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Deleted User
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OOC Info: Name/Alias: Carol Contact Information: PeculiarThinking@hotmail.com or PM
Are you sure you read all the rules?: When he goes vampire-slaying, the headmaster always wears his best dress and make-up. He likes to feel pretty while hunting for monsters in the sewers.
IC Description: Name: Ciaran Niall Age: 18 Gender: Male Race and Level: Level B - Noble Status: Night Class Student
Appearance:
Vampires… The world’s most advanced predator.
Everything about Ciaran’s body appeals to the human eye. Standing at a height of 185 cm and weighing a total of 64 kg, he would be considered of average weight and height for a European male. Like all vampires, Ciaran’s complexion is pale and blemish free. His teeth are a pearly white, perfectly straight, and are the second most complimented part of his face, only second to his dazzling blue eyes. Unlike most blue eye colors, Ciaran’s eyes are neither a deep blue, nor are they too pale. In fact, most wouldn’t even consider them a real “blue” but more of a teal or sea green.
In exact contrast to his eyes, Ciaran has a fiery red hair that would be considered medium length for a male. When not completely doused in styling product, his hair tends to fall in choppy lengths that frame his face. The longer parts reach down to his neck while his bangs hang just below his eyes. Like most males with longer hairstyles, Ciaran actively parts his hair on the left side of his head. While this split in his hair looks natural, it has come a long way from when he was a child.
The most notable part of Ciaran’s face is the eye-patch he wears over his right eye. This feature of his appearance has spawned many rumors about him in the past, but he hasn’t made any official statements on the subject. Some believe him to have been born blind in that eye… Others believe him to be a heterochromic… Others believe that he is scarred on that side of his face… None of these are true, but the boy has said nothing to appease the minds of the people who have met him. Fact is… He just enjoys the contrast the eye-patch gives to his face.
At one point in his life, Ciaran tried to defy his genetics and consumed over 4,000 calories every day for 3 months. In his mind, he was just trying to prove that while vampires had a faster metabolism and were naturally beautiful creatures… Nurture overruled nature and they weren’t Gods. This of course… Was not proven when he managed to not feel any negative side affects of his gluttonous eating habits. Not only did he not manage to gain an unattractive figure, his body actually utilized the extra caloric intake and used it to even out some of his more lanky features.
To go along with his more laid-back personality, Ciaran’s style of choice is one of stylish comfort. He adores his collection of high-top converse and his skinny jeans. When not in the Academy Uniform, Ciaran enjoys wearing simple clothes that would be expected from the average High School student. On the higher end of his clothing repertoire is a line of Armani suits. His favorite designer brand is Burberry, and like every Noble, he knows how to dress for the occasion.
Personality:
In the early years of life, human children often dream of doing something great with their lives. Some want to be an astronaut… Others want to be a fireman. In almost every scenario, the child in question wants to be some kind of superhero. They want to save the world. They want to be the “Prince” in shining armor and save the “Damsel” in distress. During that same stage in life… Vampire children want most of the same things. They seek their parents approval. They want to see all the good things in life. They want to be reassured that their presence in this world isn’t meaningless. They want to achieve something great… Ciaran never deluded himself with such fantasies.
Despite his prim and proper heritage, Ciaran never really enjoyed attending any of the soirees or social events that his family was invited to. He grew up believing himself to be an orphan and as such didn't have anything he needed to aspire to be. His family name was worthless and no Noble of high standing would ever let his daughter marry below a certain bar of status... A bar Ciaran knew he would never meet. The boy grew up believing himself worthless... A servant of sorts to his younger cousin, a fate that looked acceptable when he was a child... But after he learned the truth about his birth... Things looked to be so much worse... Being an illegitimate child of a Noble household barred him from every succeeding any of his parental figures and he was always reminded of this fact. Despite the fact that his birth deemed him the next in line for a media empire that stretched across the globe… He was always reminded that he would never amount to anything more than an advisor to Liam.
