Vampire World

by Douglas, Rich

  Now I can’t promise that you won’t face further danger. But I will try to do everything possible to protect you. If you choose to reach closer to the truth, here is your next task. I know about the one you call Rob. He’s been passionate about you ever since you rejected him. He’s also dangerous, as you already know. And here’s another thing: He just got inducted into the organization that you have learned about. I want you to get a date with Rob ASAP. He can teach you many things about TriFang. I know you’re in love with someone else, but I said date, not relationship. Be very cautious around Rob. Most importantly, ask him about the blood that the organization drinks. It holds a very dark and important secret that applies to you. You need to figure this out. Be very careful and make wise decisions. And please, arm yourself with the stakes that I gave you. I will try my best to help. You must listen to me, Janice. Good luck.'

  I rested my weary body inside my coffin, thinking about my secret watcher and becoming ever more irritated. He'd already damn near got me killed. Now he wanted me to lie to that creep Rob about liking him. The temptation to refuse was powerful. But what if he was telling the truth? What if an important secret about my past really did exist?

  Somehow I fell asleep that night, though it was tough. After just being kidnapped, I was wary of all my surroundings.

  I had the next day off. So did Mr. FreeCut, which gave us both a rare chance to spend time together. Our bond had grown beautifully and I truly loved him.

  “You’re going to really enjoy seeing the capitol building,” he said while serving me yummy and very bloody bacon and eggs. “I want you to learn something about the government of Vampire World.”

  Even as he spoke, I couldn’t stop thinking about the previous night. I wondered how my watcher has managed to put a tracking device on me. I hadn't seen him come into the house, so the whole thing did not make an ounce of sense. I shivered, realizing that he may have been monitoring my every move. Then another intriguing thought occurred: Could one of the masked persons who had rescued me from the forest be my watcher? Hmmmm….

  “What’s wrong, Janice?” Mr. FreeCut asked.

  I played it off. “I’m good. By the way, I really love your eggs.”

  He smiled. “Thanks. Your hair looks great.”

  The weather was good when we set off in Mr. FreeCut's car to the capitol building, a place I’d never been to before. The blood-red sky was clear and beautiful as the metallic spikes of downtown buildings came into view. One of the buildings was far higher and more impressive than the others.

  “That’s it,” Mr. FreeCut said. “I think every vampire should know about our virtuous government, and most importantly, the freedom we have in Vampire World to vote and elect our officials. The only rogue state that borders us is a dictatorship. Its name is BloodFall. Vampires there lack the freedom we enjoy and sometimes take for granted.”

  I was intrigued as my caretaker rambled on.

  “It is important to know that Vampire World is not only the name of our planet, but also the name of the wonderful country we live in. With the exception of the land claimed by BloodFall, the country of Vampire World covers all the rest of the planet.”

  Mr. FreeCut drove right up to the mammoth, spike-shaped capitol building. Rocketing into the sky, the crimson granite structure took my breath away. Hundreds of steps led up to its imposing entrance at the widest part of the building.

  “I want to introduce you to a senator who’s a special friend of mine,” Mr. FreeCut said. “His name is Senator BloodHunt. His two young children are visiting him as well. I promise you you’ll like him.”

  We climbed the steps, which were steep as hell. I nervously clasped Mr. FreeCut’s hand.

  “Just don’t look down,” he said. “It will be alright.”

  We neared the entrance that was flanked by impressive Gothic pillars with golden snakes winding around them. Lifelike statues of vampires lined the red carpeted walkway leading right up to the main door.

  “These are past senators that the citizens elected,” Mr. FreeCut explained. “You see, the people vote the senators into office, after which they suggest laws that they feel are in the best interests of the people. Then they vote on those laws.”

  “Well, it sounds a lot better than a dictatorship,” I replied.

  “Trust me, it is. You would not want to grow up in BloodFall. You'd hate it.”

  We went inside. Just like every other building in Vampire World, it was dark and murky. But there was a majestic charm present too, and the indoor pillars sparkled vividly. I looked up and marveled at the interior of this endless spike. It went on forever, up, up and away.

  We came to a reception desk. After receiving clearance from an elegantly dressed vampire, we stepped through a door and into darkness.

  We were now in a dungeon-like hallway that meandered like a maze. My legs hurt as we climbed precarious staircases and struggled through constricted hallways. This reminded me of the library, though much bigger.

  “Here is his office,” Mr. FreeCut said, rapping on a door with the skull knocker.

  A tall, middle-aged vampire with short red hair and a thick beard opened up. I could hear his two curious children behind him.

  “Well hello, Janice,” he said. “John has told me so much about you. And don’t worry. It’s all good things.”

  I grinned with pleasure at hearing this.

  “You should be proud that such a good man picked you,” the senator continued.

  I told him I was, and that Mr. FreeCut was the greatest thing that had ever happened to me.

  I was introduced to Senator BloodHunt’s children. The boy was named John, a hyper but very adorable fellow. He was wearing the famous vampire clown shirt, the 3-D version of which I sold at work.

