The Vampiric Chronicles Part 23: The Nightmare

This may appear as a shock when reading, it might appear a little serious, but please hear me out, especially the end part... *sigh*

Weeks passed by uneventfully and as each day passed by over the Manor, a shadow descended upon John, eating away on his mind and consuming him in a daze he had never experienced before. At first it appeared like an ordinary illness, a headache that would be gone by the morning, but as the days grew into weeks and spawned months along the way, it felt as if the shadow had sunk into his mind.

Afraid of letting the shadow get the best of him, John fought in the earlier days of its manifestation, fighting back his emotions and thoughts to make sure he will not be in danger of causing harm to his companions at home. While some of his friends suspected his actions, none of them had any hint as to his real condition. No, not even the witch, Sandra, knew of it. John knew that the impact of her knowing would be too great. No, he attempted to resolve it himself. In the past few days he had grown quite unstable that he had to shun himself in his bedroom chamber, refusing food and drink from the servants and sleeping earlier than expected.

Such a worsening condition definitely passed with suspicion inside the house, and one evening Tom decided to pay the vampire a visit in his chambers. While Sandra, Mark, and Paul were talking about that as well over dinner, the young warlock opted to find things out from the vampire himself.

"Sir John?" Tom asked, lightly tapping the door with his fingers.

"Leave me be." came John's voice from inside.

"Sir John, is anything the matter? You have refused food and drink for the past few days. I do not believe you are to be left alone."

There was silence for several minutes until John suddenly said, "Come in..."

Without hesitation, the warlock entered John's chamber and almost gasped in shock - the whole room was in disarray!

"Tread carefully around the broken shards of wood and glass." John said. He had a stiff voice as he sat on his now half-wrecked four-poster bed, his back turned on the warlock. Tom looked at the floor, and here and there lay battered and shattered remnants of wooden chairs and the wall mirror.

"Wh-what has happened with you, Sir John?!" Tom cried. "Are you feeling well? You have not turned to a werewolf, have you?"

"Be sensible for once, boy." John snapped at him. "I am already a vampire. How could I possibly turn into a werewolf as well?"

"Oh, um, y-yes. I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter. Sit down and tell me what you want."

John's voice was cold and commanding, but Tom sensed that he was fighting a snappy retort. Curious, interested, and afraid at the same time, the young warlock pulled up a chair in front of John and sat down. The vampire had his head rested on his hands, clutching his hair tightly like as if he had a bad headache.

"Sir, what has been troubling you these past few days?" Tom asked. "Sir Mark is worried, and Lady Sandra is even more, I..."

"Sandra..." John said. "N-no... she must not know of this..."

"S-Sir John?"

And John suddenly burst into tears.

"T-Tom..." John said, turning two teary eyes at the young warlock. "I've loved Sandra with all my life, you know that. It is she who made my miserable existence complete in many details and has shed me some hope in my grim world. But... but now, I... I cannot explain what is happening to me!"

"Tell me, Sir John. Maybe I can help you."

"Y-yes, maybe you can... but please hear me out. I do not know what has befallen me, but I can't take this anymore, not on them, on you, nor on anyone else... I... I feel so muted, and lifeless..."

"Lifeless...?"

"Like as if I've lost myself completely. You know how I was before this... this nightmare settled in on me. Right now I can't even bring myself to words when I talk to her, and her piercing words and eyes make me all the more guilty that I cannot even bring myself to talk to her!"

"B-but why can't you?"

"I don't know! Don't ask me... even I don't have the answer... all this time I've tried concealing myself by trying to act normal, but my mind can't take it anymore... I've been snapping up lately and I know I can't take this anymore..."

"H-how did this happen...?"

"I do not know as well... one thing is for sure: this will continue manifesting within me, and I know in due time I won't be able to stop this, not unless I am left be for a while."

"B-but that is..."

"Y-yes, I know." John choked, now burying his face in his hands. "I cannot even bring myself anymore to the horror of thinking of all of your reactions if I am to do that, but please tell them for me, Tom. I don't know for how long this may take, for I need to exterminate this nightmare by myself."

"I... I will, but S-sir John, you cannot continue like this forever...!"

"I understand that... I just need time... the overwhelming burden of this nightmare is consuming my mind completely and I do not want to suddenly break down in front of them. No, I will sort this out by myself."

"How do we know if you have done away with it?"

"Healing may perhaps not be immediate. I even doubt a witch's brew or a warlock's spell could possibly reverse this effect, but I will try to clear my mind and when those times come I'll probably be more communicative and lively, but not permanently until I can completely rid myself of this illness."

"I, I understand, Sir John. No matter what happens, we will remain by your side. Rest assured I will tell them what ails you."

"Please, do not make them worry. I do not want them to be troubled about me. I just need to find some time and space to myself... I pray they understand."

"I'm sure they will, sir."

"Th-thank you, Tom..."

Tom patted John on the back, then quietly went out of the chamber, leaving the vampire to his musings.

I... I'm sorry... I know there will be an end to this, but perhaps not too soon... the problems, the trouble, the stress, and everything else are currently colliding and I can't stem them fully, eating away on my nicer side. I hope everyone understands :(