On his most basic level, Ciaran is neither an instigator or a pacifist, neither a pessimist or an optimist, instead he lies somewhere in the middle. While he doesn’t go out of his way to start a fight with anyone, it would be out of character for him to try and prevent one from happening. Perhaps he wasn’t hugged enough as a child? Perhaps he wasn’t praised as much as he should’ve been? Well actually… We all know that none of those actually happened for this boy. But let’s face it… When you’re raised to believe you’re an orphan and then find out that you’re actually the son of the man you thought was your uncle… You’d be a little messed up too.
A direct result from being perpetually lied to almost his entire life… Ciaran is incapable of saying a straight out lie. Sure… He bends facts and omit’s the truth when necessary… But if a person were to ask him a direct question, he would answer them as honestly as he could. He is not the type of guy to spare someone’s feelings and he doesn’t feel bad when something he says hurts someone else. He tells it like it is… If you don’t want to hear it, then don’t ask him for his opinion. If something he says offends you… Feel free to tell him, but don’t expect him to feel some sort of remorse for you. Simply put, he doesn’t care about what you think about him and it would be in your best interest to not delude yourself into believing he does.
A more minor part of his personality is Ciaran’s love of music. No… He’s not a prodigy or anything like that… But he isn’t tone deaf either. His interest in the subject actually developed after his younger sister was born. Cosette would be considered a natural in the field of music and Ciaran was the one that gave her the praise his parents selfishly denied him. Cosette is the only one that has made a place for herself in Ciaran’s heart and while he hasn’t closed himself off to the rest of the world, he finds it hard to let anyone else in. Due to his semi-skewed vision of the world around him, it’s extremely hard for him to give anyone the “benefit of the doubt” and he doesn’t expend any more effort than necessary to maintain a social relationship.
Put simply… Ciaran doesn’t take anyone’s bullshit.
Other Information:
- The boy has a deep love of pastries. Both making them and eating them. Some would accredit this to those three months he spent trying to become obese, but in all truth it was present long before that… He just used those months to indulge his inner fat kid. His favorite? Melon bread.
- To go along with his love of pastries is a major sweet tooth. The boy is more partial to fruit chews or hard candies when compared to chocolate or any kind. He likes tropical flavors the most, which is closely followed by citrus, and then followed by any kind of berry. His favorite? Tropical Skittles.
- Like most gluttons… Ciaran loves to cook. He loves flavor and presentation. The Food Network is his favorite channel on television and he enjoys watching Chopped and Sweet Genius. The boy is far from a natural in the kitchen, but he also isn’t horrible. He loves his spices and Botany is his second favorite subject in school, second only to Culinary Arts. His favorite spice is ginger.
- He claims to be an atheist. While he’s not vocal about his beliefs and owns a few items of clothing/jewelry with a cross or Bible saying written on them… He chose those items based on design features alone. He doesn’t take into account something’s spiritual meaning when making a purchase… He buys what he likes and calls it good.
- Like every other Noble child, Ciaran was invited to play with children who his “parents” believed would be a good influence. He remembers meeting many children, but none of them seemed to make an impression on the boy.
- He is fluent in seven different languages; English, Latin, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian.
- The boy can be considered a thrill seeker of sorts. He has this nasty habit of getting himself into situations that would be considered “Dangerous” or “Risky,” but this isn’t on purpose. He simply a personality that is easily attracted to excitement and his brain has wired itself around passively searching for something that might stimulate his earth shattering body. Do not confuse him as being a masochist or something sick and twisted like that… He’s just attracted to having a fun time and the high he can get from his natural adrenaline… The danger in the activities he does hasn’t dawned on him.
IC Background: Biography:
Childbirth… Blessing… Curse?
For many people, the birth of their first child is often considered a blessing. The mother feels the joy of bringing another life into this world. The father relishes the idea of being a mentor to the child and while compassion is rarely shown… Often cares very deeply for his newly born offspring. It is common for the expecting parents to glow with anticipation and excitement… It is common for the expecting parents to bring their child into the world in loving arms… Both of them wishing for what is best for the baby.
For a child born to a Noble household, the feelings are much the same, but magnified by a tenfold. Well established families are under constant pressure to maintain their dignified lines. Upon the birth of a child… The child in question is announced to their community. People talk about what the child will be like and what will be expected of the newborn. Even before the child is aware of it’s surroundings… A vast multitude of Noble vampires already know his or her name.
This did not happen with Ciaran.
