A tour in the past.

This place has a habit of giving me goosebumps, not just the secluded house but the neighborhood too, it was simply lifeless and unhabitable. This place was definitely no way part of town— unreasonable distance from the last house this one and no house after it.

How Jess came across this place, is an unanswered question. I realized I had been standing in front of the house for while, not because I was thinking on how to enter but because I was terrified to the core. I leaned my bicycle to a big tree beside Mr. Booky's home.

Ok Aud, here we go.

I walked up to the door and gave it a knock, another one followed when no reply came up during the first knock. I sighed, he probably wasn't home, perhaps I should go and return some other time. I pivoted to begin my journey back home but was stopped midway into the beginning of the journey by the sudden sound of a iron falling onto the floor. I stared at the tattered house to glue my eyes on the dormer window where it came from.

Someone was in there, but I might be wrong after all. It could be a clumsy giant rat enjoying its freedom in the cats absence. I shuddered at the thought of that— I so hate rats.

Almost continuing my journey, when my hunch told me to give it another try. This time I knocked harder than before...but still no response.

There really isn't anyone in there.

The door knob clicked open just before making my final decision—returning home, revealing a bald headed octogenarian.

“ oh, Audrina right?” he said.

I offered him the warmest smile I owned surprised on the fact he could still remember my name after  two months, something very unusual for people of his age. “ Come in.” he stepped aside so I could enter. No change in here— same dusty white sheets covering the furniture. I wonder how long he's been here and how he could actually live in a place like this. Perhaps he needs someone to help clean up since he was old and weary. “ I'm sorry, I've been a little busy. I guess you've been knocking for quite a while.” he continued.

“ it's nothing Mr. Booky.”

He smiled, making the wrinkles on either side of his eyes and his chubby chick more prominent. “ Follow me.”

We walked on the spiral shaped stairs to the hallway—lively hallway lit with    candelabras on either side of the walls which led us to a sitting room with just two chairs and a center table opposite a chimney. “ Have a seat.” he extended his hand showing me the chair adjacent to his. “ Give me a minute. ” with that he exited the room. 

The room was warm and smelled of pine like I remember — due to the pine woods he used in making fire. My eyes darted around the room where it glued to a collection of books in a single huge bookshelf, varieties of books it contained. I walked to it to have a closer look at them just to realize majority of them where history books, few romance, adventures and fiction. I wasn't really good at history with all those funny dates one has to cram and the events which happened on each of them.

“ You like them?” I startled at the voice. Shit! This man should play the role of a spy pa someday. 

“ Yeah, they all look so interesting to read.” I said, not getting my eyes off the books.

“ I made some tea.”

That's when I realized the presence of a tray containing two mugs and a silver kettle on the center table. 

What is this man? A wizard or something? He entered in here unnoticed, not even a sound of the tray was heard when he put it on the table.

The tea smelled and tasted awesome, I couldn't help but ask, “ What kind of tea is this Mr. Booky?” I said before sipping it.

With a smile he answered, “ It's a lemon grass tea, not really common around here.”

I nodded and took another sip.

“ So what brings you here?”

I carefully dropped my mug on the center table and cleared my throat.

“ Remember you mentioned vampires the last time I was here with a friend?”

He laughed. “ Like it was yesterday.” he sipped on his tea. “ Came across one?” 

“ Well...yeah.”

“ How did you know?”

“ He told me.”

He nodded before sipping on his tea. “We were together yesterday, and...and he told me something which wouldn't stop bugging me until I know what it is and I know you are the only person who can tell me.”

“ Go on.”

“ He said was here on a mission. ”

“ I see.” was all he said till after five minutes. “ Hundred of Years ago...”

I gasped at what my ears heard. This was horrible. Valérex was actually destroyed because of a tiny mistake. Poor Lucy. 

“ So what happened after the priests final say?”

“ She escaped from the palace two days before it was due time to meet her one and only true love.”

“ Tony please open the door.” Lucy whispered.

It was Ten o'clock when Lucy decided to sneak out of the palace to Tony's. 

“ What are you doing here Lucy?” he questioned once he opened the door.

“ Are you not happy to see me my love?”

He let her in before someone could see her.

