Disclaimer: Characters are original but 'Salem's Lot' isn't mine. If I did no one would've survived and vampires would've been like deranged mass murderers. Enjoy!
"So Johnny says this place is full of vampires? Sounds like he's been buyin' some pretty good shit lately. Anybody know the dealer he goes to?" Sam called to the back seat of his mom's Buick as he swerved left and right, trying not to spill any of the Daniels on the interior. I noted he was doing a shitty job of it too. Gripping the seat belt as he made his fifth right turn that nearly hit a curb, I silently prayed that we would leave soon. But of course at the party Sam had decided that he was going to prove that Johnny, a halfback on the football team that could almost never do anything right, was being a pussy when he had refused to come through the Lot with us. Not that I had wanted to come either. But being Sam's girlfriend is like having to babysit a toddler. Leave either alone in a room and they'll find a way to get themselves hurt.
"What's wrong Annie? You look like you're about to blow chunks?!" Carrie said as she leaned between the two front seats, letting the two jocks sitting on either side of her get a good look up her cheerleader uniform. Some Halloween outfit, Carrie. Unfortunately I think that's about as creative as it gets for her. I ignored her by pretending to fuss over how my outfit was getting wrinkled. I let my tongue slide over the caps that I had put over my real canines. Sam had suggested that we both go as sexy vampires. Which meant he hoped there would be an 'after-party for two'. Idiot. I hate him and everyone else in this fucking car. I'd met Sam at his older sister's graduation party. He'd seemed really nice. Too bad he turned out to be a dick just like everyone else.
"Come on babes, why don't you relax? We'll go through town a few times, maybe smash a few windows and then we'll bail. Not like there's anyone there to piss off anyway. That takes half the fun out of it!" Sam slurred a few words and I knew it was probably time for me to pretend I had to use the bathroom. At least that would get me out of this hell on wheels. Without warning Sam slammed on the brakes and swerved to the right, ramming the front into a fire hydrant on the curb. I cracked my head against the window which caused my sight to blank out. I could hear Carrie screaming in the black seat and the boys swearing. "Ow…fuck Sam what the hell is wrong with you?!" I think it was the boy behind me, but everything was blurring so I couldn't tell who for sure. "Didn't you guys see that?! Fuck! There was a chick in the road!" Alright, that for sure was Sam. I was starting to see shapes again so I gently ran my hand over my forehead where I'd been hit. I felt something warm and fluid. Great, I'm fucking bleeding. Bleeding in the town supposedly full of vampires. This is bloody perfect.
When I could see correctly I looked over to check out the others. Carrie hadn't been wearing her seat belt obviously so she'd been sent flying if the guy on her left, Aaron or some other generic name I think, hadn't grabbed her. Sam, not waiting to see if anyone would answer him, got out of the car and left us. "Annie! What the hell is your boyfriend trying to do?!" I swung around. "I don't fucking know Carrie! Probably just gonna break some shit like he said he was going to. Now shut the hell up and let those boys keep eye-fondling you for all I care!" I unfastened my seat belt and got out of the car, slamming the door behind me. I heard her screaming at me from behind but I kept walking down the street and not giving a damn what she said.
Once I was out of sight of the car I started to slow my pace. I looked in the windows of the shops and saw all of them looked like they were really old and unkempt. The modern ghost town. No stories of old shootouts and cowboys that I knew of. But it had the same kind of feel to it. I sat down on a bench and stared up at where the moon seemed to be sitting on the top of one of the buildings. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" I jumped up and looked towards the voice. A pale man was standing in the middle of the road and he was smiling at me. I thought back to the rumors about the town.
Vampires in the real world; it sounds stupid. But he looks…what? There's a word for it. He's not exactly scary. He just seems to be…dark. That was a good name for it. "Well?" I thought about the question but I didn't dare look away from him. "Yes, it is." This is ridiculous. There is no way that there is any damn thing as a vampire in khaki pants and a polo shirt. I sat back down and watched him as he made his way to sit at the other end of the bench. "Who are you? Very few people come here anymore, especially at night." He asked as he made himself comfy. "Anna. But I'd like it if you called me Annie. I've always hated Anna." I said and I stressed the word hated. "Are you alone Annie?" Ignoring the question, I watched him. His eyes…how the fuck does anyone get eyes like those? But I heard myself answering. "No, I came with a bunch of idiots from a party. Sam plowed the car into a hydrant so now we're stuck here." I didn't mean to say anything. What the hell…
"Oh God…you really are a…" I tried to get up but his hands on my shoulders kept me seated. Jesus, help me! One of his hands gently passed over my forehead and I thought about the blood. He's going to kill me. He's going to suck me fucking dry and kill me. I couldn't scream. I couldn't run. I could barely breathe. He brought the hand to his mouth and licked his fingers one by one, like a cat cleaning itself. "Mmm…it's good. Better than what I've had to put up with in this shit hole." "Annie? Annie! Where are you?" Sam voice was echoing through the streets but I couldn't see him. And I still couldn't do a damn thing. He smiled and the moonlight got caught in between the beautiful set of fangs in his face. He turned while still holding onto me and made a sharp whistle that hurt my ears. He muttered something but I was watching as Sam came around the corner.
"Annie! And who the fuck are you?" Sam said as he charged over towards us. But he never got as far as halfway. "Sit tight Annie." And I realized something. Vampires are fast. I saw it though. He's fast and strong and wicked. But it seemed kinda like when you're high and even if everything around you is going a thousand miles an hour you see every little detail. It was a simple thing too. It grabbed Sam's shoulder and his neck and ripped. Ripped him almost perfectly down the middle. And then shoving his face into the tear and fed. For how long I don't know. But I couldn't stop watching. And we weren't alone now either. People lined the sidewalks as they watched the street performance. I could hear them behind me. Hissing, sniffing, talking and other nonsense noises.
When he was done he dropped Sam and turned back to me. And he smiled at me now.
"Come on Annie. Daddy's gonna get you a real pair of gnashers."
Finally! A story that has over a thousand words without multiple chapters! Salem's Lot is definitely one of my personal favorites. Please tell me what you think!