Life, as fragile as one may perceive it to be, can in fact be taken at any time. Death has no feeling of how young or how beautiful. Not a sense of right and wrong nor compassion. It's selfish in that it takes without consent. Death is a child that wants and takes with one idea in mind, to satisfy the empty space or the desire. What if you could stop death in it tracks, what if, what if. That's a statement rather than a question really. It's never a question to stop death, no one person wants death to truly happen, well not a sane person. If you could play God for that moment in time would you in order to save the person that you loved and would die without. Not a doubt would cross my mind, nor any of that of my friends and lovers. We play God every day, we take the life of helpless mortals to live until the end of time, and we save those whom we love and could not live without. Many choose to follow different paths, to give into the primal instincts of Elders before us. Destruction lie in there wake, no one is spared, they become Death itself. The difference with us is that we give them the choice of denying this great gift. Eternal life.
My name is Karolina. I'm a Vampire. Within this tale I will explain all. Let me begin when I was born, born to the world of the night.
I was in my senior year of high school when I developed a feeling of being followed. It wasn't paranoia, as many shrugged it off to be. I was scared. This presence glided between the walls of the buildings I visited and had no sense of privacy as I slept. This thing wasn't letting up. I felt on a few instances that the presence was in the very same room in a back corner somewhere. I would turn from my company and see nothing but air. My friends insisted that I seek help but what could help me? This was an invisible being following me. Who was going to believe that? That would have ended me in an institute for the mentally ill. I for one knew I wasn't crazy in the slightest, but that didn't keep me from worrying. I had a stalker. I knew I was going to die. It had to be one of those cases you see in the paper or the hear about on the TV when your not watching. Girl kidnapped body found in gutter, pictures and story at eleven. Although I never once felt as if I was in danger.
I had made plans with my closest friend Syndie, a girls day out at the mall then a sleepover. I was uneasy, the presence followed us to the parking lot, however I kept my composure. I didn't want to be alone tonight. We drove to the mall in her sliver Honda, figuring no one would be there considering how early it was. Graduation rehearsals let out early allowing us to go home and study for exams. I laugh at underclassmen still wasting their time learning useless subjects while cheerleaders talk aimlessly about the weekend. The radio played a familiar tune one of the popular songs of the year, I tapped my foot to the rhythmic beat enjoying the vibrations of the engine. Syndie rolled down the windows and maxed out the volume as we passed the athletic fields, honking the horn. I hung my head out the window and yelled to the jayvee team "SENIORS RULE" or something along those lines. She gave a superiority laugh before putting petal to the metal. As commercials crowed the sound waves Syndie lowered the volume to a whisper before starting up a conversation "So tell me more about this thing that's following you."
"I don't really know what it is exactly. It's more of an ominous presence of energy. I can't see it it's just there." I looked at her. " You think I'm losing my marbles."
"Did I say that?" She made a face. "It's crazy but I believe you, kind of like women's intuition, you feel something and your only acting out on it." She paused. "How things with the family?"
A change of subject, always a sign that I was making particularly no sense and needed to grasp the concept of reality. "The same but back to the presence…"
"A poltergeist, did you ever conceive that idea?" She turned the radio back up but soft enough for conversation. "Maybe your emitting an energy that in turn is creating this presence."
"Don't they take on the appearance of a human? It's just there it's nothing but air." I was starting to get agitated.
"Look I'm trying to help you don't get all frustrated, you're the one with the problem." She didn't look at me. She was right, it was my problem and I had to fix it. I stared out the window I wasn't ignoring her just trying to regain my composure before beginning once again. "I'm sorry, please talk to me." She nudged me a bit. I took in a deep breath before saying "Let's say it's a poltergeist, how do I get rid of it?"
"You're the ghost fanatic and you're asking me? Come on Lina, an exorcist would help." She laughed at my momentary lapse.
