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Sydney Laurence
(1865-1945)
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THE stars were hidden in that full bloody moon night, maybe because they already knew about the monster who creeped into the shadows and the bliss of the snow in order to capture innocent hearts and stab them until death in order to purse his desire.

That was supposed to be a safe area, a sanctuary an ex agent found to raise his family and live a happy life by his wife's and daughters side. But that wasn't the case anymore. Not when an old rival, an ancient enemy and friend, seduced the monster into pursuing the lives of innocents only to fulfill his desire and experiment in order to know the truth.

And there they were now, careful steps into the white, fading and mixing with the mud, becoming black, as a mask covered the monster's full face, letting only a hitched, short breath that was almost unoticeable escape through the tiny spaces in the fabric.

The creature that had a man's figure, once called Francis Dolarhyde, but now so called The Great Red Dragon, entered the Graham's home in secret, carefully stepping into the darkness in search of the lives that were asleep into the house.

Luckily, or maybe not, Colin Mallory had a fragile sleep, after all his family went through, either with Edgar Mallory or Hannibal Lecter, he learned that he should never let his guard down for anyone. And, as a miracle sent by God, he could hear to a soft crack in the wood, almost as a step into their home.

The Mallory brother immediatly got up from his bed, careful enough to don't makw any noise as he headed straight to his niece's room. Blanche Graham slept peacefully, her rounded were cheeks covered in saliva that dripped from her heavy sleep, and her tiny sparkling eyes were closed as a little angel.

He delicately grabbed the girl in his arms, trying his best not to wake her up, since it would only make things harder if she did, and searched for his phone, but when he was about to return to his room, he heard the steps crawling in the absence of light.

He made another path, hid behind one of the dorms, and held his breath as the monster passed on the hallway with a heavy breathing that made his heart speed as lightning. Colin knew there was something wrong, and he needed to do something fast.

He decided to let the phone there, calling or making noise would attract the creature and wake up blanche. He needed to think wiser on what his next step would be. That's when he saw the porch outside, the small balcony led to an underneath area that as suspended and where he could hid with his niece underneath the wood.

But for that, he'd have to cross the house and get to the largest window in the living room.

With a pressuring air that shut down his ears, Colin walked on his tip toes, slowly leavibg his previous shelf to another, as his cold feet touched the wooden floor and tried to be as fast as possible in that speed.

While he walked he could listen to the man opening doors, entering other rooms, all in a peaced, non bothered mannerism. He knew he would catch them, that's what the dragon does. He always catches them.

Colin could see the moonlight from the window from afar, he became optimistic and increased the speed...until Blanche woke up from her sweet dreams.

"Um...? Uncle-"

"Shh." Colin immediatly covered her mouth as she let those thin whispering words escape.

Blanche furrowed her eyebrows annoyed but there was no time to waste, the monster heard her, and he was coming after them. Colib fastly looked at the dark closet where Alice kept her daughter's toys and entered it without thinking twice.

He tried his best to almost let the door close (he wouldn't close to not attract any suspicions), while he wtached through the brief space for any silhouettes moving outside.

He still covered Blanche's mouth as the little girl widened her eyes scared, she tried to whimper but he still silenced her, even if she despised that, one day in the future she would thank him for that gesture. Or maybe not, he preferred if she just forgot this traumatic episode.

The figure apprached their room more and more. The breathing became more intense, almost as if the monster's mouth became watery at its' prey proximity, ready to catch them when close enough. Colin looked around and spot one of Blanche's barbie dolls, it was a stupid idea of course, bit one that could possibly work if he tried.

He let Blanche's mouth free and grabbed one of the dolls, praying to God for his idea to work, as he immediatly yeeted the blonde Barbie across the window and crashed it against a tree that brushed against the house.

The loud "clack" sound brought the dragon's attention, making him immediatly change his trajectory and go to the woods after the noise's source, while Colin escaped with his niece from the closet and ran into the living room.

His eyes quickly scanned the shadows in order to find it, but he finally did, Alice's car keys. She had left them there in case an emergency happened and left with the scooter instead.

Colin grabbed the keys and hushed to the porch, then carefully jumped from the low balcony until the snow, trying to hide between the wood. He knew the Monster was still outside, and he needed to do something to escape.

