Alexander. Ruby missed Marko awfully. And here was a living double, walking, breathing, riding, laughing… she shuddered.
"No, the real Marko is here." She spoke to no one. Making sure the lock was tight, she headed into the kitchen and dumped her coat on the back of the chair. Poured a glass of Coke and set it on the counter, looking out the window over the sink. The waves broke on the sand, over and over. Ruby went to sip her Coke, then shook her head. Reaching up into the cabinet, she pulled a dusty bottle of amber liquid down and dumped a liberal amount into her glass.
Wincing as the concoction burned in her stomach, she set the glass on the counter and hit the light switch. Bathed in darkness, she padded down the hall to the bedroom. Stepping over a wire trap, she hopped into the white salt circle that surrounded the surplus Army cots that bore the bodies of The Lost Boys.
Each was peaceful in his slumber; they were in perfect hibernation. Ruby had already collected pieces of their clothes and jewelry, which the actors wore while filming. Each Boy had his hand crossed over his chest. Ruby had poured the salt circle on the floor around their cots, a throw back to her occult lessons from David.
"Hello, Boys." She smiled, pained that none would wake and greet her. None would talk with her in the long hours of the day; none would carry her to bed when she finally fell asleep, exhausted. Each was blessed with a kiss on the forehead - David first, then Dwayne, Paul, and finally Marko. Kneeling beside the cot, Ruby rested her chin on the edge of the wooden frame, staring at the youngest Lost Boy.
"They're becoming you. All of you. It's frightening. If only you could see it." She laughed. "You will, when the movie's done. But now... it's amazing. The makeup, the effects. They've got flying near perfect now. All the cables, the wires, something they call the 'blue screen'.
"I'm afraid I'll slip up. That I will tell them something. I know I've missed things, said things that make no sense. Kiefer's the tricky one. I'm afraid he'll follow me. I've made up so many excuses not to go to breakfast with them after shoots. I'm running out..."
There was a knock on the front door. Ruby's heart seized in her chest. The Boys didn't move - of course they wouldn't, but Ruby wished they would. They could dispatch whoever was outside. She rose, stepping from the circle, over the wire trap. Her footsteps timid as she retraced her path up the hall, towards the door. There was another knock. Ruby reached the door, and peered out the tiny window.
"Alexander?" she hissed, undoing the bolt and pulling the door open as far as the chain would allow.
"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have followed you up here. But the others and I, we just really want to know why you won't stay longer then you do..." Alex offered a half-smile as he explained. Ruby's heart seized again. He was Marko...
"You can't be here." Ruby cut him off.
"I'm really sorry. Please... I'll make up some excuse for you, but I..."
"Alexander, go back to your hotel." Ruby stated. Alex stopped speaking, stared at her. "You cannot be here. You should never have followed me! Do you realize what you might have done!"
Alex just stared at her. He'd never seen her so upset. Slipping a hand in through the cracked door, he got lucky and knocked the chain loose. Ruby didn't fight, the door swinging open.
"Ruby... what's going on?" he asked, carefully. Ruby just shook her head.
"You're not supposed to be here."
"What are you hiding? Why are you so suspicious of things?" Alex looked around quickly, to see if there was anyone else in the house. "Why do you keep calling me by the character's names, acting like you're seeing a ghost?"
"Stop already!" Ruby cried. "You want to know why I act the way I do? Fine!" she grabbed Alex's hand and pulled him along, hard. Alex was surprised at her strength, as she dragged him down the hall and to a door.
"Um... Ruby..."
Ruby pulled the door open. "Step over, make sure you don't catch yourself on the wires." She stepped high. Alexander couldn't see any wires, but followed her lead. As he looked into the dimly lit room, his jaw dropped.
Four young men lay on frayed Army cots, inside a circle of white rock salt. Even with pieces missing, he knew who they were. Alexander sunk back against the wall, too frightened to run.
"Yes, Alexander. These are the real Lost Boys." Ruby lovingly touched the one that Alex recognized as Brooke on the cheek. Each seemed to be asleep, arms across their chests, faces blank.
"Wh...wh...how? Who!" Alex stammered, staring.
"They're asleep. Hibernation, you could call it. They couldn't be seen while you and the others make the movie; it would be so awkward, dangerous."
