Night. Part 1. Anna Fox
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Название: Night. Part 1
Автор: Anna Fox
Издательство: Издательские решения
Жанр: Ужасы и Мистика
isbn: 9785005055002
isbn:
It was the dining room. Very dark. Only the place where a long rectangular table stood was illuminated. Behind it would fit a man fifteen, but it was empty. Only a vase with large white flowers, a decanter filled with wine, and two crystal glasses were on the wooden table-top. At the table, in the far edge, sat on a high chair… A Stranger.
The face wasn’t visible, the darkness enveloped all its features, hiding them under itself, as if under a veil. All except bright eyes. Only eyes; but Francesca recognized him. A shiver ran through her skin. She staggered to the door, fingers gripping the air in search of a handle, but it already there wasn’t.
The Stranger stood up and walked slowly to a carafe with a slow, smooth gait. With long fingers, he wrapped around its neck. Francesca flinched, swallowing nervously. He filled both glasses to half-full, took them in his hands and walked slowly towards the girl. Fear gripped her. She leaned against the wall in the hope that it will allow to fall through it. But for a moment – and he was already standing right in front of her. And just as intently, as at that time, looked at her face.
And suddenly Francesca seemed to be under the influence of his captivating eyes. When he handed her the glass, she obediently raised her hand, accepting it. The Stranger stepped forward and was so close, that if even a little bit more, and he would have fully pressed against her trembling body. He gently lowered his head to her shoulder, hiding his face in smooth, dark-golden hair. His warm breath caressed neck exactly where two small wounds were gaping.
Heady sensation suddenly flooded Francesca. Fear remained, but it ceased to have its former significance. Heart pounding with mad power, and breathing increased. Head was spinning, knees went weak. At that moment, The Stranger let go of his glass. Sliding, it rapidly was falling to the floor.
Instantly covered with cracks, the glass shattered into fragments, giving freedom to its contents. Red liquid splashed onto Francesca’s legs. And only then did she begin to realize that this wasn’t wine at all.
Not allowing the girl to think about anything else, his strong arms wrapped around her waist and pressed to the slender male body. Lips clung to the drumming of the artery, and sharp fangs pierced two scarlet dots that didn’t have time to drag on. From the neck under the skin spreading the sweet, but poisonous pain. Francesca looked up, but her eyes closed involuntarily before losing consciousness. One hand clenched the glass, the other tightly squeezed the shirt on his back.
Fingers weakened, and the second glass, slipping from her palm, landed with a clink at feet…
Francesca abruptly jumped up in the bed in shock. As immediately, her skin and eyes suddenly pierced with burning pain. Falling back onto the pillow, she quickly covered herself with the blanket over her head. All this happened in just a second.
Immediately in the morning nothing could be grasped. Before eyes still stood the gloomy dining room and what she took to be wine spilling on the glossy black parquet. She did not even notice that there was a large red spot on the pillow. Blood dripped from her neck, soaking the fabric and her hair. On right cheek stood out scarlet stains. Francesca realized this only when she smelled a distinct metallic smell.
She’d never given much thought to a smell of blood before. But now this distinct feeling is downright cut into the brain.
The girl carefully checked her neck with her hand – the wounds opened. Francesca began to stop the flow with her fingers, but the pungent smell hit her nose, strangely, insidiously affecting her appetite.
In fear, she again threw back the blanket and jumped up. And again, a burning itch ran through the skin. She fell to the floor behind the bed, where there was less light. Pulling the blanket off and wrapping it around her, Francesca hurried to the bathroom.
She even forgot to turn on the light – everything is so perfectly visible… in the dark. Opening the first-aid kit, she hurriedly began to look for cotton and plaster. Blood was running down shoulder in a warm trickle and had already stained half of shirt. Hands in search of fumbled very quickly and deftly. Finally, having found what she was looking for, the girl opened the tap, soaked the cotton wool and wiped the wounds, immediately gluing them up with a piece of plaster.
And then her as if pierced by lightning. The hand with the bloodstained cotton trembled, willfully reaching for the nose. Francesca took a deep breath, lowering her heavy eyelids. A strange sensation stirred her entire being. The miraculous life smell, like warm molasses, spread in the lungs. A taste of salt and metal with a soft chill penetrated deep into the gums. It seemed to Francesca that she was surrounded by an alluring red haze, which asks her to be let inside. Oh, that sweet smell of human life…
Blood flowed out quite a lot. Fainting was inevitable. She understood this, but stood motionless. Thoughts flew at the speed of gunfire. But there seemed to be an invisible wall in her head that didn’t allow all the facts to be tied together. Francesca so stubbornly didn’t want to believe in what she could become… That she might have become… a creature… that had an uncontrollable thirst… for human… blood…
“No. It can’t be. This is unreal… I’m sleeping,” – she whispered, convincing herself.
The skin was burning, the bones was aching, and the ground beneath feet was starting to shake. The air, soaked with blood, filled her lungs and slowly dissolved into them.
“No. I’m sleeping… Just sleeping… It’s just a dream…”
Francesca staggered, fell to her knees, and collapsed onto the shiny ceramic tile floor.
II. Instincts
At noon, the sun stood at the zenith. It scorched a ground and a grass with a bright light. An air was heated to the limit, it became hot, stuffy, unbearable in the city. People were fussing, hurrying, running. In short, life was in full swing like an anthill.
But the bedroom of the girl named Francesca was silent and empty. Only in white rays of light danced small weightless specks of dust. In principle, it was supposed to be like that at this time of day – because she was usually in school. But today was different.
The exhausted girl slept in her own, shrouded in darkness, bathroom. The white sheet and pillows on the bed were dappled with red stains and patches of intricate patterns. There was a bitter taste of shock and despair. Minutes swiftly passed; one took turn to another.
The bell rang. The phone rang once, then a second, a third time…
“Hello!” responded the answering machine. “You called Francesca Dewan! Leave your message after the signal.”
A beep sounded, followed by an alarmed voice:
“Hey, Franky! How are you? You weren’t at school. Today I came for you, but your teacher said that you haven’t been there all day. Did something happen? You okay? Whatever happens, call me. I’m worried about you… Uh… Don’t be a stranger, okay? All right. Bye. Be sure to call! Bye.”
Tammy hung up the phone.
And time went by. The sun had already begun to set off. But nothing changed in the room. Only the light falling on the walls and the floor moved СКАЧАТЬ