Chapter 1: Talking with a Corpse
Denver, 2017
It was a cold evening night in the City of Broncos, a few days before Christmas. Many were in the downtown area to visit the annual Christmas in the Park event. This was true for one particular individual: Cat McHall. Cat was a late twenty year old with an unassuming appearance. Outside of being a complete geek, she loved to write fiction, especially fiction about vampires. It was a bizarre hobby since she hated the horror genre in most mediums, but horror novels and manga were just fine. Hell, she started dressing as a vampire at the conventions she attended. Recently, she picked up a translated novel of Shiki by Seishin Muroi. Unlike other stories she read, this one blurred the lines between black and white in a Horror/Tragedy epic. On one side, you had the vampires, also known as Shiki, trying to find a permanent home for themselves in the village of Sotoba. The problem was that their leader, Sunako Kirishiki, wanted to turn the town into a Shiki haven the size of Westminster. While the idea made some sense, the plan was flawed with the locals' mindset. The townspeople where tradition heavy and not friendly to outsiders. Once the Shikis were discovered, the village went to flames.
"A true tragedy, really" Cat sighed as she put the book in her coat pocket. Currently, she was sitting on one of the benches in the park, taking a break from walking. It had been a few years since she visited Christmas in the Park, so she decided to take a stroll for the day.
"Hey!"
"Hey! Get Back Here!"
"You can't away from us you hollow eyed freak!"
"Huhuhuhu..."
"What on earth?" Cat thought as she turned her head to see three boys chasing a pale girl.
"Huhuhuhu..." the pale girl's breath got louder as she came closer to Cat's location.
"Sigh, how annoying" Cat sighed as she got off the bench to blockade the chase.
"Hey, you" Cat called out. The pale girl turned to face Cat, her hallow eyes staring into the hazel blue eyes of Cat McHall.
"Y-yes?" the girl said in a childish manner.
"You don't need to run anymore, I will end this chase" Cat said just as the boys rushed to her location.
"Halt!" Cat cried out and stretching her body out like a wall.
"What are you doing Miss?" one of the boys inquired.
"Isn't obvious? I'm protecting this girl from you three brats" Cat snarled.
"What? Why are you protecting that freak?!" one of the boys shouted. Cat lifted the boy by the collar.
"Just because someone is different doesn't mean you try to commit assault and battery. Didn't your parents teach you how to act properly?"
"N-no" the boy stammered. He was now terrified of the woman.
"What a shame. It's a late for someone your age, so you shouldn't be left unattended. Go back home or else I will drag you three to the police station" Cat gave in a commanding voice. The three boys ran away in fright.
"Um, thank you" the girl said.
"No problem, miss" Cat replied.
"Don't call me "miss"!" the pale girl nearly shouted. Her hallow eyes dug into Cat's soul.
"Er, my apologies. What should I call you then?" Cat sheepishly asked.
"My name is Sunako" Sunako replied.
"Sunako huh? Such a lovely name, especially since it's shared with one of my favorite characters in this novel" Cat said as she pulled her copy of Shiki out. Sunako's eyes went wide in shock.
"You're a fan of Seishin Muroi?" Sunako questioned.
"Absolutely, I love the man's work even though the localization is a bit wonky. Shiki is probably my favorite vampire novel, out of all the vampire fiction I read in my life time" Cat said with a smile.
"Yes, I love his work. In fact, I know him personally" Sunako stated.
"How lucky of you. I would die just to shake the man's hand" Cat joked.
"You...don't really mean that, do you?" Sunako sadly stated.
"Haha, no. I'm too passionate about life to go that far" Cat chuckled, "Say, where's your guardian? It really late for someone like you to be running around unattended" Cat said matter of fact.
"Oh, he had some business to take care of. He's looking for an apartment to rent, particularly one near a hospital. I have... a serious health issue" Sunako half lied. Although she could tell the girl was engrossed in vampire fiction, she didn't want to expose herself as the real deal. She was afraid of scaring off this nice woman.
"Well maybe I can help. My house mate just moved out and I need someone to fill in. I can give you my address and you guys can stop by and check it out for yourselves" Cat remarked. She scribbled down her address and handed it to Sunako.
"Thanks you, I will give it to my guardian when he returns to the park" Sunako answered.
