EXCERPT Through The Ages
By Crystal Temple
(A Betty Morgana Story)
Excerpt
-Londinium (London), England year 1016-
I STARED AT THE WOODS through my window that morning; my father had told my
brother William and I never to go into the woods ever since we were kids. There
was said to have been some kind of creatures within them. My brother and I were
always curious about the creatures so we decided when I reached sixteen we would
both go into the woods and see what was so bad about them. Today was that day;
it was my sixteenth birthday.
“Today is your big day sister…sixteen,” William said as he trotted into my room
his curly brown hair bouncing up and down as he moved.
I smiled, “Yes it is my birthday, and you know what else that means? We are
going into Blackrock Woods,” I said and William grinned widely.
“Yes I remember, after the sun sets we go out,” he said. I looked at William.
He looked so excited about going into the woods, his emerald eyes seemed to
glow at even saying the name Blackrock Woods. I sat down at the mirror, picked
up my hairbrush then brushed out my long black hair.
“You know William…mother and father won’t be happy about this,” I said softly.
William set his hands on my shoulders. “Yes I know…but you do want to get out
of this place do you not? The only way to leave is through the woods. By the
time they’ve discovered we’re gone, mother and father won’t be able to do
anything. We will leave a note saying we have gone to see Aunt Mary, they
always told us Aunt Mary lived far beyond woods. So they will know at least we
are going somewhere safe…they should not worry so much.” William said, and I
nodded and smiled at my eighteen year old brother. I set my brush down and
stood up. William ran his finger through my hair putting part of it behind my
ear so he could see my ice blue eyes. “You have the brightest eyes I have ever
seen sister, now get dressed…mother said guests will arrive early and I do not
think they would like to see you in your sleep wear,” William said then left the
room so I could change.
I quickly changed into a dress mother made for me. It was a long blue dress
with long flowing sleeves; mother said it was the same kind the princess would
wear. I took a deep breath, now that I was sixteen, I could wear beautiful
dresses that the ladies in the village wore, the bad part was the corsets, I
could barely breathe with a corset on, but unfortunately, I needed it for the
dress. I slowly walked out of my room and saw mother sitting at the small table
with her friend from across the village.
“Morning mother, Miss. Jacobs,” I greeted them.
“Ah morning Betty, you are just a vision this morning,” Miss. Jacobs said with
a smile.
“Thank you Miss. Jacobs,” I said with a slight blush, I was not used to being
complimented.
“Now Alice you are making dear Betty blush,” my mother said with a chuckle.
Alice Jacobs and my mother had been friends since they were children, which
amazed me since both women were both in their 30s.
“Mother, who else is coming today?” I asked.
“Well, your father will be coming later tonight with Father Paterson and his
wife. Mayor O’Connor and his son Caleb and Mrs. Mathews,” my mother replied.
“Caleb? Caleb is coming?” I asked, surprised, and Mother nodded. I had had a
crush on Caleb ever since I was a child and was happy he was coming.
* * * *
IT WAS A FEW HOURS later when Caleb arrived at our small wooden house and saw
me.
“Hello birthday girl,” he greeted and I spun around.
“C-C-Caleb…hello,” I stuttered, always having had trouble speaking to him.
“I got you…a…small token… I um…hope you like it.” He pulled a small velvet box
from his pocket and handed it to me. I opened the box, and inside was a
beautiful golden ring with a small blood red jewel in the center. It was the
most beautiful thing I had ever seen.
“Oh my…it is…Caleb it is beautiful.” I said as I looked at him. Caleb looked
down and ran his hand through his fiery red hair.
“I…am…um…glad you like it.” He said then he took the box from me, took the
ring out and slid it on my finger. I hugged him tightly then out of the corner
of her eye; I saw two small holes on the side of his neck, I wish I knew what
they were then.
“Caleb…has the sickness reached you too?” I asked, and Caleb coughed
slightly.
“I suppose…Doctor Wilkins said that I should stay in bed…I feel so weak…but I
had to see you, I had to give you that token.” He said then he started coughing
wickedly. Mayor O’Connor walked in and took Caleb out of the house then
returned to the party.
“Do not worry Betty, he will be fine. He just needs to rest.” The mayor told
me and I nodded.
* * * *
-Sunset-
I SAT ON THE CHAIR by the window waiting for my father to arrive after all the
other guests had left.
William stood beside me and sighed. “You know father was never the type for
arriving on time.” He said coldly. I nodded, William was right, father was
late for everything, it was like he didn’t even care, which didn’t bother me to
much…It just meant he had other things to do, but today I wished he was dead. I
stared out at the woods again as the sunset was deepening and darkness was
encroaching over the village.
“Well William it is time, did you write the note to mother and father?” I
asked.
“Yes it is on the table in mothers’ room, and she is asleep.” William replied.
We both listened to the silence to make sure our mother was deeply asleep.
Suddenly, an ear-piercing scream ripped through the silence of the village,
which woke mother who ran out of her room and stopped just in front of the
living room entrance.
“What was that?” William asked, looking at me, his face as white as a
sheet.
“I don’t know,” I replied. Both William and I rushed for the door when our
mother ran in front of us.
“They are here children, I want you to go into the cellar under the carpet,
and then when it is safe we will run to the woods,” our mother explained.
“What is here mother?” I asked. It wasn’t normal for mother to say something
like that, something must have been wrong.
