The Red Rose

The moon was at its fullest, bloody. Midnight and I could see the heavens lighted. Before the skies would signal the coming of the dawn, I would be born again, be reincarnated. Not as a different creature, but the same as what I was at the moment and nine hundred and ninety-nine years ago – a bloodsucker, but with a different identity. I must reincarnate, or be denied of immortality. I would die, and would become a wilted thorny rose. I would never want that. All I need was a beating heart, a human heart, to remain an immortal.

I did search for mortals, and I met twelve of them. I needed just one, and I chose…

I felt thirst… Human bloods were just around. Liters of them. So long had I not drunk a volume. We were prohibited to, for a few centuries now, and I did not know why. I should not really be tempted. I got an aim, and I just couldn’t give up my eternity. I must slay a human before it was full moon.

Of the millions of places in the world, I found my beloved gorgeous physique standing, studying every human present in a kingdom found amid the faraway wild hills.

Right from where I was, I saw her glow. She was so beautiful. I could smell and hear her heart, perfect for my need, for my reincarnation. “Princess Arlyn!” called someone in a formal suit. He was Gentleman Jhay, I could saw it on his name plate. “I thought you’re with Prince Ian. I heard he’s here, looking for you,” he added. He was of a good built, feminine. I could see sense his nervous heart beat. His heart could also be perfect for my need. But, no. He was frail. He would want to be the prince for her, but he got the most coward heart.

“We haven’t been together, for quite a long time now. I decided not to see him, or at least not to find ways to see him. I realized I am tired. Please don’t mention anything about him, I beg. I need to make the best of my face tonight. It’s my sister’s wedding.” She smiled the sweetest, but her shoulders fell. She could not pretend. Yet, insensible, she had not felt the gentleman’s love, for her.

I sensed three aortas coming near. They were Mardy’s, Richel’s and Philip’s, the never complaining confidants. They were blameless, naïve, demure and tamed. They were unfamiliar. They could be my last options, but could also be the first.

Here came Princess Geraldine and Jennifer. They were overfamiliar. Refined. One of them could be the mortal I needed. “How lucky Princess Mihara is. She got the most loving Queen. And she, now, would be marrying Prince Arturo. I wonder how much of love do they share. What do you think Jennifer? Will I also find my most true love?” Hopeful romantic, she had a longing heart.

“You won’t find him Geraldine. He will find you. Who knows? He may be around tonight. Wou will bump on him. You will fall, and he’ll catch you. Then there will be no slow motion, but a motion stop. And, boom! There comes your most true love.” She was her stimulant, the filler. She would always want everyone to grin.

I shifted eyes, got multiple choices, got short way to go before midnight. I should have just randomly grabbed one, and never opted.

“Sheila, am I on the right track?” She combed her now shoulder-length brown hair. “I have to do this for the Queen. For a couple of times, I disappointed her. Now, I have to marry a man I don’t love at all.” Her pretty face, upset, gloomy as her velvety red long robe. She could have the heart I was looking for. She was perfect.

“If Fribel is here, she would be telling you not to. She sees love a treasure, and should not be wasted. But she’s forever gone. So, listen to me. You’re clever than I. Even stronger. It had been your toughest decision. You’ve had more than this torture, Princess Mihara. I know the prince can make you happy, at least.” She’s the littlest, the sincerest. She had the softest heart, suicidal. She valued not her life, she could be the best one I should kill, but she was loved. Not her heart.

The ceremony had to start. The groom stood in frantic ease. He was unnoticeably troubled. At the end of the crimson carpet, his bride started to march. She stunned him. She was flawlessly beautiful. She was near, just a few steps and they would touch. I could hear both hearts throbbing fast. Both were genuinely in love, but not for each other.

“Prince Arturo!” shouted a voice from where the bride had stood before, at the far end of the crimson carpet. “I can’t just see you exchanging vows with the woman I know you don’t love! My love for you brought me here! I know death awaits me for taking this courage, but I’d rather die than see you one with her! I beg you not to marry her!”

“Geed…” His voice was calm. He turned to get back his stare to his bride. “Princess Mihara, I fear I might cause you pain after this. You are the most beautiful woman I ever met, but my heart simply doesn’t beat for you.” In a very low voice, he told her.

“You are the most gentleman Prince Arturo. You can’t hurt me, ‘cause not my heart belongs to you. Go, get him before he’ll be punished to death.” The bride smiled at him. He kissed her hand, left and got lost with Prince Geed. Everyone around was in awe, speechless.

“You are freed. You are unmarried. You are meant to be mine, Princess Mihara. I’m so sorry, I had been so afraid to fight for us. Not this time. Not again. The heavens gave me chance. Now give me chance to mend your heart.” He was Karl, the kingdom’s head knight, Princess Mihara’s love. He was changed, for love.

Humans, they were born to live for a few years, and love. Now I know why we were, for centuries now, deprived to kill humans. They were valuable. I made a fist, tight. It was sixty tic-tacs more before midnight. I needed to slay a human and get his beating heart. I was in turmoil on who would I kill. I again looked up the bloody full moon. I closed my eyes, readied myself to kill, to reincarnate. One more tic-tac.

Tic-tac.

I guided my hands to my chest, gained vigour, gained more vigour. I buried my claws deep down my ice-cold flesh, and took out my heart. I killed myself.

I was Syndy, nine hundred and ninety-nine years ago. Now, I reincarnated, into a wilted throny red rose.

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Happy May Flower!

Kiss of the Wind

I will tell you something. But promise me you’ll never tell anyone. It’s all about what I did last night. Yes, last night, and it’s amazing. I did something I thought I could never do.

