So this is a piece that I had outlined a year ago but never got the chance to work on it. I ended up using it as my short story for my Creative Writing class, and my teacher really liked it, so I hope all of you will as well. I'm very proud of it, and very pleased with the end result. There will be an epilogue to this, which I am writing for my final project portion of my portfolio for the class. Enjoy!
A dark haired man stumbled into the church at Canterbury, the sun setting behind him. The cathedral was dark, the candles just being lit by a priest, the windows letting in little light. The priest watched as the young man walked slowly to the alter by the front of the church and fell to his knees.
He raised his head skyward and closed his eyes, lifting his arms as if to offer himself. "Oh Great Lord in Heaven," he prayed, "there is a possibility that I may soon be dead. I beg of you, do not let it happen." He took in a shaky breath.
"Please," he pleaded, "I am still too young, only twenty three years, as I have counted. I am not ready for death."
"Death," echoed a voice, "comes to all. There is nothing in my power that I can do to halt it."
"But there is!" the man urged, his eyes opening quickly in earnest, clear blue eyes shining in the dark. "You are the almighty God, father of Jesus." He paused. "You could grant me immortality. You could grant me the gift of living without fear."
"You do not know what you ask," God replied. "Death is a part of life. Without it, the world would cease to be balanced. It would not be right."
"But my Lord…" the man began to protest.
"No more! Immortality is for no man to hold. This is the end of it. Do not ask again for my word is law," God finished, his presence fading from the church.
The man stood up, still looking to the sky. "Then you have abandoned me!" he shouted. "You are no father to any of us," the man finished in a whisper.
He ran from the church and took to the woods, tripping over fallen branches. Once more, he fell to his knees, but this time it was out of despair, not piety. If there was any other being, he prayed to them, begging to be granted immortality.
Suddenly, the cool woods disappeared and were replaced with the feeling of burning hot fire. The man's head snapped up as he took in the scene before him. It looked as if the entire forest had been set ablaze, the flames consuming everything while smoke filled the sky, creating a thick cloud of gray and black.
A man clad in black stepped through the flames as though it were nothing, brushing himself off. His keen eyes, orange as the fire surrounding him, took in the man on his knees before him.
"Who are you?" murmured the kneeling man.
"I am here to answer yours prayers," replied the man in black. "My name is Lucifer, though most often call me the Devil." Lucifer smiled, revealing two rows of white teeth, some more pointed than others.
The man stumbled back in shock, looking to Lucifer with wide eyes, fear flashing in them. He did not know what to make of the Devil's appearance, nor how to respond. Neither the Devil nor God has visited any man for centuries.
Lucifer studied the man, his grin broadening. "Why do you back away in fear? Did you not pray to be granted immortal life?" He looked towards the sky. "Yes, the almighty Lord God did not grant it to you, but I can."
"C-could you do th-that?" the man stuttered out nervously.
Lucifer smiled, a glint in his eyes. "As I said before, I can…and I will."
"But for what reason?"
"You begged and pleaded for it. You were rejected by your God. Who else is left to grant such a thing but myself?" Lucifer shrugged. "But of course, if your mind has changed its desire, I shall trouble you no more."
Lucifer turned as if to walk away. "Wait!" the man cried. "My desire is still the same as it was before."
The Devil smiled maliciously before wiping the look of his face and replacing it with a small smile, turning back to the man. He nodded and walked closer as the man stood and came to meet him half way. The man stood and looked at the Devil, vaguely wondering how he could have ever been an angel.
"Arran Aedan Cadogan, I will grant you the…gift of immortal life. You will never die. The Gates of Saint Peter will never see your face. You will never have the need to worry about catching any sickness. In your new," Lucifer's smile widened," life, you will have very few worries." Lucifer paused and held out his hand. "Do you agree to all that has been said?"
Arran paused, knowing that it was not the wisest choice to make a deal with the Devil, but what other choice did he have? Warily, he took Lucifer's hand in his own signifying his assent. He felt the severe heat in the Devil's skin, before pulling his hand away. He waited for the Lord of Hell to say more, and he was not disappointed.
"Now that we have made a pact, you need to take in a small portion of my blood," Lucifer told him.
Arran looked at him in shock. "You did not tell me I would have to do such a thing."
"You did not ask."
"I will not. I can not."
"You made a pact," Lucifer began, anger entering his tone, "and you can not walk away now." He smiled, knowing just the right strings to pull. "If you do, you will die within the next day."
Resigned to the mistake he had made, Arran nodded solemnly and silently begged all those he knew to forgive him for being such a fool. He walked to the arm that Lucifer held out to him, and watched in grotesque fascination as the Devil cut through his own skin with a blade, the drops of blood glistening as they dripped from the wound. He brought his lips to the wound slowly, revolted by the act he was committing. As the blood entered his mouth, he wished to spit it back out, but knew Lucifer would not let him do so. However, as he continued to drink, the taste became sweet and addictive, flowing down his throat like a soothing drink after going without water for a day.
Finally, Lucifer took his arm away and told Arran to stop, smiling in satisfaction. As Arran looked up, his eyes looked fevered and distant. He clutched his middle, feeling a burning pain coursing through him. He fell to the ground, bowing over himself for countless moments, before feeling the pain dissipate. Arran stood slowly and looked to the Devil in confusion.
"That was your change," Lucifer told him.
"Change?" Arran questioned. "Change into what?"
The Devil smiled maliciously. "Into a new creature…a vampire." Arran's confusion masked his face, which the Dark Lord noticed. "A creature of the night who does not need food for survival, but rather a different substance."
"What would it be?" he asked Lucifer.
"Blood."
So what did all of you think? I don't feel the ending is sudden or rushed, but do any of you? I had asked my sister and she really liked the way it ended, the ringing finality of what he had become. So survey says?
The epilogue should be out within the next few days. I need it written for tomorrow because I want to hand in my portfolio tomorrow.
If any of you are wondering about other works, I do have a blog that I have just created. www. addiej. blogspot. com I hope you check it out. I will be working on numerous things over the summer, and hopefully I can get my very own vampire novel started. Cheers!