A/N: I don't own any of the characters or concepts mentioned herein, etc., etc., and so on and so forth, no one reads this part anyway…
I only stop laughing when my sides start cramping. Maybe I'm a bad friend, but Charley's such a gullible idiot sometimes! Really, I couldn't help myself, pulling a fast one on him like that. Eh, at least Amy thought it was funny. I keep replaying it in my head while I walk. Man, Charley's face was priceless! Wish I'd had a camera or something. He actually thought Dandridge had bitten me! I mean, duh, there's no such thing as vampires. Still, I'm kinda worried about him. He's so convinced that Dandridge really is a-
Wait, is someone behind me? I hear someone else, someone wearing shoes that clunk. I turn around slowly, looking for whoever it is. Ah, I bet it's Charley and Amy trying to get back at me for scaring 'em. Hah, poor saps! They know I'm the prank master. There's no getting me!
"Charley, Amy, is that you?" I call, challenging them. They don't answer, just keep walking with those weird footsteps. I pause, waiting, then shout, "If that's you it's not working, I'm not scared." I see a shadow – maybe Charley's, it's too tall to be Amy. What the- it's Dandridge? What's he doing out here? And why does he have that look like he wants…to…
Oh Jesus.
I turn and run. I don't know why, but I run. Something's wrong here. As soon as I saw Dandridge, I was so scared. What the hell's going on? Dandridge is following me, I can still hear him. What does he want with me? I'm not the one who tried to call in the National Guard on him! I didn't even believe he was a vampire! I tried to help the guy! I'm so distracted I don't notice the huge pile of trash bags until I fall into them. I scramble to get up, looking back over my shoulder. He's still coming – Dandridge – still walking with his hands in his pockets, like he knows I can't get away from him. I jump up and keep running. Maybe I can lose him in the alleys? It's worth a shot. I turn and run down another alley, looking for a fire escape or something.
Oh shit. Of all the alleys back here, I picked the only dead end.
I spin around again. I can barely hear Dandridge now, but what the hell is with this weird-ass smoke? I have never been this scared in my life. I can feel my heart in my throat, and my face is all sweaty. I can hardly breathe. But I don't hear Dandridge anymore. I step away from the back wall a little, looking into the shadows. He's gone. I start to relax, pushing my hair back in relief.
"Hello, Edward."
I shriek like a six-year-old girl and fall on my ass when I hear Dandridge's voice right behind me and see him there. Oh God, Charley was right! But why's Dandridge after me? What did I do? I can't say anything, just sit here like an idiot, staring up at him. I can feel tears in my eyes.
"You don't have to be afraid of me," Dandridge says. I know I don't have to be afraid of him, no one has to be afraid of anything, but the fact is that I am. I'm terrified. Dandridge gives me a little smile. "I know what it's like, being different. Only they won't pick on you anymore. Or beat you up," he adds. I look away, trying to find some way to escape. Right, like I said, I found the only dead end to run down when I was running. I look back up at Dandridge. He's smiling. "I'll see to that," he says. It sounds like a promise. I can feel my jaw trembling, and maybe that's why I can't say anything. "All you have to do is take my hand. Here, Edward. Take my hand."
He holds out his hand. It's black and looks like leather. His fingernails are frickin' talons. I look at his hand, then up at him. He nods encouragingly. I look back at his hand again. I don't want to take it. I don't want to be like him.
'I don't want to…please don't make me…' But I can't say it. I know I've only got one chance to live now. It's either this or a body bag. 'Charley, Amy…I'm sorry.' A tear drips down my cheek as I reach for his hand. He grips mine tightly and pulls me up as I look at him. He holds me against him and wraps his coat around me, like my dad used to when I was little. I squeeze my eyes shut, biting my lip. I'm so scared, I'm so scared, I'm so-
"AAaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"