ALICE

I woke up early the next morning so I could wrap everyone’s piece of cake up for them. I tied them together with these cute purple ribbons I found. I know what you’re thinking. I used the word cute in a sentence. Something must be wrong with my head. I’m okay. I’ve just been feeling a bit more at home in Europe. I had a few pieces of cake left over so I left them in my bag and saved one for myself in my room. Then I headed down to breakfast with the others.
My head was still in a spin from last night from when I got hit with the door. Pretty sure I have a concussion, but I should be alright. I hope. As soon as I caught sight of the club, I noticed a new. There was some tall guy with auburn colored hair who seemed like he was already stirring up drama. I had started to lose track of who was in the club about six members ago.
I sat down at an empty table and pulled a book out from my bag called, “The Night Life.” It was written by an old vampire acquaintance of mine. Actually, I wouldn’t call him an acquaintance as he tried to kill me while advertising his book to me in case I survived. After that, I kicked him into next week but still decided to support his “hobby.” It was actually pretty interesting. There were a hundred and one tips to being a successful vampire. One of those motivational life books. I pulled out my highlighter to take notes.
TIP 45: Stay away from clubs. Oh, no I read this section. I narrowed my eyes at the book. “Where were you last night!?” Here I go yelling out loud again.
“Are-are you feeling okay?” A girl with dark brown hair asked.
Another new one? “I’m peachy.” I hate peaches. They get stuck in my fangs. “What’s your name?”
“Clarissa.” She smiled shyly. “Some call me Claire.”
“I’m Alice.” I introduced myself wondering what kind of creature she was. I leaned back in my chair and smiled. She was staring at the open book on the table.
“Wh-what b-book is that?” She slowly pointed her finger towards my book.
“It’s a book called “The Night Life.” I’m a vampire.” I explained.
“R-really? I’m a w-witch.” She said.
“Interesting! I’ve always wanted to meet a witch.” I smiled happily.
“W-why?”
“Because I’ve met just about every other creature out there except a witch.”
She nodded.
“Well, I’ll let you get back to eating. Don’t mind me.” I said returning to my book. This chapter was getting interesting. I was just about to turn the page when Karin came over to me.
“Good morning.” She greeted me.
“Good morning.” I replied. “Oh, I left some cake on everyone’s door. So it’s safe to eat, not poisoned or whatever. It could look pretty creepy. I couldn’t decide whether to buy little name cards or not. I don’t have that much money.”
“Did I hear cake?” Violette scooted her chair over to the table.
“Yes, you heard right.” I turned towards her.
“Yes!” She giggled. “Cake in the morning!”
“I don’t think so.” Locke said bursting her bubble. “Maybe later.”
“Fineeee.” Violette said sadly scooting back over to her table.
I laughed a little.
“I will let everyone know if they ask.” She said returning to her table.
When I was getting up from the table ten minutes later, a little girl wandered up to me who looked to be about six with short blond pigtails. She was so short I had to bend down.
“Hello.” I said in German looking around for her parent. “Guten tag.”
“Hi.” She said staring.
“Umm,” I said after a few seconds of silence. “Are you lost?”
She nodded.
“Right.” I sighed. She had to come walking up to me.
“Are you staying in the hotel?”
“Yep.”
“Where did you last see your parents?” I needed something to go off of.
She shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Perfect.” I said.
“Were you in the circus?” She asked. She caught my attention.
“Yeah. You recognize me?” I asked surprised.
I got another nod. “You were flying through the air.”
“I wouldn’t call it flying…” I sighed. “Yeah, I can fly.”
“Wow, can I fly?”
“No, no, no.” I laughed uneasily and cleared my throat. “Don’t try to fly at home, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Do you have anything of your parents on you?”
“Um, oh!” She reached to the knit cap on her head. “This is my mom’s.”
I took the hat and held it up to my face so I could catch the scent off it. Got it. I handed the hat back to her and grabbed her hand. “Follow me!”
“Yay!” She followed behind me closely like a duckling.
I followed the scent down the hallway and to the back of the hotel. We stopped outside the door and I looked around. She should be right here. I looked around until I heard a muffled noise coming from the side of the building.
