Chapter 7: Apology

I had stormed out of the room. My shifts were over. I had thrown my shirt into my employee locker and gotten my stuff together and gone home. Now I sit on the futon, pondering what Pip was doing and how I felt about it. How did I feel? I felt... excited... Not that he got me uppity, but, I dunno, excited. I do know. Shaddup, stupid voices! There's a small knock on the door. I don't want to move but I go and open it. I back up a pace.

"Pip!"

Pip stands solemn-faced at the door. His eyes are glued to my carpet- well, what's left of it.

"Kim, I know, I... I am so sorry. I can't even find the words. Please forgive me."

Against my better judgment, I allow him inside. He refuses a seat and stands in the middle of the floor.

"I think I need to tell you the whole story, Kim. You can't judge. Are you ready?"

He makes it sound like base jumping. I snuggle myself into my futon. I feel all the lighters mother hides. She thinks I still don't know she smokes. Pip takes a deep breath and launches into a narrative,

"There was once this place, Qannaahl, Land of the Elves. There were many different breeds of elves. But at least half of the elves in Qannaal were Vampyrs Well, in Qannaal, there were two lovers, one human woman, one Vampyr Elvin man. That was the most common breed of elf. Vampyr Elves aren't like Dracula or anything, just, never mind. They were called the Keys. They alone held the secret for keeping the Elvin world hidden from the human world. With the elvin world hidden from the humans they could co-exist in peace. When the world began, elves and humans were in contact and constantly at war. It was a constant series of turf wars. The Keys were the only way for the elves to live in peace.

"But then, a disease spread through the land, affecting all of the Vampyr Elves. It devastated the world of Qannaal. This disease gave them the thirst for blood. They killed most of the elves in Qannaal. So the leader of the elves, Hiryti, decided to release the Vampyrs into the human world so that the elves would not die out. Most of the elves did get murdered, and the remainder migrated to India.

"Since one of the Keys was a Vampyr, he too was afflicted. The elvin world gradually collapsed, due to the Key being contained in a cell away from his counterpart. They had to slay the Key. Out of grief, the other Key, the human, killed herself. Accidentally straying her half-breed son into the world of the humans. The worlds now were in contact but there were no more elves to occupy Qannaahl so nothing happened. I am Pippin, son of the two Keys and it is my responsibility to search and find the human woman with the mark of the Key.

"That is you Kimberly. You wear the mark of the Key on your arm. We are destined for each other. Do you understand? I am the half breed of the two Keys; I was cast into the human world, partially afflicted with the disease. That's what happened the other night. I have called the other side of me Feran; he's is fully afflicted. It happens every night. It has always happened. When I was cast into the human world, a privileged family found me. They frequently went on cruises. They were never home to see my other side. Feran managed to sustain himself on the many animals in the home. I know it's confusing, but it's the truth. Please forgive me."

I sit, frozen in astonishment. Is this for real? Elves? Vampyrs? I say cautiously and quietly,

"I don't even know what to think..."

Pip walks over to me and gets down on his knees in front of me. He takes my hand in his two.

"Kim, you keep thinking 'why is he different?' I'm different because you and I are meant to be together."

Pop! I can feel my face. Hot as an iron. I know he can tell I'm embarrassed, realizing that's what it had been all those other times. Embarrassment. Then he smiles at me,

"So you were embarrassed... of what? Did I embarrass you?"

I just look at his deep eyes. As I look at them, they seem to get lighter. Almost yellow-y. I look outside. The sun is setting. It isn't daylight savings. Pip follows my gaze. He stops smiling.

"I... gotta go. If I stay you'll get killed. Feran."

I look back into Pip's worried paling eyes.

"Pip... your eyes... they're yellow...?"

His head snaps back to me.

"See you tomorrow Kim. I'll be going."

He gets up and runs to the door, not far to run. He swings it open and runs away, leaving the door swinging.

"Goodbye, Pippin."