The knife froze above my skin. The scientists leaned closer, their eyes examining me. They never just looked at me, they always examined me. Then tortured me.
“It talked,” one noted.
I dragged my dry tongue over my lips, hoping to keep them interested. The effort made my throat raw. “What are you going to do to me?”
They stepped back to the TV and camera recording each moment spent torturing me. One rewound the tape and my voice rasped through the speakers. Another made a note in a book. Then they turned back to me and the knife sank into me.
Spots popped in my vision as the pain flared hot. I ground my teeth together and swallowed the scream that was trying to force its way up my throat. I would not scream, I would not show pain or give any indication just how weak I was. I would survive!
After long moments of heat and pain, the scientists leaned back, a few swiping at their brows. They gathered around the TV to watch. As the video played, one noted today’s findings.
“Specimen still shows no signs of healing. With no blood present, there is no clotting or scabbing. Heaviest injuries are to the neck. It looks like, when vampires fight, they go for the jugular to kill.”
Vampires try to bit the head off when we want to kill, I thought.
“It’s been a month, I think it’s time to move to the next test,” one suggested.
“I don’t know, I think we should take more time to study the lack of healing,” one disagreed after a long silence.
“There’s nothing left to study,” the first one replied. “It’s time to move on and study how vampires survive on blood and how it heals them.”
Hope spread through me at the mention of blood.
“We’ll have to be quick, only one or two tests. Anymore is too dangerous,” a third one said.
The scientists nodded in agreement.
“Excuse me, doctors.” A Vampire Forces officer marched up. “You’ll have to wrap it up; the vampire is due in court in fifteen minutes.”
The scientists scoffed as the Vampire Forces officer marched away.
“Can’t believe that it actually got a trial,” one commented.
“It’s only to appease the public,” the second one replied and eyed me. “Reporters found some old VF reports on this one. Stalked family members and kidnapped a little girl to kill. The public would be in an uproar if this one quietly turned to ash. They want its blood… so to speak.”
“At least it gives us time to study. VF always insists on torching them before we can find any real answers,” the third one added.
The scientists disappeared and the Vampire Forces officer reappeared with two others. Strapping a mask over my face, they bound me to a wheelchair and began pushing it down the white corridor, bashing the chair against the wall repeatedly. Voices grew louder as we approached a door at the end of the hall.
One torture down and another on its way.
****
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The crack of the hammer echoed around the room, the sound reminding me of breaking bones and the ones the scientists broke. The cold eyes of the human sitting high above the rest glared at each human before turning to me. A whisper of a thought dared me to move and give the judge a reason to destroy me on the spot. When I didn’t move, he tore his glare away with a scowl.
“There will be no fiascoes today.”
The humans agreed with silence.
The judge turned his attention to his papers, sifting through them and choosing one to read from. I barely heard him over the sounds of hearts pounding around me and tormenting me with their rhythm. The smell of blood wafted through the air. My stomach twisted in hunger and need clawed at my mind. If I opened my mouth and drew a breath, I could taste a hint of blood.
It was hard to describe how much I hated each human in the room with me. The one next to me stank of fear and it was agonizing being inches away from a scent that sang to me. The ones behind me wore on me with their incessant talking and movement. The ones in front of me made me boil with anger at the unfair judgment in their eyes and thoughts. And the human I hated the worst was striding to the judge at his prompting, chest puffed out and voice full of confidence and lies.
“Your Honor,” the lawyer said. “As I’ve stated many times since the start of this trial, this has gone on long enough. The evidence has been presented and there is no denying the monstrous acts this creature has done. Stalking a surviving family member and even following the poor man to college. How many students died while it was there? I shudder to think. And years later, it tormented his family. Again, I shudder thinking of the terror they felt. Then it snatched a young girl from the safety of her own bedroom with every intention on killing her. Probably raped her as well.”
“Uncle wouldn’t do that!” my niece’s voice angrily interrupted. “You’re not supposed to assume in a trial, you’re supposed to present facts. Why isn’t that damn lawyer asking for that comment to be dismissed? Objection!”
The judge banged his hammer. “I warned you, young lady, no more outbursts in my courtroom or you will be removed. Again.”
“Well, maybe if you had appointed my uncle a decent defender, I wouldn’t have to disturb anyone,” my niece snapped. “Hey you, grow a pair and defend my uncle!”
“You better get your child under control,” the judge growled as his gaze shifted.
“Mackenzie, you promised you wouldn’t make a fuss, you said you wanted to be here for him,” Dan spoke in a hushed, pain-filled tone.
Pain shot through me, skin stretching, wounds opening and broken bones shifting as I turned. My family sat three rows back, the rows between us and the seats around them empty. My niece was on her feet, anger written across her face as Dan tried to calm her. Rissa watched me with a mixture of sympathy and pain.
Tears filled my niece’s eyes when she saw me watching. She jumped over the rows between us, struggling to reach me. Her skin boiled, her rhythm slamming against me and her scent burned my nose as she hugged me tightly. “I won’t let them destroy you.”
