parchedvampire

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v.a.m.p.i.r.e

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I am both nightmare and sin I wear thunder underneath this skin

Nikita Gill, Fierce Fairytales: Poems and Stories to Stir Your Soul: Wonderland Villain

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"One diet soda, and a water please." She informed the fast food employee when it was their turn in line. Pulling out a few dollar bills she'd stuffed into her jeans pockets, she then used them to pay for the cold beverages. Jodie took her drink, and waited for Gunnar to follow suit as she grabbed her shopping bags again. "So I was thinking we could watch an action packed film or tv show. I've got Netflix, so why don't we browse?" She led the way through the bustling mall, and outside.

"I think diet soda. And sure lets go back to your place." He suggested liking the idea of watching at home appealing.

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Whenever the windows were fully boarded up, Jodie chuckled lightly. "Yep. My family has a few pricey items stashed away here. The guns are easy enough to find, but our heirlooms-- like fine jewelry-- are in boxes beneath some loose floor boards." She explained. "Burglars don't have enough braincells to put two and two together, and for that I am glad." From the outside, one couldn't tell that the cabin had a warm, inviting atmosphere. It had been a fixer-upper once upon a time, but the Gonzalez family put effort into improving the interior and furniture.

She wrung her hands and gazed back at Layla. The poor woman narrowly survived a brush with death, all to try and help her friends. "You should rest on the couch or in the guest bedroom if you need to." Her brows furrowed, but she decided not to feign ignorance. "I have an acute sense of smell. The incense I lit earlier was carried by the strong winds, thus making it a bit easier to find my way." She turned her attention to the fireplace, focusing on the embers as they licked away at the wood. "I'm sure they're safe. And once the storm is over, we'll get the generator running again."

The snowstorm died down somewhat, so all they had to do was wait a while longer. Mother Nature could be cold and unforgiving at times, but she knew they'd live to see tomorrow. While she didn't want anyone else to suffer as Layla did, she was certain said woman's friends were indoors. "To be honest, I think we're the only ones foolhardy enough to walk around during a blizzard." She exhaled faintly and took a seat on the sofa after setting her tools on the coffee table. "If only cellphone service worked right now. Then we could contact the others without any problems."

She drifted somewhat as she sat in front of the fire, bathed in its warmth. The other woman's voice pulled her back to the present, and she turned her head to watch as she sealed the window. She had barely registered that it was open, and she took a moment to take in further details about the cabin that she might have missed. It was still difficult to hold onto any one thought for long, the urge to lie down and sleep still strong while her body struggled to warm her up.

"Burglars?" she repeated vaguely. The place didn't look like it had been tossed, but then, Layla supposed she wouldn't know if anything was missing. She might have followed up with a question about it, but the thought slipped away before she could grasp it further. Her gaze flicked back to the flames, and she rubbed her outstretched hands together, wincing slightly as they tingled back to life. She was going to be in a world of hurt tomorrow, even if she didn't have frostbite.

"Tired," she said softly, shifting to stretch her feet toward the fire. Even from more than a foot away, it burned like she'd stuck them in a bucket of hot water, and she winced, gently rubbing the life back into them. The pain woke her up a little though. "I would have wanted to, but I'm not sure I could have," she admitted with a smile. "I have no idea how you managed to navigate out there… I got lost and my cabin was probably only a few feet away. I hope my friends stayed inside. I went out to restart the generator."

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And what had once seemed so beautiful and safe was lost.

Chris Whitaker, from All the Colors of the Dark

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I haven't been feeling like my bubbly self. I'm in a slump, and there's nothing I can do to make it better. I'm really sorry, but replies on all my blogs-- and Discord-- will have to wait. I need more time to just relax and not stress over things that are beyond my control.

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