Chapter 6 - White Lies
Once she made a decision she will stand by it and she will never change her mind. She used to feel fearful of the vampires, and self-preservation is always first on her mind but after a thorough analysis regarding the situation of her family and her sister, she realized that she was selfish.
Since it\'s her destiny, then she will face it bravely.
Besides, for twenty years, she was able to experience living a happy life with her family. It\'s a good life full of bliss. She has no regrets.
Now it\'s about time to face the deal that her father had made a long time ago with the vampires in behalf of herself. If her parents were not willing to honor the deal then she will honor it!
After all, it\'s her life.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
"Laura open the door! Time for dinner," Rosa\'s loud voice echoed in the air.
"I\'m not hungry, Mother," she replied.
"Common, don\'t be stubborn! At least eat something! You will get sick if you aren\'t eating anything. Your empty stomach will grumble!" Rosa insisted.
"I won\'t eat...unless...Father will agree that I will honor the deal that he made with the vampires a long time ago!" she shouted.
There was silence.
Then she heard her mother\'s footsteps fading away. She sat on the bed, her stomach was already grumbling, she\'s starving!
Dang!
She rose from the bed and opened the drawer of the bedside table. She used to stash some biscuits in there. But now there\'s nothing!
Aargh!
Sighing, she went back to lie in bed, planning to sneak in the kitchen later to find something to eat when everyone was already retiring for the night.
She closed her eyes trying to imagine what her future vampire husband looks like. She was imagining a sinister-looking, century-old vampire with his sharp fangs gracing his mouth, ready to suck her blood dry.
Maybe the vampire wants to have a human wife so that he can feed on fresh blood all the time without going far to haunt for blood.
Grimacing, she was already feeling terrified just thinking about it.
Her train of thoughts was interrupted by the sound of successive knocking on the door.
"Laura, come out now and eat your dinner. I will no longer force you to flee. If you want to marry the vampire son of those parasites then it\'s up to you. I will let you decide for your future," Simon\'s voice rang in the air.
Laura left the bed quickly and opened the door. "Father, do you really mean it? Are you telling me the truth?" she asked.
Simon released a deep sigh and nodded his head. "You hear me, right?" he said and walked away.
Laura can sense that her father was not happy with his decision. She looked at her mother with a questioning glance.
Rosa sighed heavily. "Why are you being stubborn?" she scolded her daughter.
"I\'m sorry, Mother. You know that I\'m always an obedient child. I always listen to your decisions, but this time innocent lives are at stake. I can\'t bear it if someone has to die just for saving me. Not worth it!" she expressed her reasons.
"Let\'s go now to the dining room and eat dinner," Rosa said and sauntered towards the dining room.
Laura followed her mother as they walked quietly towards the dining room.
Her father was already eating on the table when they entered the dining room. Laura took a seat beside him. "Father, I\'m very sorry..." she apologized.
"It\'s okay. Since you\'re old enough to decide for yourself, then I\'ll respect your decision," he said with a gloomy sigh. "You eat now. Don\'t starve yourself," he said gently.
Laura picked up the spoon and began putting foods on her plate.
The family eats in silence.
When they finished eating dinner, Laura went back to her room while her parents retired to the master\'s bedroom.
Inside the couple\'s room.
Rosa was looking at her husband and questioned him. "Do you really mean it?"
"What do you mean?" Simon said feigning innocence.
Rosa sighed. "Letting Laura have her way..."
Simon shook his head. "Hell no! I lied to her just to make her eat dinner."
Rosa\'s eyes widened. "You mean-?"
"Yes. We will proceed with our plan. I have no intention in marrying our daughter to those bloodsuckers. Tomorrow morning after breakfast, I will go to the pharmacy to buy sleeping pills or any medicine that can knock her off and make her weak so that she can\'t get out from the wooden trunk that the servants and I have already finished constructing in the basement," he explained with determination shining in his eyes.
Rosa nodded her head. "Okay, you have my full support husband," she said.
"Thank you, wife. Our daughter might feel angry at first but in the end, she will understand that everything we did today is for her well being," he said sadly.
The atmosphere inside the bedroom turned gloomy. Rosa went to her husband\'s side and rubbed his back gently to show him her support and to share the heavy burden that he was carrying on his shoulder.
Simon planted a loving kiss on her forehead. "Wife, no matter what happens, don\'t come back here. You and Laura continue living well in my friend\'s house. Teach Laura how to be obedient to her husband. You are the only companion she got there. She will depend on you for advice most of the time," he gave his final instruction.
"How about you and Sofia?" asked Rosa, teary-eyed.
Simon breathed deeply. "I\'ll try my best to save Sofia from the vampires. I already hired two retired vigilante\'s that are expert on slaying vampires. I will pay them a hefty sum just to help me save Sofia. We will make preparations here in our place after you and Laura left this house," he explained.
"Okay. So, when will our daughter starts her journey towards South Pond?" Rosa asked.
"She will leave three days later. Then you will travel the next day with another servant. She will be ahead of you for one day," Simon said.
Rosa sighed deeply. She shut off her eyes for a moment. There are no more words left to say to each other. They already decided on the course of their fate in the next days to come.
And now, the only thing left is to execute the plan.