All I managed was a strangled noise, something between a snarl of hunger and cry of pain.
“Get her out of my courtroom,” the judge ordered as my niece’s commotion rippled across the courtroom.
Two Vampire Forces tore her away from me, kicking and screaming, her foot catching one in the chest. A third aimed a flame-thrower at me, eyes and thoughts daring me to try something. The two carried my niece out of the courtroom, Rissa following.
“Order!” the judge yelled as the doors slammed shut.
Once everyone in the courtroom calmed, the lawyer resumed his speech on how I was an inhumane monster. I closed my eyes and let myself drift half way as I listened. This was so pointless, no matter what the trial decided, the outcome would be the same. I was going to be destroyed.
****
It was a tiny spark, small and delicate. It coursed through me, struggling at injuries, pausing in attempt to knit skin together and mend broken bones. Finally it faded away, not strong enough to survive.
But, for a second, I had felt alive!
My lips no longer hurt, the holes I had bitten almost healed. Pain still covered the rest of my body, injuries and bones still unhealed. But the tiny drop of blood felt as if it had worked miracles and the pain had lessened.
The scientists stepped back to me and started their examination. Their awe filled the air like electricity. One lifted his hand as if he was going to touch me, but thought better and dropped it. They turned to the TV and rewound the video to seconds before they dripped the drop down my throat.
“What do you think?” one asked.
“Amazing!” the second one exclaimed. “Look how fast the blood worked, seconds and the injuries to its lips are almost healed. If we could figure out how.”
After more discussion, they set the camera to record again and turned to me. One picked up a glass vial from the tray and unscrewed the lid. My eyes locked on the red, nostrils flaring at the smell
drifting to me. I strained against my restraints, snapping my teeth and hissing.
The scientists backed away at my increased movements. I forced myself still and they cautiously stepped back to me. The one holding the vial held it out and a few drops fell. I caught each one.
“More!”
The scientist returned the vial to the tray and quickly stepped away. They waited a few minutes before moving back in to re-examine my injuries, and then watch the TV. They repeated the process and slowly I felt my injuries heal and a small trickle of energy wind through me. When the last bone mended, miraculously some blood left in the vial, the scientists motioned to Vampire Forces to take me back to the silver room.
There, I lay on the floor and carefully tested myself. The trickle of energy quickly faded, but my need for blood had eased with the healing of my injuries. The air around me wasn’t as hot, the floor was refreshingly cool and the light not as blinding. With a sigh, I closed my eyes and let my mind drift to comforts beyond my reach.
I had grown used to daydreaming and understood now why humans did it. An escape from a harsh reality. For a few moments I could forget the pain, hunger and need. I pretended I was someplace better, home with my family. I’d listen to Rissa and my niece argue about her going to bed for school in the morning or watch Dan read his newspaper. I’d hold conversations with each of them and sit down at the table for dinner.
When I finally opened my eyes, the pain of reality threatened to consume me.
Too soon, Vampire Forces came back. They restrained me like usual and wheeled me back to the lab. Three times as many scientists were waiting, their excitement filling the air as they whispered to one another.
What were they planning?
Maybe this is it, a part of me whispered. The trial is over and it’s time to destroy the evil vampire.
Was it wrong of me to hope that? My whole life had been about surviving and now all I desired was the end. Deep down, I knew I didn’t want to be destroyed. I needed to survive, but the past few weeks had beat me down and I was tired. Tired of the pain, of waiting for what would come next and the confusion of it. If being destroyed meant I’d no longer worry or wonder, I welcomed it.
“Should we administer some anesthetic?” one scientist asked.
“I don’t think it’s necessary,” another replied.
They moved closer, double checking my restraints and wheeled the tray of instruments closer. Next, they checked TV and camera, making sure it was ready to record. Each scientist held his or her breath as one closed in with a knife.
The first cut went deep, deeper than usual. I gritted my teeth and swallowed any sounds of pain. The next cut went even deeper and when the scientist reached bone, he set the knife aside and picked up a drill. The high-pitched noise grated against my ears as the blade spun to life. Bones cracked and snapped at a touch from the blade. The scientist grabbed other tools next, holding my skin open and prying more bones apart.
The rest were excited now, leaning in to examine. More joined the first, prodding into the wound they created and sending jolts of pain through me. I found myself gasping, unable to hold back any longer.
“Stop!”
The scientists ignored me and kept working. Maybe they hadn’t heard.
I tried to raise my voice, wanting to scream, but unable. “Please, stop!”
I felt something snap in my chest and pain ripped through me. I arched off the table and a scream tore from my throat. Everything went dark.
****
It was a miracle when I woke in the silver room. When darkness washed over me, it felt as if permanent death had touched me. Black spots filled my vision as I stared at the silver walls. Pain throbbed through me, my skin on fire and burning down to my bones. My chest felt empty, the void terrifying me.
What had the scientist done?
