2.
I'm dead, I know I must be. I have to be, unless I wouldn't be able to see my Dad. My Dad died when I was ten, he died of heart failure.
"Dad? Is that you?" My voice echoed in the whiteness. He smiled at me; he was just as big as I am. Mum always said I had his smile, but he had brown eyes.
"Am I dead?" He shook his head and took my hand, where he touched my skin, it burnt.
"My hand burns Dad, let go." But my Dad didn't let go, he just held on as the heat spread up my arm to my shoulder, across my shoulders and down my back to my legs. "Dad. I'm burning. Let go." He let go of my hand and touched his hand to my heart.
Flames erupted in my heart.
I woke up screaming in the darkness. My whole body was burning. This can't be death, death wouldn't be so painful. Maybe, I'm in hell? I screamed again. I can't stand this pain. I shook my head violently, it's in my head. This is all a dream, I'll wake up and I'll be in my own bed. I'll be able to kiss Abby.
I managed to reach my left hand to touch my right hand; there were no flames on my skin. How am I burning then?
"None of this makes sense?" I screamed into the darkness. I felt around in the darkness, I'm lay on someone's bed. Why am I on someone's bed? I gritted my teeth as I pushed myself up, my eyes starting to get used to the darkness. I could make out some shapes. There is a chair in the corner, I noticed my shirt. Ripped to shreds.
An image of a huge black bear popped into my head. A gasp escaped from my throat.
"I almost died." I whispered through my gritted teeth. I should be dead; the bear should have torn me apart. But, I'm alive. Though, I wouldn't call this pain being alive.
Anger spiked in my veins, I roared and was standing by the chair in seconds. I threw the chair across the room and into the wall. I was like an angry tornado, finding anything I could and flinging it across the room. Mid scream a voice called out.
"Do you mind not throwing my things about please?" The stranger's voice was cool and calm, but I wanted to rip his throat out.
"Are you the reason I'm here? The reason I'm burning?" I shouted into the darkness. Silence fell, he's gone.
"Mind your eyes, I'm coming in." The door clicked and swooshed open. Another click and the room flooded with light. I shielded my eyes from the light, and looked up to the stranger.
I've never thought a man could be beautiful, but he was. He had shoulder length dark brown hair that shone reddish in the light. His skin was pale white and it seemed to glow under the light. His rounded face carried his narrow lips and his straight nose. I've never seen eyes like his, his eyes were the colour of gold.
"I'm quite surprised to see you up. Normally it's too painful to bear." The man said with a puzzled look. This brought back my anger and pain. Gritting my teeth I asked him all the questions that were floating around my head.
"Why am I burning? What do you have to do with it? Where am I? Why am I not dead? Who are you?" The stranger laughed softly, which I didn't like. There's nothing to laugh at.
"So many questions." He smiled politely at me. "Firstly, my name is Simon. Secondly, you are here because I saved you from the bear before it could finish you off. That also covers why you are not dead. I brought you back here, to my home, so I could...save you. Thirdly, the burning is because there is venom seeping through your veins."
"Venom!" I felt my eyes trying to pop out of my head. He saves me from a bear but poisons me. "You poisoned me!" I shouted at him. A wave of pain washed over me and I collapsed. Only I didn't hit the floor, Simon caught me.
"Come on, lie down." He helped me to the bed and let me lie down. "I think I best explain. I guess you say I've poisoned you, but I don't say that. You've been out of it for two days; I was worried in case you were brain dead. The bear hit your head pretty hard. You were unconscious and bleeding when I found you. I couldn't let you die, so I brought you here..." He paused. "I don't even know your name."
"Emmett. Emmett McCarthy." I said through my gritted teeth. He smiled.
"Well Emmett." He sighed. "You have vampire venom in your veins. Within the next day you will have become a vampire."
I just stared at him. A vampire. Vampires don't exist, they're just scary stories. I couldn't help but believe him.
"Like blood drinking, can only come out at night, sleep in coffins kind of vampire?" I asked.
