Mrs Greko has gone one step lower than that, she has berated a higher class student to a mere student, not a teacher, and a student that is borderline second class at that! I love her at this moment, but I am also frightened for her. I hope Mr Prados is still dopey from his evening meal and hasn’t heard her.
We’re in her pit room now Amica and this is quite formidable too, compared to ours. She is lighting a gas lamp, and it is quite eerie with shadows dancing up and down the walls, but somehow it’s comforting too.
‘Ok Aecia, is it Simone that was bothering you at dinner, or is it something else?’
‘It’s not Simone it’s,’ suddenly my mouth is really dry, I feel my heart beating a little faster as I know I am lying again. ‘I have symptoms of The Fever, Mrs Greko. My mother has explained to me that according to the programme of self-discipline from the Elders, I must isolate myself and prepare to meditate until it passes.’
Her eyes are narrowing as she looks at me; she looks sceptical; what can I say to convince her? Think Aecia think!
‘You are telling me the truth? This is very unusual Aecia in one so young. Have you seen a Doctor to confirm this?’
‘No, not yet, but my parents are planning to take me after this trip.’
‘Hmmm I see, well I will be interested to know the outcome of your appointment dear. I will speak to your parents when we return. For now we are here and we have a very important night tomorrow. We are to tour the Ordinatio and meet three of our Elders. This is a great honour and privilege as you know. Go to your pit now and get some rest. We will speak again at a later date.’
Phew! I might just have got away with it, for now at least. I’ll have to warn the parents about this latest subterfuge as soon as we arrive home. I’m so tired, and I have to go and sleep in a two star grave now to rejuvenate, some hope!
Wait, who is loitering outside the girl’s room? Garok, what is he playing at? It’s not long till sunrise and he is wandering around the hotel.
‘Garok, what are you doing? I’m being questioned for leaving where I was supposed to be, and you will be in trouble for staying where you are not supposed to be.’
‘Sshh, come.’
‘Where are we going? It’s almost sunrise.’
‘We have ages yet, come on, we can go up in the lift and have a few minutes alone before we sleep.’
‘Why do we have to go outside for that Garok, we are alone here, now?’
‘It is not safe, too many people.’
‘But it’s not safe on ground level!’
‘Come.’
He’s not going to give in is he Amica? Oh well, maybe just for five minutes. It is quite romantic ‘The Capital’. I wonder what other architectural wonders live here? What is wrong with me? Why am I talking about architecture when I am about to look at the stars with my future mate?
This lift is huge, with iron webbed double doors that are really heavy to open and close. Not a problem for Vampires, but for a fourteen year old human girl, even one with superior strength, it is an impossible task. Luckily Garok is old school and has them open before I reach the lift.
The inside walls are filled with advertisements of theatrical productions and public seminars. They are not posters or externally drawn pictures. The words and pictures are integrated and ionised into the iron lift wall; they are part of it. There are so many different types of advertisements (I’d say about fifty) and they are all in different fonts and styles. I am fascinated and baffled at the skill required to perform such a task!
Garok’s hand is warm in mine as we reach ground level and step out into the dark. It is not very well lit here, and I can barely see his face as he turns to me and touches my face. He is so gentle and soft as he covers my lips with his own. A kiss from him transcends time; I am transported to a plane of existence I have never known. This must be what ancient Humans mean when they describe ‘heaven’. Wait, I hear something, is it music? But everyone is in their pit, it is almost dawn. IT IS ALMOST DAWN!!!
‘GAROK, we must get back, you, I mean, we will burn! Hurry, we must get in the lift!’
‘It has gone!’
‘What, gone where, we have only just stepped out of it.’
‘I am so sorry, Aecia! The lift must automatically return to its rest position in the centre of the hotel.’
‘But…But, what can we do, is there shelter? Did you see an entrance to another building here? There has to be somewhere, is there a park nearby? We can dig a pit in the soil!’
