Scars From the Twilight
Once I discovered that monsters were real, only one clear decision could be made: hunt them down. When it all began, my house was being haunted by an evil spirit. After the exorcist banished the being, my research began and soon followed my pursuit of such creatures.
The first ones I came across were ghosts, which are among the most straightforward to deal with, then demons and hellhounds.
Monsters of the night are better at hiding and more difficult to banish, hence why I should have waited until I had more expertise in the matter before attempting to eradicate nests of vampires and dens of werewolves. Most vampires live to be centuries old, so they learn who to avoid, which blood is best, and, in general, how to survive. Hunting them takes practice, patience, and a lot of experience; I had none of those. When I set out to kill those bastards, I didn’t have a plan or equipment except for three allies and a wooden stake for each of them. Oscar and Earl had as little experience as I did, and Lewis joined because he wanted to prove that vampires didn’t exist.
When we had gotten to the den, they were away, presumably fetching fresh blood, so we had time to set a trap, easier said than done. As none of us had encountered blood-suckers before, we just stood around and finally hid ourselves. With the moon high in the sky, the door swung open with a gust of air, and in the blink of an eye, seven to ten vampires stood before us, blood dripping down their faces like melted ice cream. None of us knew what to do, and Lewis gave an exasperated shriek, which alerted the fangs to his whereabouts. Two of them rushed to him and began interrogating why he was there. All he could respond with was a question as his rebuttal: if they were real vampires. One of them showed his fangs by implanting them into his neck. Before losing all of his strength, Lewis managed to impale the evil creature right in the middle of his chest, just as the books have taught us. As the wood pierced through the skin of the monster, our dear friend ceased breathing, and his lifeless body struck the floor. The vampire gasped, which was odd as he appeared to be completely healthy with no sign that he was just stabbed through the heart! How was he not dead? His accomplice pulled out the stake, which left a gaping hole in his body. Even though he was a vampire, it was still surprising that there wasn’t any blood.
Oscar began an escape without thinking things through. At first, he was trying to be stealthy, but within a few seconds, several large paintings were no longer in their rightful place on the wall.
The rest of them began investigating their abode and found Oscar with ease. The poor fool broke down with tears streaming down his face. The sole vampire asked him the same question as Lewis, but his weeping only grew. This vampire chose a more violent end to this blubbering mess’s life by ripping his heart out and eating it like an apple; we were definitely in over our heads.
Only Earl and I still stood, hidden away without a plan in sight. I sheepishly presented myself to the savage fangs, unsure what to expect. They admired my bravery, coming forth of my own volition and with a proposal: let us go, and we never try to ambush them again. They gave demands of their own, which I agreed to before they finished speaking. What I submitted to would allow both of us to survive - Earl quickly made his successful escape; I didn’t have such luxury. Instead of leaving, my payment was to offer these monsters my blood. Luckily, they only feed once a week. I had no idea what to expect when I first donated to them. Was it going to be painful? Was I going to feel high? Nonetheless, whatever I felt was pleasurable. Living with the vampires, giving them parts of me, I slowly felt like I had become one of them, without the pointy teeth.
Weeks turned into months, which was soon years. We had to avoid groups such as the one I was initially a part of. Most of those platoons had more expertise than I once did, so we lost most of our beloved friends. Over time, I naturally grew closer to those who survived the attacks until only two of them were left. With so little left, I half expected them to finally release me. If they did, I might not have been willing to go.
Another belligerent crew had found us, which is when the fangs asked for my permission. I knew why Oscar had begun crying all those years prior. He knew that the warmth of the sun could never touch his skin again. I was overcome with so many positive emotions about becoming a vampire; the people I had seen as a family finally accepted me as one of their own. I never understood why Lewis didn’t turn since they turned me the same way.
I will never forget the feeling of their freezing fangs sinking deep into my neck, and the vampiric poison racing through my veins made me feel twenty years younger! Orion taught me how to fly like a bat; contrary to popular belief, vampires cannot become such beautiful creatures. Since flying isn’t instinctual, some fangs choose not to learn, and Vince decided to learn beside me.
When my feet lifted from the ground for the first time and I floated around, I heard a schoolgirl’s giggle. Later, I would realize it was me.
I never learned how to turn the common folk, nor did I have the desire. Being constantly bombarded with a slew of pitchforks or guns, regular people eventually got to Orion and Vince, leaving me with no one to call family. With months turning into centuries, I learned to never become a sitting duck in one place.
While I was still in my earlier stages, my habitats remained traditional: caves, manors, and, of course, castles. But the world has advanced, and with it, my living experiences. Subway stations replaced the cave systems, and apartment complexes have outdone any manor from when I lost my friends. When I needed a change of scenery, I chose to go onto the ocean on a cruise ship, although that didn’t last a week. There was too much sun!
The world is a vast place ready to be explored. Now that I need another new home, I’m going to a tiny little park these set of humans call Disneyland.
