Tsk, tsk.
Baseless superstition.
She wondered how any of it could be true, especially in this age of technology.
How exaggerated it all sounded.
Over the four-hours ride on the train, Lynette had already understood the state of this village through Averia's rambling.
The village was called Redcroft Village, under Greenvale Countryside.
There was about two hundred or so households.
In ancient time, such a village would be considered large, but not now.
According to Averia, the village was once the dwelling place of vampires, established thousands of years ago by a truest-blood vampire, who was referred to as ‘Lord De Leon ’ before they became extinct and ceased to exist.
‘Redcroft Village '
‘Vampires’
‘Lord De Leon ’
What strange names, tangled up in even stranger stories. Something only heard in books and movies.
“ De Leon ” Lynette whispered subconsciously.
“ Sssh–”
There it was again
That uneasy feeling
That sudden pain that made her breath hitched.
She had felt the same faint heartache and anxiety earlier on the train, when Averia started rambling about vampires, especially about Lord De Leon.
Lynette placed a hand over her chest, as if doing so might grasp the pain from spreading.
Gazing at the distance mountain,an image flashed through her mind, too quick and fleeting for her to catch.
She stood there, staring, trying to pull the image back into focus, but it slipped way like mist.
“ Lynette.”
Mr. David Carter called again when he noticed his daughter standing still, lost in thought.
“ Huh…Dad?” she blinked
“ Let's go in,” he said gently.“ You've been standing there, gazing at the distant mountain. Is something bothering you?”
She lowered her hand from her chest and shook her head lightly.
“ Nothing, Dad.”
A small smile escaped her lips.
“ I was just entranced by the mountain's scenery. Let's go in –everyone's is already inside.”
As she turned toward the house, she forced her racing heart to calm, pushing the strange feeling deep down.
***
An elderly woman with a slightly hunched back was seen walking back-and-forth repeatedly, her wrinkled face clouded with worry as she murmured to herself.
“ Why aren't they here yet?”
“ Could something have happened?”
“ Anna dear, did you call them again?”
“ What time will they be here?”
She rambled on and on, like a broken line.
“ Mum, calm down first,” Mrs. Anna Sebastian said, her voice low.
Mrs. Anna Sebastian was Mrs. Selena Carter's younger sister. She was the wife of Sebastian North, who owned a shopping mall on C Street in Deer City, located on the South Side of Florida Capital City.
Like her eldest sister, she had two children – Lily Sebastian, a fifteen year old quiet girl, and Martin Sebastian, a five year old boy.
Mrs. Anna pressed her lips together, her gaze following her mother's restless pacing.
She was worried too, but she knew they would be here soon.
Her mother's incessant rambling, coupled with the back-and-forth movement, made her temples throb.
“ You'll affect your health if you keep walking back and forth like this,” She said, reaching out as if to steady her.
“ Hymph ”
“ What do so you know,” Jammy Granny said, continuing her back-and-forth movement. “ The doctor said doing this keeps us old folks young and agile. This is what I've been doing to stay strong. Can't you see how weak that loudmouth Sussy is – lazy, always gossiping about the village? she's just jealous of my still-young agility.”
Mrs. Anna's lips twitched
‘ That doctor must be a quack,’ she thought.
“ Jammy Granny,” Martin Sebastian called out, “ It's not Sussy. It's Grandma Susan.”
“ If Grandma Susan hears you calling her name wrongly, she will definitely complain to the Village head.”
“ You brat,” Jammy Granny said jokingly, putting on a falsely angry face and posture.“ Whose side are you on?”
“ Jammy Granny, you should sit down and drink some water to calm yourself,” Lily Sebastian said, passing her a cup of water.
“ Yes Granny. You should listen to Sister Lily,” Martin added as he moved forward.“ Let me help you massage your legs. They must be tired.”
Martin bent down, preparing to massage his grandma's leg with his fair, baby-soft hands.
Cuteness oozed from his expression, paired with his chubby cheeks and small, pudgy body.
“ Ohh, my lovely babies,” Jammy Granny smiled as she lowered herself onto the seat, pride clear in her voice.“ It's only you two who cares about me best – unlike your mother.”
“ Puff!!”
Mrs. Anna was stunned in place, her eyes twitching in surprise.
Damn.
She doubted – was she really her mother's daughter?
The favouritism was just too obvious.
After five minutes of joking about with her grandchildren, Jammy Granny began her incessant rambling again.
“ Why aren't they here yet?”
“ Anna dear, did you call them?”
“ What was their response?”
There it goes again…the endless questions.
Sis, please come fast. I can't take it anymore.
It's killing me.
I might go crazy if you don't, Mrs. Anna thought.
Everyone in the room became attentive to the noise outside, especially Jammy Granny.
Hearing the sound of a car, she hurriedly stood up as if about to head out – then sat back, wearing an indifferent ‘who-cares’ expression. Still, her eyes couldn't hide the excitement and happiness in them.
“ Jammy Granny, that must be them!” Martin said, already running out to confirm with his sister.
“ Hymph…who cares,” Jammy Granny pouted, turning her head to the other side. Yet, from the corner of her eyes, she watched closely for any movement outside.
Mrs. Anna rolled her eyes at her mother's false indifference.
This woman is definitely a drama queen.
Wasn't she rambling on-and-on about their arrival a moment ago? Now that they're here, she's throwing a tantrum and acting uninterested.
She pressed her lips together, trying hard not to laugh out loud.
Martin and his sister hadn't even reached outside when –
“ Jammy Grannyyy–!”