"Not quite. The drinking blood is right. But we can go out during the day, as long as it's not sunny. I'll show you why some day. No coffin's either, we don't sleep."
"At all?"
"Never." He stated. I stared at the wall, letting everything sink in. I'm becoming a vampire.
"You're taking this surprising well, the pain and the vampire thing. Most people I know don't." Simon was amazed.
"I'm just not complaining about the pain. I still want to reach inside myself and put out the flames." I told him honestly.
"Oh." He seemed taken aback by that remark.
"I don't understand this vampire thing, that's why I'm taking it well. You have to drink blood right?"
"Yes." He answered.
"Human blood?" I asked, this is what I can't get my head around.
"It's best for us, but there are people who drink animal's blood. Like myself."
"You drink animal blood?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing; my brain was starting to swell with all this information.
"Yes, animal blood. That's why my eyes are a gold colour; once the transformation is complete you will have red eyes."
"Why red?" My curiosity getting the better of me.
"All of your blood will be in your system." I nodded along, not really understanding any of this.
"Why do you drink animal blood if human blood is better?" I had so many questions for him; I'm just waiting for him to get sick of me.
"I never asked to be a vampire, but I was saved from death. That's also why I saved you. I was attacked and left to die, when a vampire smelt my scent. She was a red eye, so I'm surprised she didn't finish me off herself, she later told me it was because I looked like her brother.
She told me about the options of feeding, animal or human. Then left me to fend for myself. I chose animal blood after I was hunting and almost killed one of my friends I had gone to school with."
"Damn. I'm sorry." He abruptly stood up.
"I'll leave to rest now Emmett, the worst is yet to come." With that he left the room. I lay by head back on the pillow thinking of that conversation I just had. I'm going to become a vampire. I had asked so very few questions; I had so many more left.
I've not died; I could still get that kiss off Abby. I remembered the red eyes I would soon have. Maybe not.
We were forced to read Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' in school, so I keep picture vampires like that. Stoppable with garlic, defeated by a stake through the heart. How do we die? Will I have the long canines? So many goddamn questions left.
An image flashed before my eyes, my Mother. My poor mother. Tears started to form in my eyes. She's probably out looking for me with my brothers and sisters. She'll be going out of her mind, one of her many kids is missing. I can see her, she'll be sat by the fire crying her heart out that they can't find me. After a week, they'll assume I'm dead. I shook my head, trying to get my mother's pained face out of my head. But it's carved into my mind now, forever.
I did something; I've not done since I was a child. I cried, not knowing this would be the last time I can cry actual tears.
Burying my face in the pillow, I cried for my soon to be death, cried for my mother, cried for Abby. I wept through, what I thought was, the night enveloped in the pain of the venom seeping through my veins.
I don't know if it was seconds, minutes, hours or a day later but the flames started to seep away from my toes. Startled I sat up as I felt the flames seep up my legs to my hips, as my fingers became free. I screamed in agony, though the pain subsided in my legs and arms, it was building in my chest. Now I know what Simon had meant by it gets worse. This pain is unbelievable. I gritted my teeth, clenched my fist and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to bear the pain. My breathing quickened as the flames seeped away to my heart. The pain crescendo, then nothing.
The flames were gone.
Before I opened my eyes I revelled in the pain-less silence, not quite silence. I could hear the cars driving past the front of the house, the voices of two girls talking about some boy in their class, a bird chirping in a nearby tree. How can I hear outside?
I opened my eyes, how is everything so clear. I looked to the wall and I could see all the brush strokes in the paint, the cobweb clinging in the corner of the ceiling, the grains on the wardrobe.
I got the shock of my life when I held my hands out in front of me. My tanned skin was white.
"Listen for your heartbeat." Simon told me, he wasn't even in the room. So I did as he said, I listened. Nothing. I couldn't feel one either. I have no heartbeat.
"There is none. I have no heartbeat." I was astonished. "What the hell?" I put my hand to my chest, which felt like stone. "Why do I feel like stone?"
