The Hollow

November 1st: 2:56am

"Prinț.”

Jonah’s eyes flew up to focus on Vlad, the haze from the drink lifting at his formal address. It was hard to read his expression through the shadows the dim light from The Forest left but Jonah was immediately on edge. There was no other reason for him to be sought out tonight, no other reason for him to be addressed as Prince, something happened. Jonah stood, brushing off the two girls that had been fawning over him and followed Vlad through the lounge into the winding hallways. Vlad was silent as they met more Vampires and walked toward his office. The Hollow was quiet, The Festival was all but over, most of the Outsiders were gone or in someone’s bed. He wanted to believe the paranoia he felt was just the coke working its way out of his system but he knew better.

Vlad bowed him into his office, closing the door behind him so they were alone. Jonah expected, hoped, to see his Father but the room was empty. He knew before he even met Vlads eye, his stomach twisting and threatening to expel everything he had consumed that night. Jonah’s hand touched his gun, the feel of the cool metal soothing him slightly as Vlad spoke the devastating news.

“It’s your parents,” he said quietly, trying not to startle the unpredictable boy before him, “The King and Queen are dead. Come dawn, you must take the throne.”

Jonah opened his mouth, intending to say something, he didn’t even know what, but his knees buckled before he could make a sound. Vlad caught him before he could crash into the desk, slowly lowering him to the floor as his breaths left him before they could be replaced. His parents were dead. Regale and Regină were dead, the King and Queen. Edric and Dorianna Skillings. Dead. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t lead. He couldn’t command a room like Edric, the people didn’t adore him like Dorianna. He couldn’t care for The Hollow, and Zander. Zander was his now too.

“Zander?” Jonah choked out, afraid that Vlad would confirm his brother had been taken too but needing to hear it.

“Safe. He’s in The Lounge under heavy guard. He doesn’t know yet,” Vlad told him, his voice slow and soft.

He didn’t know yet, Jonah would have to tell him. Then Jonah would have to tell The Hollow. Then it would be his. The Hollow entrusted to a drunken child, he was only just 21. He would be responsible for all their lives, all their secrets, all their wants and needs, responsible for their safety and concealment. He would be King, just as every Skillings man before him since The Hollows inception, he would be-

"Regale,” Vlad whispered, Jonah’s eyes flying to the door expecting his Father to have entered before he realized Vlad was addressing him.

“Don’t call me that,” Jonah snapped, his voice barely legible through the rasp in his throat.

“Jonah, fall apart later. I understand and there will be a time for it, but things must be done now,” Vlad said, his tone almost scolding.

Jonah squeezed his eyes shut, pushing it all as far down as possible, pretending it wasn’t there. The Skillings men were good at many things, but they were the best liars, to themselves and everyone else. When his eyes opened Jonah was gone, another man stood in his place, another man pulled out his gun and wiped his face. Another man, a man with cold dead eyes, his face nothing but sharp lines, nodded at Vlad.

“Take me to them,” the man said in Jonah’s voice, his tone cold and deadly.

Jonah held it together as he went to The Tower to confirm their deaths, the bodies laying on the beds pale, almost as though they were sleeping. He studied his Fathers face longer than he had to, almost not recognizing Edric, having never seen him hold a peaceful expression before. He could barely look at his Mother, the marks around her neck proving this wasn’t an accident. Fred approached and tried to tell him what he could discern of his parents’ final moments but as soon as the man mentioned bruising on his Mothers legs, Jonah waved him off. He couldn’t hear that right now, there were too many people looking at him and he wouldn’t be able to contain himself.

Jonah held it together as he followed Vlad down to the rooms where they were holding the people who found the King and Queen. Jonathan spoke in his ear, explaining where and how the bodies were found, telling him Ogden Bogue found his Mother and Ryker Danforth had found his Father. Ryker was a mess, the boy was terrified which was to be expected, it was his first body and his King. Jonah dismissed him. He only faltered slightly when he was dealing with Bogue, that man always had a way of getting under his skin and the fact that Ogden was so composed as he explained how he found the Queen with her dress ripped pissed Jonah off enough to slam Ogdens face into the table. Jonah dismissed Ogden quickly after that, the Bogue family was as old as his and Ogdens composure was to be expected, the older man had seen some shit and knew how to handle himself. Something Jonah was still learning.

Vlad and Jonathan walked Jonah to The Center where he found the sun beginning to peek through the windows and his brother sitting with Larry and Murphy. Zander looked over at him, panic in his eyes as Jonah finally fell apart. With only those he trusted in the cavernous room, Jonah broke as he told his little brother that they were on their own now. Zanders’ arms wrapped around Jonah’s waist as the young boy sobbed into his stomach, Jonah clinging to him, afraid that he would vanish too. The heir and the spare fell to their knees in the center of their kingdom, Jonah’s head tilting toward the heavens, a red sky blazing through the windows as they both submitted to the fact that everything was about to change.

