<Lynda Sparks>

Lynda woke up to the silent hum of the machine. She felt the world spin, her body was feverish and she barely had any energy to move.

She was in the hospital.

But this wasn’t the room she remembered being admitted to.

Curiosity got the better of her, she fought against the fatigue to sit up.

It was a private room with a design comparable to that of a high class hotel. There were artificial plants on the table, a sofa to the side, a rare glass monitor display in front and even beautiful double curtains.

Between the slits of the fabric, Lynda was able to make out the time.

Night.

Her arm wasn’t hooked up on an IV, which was a little surprising as it didn’t match the typical image of hospitals she knew about from the movies.

She turned to the table and picked up her glasses.

[Lynda! Are you okay? Do you need the nurse?]

Cuue, Lynda’s AI spun in circles.

“No.”

Lynda found surprising how raspy her tone of voice was.

[I’ve notified your parents that you’ve woken up. How do you feel? Do you feel pain anywhere?]

“I feel.. feverish, tired. My joints hurt, it’s like a bad fever.”

[Are there any signs of abnormal bruising around your body? Could you do a quick check? Your platelet count has gone down since your last blood test.]

Lynda did as told, nothing unusual was noted about her skin except that.. she had become fairer.

“Cuue.. I’m I.. really infect with NtBM?”

[Yes.]

Lynda bit her lips.

[Avoid biting your lips or applying sharp pressure. I’m afraid the wounds won't heal.]

Lynda loosened her mouth.

The time was 2 am in the morning.

What would happen to her now?

She didn’t know.

Who would’ve thought that his prophecy would come through.

That person– Avner.

How did he know? He could read the future?

What if instead of reading the future, he could curse people?

Scary.

She didn’t know what would happen to her from this point onwards.

NtBM was an incurable disease. There were only symptomatic treatment methods available for it and the mortality rate was incredibly high.

Lynda was only 16.

She still had so much life left to live.

She couldn’t die here. Not yet. She wouldn’t allow that.

“Cuue.. find me all the information you can about NtBM and sort them in order of relevance for patients who had just acquired the disease.”

[Yes Lynda. Processing..]

===

“The only possibility I can attribute it to is the mosquito you mentioned. It’s not been publicly announced, yet, but research papers have already been going around with data that proves the correlation. Mosquito vectors are one of the ways this disease spreads.”

“How could a mosquito survive in a country like Alska? Lynda, are you sure that’s what happened?”

“I can’t think of anything else. That’s the only thing I suspect. I didn’t get bitten by anyone.”

“There are some studies that found that mosquitoes that were found to have NtBM are more resilient to temperature. Otherwise, it may have been some other bug which was mistaken for a mosquito.”

“How about a cure? Isn’t there anything like that?”

“I’m very sorry Mr Sparks. It hasn’t been developed. All we can provide as healthcare professionals is treatment to deal with the symptoms. Don’t be overly anxious. Your daughter can still live a normal life. There are just some adjustments she would need to make in her lifestyle.”

Lynda would be under regular monitoring for the next 2 months. This will serve as a guide on how frequent Lynda would need to take blood.

So for the remainder of the year, she stayed in the hospital.

And it was a lonely stay.

[“Are you online?”]

[“What is it?”]

Avner’s reply was days later than expected. Even so, Lynda found an unusual sense of excitement when she received it.

[“Took you long enough.”]

[“Sorry. So, how are you feeling?”]

[“I’m feeling great. What’s scary is how my personality has changed a little. Also, I have more strength. Must be because of the nanovirus inside me giving me the extra boost.”]

[“Good to hear.”]

Lynda was lying. She felt rather bitter.

[“I’m going to be under hospital care for the rest of the month. When will the next feeding happen mister clairvoyance?”]

[“Two months.”]

As expected. This person knows his stuff.

[“See you next year then.”]

[“Great.”]

[“Avner, are you interested in becoming my blood recipient?”]

“Please..”

If he knew so much about the future, he should be able to accept it right?

These were Lynda’s thoughts.

But he never replied.

Though they didn’t express it explicitly, Lynda could tell that her parents were afraid of her. The frequency of their visits decreased, so did the amount of time they stayed with her.

Same could be said for her friends. They asked about her situation during the initial few days, but as soon as they learnt of it, they stopped texting. In fact, more people came to confirm the fact that she had NtBM than those genuinely concerned about her feelings.

“Nurse Shelly.. I’m I going insane?”

Lynda looked at the medication she had to swallow.

Cuue had told her that the medication was for psychiatric patients.

“No you aren’t. Taking medication doesn’t mean you're going insane dear. Patients born with learning disabilities have to take medications like these each day, but that doesn’t mean they’re insane are they?”

“But these are.. I am..”

“You’ll be alright, Lynda. You just have to get used to it. Just a few days ago there was a patient with NtBM who was discharged.”

“The virus affects the brain, right? What happens if I forget to take the medication? Will I go insane then?”

“It won’t reach that degree. Although, you might experience some drastic mood swings.”

Studies have shown that people with NtBM are more violent. However, that doesn't mean that their logical deduction has become impaired.

Lynda took the medication.

Hard pills she had to swallow.

And she had to do it every day from now on.

Just how much did her treatment cost?

2.46

“I’ve been thinking of a certain person..”

“Who is it?”

“He was the one who told me I had NtBM and brought me to the hospital.”

“Oh. So he paid attention to you then.”

“Yes, he probably paid attention to me.”

Why, though?

“But he doesn’t want to become my recipient.”

“You told him to become your recipient?” Nurse Nyill made an odd expression.

Lynda was isolated from the world. As someone who loved to move around, being forced to stay put in one place was difficult.

All she could do was sit and think. Even with technology, she found herself itching for human interactions. She wasn’t someone who could go days without talking with someone.

