Soon after, he'd gotten his computer reconnected to the internet and was in
the process of downloading his e-mail. Two e-mails stood out. One was
from his father and the other was from Akira, his girlfriend. First, he
read the one from his father.
Hello son,
It is good to know you're alive. I'd been getting worried. I'd hear no word from you and no one knew where you were. (I would say it's good to know you're all right, but from what you wrote in your last e-mail, things seem hardly "all right".)
I will admit that your story is difficult to believe. I have no reason not to believe you, of course, but if you could give me some proof of what you say I would find it easier.
And of course you'll be welcomed home. No matter what, you will always be my son and I will love you. Never question that.
Write back if you can. I'll await your reply.
Love,
Dad
Matthew decided to write a reply to his father before reading Akira's e- mail.
Hi Dad,
Finally got permission to use e-mail on a regular basis. Good thing, too. I've really needed to talk to you about recent events.
First off, I'm still ok. At least, physically. The missions I've been sent on weren't easy, but I somehow managed to escape harm.
Mentally, on the other hand, all is not well. For one thing, I've undergone some pretty major physical changes these last few weeks. I managed to borrow a digital camera a while back and snapped a picture of myself. The only noticeable change is my now red eyes. Unfortunately, that's the only proof I can give of my "story".
The most important thing I had to tell you about pertains to the missions I've had to do. I'll cut to the point: I've had to kill. Though to quote Arnold Schwarzenegger, "They were all bad." Vampires and ghouls. (What you become if a vampire sucks all your blood out.) Still, to do my job has required me to forget most of the gun safety training you've given me... and I didn't even think a single thought against it until after the fact... And I just realized... I never did regret what I had to do after the most recent mission... Though in that case I was holding back ghouls so another team could rescue a whole flock of hostages.
I need to hear from you that its all right, that I haven't become some evil demonic creature, either in what I've become or in what I've had to do.
I've gotta stop writing... This is getting far too depressing...
Write back soon, ok?
Love,
Matt
He attached a picture he'd managed to snap of himself soon after he arrived, then took a moment to relax and get control over his emotions before he sent the message off and read Akira's.
Hola, mi amor,
Just heard from your dad... It's unbelievable what's happened to you.
I've been thinking about you a lot, and missing you greatly. Please tell me you're ok and that you're coming home soon. I need to see you, to feel you holding me in your arms.
Who knows, maybe you'll turn me? Then we could spend eternity together.
I'll keep this short and wait for your reply.
Love,
Tu Novia
Short and sweet with some Spanish thrown in, exactly what he would expect from Akira. However, he had no choice but to sigh. He knew Akira well, and had feared she would suggest him turning her into a vampire. He started wondering what he was going to write to her...
Hey Akira,
First, I need to apologize. I'm not coming home, at least not yet. They'll never let me go so long as our mission is not complete. Maybe even after that.
Though I wish I could come home, hold you in my arms again. It's lonely here. I've only got one friend. (More later.)
You need to drop the idea of me turning you. I know that eternal life, extra strength, and whatnot might seem like great pros, but they don't counter the cons. I don't know if I can actually still eat or not. It may be that blood is the only thing I can intake. Believe me, drinking blood is not fun. I don't think I can go outside in the daylight. (No one has told me one way or the other.) So, unless some miracle happens, no more sunsets for me. Akira, you just don't know... just can't know how bad it is. All of a sudden, I'm a demonic creature of the night (according to popular belief) and my job is to kill other demonic creatures of the night.
To make things worse, I can no longer tough anything made of silver or mercury, so I can't wear the ring you gave me anymore. That or the necklace I made for me. I'd wear the key, since its stainless steel, but with the missions I do I'm afraid I'd loose it.
Aki, I'm not going to tell you to go find someone else to be with. Just know that I may never be allowed to come home, and that this may be the closest we will ever get for the rest of our lives. I could be wrong. I hope I'm wrong... One of these days I might be let go, so long as I check in. I'll be there holding you as soon as I can get there.
A request, and a serious one at that: never, ever mention the idea of me turning you again. I wouldn't wish this on someone I hated, let alone someone I love. I still don't know the extent to which the 'vampire instinct' will affect me, so I don't know what I'll do if pushed over the edge of my control.