I had goose bumps. I had bloodstains. I had adrenalin rush when I took hold of that syringe and tablets blocking my way out of the tiled room, which just ended up taking off my grasp. I had amusement when I crawled effortlessly toward her room just to peek and look at her lovely face, only to find her sobbing in pain.

There I realized, it’s not just me who had bloodstains. The pretty young lady I admired a lot also had. She might be wounded fro she was bleeding. I pitied her. I thought of ways on how I could get near her but I feared she might be afraid of me. Why not? I was stained with blood all over. I hadn’t combed my hair, oh well, I didn’t really have hair to comb. And… I was shy. I was naked. I didn’t have dress like hers nor a pointed pair of slippers like she wore. I didn’t even have the voice to call her attention and her to take a glance of me. And I wasn’t big for her to take notice of my presence.

The door swung open. Someone tall, white and handsome with aquiline nose entered the lovely lady’s room. He paced hurriedly toward her bed and hugged her tight. He cupped her face and kissed her lips. I heard him say she just did what was right and good for them. What did he mean? Was wounding herself right and good? I hated him. He didn’t ask her if she’s okay, or maybe I just hadn’t heard.

I hated him more when he said no one could ever kiss her than him. I envied him. I wished to have her kissing and embracing me. But the man seemed selfish. There, I pitied myself. I could no longer feel the lovely lady’s warm touch… But no! I felt the craving inside me. I felt the need of her warmth. I couldn’t tell why. Maybe, it’s the blood of hers which smelled exactly the same like the bloodstains starting to dry up on my body. I made my mind up. I waited for him to leave and there I took all my courage to get by her side.

And now, I’ll tell you what I really wanted to tell you. But promise me you’re bringing this secret on your grave. Promise me that you’ll never tell that man about this, for he might kill me… again.

What I did last night before I finally went somewhere unknown was…

I kissed the lovely lady…

I kissed my Mom goodbye.

The Realization of my Dreams

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I had a dream. It was superbly extraordinary. I never imagined that it would happen even in dreams. Yes, dreams are said to be opposite of reality, still, the peculiarity and eccentricity I savored was really unforgettable.

It was nighttime, but I saw sunshine. There was the sun, but the place was extremely black. In my dream, I knew I couldn’t see and feel anything, yet I was marveled by the peacefulness and brilliance of the night. The silvery white sky, embellished with myriads of stars sparkling with enthusiasm, made my head tilt up high just to see the wondrous firmament. Maybe, I was Vincent Van Gogh that time, I said, “The night is a starry, starry night,” but, in the absence of the moon, and in the presence of the sun.

I saw bats stagnated on blades of grass and owls hung inverted on a branch. They were indulged in tranquil slumber. They are nocturnal creatures, I know. However, it was obvious the sun was shining, yet it was still nighttime. I made deeper my understanding and just walked, wearing away from my existence the perplexity that emanated from various indecipherable occurrences. As I was a step accelerated, I smiled. I saw two, big, round eyes fully awake. I felt so happy I didn’t have to contradict the truth I knew, yet was frustrated when those two, big, round eyes closed as if just expressed their indignation towards me. I concluded, the owl was just startled by the mild cacophony of dried leaves every time I had to make a step closer to the answers on my queries.

From afar, I could see multitude of sunflowers dancing to the tune of the whispering wind, facing upwards, with their petals bashfully closed. They were facing the smiling sun, and the sunflowers didn’t smile back. So, they weren’t sunflowers anymore, though they looked like real sunflowers. I must say, they were flowers only, without sun attached to their names, because they were supposed to be sunflowers because they looked like sunflowers. Yet, because they didn’t smile back to the sun, they were only to be called flowers.

My curiosity incited me to come nearer to the flowers. Then, I was there in an instant. I touched one of the flowers. I was greatly flabbergasted upon seeing its petals gradually stretching out to open. I touched another one, and the same thing happened. I was filled with so much ecstasy and my vitality went up the pinnacle. I touched the flowers one by one till they opened in response to my blissful state of mind. As I finished making them all open in a night full of happenings, I felt somewhat exhausted. However, the tiredness I was feeling didn’t prevail at all. I even asked for more! They were then myflowers, for they smiled back at me. They weren’t sunflowers, I concluded, for they didn’t smile back at the sun. They’re rather to be called myflowers, because they should be, for with me, was the proof. I, myself, was the proof.

As I proceeded to my unknown destination, I met along the way birds without wings. Each of them had four slender but sturdy feet which shocked me a lot. They didn’t have beaks, instead, they had mouths like dogs, with bones gripped by their sharp canines. Suddenly, one of them dropped the bone and howled like a wolf. I stepped back a little, with a bit of fright inside of me. However, as I remembered that the night was an exceptional night, I didn’t bother have heavy feelings and managed to feel weightless and mindless, but heartful.

My eagerness to find the wings of those birds acting like dogs and wolves dominated my totality. I searched everywhere like crazy, then found them floating above me. I saw dogs having wings, having only two, cute feet. They had beaks, and they chirped harmonious sonatas in the air. Instead of pondering deeply the situation, I just smiled out the expected scrutiny and criticism from me. I just smiled as birds like dogs and wolves howled, and as dogs and wolves like birds chirped. The night was really out of ordinary.

I’m under my bed right now, my bed lying above me. Morning stars dominate the sides of my lips with dried saliva thickened beside my eyes. I wear the bed sheet, my clothes covering my bed. And I am dreaming, no, not anymore.