Page 3

RECORDED VIDEO

May 10, 2017

June, age fourteen, on Kidan’s phone

Location: Mama Anoet’s private bathroom

“Hi,” June whispered, blinking into the camera. Her short braids curled around a scarred, pimpled chin. “I don’t really know how to start this, so I’m just going to say a generic intro. My name is June. I go to Green Heights School. I guess I’m making this video because of what happened today. I got in trouble for falling asleep in class again.”

A pause.

“I have parasomnia. I know, big word. It means I don’t just sleepwalk but scream and kick. My sister takes care of me but… I know she gets tired. I’m tired of me.” A small laugh. “I try to stay awake as much as I can, but that backfires. Like today. I know what you’re thinking—get help. Believe me, I’m trying.”

The camera angle shook, capturing the overcrowded shampoos, four different kinds; a butterfly-patterned shower curtain; medicine for anxiety and depression.

“We can’t afford a psychologist, really, but our guidance counselor isn’t bad. It’s actually because of her I’m making this video. Miss Tris said… I’m scared of something. Something I don’t want to tell anyone about. She told me to write everything down.

“But I hate writing. So she told me to record myself instead—and if I feel brave enough, share it. Good, isn’t she?” A small smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “So, what am I afraid of?”

June took a hesitating breath, glancing nervously at the door.

“I’m scared of… vampires.”

The camera went dark, face down on the sink. Water ran, splashing sounds echoed, a minute ticked by. June’s brown face came into focus, now slightly damp as she settled in the tub’s corner.

“Vampires.” Her voice rang stronger. “The good news, if there is any, is that they’re no longer dangerous to everyone. So those of you watching this, if you even believe me, can go to bed knowing your blood tastes like poison to them. But they still need to feed, they need blood to survive.” The phone shook a little. “Something called the First Bind forces vampires to only feed from specific families. There are around eighty bloodlines trapped in this cycle for generations. Guess who’s in one of those families. Yup.”

June looked off camera, eyes glazing over.

“My sister and I take having a messed-up family to a whole new meaning. But we escaped. Our aunt took us away from that life, after our parents died, and brought us here, to Mama Anoet’s. We’re safe here, but I see them every night… in my dreams… even in the hallways at school sometimes. It’s like I know… one day they’ll come for us.”

She inhaled, exhaled. Played with the thin silver bracelet on her wrist.

“Kidan reminds me every night about the Three Binds placed on vampires. It helps a little. Makes me remember they can’t get to me so easily. The Second Bind restricts some of their strength, and the Third Bind requires a heavy sacrifice when they turn a human into one of them. Kidan keeps saying the powerful Last Sage didn’t know how to use his incredible gift—that he should have killed all vampires off instead of putting restrictions on them. I think she’s right. Our lives would have been so different if he had.”

Her fingers left her butterfly bracelet, eyes creased.

“So why am I making this video? I guess I do want Miss Tris to know. Maybe even my friends. Maybe everyone. I don’t want to be like this for the rest of my life. I don’t want to waste every minute of every day thinking about when they’ll come and get us. I want to feel safe. I want—”

A loud knocking made her drop the phone.

“June, it’s me.”

June sagged; the door handle turned.

Kidan scowled at her dripping phone. “Hurry.”

Quickly June added her password to make the videos private.

Her password had always been a set of five numbers that added up to thirty-five. That was their biological mother’s age when she died, and also the number of vampires, dranaics, assigned to their family. Thirty-five vampires that would have consumed June’s and Kidan’s blood if they hadn’t gotten away.