-How did you get here? - I said through tears.
-I heard you scream and came running over here. What happened? What happened to your hand? - Ian looked at my bleeding hand.
-There..." I pointed out that there was someone... someone chasing me... a woman... chasing me... very quickly...
-What woman? Explain everything clearly. And tell me, finally, what happened to your hand?
-I fell...when I ran away and hurt my hand.
-Let's go inside, you need to come to your senses.
We went into the house, Ian bandaged my hand, I drank a glass of water and regained my breath.
-Tell me everything in order.
-I went into the woods, then I found a clearing and sat down on it, looking at the clouds. And then I heard the rustle, on the left, I asked if there was anybody there, but I asked again, no one answered me, but again, no one answered, then I got up and went home, then I heard the rustle again, he was coming from the same side, I looked around and saw someone, some man, I didn't see a glimpse, and then I ran, and then some woman shouted to me that I wasn't going anywhere with her. Then I ran, and she chased me, she ran very, very fast, but still didn't catch up with me, as if playing with me. Then, when I almost got to the garden, fell down and hurt my hand, and this woman, suddenly, ran back to the forest, she ran away very quickly, and then I saw you, and then you know everything. Who was this woman? Why was she chasing me?
-It's terrible! I don't know who this woman is, but I will find out.
-What did she need?
-She needed you.
-How was I?
-Not you at all, your blood.
-What? What does that mean?
-I'm sorry, I've already said too much, I can't say anything else.
-Why did you say she needed my blood? How do you know that?
-Because she and I have something in common!
-How is that?
-I can't tell you everything. It's not my secret, it's not just mine. I would tell you, I want to tell you, but I can't. And not only because it's not just my secret, but mostly because you won't talk to me!
-What makes you think so?
-I know that!
-Tell me.
-I can't. Ian said with pain in his voice.
-I'm sorry." I said, and I took his hand. He took my hand in his two.
-Please - he said to me, looking straight into my eyes - neither when, you hear, nor when you don't go into the woods alone, now it's dangerous!
-But...
-No, not at all, but...
-And with Janie?
-No one of the people at all!
-And... with you? Can I be with you?
-To the forest - only with me, and it is better not to go at all!
-Can I ask another question?
-What is it?
-Why did she run away when I fell?
-I don't know exactly, but maybe because I was here.
-We are not going to the forest now, are we?
-Not if you don't want to.
-You said you could go to the woods with me. Maybe we should go?
-We can go, but don't step away from me!
-Well, shall we go then?
-Let's go.
We went to the path, which I always went to the woods. We went into the woods, came to the clearing where I sat today and suddenly Ian got tense.
-What's going on?
-I know the smell.
-The smell? I don't feel anything.
-I know the woman who was chasing you today...
-And who is it?
-I don't know exactly yet.
-And how did you know by the smell that you knew her? I don't feel anything.
-So it should be.
-Why?
-You're not like me.
-How is it? Why not?
-You don't know much yet.
-What don't I know?
-So far, I can't tell you that.
-Why?
-I already told you this.
-Okay. Shall we go home?
-All right, let's go. We're back home. - And where are your parents? - He asked when we had already entered the house.
-We don't live with Dad, and Mom is at a friend's house, she should be here soon.
-Does your mother go to the forest?
-No, she doesn't like the forest, she doesn't say why.
-It's even for the best. I have to go now, today you better not leave the house at all.
-Okay.
-Bye.
-Yes, for now.
And he went out of the house and headed for the car. I stood on the doorstep a little bit and went to my room. Soon Mom came, but I didn't tell her anything, so I went to bed. I had a nightmare today. I was being chased by the same woman, only in her dreams did she catch up with me and get her teeth in my throat. At that moment, I woke up holding my throat. It was already dawn. Ian didn't mean that when he said she needed my blood. He also said they were something like that. But with what? And what would that mean?
I wanted to find answers to questions and sat down at the computer. I went to a website about vampires because maybe that woman is a vampire. I used to think that vampires didn't exist, but now I doubt it. On the site, I found signs of vampires. It said they were fast, strong, they had cold skin, great hearing, a sense of smell, and they never showed up in the sun. I thought it seemed familiar to me, and for some reason I remembered Ian, then I remembered that sometimes he disappeared very quickly, as he appeared, and later that he had a great hearing, because when I shouted, there, in the woods, the average person would not hear anything, but Ian heard.