“No time for questions my daughter, into the cellar now both of you!” Mother
ordered and William grabbed me and we did what we were told. Mother closed the
cellar back up and put the carpet back over the door.
William and I waited in the dark as our mother said. We were told when the
creatures came to hide in the cellar, to stay quiet no matter what we heard. I
heard someone burst through the front door and walk above our hiding place. I
wanted to cry out but William kept his hand over my mouth.
“Stay back creature! You will not take my child!” I heard mother yell. Then
I heard her scream followed by a loud crash, then footsteps leaving the
house.
“Our chance is now sister.” William whispered then took my hand and we
scrambled out of the cellar and made for the back door. As we were about to go
out, I saw the body of our mother on the floor. I wanted to run to mother’s
body but William pulled me away. We ran through the village passing bodies of
people I knew. Smoke filled the air as the buildings around me burned, and
wicked laughter could be heard all around us.
We reached the foot of the woods as a man with short black hair and pale skin
dressed all in black appeared in front of us. William stepped protectively in
front of me, meeting the man’s intense grey gaze.
“Stay away from my sister or you will regret it,” he growled.
“Valliant, foolish mortal, you cannot protect her from me…she will be mine.”
The man answered in a strange accent, which ended up being Transylvanian.
“I will protect her from you!” William yelled. The man laughed then grabbed
William, and before he could respond, the man effortlessly snapped his neck. I
let out a scream and ran into the woods as fast as I could and that was the last
time I saw William.
* * * *
-Blackrock Woods-
AS I RAN DEEPER I tripped over something soft and fell to the ground. Quickly
scrambling back to my feet, I looked to see what I had tripped over. It was the
body of my father, I had gotten wish. Filled with regret, I wanted to take back
what I said but it was too late. I screamed again and continued to run. As I
ran I glanced back momentarily to see my village was burning before continuing
to run, straight into a tree knocking myself unconscious as I hit my head.
* * * *
I AWOKE ON THE ground. Rubbing my head, I felt a small gash. When I looked at
my hand again it was covered in blood; the night just kept getting better and
better. I sat up to see that there was a small campfire and a man with short
black hair crouching beside me.
“Ah you are awake. Good,” he said, his features masked by the darkness of the
woods.
“Where am I?” I asked looking at the man.
“You are in the woods, you took a hard fall. You seemed to be running from
that village… was that your home?” The man asked pulling out a cloth from his
shirt pocket and placing it on my head.
I nodded. “Something came and destroyed my home; my family is gone, all dead,”
I said, tears rolling down my cheeks.
“I am so sorry…you may stay with me if you wish, till you recover,” the man
offered as he wiped the tears from my eyes.
I nodded again. “I will find my family’ killer and I will kill him!” I yelled
anger and sadness appearing in my words.
“Such fire, but you cannot just go looking for those beasts, not like this and
not on your own…I will help you…I will give you the power to avenge your family,
if that that is what you wish,” the man promised. I could feel my eyes burn
with anger and the passion for vengeance if only I knew where to direct it.
“I want the power to kill them all. But I also want to know your name,” I said
coldly.
“I am Dragos, Lord of the Vampires,” The man replied then pulled me close to
him and bit down on my neck. I let out a painful scream and tried to wriggle
free of his grasp but he held me still in an iron-like grip. Then I could feel
body go limp in his arms. There it was, all the power I asked for…all I had to
do was die, almost ironic really, I had to die to avenge the dead. Dragos made
a small cut in his wrist spilling his blood into my mouth. The world around me
grew dark as I drank the blood that filled my mouth, I hated the taste of blood
then, but after a while, I guess I got used to it, and then there was nothing… I
was dead.
* * * *
AN HOUR OR SO had passed and I opened my eyes again.
“Ah welcome to my world child, there are things I must tell you about your new
life. You are as I am, a vampire,” Dragos said with a smile.
“I am listening Dragos…” I said. I had the oddest feeling that I knew this
night was going to happen, so I just accepted and listened.
“Well I am sure you have heard things of vampires…most of them are myths told
to make sure children behave and stay in at night, allow me to tell you the
truth. Garlic is just a spice nothing more, you can cross running water, well
if you can swim, holy water burns like acid, so do not get any on you. Crosses
hurt to the touch and will keep a vampire at bay so stay away from them. The
sun, you will no longer be able to see it. It will burn a vampire to ash, so
stay inside when it is up. And vampires sleep in coffins. And be afraid of
pointed objects, they will kill, well wooden stakes will, swords do not do
anything but cause us pain unless it is aimed at your head...but through the
heart nothing but pain…just like arrows. And decapitation, if you lose your
head you will become dust. Also, you no longer have a reflection. I am what is
called your sire, I am your father in this world.” Dragos explained. I nodded
understanding everything; I caught on fast to everything I guess. “Now come
Betty, the world is waiting.” Dragos said taking me by the hand. I did not
understand how he knew my name but then I did not care.
“Yes father, but I do not wish to be called Betty, that name does not sound
right anymore…I wish to be Morgana now in memory of my slaughtered family.” I
said and Dragos nodded.
“All right Betty, as you wish.” And right then and there, I gave up the name
my family gave me and started to say goodbye to my mortal life. If only it were
that simple…
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Children`s Fiction
Non-Adult Fiction
