Title: Runaway
Characters: David and Max
Prompt: 002. Dark Path
Word count: 906
Rating: M
Summary: A brief ficlet of how David met Max and became a vampire. This is not cannon since David's becoming a vampire is never explained in the movie. This is just an idea that popped in my head.

Just outside of Reno was when David first met his fate. It was an innocent meeting at first, leaving David with no hint of what was to come. He was seventeen years old and running away from home for the third time. Nevada was the furthest he had ever made if from Maine and David wasn't stopping till he hit California. The last time he ran away to New York, his father had managed to track him down and drag him back to that shit-hole town. Not this time, he silently swore as he walked along the dark highway, his thumb out begging for a ride.

This time David had chosen California to be his hiding place, his fresh start. There was no way his father would come all the way out to California to track down a son he usually showed contempt for.

You think you have it all figured out, don't you? David could hear his father's voice echoing in his head. Like you know a goddamn thing about the real world.

Maybe David didn't but how was he going to learn about the so called 'real world' if he spent the rest of his life in Maine, working in his father's garage? The blond young man was distracted from these thoughts as a classic Chevrolet Caprice Convertible slowed down in front of him. The driver was a complete square with horn-rimmed glasses and a suit but David wasn't complaining. A ride was a ride.

"Need a lift?"

"Yeah, thanks", David smiled before climbing into the car. It was a good idea to be nice to the few people who picked you up but immediately David started getting a weird vibe off this one. He was smiling just a little too pointedly. Christ, he's not gay is he? David had nothing against homosexuals but he really didn't want to have to pay for his ride with a sexual favor. The subject had been brought up before when he hitch-hiked and it was only David's strong left hook and pocket knife that stopped that from being a nasty incident.

"So where are you heading to?"

"California".

The stranger laughed, "What a coincidence. That's where I'm heading. Anywhere particular in California?"

"Uh…not really". David shifted uncomfortably. What were the chances he'd be picked up by a guy going exactly when he was heading? Not that fucking good.

The man nodded before offering one hand to David, keeping the other firmly on the steering wheel. "I'm Max. What's your name?"

"David".

"Well David, what brings you to California?"

"Work". It was his goal to keep the answers down to one word and as non-encouraging as possible.

"Not much of a talker, are you Dave?"

"It's David", he curtly corrected. His father called him Dave and he fucking hated it.

"My apologies David. So you're going to California for work. Mind if I ask what kind of work?"

"Mechanic".

Max gritted his teeth. "A little young to be a mechanic, aren't you? You must be what, sixteen, seventeen? Shouldn't you be home with your family, going to school?"

"Shouldn't you be driving and not asking so many questions?" David snapped. The car began to slow down, causing David to regret his words. "I'm sorry", he lied. "I didn't mean to snap".

"Don't lie David. It's a nasty habit for nasty boys." His tone was so parental, so commanding that David felt himself flush with embarrassment for being corrected.

What the hell is wrong with me? Why do I care what this asshole thinks?

"You're an irresponsible youth who needs a firm hand, that's what's wrong with you. You come from a broken home with a prick for a father, that's another thing that's wrong with you", Max answered David's inner questions outloud. The blond boy looked at him in surprise.

"I didn't say—"

"Didn't say that outloud? No, no you didn't David. You didn't need to."

"How—"

"I'm special David. Gifted, blessed one might even say. Would you like to know how?" The car was slowing down now and pulling off the highway into a dark, rough country path. Goosebumps appeared on David's arms as a bad feeling crept into his stomach.

Don't answer that. Say no! David's mind screamed all sorts of warnings but his mouth, his stupid fucking mouth just couldn't keep shut. "Yes". Max had pulled over now and immediately David saw the change in his face. Yellow eyes peered back at the young man, eyes that were set in distorted face with a jutting forehead and cheekbones. The most frightening change was Max's mouth. Fangs slick with saliva took over the man's smile and David had seen enough classic horror movies to know what was staring him down.

"Holy shit!" Max's hands lashed out to grab David in an iron grip before he went for the door. The strength in those hands was like nothing David had ever felt before. It was a bone-crushing strength that scared David more than his father's fists ever could. Max darted in toward David's neck, finding his target quickly and piecing David's skin with his teeth. There was no chance to scream, to fight as the vampire began to drink. Instead David sat there in shock. I'm going to die….I can't believe I'm really going to fucking die.

Max's head lifted for a moment. "Not tonight David", he answered. "After tonight you're going to live forever".