The doubtful whispers swelled. Inside the deep maze carved in the dismayed minds, they thrived. Like a tumor, they consumed the sanity dwelling in the conflicted nation. Who is the enemy, and who's the ally? Which one do they point the edge of their blade at, and which ones do they cover with their own flesh and soul? The thick lines between right and wrong dwindled once the eyes were opened to reality, without holding on to their emotions. Humanity must cling on to any help they are given, or else, this large glass ball of anonymous lives will be lost in a mountain of snow where their existence was a mere photograph in a museum, far in a country that had given them the death sentence long ago. I. The talk. Abigail was one of a kind. A higher type in the mooncallers spectrum. Having consumed the fresh body of a human she loathed, her urges had been satisfied. She wouldn't berserk at the moment yet she would desire more. The unfulfilled lust is what defines a mooncaller, and their ability to sustain their craving is what kept them apart in rankings. Even though Abigail wasn't a threat at that moment, she wasn't a trustworthy ally either. As long as the mooncalling connection lived in her mind and attached itself to her guts, Abigail would still be a ticking time bomb. "Who the hell is this?" Abigail wondered with her shimmering blue eyes tarnished by blood. A pulse inside her gut ensued as she watched the frozen flesh Carvo gave to the female soldier on his experiment table. "Abigail...What's that blood?" Carvo gulped as he saw his sister covered in human remains with blood dripping from her jaw with flesh stuck in it. Abigail's self-awareness was still not intense enough to become ashamed of what she had done, or perhaps even when she's sober of her hunger, she still wouldn't regret ripping Ernesta apart. Abigail's heavy beastly breathing frightened Carvo who managed to hide his unrest. "It's- listen! It doesn't matter." Abigail stuttered as she avoided answering the question. Carvo could see a dormant fire of weakness in her eyes, one that he didn't fear yet it alerted him to the reality he was finally facing. "Who's outside?" Carvo raised a question as he saw Lalo regain consciousness. He moved towards the basement door, peeking at the other end. "I brought friends.." Abigail stated, hesitating to inform him of the unusual events she had experienced, and the strange allies she had gained. "What friends?" Carvo eyed her in concern. "It's a long story, Carvo. But, please don't panic. I see you already have a lot to deal with.." Abigail looked at Lalo who seemed to be disturbed by what was surrounding him. "I can't believe my eyes." She gulped in disbelief, inspecting the disastrous state Lalo was in. "Show me." Carvo asked Abigail to lead him outside as he held her arm gently while she stared at Lalo with questions overtaking her crowded mind. "Don't panic." Abigail asked him as she led him out of the basement. "Don't worry Abby, seeing you smudged in blood a few minutes ago already made my old heart stop." Carvo breathed heavily as he was clearly distraught, unaware of how he got tangled in such a situation. His self-awareness was at its peak while Abigail was only functioning on the food she had consumed, having most of her senses dulled, all except her hunger which Carvo was stunned by her ability to suppress it. The second door was opened revealing the other two companions. Carvo couldn't help but gasp loudly as Luther stood by the exit, blocking it with his sturdy large tail while Eman curled up to a ball and sat by his chair. As soon as Carvo's eyes fell on Luther, he retreated in shock. "You've brought him..right here??" Carvo panicked, just like Abigail expected. "He's a friend! He's the one who saved me." Abigail firmly held Carvo's wrinkled hand, assuring him he was safe, and that was when it hit his dazed mind roughly. Things could never be the same again. Even though Abigail still held him close, comforting him just like she always did, it didn't feel the same. Carvo was no longer a boy, and his heart couldn't be soothed easily as before. He looked around him, comprehending that the life he had spent trying to recover what was stolen from him wasn't a waste, yet it wasn't how he wished it would be. Lucidity was not a bliss, perhaps he wished he had lived underneath his shell longer and hope things would turn around again. But no one would know what went on inside his old mind, the pain of loss was still there although his sister was standing right next to him. What was he afraid of? "Hello, Walker. I've heard a lot about you." Luther greeted Carvo. "I can't help but wonder what led a Mooncaller into my house." Carvo frowned at Luther who seemed distressed by Carvo's unwelcoming gesture. "I am not an enemy." Luther spoke. "I have answers to many of your questions, you need me." Luther attempted to persuade Carvo. "Answer this, then." Carvo removed Abigail's hand off him and walked closer to Luther. "Why are both of you stained by blood?" He frowned upon Luther yet ignored Abigail who was taken back by his persistence. "Fine." Luther sighed. "Your sister had her revenge and satisfied her hunger." Luther explained. "And I wasted some unimportant lives, nothing that would matter to you." He continued as Carvo felt more curious yet repelled by the fact he was facing an intelligent Mooncaller that claimed to be an ally. "Who's this?" Carvo wondered as he saw Eman whose sobbing could be heard among the ongoing chaos. Luther and Abigail eyed each other in concern, unaware of how to break the news to Carvo who was already in a state of suspicion. "This is Eman. She the daughter of Ernesta, the white church's preacher." Luther introduced her as Carvo sighed, walking towards the child to comfort her. "Poor child." He looked at her. "How did you get to the white church? Oh lord." Carvo addressed Abigail who had sat down beside the corpse of the soldier who had died in the living room, unable to hide her craving. Carvo slowly moved his hand to touch the young girl and soothe her and he was immediately met with her glaring teary eyes as she repelled against his touch, retreating further