my back and saying you understand how I feel.”
The truth made her uncomfortable. The development between the two of you had certainly taken an unexpected turn. A vampire shouldn’t be interacting with a human in such an emotional manner.
A vampire should be cold and frightening, showing no signs of emotion or care.
“I’m responsible for a part of your pain, am I not?”
Arlecchino was the exact opposite right now.
“You are. You stained the walls of the chapel with blood that I personally tried to get rid of; by the time I was finished, my fingertips had turned red. Every damn time I go there to pray, I see splashes of blood that have seeped through the pews,” you recited coldly while tears continued to flow. “And then you had this extremely magnificent idea to visit me in the middle of the night because I had to keep my mouth shut about this flower essence thing.”
“I—”
“And despite the pain you’ve inflicted upon me, you’re the only one I can freely share my troubles with, somehow. Why do you have me wrapped around your finger like this, Arlecchino?”
The vampire was genuinely left speechless; her clawed hand had stopped moving across your back, and her dark eyes went wide. The way you had said it so hopelessly, with pearly tears sliding from your puffy eyes while strands of hair were sticking to your warm cheeks, had her in a chokehold—although she herself hadn’t realized it yet.
The candlelight really did its job at setting an intimate atmosphere.
You could feel her cold hand slowly slide away from the top of your back to the end of it. What a shame, you had quite liked the feeling of it. “Anyway, forget about it. I’m just blurting things out because I’m t—”
She hastily interrupted your words, uncertain of what to say next. “Do you really view it like that because that is quite… intense.”
“Well,” you started awkwardly as you lay down beside her, hands going under your head for some support, “it was a bit exaggerated, I’ll admit. It’s just funny in my eyes that the person I fear the most is also the person that I can share personal troubles with. How did it come to this point?”
It was becoming clearer that you became more connected to her with each new meeting. Out of everyone you knew, it somehow had to be Arlecchino.
Was it fate that desired this? Or was it manipulation?
It’s not like every single problem flew out of your mouth with utmost comfort, but it was certainly more than you could ever tell Pernelle or even your father.
The vampire listened attentively as she watched you curl your bare legs against your chest, thinking of an appropriate answer. “Your heart is filled with troubles you can’t speak of with the people closest to you. Now that there’s someone with a similar mindset, those troubles dare to escape from the crevices of your heart.”
“Didn’t know you could be this poetic… you’re so unpredictable, sir,” you shyly uttered, your glossy eyes slowly traveling to her candle-lit face. There was a certain appearance to it. Something so serene that hadn’t been noticed by you until now—you couldn’t bring yourself to look away, afraid it would fade away as soon as your eyes were averted somewhere else.
“So are you, one day you’re standing firmly on your feet, and the other you’re breaking down,” she admitted before changing the topic, much to your dismay. The conversation was quite lovely.
“What are you going to do now that the church is informed?”
And she took you back to reality with just a question.
You took a deep sigh, one that clearly signaled to her how hopeless you were. “I have no idea. None. I was such a fool when I thought it was all fine… Do you think they’ll burn me at the stake?” Even saying it out loud to someone made your blood run cold.
“Isn’t that usually done to witches? You’ll probably be imprisoned and chained for that,” Arlecchino corrected you.
“That doesn’t sound any better,” you mumbled defeatedly as you rolled onto your back, staring at the ceiling. “Will this be my end? All the years I’ve spent here, were they really for nothing?”
The vampire noticed how anxious you had become and made an effort to comfort you once more. “I wouldn’t succumb to hopelessness this easily if I were you; there must be a way to get yourself out of this situation.”
You chuckled emptily. “What can a hopeless nun like me even do?”
“Flee. What other option is there? The church would rather sin than believe a woman.”
“You’re right, but I’m not that quick; they’ll surely find me somewhere in the woods soon enough. Perhaps the church will put a bounty on my head too, and alert the villages nearby to look out for me,” you explained as an image of Agnès and Pernelle flashed in your mind—would your ways really part now after spending so many years together?
Arlecchino was thinking of achievable solutions alongside you. “Is there no one out there that you could rely on? Not even your father?”