He looked around, spotting the car at some distance, not enough close for him to reach, and if he did turn on the engine, the creature would know right away where to find them.

Think, Colin, think.

The steps in the woods got faster and sharper between the dead leaves and the snow.

There must be an exit.

The moon howled and spread the hunger for death reflected in the Dragon's need for blood.

Colin glanced at his niece's scared expression, trying to appear the most caring as possible, stroking her cheek and calmly telling her to remain quiet.

He had a plan.

Colin Mallory never expected to be in a situation as that, he never imagined himself actually saving somebody, even less escaping from death. But there he was,  hoping heaven haven't forgot him and hoping to at least take Blanche somewhere safe.

His hands trembled as he held the control of the car's keys in his hands, cold by the snow, shivering by the fear, his skin had became a pale rose close to red and blue now, as his lips quivered in anticipation.

The thumb finally pressed the button, as the car lights suddenly opened a space between the shadows, bright and yellow, the sounds echoeing into the silence.

That's when their took his chance. Colin wth his niece, running away until the empty road, while the Dragon came after the car, at the previous spit they were.

When his barefeet reached the road, Colin sighed relieved, thinkibg it was over for now...until he heard shootings.

The dragon had discovered them.

Tears formed into the protective uncle's eyes as he ran on the road holding his niece buried into his chest, trying to create a himan shield to not let a single bullet touch her.

That's when they saw it, a light. Colin wasted not time, he ran in front of the vehicke, making the driver make a curve with the car and abruptely.

"HELP!" Colin yeleld after so much tine in silence. "HELP, LET US IN!" He said as the driver opened the door. "HE HAS A GUN! GO! GO! GO!" He entered the car with his miece as she started to violently cry because of the whole chaos that surrounded them.

It last a second, the bullet flying through the air, breaking the window and hitting the driver's neck as he collapsed above the wheel. Blanche shouted terrified as Colin hiperventilated as he witnessed a person dying in front of him for the first time.

But he needed to be string, he needed to overcome that obstacle. Colin took the hardest decision in her lide, inspired a deep breath and fiercely thew the body of the previous and now dead driver out of the car, taking his position the well and preparing himself.

"Blan, hold tight to your seat, and keep your head down." He demanded. The little cried low but nodded, following his instructions. The shooting restarted, and the bullets didn't stop, one after another, closer, deadlier. Colin desperately tried to starr the roaring old engine of the vehicle. "Come on..."He looked uo for a  moment and quickly moce dhis head down just ib time as a bullet flew across the window, making more glass pieces scatter above him as dominoes. "Fuck, fuck, fuck"He tried to calm his breath. That's when he felt it, the vobration of the engine starting and the low hoarse sound proving that it worked. "Yes! " he celebrated.

But just when Colin was about to celebrate, the monster shoot his shoulder. The metal burned his skin, and stuck inside, stiffing the muscle and letting the shirt he wore stain red from the blood.

"Uncle Colin!"Blanche shouted as she saw him agonize in pain.

"Don't worry Blan, keep you head down. Just do as I say." Colin swallowed the pain and clenched his teeth to drift away from the sentation. He gripped his hands on the wheel decided. "Let's get out of here."

The shootings continued, but this time the Mallory was faster, he spinned the car and turned around, as the shootings continued on his back, as both him and Blanche lowered their heads not to be caught by the flying lethal metal projects at their directions.

With a single hope and a desperate plan attempt to run for freedom, Colin Mallory saved his niece and never looked back, leavibg only behind his old innocence of a better world and a revengeful red dragon under roaring under a pale moon and a scarlet road.

▫️

The feet ran into the white echoeding asiles, the curly hair shakee by the small breeze, and the breath was agitated, concerned, desperate as he hushed, letting the large coat shake by his movement.

Until the momebt he stopped abruptely. When his eyes reflected the figure of a brunette little girl with shining hazel eyes, playing with a smilling black man, who played with her as if she was his own grandfather.

His heart sunk down into his chest and a heavy suspenseful breath escaped his lungs as she could finally catch a glimpse of his daughter.

Jack Crawford spot Will Grahan there, broken, shocked, outside across the glass wall that divided the room he was in, as he invited the ex agent inside.