to another spot without saying a word. "Oh, now I get it." Carvo got up, facing Luther. "The unimportant lives.." He muttered. Carvo realized that Eman's aggression was justified, and he had connected the dots. "Carvo. It's not even midnight yet. This night will go on much longer, and the Twilight Reverie won't last till then. We need to protect this place." Luther spoke as a wail resounded in the basement, capturing everyone's attention. "What are your intentions?" Carvo asked Luther firmly. "Pure ones." Luther spoke. "I intend to hide here, as long as I can." He continued. "Abigail promised me she can convince you." He looked at Abigail who was drooling at the corpse. "And how can I trust you?" Carvo spoke. "Rest assured that I'm no berserker, and during the full moon I shall only protect you. I am here to share my knowledge concerning the Mooncallers." Luther replied. "In return for my protection?" Carvo's attention was straying once he heard the noise in the basement, aware that Lalo was another issue to be handled. "Yes.." Luther looked at the basement door too, concerned by what was there. "I don't trust you." Carvo held Luther by his coat's collar. "But you brought my sister back, and that's a favor that's hard to repay." Carvo loosened his frown while staring deep into the eyes shimmering underneath the sunglasses Luther had worn. "You stay here, guard the door. Abby-" Carvo paused as he saw Abigail dissociating from all that was going around her. While Luther seemed to be unnerved by the corpse, Abigail was losing her restraint. "Oh God." Carvo sighed, "Don't be shy, dear. Eat it, then follow me back there." Carvo ordered Abigail who was delighted to be given the permission to eat that poor soldier's corpse. The basement door was half opened as Carvo left it. The unconscious Mooncaller laid on the cold floor, but it wasn't unconscious as Carvo had left it. The experimentation table was empty and a trail of blood led to circles inside the laboratory. "Come out, Lalo. You're safe." Carvo assured Lalo who seemed to be hiding, and for an unknown reason, he had killed a Mooncaller. After looking around, Carvo found Lalo hiding underneath the table, still worn off as he had lost his energy and needs more food, but apparently aware. "There's no reason to hide." Carvo softly uttered as he squatted, offering him a hand which he emptily stared at. "I assume your memory is back." Carvo told him. "You're confused, disturbed, and hurt. But I can help you, as long as you co-operate." He still offered a hand steadily, awaiting Lalo's trust to develop. Lalo was agitated, very detached from everything around him. The confidence foiled around Brando's looks and talk had faded entirely, leaving no track behind. Lalo started mumbling in a foreign language Carvo knew nothing of, it alerted him that Lalo's brain was functioning well enough to recall what seemed to be his native tongue. Carvo decided not to push him further and he went to investigate the mooncaller's corpse, striking a conversation as he did so. "You did that?" He asked. "I am amazed." He continued. "The chest is ..non-existent.." Carvo examined the odd corpse of the bear. "First time I have seen one, looks like they're remodeling their-" "Who's she?" Abigail came in flesh inside her jaw and her clothes even more bloody. That image struck Carvo yet he retained his stance. She seemed satisfied, and the blaze inside her eyes had gone down. Carvo knew that her mind didn't currently process what she had done, but he anticipated the clarity she would experience once the fullmoon was over. That's why he believed he should operate on her soon. As Carvo turned around, he saw Abigail glaring at Lalo while sticking close to him. "It's hard to explain-" Carvo shrugged. "But, uh. It's a he. He's Lalo." Carvo walked closer to Abigail. "I don't see a he.." Abigail boldly stared, Lalo was very confused. "Bear with me." Carvo pulled Abigail closer. "Many things happened after you confronted Brando." Carvo whispered to Abigail. "That asshole!" She shouted angrily but Carvo gestured to her to calm down as not to alarm Lalo. "I'll be short as we have no time, but there isn't just one Brando." Carvo explained and Abigail's confusion grew on her bloody face. "Huh?" She blurted. "The one you faced is merely a copy of him, and...Lalo was that copy." Carvo eyed Lalo who was slowly creeping out of under the table. "Believe me when I say was! I emphasize that word. In fact, you won't believe me, but he's not even a mooncaller anymore!" Carvo excitedly said as he held Abigail from her two arms, expressing his enthusiasm that suddenly arose. Carvo was warming up to Abigail. "H-how did you do it? I-is it even possible?" Abigail wavered as she looked at Lalo who was standing bare, struggling to cover the strange body he now occupied. "I have been sort of working on it since I was a kid." Carvo laughed as he grabbed a cloth and slowly approached Lalo. Carvo turned around and gestured to Abigail to stay quiet and observe him. "You need to rest." Carvo handed him the cloth. "You didn't explain the 'he' part.." Abigail spoke in a quiet tone while she followed. "Not now, Abby." Carvo glared at Abigail. "Take it." He sincerely asked Lalo who slowly reached out his hand to grab it. Time of peace had ended. The roaring arose again, but this time, the mooncallers had been pushed back. The twilight reverie efficiently knocked hundreds of ghouls, leaving the battlefield dominated by humans. Few hours were left till sunrise, and the legions were keen on pushing the mooncallers even further back by using the twilight reverie, however, it wasn't easy. Lalo moved towards the basement door after wrapping himself in that cloth. Abigail was confused about this strange creature, and its true identity but Carvo was quite proud yet shaken about his sister. After his deafening silence had eaten Carvo's mind, Lalo gathered few words that would turn the siblings' minds into a raging thunderstorm. "Just like I remember you." He exhaled as he addressed Abigail, looking straight into her eyes. "Number thirty-three." He continued.

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.