Chapter 6: Monstruosité

I at first took Liam's words with a grain of salt. After all, many are wary of new friends. He knew little about Francisca, only that she was my sister.

Of course, he also claimed that during the mornings, Francisca was often throwing up in the bathroom.

She herself spoke of feeling ill, and quite nauseous.

Liam's assumptions, though well-intentioned, were absurd. He claimed that she may have had a stomach virus, or perhaps her, ahem, 'monthly curse'.

When I disregarded his suggestions, he then blurted out the unthinkable: that she was likely to be with child!

Though plausible, I also found it ridiculous. It was not in Francisca's nature to simply...do such a thing.

Were she carrying a child within, it was likely she would have shown by that point. The timing of her disappearance would also have not made sense.

No, what truly ailed her was something completely different.

I recall one day, I returned home from that job I once held. Liam had not yet come home himself, so it was but me and my sister.

Well, initially, I believed it was only me. But in time, I was alerted of her presence.

I heard moaning, and various other inhuman noises in one of the rooms. When I went to check on her, the door was locked.

I begged her to open it, but Francisca wouldn't hear of it. She said, "Don't look at me!" and remained locked inside.

It felt like an eternity before I managed to coax her to show herself.

Ohhh...She did not look herself. Her hair was disheveled, her skin was the pallor of death, and she wept immensely.

I told her, if she were falling ill, that she should rest. That suggestion alone caused her to grab me by the arm.

Francisca then told me to look at her. And I then saw what had become of her.

She had become one of them. A vampire.

Francisca was amazed that I had not recoiled in horror at the sight of her. I told her, why should I be?

I never learned who had turned her. I felt it was a secret Francisca wished to take with her to the grave.

She went on to speak of her inevitable complications. She would thirst for human blood, and would do unspeakable acts to acquire so much as a drop.

In fact, she stated that even then, her craving had begun to grow.

What else could I have done? I simply wished to help her, so I did the first thing I could think of.

I do not suppose I was thinking rationally, but...she was my sister. I would have done anything for her, vampire or human.

And if that meant offering my own blood, for her suffering to lessen, then so be it.

In the days that followed, I saw a bit of change in her. Well, "a bit" being a severe understatement.

When I inquired of this, she merely responded that since she was now of a race of bloodsuckers, she may as well dress the part.

It was such a drastic change from the Francisca I remembered. But before I spoke of my feelings in her change of dress, I asked her: Have you been to see Renauld?

Surely, he would be delighted to see his former step-daughter.

And delighted he was! 

She had to convince him that it was really her, though. Afterwards, though, they both had a lovely time, speaking of what had happened when she was away.

While she was off visiting him, however, I began to feel strange. I at first, did not seem to know why, though I drew my own conclusions.

Liam took note of this, and became worried. He asked if it were necessary to take me to get treatment.

I told him it would not be happening. I told him I was likely feeling the effects of a cold.

But he found out in time that was not the case. It would seem that whatever had affected my sister, had now taken a hold of me as well.

I then had an idea of what she had likely experienced.

The pain was excruciating. It felt as if I were being shredded from the inside. Liam stood there, frozen in shock. Almost as soon as it had begun, it was over.

I then remember him taking me aside and, though not angered, he sounded genuinely disappointed. He wanted to know why I never told him right away.

Well, having my friend worry about my condition was the last thing I would ever do. I looked out for Liam, and I felt he needn't know of my own weaknesses.

I wanted to be someone Liam could turn to in times of need, not the other way around. That is why I did not tell him.

He then told me he needed some time to get used to 'the new me'. I, of course, granted him this, and all I asked in return?

I wanted his true opinion on what I had become. And his answer?

Well...to say the least, it astonished me.

(End of Chapter 6.)