"We don't need a heart, we don't need to breathe. The venom causes our skin to toughen so much that the only thing that can hurt is, is vampire teeth."
Nice, indestructible. I smiled to myself.
"We are also unbelievably strong and fast." I stood up and picked the bed up with one hand.
"Wow. Nice." My smile getting bigger. "How fast?"
"Twice as fast as a cheetah. If not three times as fast." I bet I look like a Cheshire cat, as my smile was taking up most of my face.
"As you can already tell, we can see perfectly in the dark."
"Oh yeah. This is so cool." I laughed, or I should say boomed. Simon appeared by the door. I only then noticed his white flawless skin.
"Emmett, we are the world's most deadliest killers." I just shrugged my shoulders at him, this is so cool. I stood up and stood in front of the mirror.
"Woah! How freaky!" I laughed at my crimson red eyes. "I look so different, so flawless."
My curly dark hair looked darker; my crooked nose was straight, my teeth white and straight. The muscles on my chest and arms were more prominent.
"I look like I could stop a truck, not feel anything and still be able to look suave." Simon chuckled.
"That's one way of putting it." He put his hand on my shoulder; I was a least half a foot taller than him. "Emmett, will you stick to my way of feeding?"
At the mention of feeding, flames licked up my throat.
"I guess that burning feeling in my throat means I'm hungry? And I'll try it." Simon smiled at me.
"Yes it does. Come on. It's time to teach you how to hunt."
Hunting, now this worried me. I've never hunted before; will I know what to do? I know I won't get hurt; maybe I'm just overly worried. Everything will be fine. Simon will help me if anything goes wrong. I took an unnecessary deep breath, it still worked, and I felt calmer.
"We're going to run out of the back door, you may be alarmed at the speed you will run. Don't panic, that's the main thing." I nodded, I liked speed. I jumped on the spot pumping myself up, like I used to before a game.
"Let's go." Next thing I knew I was out of the house and flying through the forest. "Woah!" I laughed. It was so invigorating.
I could feel some excess power not being used, so I pumped my legs harder. It felt like I was flying, I couldn't feel the ground under my feet. I looked behind me and saw Simon lagging; I laughed and slowed down enough for him to catch up.
"Newborn's are stronger and faster than older vampires, it'll soon fade off." I didn't like that, I frowned at Simon and he just laughed. "You'll still be fast, just not that fast." I smiled, okay I could handle that.
We ran a little bit further into the forest, and then Simon stopped. He sniffed the air and nodded. I sniffed but could only smell the forest.
"Lesson one. You need to relax and widen your senses." Widen your senses? How the hell am I supposed to know how to do that? He sensed my uncertainty. "Relax and think about widening your senses to the surrounding area." Taking another deep breath I nodded. I closed my eyes and thought about the area, I needed to sense the area. As I took another breath I felt my senses grow.
I opened my eyes, I could see beyond what was in front of me. I could see a little brook to the north west of here, a little cottage behind it. Smoke was rising out of the chimney. Clothes were swaying in the breeze on the washing line.
I could hear the bubble of the brook, the leaves rustling in the breeze, the scurry of the tiny insects crawling everywhere.
I could smell the scent of the freshly washed clothes, the green smell that forest's give off.
Then I smelt blood.
It smelt like the forest, but sweeter. I could hear its heartbeat. I saw a deer chewing on a patch of grass.
"Deer, to the east." I announced. Simon smiled.
"Lesson two. To kill you must give in to your senses." I felt my eyes popping out of my skull. "Emmett, calm. Relax and everything will happen on its own."
Relax, that's easy for him to say.
"Finally, lesson three. Control. If you are to stick to my way of feeding, you need to be able to stop if you smell a human." I nodded. Widen senses; give in to your senses and control. I can do this.
I bounced again, pumping myself up. Deep breath and let go.
