The lights began to flicker off, one by one, in a perfect synchronization that thrilled the obsessive compulsive side of me. I ran my tongue along my dry lips absentmindedly to wet them before walking towards my office. There was no one left in the office, just how I liked it. The offices had been closed for nearly an hour and I was supposed to leave but, I figured I'd finish up some paperwork before closing up. The quiet, peaceful serenity that I found while alone at the office made for the most conducive work environment. I sat down in my chair, behind my overly large desk and began to riffle through the drawers.
My desk remained tidy and neat, with everything in its proper place. A place for everything, I thought and smiled. That was as good of a life slogan for me as any. I ran a slender finger across the desk and lifted it to inspect. No dirt, perfect I thought. How was anyone supposed to be comfortable in a doctor's office if it was dirty? I had recently had to fire my last janitor, after the last debacle-
My train of thought was severed and blown off the track as I heard a quiet, eerie sound drifting through the empty hallways. The sound was intriguing but left goose bumps along my skin, almost like a possessed lullaby for a child much too dark for its own good. I inhaled too quickly, I must have been startled. Suddenly I found myself in the hallway, with no recollection that I had even moved from behind my desk.
"Be smart, Carlisle, this is not logical. Nothing bad is going to happen to you, don't let your mind play tricks on you." I breathed the words of comfort to myself barely audible over the sound of the lullaby, which I was nearly convinced was coming from a music box. The sound had the brassy pings made by the gears of a music box, working its magic with a determined attitude.
My feet carried me through the familiar corridors and hallways until I was nearly at the deserted lobby. There was a small light on in the back of the receptionist desk and I inhaled very slowly, all too aware of my shaking body. I snuck past the doors and flexed my muscles, trying to keep circulation flowing though my body.
I caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror as I walked by, and my confidence fell just as rapidly as I had summoned it. My body was not something to strike fear into the hearts of the masses. My body was long; it seemed to go on forever. I was thin, almost lanky, but there were subtle definitions of muscles lying beneath my skin, which was taut over my small bone structure. I did not stay by the mirror for more than a millisecond, but the time I had spent there did enough to shatter my confidence.
I wasn't afraid I would get hurt, no, that was not it at all. I was afraid Id hurt someone, the intruder. I did not look intimidating, which would lead the intruder to believe (incorrectly) that he could defeat me. If he attacked then I would have to defend myself… it was just simple logic, and what it equaled was one injured, dumbfounded, suddenly-aware-of-the-existence-of-vampires burglar. I ran my tongue along my dry lips, moistening them as best as I could with the little amount saliva from my bone dry mouth. I backed my way into the room that had the light on, and did not see anything, or anyone, to be specific. I sighed, slight relief washing over me, before I realized there was nothing to celebrate, nor were my fears unrealized. My heart would have been pounding if I had been human, but instead I felt a dizzying lightness inside my chest, that was all too unnerving.
There was someone standing in front of me, front turned towards the glass walls that opened up into the lobby. He was not aware of my presence, and kept his back to me. I flexed my fingers, trying to get the feeling flowing back through my body. I inhaled and set my jaw. I inched forward and braced myself for the impact. My hands moved silently, effortlessly until they were on either side of the intruder's face. He still hadn't seen me. He stood still as the grave, watching something outside the offices. He must have been able to see the parking lot through the front door, because it was nearly impossible to see from where I was standing. I nodded once then as quick as a cobra strikes, my right palm cupped over his mouth, hard and tight. My left hand moved upwards, and I tangled my fingers through his hair, holding him impossibly tight against my frame. There was no way he could move, or escape without me finishing the job, which would result in his death. I really didn't want to clean up another mess.
He made no attempt to speak, because it really would have done no good. I couldn't hear anything he would have said due to the tight seal my hand had over his mouth. He may not have spoken a word, but I knew exactly what he was thinking, what he was feeling, and the words he would have used if he could have. His frail, warm body, which was pumping with precious lifeblood, was weak and fragile beneath my strong grip. I could feel the protrusion of his less padded areas, where his bones dug into me, and the sway of his body, unable to hold itself up due to fear.