Write back, ok? Let me know you're still ok.
Love,
Matt
Hello son,
It is good to know you're alive. I'd been getting worried. I'd hear no word from you and no one knew where you were. (I would say it's good to know you're all right, but from what you wrote in your last e-mail, things seem hardly "all right".)
I will admit that your story is difficult to believe. I have no reason not to believe you, of course, but if you could give me some proof of what you say I would find it easier.
And of course you'll be welcomed home. No matter what, you will always be my son and I will love you. Never question that.
Write back if you can. I'll await your reply.
Love,
Dad
Matthew decided to write a reply to his father before reading Akira's e- mail.
Hi Dad,
Finally got permission to use e-mail on a regular basis. Good thing, too. I've really needed to talk to you about recent events.
First off, I'm still ok. At least, physically. The missions I've been sent on weren't easy, but I somehow managed to escape harm.
Mentally, on the other hand, all is not well. For one thing, I've undergone some pretty major physical changes these last few weeks. I managed to borrow a digital camera a while back and snapped a picture of myself. The only noticeable change is my now red eyes. Unfortunately, that's the only proof I can give of my "story".
The most important thing I had to tell you about pertains to the missions I've had to do. I'll cut to the point: I've had to kill. Though to quote Arnold Schwarzenegger, "They were all bad." Vampires and ghouls. (What you become if a vampire sucks all your blood out.) Still, to do my job has required me to forget most of the gun safety training you've given me... and I didn't even think a single thought against it until after the fact... And I just realized... I never did regret what I had to do after the most recent mission... Though in that case I was holding back ghouls so another team could rescue a whole flock of hostages.
I need to hear from you that its all right, that I haven't become some evil demonic creature, either in what I've become or in what I've had to do.
I've gotta stop writing... This is getting far too depressing...
Write back soon, ok?
Love,
Matt
He attached a picture he'd managed to snap of himself soon after he arrived, then took a moment to relax and get control over his emotions before he sent the message off and read Akira's.
Hola, mi amor,
Just heard from your dad... It's unbelievable what's happened to you.
I've been thinking about you a lot, and missing you greatly. Please tell me you're ok and that you're coming home soon. I need to see you, to feel you holding me in your arms.
Who knows, maybe you'll turn me? Then we could spend eternity together.
I'll keep this short and wait for your reply.
Love,
Tu Novia
Short and sweet with some Spanish thrown in, exactly what he would expect from Akira. However, he had no choice but to sigh. He knew Akira well, and had feared she would suggest him turning her into a vampire. He started wondering what he was going to write to her...
Hey Akira,
First, I need to apologize. I'm not coming home, at least not yet. They'll never let me go so long as our mission is not complete. Maybe even after that.
Though I wish I could come home, hold you in my arms again. It's lonely here. I've only got one friend. (More later.)
You need to drop the idea of me turning you. I know that eternal life, extra strength, and whatnot might seem like great pros, but they don't counter the cons. I don't know if I can actually still eat or not. It may be that blood is the only thing I can intake. Believe me, drinking blood is not fun. I don't think I can go outside in the daylight. (No one has told me one way or the other.) So, unless some miracle happens, no more sunsets for me. Akira, you just don't know... just can't know how bad it is. All of a sudden, I'm a demonic creature of the night (according to popular belief) and my job is to kill other demonic creatures of the night.
To make things worse, I can no longer tough anything made of silver or mercury, so I can't wear the ring you gave me anymore. That or the necklace I made for me. I'd wear the key, since its stainless steel, but with the missions I do I'm afraid I'd loose it.
Aki, I'm not going to tell you to go find someone else to be with. Just know that I may never be allowed to come home, and that this may be the closest we will ever get for the rest of our lives. I could be wrong. I hope I'm wrong... One of these days I might be let go, so long as I check in. I'll be there holding you as soon as I can get there.
A request, and a serious one at that: never, ever mention the idea of me turning you again. I wouldn't wish this on someone I hated, let alone someone I love. I still don't know the extent to which the 'vampire instinct' will affect me, so I don't know what I'll do if pushed over the edge of my control.
Write back, ok? Let me know you're still ok.
Love,
Matt
