Decision

                                  I had run away, coward that I was. I hated it. I just left, no goodbyes or anything. I told myself it was better that way. It had to be. I couldn't hurt if I wasn't in love, and I most definitely wasn't in love with Seto Kaiba. But then, why did I have a dull ache in my chest? I tried to think of every explanation for it, but nothing fit. Most of my ideas only applied to the living. I leaned back against the wall of Darren's art room. I was back at our home, far away from Domino City. I couldn't bring myself to go into my room, full of music. I was bound to stumble across something in there that would make me want to go back. I couldn't do that. It was better this way for Seto and me.

 

It took me three days to get home and I had already spent another three days here. The entire time, I left my music alone. I'd never realized how long a week could be until now. I sighed and stood up, walking out of the art room. I stood in front of the old mirror in the hallway and frowned.

 

"So much for being strong. You ran away," I muttered, berating myself.

 

I had to resist the urge to punch the mirror, shattering it. I left the small house in the middle of the woods and ran into the vegetation. I didn't need to hunt. I still had another week before that would come. I just needed to run, to be outside. It helped me clear my mind most of the time. I eventually came to the top of a large hill, overlooking the forest around me. It was green as far as the eye could see. As much as I liked the view from Kaiba's office window, this was by far my favorite scene. It was serene and easy to get lost in the beauty of it all. I inhaled deeply, the rich scent of pine filling my nostrils.

 

"I wish I knew what the right choice was," I mumbled.

 

The breeze picked up, cooled by the early November temperatures. Of course, I was in a knee-length black skirt and a red short-sleeved shirt. The cold had no effect on someone whose skin was colder than ice. I sighed, completely unable to lose myself in the view around me.

 

"What's wrong with me," I asked into the air.

 

I heard someone run towards me from behind. I whipped around and saw Serephine. She lived in the same general area, but in a different house from Darren and me.

 

"What are you doing here? Last I knew, you were protecting some company big-shot," she said, stopping beside me.

 

Her eyes were a bright amethyst, meaning she had hunted recently. I knew my own eyes were a dulling purple.

 

"I quit," I answered with a shrug, turning back to the scene below me.

 

"What do you mean? You ran away?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"Why?"

 

"I-I had to get away. I didn't want to be hurt again."

 

"What happened," Serephine asked.

 

I sighed and explained the whole situation to her. She remained silent as I spoke.

"That's when I left," I finished.

Serephine stared at me in surprise.

 

"Scarlett, that's even more of a reason to stay. You don't want him to die because you ran away, do you," she asked.

 

"If I'm not there, he won't be killed."

 

"Darren's predictions are never wrong. You know that."

 

"I know, but," I stopped.

 

I couldn't think of any reason to explain my actions. I knew I had been lying to myself, but it was impossible to lie to Serephine. She knew me too well. She rested her hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes.

 

"Do what you have to," she whispered.

 

I nodded with another sigh.

 

"I need to think some more," I mumbled.

 

"Alright. I'll be at my house if you need me."

 

With that, Serephine left, running towards the east. I left as well, on my way back home.

 

                               I walked back through Darren's art room again, still unsure what I should do. My brother's favorite subject to paint was the wildlife around our home. He would also paint his visions with such vivid detail; one would think they had already happened. In the back of the room, I could see the three visions he had before. My eyes widened in surprise and I gasped.

"My God," I whispered.

The first painting depicted Seto and me. There were tears forming in my eyes as I stood before him. He was awestruck. I was leaning forward, ready to attack whatever was coming, my fangs bared. It was the same position I took when hunting, or felt threatened.

 

The second painting was the tragic one of Darren's overlapping visions. There was blood everywhere and I could see Seto on the ground. Tears flowed freely down my face in the painting, my face contorted in agony. I didn't even appear to be affected by all the human blood in the air. I quickly looked away, unwilling to stare at the painting any longer.

 

The last painting made me take a step back. There was a man with short, white hair and crimson eyes. He was a monster, a vampire that drank human blood. He was in the process of lunging forward. He didn't need to hunt, as his eyes were bright red. He was just going to kill because he could. I was standing in front of Seto, my arms outstretched and my eyes wide in fear. In the background, I could see Darren running to help. It didn't look like he would make it in time.

 

"No," I whispered.

I took another step back. There wasn't another painting to show another option. At that point, I knew what I had to do. I ran out of the house as fast as I could.