Chapter 3: Maribel

Chapter Three: Maribel 

• Leave him alone, Elliot. - I said. - He doesn't know what’s going on. He doesn’t even know why he and his father were banished. He’s just curious about how Coraline knows his father. - I laughed malevolently. 

• Stop Maribel! - Coraline said. - don’t start something you cannot stop. 
• Jay, we know. - I said, looking at April and Gina at the same time. Because I know those two are hiding something as well. - but we can’t tell you. - I finished saying. It's so funny to see him so clueless. It’s like an abandoned little puppy looking for food in the streets.

     And then Gina and James started walking with anger to defend Jay, so Elliot and I

did what we knew best and showed our fangs in defense. Of course, the little princess Coraline just stayed there, all cute with the blue book she found in Margaret’s library, without doing anything. As usual. 

     Alright, the party is over -Margaret said. - Everyone out! Coraline is the last time you and your friends set foot in this castle. Get out!

 - Like I mind, old lady.- I said to myself, scrolling my eyeballs. 

We got out of Margaret’s Castle and started to walk back home to our village. I started thinking about Coraline and Elliot's fantastic scene in the woods. I was walking back home after feeding, down on the old bridge next to our village, and overheard their conversation.

 

• You mean a lot to me. - Elliot was saying to Coraline. - More than you can imagine. I love you, Coraline. - He hugged her, and she hugged him. I can’t stand this girl playing with his feelings! He continued, "You want answers, then I shall help you look for them. Let’s get Maribel and let us come with you to Margaret’s castle to look for those answers. I heard they are having a ball just about now.”

I came out of the woods and told them: Don’t worry about me guys, you just confirmed what was obvious. Let’s just get this over with already. - I was so furious with all of it. It will always be Coraline’s way in the end. - let’s get your answers, Coraline. -  I finished talking and started walking toward Myletown. And now, when all the drama has passed.

“Guys,- Coraline started talking. - I appreciate everything you do to protect me but that scene you two caused in Margaret’s living room was unnecessary.” 

“Coral, I’m sorry, but your protection comes first before anything.” Said, Elliot. Of course, he only sees the light through Coraline’s eyes. But he’s right. Coraline’s destiny is so powerful that we must ensure she doesn’t get hurt. We even need to protect her from herself. What a freaking nightmare with this child.

So I said, “Elliot, it’s right per usual.” scrolling my eyes while walking. 

I’m so angry with Elliot. I don't understand why he converted me a hundred years ago. I thought he wanted to have a life with me. But instead, he treats me like his sister. He prefers to have Coraline’s love, and she doesn't give a damn. She is always looking for answers. Like a child. What does he see in her? She’s so fragile that Elliot must constantly fight her own battles. 

• Speaking of, What the hell got into you, Maribel?” Coraline started yelling at me, and I came back from my thoughts. 
• “What are you talking about now, Coraline?” I sighed, already feeling annoyed.
• “Why do you need to run your mouth when I specially told you not to start something you clearly can’t finish off.” She said in an angry tone.
• “Yeah yeah, whatever you say, your majesty.” I said in a mocking voice. Yesterday I was helping Elliot change her diapers, and today she has a tone with me. Who does she think she is?  

• “Maribel, listen to me and hear very clearly. -She started to point her finger at me. - Your stupid jealousy it’s not going to get you anywhere. I know you want all of Elliot's attention. And trust me - Coraline started staring at him, saying: I wish you could have all his attention too. 

I cannot believe this brat princess dared to say those words to me in front of Elliot. Won’t happen. What is he going to think about me now? It’s going to be more difficult to reach him directly. I’m glad I love challenges, and I had waited a long time to give up now because of this kid. 

We arrived down the bridge to feed. I saw my prey and started to compel it. Gosh! How much I love to provide. Sucking all the blood until it is only dust. All the power I feel running from my mouth into my veins. Until it is all done and it only leaves an insatiable satisfaction. And then, So powerful enough to conquer anything. No regrets. 

• Well, you two resolve your issues before sunset. - Elliot said. - Coraline, did you figure out what the book contained? 
• I was listening while feeding. - Well, - Coraline started talking -  this book doesn’t say anything. - She grabs the book and opens it. - See? - She showed it to Elliot. - Nothing. So I guess we are back to square one. - She finished talking, saved the blue book in her crossbody bag, and started to compel her feed. 
• Well, I’m going to feed on the other side of the bridge this time. - Elliot said. - I need to be alone. There’s a lot I need to process and think off.-  He looked at Coraline and pointed at her with his finger while looking into her eyes. - Stay away from Margaret’s Castle. - He turned around and started walking away. 