"I guess I'll call 1-800-EXORCIST when we get back to the house." My favorite song came on and I began to sing along. We didn't speak for the rest of the ride, now and then we'd see a comical sign and crack a joke but that was the extent of it. Reclining back I closed my eyes enjoying the heat of the sun. Amazing how one star can provide so much for mankind and without it we would cease to live. Millions of stars have burnt out yet we, in spite of everything, continue to gaze upon its' magnificent radiance. At one particular stop light we sang loudly off key and head banged. The gentleman in the car next to us shook his head and mumbled "Teenagers" under his breath. Half way to the mall I spied a pizza delivery car, stepping on the gas a bit we pulled parallel and proceeding to roll down my window even more I ordered a pizza at 75 miles per hour. He smile and sped off. No pizza only laughs.
Pulling into the main parking lot we were sarcastically shocked to find only ten cars max parked. "Now if I can just find a parking spot." I laughed, we spoke fluent sarcastic. Her parking job was great, if she was a 10 year old. We were half in one spot and half in the one she was aiming for. She got out inspected her work and said "Shall we?" I shook my head, it would be at least a few hours before the parking lot would fill up, more than enough time for us to chill and go. First stop was the Smoothie House. Ordering our usual Mango Strawberry with a fruit salad to share we sat in the back, where we eyed the manager. He was the tall, dark handsome guy you dream about with caramel hair and eyes to match. His muscles were smooth yet toned to perfection, not an easy feat. His name was Nick Park, the Smoothie God, and Syndie was obsessed with him. Junior year she attempted that TRUE LOVE test. You know the one where you would write down TRUE and LOVE on the top of the paper then your names. When you counted up how many letters in both your names had in common with the statement it gave you a percentage, of course counting the "E's" twice. Anything fifty or above was allegedly your compatible husband. It was all rather childish but for him anything seemed possible. Sadly Syndie's was thirty-two and she gave up, yet the eyes never cease the passing glance, or the sacred girly-eye-balling technique. Stare endless at him until his back became a face and advert your eyes the floor, wall or some old guy sneezing, anything to give the impression that you weren't just drooling over him. I sipped my smoothie and pushed around some of the fruit, some I didn't like but Syndie did so that why she shared it nothing went to waste.
"Do you feel it now?" Her voice broke my trance on the Smoothie God. I didn't hear her so she repeated for me, emphasizing certain words with her hands making me give a chuckle.
"No I don't, it hasn't pestered me all day actually." I thought back to six thirty this morning and couldn't recall the presence until the parking lot. "Perhaps it's in my self-conscious, my mind's not focused on it so it's just evaporated."
"Told you were losing your marbles." I threw a grape at her. "Okay, white flag." Waved her hands in surrender. Taking a long swig of her smoothie which I took advantage of by indulging in a fair amount of strawberries. "Hey! Half of those were mine!" Poking her fork in the way of mine she succeeded in taking the rest of the wild berries. We then ceased to talk and I stared at the still life painting by Shardan. Beautiful, the light was soft, extremely, with only the highlights giving the appearance of a glass sitting peacefully on a table. Mesmerized by this painting I didn't realize that Syndie was waving at me. I reverted my eyes back to her.
"Do you feel threatened?"
"What?" I blinked.
"Do you feel at all threatened by this poltergeist?" She finished her drink making those annoying sucking sounds desperately inhaling the last bit.
"No…I mean its never tried anything, the thing is just there, but my gut feeling telling me to flee." I took once big gulp of my smoothie, feeling the temperature change drastically within my skull, pins and needles. My temples throbbed, creeping it's way into every inch of my brain before leaving behind a jaw clenching pain.
"Constipated, much?"
"No." I shook my head.
