Vampires, My Dear!

Love Short Story – Vampires, My Dear!

‘Mum, is that you?’ I said walking towards our kitchen. When I turned my head towards our living room, I froze. I saw a figure, not very visible enough but wearing a yellow T-shirt. When I looked away and looked back, it had disappeared.

‘Can I come with you?’ I asked mum who was getting ready to go to work.

‘Oh honey’ she said. ‘You will feel bored. I will come home early. So we can go out. I promise’ she said putting stuffs to her bag.

‘Mum, I can’t stay here….alone’ I said bewildered knowing she’s not going to take me.

‘Why won’t you invite your friends over here?’ she said taking her hand bag and adjusting her dress. ‘Oh well, shall I drop you at Hester’s then?’

‘Mum, I told you. She left to Australia’ I said feeling tired of this convo. ‘Fine! I’ll stay at home’.

I wish I never said that.

I saw that figure rarely but lately I saw it much often. After mum left I thought about eating something first. When I was having cornflakes I felt warmth behind my neck and I turned.

‘No one’ I shrugged. When I heard the door creak, stopping and again. I freaked out. There was a chill breeze coming in but I felt too afraid to go and see what it was. But I put my head to see what it was.

‘The door is open’ I thought horrified. I tiptoed to the door and locked it. I sighed. When I turned, that figure was standing in front of me, smiling. Now he was clear enough to see.

‘Who are you?’ I asked not knowing what I should have asked.

‘I’m a vampire my dear’

 

When I was walking in woods, the day after the incident, I forgot my way and I was lost.

When I was looking around with the picnic hamper in my hand, that guy showed up. ‘Looks like you’ve forgotten your way’ he said with a smirk.

‘I had but now I found it. I should be going’ I said lying.

He pulled me.

‘Let go off me’ I said kicking my legs.

‘Not so soon’ he said and something hard hit my head and I drop.

‘Where are you taking me’ I said my ass off because he was carrying me over his shoulders and was running fast.

‘This is a nightmare. Put me down! Now!’ I said hitting his shoulder.

‘Stop doing it’ he said and did drop me.

‘Ouch!’ May be I’m still dreaming on my bed and mum would come and wake me soon.

‘Where…’ I looked around but he wasn’t there. ‘Okay! Wow! What a nightmare!’ I yelled. When I tried to move, I felt as if my legs were locked. ‘What the.. .’ I said trying to take off my shoes and felt as if the world was moving and when I straighten, my friends were there, waving at me.

I looked at them as if some creepy vampires were waving but I came back to reality when Liz’s dog ‘Licker’ (he was named that because he’s in the top at licking: excuse me, but gross!) came to me and started to lick my dirty shoes.

‘Where’s the hamper?’ asked Nicole. ‘What hamper?’ ‘The hamper you promised to bring’ she said bewildered.

‘I must’ve lost it’ I said innocently. ‘Okay, Listen Liz. Do you believe in vampires?’ I asked while we sat under the tree.

‘You know I do’ she said in suspense.

‘I think I saw one’

‘For what do you think he’s following me for?’ I said to my friends who were staring at me with bulgy eyes.

‘He wants your blood’ said Shirley. And at last Liz opened her mouth when I eyed her to tell something. ‘He’s protecting you’ she said in a thoughtful way. ‘ WH-what? That’s insane’ said Nicole. ‘He would kill her by neck’.

‘WH…what? Kill me?’ I said in disbelief. ‘That’s not it’ said Liz. ‘ I’ve heard of protective ones and about vampires who takes human as slaves’.

‘Oh my god! That’s’ too freaky enough. Make sure, you three get me back home safely’ I said. If he’s following over Liz, it’s okay because she’s the glamour queen, and Nicole the drama queen, Shirley the peek-a-boo (wait! What does that mean anyway) and me the freaky psycho. I feel sick. Really really sick.

When I got back home, found a note stick to the fridge saying ‘Honey! We will be back home at 9. You’ll find some chicken wings and make sure you put it in the microwave’.

Which was funny because she’d thought that I would eat it without cooking. Eww!