When Ciaran was conceived, his father Montgomery had no idea what to do. At the time Montgomery was a fledgling family head. At the age of 22, he was quite an accomplished individual. He had money. He had power. He had an adoring wife. And he had everything his family had to offer to back him up on all of his decisions. As head of the Edwards’ family, he knew expectations were incredibly high for him and that there were people hoping for a complete failure. Determined to prove everyone who doubted him wrong… The boy had set out to make his family the most distinguished one in England and even set goals to be recognized worldwide. To the public, Montgomery was a perfect individual leading a perfect life… They couldn’t be more wrong.
Behind the closed doors, Montgomery’s life was a mess. His marriage was failing. He didn’t have the same vision of the world as his company. He was a business leader, yet all he really wanted was a quiet countryside home away from all of the stress his empire was causing him. His wife didn’t understand what was happening with him… Throughout their entire courtship, he was nothing below a gentleman. Their marriage was arranged, but once they really got to know each other it… The differences in their personalities were constantly spreading wider, going deeper. It was only when Clarissa told Montgomery about her pregnancy that things began to look up for Melinda. The calculating Tavouleris girl knew that she could use her husband’s infidelity against him. Of the union… Her family had more to loose if things took a turn for the south, but if rumors of an illegitimate child were to spread than Montgomery’s reputation was as good as toast.
Even in the far country of Greece… Nobles of all kinds had heard of the infamous divorce that had happened in the Fukazawa family. Rumors of the repercussions spread like wildfire and Melinda knew that Montgomery wouldn’t let that happen to his family… Wouldn’t let that happen to his unborn child.
Despite the child being of Noble birth, the pregnancy was hidden from the world. Melinda had given Montgomery an ultimatum… Either he get rid of the girl who had caused their marital problems or she would leave him and his child would never have a chance within the vampire community. While Montgomery didn’t deny his love for his childhood friend… He couldn’t let his family fall apart. When Ciaran was finally born on a warm summer night in August… He sent Clarissa away… Erasing her memories of the pregnancy and forbidding her to ever step foot in the main mansion again. But even with the mother of his child gone… The man still had his newborn son to deal with.
The Early Years || The first few years of Ciaran’s life were uneventful. Like most children, the finer details are blurry to him while the main events are highlighted in their memory. Unlike most Noble children, the boy doesn’t have any photographs to look at from when he was a child… And the things he is able to remember are far and few between. The first memory the boy is willing to claim is of his 4th Birthday party… The party where he was introduced to the Vampire community as his father’s nephew. The Niall family was thought to have gone extinct in the late 1800s… The head of the family leading them to the ground and the rest of them foolish enough to follow. The bloodline itself was thought to have been so diluted that even if a Niall were to pop up into the spectrum, then there wouldn’t be enough vampire in the child for them to rise into aristocracy.
Ciaran proved this to be wrong.
Through some very convincing falsified documents… Montgomery and Melinda were able to claim the child as the son of one of Montgomery’s distant cousins. They had birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, and even soiree invitations constructed in case someone were to come asking about the small red-headed boy. Though both Montgomery and Melinda believed that it would be easier for them if the boy knew the truth about his heritage, they kept it hidden from the child and let him lead his somewhat happy life.
Under the guise of being the child’s paternal aunt and uncle, Montgomery raised the child as any other Noble child would be raised. Tutors were hired from around the country to teach Math, Literature, Foreign Languages, Etiquette, Ability Mastery, and many other things that one of Nobility would need to survive. Through a very vigorous course of study, the child in question was fluent in four different languages by the age of six and was considered a genius even among vampire standards. Montgomery saw all the attention the boy was gaining in the vampire community and while he was proud of the child… He knew that he could never claim the boy as his own. No matter what he did or the channels he went through… Nothing could make life easier for the boy… His family would never let an illegitimate child be chosen as an heir.
The Twins || The year Ciaran turned 7 was a very memorable one. It was the year the Edwards family gained two new members to their main branch. A pair of twins… Identical in every way except for the fact that one was a boy and one was a girl. It had never occurred to the boy of what would happen to him once his “parents” were able to have a child of their own… Not only did they have a new addition to their family… They had two.