"Well you made a face that told me other wise." She impaled the remains of the salad and shoved it in her mouth. "All joking aside…" She then swallowed. "If this thing whatever it may be. If it turns from observer to axe murderer you call me." I nodded and thanked her. It was calming to know someone believed me or at least gave the notion in which they did. Syndie moved here during my junior year, I was one of her first real friends. You know the type that lasts forever, that kind of thing, we immediately cliqued, or as the cliché goes. Endless sleepovers, secret exchanged and of course the ever infamous best friends charm necklaces, we were the epitome of friendships. Finishing each others sentences and all that jazz. Although we had opposing view points we were civilized enough to arrive at the point of no return and laugh.
After finishing up our tradition we found ourselves standing at the mother of all book stores. I was in heaven. Charting our course for the back we stopped at the romance section. Now we love a good romance novel but we ceased our path here because of one thing, the front page pictures. Our friend Cindy, yes it can be confusing, would not survive if this section did not exist. Peering at all the covers we can determine which books will debut as her book of the week. The criteria is as follows: muscular men with flowing black or blonde manes, a women either embracing him or kissing him, and it had to be set in some European country. The fascinating plot, of course, had to consist of a princess and or servant girl falling hopelessly in love with the lord or knight. Let's not forget the sides stories of how her mother accidentally marries her brother who was thought to be dead and the sheep are being mauled by bears. Which probably describes all the books on the existing shelves. Predictable but yet every page was turned as if on spasm.
"Take a look at this beast." Syndie shoved a book in my hands.
A Scottish man wearing a plaid green kilt holding a beautiful blonde madden. His shirt was off, naturally, holding her against his chest as if she'd disappear.
"She's read this one, something about her being from the future and falls madly in love with him. Tragically she has to return to her own time because obviously her being there is messing up the present." I thrust the book into it's resting place. "The whole book was conversed to me in the lunch line, I don't need to read it, give me the test." She gave me a playful shove as she chuckled her way to the fiction section. At last my domain. One of my favorite books was a fiction novel, 800 pages long, very good book, gothic style writing. Unfortunately the author wasn't popular over here in the states so I had to order them overseas. I read the trilogy and the one that followed and craved for more. The two of us, however loved the tales of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. Star Wars. Can't get enough of Anakin and Obi-wan Kenobi how everything all started to the way it all fell apart to the rebirth of the Jedi. Ah yes this was our section. The conclusion of the Star Wars movies had been released to the public to view, there was a sense of loss but complete. Over, The End. Whatever the feeling we gazed at the covers now graced with the faces of their portrayed actors. In the midst of all the SCI-FI and Fiction was a thin brightly colored binding. I yanked it out, a children's book.
"What's this doing here?" I asked flipping the cover over. Chika Chika Boom Boom.
"I remember reading this book, it was last night, longest book I ever read." Said Syndie with a sarcastic smile.
"Now I know your pulling my leg."
"Only you would think me serious."
I took the book to the children's section of the store whilst Syndie kept looking for an interesting alien book. I suddenly felt the presence. This time it made my stomach turn, I grasped the shelf steadying myself. I felt sick, closing my eyes I took deep breaths chanting "You're not going to be sick in the bookstore". As I turned the corner the feeling became stronger, I looked down at the floor watching my steps. Concentrate on something other than the nausea. I walked until a pair of leather boots came into my vision. Lifting my eyes I was met with the most beautiful green eyes I've ever seen. Emerald in color and brilliance.
"Excuse me." He sang, his voice unearthly.
"No excuse me, I wasn't looking-"
"You look pale, would you like to lie down?" He smiled all the way to his eyes. Flashing perfect teeth.
Lay down? In the middle of the store?
He came towards me, I think I screamed but I don't remember.
I heard voices. Voices of my mother and father.
"I don't know what happened."
Syndie? Where am I?
I opened my eyes finding myself staring at the ceiling. A dizzy spell washed over me as I turned my head in the voices direction. My mom alerted the group of my coming to.
"Sweetie are you okay?" She asked putting her hand on my forehead.
"What happened?" I asked.
