A Relish For Blood

Aaron was walking on the beach. He looked around for his team for he was puzzled by his presence at such a place which is filled with tranquillity and peace. Finally, he saw someone familiar. Aaron took a step closer and was shock to find Hebe sitting on the sand.

Aaron: No….it can’t be….

Aaron took a step closer but Hebe seems to be oblivious to his presence. He waved his hand at her face but she did not seem to notice him.

Aaron : Am I invisible? Wait….this place looks so familiar….

It was the place where Aaron and Hebe once visited.

Aaron: I’m…I’m in my memory……………………..?

Just then, the Aaron in his own memory came along and took a seat beside Hebe while smiling at her.

The sunset was gorgeous and attractive but the couple were oblivious to its presence. They were entranced by each other’s beauty and charm as they looked into the eyes of their beau.

Hebe: Aaron, I hope that this moment would stop just for us.

Aaron: There’s no need to stop. We will be having this moment in everyday of our life. We will be together forever, right?

Hebe closed her eyes and gave Aaron a light peck on his lips before replying blissfully: Yes, we are.

The scene reformed and Aaron found himself standing at another location where he terribly feared. It was the building where Hebe died in.

Aaron was standing outside the unscarred building as if it was before the explosion. Aaron was puzzled by the scene before him. One second, his was looking at Hebe and his memory self kissing and the next, he was thrown to this terrible place.

Just then, it happened. The building exploded and miraculously, Aaron was not affected by the trauma of the explosion. It was as if he did not exist and that he was just a spirit floating through his own memory. As the building exploded, Aaron could not help but scream for his loved one.

Aaron: Hebe!!!!!!!!!!!!!Hebe!!!!!!!!!!!

Then, he felt himself being drawn from the scene and he was soon thrown back into nothingness.
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Gui Gui looked at her protector as he laid on the bed. He had been screaming and chanting for the past hour as if he was having a terrible nightmare. However, all he shouted and called out was Hebe’s name.

Hebe sat beside Aaron and held onto his hand. He felt icy cold and his palms were sweating. She looked at Aaron and held back her tears. After these years, she still could not control her emotions for him.

Hebe sighed and turned to look at the rest: The remaining dose of the drug had taken effect.

Gui Gui frowned: *concerned* What will happen? He had been so unstable for the past hour. Is that the effect of the drug?

Hebe nodded: It was the effect of the drug but not the most terrifying one.

Xiu: What’s the most terrifying effect?

Hebe: The relish for blood.

Wu Xiong: The relish for blood? But….but….

Hebe: He will soon have the strong crave for blood as the drug slowly empowers his senses. He probably has already had this crave before he collapsed.

Gui Gui asked cautiously, hoping that her guess was wrong: You mean…..you mean he is a vampire…?

Hebe: No he’s not.

Everyone heaved a sigh of relief but Hebe continued: Not yet.

Xiu: What do you mean by not yet?

Hebe: If he were to drink any amount of blood during this period, he would become a vampire. Aaron must be able to control this crave for blood. However, even if he had managed to control this relish for blood, he might still be in danger. The drug had caused his body to go into a severe hypoglycaemic state and if he were not to have food, which is blood, he might die.

Wu Xiong: Then what should we do? Either way, he would die!

Xiu: No, not necessarily. If he were to be able to tide through this difficult period of blood crave, he would escape the fate of being a vampire and once this happens, we have to feed him with real human food and he would not die then. Am I right, Hebe?

Hebe: Yes you are. However, this is not going to be easy.

Wu Xiong: Hang on, why can’t you just extract the poison within his body like you did with the powder before?

Hebe: I can’t. The rest of the poison had already bounded onto the extracellular matrix and the cytoskeleton of every cell in his body. I can’t just extract them. I might damage his cells and this would bring death even closer.

Gui Gui: There really is no other ways?

Hebe: Except for to look after him during this period of time. You guys have to take good care of him.

Xiu: You are not staying?

Hebe shook her head: No I’m not. I have to go.

Hebe emphasized on the last sentence so firmly that no one dared to object. However, Gui Gui spoke.

Gui Gui: Hebe, can I ask you something, privately?

Hebe nodded and had already prepared for what is coming.

She took one last longing look at Aaron before turning away from the rest of them as she heads towards the door with Gui Gui following closely behind.
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They walked down the stone path towards a solitude bench which stood in the middle of the garden. Both of them sat down quietly. The silence was deliberate yet delicate but Gui Gui was determined to break it.

Gui Gui: You were his partner, right?

Hebe nodded: As you have said, I’m also his soul-mate. He had told you about me before, right?

Gui Gui: He did, but not much. I want to know, why did you leave him even though you were alive? Why did you let him suffer from grief and guilt these years and not let him know of your existence?

Gui Gui couldn’t help but raise her voice as she continued asking Hebe.

Gui Gui: How could you? He loved you so much? Don’t you love him anymore?

Hebe: Yes I do. So do you.

Gui Gui was taken aback by the sudden turn of finger towards herself.

Gui Gui: I…..I’m sorry I don’t know what you mean.

Hebe: You like Aaron. Don’t you? I know it, the moment I saw you. You are special to him. I know that too.

Gui Gui said quietly as she looked down: I am nothing compared to you. He was calling out for you when he was unconscious. You still stood a place in his heart.

Hebe: I can no longer be the same person I was to him. I am different now.

Feeling anger again, Gui Gui spoke with dignity: That’s because you left him. I would never do that to him if I were you! You should have at least told him that you are still alive!

Hebe sighed before smiling: You are a foolish girl.

Feeling totally absurd at Hebe’s inappropriate reaction, Gui Gui retort: I am not foolish! It was foolish of you to leave him! It’s your loss!

Gui Gui stopped abruptly and gasped at the scene she was staring at. Tears rolled down Hebe’s flawless cheek. Hebe was crying.

Hebe: I didn’t leave him. I wanted to tell him of my existence but I couldn’t. I can’t……I am……..different………..I am a vampire now.

With that, she sobbed even harder and she covered her face in her hands.

Gui Gui was numbed with shock as she looked at the girl sitting beside her as she slowly repeated: You……are………..a vampire….?
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Any questions? I certainly hope this is not a confusing chapter, with the memory seeing and what not. lol thanks!