When I got the wings, I put them in the microwave but unluckily there was a power cut. I stumbled to the phone, thanks for my parents not allowing me to have a mobile on my own.

A lightening struck and there was a sudden silence and the phone started to ring. I screamed.

‘He-hello?’ ‘Leah’ It was mum’s voice, comforting as my favourite blanket. Just hearing it slowed down my pulse. ‘Are you all right honey?’

‘The lights went out’ I said trying not to sound as SCARED as I felt.

‘Yes’ my mum said. ‘I guess that happens a lot. Look in the phone book and call the power company, just to make sure it’s the whole district and not only us. Then sit tight. Daddy and I cancelled our dinner and we’re on our way home’.

‘No, you’re not’ I said in a tight voice. ‘ They’ve shut down the Beltway. A downed power line had electrified the guard rails’ I repeated the info’s that my neighbor was yelling.

I heard my mother convey this information to my dad and I heard my dad swear. Then mum said to me ‘well, listen honey. You got a flashlight?’

I reached for the one on the counter. I didn’t quite need it yet, there was still enough light from outside to see by. But I said ‘yes’.

‘Good. Find a good book to read and we’ll be there as soon as we can’.

‘Will do’ I said. ‘Bye mum’.

Outside, lightening flashed again. The I remembered I was supposed to call the power company, so I hauled out the phone book and the number.

Then I entertained myself for a good five minuted listening to my options – press one to report lights that were flickering; two, if I smelled anything burning; three, If I was experiencing partial loss of power; and finally for, which I hit to report a total loss of power.

The recorded voice told me they were aware of the problem and that crew had already dispatched. I was glad I didn’t work for the power company. I would have hate being ‘dispatched’ in this weather.

Then Just as I was contemplating turning on the flashlight directed towards the living room and I saw with the light, him in full black, standing there, smiling with me.

‘Oh not again’ I heard myself saying.

‘Don’t’ come closer’ I said walking towards our table. But he did come.

‘I’m not a vampire. Go find someone else’ I said laying my hands on the glass bowl just in case to throw at him, if he tried to touch me.

‘Leah’ he said in a softer tone. ‘Watch yourself’ I felt dizzy and felt as if I was dope and all I could say was ‘why’ and felt a strong arms underneath me.

‘Leah’ I heard someone calling me and touching me gently. ‘M-mum’ I said opening my eyes. ‘Honey’ she said stroking my hair. ‘What happened to me?’ I asked sitting on my bed. Then I realized.

I looked around to see him but he was no where. ‘You weren’t looking normal’.

‘Why’ I asked.

‘Don’t know’’ she said. ‘I’ll get you something to eat’.

When I was thinking and lay back on my bed and when I drifted my eyes to the ceiling, he was there. I screamed. I took my pillow, covered my face and yelled ‘Leave me alone’.

‘I didn’t hurt you’ he said coming down and sitting on my dressing table chair. ‘You did’ I said and he made FUNNY NOISE. ‘Humph’. I noted his eyes. They were dark brown and mysterious looking.

‘Why won’t you leave me alone’ I said keeping away my pillow.

He came beside me, making me hold back my pillow tight. Kissed my forehead and said ‘because I love you’ and disappeared through the window.

‘Leah’ said Liz. ‘How was the week had been with you?’

‘It was okay’ I said while we were walking towards our class. I explained her now he said that he loves me and I saw this weird smile coming up on her face. ‘Oh! So our little miss cute is in love ah?’ she said jumping in excitement and she almost knocked down a kid. ‘I’m not cute and I’m not in love either’ I said looking forward.

‘Oh I see’ she said. ‘Believe me Liz, sometimes I feel like I’ve imagined it because for this whole week, I didn’t see him’.

‘Wait! He said he loves you right?’ she said tugging her fringe behind her ear. When I nodded, ‘he disappeared and didn’t come back?’ I nodded again. ‘That’s disappointing’.

‘What is?’ asking Nicole who joined us. ‘The guy…’ ‘Oh not the Vampire thing again. I couldn’t even fall asleep that night’ she said shrugging. ‘Shoot me, because I would be happy to dead’ I said smiling.