"You fainted in the bookstore, why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling well. I would have taken you home, Smart One." She shook her head like a mother would.
"I felt fine until…" I screwed up my face.
"Until what?" Everyone asked in unison.
"I'll tell you later." I directed to Syndie. My parents looked at each other, to Syndie than at me. I assured them that I would inform them as well.
With some persuasion my parents allowed Syndie to stay the night as planned. We watched Moulin Rouge while eating junk wrapped in colored wrappers and drank beverages that would eat away at the lining in our stomachs. When you're young the idea of death is unthinkable. The persona of being invincible is read about in the newspapers or heard at your high school. And then a plague is put up in their memory and the remains of the demolished car are displayed for all those to see. Hoping a lesson will be learned. Christian cries over his beloved as she dies within his arms after reuniting in love. Syndie and I cry, going through a roll of toilet paper before the credits run. I wish I could have someone as devoted to me as Christian was to Satine. I ejected the movie and she blew her nose for the last time before asking "So what's next?" I skimmed the collection of DVDs, running my finger over the titles before deciding on a more serious film, Troy. Men killing each other in skirts, that's a winner. Not mention they were attractive men. And who doesn't like the story of Achilles, even though the director got facts wrong. When the love scene between Achilles and Briseis came about Syndie poked me in the ribs.
"Fill me in I'm lost."
"Obliviously Achilles is going engage in a different type of battle." I snide.
"No! Earlier when you passed out, retard." Syndie smacked me, throwing me the rolling of the eyes face.
"Hey I need that arm." I rubbed the reddening hand print. "I was returning the book to it's proper place when the presence came back full force. I felt sick to me stomach and I ran into this man with the most gorgeous eyes."
"He did."
"Huh?"
"He yelled for help and I came running when I saw you I yelled your name. His eyes pierced through my soul, they were stunning, like a jewel." She turned to fully sit in front of me. " He carried you out to my car after the mall police said that you just had fainted from exhaustion."
I thought back to the bookstore, I couldn't remember anything that happened in between that moment and when I woke up.
"You said he carried me to your car?"
"I wasn't going to carry you, I'm strong but I thought you'd like to have him do it. He was really nice and with looks to match. He left me his cell phone number so I could call him and tell him you were okay." She crawled away from me to her purse rummaging around before chucking the addictive device at me. "Call him."
"It's late, I'll call him in the morning."
"Oh fine, be a party pooper. He said he didn't care what time it was."
"Common courtesy, Syndie." She pouted then turned her attention to the now non-obscene parts of the movie. You can really only see so many love scenes in the movies before enough is enough.
"There's got to be more to this story."
"Watch the movie."
"Again retard I'm talking about the bookstore." She grunted clearly becoming frustrated with me.
"You know I'm just playing around." I handed her phone back. "He asked if I wanted to lie down and I was thinking in the middle of the bookstore when he came towards me."
I furrowed my brow thinking. "Did I scream?"
"If you did I didn't hear it, and neither did anyone in the store. Like I said I had no inkling of what had taken place until he had called out."
"Did you catch his name?" I asked.
"I was more worried about you than his name, he just gave me his number and I raced you back here." She slapped her leg. "I should have asked him for his name, he was cute!"
"Well he's my knight in shinning armor, I get dibs. Cindy would tell you that."
"Oh shut up!"
Three in the morning is when we usually stayed up to then we'd talk until one of us didn't answer back. Syndie fell victim to instinct first. I laid there staring up at the ceiling, making shapes in the plaster. At first only faces appeared, simple angelic faces that of children. Smiling, laughing and frowning as they gaze down at me. All at once I made the faces collide and rearrange to create the medieval creatures of old which I hold the utmost respect and love for. Dragons. Creatures that have been feared and loved throughout the centuries, misunderstood beasts. My mind's eye animated movement in these creations, having them fly and battle one another. I laughed as one tripped protruding plaster, Syndie stirred in her sleep. I covered my mouth and waited until muffled sleep fill words escaped her mouth then she turned over. I let her have the couch, only because I know how uncomfortable it can be.