“Stay here.” I whispered to the girl. She nodded and stood by the door. I rounded the corner carefully and found the mom tied up to a pole with tape over her mouth. I ripped the tape off and she screamed.
“Behind you!” I quickly ducked and spun around just as a metal bar flew over my head. A large man in a black coat and pants was standing over me. I stood back up just as he was about to take another swing and. I grabbed his arm and spun around, elbowing him in the chest. He grabbed my arm as I was going into a scissor kick. I knocked him to the ground and threw him across the parking lot. I didn’t throw him too far because I didn’t want my cover to be blown. But I guess a grown man getting beat up by a small girl would look suspicious. He wasn’t moving so I assumed he was unconscious and began untying the mom.
She started speaking to me fast in German. “Thank you so much! He was trying to rob me but I followed him out here. I guess I shouldn’t have done that.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll deal with him. Your daughter is over by the back door.”
She quickly gave me a hug and ran over to the exit door to go back inside. I don’t like hugs very much. I picked up the metal bar and ran over to the man lying in the parking lot. I should leave him here for the cops but I don’t want him to get away. I had some unfinished business with this guy.
“How are you professor? Still trying to kill me?” I kicked him in his side as he began to wake up. He stared up at me and tried to sit up but I kicked him back down against the pavement.
“Alice, it’s good to see you again. Did you read my book?”
“Look, I don’t have much time. There’s still an overcast but not for long.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“I happen to be reading it now. I’m on chapter ten.”
“That’s one of my favorites.” He said.
“I don’t care.” I said. I released my foot off of him. “Now, let’s finish this. I’ve got things on my agenda for the day and beating you up isn’t on it.”
“What makes you think you’ll beat me this time?” He said.
“You do realize who is on the ground right now, right? Besides, the humans are gone, I can go all out now.”
“You’re awfully sure about yourself, aren’t you?”
He stood up and lunged towards me so I grabbed the metal bar and held it out parallel to my body. He ran into the bar knocking me to the ground and flipping off ahead of me. I jumped up and punched him in the face before he had time to react. He kicked my legs out from underneath me and my knee scraped up against the pavement.
“You made me bleed.” I said. “I don’t like blood.” I jammed the bar in his chest and pushed him out. The woman came running back out the building with some cops.
“The police!?” He yelled. He broke the window of a nearby car and unlocked it in the blink of an eye. I ran over to pull him back but he grabbed my neck and threw me in the car.
“Hey!” I yelled as I tumbled over onto the passenger seat. He dove in the car just as the police began firing at the car.
“Why can’t they shoot the tires already!?” I yelled.
“Shut up!” He yelled as he started up the car and swerved out of the parking lot. I turned to see the cops trying to rush to their cars to tail us.
“What brings you to Germany?” I asked.
“I’m on vacation.” He said. Yeah right. “You?”
“Same.” I lied. While he wasn’t looking at me I took hold of the steering wheel and jerked it to the side sending us swerving across four lanes of traffic. The car turned around and flipped just as I broke through the window and jumped out. The car began to smoke so I crawled toward the sidewalk, picking glass out of my hair. I think I broke my wrist.
The cops arrived a few seconds later along with a rescue squad to get him out of the car. A few paramedics swarmed around me as the police swarmed around the car. I shoved their hands off of me as I began to get up. One of them kept touching my face while another started bandaging me up.
“Does it hurt anywhere?” They asked, getting all in my face.
“Gee, I wonder.” I said sarcastically. “My wrist hurts a little.”
One of them grabbed a brace from a medical bag and slung it around my wrist and a neck brace around my neck. They were motioning a stretcher over.
“I’m not going to the hospital. I’m fine.”
“You just fell out of a moving car!”
“I’m fine. I took the neck brace off and threw it on the ground as I stood up. They tried to drag me back down but I was stronger than them. “Really. Thanks for the bandaging. But I have to get back.”
A news reporter began walking over to me. “Are you the one who rescued this young woman?”
I began running faster as everyone began calling after me. In a flash, I was out of the confusion and back to the hotel. I threw open the back door and slunk down to the floor. I hurt all over. Hopefully I can get to my room without anyone seeing me.
TBC