As the twins grew older, the boy treated them as though they were his siblings. He had been saved by their parents and then raised as though he was one of their children. He made sure that he could be the best big brother they could imagine and while Cosette flourished under his adoration… Liam withdrew from the boy. As the heir to the Edward’s family… Liam was put under stricter rules than both Ciaran and Cosette combined. While Cosette was allowed to play with other children, Liam was forced to go to extra tutor sessions with his father. After seeing what a genius Ciaran was… Montgomery needed Liam to be better. He needed to prove to himself that Liam was the rightful heir to his family name.
Occasionally, Montgomery would pair the two of them against each other in a hope that Liam would prove himself worthy despite being seven years younger than Ciaran, but he failed in every subject. The red-haired boy could see what his uncle was trying to do and while his younger cousin was never able to defeat him… He acknowledged him as the rightful heir to the Edwards name. He knew that one day… He would be working under this child and did his best to show the child what it was like to “live,” but all of his efforts were made in vain. Over the years, Ciaran watched the twins grow apart in almost every way possible… Yin and Yang… Heaven and Hell.
A Truth Revealed || The boy was 15 years of age when he mistakenly found out the truth about his heritage. He had been at a soiree to celebrate the birthday of August Mendoza. The Spanish Noble had just turned 16 and was celebrating in the fashion of his parents at their second mansion in Greece. From what he had saw, the Mendoza boy didn’t have much of a personality… He was reserved and always held a calm smile on his face. Being the third son, the Mendoza boy seemed to come to terms with the fact that the best thing he could do for his family was marry into another one. He had no chance at being a leader and from what Ciaran saw… He didn’t have the drive to push himself ahead of his elder siblings.
As the boy arrived home, he could hear his aunt and uncle arguing in his uncle’s study. He couldn’t make out exact words, but it sounded serious and it piqued his interest. The boy had always seen his parental figures as perfect role models… They were the highest standing Noble family in the country of Greece and many children, vampire and human alike, aspired to be like them. He thought that by listening to them bicker, it would give him something to laugh about later on when someone complimented them… He thought that maybe he would be able to see their more natural side. What he didn’t think was that he would hear them arguing about him and his most recent argument with another Noble child. What he didn’t think he would hear was Melinda’s voice hissing three words that changed his world forever.
“He’s your son.”
Walking into the study, the boy’s single sea green eye stared at the people he thought to be his aunt and uncle. For years, he had thought of them as wonderful people… He owed them the life he was given… He owed them for saving him from the destitute ways of his family… The boy looked at them as though he was seeing them for the first time. The life he had been living was lie. He had grown up believing that it would be a blessing for him to work under his younger cousin… That a guy like him… A guy with no family to stand behind him… Didn’t have a chance in the vampire world.
But it was all a lie.
He had a family. He had a father. He had a mother. The illusion that he had been saved had been shattered with one argument… The boy didn’t want to believe it. He wanted to go back… To stop himself from ever hearing that conversation, but that wasn’t a possibility. The weeks that followed were hard for the boy. Every relationship he had made… Every relationship he had created… Was based off of a lie. He was an Edwards… The firstborn son of Montgomery Edwards… And yet he wasn’t able to claim his place as his father’s heir.
Looking at Liam and Cosette was hard for the boy. He had thought that they were his cousins… Had thought that they were meant to be of higher standing then him. He acknowledged that his cousins did have the rightful lineage, but wasn’t his mother a Noble as well? He had been able to inherit strong Noble powers… He looked like a Noble… Sure, playing a Prince didn’t come naturally to him and he was more mischievous than the rest of the children he had met… But why did he have to be an illegitimate child?
It took months and a lot of arguments before the boy was able to come to terms with the hand he had been dealt in life. It took him a lot of effort to be able to see his siblings the same as before… To re-establish the relationships he had with them… He was their older brother… Not their cousin, but he would be damned if he ruined Cosette’s reality like Melinda had ruined his. Shutting himself away from his parents, the boy focused more on developing his own character instead of being a pawn in someone else’s game. In that time… He realized that he was worth more than what his parents had lead him to believe.