But somehow, she bore through it.

She managed to.

By holding onto that anticipation. That hope that she’ll get to meet him.

She had to be isolated, not even allowed to go to the common wards to prevent herself from endangering others.

“He saved me after all. I don’t know what would’ve happened if he didn’t call me out on it. Ah.. these days, the only thing I think of is him.”

He had the answers.

He could help her.

He was the person she could depend on.

As the day of her feeding grew closer, she found herself lusting for the nurse’s neck. The only person who knew how she felt, and the hard times she had to face.. and yet she wanted to turn hir into a vampire?

The thought terrified her.

She could hurt someone.

Why was she the one who had to get the disease?

Of all people in the world, she was less than point-one percent of the entire population.

By what leprechaun did she deserve this?

What would others think of her?

The repeated thoughts of it drove her inwards.

She didn’t even know that she was becoming an entirely different person.

That, the nano-virus was already altering her mind.

A month and a half passed.

And she was given her second pack of blood.

“So much..”

Unlike the last time, she was fully conscious.

“The amount you need to drink doubles from the 2nd time onwards.”

“H-Huh? This much..”

Blood.

It was disgusting.

But she knew she had to drink it.

She was afraid of it.

This was human blood.

Sticky, gooey.

It smelled amazing. Which only added to the horrificness.

The current amount was already as big as a juice pack.

“You’ve entered stage two of the disease progression.”

“S-Stage two? I thought.. it could be prevented if I drank blood from another patient..”

“That’s correct. I digress, back then, the risks involved in this procedure were too high. There were a lot of things we needed to arrange before we could safely cross-administer blood from other NtBM patients.”

“...”

“I understand your concerns. Please know that..”

The thought of having to drink blood for life now onwards.

So.

Much.

Blood.

If only Avner accepted her.

If only Avner visited her.

After all, he was the one who saved her.

There might’ve been a possibility that he was a vampire too, just like her.

Since he knows it all, shouldn’t he be the one to take responsibility? How could he just leave her half attended?

She needed him. He was the only one who could solve her situation.

He revolutionized NtBM treatment.

He knows the future.

Then he knows what’s best for her too.

So, why hadn’t he messaged? Why didn’t he ask about her condition?

She was lonely. She wanted to talk to him.

The thought ate at her.

He became an obsession.

And then, he came.

She couldn’t contain herself. All her fears, worries, pains. It all came pouring out to him.

She didn’t even know half of what she was trying to say.

“I’m weird aren’t I?” Lynda began tearing up, “I don’t even know why I’m saying all this. I’m happy and sad. I feel like my heart is going to break, are you going to go away again Avner? They say I have to take medication. If not I’ll feel like this, so I told them I won't eat it. I’m I going insane? Avner, you must have a way to solve this too right? Just like before?”

Avner turned around.

“I’ll call the nurse.”

“Don’t!!”

Lynda tried to get up, Cain stopped her.

“Teacher! Why?!”

“Calm down.”

“I don’t want him to go! Let me go!!”

Nurse Shelly came in.

Avner left with Cain and her sister.

The psychiatrist came in. Lynda was forced to take more medication.

“What is wrong with me..”

This sensation.

Lynda knew she was abnormal.

But this feeling? She couldn’t get her mind off him.

“I should apologize..”

Lynda brought up the messaging window.

It was the first time she felt this sort of unease. Her stomach was itchy. She was afraid to text him yet..

[“Avner, I’m sorry about this morning. I’m feeling better now.”]

He replied quickly.

[“It’s fine. How are you feeling?”]

[“Better. I still can’t get my head straight at times. I still feel like killing you. I wish you told me earlier.]

Lynda wanted him.

[“I really didn’t know that alright? I’m sorry. I’m not omnipotent.”]

[“Should I take the surgery, or not?”]

[“You shouldn’t necessarily follow my opinion, but I would say no.”]

[“Then become my recipient.”]

Then things would be simple. She could cut down the amount of blood she needed to drink.

[“You know I can’t right?”]

[“There’s no one else I can get blood from.”]

[“Shouldn’t there be blood packs in the hospital? You’re from a rich family too.”]

If he became her recipient, they would be dependent on one another.

They’ll be forced to interact with one another.

They’ll be forced to learn about each other.

And eventually, they’ll be forced to live together.

Yes. That’s it.

“Nobody said I couldn’t choose who I want to bite..”

[Lynda?]

“Yes Cuue?”

[I’m arranging another session with the psychiatrist.]

“Eh? Why?”

[You’re going to hurt someone at this rate. You know you don’t want that.]

“I’m not hurting anyone. He deserves it.”

[Lynda.. that’s not how love works.]

Her heart skipped a beat.

Her fingers trembled.

She lowered her face.

“Love..”

This feeling.

“That.. can’t be.. I..”

He was younger than her.

She didn’t even know him.

This is how love feels?

“What if..”

He planned all this.

He wanted her to fall for him.

“That.. sly.. fox..”

She was being toyed around.

– by her own mind.

===

dotturndot: yes. We get toyed with by our minds a lot, whether you believe it or not. An incident is how we perceive it to be. And just because we perceive the situation to be what we perceive it to be, it doesn’t necessarily mean our perception of it is the best way to perceive what we perceive.

We look at the world through rose-tinted glasses. And you can always swap out the rose-glass with hydrangea-tinted glass, chrysanthemum-tinted glass, edelweiss-tinted glass. etc. When you do, you realize that you’re flexible. You can be anyone you want– within the limits of the human mind of course.

And by the limit of the human mind.. I have no clue how one should even interpret that.

Lynda has fallen for Avner yahoo! (Or is it just some cognitive dissonance in her mind?) What will happen now? Stay tuned for the next volume! Muahahahahahahahaha!!