Bloodline - Chapter 2: Shitload of Trouble

28th October 2016

Pensylvannia was different from my hometown. And Hemlock Grove? Firstly I thought it was just quiet, small town. I should have known better than that. Erika slowly and carefully drove through the town so I could look around. I still didn't feel like going there on my own so I asked her just to drive slowly so I could take a look from the car. I noticed just one High School, some shops, chapel and library. Aunt didn't drive through whole town, saying I needed to rest and I couldn't agree more. Her house was near town's river, past the library, in the middle of the woods.

It was a quiet place, during the day not so creepy. The room she prepared for me was remade attic. It had a nice view, was spacious with large bookcase and on one side it had a large window with heavy curtains. Walls were wood-panelled and I loved it because it was something completely different from home. And I needed that change.

"I brought you some boxes with your clothes," Erika said from the door and leaned against the doorframe. "If you want to shower you know where the bathroom is."

I just nodded and sighed heavily. "I think I'll try to sleep."

"Do you have your painkillers here?"

"Yeah, I have them in my bag. Don't worry. I think I wouldn't be able to walk without them." My smile was tired and weak and she seemed to understand so she left me alone. I wasn't ready for some talks how she didn't want to replace my parents or if I will have the need, she's here for me. I knew already all of that. What I really needed was to put myself together.

After shower and wearing clean clothes I went straight to my new bed, arranging pillows so my ribs would hurt less and fell into slumber. I didn't dream of anything - it was like floating in nothingness.

×

Erika opened her bottle of red wine and waited. There were so many things her niece needed to know but firstly she needed to get the truth out of her. What the hell really happened that night. Her brother may had been many things but suicidal wasn't one of them. He loved his family dearly, even her alas they didn't speak with each other. It didn't matter anymore.

There was a gentle knock on her front door. Erika got up and opened them. In front of her stood a woman, strength vibrating from her pose. She was wearing dark jeans and tank top with a leather jacket. "Romani," Erika greeted her with a grin and moved aside so her guest could walk in.

"Witch," shot back immediately woman and leaned against the table in Erika's kitchen. "Now we've got the pleasantries behind us, what do you need from me?"

For those two this wasn't something new and for none of them it didn't sound like and insult. They were simply stating who was who. "I need your advice. And your help."

"So the great witch from Wolff bloodline needs a help from a gypsy? What's the occasion?" She grabbed the wine and took a big sip straight from the bottle, while looking at Erika.

"My brother and his wife are dead. His daughter, my niece, made it barely. It was thirteen days ago, Lynda. She doesn't know anything about our bloodline."

"What the fuck did you bring her here for?! To die? You know what's in this town. You want to tell me you will be glued to her back non-stop?"

"I need help from your niece, just so mine will know the difference later, please." Erika drank the last of her wine and patiently waited for Lynda's answer.

"This is not up to me. Destiny speaks for herself. All I can do is talk to her," Erika's guest sighed and refilled her glass, then took another one big sip from the bottle. "Why the hell your brother didn't teach he anything?"

Erika stood abruptly up. "Because he was an idiot! He put everybody in danger when he refused his magic and denied his daughter her birthright. That's why he wouldn't talk to me because he thought he could run away from it."

"What do you plan to do?"

"I want to keep her for now from school. Her ribs haven't healed yet and I need to speak with her about certain things. I need to know she won't be defenceless."

Lynda gave Erika's glass a knock with her bottle and smiled. "Sounds like a good plan. I'll call Peter so he can come over. I think you will need his help too."

×

When I woke up, my ribs were sore but I couldn't take another pill, I had to wait a bit longer. I decided to go through my stuff and maybe unpack something - like clothes, some books which I realizes were still in the car, great. It was limited movement but I needed to do something, anything. Then I heard some noise from downstairs so I followed it.

Going down the stairs was a bigger problem than I thought. I had to hug myself so my injury wouldn't hurt that much and moved really slowly. "Aunt Erika?" My voice was weak from sleep and sounded a bit terrified.  Ouch. On my right side I saw some movement and instinctively  grabbed the first thing that came under my hand which was an empty vase. I knew I wouldn't stand a chance with injury like that but it calmed me a bit down I had something in my hand.

A man opened the door and stepped outside our bathroom. I stood shocked in the hallway as he looked at me with raised eyebrows. "What were you planning to do with that?" And I felt incredibly stupid in that moment.

"Nothing," was my mumbled answer as I put the vase to its place and continued further into the house. "Aunt Erika?" Nothing.

"Ah, you must be the other Wolff." He sounded amused.

I kept walking, didn't even turn around. "Yeah, the youngest one. So what?"

"I think it's kind of ironic."

"What?"

"You know, Wolff."

I stopped in my tracks. What? "What? Are you stoned or something?" Of course I knew what my surname meant but what the hell was he talking about? How was this supposed to be ironic?

He just laughed it off and told me his name. "I'm Peter Rumancek."

"You say it like it should mean something to me." With last words I walked into the kitchen and saw my aunt sitting by the table with another woman but their conversation died as I got near them.

"Peter, I think we should go," the woman said while looking somewhere over my shoulder. There was just agreeing noise and just like that they were gone. Erika kept sitting on her place and wave at me with her hand to come closer.

"I need to talk to you. And I need you to be completely and utterly honest with me."

Okay, that sounded like a big trouble but nevertheless I sat down right opposite her and waited. She took it as a sign to continue.

"Tell me what really happened that night. During the car crash."

"You were there when I explained what happened." I was feeling sick. Memories of that night flooded my mind like poison.

"Don't think I'm as stupid as those officers. Tell me the truth."

I exhaled and closed my eyes. "Truth is... I don't know what happened. It was like always, they fought about my birthday and then stopped. Mum wasn't answering me, she was... like a statue or something and dad just kept stepping on the gas. It was weird, I was terrified and tried to reach for her shoulder and slightly shook with her.  I... She was dead and I didn't even see how the hell did that happen. And he just laughed like some psychopath. There was so much hatred in his eyes..." I took a deep breath and looked at my trembling hands. "His last words were I will make this right. I promise you. I don't know how I got out of the car. You have to believe me. I don't know it! Maybe I did jump out of the car but have no memory of doing so." I tried to hold back the tears. I was convinced that something happened to my dad and in those last moments he became himself again but it was too late. "He wasn't himself, I could see that. You know, just stating how powerful he was and I couldn't move at all, couldn't help and he enjoyed my condition so fucking much. Don't know who or what it was, but it certainly wasn't my dad."

Erika didn't speak for a very long time. "Then we're in a shitload of trouble."