The Ultimatum || On what was presumed to be his 18th birthday, the boy had grown into a fine young gentleman. Like all other Noble’s a soiree was held to introduce him to society as one of Greece’s eligible young bachelors. Charismatic… Laid back… Down to earth… But at the same time he still had that deadly mischievous side that needed to be watched. The party was a grand one, but nothing new as far as the boy was concerned. They talked… They danced… And he was introduced to the same circle he had been in for as long as he could remember. His life was monotonous and he was growing restless… He needed to get out. After talking to his father for some time… He decided that he wanted to leave the comfort of home. He was old enough to want a higher form of education than the tutors could provide for him… And that form was Cross Academy. Rumors had reached Greece of a school meant for both vampires and humans. A school where Aristocrats sent their children to gain the connections necessary for later on in life. It was with a firm determination that the boy went to his father and expressed his want to attend such an institution.
At first… Montgomery refused the offer. He couldn’t afford to let his mistake go to such a school where one slip could lead to the downfall of the Edwards family. He needed to shelter Ciaran from the world and that meant that he needed to keep the child on a short leash. An argument ensued and the boy realized that they were going to go nowhere anytime soon… He was 18... A legal adult… And he didn’t need his father’s permission to leave the mansion.
What he needed was his money.
After arguing about the decision to attend the Academy for weeks, the boy finally told his father that he had found a reasonable solution. Ciaran would attend Cross Academy under the guise of being Montgomery’s nephew… No one with a heart would question an orphaned boy about his parents. If they did, he would simply tell them that he was too young to remember what his parents were like. Montgomery would pay Ciaran’s tuition as well as a very large allowance every month. In return… Ciaran would return upon Graduation and become the assistant that Montgomery wanted him to be. They could both be happy. Well… It was either that or Ciaran would go to the media with the story of his true parentage.
Seeing no other option… Montgomery agreed to Ciaran’s terms and sent his little mistake off to Cross Academy.
Family and Other Important People:
Montgomery Edwards || Montgomery was only 22 and a newlywed when Ciaran was born. As the only heir to the Edwards Media Empire, he knew that coming out with an illegitimate child wouldn’t be good for both him and his family. He loved Clarissa and didn’t want to see her hurt, but he didn’t have a choice. Upon Ciaran’s birth, Montgomery told her of his decision to raise the child… He also told her of the decision to remove her from his life.
Montgomery sees Ciaran as the biggest mistake he has ever made. He has tried to maintain a semi-decent father-son relationship with him, but they constantly get into arguments. Over the years, their relationship has grown distant and he only talks to the child when absolutely necessary.
Melinda Tavouleris-Edwards || Ciaran’s stepmother and the only maternal figure Ciaran has ever known. Melinda knows that Ciaran is the product of her husband’s infidelity, but like most Nobles, her marriage wasn’t one made out of love. In her opinion, Ciaran was the best thing that could ever happen to her marriage… Her husband couldn’t claim him as an heir, but he would always be there to remind him of his foolish choices.
While she doesn’t love the child, Melinda doesn’t see Ciaran as a threat to her family. It was she who sent his birth mother away and made the final decision to send Ciaran to Cross Academy.
Clarissa Niall || The Niall family was once a very prestigious name in Vampire history, but over the centuries the name has been tarnished over and over again. In the early 1800s, the branch that Clarissa hails from became extremely poor and were forced to find a way to live by whatever means necessary. For Clarissa, this meant being born into servitude. While the Niall name is still seen as a Noble name, the members themselves have been spread far and wide across the globe with only a few popping into the spectrum of high society every few centuries.
Clarissa’s parents served the Edward’s family as hired help. Despite her Noble lineage, Clarissa was expected to follow in their footsteps as a personal servant for the only son Montgomery. She and Montgomery were playmates and children and as they grew older she helped shape him into the respectable man he is today. Because of all the time they spent together, the two of them developed feelings for each other, but they could never be discovered. When Clarissa became pregnant with Montgomery’s child, she wanted to abort the thing that would ruin everything… But Montgomery stopped her.
After Ciaran’s birth, Clarissa was forbidden to ever step foot inside the same mansion as the child. The memory of her pregnancy was erased… Her life completely ruined by the selfish deeds of her first love.