‘When my gaze fell before our class door, I saw him. ‘Oh my god’ I said clutching Liz’s hand. When she looked over to see what I saw, she looked at me and asked ‘What is it?’

‘It’s him Liz. Over there’ I said pointing my finger. When I looked away and looked back, he had disappeared. ‘Are you sure that you saw him?’ she said in a thoughtful way. ‘May be not’ I said going in.

‘Liz, I want to go out’ I whispered. ‘Why’ asked Liz bending forward. ‘He’s really is here. I saw him walk over’ I said.

‘ Um, Miss Farlow and Miss James can I know the business going on between you two?’ asked Ms.Acrobathi lifting her head from the papers. ‘I feel sick. I need some air’ I said and got up from my table forgetting to take the hall pass.

When I came to the hallway, no one was there except him, standing, hands deep in his pocket smiling. He looked adorable.

He started to talk away making me follow him. ‘Wait’ I said. But he continued. We came to the back yard and then the ‘garden glow’ which was a green house. He stopped and I stopped too. Then he turned. ‘Hey’ he said. ‘Hey’ I said with a timid wave and putting away the hair which had fallen on my face.

‘Missed me?’ ‘Guess not’ I said stubbornly. ‘You are lying because I can see it through your eyes’ he said lifting my chin up. Wowy! A vampire is touching me.

‘I didn’t I had other things to worry about’ I lied. ‘Clever girl’ he said taking his hands off me. ‘You are lying. You did miss me’.

He started to throw all the plants and I was terrified. ‘Stop it! I missed you!! A lot!! Is that what you wanted me to say??’ I yelled.

He sighed. And turned his back to me. ‘Do you love me?’ he asked not looking at me. It took me a moment to realize what he had asked me. I stared at him.

‘Yes’ and I started to walk away and didn’t look back.

Seconds later, I’d grabbed my backpack again was hurrying back to the classroom I’d been sitting in, a few hours before. I needed, I knew to speak to Liz to find out if she really believed what I suspected.

I didn’t know what I was going to tell her. That I still couldn’t seem to get the buzzing sound out of my head. But when I got to the classroom, it wasn’t Ms. Acrobathi who was at the chalkboard; it was Ms.Robertson the schools vice principal.

‘Yes?’ she said, when she saw me. Every head in the room had swivelled towards me, eyes raking me as I stood in the hallway clutching my backpack and looking, I’m sure, like a giant freak with my ponytail half falling down and my eyes all huge.

‘May I help you?’ Miss. Robertson asked politely. ‘ Shouldn’t you be in class? Or the lunch room? Where’s your hall pass?’

I turned from her numbly. Nice try buddy, you aren’t getting out of this, that easily.

‘Excuse me’ Ms.Robertson had followed me out into the hall. ‘Young lady. I asked you a question. Where is your hall pass? What class are you supposed to be in right now?’

I didn’t even glance back at her. I headed for the doors to the school.

‘Stop’ Ms. Robertson’s voice was loud in the empty hallway. I saw people in administrative offices glance our way, curious about what was going on. ‘What is your name? Young lady! Don’t you walk away from me!’

Except that by that time, I wasn’t walking anymore. I was running. And I didn’t stop running until I was off school property. Not that Miss.Robertson ever had a hope of catching me.

I just couldn’t bring myself to slow down. It was almost like if I ran fast enough it would turn out not to be true. My head would be clear, and I’d realize what an idiot I was being and it would all go back to normal.

Except that when I finally slowed down, I didn’t feel that way at all. That things were back to normal. If anything, they were worse. Because now, for the first time in my life, I was skipping school. I had left school grounds without permission.

I was a truant

I was a delinquent

And the worst part of all?

I didn’t even care!

I took a cab to home spending the only $8 I had, knowing that my parents were at work and won’t be returning until evening. It was a great relief but thinking of the thing happened with Ms.Robertson, scared me a lot. I couldn’t even believe I did that.

When I got home, I opened the door and was walking towards my room. ‘You shouldn’t be skipping school’ said a voice. When I turned numbly hoping to see dad, it was him sitting comfortable in an arm chair, doing something with his nails.

