Once in my room, I lay down upon my bed and began to sleep. It was a
peaceful sleep until nightmares filled my mind. I saw dark images
that my father was trapped in the forgotten crypt and attacked.
Three men were standing over a coffin in which my father lay and one
pounded a wooden stake into his heart. The blood was everywhere.
Then I saw one hold something up as the other cut off my father’s
head. As my eyes focused on the object I saw it was my father’s dead
heart. In fear, I opened my eyes and ran to the forgotten crypt.
What I saw there changed my life forever.
Three men were standing over a coffin with stake and machete in
hand. Inside was the still form of my father. Only, I was in time
to stop them from doing anything. Quickly and quietly, I took
another knife that I saw on the table behind the men and threw it at
the one closest to my father with the wooden stake in his hand. It
hit between his shoulders and the man turned and stumbled before
falling to the floor dead.
“FATHER,” I screamed seeing my father’s eyes fly open as he began to
attack the other two men rendering both lifeless.
“Child,” he said looking at me with fangs still visible and eyes
glowing red “what are you doing here? I have told you this place is
forbidden.”
“I dreamt that three men came and killed you by staking you and
cutting out your heart after taking your head. It was too real for
me to ignore and I came here. Forgive me for disobeying you, but I
had to. I was afraid that I would have lost you,” I said in tears.
Coming to me, he raised my face to meet his. His teeth were normal
and his eyes were no longer red.
“What happened here,” he asked pointing to the man he did not kill.
“I saw them acting like I did in my dream. On that table, there was
the knife. I took it and threw it at him so he could not hurt you,”
I said shaking. “I killed him.”
“Shhhh,” my father said holding me in his arms against his chest. “I
feared this day would come. I’ve hoped you would never find out.”
“Now you think I will hate you and fear you like the others do,” I
said holding onto him with as much strength as I could.
“Yes,” he said softly. “My child if you do, I will understand.”
“Father, you are the one who gave me life and have done all you could
to make sure I’ve needed for nothing. I love you with all my heart.
The only things I fear are your anger or doing something to meet with
your disapproval because I love you. I don’t fear you,” I said
meeting his eyes with mine so he could see the sincereity in
them. “I’ve read all the legends even the one about the curse.
Knowing why you are like this keeps me from fearing the unknown.
Tonight, I know you’ll tell me everything you can.”
“You are so much like your mother,” he smiled. “I’ve been hurt, he
said and need to rest in order to heal. Meet me in the library on
the eighth hour of the evening and we shall talk.”
“Don’t send me away from you father,” I said. “I’ll not be able to
rest knowing what has happened here. Let me stay so I know you are
safe.”
“Then come with me child,” he said taking my hand.
Leading me to a secret chamber void of windows and light, he lit a
candle to reveal a chamber containing a small table with books upon
it and a bed. As he lay down on the bed, I lay beside him. I should
have been afraid, but my heart would not let me. How could I hate
and fear the one I loved so much?
With a smile I opened my eyes as the memory faded. Turning I saw the
figure of my father in the doorway.
“Father,” I said getting up from the chair I was sitting in and went
to him. “I’ve missed you.”