I am petrified for Garok, he will burn in front of my eyes and there is nothing I can do about it. Amica, be a real person and tell me what to do!! The music is louder, deafening, an army of disjointed voices battling to be heard. It is the birds, of course it is! They are heralding the arrival of the glorious, murderous sun! I can see the shadow diminish as the light is creeping along the street. We are lost Amica, I will die with him, my soul is part of his and we are lost.
Garok is holding me now, stark fear and despair in his eyes but something else too. ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry I’m sorry!’ He just keeps repeating the same words. It is not his fault, he mustn’t feel guilt, I want to tell him, but I can no longer speak. The light has reached us!
My eyes are closed and I can still feel him in my arms. Is he an illusion brought on by my need for him? Is he really ash at my feet, but my heart won’t accept that? He has pulled away from me and is speaking my name.
‘Aecia open your eyes, Aecia.’
I open my eyes, and look into the large, brown eyes of Garok, the human! His teeth are white, straight and even, like mine, and he is reaching towards my mouth and taking out my fake fangs.
‘What colour are your eyes? Take out your lenses.’
How can he speak so calmly? I am ecstatically happy, totally confused, and absolutely terrified all at the same time. I can manage to ask, ‘You are human?’
‘Yes, did you not suspect that I was?’
‘I hoped you were, but then again, as I grew to like you, I wanted you to be a Vampire. Not suffering the miserable existence of living a lie as I do.’
He looks upset now, what have I said?
‘Don’t, don’t be so selfless and good Aecia, don’t make it harder!’
He turns from me and wipes his face, before turning towards the lift and pressing the button. I can hear the screech of the metal as it ascends towards us.
‘Is it working again? Why is that Garok? Don’t you find it strange?’
‘I don’t know why, it is Vampire made, it is evil.’
There is so much venom and hatred in his voice when he speaks of Vampires. What is wrong with him? He looks angry.
‘Garok, have I upset you, I am scared. What do we do now? What if someone has seen us and knows we are human? We will be drained and executed; every member of our clans will be punished and exiled!’
‘Put your fangs and contacts in, go to your pit. I will go to mine, and we will speak tomorrow night.’
His words are cold and distant and I just don’t understand. I want to cry now, and I can’t help reaching up and turning his face towards mine.
‘Garok, what did I do to change you so?’
His eyes soften as he looks into mine and clasps my hand, ‘I am not angry with you, I am sorry.’
The lift has reached the pit floor and he kisses my hand briefly, pulls open the iron webbed doors, and turns left towards the boy’s dormitory. I can feel myself shaking as I sneak past the other pits in the girl’s dormitory, and not just with fear of the consequences of our humanity being revealed.
Garok has acted so strangely. I don’t know if he is angry that I am human, or angry that he is. One minute I can feel his emotion for me in his kiss, and the next he is cold and angry. I just don’t get it!
20.01.3012
Hallo friend, I am actually writing my thoughts to you this evening. It is 7 p.m. and I am first up, sitting in the bathroom and writing to you. I couldn’t sleep at all as you can imagine, and now I have to ge
t through a whole night that includes meeting the Elders; the tyrannical Kings of our world, with the power to snuff me out like a candle.
Not looking forward to seeing Garok either this evening. I never thought I would be feeling that way about him, not ever. Maybe I’m being harsh; he did have a terrible shock as well last night. It could have just been a reaction to the frustration of knowing that we are both human beings, trapped in a dangerous Vampire world. We can’t live freely and honestly together and it’s so damn unfair!
I can hear the other girls moving around in there, I better vacate the bathroom before the queue forms. A room full of girls, vamp or human, fighting for the bathroom in the evening, is not a pretty sight! I guarantee that Simone is at the front of the queue when I open this door!
Here goes, this is where I find out if any of them noticed that I wasn’t there when they bedded down this morning.
‘Is this where you have been all day? You weren’t in your pit, that’s for sure! Were you hiding in here weirdo?’