 

Coraline stopped looking at Elliot, went away, and stared at me. - Do you think I want all his attention? -She began to say while compelling her feed. - No, I don’t! I’m sorry that Elliot doesn’t see you the way you want him to, but I’ve told you a thousand times now it’s not the time for me to be distracted. And you both know it.” She threw away her prey and started walking away. She thought she had finished the conversation. 

• Distractions? - I asked- You mean the handsome gentleman with a sun pendant? Girl, you don’t see how Elliot sees you, and you dare to flirt with this new guy in front of him. You think you are a sweet vampire but only use your sweetness to hurt others. Like you did to your mom. Haven’t you realized that?  - Oops. I should not have said that. I think this person I’m feeding on has drunk a lot. As vampires, we don’t get drunk no matter how hard we try drinking, except from whom we provide. 

She stopped feeding and walked towards me. She grabbed my arms and lifted me to stand. 

- What did you just say? - She tried to intimidate me and started breathing hard toward me like a mad bull. 

I was already too drunk for this. So I was speaking without a filter. Who gives a damn, anyway. 

“Why?” I asked, starting a hostile discussion. 

She looked at me, so confused.- “Why what?”-  She responded. 

“Don’t play dumb, Coraline, and answer me. Why?”-  I was getting a bit agitated. 

“Maribel, what did you just say about my mom? -She started to get mad at me. 

I pushed her away and started walking from side to side, saying: “Can’t you see for once? You're supposed to be this powerful vampire who knows it all and yet doesn't know shit!” I was getting annoyed and mad. But at the same time, it wasn’t her fault. Who cares? I’m drunk! I’m going to have fun. 

“What are you talking about…? -Coraline started to ask me, but I stopped her. 

-“You never know anything, stupid little brat! What kind of influential person are you? All you think about is that silly dream you have every ten years and don’t realize all the effort Elliot is making so you can be safe. - I paused and stared into her eyes, saying: All he does is follow you around like a dog, he is concerned about you, and you don’t even pay attention to him. - 

She started to look down while I continued talking. - I’m here trying so hard to get his attention, so maybe one day he’ll look at me the way he looks at you, like no other person in this world matters. 

She walked away from me and started to get ready to get out of the bridge. - And yet, I’m the youngest one. - Coraline started to talk. - You know, - She continued. - It's hard for me to hear you say all this foolishness. You don’t even know how my relationship with Elliot is. And you wouldn’t understand either. Because you’ve been living in a world where you think you deserve what you haven’t worked for. 

• Everything you have was given to you on a silver platter so that you wouldn’t know nor understand! -I stopped her from continuing talking. I was getting a bit hasty and started to spill my true feelings. -  I’ve been in love with him from the first time we had an encounter since a hundred years ago before you came along. - She started to smirk. - Just the way that he cares and the way he is. He made me fall in love with him, and I have been ever since. But all he does it’s look at you, and it's starting to mess with my head. I will never be enough for him. Yet every time you have a chance, you break his heart in a million pieces without acknowledging his feelings.”

She stopped looking at me and started walking away without saying another word. I’m not the type of woman who shows her feelings quickly. But I was getting tired of seeing how Coraline treated Elliot. She came back and started talking. 

“Maribel…” she sighs. “Honestly, I am sorry I didn’t acknowledge this before. You and Elliot have been by my side my entire life, and I was supposed to recognize your feelings. But things are not that easy, and although it may seem like I was given everything on a silver platter, there are things that I wish I hadn't inherited, like being a hybrid who can transport herself through dreams. - I’m pretty sure she let all that out of her system because she couldn’t hold it in anymore. 

I was a human when he turned me. I was suffering from a horrible condition. At that time, it was horrifying, and everyone thought it was contagious. Nowadays, we know it as cancer.  They isolated me far from the town. And left me alone to die. 

Elliot was an excellent friend of my husband. They went to the military together. My first love died fighting with our enemies in the war when I got sick. Elliot promised to take care of me. And he did. He sensed how much pain this sickness was causing me. He could see how much I had endured and how I was slipping away slowly in pain. And one day, I remembered it like it was yesterday. He visited me, and in my agony hour, he said: 

• I promised your husband to take care of you. He always got my back, and I’m a man of honor. I can’t see you suffer in this pain anymore. Do you trust me? - I could barely speak, but he saw deep in my eyes that I trusted him the same way I trusted my husband when he was alive. 