“ I didn't say that...just, your father forbade you around me till the little one is born.” he ran his hand through his silky dark hair with a worried expression on his face. “ Did anyone see you?”

“ No...no one did my love.” she put both hands on Tony's cheeks. “ I want you to be the first to see our child that's why I'm here.”

“ Stop this OK? We have done enough damage upon the land already and you escaping from the palace will only bellow the fire.” he put both hands on Lucy's arm.

“ What are you trying to say?”

“ I care for you and our unborn child, with what the priest have said, I'm afraid our lives are at stake, including that of the baby. The least we could do to make things a little better is listen to your father he knows best as a ruler. I suggest you back to the palace before they discover you are missing.”

Tears rolled down Lucy's eyes, her huge belly shook up and down as she sobbed in her palms.

“ This is it? You are willing to abandon your child and I because of the priests and my father? Do you have any idea of what will happen once this child is born? I guess no, now listen to me...my dad is planning to sacrifice our baby immediately it's born so valérex will remain one.” she continued sobbing.

“ The earlier the better. This child is as a result of our carelessness and self-centered attitude.”

“ You bastard Tony.” she began to hit him on the chest. “ good for nothing, I hate you . Ahhh!” she fell to the ground and winced

“ Are you alright?”

“ The baby.” she managed to say.

This story was becoming more and more interesting. I don't know if it actually was going to answer my question but right now I didn't care. I'll probably ask him the question once again when he's done with this.

“ It's a baby girl Lucy, and she so beautiful. ”

The baby, who had turned out to her duplicate; ginger hair and cute chubby cheeks,was wrapped up in a duvet. She was peacefully asleep. Tony couldn't control his tears anymore at the sight of his daughter, the fruit of their unconditional love.

“ We know the princess is here, open this door before we do it ourselves. ” a guard bellowed from the other side of the wooden door.

“ Oh my God, what do we do now?” Lucy asked. 

He shifted his bed to one end and opened a passage which led to god knows where.

“ Get in there, just keep moving and make sure you do not stop.” he ordered.

“ What about you? ”

“ I'll be fine Lucy. Now go, save our baby.”

Lucy did as instructed. She knew just what had happened. The last leaf had triggered the war just as the priests said. There was no more valérex from now on. The guards where only here because the palace had discovered her disappearance. 

The tunnel was so dark and she could barely see a thing. She was feeble from the so much blood she had lost. The white ankle length dress she wore was blood stained and her feet against the cold ground beneath felt numb.

“ Oh Tony.” she cried at the thought of him and what was going to happen to him. She continued her way through the tunnel until she saw a glint of the moon on the other side of the tunnel.

Mr Booky stopped but I was too anxious to know what happened to Lucy and her child and to Tony too.

“ What happened to the lady and the baby? ” I asked.

He sipped his tea.

“ I do not know.”

“ How manage? The person who told the story must probably tell what happened to the lady and the baby.”

“ No one told me the story.”

I gasped. But he said it happened hundred years ago and I don't think he was born yet. 

“ What do you mean?”

“ You behave like her. Very inquisitive.” he chuckled.

Now I was completely lost. “ behave like who? ”

“ Just to answer your question. The vampire is here to find the cure. And not just him you'll come across, there is more to see.”

I sighed in frustration. From pan to fire, I was actually coming to get answers just discover I came here to get more questions which required answers. 

I glimpsed at the Wall clock.

“ Is that the real time?”

“ Yes why ask?”

“ Oh no no no no, I'll be late for my date if I waste anymore minutes here.” I stood up and bowed a little. “ Thanks for everything Mr.booky hope to see you again soon.”

I was escorted to the door where I climbed on my bicycle and left.

“ Hope to see you again daughter.”

I rode as fast as I could reminiscing what Mr. Booky told me earlier. What rule was upon this Valérex which a little mistake considered today as a blessing could this two have possibly made to lead to such disaster? What happened to Lucy and her baby down the tunnel? What about Tony, what happened to him as well? What was more to see besides vampires?Urghh I really hate unanswered questions.

Lucy's story is what Booky narrates to Aud. The ellipses is what you've read in previous chapters . I really don't want to write it all over.