Chapter 4 – Dawn
Her plan was simple. All they needed was Lily’s help. But in order to get that they needed her trust and her location. They had not been able to find her. Dawn had led her friends around town for no reason.
“Is this your way or running away again?” Anna asks.
Hazel rolls her eyes, “If Dawn was trying to run she wouldn’t be doing it well because we’re still here.”
“No! I’m trying to find help for you.”
“Who said we needed help?” Hazel defends.
Anna checks the time on her watch, “It’s getting late.”
This would not be a problem if this story took place in modern times. Our story takes place before the Fairy vs. Force War so roughly in the early 2000s. Not what you were expecting. This story took place around 2004ish, but a lot of the records have been tampered with so take this information with a grain of salt. Wars between magical creatures are always becoming more and more throughout the years. From the year 2000 to 2022 there have already been two major magical wars. I’m sure you’re wondering why I started a history lesson instead of telling you the story. To tell you the truth I’m wondering the same thing.
“You can go back, I’ll keep looking.” Dawn says.
“No we’re not stopping now!” Anna proclaims.
Hazel gives Dawn a nervous look, “Maybe we should go back.”
Then Hazel looks closer to Dawn and whispers in a hushed tone, “Won’t you be getting hungry soon?”
Dawn didn’t think about that. She still might be risking her friends’ lives if she goes to school. She had tried to forget about this fact and still thought of herself as human. She didn’t feel like a vampire this whole time because she wasn’t acting like one.
“I have ‘food’ at home.” Dawn whispered back.
Hazel nodded but Dawn could tell she was grossed out by the idea of there being blood at Dawn’s house. Dawn knew there always would be because her Mom had a friend who was a nurse. She took extra blood bags and sent them off to her house as discreetly as possible. If they were ever caught their plan was to say the blood was fake and for a horror movie her mom was helping make.
Luckily no one ever had to use this excuse but no one could promise that their neighbors weren’t suspicious of them.
“We can’t let you continue alone.” Anna insists, “What are you even looking for?”
Dawn turns to Anna, “Not what, who.”
Hazel suddenly trips with surprise. Dawn looks over at her only to see Hazel’s eyes widen immensely. Dawn’s expression changes to confusion as she simultaneously feels her eyes return to normal.
Hazel had realized the change before Dawn did. Something had triggered her eyes into changing color but what was it? She wasn’t using her powers. She wasn’t particularly excited or happy. Or was she?
Dawn nearly tripped over her own feet when she realized what might have triggered it. No, it couldn’t be. They’d only known each other for a day. Dawn had never really thought of anyone that way in a long time. Now had her vampirism revealed a secret about herself that no one knew. Dawn knows she has to take her mind off it and think about something else. Or else her fears might become a reality.
“She might be staying at the hotel.” Dawn assumes.
“Why do we need to see her?” Anna asks.
Dawn ignores Anna and they walk to the hotel. Workers at the reception desk wait for the girls to approach them.
“Hi.” Anna says to the worker.
One smiles and asks, “How may I help you today?”
“We’re looking for someone.” she replies.
“May I have a name?” the receptionist asks, taking out a clipboard.
Anna turns to Dawn, “What’s her name?”
“Lily.” Dawn eyes the elevator, “I don’t have a last name, sorry.” The receptionist shakes their head and looks down at the clipboard.
“There’s no one by that name on my list.” they reply.
Dawn nods and ushers her friends to leave. Hesitantly Hazel and Anna leave looking back at the receptionist the whole time.
“Where to next?” Anna asks.
Dawn opens her mouth to say something but instead turns back to the building. She walks to the back of the hotel and looks up at one of the windows. Her friends look at her with a confused expression. Dawn ties up her hair and steps back. She is about to run but then turns to Anna.
“Anna go ask the receptionist again about Lily.” Dawn orders.
Anna nods and leaves to do what Dawn asked her to do while Hazel gives Dawn a knowing look.
“What are you doing?” Hazel backs up.
“Lily is in that room. I can see her. She must have snuck past the security. She’s hiding from something. We can help her just as much as she can help us. I think I can get up there but I needed Anna to leave.” she tells Hazel.
“Why?” Hazel asks.
Before Dawn can answer she back ups and jumps onto the wall. The motion is so fast and swift that Hazel barely realizes what happened. Dawn nearly slips down the wall and makes her way up the building. She launches herself up an impressive amount and latches on to the wall as the distance between the ground and her becomes more and more vast. Finally she grabs onto the balcony railing. It’s slippery and her hand slips. Hazel screams while Dawn hangs on. She pulls herself up slowly and carefully.
Dawn stands up and bangs on the door for Lily to let her in. Lily runs to the door and hurries to open it.
“Lily we need you-” Dawn faints falling through the door. Lily brings her inside and lays her on an extra bed. She goes back outside and prepares the fire escape ladder for Hazel to climb up. Which Hazel rushes to do.
Hazel walks through from the balcony before asking Lily, “Who are you?”
Lily tilts her head in confusion, “Dawn didn’t mention me?”
Hazel shakes her head and Lily nods with understanding.
“You’re Hazel I presume?” before Hazel can get a word out Lily continues, “Correct me if I’m wrong but you’re 14 years old, you go to Torren High, you’ve been friends with Dawn since you were in first grade, you secretly like her despite your fondness for the friendship you currently have and you’re scared you’ll ruin that if you tell her.”
Hazel’s eyes widen with surprise, “How do you know that?!”
“Which part?” Lily teases.
“You know which part! How would you know that?!” Hazel demands.
