Chapter Text
The sounds of birds chirping and the trees swaying with the wind cut through the tension.
As the sun grows distant and the sounds of the animals wash over the deep forest.
“I..” He stuttered out, his lungs clogging up. Being unable to speak and allowing his anxiety to grow.
“Avid,” Shelby's voice is distant, the lack of warmth feeling like cold water being splashed above his head.
He misses her dearly, but this isn't the one he missed. All of it is just too much. “You.. You can't be here.” Her voice wavering only for a second.
When did the ringing start up? He doesn't know.
“I just.. Can we meet up? Later?” He struggles to remember what he told her then, his voice wavering as he stutters. Unable to find the correct words.
Shelby doesn't reply and the air grows tense. The cold air and the piercing eyes that he felt like the last time hit him with full force.
Each new sensation only aiding in making him more unnerved by everything. His eyes keep darting to the trees surrounding them, and then to the castle in the distance.
He shudders at the reminder of who resides in those cursed doors. He ignores the voice that tells him he used to live there as well.
That he was welcomed — he may have not been a loved member, but he was part of it nonetheless.
And back then, it was enough.
But now, Avid has never felt colder and he's been a vampire before all of this, the cold undead skin and all. But that was before his life was flipped upside down and rewound.
When life was much more simpler — or as simple as life can get while you're a vampire.
The ringing in his ear is getting louder and the feeling of eyes behind him is getting much harder to ignore.
The shivers continue to spread through his body unnaturally. Like something or someone important is staring at him. And, whoever it is clearly doesn't want him here.
“I.. Don't think I can.” She coughs out, her eyes trailing over to what's behind him. But when Avid looks behind him, he sees nothing.
Then he hears it.
The sound of a stick cracking.
“Shelby..” He gulps, this is going horribly. He had more time then. Was this not when he tried to tell Shelby?
“Shelby please.. I just. I need to talk to you,” Avid begs, his desperation cutting through the stale air. “it's really important, and— and I promise! I won't do anything!” He yells, the words getting caught in his throat.
Then, he feels it. He knows someone's behind him, he heard them look before this. He swore he had more time.
He did.
He knows he did.
The hairs on his arms stand up. He feels a breath on the back of his neck, like someone's threatening to suck him dry.
Owen..?
No. No. Nononono…
This is too early. He spares one last look at Shelby, who is only staring at him. He swears he sees a hint of fear flash through her eyes.
Not for herself, but for him. So he does the only thing he remembers from when this happened.
He runs.
Throwing one last look at Shelby that tells her everything he needs her to know. To meet up with him.
He doesn't realize that he forgot to tell her where.
If he strained his ears hard enough, he could've heard a second voice speaking to Shelby. A voice that once comforted him, now speaking of him with malice and hatred.
—
There's tears in his eyes— he doesn't know why. He just can't stop the tears from running down.
The trees become a blur behind him —which is funny because he isn't even running that fast.
He yells out, shocking himself at how his voice wavers.
He isn't allowed one moment of respite despite it all.
He heaves as he falls to his knees.
He knows where he is.
He stares up, into the crypt. Then, down towards the hole.
The thing that started this.
He stares as his mouth forms a snarl, an inhuman growl rising out of his throat.
He bunches forward, dust flying around him in a daze.
“Leave me alone..” He says to no one in particular, maybe he's talking to the dust. No one knows, even he doesn't know.
Then, during his miniature breakdown, the sound of a stick breaking takes him out of his thoughts.
He whips around to stare at where it came from.
His eyes narrowed, waiting, watching.
Until he feels something hit head.
He crashes hard onto the ground. The rocks digging into his skin.
And as his consciousness evades him. He knows he's going to die, and he understands it well or as well as someone who didn't want to die.
This might be his final moments in this life.
At the mouth of the place that ended his first life.
And he couldn't be even more bitter.
With dust flying around him, and with stone digging into his skin.
His mouth formed into a cry of pain, before everything just stopped.
Fading into a buzz.
—
‘Genuinely, I can't keep ending up like this.’ Is the first thought Avid has when he wakes up and remembers the order of events up until when he fainted.
He winces at the small scratch on his arm, likely from when he fell down. He’s experienced worse but it's still annoying.
He surveys the room, noting every detail that might help him identify where he is. The bed is soft and gigantic unlike his bed at home.
“Ah,” he exhales. “Shit.”