I’m smiling, I can’t help it, and all I can see is you Amica, standing behind her and pulling faces, jeering at her perfect, hateful little face. I’m not going to answer her, if I could just get past and get to the breakfast room; I have more important things to worry about.
‘I’m telling Greko you were out when we went to our pits. I’ll bet your ‘boyfriend’ was with you eh? Off having sex I bet! No, Garok’s not blind, and you wouldn’t know what to do!’
They’re all laughing now, they are children, babies; immature, clueless girls, with no idea about life, pretending to be adults! I’ve had enough!
‘Shut up you bitch!!
Simone’s face is a picture as I shove past her and out into the passageway. I don’t feel afraid of her anymore. Why is that? She is petty, unimportant in comparison to the burden I have carried since the day I was born. The secret that has now been revealed to one, and somehow I feel that soon, will be revealed to more. I am more vulnerable now than I have ever been. I must speak with Garok, and soon.
I am sitting next to Lunar at the breakfast table, staring at my glass of blood. I have decided that I like this girl Amica, she is quiet and unassuming, and she doesn’t join in with the BitchVamps. In fact, I have seen her become their victim on more than one occasion. I should have stepped in and helped her in some way. It is just that my parents have forever drummed into me the importance of being unnoticed, being subservient and agreeable. Well no more!
‘Are you enjoying the trip?’
‘Eh what?’
She is so sweet; looking around to check that it is her I am actually speaking to.
‘I was just asking if you are enjoying this field trip so far, Lunar.’
‘Yes, yes I am Aecia, thank you for asking.’
Subservient, exactly like me! She is from a third class clan, and only got into The Manor School through a scholarship, she is a wizard at maths. The High Council will have her earmarked as an accountant for later years. She’ll be forced to become their crook, in other words, embezzling money from the people.
I hear my parents and Uncle discussing various topics like this, sometimes after dinner. The fact that I look younger than my years, and their illusion that I am still two years old, allows them to speak freely around me. They think I don’t understand.
Garok has just come into the room with Mr. Prados; he is late! What does that mean? He is looking over at me. Thank God he is smiling, he doesn’t look angry as he did this morning. Mr. Prados has gone to the end of the table, opposite Mrs. Greko, everything seems normal I think, at least so far.
‘You haven’t drank your blood.’
Lunar is speaking to me now. ‘We are leaving in five minutes, and you haven’t drank your blood.’
She has a point, everyone else practically inhales their food, and here am I drawing attention to myself again.
‘I’m not with it Lunar, too excited about going to the Ordinatio tonight.’
I’m gulping the vile blood down and trying not to heave. My tolerance is weakening each time I have to drink and it’s only going to get worse.
Mrs. Greko is standing up and guiding us all out to the lift. I can’t see Garok now, he must have to sit with other boys on the coach to the Ordinatio, I wonder why? Are the Elders sexist, as well as cruel, greedy, and very old?
I wanted so much to speak with Garok before we arrive at the Ordinatio. He is human too, and is in as much danger as I am, when we stand before the Elders. I hoped to stand with him for moral support, but I can’t see that happening now. At least I have you friend, always and forever, no matter what happens.
Looking out of the window of the coach, I have decided I am not a fan of the Capital. True, there are some beautiful, meticulously designed, and stunning buildings, but there are too many of them. They are squashed together like sardines in a tin, and it is almost impossible to determine where one building ends and the other begins. Each one is in competition with the next, and they become more ostentatious, and eventually ridiculous, as we progress through to the Centre. No doubt, all of this over the top grandeur is to accentuate the fact that the residents are all stinking rich! It just proves that money cannot buy class, taste or discretion!
It is so noisy too, car bumper to car bumper, they crawl in their vehicles through the city to their destinations. They vent their frustrations and impatience on their car horns, as they jostle to get to the next set of lights before their neighbours. The whole City Centre is in one great big rush.
