In present day Romania, a young girl stomped through the woods, wandering aimlessly with a large basket filled to the brim with wood.
She had been sent out by her father to get firewood for the coming winter months.
"Get out there and get some wood, before it gets too cold!" her father had said.
She silently cursed her father for being too cheap to pay for full time electricity in the winter. She understood that being a single parent in a small town in Europe, her father did not have the money for many luxuries. But, she wished that just one winter she would not have to worry about huddling by the fire for warmth.
She loved the man dearly, but, at the moment she was very upset with him. If only he had not turned down that job as an office worker for the lumber company, they would have the money to pay for heating during the colder part of the year!
"They are scum, scamming people and hurting the natural way of life just for their own personal gain." he had tried to explained to her, but she didn't care. They were other people; let someone who cared save the trees. She and her father should only worry about themselves!
She stopped under a tall tree and looked up, into the sunlight streaming through the branches. There are plenty of trees all over the world. Who cares? They are just plants. If something like a tree could cause this much trouble, they should be cut down! She immediately felt bad for thinking this way.
"What are you thinking?" she scolded herself.
Her father had raised her better than that.
She remembered the way she had stormed out of their house.
"Fine!" She had shouted. "I'll get your dumb firewood! Though you should be getting it yourself, since you are the one who opted not to pay for electric heating!"
How hurt her father had looked when she had slammed the back door in his face.
She knew she should really go back home and apologize. She never wanted her father to have that look on his face again.
She sighed and turned around to begin the two mile walk back to her home. She would really hate seeing her father's hurt face, but, she had no other option.
Suddenly, the ground beneath her began to shake.
"What the?"
The earth she was standing on collapsed under her. She screamed and closed her eyes, thinking God was punishing her for being so horrible towards her dad.
She fell through a hole in the earth and found herself in a long, ancient tunnel that led deep into an endless darkness.
Well, she wasn't dead, and aside from a bump on the back of her head, she seemed to be fine. This may have been the break she had been hoping for. It would give her a good excuse to forestall seeing her father.
"I may as well have a look around." she said under her breath, half wondering if anyone could hear her.
For hours she walked, every step of the way telling herself to turn back, yet being drawn in by an indescribable force. Eventually, she came upon a large door. It was masterfully crafted, with ornate carvings of angels in an epic battle with the minions of darkness. Curiosity struck, and she tugged at the door. It opened easily, without a sound.
A large room with ancient wall hangings lay beyond the door.
The air in the room was stagnate and musty. The girl knew this room must not have been opened in over a hundred years.
She took a step inside and let her eyes adjust to the dim light.
What she saw when her sight had adjusted made her freeze.
There, in the middle of the darkened room, lay a dusty coffin.
She had read stories about vampires before. She had seen the old Dracula movies played on the projector in the village library. She knew that this was the point that she should truly be scared. But she wasn't. The room had a hanging feeling of sadness, as if something dear was lost, and could never be found. Every bit of common sense within her told her to run, but she just couldn't. She had to see what was giving off this strange vibe.
She approached the coffin, placing her steps silently, and carefully, so as not to arouse the wrath of whatever lay deeper within the room. When she came to the side of the wooden box, she had to stifle a gasp. Vampires had always been depicted to her as gruesome lords of the undead. Yet what lay before her was not a pale, bony body, but the face of an angel. The seemingly young man in the coffin had finely sculpted features. He bore shoulder length raven black hair, sharply defined eyebrows, and long lashes. The only thing amiss with his beautiful profile was a look of stifling hatred etched into his perfect face.
As the young girl looked upon the handsome boy, she could not help but wonder what had caused such a look. Could vampires have nightmares too? She thought it a shame for him to stay that way. In that moment she wanted nothing more than to see him smile. She knew she would never again work up the courage to come to this place. She needed to talk to him now.
"Hello? Are you awake?" she whispered.
He didn't respond. She was beginning to second guess herself. Should she really wake him up? She knew her life could be in danger. She took a step back and turned around. Why was her heart beating so fast? She knew it was because she was beginning to be afraid. Why was she doing this? She didn't owe any therapy sessions to some spook in a box.
"GET OUT!"
She whirled around to see the young man sitting upright in the coffin. His red eyes were staring straight at her. He looked tired, but ready to fight.
"Why are you here? Leave!" he demanded.
"I-I'm sorry." The girl stuttered. "I didn't mean…I didn't think-"
He cut her off with a wave of his hand. She tried to finish her sentence, but there seemed to be an invisible wall keeping her unspoken words in her throat.
The young man looked at her for a long time. "Who are you?" he asked.
"I-I'm from town." she said, surprised that she could speak again. "My name is Melinda. Melinda Harvienheight."
Melinda thought it was quite curious, talking to a vampire, introducing herself like it was nothing.
"What century is it?" the young man asked, more calmly this time.
"The 21st century." Melinda replied. "Umm...what is your name?"
The young man did not immediately reply. Melinda felt as though he were sizing her up.
"Sven Von Fredericks." he finally answered.
Sven thought Melinda was very strange.
She was dressed in a light blue sports jacket, with a black sweater under it. Her jeans were a worn pair of dark wash Levi's with green patches sown on both legs. She was wearing black high-tops with rainbow laces, one of which was untied. Her curly strawberry blonde hair was tied back in a pony tail and fell to her waist. Her eyes were a light blue-green, like shallow oceans.
"Why are you cooped up in here?" Melinda asked.
"So your kind cannot find me."
That worked out so well, Sven thought to himself.
My kind? Melinda thought. Then he really isn't human!
"Are you… well…a vampire?" Melinda asked him.
"And if I am?" Sven asked.
Melinda just stared.
"You are, aren't you?"
"...Yes." he said.
Melinda tottered back on her heels. Now that he had admitted it, would he kill her?
"Leave." Sven said.
"Wha…?"
"Go. Get out of here. I cannot have a human hanging around."
Melinda instantly knew he was trying to protect her. But from what? An enemy? Himself? She wanted to stay and comfort this poor thing, kept in the darkness for so long.
"I don't want to go." Melinda stated, somewhat more bravely than she felt.
"What?" Sven thought it was incredulous, to want to stay here with a vampire. It may have been a long time ago, but he could remember his boyhood well enough. He knew this isn't where he would have wanted to be. Was it a sign of this new age? Or was this girl hiding from something?