"But..." he couldn't take his eyes off the one at the end of the row. The one that looked exactly like him.
"I'm guarding them. It's my job. I get the movie made, they stay protected. You and the others leave, everything's returned to normal." Ruby walked down the row, stopping at Marko. "Don't you realize you're wearing Marko's jacket? The one he wears every night, the one he feeds in while wearing?" Ruby's eyes met Alex's.
"You're so kidding, right?" was all he could say.
Ruby shook her head. "Why would I bother. Come here." She motioned him over. He took a timid step closer. "I said, come -here-." Alex took several fast steps and was beside her.
Ruby crouched down, a pale finger running along Marko's cheek. "You want proof, here." She pushed back Marko's lip, revealing the double fangs, the telltale signs of a real vampire.
"Oh god..." Alex breathed. He was staring at the real thing, and he could not deny the feeling in his gut that this was real. That these were actual vampires. Ruby smiled down at Marko, pressing her finger to his lips before rising.
"Now you understand why I call you his name. Now you understand why I act the way I do." Alex only nodded. "You need a stiff drink. Come to the kitchen." Ruby ushered him out.
After several stiff drinks, Alexander relaxed enough to ask Ruby about everything. Reluctantly, she told him enough to satisfy his curiosity.
"So you just live with them?" Alex asked, running his finger on the rim of the glass. Ruby nodded, rising and fetching a pack of Camels from the carton in the cupboard.
"Basically. They're my family."
"I know it's gonna sound sick, and probably I'm prying... but, you're not romantically involved with"
He saw Ruby's shoulders drop, in pain.
"With one, yes." She sighed, returning to her chair and tapping out a cigarette.
"David?"
Ruby stared at Alex. He shrugged meekly. "No. Not David. Marko. You can't be that blind."
Alex blinked. He felt stupid. No wonder she was falling over her feet when he was in character. She was seeing her lover, not him.
"Um...oh." He mumbled, taking another drink. Ruby shook her head.
"I miss him. He and I are close friends, before lovers." Ruby tapped ash into the tarnished tray. "I miss his laugh. I miss him looking at me. I miss his smell."
Alex nodded. This girl was pouring out her pain. "I could give you back the jacket…er, Marko's jacket, for the nights." Ruby shook her head.
"His scent is gone. It would smell like you now. Wouldn't mean much." She bit her lip. "No offense, Alexander."
"S'all right." He sighed, downing the last of the liquor.
"You really have captured him, though." Ruby offered. "I'm impressed. By you and the others. The Boys are not easy to replicate."
"It's because of you. Your stories...which I guess really are memories... and how you describe them." Alex smiled a little. Then he remembered the scene they were to film in a few nights. "How are you gonna hold up when we film the death scenes?"
"I don't know. David tried to prepare me. But I'm not there yet. I take it as it goes." Ruby looked towards the window. "You'd better get back. It's nearly ten in the morning."
"Oh, damn." Alex frowned. Why didn't one of the Boys wear a watch, because it would really be helpful at times, he thought.
"You cannot tell what you've seen here. None of the others; they can't find out. The Boys would kill me. I'm a threat as it is. Walking around still human, carrying the knowledge I do."
"You're not one of them?" Alex asked, confused.
"No." Ruby shook her head. "I couldn't be on the set, couldn't do what I'm doing if I was. I'd be helpless, and I'd perish in the sun."
"So the sun allergy is true."
"Yes. It is." Ruby pulled Alex from his chair and started up the hall. "Please Alex, go. Kiefer's gonna pester you with questions, but evade. Do everything to not answer."
"I will. I promise." Alexander sighed, watching the small but powerful girl open the door. They stood facing each other for a moment. Ruby nearly blinded by the sun, Alex studying her face. "I promise."
Ruby watched Alex hurry down the walk and disappear into the tangle of streets. Shutting the door, she locked the extra bolts. The secret was out, if only to one person. She moved slowly up the hall feeling as if she'd betrayed her family. Yet, part of her was glad to have someone to confide in. Understandably lonely for all these months of filming, she'd reached out and found someone she believed she could trust.
She made her bed in the cool and dark hall. Ruby did not want to sleep close to the boys, but needed to be near. Her own heart pounded with the rush of blood through her veins, and it did not stop until sleep over took her.