That night was a dreamless one for Elaine, probably because of how flustered and embarrassed she had been. Allan still lay beside her, his hand resting loosely on her wrist, his eyes wide open and fixed on the ceiling as though it held all his unanswered thoughts. He turned his head slightly, watching her peaceful, sleeping face in the dimly lit room. His chest rose and fell with a quiet sigh as his thumb subconsciously caressed her wrist. For a fleeting moment, he almost envied her ability to sleep. Closing his eyes, he pretended to rest, though sleep never came easily to him, it never did.
Morning arrived, bright and clear. Elaine was now in her dorm room with Dana and June, who had paid one of her usual visits. Sunlight streamed through the window, making the room warm and lively compared to the storm inside Elaine's head.
"So when are the both of you going to start packing?" June asked, her eyes moving from Elaine to Dana with an eager glint.
"There's still enough time for that. We're not leaving till tomorrow morning. There's tonight," Dana pointed out, calm and practical as always.
"Well, I'd rather prepare now than wait till night," June replied with a shrug.
Then her attention shifted sharply. "Oh, Elaine where did you go last night? And the one before?" Dana asked.
Elaine froze for a second, her mind racing. Dana had already noticed the phantom's mark etched faintly on Elaine's hand, stared at her. Dana was one of the very few people who knew what Allan truly was, and her silence was heavy with suspicion.
June tilted her head. "Who were you with?"
Elaine's lips parted nervously. "I…I stayed with someone," she said, praying they wouldn't press further.
But that was tough luck as June leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "Who?"
"Uh?" Elaine stammered as though she hadn't heard right.
"Who did you stay with?" June asked more curiously "I don't think you have any other friends besides me, Gwen, and Dana."
Elaine's throat tightened. "Well…it's Cara. My basketball buddy," she lied quickly, choosing the only person June barely interacted with.
"Oh," June said with a nod. "I don't think I know her."
Elaine turned toward Dana, hoping she'd let it go. But Dana's unsettling stare made her shift uncomfortably. Dana's silence was louder than words, and Elaine felt as though her lie had been branded across her skin.
"Why are you staying with her?" June pressed on, unwilling to drop the subject.
"Well…um…I don't like this room very much because of the view. And her room is better," Elaine said. The excuse was flimsy, even to her own ears, but it was all she could come up with.
"Ok," June said at last, deciding not to push further.
Dana suddenly rose to her feet.
"Where are you going?" Elaine asked.
"I'm heading to the library," Dana replied simply. The excuse was believable as Dana always spent time there.
Elaine nodded, relieved the tension had shifted.
Dana walked under the bright morning sun, but her thoughts were dark. Her lips curved into a sinister smile as she strolled almost happily, because feeding on memories was the one thing that made her feel alive. It left her victims hollow, empty mere shells of themselves and that thrilled her.
She didn't enter the library as she'd claimed. Instead, she slipped behind the building, toward the less crowded paths. Only a few students lingered there. One of them, a boy she didn't know, caught her eye.
She approached slowly, feigning discomfort. Raising her hand, she rubbed her eyes as though something had irritated them. "Ah…" she murmured, wincing and blinking hard.
The boy noticed immediately and walked over, concern etched on his face. "Are you alright?"
"I… I think something got into my eyes," she said, feigning pain and vulnerability. "Can you please help me take a look?" Her voice trembled with false desperation.
The boy bent to her height, squinting to see. At that instant, Dana lowered her hand and locked her gaze onto his. His pupils dilated, his body stilled caught in her trap. He was lost in a trance, unable to break free unless she allowed it.
Her eyes shimmered faintly as she began to feed. His memories surfaced shallow, scattered, easy to consume. She devoured them greedily, savoring the way his mind unraveled.
Finally, she blinked once and released him.
The boy staggered back slightly, blinking in confusion, rubbing his head.
"Are you alright?" Dana asked sweetly, as if nothing had happened.
"Y-yeah… I think so," he said, dazed. He didn't understand what had just been stolen from him.
"Ok" she said lightly, turning away with a satisfied smile.
---
As Dana continued down the lonely path, her sinister smile widened, stretching into something almost childlike with glee. She felt alive again, every inch of her body humming from the stolen energy.
But then, her smile faded. Her steps slowed.
She spotted someone familiar someone she loathed.
Gwen.
Her expression darkened instantly, hatred simmering beneath her skin. Gwen's eyes also narrowed in disgust as soon as she noticed Dana.
"It would do good if creatures like her were gotten rid of," Gwen said coldly, loud enough for Dana to hear.
Horace, who was with Gwen, simply smiled faintly, amused by the provocation.
Dana stopped in her tracks. Her boiling hatred twisted into anger as she turned fully to face Gwen. Slowly, almost deliberately, she walked up to them until she stood toe-to-toe with the witch.
"Why are you so interested in me?" Dana asked, her tone calm but poisonous, daring Gwen to respond.
"I want you gone," Gwen hissed, her voice raw with undisguised hatred.
Dana laughed a sharp, mocking sound that echoed in the quiet path. "And witches like you ought to be burnt."
"You're worse" Gwen snapped.
"You seem to have forgotten how your kind are treated," Dana said slyly, leaning in just enough to make Gwen grit her teeth.
The tension snapped. Gwen's temper exploded. She grabbed Dana's hair violently and smashed her head against a thick tree trunk with a sickening thud.
Horace lifted his brows and let out a low whistle. "Oh…" he muttered, watching Gwen vent her rage. Blow after blow landed as Gwen slammed Dana against the bark, her fury fueling each strike.
But something was wrong.
Horace noticed Dana wasn't resisting. She didn't defend herself, didn't raise a hand to fight back. Instead, she endured every hit with a twisted, mocking smile, blood trickling from her lips and hair.
To Gwen, each strike felt satisfying, each crack of bone and bark was vengeance. But Horace's sharp eyes caught the difference Dana wasn't losing, she was baiting.
When Gwen raised her hand to strike again, Horace finally stepped in. He grabbed her wrist firmly, holding her in place.
"Let go of me!" she yelled, thrashing, her eyes blazing with fury.
But Horace didn't budge. He tightened his grip, leaning close to whisper in her ear. "Calm down."
The words, soft and deliberate, slowed her rage just enough for her to pause. Her chest rose and fell heavily as she turned her gaze back to Dana.
Dana stood there, blood dripping down her temple, her lip torn but her eyes glowed with mockery. Slowly, she swiped her thumb across her mouth, smearing blood instead of wiping it away.
"You know," Dana said with a wicked grin, "your temper isn't very nice."
Her voice made Gwen tremble with fresh anger, but Horace's hold kept her grounded.
Dana's gaze locked on Gwen, cold and dangerous. I'll make you pay, she thought, her smile fading into something darker. Her hatred burned silently, a promise that this wasn't over.