Silence.
It was deafening, occasional creaks and crashes of the house gave my senses something to munch on before craving once again for noise. Oh how I wished for a radio or the gentle hum of the air conditioner. I grew tired of the ceiling and turned over staring at the hallway the graced the stairs. I shut my eyes, willing myself to find a dry sleep. I hated those but if it's all I was going to get so sue me. My body slipped into a half sleep but my eyes stared endlessly at the back of my eyelids, wake but asleep.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
I sprung up the blanket flying upwards then glided back down. Wide eyed I stared in the direction the noise came from. The window was clear of anything that would have obstructed my view of the moon. I looked to the other one, still nothing. Syndie turned over and rubbed her eyes.
"What's your problem? I was just about to kiss Brad Pitt…" She yawned.
"Something just tapped the window."
"Okay you totally missed my dilemma."
"You can dream about Brad later something is outside my house!" I stood up and hesitantly approached the window. The only movement was that of the bushes swaying in the spring breeze.
"Paranoia is setting in." She came up behind me. "Do you feel the poltergeist?"
"No I don't." I ignored that little fact and continued to squint in the darkness.
"Look go lay down and sleep, we still have to go to school tomorrow. Thank our seniority that it's rehearsals for an hour than out of there." She threw her body on the couch, not even bothering to walk around, flinging herself over the arm, lying in the opposite direction of her former position. I shook my head still focusing on the nothingness of the nocturnal world.
"There's something out there." I whispered.
Tiptoeing around her I went to the back of the house unlocking the door I padded out onto the grass. By the light of the full moon the backyard took on hues of blue-green and dark blue. Not quiet black. I should have taken a flash light or a cell phone. I rounded the patio to the pool gate. Still water, glass with the strong smell of chlorine, the pump had retired for the night about seven hours ago. Silence once again. I sat on the edge of the pool braking the watery glass with my swirling finger.
Maybe I was paranoid after all. A stick broke just outside the lattice fencing. Maybe I wasn't. I ceased all movement attempting to breath calmly though my heart pounded relentlessly in my chest. I was truly scared now, now that the feeling was creeping in. My stalker was going to take me and I helped in ignoring my best friend's advice. I should have gone back to my half sleep no matter how much it didn't help me I should have. Tears found there way up over my lids. The feeling grew stronger as did my weeping, and all I could do was ask why?
Heavy breathing. I froze.
Behind me.
I turned.
"Buster?" I croaked, my voice momentarily hiding. "What are you doing out?" It was my neighbors dog. Buster was a mastiff, long hair and a red golden color. He was big but could wedge himself in any tight space to free himself from his enclosure. "Damn, you gave me a heart attack." I wiped my tears away. If a dog could laugh I'm sure he would have. I felt utterly embarrassed that I let this thing get the best of me. Escorting Buster into his own yard I considered my options. To seek help and be labeled as the girl who cried Poltergeist or to except the fact that I've gone insane and deal with it. I decided to deal with it. Only because the money my parents would have to pay for all the medications and treatments would force them out of the house. On the plus side I wanted to graduate and go to college, maybe that would clear my head. I took one last glance up at the moon before re-entering my house. I was greeted by Syndie.
"Moonlight stroll huh?"
"I'm insane, happy."
"Honey I knew that, you don't' have to bill me for that diagnosis. First one is for free."
"I thought your license was revoked after the malpractice lawsuit." I joked following her back to the living room.
"Okay common mistake, how was I suppose to know the marked leg was the good leg." She curled into a tight ball of flesh and blankets.
"That was horrible." I giggled, knowing it wasn't really a laughing matter, but in the context of the phrasing it was funny.
"It was wasn't it!" She gave a short laugh. "Goodnight."
"Good morning." I corrected after all it was now four fifteen now.