November 1st: 6:45pm

Sitting across from Vlad in the darkened room, Larry and Murphy on either side of him, Jonah’s head had never felt heavier. He needed more sleep and he was pretty sure he was still a little messed up from all the shit he took and drank the night before. Nothing felt real, he felt like he had been floating for hours, he wasn’t even sure if he had actually slept as he and Zander laid in their parents bed. Zander eventually cried himself out, dozing at his side but Jonah seemed to be stuck in this eternal nightmare, unsure if his thoughts had actually turned to dreams at some point. The day had passed too quickly so he must have slept at some point but it didn’t feel like it. He was drowning, submerged, barely able to understand the words spoken as Vlad called the council in. Salem, Ogden, Fred, and a handful of other elders entered, their gaze captured by the prince as Jonah stubbed his cigarette out. It was time.

The elders bowed their heads as Jonah stood, hating every single one of them at that moment. Looking toward Vlad, unsure if he was supposed to lead them out, Jonah breathed a sigh of relief as the older man waved the council toward the door. He didn’t want to be the first thing The Hollow saw, they needed reassurance and the familiar faces of the council could provide that better than he could. His best friends, Larry and Murphy, followed the council and Vlad waved Jonah forward. Meeting Zander in the hall with Jonathan, they made their way to The Center with the entire force of the Vampires at their backs. Jonah couldn’t remember if the guards were part of the tradition or if Vlad was being cautious by surrounding the Princes with them. Either way it picked at his already frayed nerves.

The Center was dim as they entered, lit only by candles and the dying light that showed from the windows. The way the flames from the candles made the shadows at the edges of the room dance made Jonah tense. He fought the urge to reach out and touch the fire, a habit he picked up as a child that he had tried to lose. The Residents were all gathered but the room was silent, save their footsteps as they approached the raised platform that usually held tables for the bakery. Jonah took in the faces of his people, reciting their names in his head as they watched him. The shadows made some of them almost unrecognizable, appearing like ghosts instead of people he had known his whole life. He saw Zander’s head dip down as he lowered his eyes and knew his little brother was scared but, like a true Skillings man, the boy wouldn’t allow anyone else to see. Vlad stepped forward drawing Jonah’s eye as he cleared his throat.

“Yesterday, we were met with devastating news. Regale Edric Skillings has joined the other side with his beloved, Regină Dorianna. May their souls rest in peace,” Vlad began as Jonah’s heart began to pound.

“Long live the King,” a somber whisper echoed through the room.

“I know, despite their souls leaving this world far too soon, they welcome this regime change with full hearts. As we enter this new age, our faith lives with our new King, the youngest Regale we’ve ever been entrusted to but one who we know will not fail us. It is with great honor that I present Regale Jonah Skillings,” Vlad continued, his head bowing as Jonah stepped forward.

“Long live the King,” echoed through the room once more as the residents fell to one knee.

Jonah looked out across the crowd, the people now officially entrusted to him. The Hollow was more fragile than anyone knew, bowed heads and faith holding it together like duct tape. A chill danced down his spine at the thought that the faith was now placed on him.

“Do I bow?” he heard Zander whisper as the elders and Vampires fell to their knees.

“You’re a Skillings, you don’t fucking bow to anyone,” Jonah breathed out to him.

Zander nodded as Jonah cleared his throat. His father had prepared him for this moment from the second Jonah could form coherent thoughts. He always knew it would come, had even dreamt about it but no one imagined it would come so soon and suddenly.

“My father devoted his life to this place and I have been prepared to do the same since before I could understand what that meant. I have always known I would give my life to The Hollow in one form or another and I vow before you all to do just that. I understand some will be hesitant to trust my rule but rest assured I am prepared to take the throne and will prove to you that I am capable. I know the worries, I’m young, hot headed, maybe immature but from this moment on, I am no longer the Jonah Skillings that you knew. I will make Edric and Dorianna proud and rule with their grace, trust, and fairness. Make no mistake though, whoever forced our hand in appointing me King will be found and will be dealt with. Do not underestimate me because of my age and if you’re in this room just know, I will not hesitate,” Jonah’s eyes danced across the residents, “Now, let’s do what we do best.”

As the residents clapped and stood, lights flickering on and candles blown out, Jonah could feel the air get lighter. Entering the Main Room to applause, a drink shoved into his hand, a party erupting around him to mourn his parents and welcome him as King, Jonah thought he was going to be sick. Staring at his parents’ thrones, sitting empty for the last time on the stage, a weight settled into his chest. The pressure of being a Skillings had never bothered him, but the weight of the crown seemed to have immobilized him. Jonah sighed and wandered up to the chairs, placing his hand on his Fathers throne he looked up as a voice echoed through the main room.

“Presenting, Jonah Skillings- The Pumpkin King.”