Lily smiles, “You want to know how I know? The short answer is I guessed, the long answer is I knew because we both like the same girl.”
“You’re lying.” Hazel accuses.
Lily shakes her head, “No just don’t tell her what we’ve spoken about and I’ll do the same for you.”
The two sit in silence for a while until Dawn wakes up. Lily and Hazel turn to her. Lily with a smile on her face and Hazel still in shock but trying her best to force a smile. Dawn gets up, weakly. She’s hungry and tired.
“You were telling me about how you needed help.” Lily reminds her.
Dawn nods, “Yes, I-” she hesitates, “I need you to help Hazel and Anna.”
“Why do we need help?” Hazel asks.
With an odd look of guilt in her eyes Dawn asks, “Could you give me and Lily some time to talk, alone?”
Hazel nods and leaves the room to go find Anna. Now I could tell you what Dawn and Lily talked about since this story is about Dawn but instead I’ll focus on Hazel and Anna for a bit. We don’t want them feeling unappreciated now do we?
Anna was arguing with the receptionist when Hazel motioned her to quietly come to the stairs. Anna looks back at the worker and purposefully knocks over a cup of pens.
“Sorry.” She apologies.
Anna runs as the worker’s voice is barely audible saying, “It’s alright just stay right there.” Hazel and Anna rush up the stairs.
“How’d you get up here?” Anna asks.
“Dawn helped me get up.” Hazel answers.
“How? That’s impossible! You guys asked me to talk to the receptionist so you could get in!” she recalls.
“It was a distraction.” Hazel admits.
Anna pauses looking hurt, “What? You didn’t want my help?”
“We did.” Hazel argues, “It’s complicated but Dawn doesn’t want to tell you yet and that’s her choice.”
“Don’t I have a right to know if something is wrong or that you’re hiding from me or lying.” Anna asks, sounding concerned.
Hazel sighs and stops walking before turning to face Anna, “It’s not my choice to make. She’ll tell you what she needs you to know, nothing more nothing less.”
“Then how did you find out?” Anna questions.
“I wish I knew what I did for a good reason. I wish Dawn had confessed to me but I found out by accident. I think Dawn wishes I never knew. And I wish I could tell you. But in a way it’s something special I can hold on to.”
The rest of the walk up to the room was silent. Anna knew that it wasn’t her place to argue anymore. She was not the type of person to hold a grudge. She wasn’t mad at Hazel, a loyal friend kept secrets even if they don’t want to.
It wasn’t like Anna didn’t know Hazel’s secret. She knew what everyone else knows at this point. About Hazel’s feelings toward Dawn. It seems the only one out of the loop was Dawn. Even though she thought she was keeping her secrets from the rest of them.
Although I think I know what you’re thinking. What did Anna and Dawn talk about behind closed doors? What was so important that not even Hazel could hear about it? Why did her friends need any help in the first place?
“What do you mean Hazel and Anna need my help?” Lily asks suspiciously.
Dawn sighs, “I think they can help you later if we give them something now. You just have to hear me out and don’t stop me before I’m done explaining.
“Okay.” Lily replies trustingly.
“We need to turn Hazel and Anna.”
Lily screams, “What?!”
Dawn wants to argue with Lily but there’s a clear look of pain and fear in her eyes, she just can’t yell at her now. She sits her down on the bed. Lily’s head is replaying every memory of the fairies mistreating her. She knows some of them are terrible but she can’t understand why she will have to declare war against them. Turning Dawn’s friends would only take them one step close to that war.
“It sounds crazy but I know that I will help all of us.” Dawn begins, “They want to know more and if they do they’ll be at risk in a world like this. If they are turned they can protect themselves. They can protect us and we can protect them. I think they will want this.”
“Dawn, you know better than anyone that having magic, not being human is a curse. It’s a fight between the human in you and the magic in you. It never ends once it begins. It’s not something to be taken lightly.” Lily states, looking off into the distance.
She pauses, seeming to be deep in thought, then she reaches for Lily’s hand. Lily looks up at her. Dawn nearly forgets what she is going to say at the moment. But after a few seconds she continues.
“We both know you’ll need to turn people before the war and they need to protect themselves when that war happens.” Dawn explains.
Lily nods, even though she is still conflicted. Dawn knows this will be hard for her but sometimes drastic measures need to be taken. Just then Hazel and Anna walk in. Lily rushes off the bed, leaving Dawn to quickly retract her hand. Hazel notices even though she doesn’t want to admit to herself that she’s jealous.
“We’re ready.” Lily forces out.
Anna knows that her questions won’t be answered if she continues asking them so she stays quiet. Silently hoping that Dawn fills her in on the secrets everyone else in this room has already learned about.
Hazel decides to sit on the bed in the same spot that Lily sat. Dawn looks at her with a confused expression but shrugs it off.
To be honest, I wish Lily said ‘no’. I wish I could change a lot about this story. But doing that to insure these people’s happiness would ruin others lives completely. Besides, I’m not supposed to. I am allowed to watch but not to interact. Sometimes it’s torture but I need to know what happens next. Don’t you?
Will Hazel and Anna be, okay? Will they be good forces… or vampires? Does Dawn’s plan go farther than this? Will Dawn tell Anna the information she’s missing? She has to, doesn’t she?
** Editor’s Note: Starting now I will only be posting twice a month. I have a lot of stories I’m working on, and I am getting ready to finish up Hidden Force and introduce a new story. If you need more content to read, there are plenty of wonderful ongoing stories to read on the website. Goodbye, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**
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