Blood Donor
Chapter 6
“He what?!” Seriously? I just fell asleep and I get woken up by screeching? I might go back to the alley after all… “No way, Frank! I am not staying in the same house as that…that thing!” And now I’ve been demoted to a thing. Lovely.
“If I remember correctly, that thing saved your life. No one said you had to stay, but I’m not throwing him back on the streets.” Frank’s reply causes me to smirk. Not very many people can stand up to Alicia like that. I know Mikey never could. He was always the most whipped person I knew.
“And what about Jamia, huh? What’s she think of this new arrangement…Actually, where is she?” Jamia? Who’s Jamia?
Frank’s voice gets really quiet, “She, uh…She left about a month ago…”
A month ago? Isn’t that when he was stumbling around like a blithering idiot? Gonna finish the job? Good. I don’t wanna be alive. I got nothing. Is that what he meant? He didn’t want to live without this girl? Well, that was clearly the alcohol talking. But he was trying to drown his sorrows that night. Poor guy.
“What happened?” Alicia’s voice is now full of concern. Didn’t know she possessed that emotion.
“I had told her about Gee in there and she wanted me to find a way to kill him. I told her there was no way I could do that after he saved my life. Then one night in bed she caught sight of the cut on my wrist from when I had brought him blood…I can’t keep secrets from her worth shit so she figured out what it was from and stormed out. Said she couldn’t stay with a leech lover.”
Wait. Wait. Hold up. It’s my fault he lost this chick? How come he hasn’t killed me yet? I mean, seriously. If you have to pick between a blood sucking monster and the woman you love…You better fucking pick the woman you love! That’s just common sense. After all, she should be safe and familiar. While I’m most definitely dangerous and new.
A loud slap sounds through the house, “You fucking idiot! That girl was the best thing that ever happened to you! You should have done anything she asked of you!”
“Even kill an innocent person? Even you should know that I’d never do that.”
“He’s not a person, Frank! He’s a monster! You can’t believe a word he says! I don’t buy for a fucking second that he’s never killed. I bet he’s just toying with you. Waiting for the perfect time to strike.”
“He already had the perfect time! Several times! Why can’t you just accept that there’s still good people out there?” Why is he still defending me? What does he possibly see in me that makes him think I’m different? I just don’t understand.
“I get it. You’re brainwashed. Fine, I’ll kill it myself.” Footsteps start heading for the bedroom. I don’t know what I should do. Maybe I should pretend to be asleep and just let it happen. Then I won’t have to risk hurting anyone anymore. I can just be a memory. Doesn’t seem so bad anymore…
“Get out of my house. Now.” Frank says, and I realize the steps stopped. I guess he grabbed her. But I can’t let him throw her out. If anyone has to go it should be me. I’m the one who doesn’t belong.
I stand up and throw my blanket over my head. Frank has some pretty big windows out there. Then I step out of the room, “Don’t. I’ll leave.”
Both of them stare at me. Frank as if he thinks I’m insane. Alicia as if she’s won some sort of contest. Frank opens his mouth to speak but I cut him off.
“She’s right.” Startled gasps, “Well, not about the toying part. I would never intentionally hurt a human. But you shouldn’t choose me over your girlfriend. We just met, and being around me puts you in serious danger.”
He shakes his head, “You think I care? I can’t ignore the fact that somehow you are different. Most vampires wouldn’t so much as blink before ripping an innocent person to shreds. But you stopped yourself before killing me. Pulled yourself away without knowing anything about me. I want to help you, and anyone who stands in my way can get out of my life.”
“Fine!” Jamia shrieks, “I get it. I’m out of here. Don’t expect me at your funeral.” And she’s gone. Stormed right out the door. I should feel guilty. That should be me out there. But all I can think is good riddance.
“Shoulda let Mikey turn her,” I mutter, not expecting Frank to hear.
“Who’s Mikey?” he asks. I look at him.
“You sure you’re not one of us?”
He glances at himself, then to the windows, “Yeah, pretty much. So who’s Mikey?”
