Young Writers Society

*This is the origin of characters from my story “Love in decaying hearts”. Gacha Club character designs are under my forum titled “My character designs<33”. Enjoy!*

Some time in the 1830s, there was a town called “Apple Blossom Lane.” In that town, there were rumors of witches, spells, and sorrow, but despite all the rumors of magic, it was still a town that grew sweet-smelling apple blossoms all around, attracting those that loved greatly with such colorful, alluring, welcoming splendor.

There was a young couple called Jane and Lennox Clarkson who had moved to the town for such reasons, as they had heard such wonderful things about it from the local paper!

The Clarksons from the moment they moved were living a peaceful life in the town, nothing much happening with them. Lennox would go to the local university, Jane would tend to the house. When the two of them were reunited after a long day of work, they’d kiss and hold one another, then take a walk along town with the apple blossom trees. It was all a picturesque dream for them, to live out in such a heavenly place.

One bright blue sky day, when Lennox and Jane were doing their daily work, Jane fancied that she saw an eye peeking from behind the red rose bush, but she ignored it for a second, continuing to water the bush.

Then she heard it. The sound of feet shuffling in the dirt.

Jane put the watering can down and pulled billows of roses and leaves into an opening, heart racing as she wondered what could be hiding behind them, what could be shuffling behind them.

She hitched a breath, shock circulating her mind as she saw a boy who looked no older than sixteen, pale skin stretched on thin bones, hunched over, a strange black feathery coat spilling from his back like a cape.

Jane tapped the boy’s shoulder and the boy flinched, wiping his face with a shaky hand before looking up at Jane with large, red eyes that looked too glass-like to be real.

“Are you lost?” Jane asked, trying to keep down the fear and confusion that was swirling all around her intestines, for the boy, as odd as he looked, was still a boy.

The boy stared at her for a moment, seeming to decide whether or not it was worth it to speak and then he said softly, as though he wanted to be hidden yet again:

“No. I’m sorry I bothered you. I’ll go now.”

The boy was about to get up, but something in the way he moved told Jane that something wasn’t right, that the boy needed help of some kind.

“Are you sure? I can help you.” Jane said, hoping that she could actually find a way to help him out.

The boy hesitated a bit, seeming to weigh his options, then he sat next to Jane on the grass, a sign that she took as him wanting to stay.

With that, Jane got up and walked to the house, checking behind her to see if the boy was following her.

He was. He wanted her help.

………………………………………………………….

“Does your family live around here?” Jane asked as she bit into a slice of strawberry pie. She had baked it for the boy, but he hadn’t touched it at all.

The two of them were sitting across each other on the dining room table, the strawberry pie in between them. The boy was sitting in a hunched manner, his red eyes staring at his shoes, fidgeting slightly. Goodness, what was he so nervous about? Jane wasn’t going to hurt him at all!

“No. My parents are dead.” The boy said, still looking down, although hunching even more.

Jane instinctively reached out a hand to comfort him, then pulled away, for perhaps not everybody would be comfortable with such an action.

“I’m so sorry. No child deserves to be left alone. Do you have any other relatives that live close by?” Jane asked, hoping that he wasn’t entirely lost. The strawberry pie tasted bitter in her mouth, she felt that no words she said would be enough.

The boy shook his head.

“I live alone and I’m fine on my own. I’m bothering you right now, so I’ll see myself out.” The boy said hastily.

Right when he was about to get up, Jane said:

“You’re not bothering me. Not at all. Why don’t you stay and wait for my husband? We’ll take care of you until a relative or family friend claims you. In fact, why don’t you tell me your name, so we can know each other easier? I’m Jane.”

She wasn’t certain if what she was doing was “proper” or “correct”, but she did know that she didn’t want to leave the boy alone, not until she would be certain of his safety.

The boy paused, his eyes searching, one hand on the table while he stood up.

He then sat back down, upright on his seat and said:

“I’m Azrail.”

…………………………………………………………

Azrail wouldn’t talk much about his family, so Jane didn’t ask. He seemed to be adjusting better with the minutes that passed, for he no longer sat like he was hunched when the time to sit down was needed.

The bright blue sky eventually faded into a dim azure, the sign of the afternoon. Lennox had walked back home and Jane opened the door, allowing him in.

Immediately, he sweeped Jane into a kiss, but as she kissed him, there was a hint of worry in her mind, worry for Azrail in the spare bedroom.

When they were done, Jane wasted no time and told Lennox about the boy she had found in the rose bush.

“You want us to keep him?” Lennox asked, furrowing his brows.

“Until somebody he knows and loves comes to get him.” Jane said with a nod.

Lennox pursed his lips and then asked Jane to show him Azrail, to which Jane followed, leading him to the spare bedroom where Azrail sat on the bed, looking down at his shoes.

“Azrail, this is Lennox. He’s my husband.” Jane said.

Azrail looked up, smiling weakly at Lennox, not showing his teeth. It was the first time Jane had seen him smile and goodness, it was quite adorable! Like a little fawn personified!

But Lennox grabbed Jane’s hand roughly, a way that was so unlike him, and pulled her to the side.

His eyes were grim, no grin played at his face.

