Chapter 3

Abby let the water run over her body. The blood washed away down the drain. She turned the handle to the shower faucet off. Her and Owen had installed it themselves. She smiled as she remembered them reading that book on plumbing. He had found the water line down the tunnel and they ran the pipes to their little room. He was always thinking of things like that. She remembered how she used to not bother with showers before she met him. Now she enjoyed them. They only washed away dirt but it always felt like more than just dirt was flowing down the drain.

She felt strong again. The pangs of guilt were still there though. Only Owen could make it go away. She wished he would return.
Her eyes went to her old dress. It looked dirty and Abby hated to put it on. She needed new clothes...made up her mind to get some the next night. Though there was no real reason to wear new clothes, it made her feel more normal to do so. Owen made her feel normal too. Owen had been with her long enough that feeling normal was starting to be...normal.

They had found this section of abandoned sewer together. It was mostly dry. Even hard rains didn't flood it. It was a great alternative to the ever-changing addresses they had used for shelter over the years. Farms, empty apartments, woods, swamps...even a junkyard. More than once, they had nearly been caught by police or some other curious explorer. After Owen's turning...it got harder and easier at the same time. They could now travel very fast, but they were in danger during the day.

Abby tried to add up the years...since Owen had accidentally been turned. She had felt enormous guilt for quite some time. Owen refused to let her wallow in it. He insisted this was an inevitable thing...there was no other way for them. Abby admitted a part of her was overjoyed when it happened. As the years went by, it became obvious Owen was right. The fact that neither of them aged had an odd side-effect. Their relationship remained as fresh as it was when Owen was turned. There was none of the sadness she felt when Thomas grew up and became a different person from the little boy who had been such a dear friend to her. So for the first time in her long vampire life, she was not alone. Neither she nor Owen would ever change.

She felt Owen approaching before she heard him. Something in her mind just knew things about him. Vague things...like if he was in danger. The memory of the near tragic Los Alamos swimming pool incident many years before came to her suddenly. Shivering at the memory, she slipped the old dress over her head and smoothed it out...hoping she looked pretty.

"Can I come in?"
Abby smiled to herself. There really wasn't a need to ask another vampire to enter their home, but it was a game they had played for many years.
"Yes...you can come in."

Owen entered with a smile on his face. Abby loved that smile and how pleased he always looked to see her. He was dripping wet and like Abby, looked stronger now. They would both now be able to go a couple of weeks before the hunger returned. She knew he had taken the teenaged boy to a part of the tunnel that opened into a lake or a river. She didn't like to think about it and banished the thought quickly.
Owen crossed the room and the two child vampires embraced. She kissed him on the ear as they held each other. Again she felt whole...and happy. They lay down on the mattress as one and gazed at each other. Anyone moving about in the city above them would never think to consider that such bliss was occurring below the cold concrete of the street.
Owen stroked Abby's cheek. He never tired of her smile.
"I love you Abby."
She beamed. Her eyes glowed...or at least it seemed that way to Owen. She reached for him and kissed him lightly on the lips.
"And I love you Owen...more than anything."
They intertwined together in an embrace of passion.
After a while, Owen got up and closed their metal door and locked it tightly. Dawn was coming to the world above and they must sleep. The two small beings fell away from awareness...curled together...as one.

Activity in the city slowed. Another day was marked off the calendar as a day of work or a day of school. Homes came alive as electric lights were brought to bear in the nightly battle with darkness.
That darkness was a source of fear for many of the children in the city. Imaginations invented unknown entities hiding in closets or under beds. Other homes contained families that knew real fear of the dark. One home in particular wondered where their teenaged son was and what trouble he had gotten himself into this time. That question would never be answered for them.

Below the streets, two sets of eyes opened as one.

Abby and Owen rose to a sitting position, looked at each other, and smiled. Owen reached out and smoothed Abby's hair. She leaned into his caress, relishing the warm feeling that spread throughout her body at his touch.
"Owen...do you like this dress?"
"Of course! ...You make any dress look good though...or you could just take it off."
Abby punched him in the arm playfully.
"You know what I mean...I think I need a new one or something."
Owen stopped to think. He often wondered if it bothered Abby to live in their underground world. She seemed to like it when they went up to play or shop in the city. Any clothes they bought for her didn't last long due to where they lived and the fact that both of them were very active. Normal children were hard on clothing...two vampire children at play was a whole new level of "wear". Despite this, Abby often insisted on buying dresses that were light and delicate. It was worth it to Owen, because she was so happy and beautiful in a new dress.

"Ok...let's go get you a new one tonight." Owen stated.
Abby smiled broadly.
"...And get your shoes...we can't go in those stores barefoot."

Abby made a face. She always felt so restricted with shoes on. So much harder to climb and jump. But she eagerly slipped her boots on along with Owen.

"Ready?" he said.
"Ready!...I'll race you!"

And they both buoyantly rose and ran through their tunnels at top speed laughing and jostling each other.

Two men sat in a pile of cardboard in an alley.
"Did you hear that?"
"What?"
"I heard kids laughing...from that manhole."
"You started drinking early tonight I see..."
The first man shrugged and rolled over...probably the wind.