Chapter 10 - A Resolution Hard to See
Daniel tensed, peering into the surrounding darkness, trying to locate where their hidden observer was. But it was impossible, the voice had seemed to come from every direction. Or like he had only heard it in his mind.
Another peal of musical laughter enveloped them, almost as if in response to Daniel’s train of thought. A scary idea, Daniel didn’t want anyone knowing what he was thinking, let alone a stranger he couldn’t see.
Daniel continued scanning the scenery, then realized he had missed something. There was a woman looking right at him, smiling faintly and leaning against a large tree.
Daniel stared in confusion. She hadn’t been there a second ago! He watched her warily, sensing she was somehow related to all this craziness. The woman was very pretty in a strange, almost inhuman way. She was wearing an odd green dress that should have looked medieval but somehow managed to look ageless. The woman was also very pale, her skin even whiter than Darren’s had been, with raven black hair that went at least past her shoulders.
The blond one was slightly worried about her appearance, hadn’t Darren mentioned something about a strange lady stalking him, some time ago? Said she was a vampire? This woman could certainly pass for one, without even trying.
Daniel started to tense again as he heard yet another chuckle, but then he realized it was being done out-loud and not that pervading, slightly nerve-wracking manner in which he had heard the other ones.
“What is it with you humans and your obsession with vampires?” the lady called out in a friendly tone.
Daniel relaxed a tiny amount as that velvety voice washed over him, ignoring the words that meant nothing to him. The woman had a voice even smoother than Darren’s singing voice. But then the strange lady began walking towards them and Daniel became wary again. There was something odd about the way she moved; like she wasn’t dangerous now, but she could be. Very easily.
Daniel stood up quickly and moved in front of Darren, ready to protect his confused friend.
“Ah, you are more perceptive than I thought, Daniel. Perhaps that is why you are always so quiet.” The pale one said in an amused voice, stopping about 15 feet from the unsure pair. Daniel decided he definitely did not like the sensation that she could hear his thoughts as easily as he read a billboard. It made him feel too exposed, the guitarist wanted to get away from here, from all this strangeness.
“ ‘unnna?” Darren said out of the blue, peering around Daniel’s legs. He seemed to know who the lady was, confirming Daniel’s belief that this was indeed Darren’s ‘stalker.’
What has Darren been keeping from me? the guitarist wondered, feeling an irrational stab of jealousy and a little hurt that his best friend had kept something from him.
But if he had told me, I probably would have laughed at him. And Darren knows it. Now Daniel felt guilty for getting so mad at Darren, even if it was only for a second. Also, Daniel knew how hard it was for the dark-haired one to keep a secret. It must have been killing Darren to keep such a frightening one.
Daniel felt like sighing as he watched the strange lady nod slightly.
Stop doing that! the guitarist thought with exasperation, knowing she could hear him Stay out of my thoughts, lady. Daniel began thinking a wall at her, a large one made out of black bricks, surrounding and protecting his thoughts.
He was rewarded by the faint look of surprise that flitted across the woman’s face for a moment.
“Well, will wonders never cease?” she murmured, almost to herself, before turning her attention to Darren.