Note: Title suggestions welcome! This was a random splurge of stuff when I got bored before I went to sleep last night. -.-;; I know it's not perfect, and it's got flaws and details missing, but yeah. Criticism welcome!

January Randomness - Untitled

I used to be that timid girl, all shy and wordless, never confronting anyone. Or so they all thought. I had my parents fooled too, you know. I doubt my sister ever suspected either. Everything was peaceful, but then, that time came. War. Flames. Death. And so, my parents left us. My mother embracing my father, leaving my sister and I alone in the darkness.

We had lived in a grand old castle with a cast of servants to serve us. They had answered to each and every one of our whims, and sometimes, I pitied them for they did our bidding however cruel the task was. With our parents gone, it was only my sister and I left for them to serve. Most of the servants had not been in the casualties of war. They say that my parents were the last.

But now, they serve only me alone, and their numbers have dwindled drastically. The folk deem this castle haunted, but how silly could those dimwits be! I know this castle is not haunted. They claim me a monster. Why should I care? They say that the castle swallowed my sister since she mysteriously disappeared. Well, they can let their own imaginations run wild. The lot that has come to explore. Well, they have mysteriously vanished too.

Up until the war, our family had put up with strange disappearances among our people. When the war occurred, of course casualties mounted, but my parents were the last casualties of the war because I had planned it so. It was quite simple. In this world, there are the humans and the occult figures. I have always been fascinated by these myths and legends. Somehow, by a stroke of luck, I had discovered the war to be between these mythical figures and the humans. I wasted no time in discovering where they were. Of course some of these mythical routines that were practiced were also arcane and thought of as witchcraft by the humans. In fear, the humans started the war.

One of the things that the occult seemed to value was blood. The strange disappearances were centered on young pretty girls in our area. It is said that the bathing in the blood of these types of girls would bring eternal youth. No one ever found out why or who was the culprit, but near the end of the war, my mother had suspicions. Those girls were so naïve! How could their blood bring youth… Yes, I tried it, and I still am dabbling in the dark art. It was simple to lure them out with tantalizing thoughts and prizing. Once away from society, I would drug them, tie them up against a tree, and wait. Once unconscious, I would carefully slit a small slot on the wrist and collect blood. For efficiency, I had to make several slits. By the time I was done, the girl would be lifeless. To cover my tracks, I would bury the body beneath the soil and rocks. Then, the deed was done.

My mother never had the chance to confront me as I now had allies in the war unbeknownst to her. She and my father burnt alive, screaming and holding each other. I saved my sister the pain of watching it.

Only later did I rid myself of the sister. I was always the more able one than my sister although they all thought otherwise. On a dark night while we had allowed the servants out to enjoy themselves, she and I were alone. We were in the library, and due to my sister’s sudden wish to see her parents, we traveled to the catacombs. I had not known my good fortune until my sister fell asleep against a wall. I gagged her with my handkerchief and chained her to a wall. The smell of rotting flesh would not be too noticeable in this place. It already smelled strange to begin with. I walled her in behind bricks and wood. She awoke in the middle, startled in her condition. The gag kept her from squeaking too loudly. The chains on her wrists kept her from resisting. However, her feet were a problem. They almost ruined the places I had nailed and cemented. To ensure stability, I added more nails. When I finished, I stepped back. Her voice was quite muffled at that point. I muttered a false prayer, and then it was farewell to my sister.

I pretended to be distressed two days later when I couldn’t find my sister. I was sure she would be silent by then. The servants searched, but could find nothing. Time went on, and it was assumed my sister was gone. People thought it strange, but I wept and stated that I did not know what had happened.

Then, the townspeople began to complain of strange wailing noises from the castle. There were holes in the castle. Wind through them would easily cause the noises. Or perhaps they were my sister’s last cries for help lost as she was in the castle forever.

Servants began to mysteriously disappear. They were mostly young women. Those that were on the verge of finding out why would meet untimely deaths.

So, I pose to you. As the castle is haunted, might you brave and stay a night?

---

The lady ended her story with a smile and looked at her female guest.

Her guest shook her head and smiled. “Dear lady, your sister’s ghost wails in the castle and you do not fear it?”

The lady smiled. “I have grown accustomed to it.”

“Then you are truly of the night,” the guest replied smugly.

The lady smiled and revealed her neck. Two freshly made dots were apparent on the lady’s pale skin. “Recently truly turned.”

The guest nodded. “There is no help for it then.” From her jacket, she pulled a silver blade. “This is for you.” Before the lady could react, the guest had thrust the sword through the lady’s heart. “My sister, may you rest in peace…”