Blood Donor
Chapter 4
Life starts to resemble a pattern for me. Sleep all day, wake up, wander the streets aimlessly, go home, repeat. I should probably start looking for a new place to live. Smelling like garbage isn’t really my forte. I wonder where the other beasts reside. Probably in the houses they had before the change. Blending in with society. Waiting for a defenseless eighteen year old to walk by so they can kill him…
There’s not much chance of getting my old house back. Not after a year. I mean, I could go to the land lord and ask. But what would he do once he realized I was a vampire? It’s not exactly easy to hide. What with the glowing red eyes and all. Not to mention I don’t have a job…Guess it’s just slumming it in the alley for now.
Three days pass before I get another dose of blood. It comes in a new travel mug with a note attached:
Hey, Gee! Can I call you Gee?
Anyway, here’s some more food.
Just leave the cup by the alleyway
and I’ll pick it up net time.
-xofrnk
Frank. That guy really doesn’t understand the term “beast in human form.” I’m really grateful for the blood though. It’s not the best when it’s old, but at least I’m not going on killing sprees. I can walk around whenever I want without worrying. Maybe I can try to get a job, even. But who would hire me? I often smell bad, and again I’m a freak.
These are things that I ponder as I walk. My existence seems pretty pointless right now. No way to really live. No acceptable way to die. All I can do is hide and hope some luck comes my way. But luck in what form? The form of a man who thinks he owes me his life and freely gives me blood? Or something else? Something that hasn’t come yet? Maybe I’m over thinking everything…
Time starts blurring again soon. I’ve forgotten to count the days. I have counted how many times I’ve eaten. Seven. But there’s no real pattern to when Frank brings it. I just wake up on random nights and it’s waiting for me. The amount he gives varies, too. Probably reflects the amount of time between cups. He really seems to fear for my health. Feels nice to have someone worrying about me.
I’m walking down a deserted street one night when I hear a piercing scream. Someone’s been attacked. Should I help them? It’s not really my responsibility to save humans from my kind. Then again, knowingly allowing someone to be killed is as bad as killing them. Could I live with myself after doing that?
“Help! Somebody help me!” that settles it. I begin running in the direction of the voice. I find them in an alley, not far from the one I use. There’s a woman crouched on the ground and a leech reaching for her. I grab him and throw him back. Then I crouch in front of the woman. She flinches.
“Stay behind me. I won’t hurt you,” I growl, then I turn to the creep. He’s just getting up. I hear him laugh.
“Well, well, Gerard. I thought I’d find you eventually.”
That voice! No, it can’t be. Can it? He steps forward and confirms it. He looks exactly the same as the last time I saw him. Same mousy hair. Same awkward frame. The only thing missing is his glasses. But it’s impossible! He can’t be here.
“Mikey,” I say shakily, “But I thought you were dead.”
Another bout of laughter, harsh and sinister, “Me too, brother. But you know what? The sick bastard came back! Shoved his nasty blood down my throat and took me to his house. Now here I am. Loving life and getting anything I want. Now, you wanna back away from my girlfriend?”
His girlfriend? The girl behind me is definitely human. I can hear her heart, smell her blood. Her blood…I recognize it. I’ve smelled it somewhere before…Except it’s a bit different now. What changed? Oh, right. Then it was angry and confused. Now it’s just scared. Alicia. He went after her.
“You’re not touching a hair on her head,” I snarl.
“See, that’s where you’re wrong. She’s gonna join me. Isn’t that right, sweetheart?” there’s not an ounce of love or positive emotions in his voice. Only cold sarcasm.
“Fuck you!” she shouts from behind me. She always was a strong one.
He chuckles, “No, that comes after the change. Now, Gerard, move before I have to force you.”
I shake my head, “I have a promise to keep. No human is dying on my account.”
He looks shocked, “You’re still sticking to that? Bro, that was so long ago. Clearly my opinion has changed. Blood guzzling is great! You’re released.”
“No. I made the promise to my brother. You’re just a monster in his skin,” I lunge then, digging my nails into him while biting his throat. It catches him by surprise. He doesn’t start struggling until it’s too late. I have him pinned to the ground. And he’s losing strength with each drip of rotten blood that seeps from his wounds. I wait until he stops struggling and stand.
He spits on the ground, “Well, finish me off. You’ve earned it.”
I sigh, “I watched you die once, Mikey. I can’t do it again.”
I back up toward Alicia. Once I’m close enough I pick her up. Then I jump onto an adjoining rooftop and start running. I don’t stop until I reach her house, at which point I jump inside. I set her on a couch and begin locking windows and doors. I know he won’t stay down long.
I turn to her, “He’ll come back. Do you have anywhere else you can go?”
“You saved me,” She says quietly, “Why?”
“I told you: I made a promise to Mikey. We don’t have time to wonder about the strength of my morals. Where’s a safe place you can go?”
She thinks, “I have a friend who might take me in. No promises though.”
“All right. Get on my back. Where’s he live?”
She gives me the address and I head out. The place is way back where we came from, so I have to take a careful route. Running into Mikey right now would be pretty dumb on my part. On the way she asks me a bunch of questions. The main thing she wants to know is how I survive without killing. After some hesitation, I tell her about Frank. She can’t seem to fathom that there are people like him in the world.