What I don’t understand is why they travel in their cars. They are Vampires, and can run from one side of the Centre to the other, in less than a minute. It must be just the class status issue; people wanting to convince their peers that they are First Class, and can afford a better car than them. How can people reach their two hundredth or more years, and still act like schoolchildren, boasting a better pencil case than the rest of the class?
We’re here, I did quite a good job of distracting myself then eh friend? I wonder if you noticed my eagerness to admire, ‘the wonderful architecture,’ of this city, and have transformed said city, into, ‘a tin of pilchards.’ Ha, just shows how a person’s mood has direct influence on their opinion. I am so full of trepidation about this visit; I refuse to see that any good can come out of it. Vampires are my own kin, but I hate them at the moment; hate, fear and confusion, that is my life.
The boys are filing into the building before us, I can see Garok looking around for me; at least I hope he’s looking for me. Yes, he’s waving, so glad I got the window seat. What on earth is he trying to say? He looks frantic, and he is mouthing something indecipherable. Oh-oh, Mr. Prados has seen him and shut him up, the mean sod, never liked him. I am definitely slipping away at lunch to find Garok. He’s upset about being here, that’s what it is, somehow I will find him and we’ll talk.
This building is absolutely massive! Uncle told me once that all the generations of Kings and Queens in human history once lived here. I grudgingly admit that parts of it are still beautiful, probably the parts unchanged by the Vamps.
Oh I am in a foul mood this morning, I hope I’m not about to have another period! I might as well have, ‘HUMAN,’ tattooed on my forehead, if that is the case or even, ‘QUICK SNACK!’
My thoughts are switching from one thing to another, I have to focus and try and get something out of this experience. I would be completely enthralled under normal circumstances, I know I would.
The entrance to the building has six guards, three on each side of the door. They are dressed completely in black, apart from a white silk scarf draped around their shoulders, and a top hat with a silk band of the same colour. There are two marble bowls, one on either side of the entrance, supported by a single trunk of pure gold. These are alight, and I have to admit, they look spectacular in the darkness of the night; a rainbow of changing colours, wild and fascinating.
The doors either side must be ten feet in height at least, which is almost half the height
of the whole building. I read that it stands at about 25 feet in height. There must have been some giant, human Kings and Queens, to require doors that high!
There are over 750 rooms in this building, many of which aren’t even used by the Elders, or their clans, but they are cleaned and preened for visitors such as ourselves. I might just add, that this is not a FREE, benevolent glimpse, of the decadent life of the Royal and First class segment of our world. Our parents have paid for this trip since the day we started school. The cost of the tour is deducted from their wage each month, until we actually arrive at the front door of the Ordinatio, in our fourteenth year. My parents have a second child, and so will continue to contribute until Zak embarks on this trip.
Looking at the diamond encrusted doors, now opening in front of me; I can see that this system is flawed. Many of the third class in our society, exist in shanty towns, and live on a half a glass of blood a day. Where is the justice in that arrangement? OMG! Amica, if I live to adulthood, I will have to be a political, historical scientist, in order to fulfill my needs!
The main hall is just as expensively impressive as the outside of the building. There are priceless paintings by people from the human era, (which I can’t remember the names of, because I’m not really into art). Modern Vampire sculptures of gargoyles drinking flute glasses of Clone blood, with only a napkin to cover their modesty. Ugghh, no-one said this would be a house of horrors!
There are two more stooges, dressed the same as the guards outside, approaching Mrs. Greko now. They are collecting our coats and then they will be our guides for the evening, I think. I can’t see the boys anywhere; they really must have to be separated from us when we meet the Elders. I don’t think there will be a chance to speak to Garok tonight at all. If we can just get through this evening, everything will return to normal when we get home, I’m almost sure of it.
We are going to tour the administration offices on this ground floor (boring). Who wants to see a load of stuffed shirts, typing and doing paperwork? I just want to see the Elders and get it over with.
Only Human Page 4