When my mouth fell open, he said ‘I came in from there’ pointing a window. Holding on my voice I said ‘You shouldn’t be entering houses like that’. He laughed. This vampire guy actually did laugh. AT ME!!! ‘I can’ he said. ‘To do anything’.

And it was my turn to laugh.

‘Funny’ I said going towards my room. ‘And never even imagine of entering my room’ – ‘if you did, you’ll be dead!’

When I got down from changing, he was holding on something. ‘Who is this?’ he asked turning the photo.

When I looked at it, I felt like dying. It was a photo; I got from Liz of my first crush. Now he’s in a different school anyway.

‘Where did you find it?’ I asked quickly snapping it out of his hands. He didn’t say anything but looked at me with his eyes.

The look, it hit me. I blinked for few seconds because those eyes spoke something I couldn’t understand. I sighed.

Then he stood up. My eyes drifted towards his chest. Wow! I could see a clear version of six packs through his thin shirt. I quickly ripped of my gaze because he said ‘Why are u staring at me chest?’

When I raised my eyebrows like ‘it wasn’t me’ type, ‘I’ll make something to eat’ he said. I interrupted. ‘You can cook?’ I asked thinking what he couldn’t do.

He nodded.

He went to the kitchen and start taking all the groceries, and he clearly knew, which thing was where, yet even I lived in this house for clearly 17 years, I didn’t even know where mum kept the sugar jar. While I wanted him, I was trying to figure out what that look meant.

When he finished cooking, we sat in the dining table.

First few minutes were silence. ‘You didn’t even bother to ask my name’ he said breaking the silence.

‘Oh yeah. So what’s your name?’ I asked starting at the food on my plate. Um Delicious! ‘Aurel’ he said. ‘Aurel. Oh okay’ I said with food in my mouth.

‘Leah, what are you doing here?’ It was my mum, peeping her head in a hurry, with a worried expression. I didn’t even hear the door open.

I froze. ‘Mum shouldn’t you be at work?’ I asked. ‘I should be going now. I came to get some files and what if I asked the same question from you?’ she said looking at me.

‘I……………’

‘Leah, you can’t be skipping school and take a guy in while your parents are out?’ she said standing in front of me. No wrong. US!

I felt all the food coming up my throat. Hey! I thought she can’t see him. Damn it!

‘Well, I have to go now and Leah, we are going to talk about this when we come back home okay’ she said stepping back.

‘Okay mum’ I said disappointed. ‘Why couldn’t you be invisible?’ I yelled at him, because I couldn’t help seeing him act coolly while I was burning on a fire.

‘Leah nothing is going to happen. She’ll forget half of the things and you don’t have to worry’ he said simply.

I felt like taking a knife and stabbing him. ‘Oh yeah! I would have to sacrifice my freedom and end up like Rupunzel, caged in that tower’ I said storming out of the room.

The next thing he did, he burst out laughing.

‘Still crying?’ when I turned my head over, he was leaning on the threshold. ‘I wasn’t I said wiping off my tears,

‘Can I come in?’ he asked politely. ‘you are in’ I said sitting on my bed. He came in and sat on the dressing table stool.

While we stare at each other, he asked ‘How Rupunzel is feeling now?’ ‘Shut up’ I said laughing.

‘Sorry for putting you in trouble’ he said. ‘ Couldn’t help myself’.

‘It’s okay’ I said. ‘Why are you following me? I’m not your kind’

He lifted his head. Silence. ‘I was ordered to and pretty soon, we should be moving out’ he said.

I didn’t understand a single word he told me. ‘Go where?’ I asked. He smiled. ‘Where you belong’.

‘I’m not going anywhere’ I said sternly. He looked thoughtful and said ‘you’ll have to come with me or your family would be…..dead’.

‘Dead?’ I chocked in disbelief. He nodded.’ I can’t do that. You know it’.

He looked up. ‘You trust me, don’t you?’ when I nodded ‘I won’t let anyone or anything hurt you’ he said coming and taking my hand.

The things were hard, to choose. I could not risk my family or my life. But I had to choose one, and that’s not gonna be me.

I held it tight. While tears ran down my face I managed to say ‘I will come with you’ with a confidence. I cried as he pulled me into his arms.

__END__