 He started looking into my eyes. And started getting close to my neck little by little. I wasn’t able to move. It was like my body was inviting him willingly to feed on it. He bit me, and I felt like he was taking away every pain I felt in my body. He washed away my sickness. And converted me in his eternal accompaniment. 

I have been here, next to him, for ten decades. Supporting him unconditionally like the wife I once was and waiting for him to fall in love with me. And with Coraline in between. It won’t happen. She is always going to be what only matters to him. I better get rid of her once and for all. 

She’s looking for answers about her childhood. And I’m getting sick and tired of this whole drama. She wants to know and is already old enough to understand it. So I’m going to follow her to tell her all the truth. This time it will be us two alone. Oh, Coraline, your Elliot won’t be there to defend you. - I said to myself while getting ready to start following her. - Who knows what I’m capable of doing with her now? 

I started walking into the woods, maintaining my distance. And there she was, not too far still, only a few meters in front of me. She looks like she is deeply consumed in her thoughts. She’s walking like she knows this place. But I’m pretty sure she had never walked here before. 

We are getting close to the Wolf Territory near the old well. What is it with this woman and that place? - Get over it, Coraline. - I said to myself. But she acted as if she heard me. She looked back to see if someone was following her. And I hid behind a big old tree. 

Thankfully she didn’t get to see me. She looked to the front and walked away. Later on the trail, she got curious about an old tree. She started walking towards it and was looking at some letters written on it. She was so concentrated on looking at the initials on that big old tree. I tried carefully to reach a little closer to see what it said. And there she was, trying to understand what C&J meant. Ooh, I’m going to enjoy this. 

• Coraline and Jay were sitting in a tree - I started singing and clapping while getting out of the bushes. - It is true what Elliot said. - I started staring at her with my fierce eyes. - He’s got into you. 
• No Maribel. This is different from what you think. - She started looking at the initials again- I knew I had seen those initials before in my dreams somewhere. - She paused. 
• And you started to feel like your immortal heart was fluttering again like it did when you had seen Jay back at the castle? - I asked. She began to look at me, confused. “Yes, I’ve read your mind. I can hear your heart from here. I can sense you are breathing with difficulty, Coraline. You can’t deny it.”
• Who wrote those initials? - Asked Coraline, ignoring what I just said while staring at the big old tree again.- Could they mean what I think? Could they be the names that I'm thinking of? - She asked herself.
• Yes, Coraline. - I responded. - And I bet you don’t imagine. It is even worse than you think it is. 
• We have barely crossed words back in the castle. - She’s starting to get more desperate. She wants answers. It’s impossible. 
• HE IMPRINTED ON YOU! - I started yelling at her while laughing and clapping dramatically. - He allowed you to see your future together. He planted a flame in your heart, marking you for eternity. You are his forever, and you can feel it deep in your deadly soul. But you prefer to ignore it because of that revealing dream. You want to know more about who you are. You are willing to hurt those around you to find the truth about you. I bet the answer is in Jay’s arms. 
• Jealousy much, Mari? - she asked me with a smirk.
• Do you want to go down that road? - I asked back. - You think that’s going to do much to me? Try again. - I started laughing so hard at her face.
• Oh, Mari honey, is it because Elliot won’t write your initials in a tree-like Jay did to me? Or is it because I'm his favorite out of the two? - She asked, looking down at me.
• This girl is messing with me and doesn't know my dark side yet. - Says the girl with the mommy’s issues. - I responded with a smirk. 

She couldn’t hold it anymore. She threw herself at me like a tiger when it was going to devour its prey. She pushed me, and we both fell to the floor. I made her back. - Get off me, you little brat! - I yell at her. - Too much on your plate? - I finished saying while standing up and fixing my hair. 

I went up and saw her stepping off the floor. The air was filled with tension, anger, and hatred. She got back at me, and in her eyes, I could see she was determined to kill me. She showed her fangs and tried to bite me, but I again pushed her away. 

- that’s it, Coraline! You are only hurting yourself, princess. -I paused and looked to the north of the mountains- and I was getting tired of this. - I walked towards Coraline. She wasn’t giving up. She was trying to defend herself from me no matter what. This brat is no match for me. I grabbed her with my left hand, and with my right one, I broke her neck. - Nap time, little princess. 

Coraline fell in my arms, and I grabbed her and put her upside down on my shoulder. I started walking towards the North of the mountains. There’s an abandoned old stable where I can hide her for a while until I decide what to do with her. No one had gone there for decades. 

That’ll be the perfect place to hide her forever, and no one will know. What a great plan I just cooked. Let’s begin walking, Coraline. We have a long journey ahead of us. And finally, a happy ending for me and my beloved Elliot.