As soon as he opened the door, almost as a hidden connection between them, Blanche Graham immediatly noticed her father's presence. "DADDY!!" She smiled and ran towards him with her arms wide open.

Will didn't even fight the embrace, he leaned down, kneeling on the ground to be at her high and held her tight, almost as a way to never let her go, closing his eyes and absorbing the sensation of knowing she was okay. "Hey sunshine..."He whispered as his voice trembled by the tears he tried to keep in.

"Where's mommy?" She asked pouting her rosy lips to him.

"She's with your uncle Colin right now...he's um...the doctors are taking care of him. He got a bit hurt."

"He's okay?" She asked a bit scared.

"He'll be fine. Don't worry." He pet her soft hair strands that resemboed so much hee mother's. "We'll be fine." He tried assure himself but deep inside he blamed himself for all that happened.

It was a miracle that Blanche didn't hurt herself, or that Colin didn't die out there trying to save her.

He sat on the couch by her side as Jack let them talk for a moment. It was funny how Blanche was so calm and innocent towards all that happened, oh to be a child again...

"Daddy?" She asked.

"Yes, dear?" He tuenee promptly to her.

"Who's that man?" She asked.

"Who?"

"The one making BANG BANG!" She imirated the gun's sound.

Will's whole bidy shivered, realizing that his daughter wouldn't forget that disturbibg episode so easily.

"He's...a bad guy." He replied. "But dad and Jack are gonna catch him."

"Really?"

"Yeah...and he'll be sent to a hospital."

"Is he sick?"

Will took a moment to answer. "Very."

"But why did he want uncle colin and me?" She tilted her head confused.

Will sighed, there were things that were better if she didn't understand them. "It doesn't matter now." He tapped her small cute hand. "Are you hungry?"

▫️

She knew. She knew that deep inside, the beeping of the machiness and the awkward silence that surrounded them was her fault. Knew that the bullet across her brother's arm was her fault. Knew that the danger that surrounded them was her fault. Knew that her bleeding unfaithful heart was her fault.

But also his.

And while she looked at her brother peacefully sleep on that hospital bed as an angel, so silent that the only evidence that he was still alive were the movements of his chest and the lines on a flat screen.

Alice Mallory experienced the true fear of Hannibal's menace being fulfilled instead of words. She knew he was behind it all. He wasn't the one holding the gun, but maybe the man who provided it.

She knew that the dragon was free out there, on a killing spree, and her family was almost the next. Almost.

Alice didn't know if God was still by her side, especially not after her sins in europe, and the unloyal feeling she developed now in her heart just by spotting the monster who owned it. But that stil didn't stop her from thanking the heavens for that miracle.

"...A..Ali...?"A weak hoarse voice ended the silence. Her eyes flickered at her brother's image, now awaken, with a half smile on his lips.

"Colin!" She hugged him tight and could hear him exhale a soft whimper in pain. "Sorry." She let him go but still pet her hair and caressed her hair, almost in a way to assure herself that he was really there. "Oh, thank God...."She smiled as her eyes filled with tears. "I was so scared..."

"Where's Blanche?" He immediatly became worried abd looked around. "Where am...ugh..."He moaned again as he trued to get out of bed, but returned to his initial lying pistion on the white mattress.

"You're in the hospital. You were shot." She explained. "Blanche is fine. Not even a scratch." He sighed relieved. "And that's all because of you." She held his hand and he chuckled softly, gripping on her hand a bit.

"That's great." He nodded a little. "That's really great..."

Alice nodded and pursed her lips, trying to hold the urge to cry by seeing her brother escape that cruel fate he was set upon.

"Ali...was that-"

"The killer that Will is after." Alice replied. "Yes, it was him."

"Did he come after us because we're Will's family?" Her brother asked, Alice confirmed. "But how did he know, I-"

"I know how." Alice whispered in terror. Colin glued his eyes on his sister's  sharing that deep connection only sblings could have. "...Colin...I'm..."

"Hannibal." His voice doomed her for a moment. She felt he whole body fill up with guilty. "He sent that man to kill us, he-"

"He doesn't know Blanche is my daughter-"

"Ali." Colin spoke louder to bring her attention to him. He looked at her serious, now without any caring or pity. "Let's be honest. He knows." She felt her breath escape her body. "Or maybe he tried to confirm it, whatever sadistic plan he had. He knew what he was doing."