“I wouldn’t want to drag him into this mess that I created; other than him, I have no one outside this abbey. We already—“ you immediately stopped talking when you realized what you were about to say, but it was already too late.
Arlecchino made it clear with her gaze that she was awaiting a continuation, and you still didn’t dare to disobey her.
“We already had to flee once because of the church. I was way too young when it happened. I can't remember much of it,” you explained in hopes of the vampire not questioning you further, nervously fidgeting with your dress as you awaited an answer.
Arlecchino’s only reaction was a quiet hum as her eyes were focused on your chest going up and down with each breath you took. This new piece of information was of interest to her. “The only thing you can do right now is wait and see how the situation plays out while also thinking of an escape plan.”
“There’s basically no one out there to save me in the end… but I’ll try,” you replied with a hint of sadness in your voice while standing up to sit straight. For a split second, your eyes met, and you noticed that her stern gaze was long gone.
“Thank you for letting me know about this. I appreciate it a lot,” you admitted while shifting closer to her. “Also, I couldn’t properly thank you for escorting me back here a few days ago. I hope you didn’t encounter anything dangerous when I ran away.”
“It wasn’t anything too serious, don’t worry about it,” the vampire explained as she fixed her posture, “I was under the impression that you might know more about what the church was doing there, so I decided to pay a visit to ask.”
“Another interrogation, I see.” Perhaps it was foolish of you to think she wanted to warn you. Arlecchino had shown little kindness to you, and you were already warming up to her.
The vampire shook her head in disagreement, “I wouldn’t necessarily call it an interrogation, but anyway, you’re welcome for the help. See it as an apology for my… extreme behavior in the beginning.”
“I can’t see you apologizing this quickly, sir, but if you truly want me to forgive you for all the pain you’ve caused, you’ll have to do much more. So much more.”
The vampire wasn’t necessarily seeking your forgiveness for her horrible behavior toward you, all of that which she had done to guarantee the secrecy of a certain topic. Albeit deep down in her tired heart, a trace of guilt did indwell—at the end of the day, you were just an innocent girl who wanted the best for her loved ones.
Just like the girl she had lost all those years ago.
A cold ‘I understand’ was the single thing that left her lips, her dark eyes carefully travelling from your hands to your bare candle-lit neck, stopping there for a split second before deciding to avert her eyes somewhere else. It had been a while since she had a savory meal.
You, on the other hand, quickly turned your gaze somewhere else upon discerning her eyes on you; the feeling gave you a sense of uneasiness. Why was she staring out of nowhere? Sure, your nightgown was thin, but the nights were still warm—and it was long enough to cover everything.
“Anyway,” Arlecchino broke the silence as she stood up from your bed, “I think I’m overstaying my welcome. The issue I was eager to share has been shared, so I shall let you rest now.”
You shook your head in disagreement, “It’s fine, sir. It was… great to see you again.”
“Was it now? I brought you some nerve-racking news tonight,” Arlecchino admitted with honesty as she carefully grabbed her dark cloak to put it on, “You’re always so polite.”
You rose to your feet as well, wanting to see her out. “I’d rather know what awaits me beforehand, I’m more prepared then.”
“That is… quite understandable. It’ll be hard to pretend like nothing is going on behind your back, but you’ll get through it in one way or another.” Lastly, she put the hood on to hide her face.
Do I even have another option?
“I will…I always do,” you replied tiredly, crossing your arms against your chest as your puffy eyes looked at the ground with desolation, “that’s what everyone expects of me, but anyway, have a good night, and thank you once more.”
“I wish you a great night as well,” the vampire spoke with a soothing tone. Her hand lingered on the handle of the door, not pushing it down as if she were awaiting something. Suddenly, she turned her head to face you, voice all low and tender. “Will you be here around the same time tomorrow?”
“I will,” you replied to her, trying to find her eyes for some kind of reassurance, but before that was possible, she had already left.
For the first time upon her disappearance, you felt something that couldn’t be described as relief. It made your chest tighten as your tearful gaze hovered over the door handle for a long time—longer than it should have.