  The little girl was very pretty. She wore a dress and a pink necklace, each decorated with beating hearts. Both children already knew that I worked at the Vampire Supermarket and asked me a zillion questions about new vampire clown shirts, especially wanting to know when they would be available. I assured them I would let them know at the soonest degree.

  The dank room was lined with stuffy bookshelves that rose all the way to the ceiling. Senator BloodHunt directed me to a bowl of blood chips on a small table. The blood was refreshing. I’d grown thirsty from climbing all those steps.

  While I continued to nibble on the chips, Senator BloodHunt started to lecture me about what he did, and why we all should be grateful for having a free and efficient government. Apparently, he knew about my accident and mysterious past. What he said stimulated me.

  “So why does BloodFall have a dictatorship and we don’t?” I asked.

  “Because we have a system to protect our government from corruption. If this system fails, like it did in BloodFall, then we would be in trouble too. We must fight against all forms of corruption.”

  He informed us more about his current agenda, and I appreciated how he was including a clueless teenager like me in on this important talk. He discussed passing laws to help homeless vampires get blood and shelter. He also wanted to make gated communities illegal.

  “I hate the gates,” I quickly told him. “The gatekeepers are so rude. And you see those poor thirsty vampires dying in front of them.”

  “I’m glad you think like me,” Senator BloodHunt said, smiling. “You can be the first vampire to vote against the terrible walls of injustice and class division.”

  After talking for several more degrees, Mr. FreeCut and the senator shook hands. He handed my caretaker a few books and papers. But during the exchange, he accidentally dropped some of them onto the floor. I was astounded when I saw the emblem of TriFang on a piece of scratch paper.

  TriFang! Only the organization that had tried to freakin kill me!

  DEEPER INTO TROUBLE

  “What do you know about this!?” I demanded, pointing to the triangle and fang emblem that struck so much fear in me.

  He tried to shrug it off. “Oh, that was just something I
was drawing. Every once in a while I try to be an artist, just for fun. But honestly, I don’t think I could make it as a professional. That’s why I’m a senator instead.” He gave a laugh like he'd just cracked a great joke.

  I tried to wipe off my frown. But I couldn’t. All I knew was that my opinion of someone I thought to be a kind and righteous senator had nosedived.

  “I didn’t mean for my drawing to get in there,” he said to Mr. FreeCut. “Must have slipped it in by mistake. Sorry.”

  We said goodbye. I shook hands with him and faked a good smile. But could I trust him now? I didn’t think so. What a lying punk.

  After leaving the senator's office, we headed even higher up the building until reaching a restaurant deck. From here we were able to enjoy some spectacular views of downtown. Mr. FreeCut spent the few Carns he had with him by treating us to a plate of hot millifangs smothered in bloody gravy. Yet even this delicious meal could not erase the bewildered expression on my face.

  “What’s the matter?” he asked.

  I questioned him about the emblem.

  “No, never seen it before,” he responded. “Why? Is it bothering you?”

  For a few frantic moments I considered telling Mr. FreeCut everything. Then I remembered being told keep what I'd discovered a secret.

  “No, I’m fine,” I lied. “I just thought I'd seen it before, but I could be wrong.”

  Mr. FreeCut wiped some gravy from around his mouth. “Trust me. I’ve known Senator BloodHunt for years. He’s a good man and always tries his best to fight corruption.”

  I wondered if Senator BloodHunt was secretly at war with TriFang. But if so, why had he lied to me? Possibly because he didn’t want anyone knowing what he was trying to do. However, I could be wrong. He might even be a member of the organization himself. I just didn’t know.

  On the way home I could not get TriFang off my mind. Keeping all these secrets to myself was driving me crazy. I called Brett on my cell, saying that I wanted to spend the afternoon with him at Blood River Park. I was going to tell him everything, and I couldn't care less what my freakin messenger told me.

  After saying goodbye to Mr. FreeCut, Brett picked me up in his car.

  The afternoon was gorgeous as we strolled in the park holding hands, his alternating icy chill and warmth flowing pleasurably through my body. We passed trees that I'd once thought looked dead and dismal. But now, even in the daytime, their dappled vegetation made life in Vampire World only sweeter. Scarlet birds with visible skeletal bones coasted around above us, while a tranquil river of smooth emerald liquid with quaint bridges mounted over it ran lazily by.

  Brett and I climbed one of the bridges to peer down at the peaceful river. Our arms locked together and I basked in his sultry caress.

  “There’s something I have to tell you,” I said.

  “You can tell me anything,” he replied.

  And that’s exactly what I did for the next few degrees, giving him all the details about my furtive guide and the crazy chase he'd been leading me on. I expected Brett to understand that, if there really was some miraculous truth about me that I was unaware of, I badly needed to know about it.

  “What the hell?” he shouted, grabbing my arm tightly. “Are you crazy? You almost got yourself killed believing this wacko.”

  Obviously he did not understand.