Liam Edwards || Liam is thought to be the firstborn child of Montgomery Edwards and as such is slotted to be the eventual heir to the Edward’s Media Empire. Ciaran has also acknowledged that his younger half-brother is the rightful heir to his father’s fortune, but it has crossed his mind to tell the boy the truth about everything. In Ciaran’s eyes, Liam is cold hearted, cruel, and doesn’t know what it means to care about another person… But he also acknowledges that it takes this type of mentality to survive in the business world. He challenges the boy whenever he gets a chance and is constantly arguing with him. He cares very little for his father’s second offspring and the only thing that would sadden him if he died was the hardship that would then be passed down to Cosette.
Liam grew up knowing that the world would one day be in his hands. Ciaran is a rival to him in many ways, but he doesn’t know their true relationship or about his father’s infidelity.
Cosette Edwards || Despite the very dysfunctional relationship Ciaran has with his father and younger half-brother, Ciaran cares deeply for his little half-sister. The girl was born with a creative mind, but due to her heritage that creativity was never nourished properly by her parents. Being the “second” child and a female, nothing the girl ever did seemed to be good enough for their parents. Ciaran was the one to fill that parental gap in Cosette’s life. He knew how to make her laugh and he always reassured her that he would be there for her no matter what.
Cosette is still in the dark about Ciaran’s true relationship with her and still believes him to be a “cousin” and not her elder half-brother.
Items of Note:
Mozart || A gift from Cosette. Motzart is a stuffed platypus that Ciaran has had for years. When Cosette was a toddler, she used to have tea parties with a variety of stuffed animals. Ciaran was the first real person to partake in the activity of pretending to have tea with her and her friends and in return she gave him her favorite stuffed animal.
Character Goals:
- Ciaran would like to find someone who is able to accept him as he is.
- He would like to locate and meet his Mother.
Powers, Abilities and Notable Skills:
Contrary to his personality, Ciaran’s ability revolves within the spectrum of healing. While most Noble vampires are capable of wielding elements in both an offensive and defensive stance… The boy’s ability is restricted to helping other people.
Ciaran’s healing ability is stimulated through the sense of touch. The touch does not have to be in direct contact with the wound, but must be within inches (preferably centimeters) in order to be effective. The boy is able to heal all non-fatal wounds as well as some diseases. Flesh wounds are the easiest to heal for the boy as flesh regenerates fairly quickly and is easily manipulated. Bones are a different story all together… While the boy is able to heal a broken bone, it takes a lot of time and concentration on his part. (Concentration that he seldom is willing to give out.) When it comes to diseases… His ability is not able to completely remove a chronic disease, but with constant application it can alleviate symptoms and can act as a “cure” if the patient in question continues to see him on a regular basis.
The downside to such a great power is that when healing a wound, the boy’s own body acts as a surrogate anesthetic and all the pain that would be felt by the person being healed is tripled and then induced onto him. If healing a disease… The effects of the disease will be felt for no less than one day after the ability is used. In the boy’s opinion, the downside to his ability is far greater than the positives and he is hesitant to use his ability or even make it publicly known. Due to his ability’s detrimental effects… He has a naturally high pain tolerance and is able to withstand pain to a far greater degree than most Noble vampires.
Of the abilities his power gives him... Ciaran enjoys the effect his abilities has on restoring memories the most. The brain is an extremely sensitive organ and he sees the memory altering ability of vampires as a crime. Through his ability, he is able to restore a person's memories to perfection by healing the scars that are put on a person's brain to block them. In theory, this would completely cure diseases like Alzheimer's and amnesia. Using his ability on someone else's brain is traumatic on Ciaran's own mental state and often leaves him depressed at an unreachable level. Also because of the pain inflicted on him from healing a person's brain, he often gets recurring migraines for weeks after using it.
RP Sample: I took this RP sample from a Bleach site that I used to be on. You guys already know my writing, but I figured it might an interesting read.
Death... Bang! It only took one shot to send the entire mall into disarray.
The people around her were scattering likes cockroaches. Whilst the human population liked to believe itself to be free to animalistic tendencies, everything always came back to square one. Everything always came back to survival of the fittest and while humans had every right to boast about their massive brains and their ability to use a doorknob, when it came down to whether they lived or died, most put a tremendous amount of reliability on instincts and the basic rules of nature. They relied on their ability to flee, their brain completely useless because a normal human can’t simply think their way out of death.
