by James Bailey
*
I awoke to a knocking on my door. Blearily I rose from my bed, leaving Mr Fuzzle sleeping on the pillow. I glanced at the clock on the wall. 5pm. Sun would just be setting, strange time for a door knocker.
I walked to the front door, putting on my robe as I walked. Peering through the peephole I saw a pretty young lady staring at my door expectantly. Intrigued, I opened the door.
“Hi there, I’m Bethany, I moved in next door today. I hope I didn’t wake you with all the noise, Gran told me you worked nights. Oh look at me running my mouth, pleased to meet you.” Bethany hold out her hand for me to shake. I stood there a moment, trying to process all that information before shaking her hand lightly.
“Oh, um hello there Bethany. No I didn’t hear you move in. Frankly I didn’t realise Mrs Hobaken was leaving so soon.” I said, still gathering my wits. I knew my neighbour Mrs Hobaken had spoke of leaving but we rarely chatted as she was not much of a night owl and I was unaware she was serious about the move.
“Oh, she left for a retirement home. I am her grand daughter from South Carolina and she let me have the place. She said you were a lovely quiet neighbour so I thought I would pop by and say hi. So, hi!” Bethany said with enthusiasm.
“Lovely to meet you Bethany, my name is Gary. If you need anything don’t hesitate to ask. Now if you’ll excuse me I had better wash up. My night has only just begun.” I flashed a smile at her and moved to close the door.
“Oh Gary wait! I was wondering if you would like to have dinner at my place tonight, I was ordering in pizza and to be honest this is my first night away from home on my own, first night in the city on my own too. My treat.” Bethany said as I moved to close the door. Her eyes looked at me hopefully. I looked at her innocent face looking up at me, I thought back to Mr Fuzzle as a kitten staring up at me with a similar expression. It got me every time.
“Sure. Just let me get ready and I will be over.”
Bethany beamed at me. “I’ll order the pizza! Any preference?”
“No, your pick I am not a fussy eater.” I said with a smile. I could process human food but didn’t gain any sustenance from it.
“See you soon.” She said and walked back to her apartment with a little spring in her step.
I shook my head as I closed the door. No getting out of this one, I thought to myself. Mr Fuzzle took this moment to come wandering up to me brushing against my legs.
“You and her would make a great pair, two peas in a pod.” I smiled down at the feline then made my way to the bathroom to get ready for dinner. I admit I felt a little nervous, I didn’t avoid human interaction but I rarely spent an appreciable amount with any one individual, particularly a female. It would do me some good to have some conversation with someone other than my cat I thought, lest I start talking to myself next.
Half an hour passed and I was all dressed and ready, a smart shirt and pants had seemed appropriate. Half an hour also gave the sun enough time to sink beneath the horizon, just in case she liked to leave her curtains open.
Leaving my apartment I walked over to Bethany’s apartment and rapped twice on the door, admittedly a few butterflies in my stomach.
“Come in!” I heard her shout.
I opened the door, and walked in, closing it behind me. Entering the lounge room I was confused by the lack of furniture. There was no couch or television, no boxes either for that matter. Bethany wasn’t in the room, I assumed she was in the bathroom.
“Hello?” I called.
No answer. With growing unease I walked to the end of the lounge and peered into the short passage that lead to the bathroom and bedroom. Bethany was waiting for me.
Before I could react she fired a taser at me, electricity coursed through my body causing every muscle in my body to seize up. I dropped to the ground, stunned but conscious.
“Got you! I got you! I bagged a vamp, I can’t believe it.” Bethany squealed in delight.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Bethany fish a phone out of her pocket and dial a number.
“Hey it’s me. I got him. I got him! A real vampire!” She said with excitement, then paused as the other person responded.
“Of course he’s a vamp, I saw him drain some guy tonight! Come round straight away!” Bethany replied then disconnected her call and walked over to me, dragging me into the middle of the empty lounge room.
She left me then for a minute entering another room in the apartment, I struggled to move my muscles but still found myself partially paralysed. Slowly I wiggled my toes and fingers, feeling gradually returning to my limbs. Hearing footsteps approaching I stopped moving and froze, not wishing her to know how conscious and able I really was.
Bethany was holding a pair of handcuffs. She grabbed my hands roughly and cuffed them together. I noticed a look of glee in her face as well as a burning hunger and greed in her eyes. I had seen that look before decades ago. She wanted to be me, be one of my kind. I sighed internally, she had watched far too many movies, poor Bethany could never be a vampire.
Once she had finished binding my hands Bethany looked down at me like a piece of meat.
“You’re all mine vamp and you’re going to make me just like you. You will or you’ll end up getting dusted. Michelle’s bringing round a stake and a knife. One of those will dust you.” Bethany looked down at me with a smug expression.
Gently I flexed the muscles along my body, my strength had returned. Bethany obviously didn’t know of vampires healing capability. The naive young girl seemed to be fiddling with her phone, texting I assumed, a new modern trick that I had never felt the need to use.
Swiftly I leapt to my feet, Bethany dropped her phone in shock and stared at me. I snapped the cuffs with ease and seized the girl by the throat lifting her in the air.
“My dear, it seems you didn’t do your research very well did you. Tell me, how did you know I was a vampire.” I released the tension around her neck so that she could still talk.
“Not telling you nothing!” She whispered fiercely.
I smiled at this and gazed into her eyes, mesmerising her until she would happily walk off a cliff if I so desired. I released my hold on her, letting her stand in front of me, staring at me dreamily.
“Tell me Bethany.” I said softly.
“Gran said you were strange, out all night, kept blinds closed. I had read about vampires and seen the movies, you seemed the type. I followed you yesterday and saw you kill that man.” Bethany said flatly.
“Ah, seems I must make some adjustments then.” I knew I would have to move apartments now, that was inconvenient but somewhat regular with my condition. I would also have to drain this girl and that friend of hers when he or she arrived.
“Thank you Bethany. When your friend arrives invite them in so we can all talk together.” I said.
“Okay Gary.”
A few minutes passed, Bethany stayed standing still, staring at me. A knock on the door, her friend had arrived.
“Come in.” Bethany called in that same emotionless voice.
The door opened and in walked another young pretty girl. I sighed, such a waste.
“Yes, do come in. It is rare that my meals are delivered.” I said with a toothy grin.
###
