A Red Face

“Eleanore?” Caleb said in shock at the scene before him.

His friend, whom he’s known since they were seven years old. For eleven years, they’ve played together, eaten together, laughed together, and cried together. He was certain no one knew her better than he, and no one knew him better than her. Three men lay on the floor of the stable, all surrounding Eleanore in a bloody circle. One had a large chunk of his throat missing, gurgling on his blood, accompanied by the occasional twitch of a finger. Another was pale, his neck twisted at an unnatural angle. The third lay behind her, groaning and clutching his stomach. His shirt being off, the purple and black bruising and disfiguration made it obvious that his ribs were broken.

Then there was Eleanore. Her light brown dress was torn, and her eye was bruised. Her hair, that had been done up in a triple braid by her mother, was now loose and messy. No investigation was needed to guess what these men had intended to do here. Her hands and mouth smeared in blood, eyes a scarlet red that he had only seen in the sky, caused by a setting sun. Her nails had grown long and pointed, and when she gasped for breath in between sobs, two distinct fangs protruded downward.

“Eleanore?” Caleb said again, softly.

He was afraid, he’d seen dead men before. He’d visited battlefields to treat the wounded soldiers of his local Lord. He’d seen many gruesome scenes, but he was always prepared. He always had time to set his mind to accept such horrors. But that was the battlefield. This was his town, his home. This was the night of the spring festival. This was the night he had intended to propose to Eleanore.

She continued to cry. Her sobs echoed off the walls, though not enough to drown out the merrymaking of the townspeople enjoying the festival. Caleb took careful steps forward. Stepped over the dead man with a chunk of his throat missing. He slowly knelt before her. She continued to cry, looking down the entire time. He placed a hand on her shoulder, and her head whipped up and she hissed. She grabbed his throat and jumped to her feet, lifting him off the ground as she did so. Her eyes seemed to glow as her grip tightened. Caleb tried to loosen her hold but quickly realized the futility of it. He choked out her name.

“El-Eleanore!” Her eyes were wide, and her breathing erratic. Her grip tightened even further, and he feared for a brief moment that she would snap his neck.

Her breath halted, and a look of recognition and horror washed away the savagery she had been expressing. She let go, and Caleb fell to the ground, wheezing and coughing.

“Caleb? I-I didn’t, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to, I swear I didn’t. And they,” She gestured to the men around her, “they attacked me, I was only defending myself, I didn’t, I’m not a monster, I swear.” Her voice trembled and cracked as she looked pleadingly at Caleb.

The tears never stopped flowing, not only had a part of herself she swore she would lock away been revealed. It had been revealed in the worst way possible, and to the person she loved and trusted the most. Her worst nightmare had come true. He would see her as a monster. He would hate her. He would despise her. He would try to kill her.

“I’m sorry, I…” He took a step back as she reached out her hand. Her hand that has held his many times before. Her hand that was dripping in blood. Her hand that interwined its fingers with his. Her hand that had nails that could rip through flesh. Her hand. She tried to wipe the blood off but most of it was already dry. Only a few red flakes fell lazily to the ground. She tried to wipe her mouth too, none of it was going away. The red wasn’t going away.

“I’m sorry.” Her hand fell to her side.

“Kill it,” a voice said from behind her. They both turned to the man with the broken ribs as he got up on one knee, clutching his side.

He held a knife in his shaky left hand. He looked to Caleb, “We can’t let this monster live any longer,” he spat.

“Kill it,” he repeated.

Eleanore turned to Caleb, and he looked at the man, then at her, then at the man again.

“You're right,” he said.

Eleanore’s heart sank into an abyss that had no end.

“We can’t let this monster live any longer,” Caleb repeated.

He took a step forward, and Eleanore took a step back. Just like my nightmares, she thought. I didn’t ask to be this way. I didn’t wish for it, I didn’t pursue it. She looked into Caleb's eyes and saw it. Pure and violent hate, hate so pure the devil himself would be proud. It took all her strength not to beg him to stop. If someone who had loved her as much as he had, was willing to kill her because of this curse, then what was the point of any of it? All she would meet would hate her eventually. No matter the sweet words and gifts they offered. I would rather die alone than live alone, she realized.

Caleb took another step forward, but Eleanore stayed where she was. Looking at his feet and staying silent as the man she loved, made ready to end her life.