  The funny thing was, he was right. But I didn’t want to hear that from a dedicated boyfriend. I wanted him to understand how I felt from every angle, not just the logical one. I wanted him to understand me, dammit.

  “But what if the stranger is right?” I asked forcefully. “What if there is something about me that I don’t know?”

  This only pissed him off more.

  “Why are you being so stupid?”

  Now I was getting pissed too. “Don’t you dare call me stupid.”

  “I don’t like calling you that,” he came back sharply. “But I've got no choice because you’re letting yourself be led around by some dangerous nutcase. I thought you knew Vampire World is full of screwballs? Looks like you forgot.”

  He could see I was mad, but carried on anyway. “You’ve got a hell of a lot to learn. I’m doing this because I love you and I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  “Love me?” I snapped. “Love me? You won’t even take me to the grave. And you’re telling me you love me?”

  I hated fighting. And the first fight in any relationship is always the toughest. But I couldn’t let him walk over me like this.

  “Oh please,” Brett groaned. “Don’t try to change the subject. Don’t try to avoid the fact that you almost got yourself killed.”

  I’d never been this mad before. For a moment I lost control completely and bared my fangs.

  He scowled at me. “How dare you do that! If you must know, I was going to take you to the grave this afternoon. But that's not going to happen now.”

  “You’ve been saying that forever!” I snapped. “I’m sick of hearing it.”

  He clenched his fists. “Dammit, I’ve been through a lot lately. Give me a break. At least I’m not the one following a bloodthirsty murderer around.”

  I couldn’t take any more of this. “Take me home!” I shouted.

  “Fine,” he said.

  I ran for his car and threw my sorry self inside. Even though I had stood up for myself, I still felt terrible.

  The ride home was done in total silence and seemed to last forever. While icy tears trickled down my face, Brett clutched the steering wheel in frustration and didn’t even look at me.

  When we finally arrived home I was expecting some sort of an apology, but got nothing. Not even a kiss. I stared into his still beautiful eyes.

  “If you want to be with me, you better listen to what I say,” he told me sternly.

  That kind of ultimatum only made matters worse. I jumped out of the car and ran for the house door without so much as a goodbye.

  While laying in my coffin crying, I felt like I was resting on pins and needles. I'd heard Mr. FreeCut say that when a vampire is hurting emotionally, they experience physical pain as well. I waited for my phone to buzz, desperately wanting to receive a call or text from Brett. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. I couldn’t take the rejection.

  I was supposed to be going with Brett to Kate’s party that evening, so I called and told her I was not feeling well. After that, I somehow managed to fall asleep.

  I woke up with bright sunlight shining through my window and remembered another of Mr. FreeCut’s wise sayings. He said that that when things are bad, just looking at the light of the three suns would make a vampire feel better.

  Well, right now I was prepared to try almost anything.

  DECISIONS

  I did feel a bit better, though it hurt like hell when I looked at my phone and saw there were still no messages. I wondered if he even wanted me any more.

  On the way to work I seriously thought about ditching my messenger. It made a whole lot of sense to do so. And if I wanted Brett’s love, which I certainly did, this was something I would definitely have to do. But I was not going to be the one to make the first move. If he truly loved me, he had to do that.

  I tried my best to keep my composure as the working morning dragged along. I was asked for help from what felt like a million customers. Some wanted shirts with knives sticking out of them. Others were more interested in bloody pants. Quite a few asked about 3-D T-shirts with three-headed dogs on them as well.

  With all the crap going on, it was hard to love my job today. The temptation to cry again was high as I thought of Brett and his wonderful face.

  “What’s wrong, Janice?” Mira asked, noticing my mood.

  “Oh nothing,” I said. “Didn’t sleep well. Had a rough morning.”

  I somehow smiled, even though it was hard to do. I really did love my job. I couldn’t allow anyone, including my unofficial boyfriend, to make me not love it.

  After that I felt a little better for a while. That was, until I chec
ked my phone again and saw there were still no messages or calls. For the rest of the morning I tried not to think about it, concentrating instead on climbing up and down the ladders and searching for clothes.

  Around lunchtime Mrs. FangCut told me to come to her office. I feared the worst. She was going to grill my ass for a poor performance that morning, even though I didn’t think I'd done such a bad job. But hell, I was out of it today.

  Stepping into her office, I grew increasingly nervous. My job meant a lot to me and I didn’t want to lose it.

  “How are you doing today?” she asked.

  I faked it the best I could. “Fine,” I told her.

  “Well, I wanted to present you with an offer, Janice.”

  She smiled before continuing. “You’re one of the finest workers I’ve ever seen at Vampire Supermarket. You’re great with customers, kind and hard-working, and your sales for a starter are unbelievable. So, I’m asking you if you’d like to be an assistant manager.”

  I told her most enthusiastically that I would, and how honored I was to have this opportunity.

  “There is one warning I must give you,” she advised. “You’ll be required to know not only the women’s department by heart, but the men’s as well. You’ll need to study the inventory every day, here at work and in your own time, so you can tackle the complex problems that managers have to face. Are you sure you’re up for this?”