Alice stared at the blank wall for a moment, thinking about her brother's suggestion.

"I gotta go." She whispered.

"Wait, Ali."

She kissed his forehead quickly and adjusted his dark brown hair strands on his face. "I'll be back soon...I just...need to hear it from him."

"Ali-"

"I'm sorry." She looked into his boyish eyes. "I promise to protect you. I promise to care about you from the moment you ran away with me and Bree, but the truth is...I failed."

"You didn't, Alice I-"

"But I want to make it right." She squeezed his hand. "I want to...so let me try it."

"...okay."

"Thank you." She saif softly as he let his hand go and walked away through the door.

But Colin Mallory knew that deep inside she also promised to protect another person.

And she wouldn't give up on him so easily.

▫️

"You've been talking to the Tooth Fairy." Jack Crawford growled across the glass as ge observed the calm and unbothered monster dressed in white.

Alana Bloom accompanied the senior agent that day, aware of the news of what happened to the Graham-Mallory family, realizing the ecil mastermind they kept so hiddeb yet so exposed to the world.

"I think he's earned the right to be known by the name he's chosen." Hannibal mocked as he gracefully walked inside his cell. "He's the Great Red Dragon."

"You have hubbed hell, Dr Lecter."

"I often do."

"You got what you wanted." Alana announced sourly. "Suddenly, you're very relevant." Hannibal gave a light smile victorious. "There is one way
for you to stay... relevant and comfortable."

Hannibal analyzed their attempted to be hidden desperate faces. They needed him. And that thrilled him. "You want me to speak with the Dragon." Lecter smirked. "Given his recent failure, you believe he will seek counsel."

"We need to make your contact work for us." Jack explained. "Standing trace order
for any time you're on the phone. When he calls, you keep him on the line." He demanded.

Hannibal tilted his head to the side and gave a half smile. "I can't refuse him a sympathetic ear. He no doubt needs it."

▫️

"I'M GONNA FUCKING KILL YOU!" A storm cane through the door, with loud sneaker noises and high putched sentences altered between a mixed gained american and native brittish accent that he knew too well.

"Good evening to you as well." He replied calmly as he stood above the glass and watched her come closer.

"YOU SENT HIM AFTER THEM! IT WAS YOU!" Alice Mallory yelled as her finger pointed and touched the glass furiously. "You tried to kill them, your asshole, you..." She exhaled heavily as he watched the rage in her eyes. It was wild, sparkling rage that always manage to amuse him hut she always tried to hide it since she killed Anthony Dimmond. It was beautiful.

"So it is true." Hannibal whispered as he stared into her deep blue eyes and her lips parted in surprise as she realized plan. "You're married Will Graham."

Alice stepped back in shock. That was the motive. Not just attention, but truth. He finally obtained the confirmation of his suspicions. Colin was right, he knew. And while she looked into Hannibal's eyes he could notice that rigid, immaculate posture start to break almost unoticeably, the shoulders trembled for a moment, the eyes avoided hers.

"Is your-"

"She's alive." Alice exhaled heavily. "Because Colin was there."

Hannibal contained the relieved exhale he kept in his chest. "...Your daughter..." He looked at her again, the hands sweating, the expression pure surprise.

"...Yes." She nodded in a weak mannerism. "And you sent a killer after her."

"I'd never hurt-"

"But you almost did." She growled. "She almost..."Alice held the urge to cry, swallowing the tears. "...because of you."

Hannibal looked down for a moment, maybe he was still trying to process all the information at that moment. Alice was a mother, married to Will. She had moved on, she had forgotten him, had a life of her own, and there was nothing he could do to fix it.

He had lost her, forever.

"May I at least ask her name?" He asked delicately.

"No." She shaked her head. "No, you tried to kill her."

"I wasn't sure if she indeed was your daughter"

"But you knew it was Will's." Alice snapped back furious. "You still sent someone to kill a child. An innocent child, for what? Curiousity? Pettiness? Revenge?" She clenched her jaw. "After all these years... all that we've been through..."She took a deep breath. "...I've never been so disappointed with you as I am now." That just broke his heart, almost as if he tortured it little by little in his hands. "And to think that I almost..." Alice ran her hands through her face and held the urge to cry. "...God..." she sighed and turndd her back to him, staring at the ceiling and thinking about what to do.

