Discovery

I went to Biloxi to visit an old friend of mine. I traveled alone this time. I had left Victoria in Jacksonville for the week with a promise of my return on Monday. She was put out that I hadn't invited her along and insisted that she come if I needed her for anything. Ha! As if I would need her for anything other than the only thing she was good for, escaping. She was extremely keen on finding flaws in plans and formations. No I would not need her.

I arrived at Stock State Asylum where Jonathan worked a few minutes past two a.m. He worked the night shift in this atrocious place he called a job. I ran up to the gate and without stalling hurled myself over the pointed ends. I landed without noise and continued to run the short half mile to the building. Of course Jonathan was at the door waiting for me. I never questioned him on how he always knew when I was near. I never cared enough to ask.

"Welcome, friend, to my home." He smiled at me and motioned for me to follow him into the building.

We walked a small distant down an almost silent corridor and into his office. I say almost silent because I could hear the heart beats, the snoring, the murmuring, and the crying that were locked away behind their thick metal doors. I stood nearest to the door and watched him walk around to the other side of his desk. He did not sit either.

"Tell me James, how have you been? Has there been anything new since we last met?" He folded his arms and cocked his head with a small smile.

"Not in the least. Victoria sends her regards of course." I relaxed a bit showing a smile of my own.

"Ah yes, Victoria. There is a subject that is best left alone. Would you like for me to show you around the facility. We have some interesting cases that I would be more than happy to share with you." I nodded my head. "Come then. We shall watch the less fortunate as they struggle within their simple human minds." He laughed and flitted out of the room. I followed closely behind him.

As we walked down a narrow corridor, he pointed out the patients that he thought would be of any interest to me.

"Room 236 holds a Mrs. Benson. She is an unusual character. She thinks that bugs are crawling under her skin and eating at her brains. She claws at her arms to try and scratch the invisible beings from her very body. I must say she has caused quite a lot of distress throughout the doctors. Cutting herself open until she bleeds. She almost perished one night. They should have allowed her to die in my opinion." He chuckled and I thought I knew what he was laughing for. He could easily take care of her if he wanted to.

We walked on. As we passed certain doors he would continue to tell me about the suicidal, the skitzophrentic, the paranoid, and the mentally absent patients. When we came to the end of the hall he stopped in front of a door marked 308. I could tell he was hesitant to tell me the story about this particular patient.

"This is Mary Alice Brandon's room. She has been here for quite some time. She just turned eighteen a few weeks ago. She's been here since 1924. Four years ago today she was emitted into my care. I must say that I have grown quite fond of her."

"Really? Now that is interesting. Tell me, what is capturing about her?" He must have detected my sarcasm. He took out his keys and unlocked the door.

"See for yourself James." As the door swung open I was hit by the most delectable smell in the history of my being. My mouth started to water. I could feel the venom flowing from my fangs. An electrical current coursed throughout my body as her blood called to me. I inhaled the scent of her blood and went into full hunter mode.

I did not need to know what she looked like. I was too intoxicated, I was in a trance. I forgot of Jonathan's presence and readied myself for the kill. As I was about to spring onto my prey the heavy metal door closed in front of me creating a barrier. I whipped around to see who had closed it. Jonathan was standing next to me with his hand on my shoulder. Funny, I didn't notice his hand there before.

"I think it is time for you to leave." His voice had taken on a defensive tone. He stood in a half crouched position as if to spring. It took me a second to see. He was protecting the girl. He was protecting her from me. I straightened out of my crouch.

"Of course, it will be daylight soon. The other doctors should be coming in around this time now correct?" I tried for nonchalance. He gave me a simple head nod. As I turned to go he squeezed the hand that was resting on my shoulder.

"Maybe it's best if you do not come back. Return to Victoria and go on about your business." I could feel his eyes on me, boring a hole in the back of my head. I shrugged.

"Of course, my friend, I would not think to come to you while you are feeling threatened. I shall leave in peace." And with that I flew out of the facility. I would be back in the morning. It was supposed to rain today. That would give me the coverage that I needed to get back in.