A noise.

Ed opened one eye and looked around. It was pitch black in the basement, but he could see. He could see very well. He waited for the sound again, and it came. It was a cross between a tap and a thump. He opened his other eye and leaned on the floor with one arm. What could that be? He yawned tiredly and stood up, looking around the room, than over at the stairs. It was night, he could feel it, the sun had set hours ago. But was it safe? That was what he was worried about. He could still kill a human, sure. But if he was put up against three or four or a whole group of humans he doubted he would make it. He tilted his head to the side. But what if it was just one person? Was it a potential breakfast? He decided to build up his courage and climb the stairs.

He crouched down low as he reached the top step, and peered around the wall. Two people were sitting on the floor, a guy and a girl. He watched curiously.

The female laughed lightly. "This is so cool."

Her companion put an arm around her shoulder. "You bet it is. Found this place while I was hunting deer. It's completely abandoned. Good place to hold parties if you know what I mean."

She laughed again. "Yeah. but isn't it a little beat up? Someone could get hurt."

He stood up and nodded. "Oh, yeah, but we can fix that up. Move some boards here, sweep some nails there. it'll be as good as new."

She stood up next to him and hung over him like a robe. "I can't wait."

He smirked, the big guy could've been the poster boy for macho-ism A real all-American, Ed bet to himself that the guy played football. And his little girlfriend there was a cheerleader. There was almost no doubt in his mind this was true, which made the situation all the more amusing to him.

She kissed the guy lightly on the lips and leaned against the wall, putting her hand against it for support. Almost immediately, she let out a blinding shriek and pulled her arm back. Her palm was one, huge bloody hole. Her eyes were wide, like a deer caught in headlights. She didn't cry though, but she would after the shock. Her boyfriend ran over to her and pulled her closer to the entrance of the house, also, back into Ed's line of view. He felt his stomach clench in hunger and he almost bolted forward, but found a length of control and held himself back.

The macho boyfriend held his girl's hand up to the light, so he could see it better. But, less than three seconds later he gasped and dropped her hand in disgust. He quickly got an apologetic look on his face, ready to tell his girlfriend that he was sorry for being so rude. But he didn't get the chance. A few drops of blood slid off the palm of her hand and splattered onto the wood floor. That was it for Ed, he jumped up and tackled her to the ground, reaching maniacally for her bleeding hand. She started crying, and that brought the big football player back into reality, he ran over, pulled Ed off of her and slammed him roughly into the wall. Ed let out a high groan of contempt. It wasn't a human sound.

"What the hell do you think you're doing to my girl, asshole?!" He grabbed onto Ed's shoulders and slammed him into the wall again, making him gasp in pain. He was afraid this would happen. Why couldn't he have better control over himself? Why did he have to run out like that? He closed his eyes and held his head down in a lazy way.

"Answer my god damned question!!"

Ed looked up slowly with his eyes, and licked the back of his lips. If the guy would let him go, he would've gone. But Ed knew as well as the next guy that he was in for a brutal beating. He opened his mouth and whimpered softly. "I'm sorry."

The big guy slapped him across the face. "You're sorry?! What the hell were you doing, you freak?!"

Ed looked up and spoke again. "I'm really hungry."

He slammed his head back into the wall and Ed felt himself losing consciousness. He couldn't let himself black out. He wouldn't.

"What the hell are you, a zombie?" The guy made it sound like a joke.

Ed shook his head. What was with the extra thrashings? It was true, he was a wimp, even after death. "I-I'm not a zombie. I don't know any zombies." Ed's answer was as serious as the guy's question was a joke.

The girl, meanwhile, was staring woozily at her hand, she looked like she was going to throw up. Blood loss and shock was doing it in for her. Ed found that as a great diversion and croaked out one last sentence. "I think your girl is going to pass out."

He immediately dropped Ed onto the floor and ran over to her, and Ed crawled back to the top of the stairs, inching his way down slowly and quietly, back to his corner. He heard shouting upstairs, and starting shaking. Shuddering, really. And finally passed out with his head resting against the wall.