“Jane, he has red eyes. That cape or cloak that he’s wearing? It’s a part of him. I read about creatures like him in the university.” Lennox said, his voice all solemn as though they would both meet their end soon.

Jane laughed, for why would he say such words? Sure, Azrail didn’t look like any human that they had ever seen, but a creature? How could he be a creature? He was simply lost!

“I thought that those university books were supposed to make you smarter.” Jane giggled, smiling at how ridiculous her husband was being.

Lennox’s serious look didn’t leave, he shook his head as though she wasn’t quite hearing him.

“He’s a vampire, Jane. The cape isn’t a cape, they are his wings. Sometimes, vampires are winged. You let a vampire in our house.” Lennox said.

Jane stopped laughing, her heart felt like it would jump right out of her chest and cease to beat.

Was he really going to stand by his belief that Azrail was a vampire? Vampires weren’t real, they were the stuff of myths and legends. All Azrail needed was a home and he wanted to leave him outside, on his own?

“He’s not a vampire and even if he was, that doesn’t mean we should hurt him. He can’t control what he is.” Jane said, thinking of how all people were different in their own ways, how they all deserve love.

Her parents taught her that she must always open the door for those in need, that acts of kindness would help heal their broken, tormented hearts.

If Lennox wanted to cast Azrail out, then how would she ever love him the way she did before?

Lennox didn’t say a word, he only sighed defeatedly.

“Come now. Let’s talk to Azrail, it’s not polite to leave him by himself.” Jane said, taking hold of Lennox’s hand.

Azrail was going to stay until all was well. Jane was not going to leave a child stranded in an unfamiliar, sometimes dangerous, world.

…………………………………………………………

Jane and Lennox walked into the room, each of them sitting side-by-side Azrail. Azrail chewed his bottom lip nervously, hunching into himself just like before.

Jane took a deep breath. It was best to be honest and come full circle with issues that may be lying deep down within the farthest pit of organs.

“Azrail, Lennox has been reading some books about vampires. He thinks that you might be one. I personally don’t think that you are a vampire, but even if you are, we won’t hurt you. You’re still a kid. You still deserve to be loved. Now…are you a vampire?” Jane asked.

The second she asked that question, she felt bile rise in her throat. She only wanted to ask just so they would be clear with one another, but then, wasn’t that too personal? Was she sounding too judgemental? Had she made him uncomfortable?

Azrail’s black cape rose up like wings, covering up his face.

He moved a bit of his…cape…to show his face, then nodded.

Lennox took on an aghast expression, Azrail was about to run away, but Jane grabbed him by the wrist and cried out:

“Don’t run, Azrail! Please! We’re not afraid of you! You can stay and live with us until somebody comes for you. We’ll love you. You’re welcome here.”

She then let go of his wrist and waited for Azrail’s answer. Lennox’s eyes went wide as he took in Jane’s words.

But she stood by her belief in having him stay, for Azrail was a child and a child needed love.

It wouldn’t hurt to have a child around either.

“You’re not afraid of me?” Azrail asked timidly.

“No, Azrail. We’re not.” Jane smiled warmly.

Azrail’s “cape”, which spread out and revealed to be his wings, bloomed out like a flower, as though he didn’t want to hide anymore.

“I guess it’s okay if I stay.” Azrail beamed.

…………………………………………………………

At first, Lennox didn’t trust Azrail with any ounce of his body, but over time, he grew to love the boy, along with Jane. Lennox still went to university, Jane took care of the house, they kissed when they reunited, but in between, they took Azrail outside to enjoy the apple blossoms, let him read the books in the study, gave him small animals to eat, and all around, cared for him like he was their son.

Azrail never did mention most of his life, but he listened intently to Jane and Lennox’s stories of meeting in a garden, their young hearts full of love and wonder, then marrying in a garden. Azrail seemed to lighten up whenever he heard their cherry-tinted stories of love, to which the Clarksons would smile fondly to one another and hope that Azrail found beauty in the little things in life.

In the midst of the love they gave, in their good-hearted nature, they forgot that Azrail was a vampire, that he had urges that could flare up in a second. Even Azrail himself wanted to believe that the Clarksons could be his loving parents, parents whose love had no bounds.

But alas, there came a day that Jane and Lennox could not find any small animals outside, a day that Azrail couldn’t suppress his hunger, and thus…

“I’m so sorry.” Azrail had whispered to their ears each one of them as he sucked their blood, as his tears mixed in with the blood.

Even with the agony burning inside of them, ripping them apart, Lennox couldn’t but wonder what happened to Azrail to tear him down, to make him a monster. He read of demonic creatures, but Azrail’s spirit was not all tarnished.

Yet Jane’s last thoughts echoed throughout the crevices of her brain:

It’s okay Azrail, we’re not mad It’s okay Azrail, we’re not madIt’s okay Azrail, we’re not madit’s okay Azrail, we’re not madIt’s okay Azrail, we’re not madIt’s okay Azrail, we’re not madAzrailletmehugyouletmeloveyouyourredeyesdeservetoshinepleaseAzraildon’tcry

Their bodies were drained dry in the house. Azrail made sure to take them to the local woods and hide them in a bush, where they would be one with the timeless, indefinite beauty of nature.

Strangely enough, he didn’t feel exactly alone when he set out to hide them.