1. Club To Hunt And Kill The Weak

Vaelora

Fuck! 'Haunting Adeline' caused all these. It rewired my brain in ways I still don’t understand. And now, I don't know if I love being stalked or if I hated it.

Well, if I'm to analyse it.. if I try to be honest with myself I loved the thrill I read from the story when Adeline was being stalked by Zade. The way he watched Adeline, the way his presence was always there, heavy and intoxicating. It made my pulse race. Yet, I hated the fact that her stalker got eery and eery every freaking page I flipped. Like dude, either step into the light or crawl back into whatever shadow you crawled out of.

Now, my real life feels like a twisted sequel I never asked for?

Because I’m actually living it.

Facing almost the same predicament. Just that mine is worse.

My stalker didn’t just watch me from across a street or leave cryptic messages. He didn’t just breathe too close behind my back.

My stalker literally killed a human right before my eyes last two nights. Without hesitation. Without mercy.

Blood. The sound. The way life left that body.The way his head was disconnected from his body. I can’t unsee it. I can’t unhear it. It’s carved into me now, deep and ugly and permanent..

And yeah… sorry for the suspense.

But if I’m going to tell this story, I have to drag you down my own personal traumatic nightmare first.

So let me take you back—

TWO DAYS AGO,

"Hey, let's go in there," I giggled as I dragged Andrew, my fiancé along. He followed reluctantly, letting me tow him like an annoyed but obedient bodyguard.

At least fifty or so people crowded around the entrance of the club, The Undercrypt. What a weird name. Getting anywhere near the front should have been impossible. But because my fiancé was.. well, famous and all, it took less than a minute for security to part the crowd like water.

Fame had its perks.

"Why do you even want to go in there, Vee." Andrew asked, eyeing me like I've grown a second head.

I smiled at him before turning back to look at the towering billboard above the entrance. A strange symbol pulsed faintly on it. It caught my attention, making my skin tingle. It read: Club To Hunt And Kill The Weak.

"I wanna know what that symbol means," I said quietly. What do they mean by the weak?

"We might not even get in."

"Such an optimist you are. With those good looks," I teased him. He laughed richly. ".. and that ridiculous popularity. Sure, getting in here is going to be a piece of cake." I poked him on the stomach with a smile and he slid an arm around my waist, pulling me closer in that possessive way I secretly loved.

"This is so not like you. You know that, right?" He brushed a kiss against my neck.

"Sometimes, I love to try new things, Andrew. What's the point of living if we stay trapped in one plot forever." I smiled, pulling his lips away from my neck as gently as I could before things would escalate. "Let's not start this here. Shall we?"

"What? It's not wrong for me to want you." He pouted and I giggled. Sometimes, he acts like a big baby. "I know."

I let my hair spill down to my back to my waist, catching the club lights. I have very long red hair that's still bright even as I get older. It's so beautiful and long.

"Let's go with it for once, okay?" I laced my fingers through his as we moved forward. People gasped and whispers followed.

"Is that him...?"

"Gosh, he's more hotter than he is on tv."

"Fuck, I want him for myself."

" That bitch he's with is so lucky and she's so ugly with freckles and all."

Yeah, I was used to these kind of whispers whenever I walk with Andrew so I'm not bothered that some motherfucker called me a bitch. Well, I am a lucky ugly one. I have freckles that I sometimes get ashamed of. It makes coming out and socializing really hard for me. The stigmatization from people really hit me but today, I would not let some foul mouthed asshole spoil my day.

I squeezed Andrew's hand tighter with a smile spreading across my face.

Then the bouncer stopped us. He scrutinized my face and I thought he will be one of such people that will call be ugly and say that I do not belong in this club.

"You've got to be kidding me.. " said the bouncer with a deadpanned face. "Girls under the age of twenty aren't allowed into the club."

He stated with a bored expression and my jaw dropped.

What the fuck, dude? I wanted to say that aloud but I swallowed. I should've been used to this by now. I am twenty one fucking years old. So why the heck do people think I'm younger than twenty?

Yes, maybe I do look younger but... They're getting on my nerves. And somehow this keeps happening.

"I— I... Um, hi..." I started, already getting irritated.

"Allow me, babe," Andrew said, and I reluctantly stepped aside for my hero to save the day.

When the bouncer saw him, his face widened with recognition and I was glad he knew my fiancé . Good. Maybe, now he will let us in—

So I thought.

"Mr. Williams," he straightened. "Please forgive me but your younger sister isn't old enough to enter the club."

What the hell is wrong with this guy? Younger sister?

Oh. Hell. No. Is he serious?

I clenched my fists into a ball ready to punch this asshole.

Oh God, help me!

"She's not..." Andrew wanted to calmly convince the burly dude but I wasn't having any of it.

"Look, bald-headed," I snapped, stepping forward, and I was satisfied at how he looked at me, his jaw dropped open. "I just came here for one night of fun since I will be clocking TWENTY-TWO in the next three weeks," I made sure to emphasized well on my age. "..and I'd really appreciate it if you'd let us through instead of being all rude and mean. Honestly , I wouldn't be surprised if this your attitude is what made you hairless and you stopped growing an inch taller since you clocked what age— fifty?"

Gasps rippled through the crowd. The bouncer looked like he had been slapped. Maybe I hurt his ego but I didn't care right now.

"Now quit this whole circus and let us in so I can find out what those freaking writings and symbols on the billboard means!"

Another series of gasps. And now, it wasn't only the bald bouncer's jaw that was draped open , almost everyone around me had the same expression on their faces.

Yeah, that's what happens when I'm pissed off.

This wasn't the only thing I noticed. There was an electric- blue haired boy that stopped in his tracks at my mention of wanting to see the symbol on the billboard. He had been heading inside. Probably, one of the club's VIPs. He turned and his eyes locked onto mine. He was normal-enough looking but there was something about him that kept me unsettled. He had electric blue dyed hair that stuck up around his head. He had no elaborate tattoos or anything of that sort just that, he had so many piercings than I could account of.

The man's wide eyes were way too red for someone who was high or something. His gaze burned, they were too intense.

"What symbol and writings?" He asked, his tone told me he was somewhat shocked.

"Yeah, babe. What symbol?"

I turned to Andrew in surprise. "It's right there." I pointed and he looked over at where the glowing symbol was and looked back at me, confused. "That one there. You don't.. you don't see it?”

He shook his head.

A chill crept up my spine and I don't know why.