He took another step forward. She closed her eyes, remembering the time they played next to an apple tree as kids. Caleb fell from one of the higher branches and broke his arm. He refused to cry, but tears did start forming. He said dirt had gotten into them. Another step, she was eating at his house. His father was away tending to a wounded fisherman, his mother baked her townwide famous tarts. Mr. Cain, the baker, had often tried begging and buying the recipe off her. She said the recipe has been passed down in her family for generations, and that's where it will stay. She taught Eleanore how to make it last week. Another step, they walked along the stone wall just outside the southern gate. There were no beautiful wild flowers, just a large grassy plain. She found the simplicity beautiful. That’s where Caleb asked to start courting her. Another step, her mother braided her hair, asking her when the boy would grow a spine and ask Eleanore the big question. She suggested Eleanore pretend to be interested in another to hurry him along. She had laughed at the absurdity of her mother’s idea.

He stepped past her. Eleanore whipped her head up and saw Caleb quickly take the last few steps and kick the wounded man in the jaw. The man fell on his side and cried out in pain. Caleb wrestled the knife out of his hand and plunged it into the side of his neck. Twisting it, pulling it out, then stabbing him again. He stood, leaving the knife in the dying man’s neck, and kicked him in his side.

“Damn monster,” He spat.

Eleanore stood in silence. She was so shocked that she had stopped crying and looked at Caleb with her mouth open.

“I…What did you…?” She couldn’t finish a thought, let alone a sentence.

He stepped towards her quickly. His face was grim, but there was a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth.

Does she dare believe it? Is it possible? No, even if he still cares for her, nothing would be the same. He will flinch at her every movement. He will wake up panicking from nightmares of her. He will-

Before she knew it, he was in front of her. He cupped her face gently in his hands. They were warm and steady.

“Caleb I-”

She felt his lips envelop hers. Wet from the tears that had yet to dry on her lips. Both had their eyes open. Her’s a mix of shock, confusion, relief, and joy. His steady, never leaving her.

Their lips parted, “Caleb,” she said.

He kissed her again. She brought shaky hands to his. She had to stop him. To explain what had happened. To tell him not to be afraid of her.

They separated, breathing deeply.

“Ca-” again cut off with a kiss. This one was hungrier. The kiss was deep enough that her fangs scratched against the inside of his bottom lip. She tasted blood from the small cuts they made. But she felt no hunger from it, just bliss. He did not stop, and she realized that he had closed his eyes. She did the same, her hands steadied and moved to the back of his neck. They crept up, and she felt his curly hair run through her fingers. She loved that feeling. She loved the warmth of his kiss. She loved how he looked at her. She loved him.

They separated after what felt like an eternity and the briefest of moments at the same time. She wasn’t crying anymore, and she wasn’t shaking, but her breath came out almost in gasps. She couldn’t tell if it was from lingering fear or her current excitement. His breath was steady, but his heart beat faster than ever.

Shock was the first thing he felt when he saw what had happened. Anger was the second when he saw what almost happened to Eleanore. Then, to his shame, fear, at what she had become. Or what she had always been, though it only being revealed to him now. The fear didn’t last long, the woman he loves was crying on the floor. It wasn’t long until everything fully sank in that he felt an incredible amount of rage. These animals dared to touch the woman he loved. The most incredible, bright, and lovely woman in the world.

After killing the last of the scum, he wanted to leave with her, but he could see in her eyes the doubt. I must make it clear, there must be no doubt, he thought. When he walked up to her, he wanted to say all that was on his heart. But at that moment, she looked impossibly lovely. But then again, if anyone could look impossibly lovely, it would be her. He was kissing her before he realized it. At first, he was afraid she would push him away. But she didn’t, she accepted him, lacking as he may be. And that was enough, it was all he wanted, it was all he needed.

They both had dropped to their knees, holding each other's faces in their hands and pressing their foreheads together.

“You’re not afraid of me?”

“The only thing I’m afraid of, is losing you.” He lifted her face so that they were looking into each other's eyes.

“I love you, El, and I will do whatever it takes to make sure you never doubt that again.”

She smiled and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

Her smile faded as she glanced at the bodies.

“What are we going to do?” she asked.

“We will find a way,” he said with confidence. And that assured her greatly.

There was no longer any doubt in her mind that he loved her. Her lifelong fear of being truly alone in this world had finally vanished.