“My brother. Alicia was his girlfriend. Good night.” I turn around and head back to the room with the covered window. It’s not until I’m about to doze off when I realize my mistake. I just said goodnight when it’s early morning. He must really think I’m a freak.
…
A familiar scent greets me the next evening. But it’s not blood. Actually, it’s a mixture of smells. Two that I was very familiar with in my human life: coffee and cigarettes. Nothing like a supernatural change in species to break your habits. When I had a heartbeat, I didn’t spend a day without smoking and drinking a good cup ‘o joe. Recently the two things haven’t even crossed my mind.
I wander out of my room and find Frank sitting in the living room. He’s the source of the smells. I didn’t expect anything else, but seeing him sitting there with them tickles something in the back of my mind. Not really a longing for the substances, but a desire for what they stand for. Humanity. Normalcy. I guess addictions do follow you into the undead life. Just not in the way you’d expect. I can’t exactly drink anything based on what I’ve already experienced, but a cigarette…I bet that couldn’t hurt me. I technically don’t even need my lungs. Breathing’s just a habit.
I sit next to him on the couch and point to his pack of cancer sticks, “Mind if I bum one of those?”
He looks startled by my appearance, but recovers quickly, “Yeah, sure. Didn’t know vamps smoked.”
“I don’t know if we do either, but I was the biggest caffeine and nicotine addict when I was human.”
He nods, “So you want a cup of morning juice too?”
I laugh, and it feels weird. It’s been so long since I actually found something humorous, “Morning juice? But no, liquids don’t agree with what I am.”
He raises an eyebrow, “But you drink blood?”
“It’s more complicated than that. The blood gets absorbed into our systems in an attempt to replace our decaying insides. I mean, you don’t use something and it stops working right?” I have no idea where the information comes from. It just pours out of me. I have no doubt it’s the truth though.
He sets down his mug, “All right. Back story time.”
“Back story?”
“Yeah. You know, your life in a nutshell. How you got this way. Your backstory. I’m anxious to know, and I’m sure you want to learn about me too.”
I sigh, “You don’t want to hear my story.”
“Yes I do.” I look over at him. He has a really eager expression plastered on his face. His eyes have somehow gotten wider and shinier. How do you say no to something like that?
“Fine, but you asked for it.”
“If I remember correctly, that thing saved your life. No one said you had to stay, but I’m not throwing him back on the streets.” Frank’s reply causes me to smirk. Not very many people can stand up to Alicia like that. I know Mikey never could. He was always the most whipped person I knew.
“And what about Jamia, huh? What’s she think of this new arrangement…Actually, where is she?” Jamia? Who’s Jamia?
Frank’s voice gets really quiet, “She, uh…She left about a month ago…”
A month ago? Isn’t that when he was stumbling around like a blithering idiot? Gonna finish the job? Good. I don’t wanna be alive. I got nothing. Is that what he meant? He didn’t want to live without this girl? Well, that was clearly the alcohol talking. But he was trying to drown his sorrows that night. Poor guy.
“What happened?” Alicia’s voice is now full of concern. Didn’t know she possessed that emotion.
“I had told her about Gee in there and she wanted me to find a way to kill him. I told her there was no way I could do that after he saved my life. Then one night in bed she caught sight of the cut on my wrist from when I had brought him blood…I can’t keep secrets from her worth shit so she figured out what it was from and stormed out. Said she couldn’t stay with a leech lover.”
Wait. Wait. Hold up. It’s my fault he lost this chick? How come he hasn’t killed me yet? I mean, seriously. If you have to pick between a blood sucking monster and the woman you love…You better fucking pick the woman you love! That’s just common sense. After all, she should be safe and familiar. While I’m most definitely dangerous and new.
A loud slap sounds through the house, “You fucking idiot! That girl was the best thing that ever happened to you! You should have done anything she asked of you!”
“Even kill an innocent person? Even you should know that I’d never do that.”
“He’s not a person, Frank! He’s a monster! You can’t believe a word he says! I don’t buy for a fucking second that he’s never killed. I bet he’s just toying with you. Waiting for the perfect time to strike.”