Truth is: none of them knew.

Hannibal felt completely destroyed. If only she knew how he was crumbling, breaking down while appearing to be neutral on the surface. He knew it was over...then why didn't he want to let it go?

Sometimes he'd stop and wish he had never met her, maybe that way it would hurt less.

"You almost did what?" He asked in a sparkle of hope as he met her blue eyes across the thin glass that divided them.

Alice tried to calm her breath and keep on being string enough to let him go. Truth is, maybe that was good that happened. If it didn't happen, maybe, things would have taken a different turn, and all the scars, all the memories and wounds she felt were healed, would reopen and bleed, and ache again for him.

"You either help the FBI...."She groaned leaning closer, just inches away, speaking through her teeth "...or I'll kill you."

"You wouldn't do this." He challenged "you didn't do it in the past, why would you do it now?"

"Nothing keeps me away from doing it now. We have no strings attached." She whispered as he died. "All we had is gone."

Hannibal's eyes flickered to the floor for a moment, they were purely crystalline, fragile. He pursed his lips and muttered.

"From strangers to friends, friends into lovers, lovers into enemies..." His sight lifted up to her broken one. She seemed just as upset as him, alkost as if he could feel both their hearts beating again. "...and then strangers again."

Alice closed her fist realizing how it all went down, a mocie passing through her mind as she watched him there, her past, her love, the man she dedicated herself to.

He would always be that little stain on a fabric that would never be erased, or the signature from a letter filled with perfume and lipstock marks. The memory that would never be erased, and that would sweetly torture her for the rest of her days.

"I must congratulate you." He whispered.  "You did it." He tried to be kind. "A good house, a husband who loves you, a brother who supports you, and..."They both held the tears, but Alice felt this pain twice as bigger. "...and a daughter you've always dreamed about..." The daughter that they both had dreamed about. "...I must say that I am happy for you."

Alice didn't reply, perphaps because she was just there standing in pure shock, trying to take all that happened in.

"But I must ask...Mrs.Graham..." He corrected with great pain in his voice, still serious, but also serene and gentle. "...are you happy?"

And, to surprise her own self, her voice didn't come out, and when she tried to, someome came through the door  the angey steps filling the room, as curly hair strands immediatly identified who it was.

"What are you doing here?" Will asked as he embraced an arm around his wife's shoulders as a way to mark his territory.

"I..."She couldn't speak.

"Just telling me the truth." Hannibal gave a teasing light smile. "Congratulations, Will. You indeed took your oportunity, didn't you?"

Will closed his fist but Alice trid to calm him down, nothing good could come out from an argument with Lecter, especislly if the doctor could always manage to win it.

"What did you say to him?" Will Graham asked.

" 'Save yourself. Kill them all.' " Then I gave him your home address." Hannibal explained calmly as Alice gasped horrified. "Before he became the Red Dragon, this shy boy would never have dared any of this."

"Well, now he thinks he can do anything." Will mumble sourly. "Anything."

"The Dragon likely thinks you are as much a monster as you think he is." Hannibal reflected for a moment.

"...Is this a competition?" Alice followed his thoughts, he almost smiled proud of her.

"Two souls, alas, are dwelling in my breast..."

"...and one is striving to forsake its brother." Alixe completed as their eyes met in a shimmering second. "Faust." Hannibal nodded with a light smile.

"The Great Red Dragon is freedom to him, shedding his skin, the sound of his voice, his own reflection." The doctor explained calmly. "The building of a new body and the othering of himself,bthe splitting of his personality, all seem active and deliberate." Hannibal looked again at Alice, almost as if he ignored Will's presence in the room.  "He craves change."

"He didn't murder those families?" Alice whispered as she connected the dots. "He...changed them?"

Hanninal gave looked into her eyes as a heavy tension pressured them both more than the cell he was in. No matter how much time would pass, the sensation and the agony they fell for one another would always remain the same, as a deadly curse that would never be cured. "Don't you crave change, Alice?"