"I see, maybe you can wait here with me while you wait. Maybe chat with me?" Cat asked.
"Sure, that sounds fine" Sunako replied. To be honest, her hunger was rising, but she believed she could control it long enough not to attack the woman.
"Should I start or you?" Cat asked.
"Um, how about we take turns asking questions?" Sunako replied.
"Haha, sure. Shoot away!" Cat laughed
"Do you really believe in what you said in regards to treating everyone equally?" Sunako asked.
"Absolutely! I was raised to believe that, especially since people made fun of me for my condition" Cat stated.
"Condition?" Sunako inquired.
"Sickle Cell Anemia. A mutation in the blood cell that reduces the amount of oxygen I get it. It's the reason I live near the hospital. Kind of a sad existence really, I'm expected to die in about twenty years, maybe less with my drinking and smoking" Cat sadly replied.
"I'm sorry to hear that" Sunako said with a frown. She couldn't image having anemia for over 20 years, mainly because her type of Anemia killed her in three days.
"It's fine, kind of inspired me to write my first vampire short story" Cat replied.
"What's it about?" Sunako asked.
"A human girl with sickle cell Anemia becomes friends with a vampire. Said vampire bites her friend in a mercy kill. Thankfully, the girl rises and becomes a creature of the night; she and her new vampire friend go on a journey" Cat laughed a bit, "To be honest, it was one of my dream scenarios when I was younger. To die and rise again is an interesting prospect."
"I see..." Sunako sighed. The woman in front of her didn't know it, but she could definitely fulfill half that dream.
"Ok! My turn to ask you something! Is your hair naturally purple?" Cat said.
"Huh, of course!" Sunako said.
"It's so pretty, I wish I had hair like yours" Cat said as she pointed to her head, "I can only dye my hair purple when it's normally a light brown."
"Um, thank you" Sunako mumbled, "Your hair is pretty too."
"Haha thanks" Cat said as she moved to her wrist, "Hmm, it should be long enough and I can remove this."
"Remove what?"Sunako questioned. Her eyes went wide once she saw the object: a blood stained bandage wrapped around the woman's wrist. Cat made no time removing the bandage, exposing the partially healed wound.
"Ah hell, looks like it wasn't completely healed" Cat whined as blood slowly started to trickle through the cut, "Well, I guess...Uh, Sunako?" The woman stared deeply into the pale girl's eyes, which now displayed a red ring.
"I..Is some...something...augh!" Cat muttered before the pale girl pounced her and bit down on the wound.
"Vampire?" Cat was the only word she could think as she began to pass out.
"Sunako!" a man yelled out while rushing to the bench.
Cat's Bedroom
Tick. Tock. Tock. Cat's clock was the only noise that could be heard...until Cat slowly yawned.
"Huh? When did I return home?" Cat thought. Yesterday's events were a blur to her. She tried to sit up, but she felt too sick to do so.
"Did my health condition get worse? Is my anemia growing?" Cat thought.
Knock, Knock.
"Who—Who is it?" Cat said with panic. Nobody should be knocking on her bedroom door...she had no roommates.
"My name is Seishin Murio, author of Shiki and Sunako Kirishiki's guardian. We dropped you off at your home last night. I have some explaining to do" Seishin called.
"Wha—huh-but-this can't be true..." Cat stammered. A work of fiction can't be real, right?
"It's very much true...and I have some grave news" Seishin solemnly said.
"Come in" Cat hoarsely replied. Her door opens to reveal a man with cold, dark eyes, grayish hair and who wore winter street clothes.
"So you're Cat McHall, correct?" Seishin asked.
"Correct. I didn't expect to meet my favorite author...nor did I expect to find out that vampires were real" Cat said with a sad smile.
"I'm sorry for intruding on your home, but we needed a place to monitor your condition...which is where the bad news comes in" Seishin sadly stated.
"Well, I'm going to assume I invited you guys last night with my words and note last night" Cat sighed.
"Correct" Seishin replied.
"And I bet you're going to tell me I'm going to die in three days, even though the first bite should never be lethal" Cat recalled from the book.
"Yes, your condition was increased tenfold with the vampire bite. It has made you bed ridden in one shot" Seishin explained. Cat gave a small laugh at the situation.