“He already had the perfect time! Several times! Why can’t you just accept that there’s still good people out there?” Why is he still defending me? What does he possibly see in me that makes him think I’m different? I just don’t understand.
“I get it. You’re brainwashed. Fine, I’ll kill it myself.” Footsteps start heading for the bedroom. I don’t know what I should do. Maybe I should pretend to be asleep and just let it happen. Then I won’t have to risk hurting anyone anymore. I can just be a memory. Doesn’t seem so bad anymore…
“Get out of my house. Now.” Frank says, and I realize the steps stopped. I guess he grabbed her. But I can’t let him throw her out. If anyone has to go it should be me. I’m the one who doesn’t belong.
I stand up and throw my blanket over my head. Frank has some pretty big windows out there. Then I step out of the room, “Don’t. I’ll leave.”
Both of them stare at me. Frank as if he thinks I’m insane. Alicia as if she’s won some sort of contest. Frank opens his mouth to speak but I cut him off.
“She’s right.” Startled gasps, “Well, not about the toying part. I would never intentionally hurt a human. But you shouldn’t choose me over your girlfriend. We just met, and being around me puts you in serious danger.”
He shakes his head, “You think I care? I can’t ignore the fact that somehow you are different. Most vampires wouldn’t so much as blink before ripping an innocent person to shreds. But you stopped yourself before killing me. Pulled yourself away without knowing anything about me. I want to help you, and anyone who stands in my way can get out of my life.”
“Fine!” Jamia shrieks, “I get it. I’m out of here. Don’t expect me at your funeral.” And she’s gone. Stormed right out the door. I should feel guilty. That should be me out there. But all I can think is good riddance.
“Shoulda let Mikey turn her,” I mutter, not expecting Frank to hear.
“Who’s Mikey?” he asks. I look at him.
“You sure you’re not one of us?”
He glances at himself, then to the windows, “Yeah, pretty much. So who’s Mikey?”
“My brother. Alicia was his girlfriend. Good night.” I turn around and head back to the room with the covered window. It’s not until I’m about to doze off when I realize my mistake. I just said goodnight when it’s early morning. He must really think I’m a freak.
…
A familiar scent greets me the next evening. But it’s not blood. Actually, it’s a mixture of smells. Two that I was very familiar with in my human life: coffee and cigarettes. Nothing like a supernatural change in species to break your habits. When I had a heartbeat, I didn’t spend a day without smoking and drinking a good cup ‘o joe. Recently the two things haven’t even crossed my mind.
I wander out of my room and find Frank sitting in the living room. He’s the source of the smells. I didn’t expect anything else, but seeing him sitting there with them tickles something in the back of my mind. Not really a longing for the substances, but a desire for what they stand for. Humanity. Normalcy. I guess addictions do follow you into the undead life. Just not in the way you’d expect. I can’t exactly drink anything based on what I’ve already experienced, but a cigarette…I bet that couldn’t hurt me. I technically don’t even need my lungs. Breathing’s just a habit.
I sit next to him on the couch and point to his pack of cancer sticks, “Mind if I bum one of those?”
He looks startled by my appearance, but recovers quickly, “Yeah, sure. Didn’t know vamps smoked.”
“I don’t know if we do either, but I was the biggest caffeine and nicotine addict when I was human.”
He nods, “So you want a cup of morning juice too?”
I laugh, and it feels weird. It’s been so long since I actually found something humorous, “Morning juice? But no, liquids don’t agree with what I am.”
He raises an eyebrow, “But you drink blood?”
“It’s more complicated than that. The blood gets absorbed into our systems in an attempt to replace our decaying insides. I mean, you don’t use something and it stops working right?” I have no idea where the information comes from. It just pours out of me. I have no doubt it’s the truth though.
He sets down his mug, “All right. Back story time.”
“Back story?”
“Yeah. You know, your life in a nutshell. How you got this way. Your backstory. I’m anxious to know, and I’m sure you want to learn about me too.”
I sigh, “You don’t want to hear my story.”
“Yes I do.” I look over at him. He has a really eager expression plastered on his face. His eyes have somehow gotten wider and shinier. How do you say no to something like that?
“Fine, but you asked for it.”
@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