Bang! Another shot went off and the girl turned her head for a moment as she made her way to the escalators. She needed to get out. She needed to hide. She needed to live. Reaching the bottom of the electronic stairs, she twisted through the crowd of people that surrounded her as she glanced in the direction of the main entrance. It was crowded… People were basically at a standstill. Bang! The third shot sounded as though it were only about 50 meters away. The killer was getting closer and she had nowhere to go. Ducking between a garbage can and a center stand advertising different kinds of jewelry, the girl lifted her hands to her ears and closed her eyes tightly. Maybe the gunman was targeting certain people and she could only hope that it wasn’t targeting her.
And for one moment… For one horrifying moment, everything in her world went blank. She couldn’t see anything, she couldn’t hear anything; lifting her hands to her face, her sense of touch was gone as well. It was as though her senses were completely wiped out. When she finally came to, everything was chaos. She could hear people running, could hear people screaming, and turning her head she could see people flooding the nearest exit. Pushing herself from the floor, she blinked a few times. She must’ve fallen while she was running… But why had she been running? Why couldn’t she remember anything past the fight she had with her parents? How had she ended up at the mall? What was happening?
Confusion. Absolute Confusion.
That was all the girl was feeling. Glancing from left to right, she contemplated making a run for the exit, but why were people trying to get away? In her mind, she knew that she should probably be trying to leave to… Based on the screams and the scrambling; leaving seemed to be the only sane course of action, but she couldn’t bring herself do to it. Looking around, she spotted a nearby officer and moved in his direction; dodging a few straggling people as best she could. He would know what she needed to do.
Standing in front of the officer, she waited for a minute hoping he would acknowledge her presence… But nothing happened. “Excuse me?” No answer. “Excuse me? I don’t know what is happening.” No answer. Call her conceited, but being as petite as she was, she was usually able to obtain a person’s sympathy card after the first few words left her mouth. Perhaps she was being ridiculous by looking for answers to questions she wasn’t even sure she wanted to ask, but it felt like the right thing to do. After waiting a few more moments, she waved her hand in front of the man’s face, but still didn’t get an acknowledgement and the irritation was building inside of her. She was about to tap the man’s shoulder to gain his attention when his voice froze her hand in it’s place and causing her to take a step back and give him a little space.
“We’ve found four dead, and the target is still on the loose.” Hearing his voice pause and watching his eyebrows furrow, she figured that the information he was being fed through his earpiece wasn’t good. Watching him, the words he had just said didn’t seem to click with her brain. “We can’t seem to pinpoint his location anywhere. It only took a couple minutes for this mall to go to hell, Sir. For all we know, he could be long gone.” As the small flurry of words left the man’s mouth, the girl’s eyes widened as the realization struck her. Four people were dead and they still hadn’t found the gunman. Why hadn’t he just told her that she needed to get out? Why hadn’t he pushed her towards the exit? Why hadn’t he told her to hide? “I understand. The bodies are being left as undisturbed as we can manage right now. The paramedics have been called, but there‘s no sign of life in any of them. We’re doing the best we can.” Hearing his conversation continue she could feel her irritation transforming into anger. If he was doing the best he could, then why hadn’t he acknowledged her existence?
Bang! Her body twitched as the gun sounded, and almost immediately she was crouching as though being closer to the ground would increase her chances of living. The sound was familiar, but she didn’t understand why. She had never been to a gun range, had never even played an FPS, but here the sound of a gun was sending shivers down her spine.
“Fuck!” Hearing the curse come from the man’s mouth, she looked up just in time to watch his body pass though hers. Sitting there for a moment, the girl did her best to keep from screaming. The body of another person had just passed through her, but there was no one else around to notice. No passing stranger, no onlooker, no concerned citizen, no one had seen the officer walk through her as though she was nothing more than air. Placing a hand on the ground to steady herself, she turned around to watch the man turn a corner that would lead him to the escalators. The gunshot had come from that direction and he was heading straight for it. Pushing herself off the ground, the girl moved to follow the officer, but something in her peripheral caught her attention before she could move any further. Something that wasn’t meant to be there.
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