“Breaking News! A total of three more dead bodies have been discovered this evening in this dark alley near the cemetery. According to authorities, the victims were identified as senior year students at a local university. All victims have identical markings etched into their flesh, precisely the same as the other eight dead bodies discovered on the other side of the road late last night. The people are questioning whether these cases are all linked together. However, what happened to these three victims was particularly frightening compared to the rest, as it appears that these victims have been brutally murdered. The curve of the viral virus cases has flattened out, but a new phenomenon is causing concern among the public once more —”
“Geez! What’s going on in our town today?” uttered Anastasia. “Mira, you have to be careful,” Anastasia warned, a tinge of concern in her voice as she expressed concern for her daughter’s safety.
Mira was too preoccupied with her gaze fixated on the television screen when she noticed that the victim’s uniform was the same as the one she wore to her school.
Even though Mira was aware that they were from her school, she had no way of knowing who the victims were. Despite the fact that the victim’s faces have been heavily censored on the screen, no one would be able to tell who those victims are if it weren’t for the tags attached to the victims’ school uniforms with their names printed on them. In all cases, it appears as though the deceased’s bodies have had all of their bodily fluids drained out of them.
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Over the course of several years, Mira was successful in her attempts to protect and take care of Bella. Just like how they usually spend their time together on a regular basis, they both spend their New Year’s, Christmas, birthdays, holidays, and vacations together.
The only thing that keeps them apart for a few hours at a time is the fact that they live in different houses. But that doesn’t hinder them from seeing each other whenever they want to since their homes are only a few blocks away from one another.
While Mira and Bella were in the midst of the process of growing up, Alicia wasted no time in recruiting a battalion of people to help her in laying the curse after finding out that Bella already possessed the bead that would grant her the ability to govern all the undead, including herself.
Alicia planned a number of different schemes to get the bead into her possession, but none of her men were successful in obtaining the bead she desired.
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“Ali?” called the scientist as soon as he saw Alicia in his working area. Alicia was facing the rat and was cut off speaking to it when her lover entered the room.
The moment the scientist walked into the room, Alicia’s demeanor changed, and she became more serious. The expression on her face altered before turning to face the scientist. “Hey,” Alicia said in response. She had a warm smile on her face.
“What brings you here?” the scientist asked.
“Why? You don’t want me to be here?” Alicia responded. Her expression was sulky.
“No. I mean, I—I was just astonished, to be honest,” the scientist explained.
“Great! Because that’s absolutely what I came here for.” Her lover was standing within a few meters of distance. Alicia walked her feet to him and stated, “Surprise!” she chuckled as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
After staring into each other’s eyes for a while, the scientist was about to kiss Alicia when she unwrapped her arms away from his neck. “So...” Alicia walked over to the desk. “Where’s this magical drug?” she asked while tracing the surface of the table with her index finger.
“What?” The scientist was confused about what Alicia was trying to tell.
“The one you used to curse me.” Alicia came to a complete stop, her index finger still resting on the table.
There was a brief pause before Alicia corrected the mistake in her statement. “I mean... cure. Cure me,” she continued as she corrected her earlier statement, pressing her index finger against her thumb as she attempted to wipe away the dust that had accumulated in her finger.
“So, where is it?” Alicia shifted her weight and proceeded to the cupboards where the chemicals were stored. “I’ve been looking for it, but I can’t seem to find it.” Alicia picked one beaker after another, checking the labels on them. She then faced the mouse and said, “I tried to ask the mous--” Alicia shut her mouth before she could finish her statement.
“Whatever,” Alicia whispered with a roll in her eyes. She then turned to face the scientist and forced a phony smile on her face. “Just tell me where it is.”
“I--I...” The scientist was out of words. He shrugged and stated, “It’s the vaccines.” His tone sounded like he was asking a question or uncertain of his words.
Alicia’s demeanor drastically changed. “The original one.” Her voice sounded too lame. “We all know it’s different from the vaccines.” She glued her expressionless face at him without blinking for a minute.
“H--How did you know?” The scientist questioned, his brows all wrinkled in curiosity.
Alicia walked her feet back to the desk and rested her bottom. “I—It’s the news. I saw it once in the news. R—remember when the authorities released the vaccines? It says I was the very first one to receive it before it was--” She crossed her arms and stated, “Oh, come on! Can you tell me where it is or not?” Alicia’s voice sounded a little demanding.
“I—I tried everything I could to keep you alive.” The scientist approached Alicia, trying to change the subject, and came to a complete halt as Alicia spoke. “Do I owe you a thank you at this point?” A tint of irritation could be heard in her tone of voice. Alicia didn’t bother to ask him further for him not to doubt anything since she knew that she wouldn’t be getting any answer from him at all. In response to Alicia’s statement, the scientist was perplexed. When his bewildered expression gradually turned sour, Alicia grinned at him. “Thank you very much!” she insincerely said, trying to make it sound sincere before giving him another forced smile.
Alicia can’t make a mistake. She can’t let anyone suspects her, not before she gets the bead in her possession. She continued to give him a forced warm smile on her lips and in her eyes while the scientist looked into her face with his brows still wrinkled in confusion.
After a long pause, the scientist made a tiny, shaky motion with his head, trying to brush off the weird thoughts that were running through his head. “I’m just grateful you’re still alive,” he said, sighing deeply. He approached Alicia and pinned her to the table’s surface with his hands on the side of her legs. “I thought we’d lost you.” His eyes were filled with concerns. “We were left with two options. If the medicine doesn’t work, your father had planned to have you put to death via lethal injection.” The scientist lowered his gaze and rested his forehead on her shoulder.
Alicia’s demeanor suddenly changed. “What?!” Alicia brushed off the scientist’s hand. “You were planning to kill me?” She walked about a meter away from him to avoid any further contact.
Because of Alicia’s reaction, the scientist was taken by surprise. “N—No, not at all. It pains us to see you suffering every time you have cardiac arrest--” He came to a halt when he realized that explaining himself would be pointless if Alicia was not in the mood to listen. He sighed and held Alicia’s hand, saying, “Can we just let it go and be pleased that now you’re here with me?” he asked in a calm voice while caressing the back of Alicia’s hand with his thumb.
“I love you,” he whispered.
Alicia’s pupils constricted as her eyes darkened. After hearing his father’s plan to kill her and not being able to get the chemical she’s been looking for, her countenance remained neutral.