I felt myself crouch down and run towards the deer. Stopping to evaluate the area, all clear. Releasing my crouch, I sprung on the deer my teeth in its neck before I even thought about jumping. The deer squirmed underneath me, but its struggles became weaker as I drank from it. Eventually the deer was still and dry.
I pushed myself up from the ground, and dusted the dirt off me. Simon chuckled.
"You've got a bit of blood there." Pointing to the side of his mouth, I wiped away the blood. I stared at the blood on my hand, its smell taunting me. I licked my hand quickly.
"I'm still hungry." I nearly growled. Then the wind blew in my direction. I sniffed greedily at the scent floating in the breeze. It was ten times sweeter than that deer, a fruity scent. I turned the direction on the wind and took in the scent, I saw a human girl behind the cottage. She was taking the washing off the line.
None of that mattered. I wanted her blood.
I was off like a bat out of hell. I sensed Simon saying something to me, but I didn't care. My thoughts were placed squarely on her blood.
I got closer to her and her blood hit me like a wrecking ball, so sweet. Inches away I pounced.
I wasn't human as I broke her neck; I wasn't human as my teeth sunk into her soft, warm flesh. I wasn't human as I enjoyed her sweet blood.
I was human once I was satisfied. I was human when I saw the girl's head in a position that wasn't natural. I was human as I saw the jade green eyes dim, her life gone.
I had killed an innocent girl. I was a monster.
A gasp sounded behind me, Simon. Gently, I picked up the dead girl and cradled her in my arms. I didn't look at Simon; I didn't want to see the disgust and horror on his face.
"I'm a monster. Don't follow me. I deserve to be alone." With that, I dashed off deep in to the forest.
God knows how long I had been running for. But I knew that all the time I had been running, I was screaming in my head.
You're a monster Emmett! A filthy bloodsucking monster. A monster that had enjoyed every minute, until it was too late to undo what I had done.
When I finally stopped I didn't even have a clue where I was, I had only stopped so I could bury this poor girl. I had stopped by a river, I had been thinking of just putting her in the river and letting her float away. But I couldn't let someone else find her like this, that's if anyone did find her.
I placed her gently on the grassy floor, and started work on her grave. I sobbed tearlessly the entire time. I had already shut her eyes, but I knew her lifeless eyes would haunt me forever. Still being ever so gentle with her I placed her in the muddy grave with her hands placed on her torso, in her hands I had placed a bunch of wildflowers.
"Goodbye. I'm so sorry." I whispered to the stranger. I repeated 'I'm sorry' over and over again as I wept whilst I replaced the dirt over her. Earlier, I had found two thin sticks and made them into a cross, there was plenty of weeds that would hold them together and stuck the cross at the head of her grave.
Then I fell to my knees and did something I have never ever done. I prayed.
"To whoever is listening, I want to apologise for what I have done and what I pain I have caused. Now I'll be forever haunted by the memory of this poor girl. I'm cursed with this immortality; I think living forever is punishment enough." I cried to the skies. "I'm sorry to this girl, I'm sorry to her family, I'm sorry to Simon. I'm sorry for myself. I deserve to be a monster, I deserve to be alone." I fell forward on to my hands. I stayed there for hours, on my hands and knees, wallowing in my own self pity.
Voices and dogs barking broke my thoughts.
"Sally! Sally?" Where they looking for this girl? The voices were getting closer. Before I left I scratched 'I'm sorry' into the ground before her grave.
A mile or two away, I watched as one of the dogs found her grave. The man shouted, that he'd found something. A scared, crying woman burst into view and fell by the grave and started digging. Another man helped her. After about half an hour, they found her body. The woman's hands flew to her face as she cried; the man wrapped his arms around her. The man looked up and I saw jade green eyes.
They are her parents.
The dog sniffed at the ground where I had fallen, the first man noticed my writing. I saw as he said my words. The woman flew into a rage at these words, she stood screaming and crying at the sky.
I couldn't watch any longer. Sorrow filled my entire being. I turned and ran, I didn't know when I was going to stop and I didn't care.