The Selection II

Friday bloomed with rain clouds decorating the sky and the wind blowing up a tantrum, the howling noise fleeting in through the open blinds waking me before my alarm clock. The cold accompanying the rain seeping through the walls, chilling the room. Graduation day, I thought to myself, breathing deeply as I smelled the rain. Yawning, I padded gently to the front of my wardrobe where I had hung up my gown and cap, smiling widely as I fingered the material, imagining myself flinging my cap. Two days before, I had succeeded in completing my project and getting a positive result on the two tests I had run it on. 

Finished getting ready, the yellow dress I had bought hugging my lithe curves, my hair swept up in a messy bun as I stared into the mirror, my hand coming up to the faint bruise on the top of collar bone. I touched the twin circle marks, my head pounding drastically as I tried to recall how I had gotten the mark, my panic coating the room as the obvious scenario of what had happened fleeted through my mind. Not only could I not recall how I had gotten the bruise, I couldn't remember the events of the past week either, my mind a blank page until the Monday of this week. 

Shaking my head and declaring no thoughts were going to spoil my day, I went downstairs, my heels clicking on the tiles as I entered the kitchen and found a bouquet of roses placed carefully on the counter, a folded handwritten note by its side. Flipping open the note, I read my dad's words, grinning like an unabashed school girl, 'In the case, you come down before me. There's no day that I've never been proud of you and awed by your personality and strength, awed by your magnificent brain and how it works, awed by the way you carry yourself and tackle every challenge that comes your way. I'm super proud of you and will forever be honoured to be called your father, cupcake. Now let's go fling that cap'. I put the roses to my nose and tried to breathe away the waterworks forming. Feeling a presence behind me, I turned and ran into my father's outstretched arms, bawling like a baby.

"Happy Graduation, cupcake", He said, pressing a kiss on my forehead. "She would have been super proud of you too", he added and I cried my eyes out, cried my heart out too, missing her, finding it hard to breathe, wondering what she would have thought about my dress. I cried for my mum.                       

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Seated in the big auditorium holding hands with my best friends as the valedictorian of our class recited his speech, charging us to make a difference and bla bla bla, I stopped listening, my eyes surveying the hall, catching the eyes of my dad, I smiled widely and continued my search, cataloging the people I knew. Kane's mum, decked out in jewels, stood out, her black hair straightened to perfection, her purple gossamer matching the blue of her eyes. A quick search around her proved what I already suspected, Kane's father wasn't in attendance. So was Jacob St. Laurent, not in attendance, my gut said, after another quick survey. The name calling began, starting with our arm and I watched in anticipation as my classmates walked to the podium on hearing their names.

'Dalia Renee Paul' my name was called and time stilled for me as I walked up to the podium, my neck prickling in sensation. Receiving my certificate and smiling for the camera, I walked down as another person was called, feeling a particular set of eyes on me as I made my way back to my seat. Sitting, I shook away the feeling and watched the ceremony, aware that I was being watched.

The selection proper started an hour later, like an open exhibition day, we were ordered back to our various labs to prep and add finishing touches. By my stand, a newly made's blood in a vial, the thumbprint sensor plugged into my computer, as I wrung my hands. With my friends in the next room, nobody to increase my esteem, I awaited my fate.

Vampires started trooping in, their surreal bodies causing jaw drops mine included as they began moving around, their daylight ring glinting in the light. The daylight ring was what enabled them to walk out under the sun, the cost of one showed how high up you were in the vampires inner circle, and how rich you were. Some had been half vampires who had probably undergone the change, I thought as a few made their way to my stand. Placing an award winning smile on my face, I explained what my project was all about. Asking for a volunteer among the spectators, by now I had gathered a crowd, I placed his thumb on the sensor and his data came up on my computer, viewing his name, his age, a little above a century, his occupation, house address and how many he had made, ten. Clicking a few buttons, the ten mades details came up on my screen with the help of my program, earning me gasps and murmurs from the crowd. Thanking the beautiful man for volunteering, I took the vial from the table, placing a drop on the alter part of the sensor I had developed a month ago, the details of the newly made popping up immediately, gleaning the information, I scrolled down to reveal his location at the moment and the vampire who had made him. And the crowd erupted in a cheer, admiring my work, I took a bow, spotting a few jotting down my name as the crowd moved on. The day quickly bled into night, as we were ordered back into our classrooms to view our postings, catching up with Sacha, who was absentmindedly munching her thumbnail and Kane, who looked ecstatic as always. I hugged them from behind and let out a squeal, signaling my presentation had gone well and asked them about theirs. They both affirmed, although Sacha was still munching away in concealed anxiety. Their head, Jean-Marc walked in few minutes later, congratulating them on the success of their presentation and jumped straight into a lecture, revealing an information that no one had ever told us, ' The half vampire system expires on turning 19', he began, "Before then, you are given a choice if you want to undergo the change which may sometimes lead to death or remain human, thereby forfeiting your vampire side. That's what the Fangs Academy has always been about, since it's grassroot days, modelling half vampires to be able to face the change, before the implementation of the selection and the arms. I implore you to choose your path wisely". "With that said, your placements", he called out, without waiting for us to process the information that had just been ingested in our brains, the screen popped up on the white board behind him, from the hanging projector, showing our names and placements. Scanning the lines in search of my name, my mates collective gasps as they spotted their names reaching my ears, scanning harder for a 'D' but coming up short. Skimming through the list again, my heart in my throat as I came up short again. Turning to find Sacha and Kane staring at me, shocked wistful expressions marring their faces. I shook my head, unbelieving, as I skimmed through the list for the third time, getting the same result. I hadn't made the selection. 

Two days later after several assurances to my friends and dad that I was alright, I sat somberly in my room, reminding myself that I was supposed to be down for dinner in ten minutes or face my dad's fussing. Wondering for the thousandth time what had gone wrong or why or how something could have gone wrong as I nibbled on my dinner, mumbling one word answers to my dad's unrelenting questions. Playing with the scrambled eggs on my plate, imagining a police and thief scenario when the doorbell rang unexpectedly causing my dad to glance up from his food, his eyebrow quirking in silent, 'Are you expecting anyone?' question. The bell rang again, accompanied by a light knock, propelling dad to the door with me following behind, curious to see who it was. My dad opened the door cautiously, hiding me behind his body as he talked to the person through the little crack the opened door had created. After several seconds of muffled replies from the stranger behind the door, my dad opened the door wide and the person came into my view, a vampire, his ethereal glow giving him out before I looked down to spot his daylight ring. Frowning, I studied the face I was sure I had seen somewhere. The volunteer during my project display, my mind clicked and I stared in confusion. His honey eyes glued to me.

"What can we do for you?", Dad asked, breaking me out of my haze and going straight to the point. The tall, beautiful man with skin like bronzed ivory and face like Zeus, opened his mouth and let out in a lilting voice, "Dalia Renee Paul has been selected to intern for Laurent's Lab and is expected to report in by tomorrow morning".

Watching his mouth move and not catching his words until my brain played back, "What?", I shouted, barely believing and seriously wondering if I was being pranked. I looked to my dad, finding him staring at the man.

Producing a card from his Dior dove grey suit, the man handed it to my giddy hands, notifying me to be on time tomorrow, before taking his leave not bothering with a goodbye.

Short of jumping up and down, I shrieked in excitement, remembering the smooth card in my hands, which read 'Selected Laurent's Lab' in gold bold italics.