“That’s the place!” she points at a house and I angle myself to land on the doorstep. I let her down and she knocks on the door. Moments later it opens.
“Hey Alicia. Hey…Gerard?”
There’s not much chance of getting my old house back. Not after a year. I mean, I could go to the land lord and ask. But what would he do once he realized I was a vampire? It’s not exactly easy to hide. What with the glowing red eyes and all. Not to mention I don’t have a job…Guess it’s just slumming it in the alley for now.
Three days pass before I get another dose of blood. It comes in a new travel mug with a note attached:
Hey, Gee! Can I call you Gee?
Anyway, here’s some more food.
Just leave the cup by the alleyway
and I’ll pick it up net time.
-xofrnk
Frank. That guy really doesn’t understand the term “beast in human form.” I’m really grateful for the blood though. It’s not the best when it’s old, but at least I’m not going on killing sprees. I can walk around whenever I want without worrying. Maybe I can try to get a job, even. But who would hire me? I often smell bad, and again I’m a freak.
These are things that I ponder as I walk. My existence seems pretty pointless right now. No way to really live. No acceptable way to die. All I can do is hide and hope some luck comes my way. But luck in what form? The form of a man who thinks he owes me his life and freely gives me blood? Or something else? Something that hasn’t come yet? Maybe I’m over thinking everything…
Time starts blurring again soon. I’ve forgotten to count the days. I have counted how many times I’ve eaten. Seven. But there’s no real pattern to when Frank brings it. I just wake up on random nights and it’s waiting for me. The amount he gives varies, too. Probably reflects the amount of time between cups. He really seems to fear for my health. Feels nice to have someone worrying about me.
I’m walking down a deserted street one night when I hear a piercing scream. Someone’s been attacked. Should I help them? It’s not really my responsibility to save humans from my kind. Then again, knowingly allowing someone to be killed is as bad as killing them. Could I live with myself after doing that?
“Help! Somebody help me!” that settles it. I begin running in the direction of the voice. I find them in an alley, not far from the one I use. There’s a woman crouched on the ground and a leech reaching for her. I grab him and throw him back. Then I crouch in front of the woman. She flinches.
“Stay behind me. I won’t hurt you,” I growl, then I turn to the creep. He’s just getting up. I hear him laugh.
“Well, well, Gerard. I thought I’d find you eventually.”
That voice! No, it can’t be. Can it? He steps forward and confirms it. He looks exactly the same as the last time I saw him. Same mousy hair. Same awkward frame. The only thing missing is his glasses. But it’s impossible! He can’t be here.
“Mikey,” I say shakily, “But I thought you were dead.”
Another bout of laughter, harsh and sinister, “Me too, brother. But you know what? The sick bastard came back! Shoved his nasty blood down my throat and took me to his house. Now here I am. Loving life and getting anything I want. Now, you wanna back away from my girlfriend?”
His girlfriend? The girl behind me is definitely human. I can hear her heart, smell her blood. Her blood…I recognize it. I’ve smelled it somewhere before…Except it’s a bit different now. What changed? Oh, right. Then it was angry and confused. Now it’s just scared. Alicia. He went after her.
“You’re not touching a hair on her head,” I snarl.
“See, that’s where you’re wrong. She’s gonna join me. Isn’t that right, sweetheart?” there’s not an ounce of love or positive emotions in his voice. Only cold sarcasm.
“Fuck you!” she shouts from behind me. She always was a strong one.
He chuckles, “No, that comes after the change. Now, Gerard, move before I have to force you.”
I shake my head, “I have a promise to keep. No human is dying on my account.”
He looks shocked, “You’re still sticking to that? Bro, that was so long ago. Clearly my opinion has changed. Blood guzzling is great! You’re released.”
“No. I made the promise to my brother. You’re just a monster in his skin,” I lunge then, digging my nails into him while biting his throat. It catches him by surprise. He doesn’t start struggling until it’s too late. I have him pinned to the ground. And he’s losing strength with each drip of rotten blood that seeps from his wounds. I wait until he stops struggling and stand.
He spits on the ground, “Well, finish me off. You’ve earned it.”
I sigh, “I watched you die once, Mikey. I can’t do it again.”
I back up toward Alicia. Once I’m close enough I pick her up. Then I jump onto an adjoining rooftop and start running. I don’t stop until I reach her house, at which point I jump inside. I set her on a couch and begin locking windows and doors. I know he won’t stay down long.
I turn to her, “He’ll come back. Do you have anywhere else you can go?”
“You saved me,” She says quietly, “Why?”
“I told you: I made a promise to Mikey. We don’t have time to wonder about the strength of my morals. Where’s a safe place you can go?”
She thinks, “I have a friend who might take me in. No promises though.”
“All right. Get on my back. Where’s he live?”
She gives me the address and I head out. The place is way back where we came from, so I have to take a careful route. Running into Mikey right now would be pretty dumb on my part. On the way she asks me a bunch of questions. The main thing she wants to know is how I survive without killing. After some hesitation, I tell her about Frank. She can’t seem to fathom that there are people like him in the world.
“That’s the place!” she points at a house and I angle myself to land on the doorstep. I let her down and she knocks on the door. Moments later it opens.
“Hey Alicia. Hey…Gerard?”
@MayMayChan
Oh its fine! Sorry it took 6 months for me to reply, this website is messing up for me so much.
4/1/17