"I didn't realize my life would end like one of my stories" Cat muffled.
"I'm sorry?" Seishin said in confusion
She told him what she told Sunako, noticing the amused look on his face.
"Where is Sunako?" she asked.
"I took the liberty of placing her in the closet with a blanket over her body. She wishes to speak with you this evening" Seishin stated.
"Haha, of course. This place needs some serious blinds if she expects to live here...and myself if I rise as a normal Shiki" Cat stated.
"That's the other thing we need to discuss" Seishin said.
"Right, Right. I need to make you the primary tenant of the place and add you names to the utility bills. That way you can pay the bills in the event I pass away and don't rise. I can deal with that over the phone and online, despite being bed ridden. You guys do have a way to pay, correct?" Cat asked.
"You forget Sunako has wealth under her name and I do make a living as an author" Seishin reminded the woman.
"Well, the first part doesn't make much sense given the circumstances, but that's fine. Reminds me, I need to take a sick leave. Christ, my life just flipped on its head" Cat pointed out.
"Unfortunate circumstances, I understand" Seishin calmly stated. Cat shifts her body to retrieve her laptop and cellphone.
"Alright Mr. Muroi, help me make preparations for this transition" Cat politely asked.
"Certainly, it's the most I can do" Seishin replied. The two worked hard on legal paperwork, making sure Mr. Muroi was officially the primary tenant and bill payer. At some point, Seishin bought curtains and sun-proofed the whole apartment. Night quickly came after hours of work.
"Well, it seems like we have some finishing touches to do tomorrow, but your condition will be worse. I suspect you will die on the 24th at night" Seishin told Cat.
"So die the night before Christmas and maybe rise the 25th. At the earliest. Hopefully Santa will grant me unlife for Christmas this year" Cat joked.
"Are you awake, Sunako?" Seishin asked. The closet door slowly opened, revealing a guilt-ridden Sunako. Sunako took a seat next to the dying human.
"Good evening, Sunako. How are you?" Cat quietly said.
"I'm sorry about last night...I couldn't control myself" Sunako sniffled. It's been nearly twenty years since she bit an unwilling victim... and had been the cause of death to a living being.
"Don't cry, it's really my fault. I untied the bandages too early" Cat said with a cough, "I got to ask, what does sickle cell blood taste like?"
"A bit bland, really. Lacks the proper nutrients the human body needs" Sunako answered.
"Makes sense" Cat laughed dryly, "So, what will be the source be once I'm gone?"
"The Shiki are well connected across the world. I will be making contact with the local jinrou doctor tomorrow and have us connected to the local supply. We will be getting bi-weekly orders, enough for the three of us" Seishin lectured. Cat smiled at that the last bit.
"I'm glad you have faith I will rise from this ordeal" Cat commented.
"You're a nice person and one of the few humans who don't view us as monsters" Sunako said with a genuine smile, "I really do believe you will make it, Shiki or Jinrou."
"I do not judge someone because they act out of survival" Cat said, "Are you hungry, Sunako?" Sunako slowly nodded, once again surprised by the kindness of the human in front of her.
"Please, feed off me. Today has been tough day and I would like to get a long rest" Cat said while shifting her body. Sunako pulled the woman in a deep hug and gently bit on the girl's neck. After taking her fill, she slowly moved the girl's upper body into a sleeping position. The girl was fast asleep.
"I do wonder if she will join our family, maybe take on the Kirishiki name" Sunako wondered.
"Probably only if she needs to...like if we have to move once more" Seishin stated.
"Still, I think I will address her has "Big Sis" in public. She will have a more youthful look than Chizuru" Sunako sadly stated. Chizuru's death still was a scar on Sunako's mind.
"I see. Well, I need to continue making preparations for when her time comes" Seishin said. And over the next few days, Seishin worked on paperwork while Cat and Sunako chatted about many things and Sunako drank her blood.
Then the day came where Cat McHall took her last breath.
"Cat McHall, dead at the age of 24 on Christmas Eve. Cause of death: Heart Failure. Time: 11:58pm" Seishin jotted down in his journal. Now they need to wait to see if she rose.
A/N: This story is being re-uploaded to reflect my current living situation, as it acts as a [fictional] diary of sorts.