Carefully, I crawled my hand up my stomach and along my chest. Torn skin met my fingers, the wound stretching down the middle. I could feel inside me, feel what was under the skin, the broken bones, torn muscles and tissue. Everything I shouldn’t be able to feel. Except for one thing.
I pressed my hand over the wound and slumped, exhausted, to the floor. “Why can’t I die?”
I slipped back into unconsciousness, falling completely unaware. I had never been unaware before, it wasn’t possible for a vampire. We’re constantly half awake, part of our survival demanding we know what’s going on even if we’re helpless to defend ourselves. When I rested, I couldn’t imagine being unaware.
Now, I welcomed the moment. It meant I didn’t have to think or feel pain or wait for what would come next. I didn’t care because I was unaware. Was that what permanent death felt like?
When Vampire Forces came for me again, they didn’t bother restraining me. They yanked a shirt over me and covered the wound in my chest. Next they dumped me into the wheelchair, enjoying each whimper of pain that escaped me as they wheeled me to the courtroom.
Humans filled the seats in the courtroom and more stood along the walls. Their excited whispers floated through the air and their energy filled the crowded room. I started hoping again, this had to mean the end for me.
All attention turned to my family when they entered. I twisted around in my seat, but too many humans crowded around them. I heard Rissa over the murmur of voices.
“Give us some space. Dan's not feeling well.”
“Do you think the vampire did it?” a voice asked.
“Can vampires cause injuries from afar?” another chimed in.
More voices shouted questions until the words bled together into an unintelligible stew.
“Shut up!” Rissa snapped. “We went to the hospital because Dan felt ill, not because of Tommy. Now leave us alone. We won’t answer any more of your ignorant questions.”
The humans didn’t back off until Vampire Forces pushed them back. My family broke free and took their usual seats. Dan slumped into his seat, his skin pale and face contorting in pain. His hand was clutching his chest. For once my niece didn’t look angry, her eyes darting back and forth from me to Dan.
“Sympathizers,” a voice yelled over the crowd.
More jeers rippled across the courtroom. My family ignored the jests – as they had the ones that came before. The jeers fell silent when the doors to the courtroom opened again. The crowd parted and Sunlight walked with her parents to a row near the front. The humans gathered around her, their voices sympathetic as they questioned her.
A human stood behind her, his hand on her shoulder as he answered. “Jamie is here to face the monster that terrorized her all summer. After today, she will finally put the nightmare behind her.”
Confusion rolled through me. I killed the monster that terrorized her. Who was the human talking about? He didn’t mean me, did he? But Sunlight didn’t think of me that way, I wasn’t a monster in her eyes. She loved me like I loved her. Why would she lie?
Why wouldn't she look at me?
A new pain filled my chest, burning hotter than fire. I felt myself burn up, the pain destroying me faster than the sun ever could. My body turned numb and my mind went blank. I fell back into my seat, nothing left of me. I was gone, destroyed without a lick of flame touching me.
I was nothing…
...Something touched my knees. The touch was soft and painfully hot. I blinked once, slowly becoming aware of my surroundings. Like the night I was turned, everything started to come back to me. I felt the ground beneath my feet, smelled scents in the air and heard noises. Only this time I felt like a zombie, an empty shell.
“Tommy, look at me.”
A human girl stood before me, something so familiar about her. Wide, brown eyes stared into mine and soft whispers echoed in my head.
Oh God, what have they done to you? I'm sorry, Tommy, this is my fault. I shouldn't have let you go to the dance. Please forgive me. I'm sorry, I'm sorry!
A tear rolled down her cheek and fell to my hand. A flicker of anger grew as I stared at the moisture. Why
did her crying anger me? The answer felt on the tip of my tongue and I struggled to speak. “Why… am I mad?”
“Don’t try to speak,” she whispered.
She knelt before me and lifted her hands from my knees. Her head tilted ever so slightly as her gaze shifted to something behind me. Gently, she lifted my shirt. Her eyes widened and her face turned white as snow. A scream ripped from her and humans rushed to pull her away.
“Let me go, I’m fine.” She pulled from their grip and knelt back down. Her hands trembled as she lifted my shirt again and her voice shook. “What did they do to you?”
I glanced at the humans around us. They looked nervous and ready to pull her away again. I knew I didn’t want that. The pain didn’t hurt with her near and slowly, I felt my brain restarting and thoughts returning to me.
She was my Sunlight and I loved her with everything I had.
And she loved me too. I saw it in her eyes as her thoughts told me how they tried to keep her away and told her they knew what was best for her. She knew what was best for her, what she needed.
Me.
I gazed in her eyes, knowing I needed her too. I twitched my fingers and she curled hers around mine. “My heart,” I whispered. “They took my heart.”
****
The judge banged his hammer and demanded order in the court. The humans settled into their seats, a few continuing to murmur and earning a glare from the judge. Once the last of the voices died, he threw his glare to me.
“I understand the vampire wishes to change his plea.”
“Yes, Your Honor,” the human next to me, Mr. Anderson, sprung to his feet. “My client pleads innocent.”
Everything had changed again, the trial, the torture and what it meant.
After Sunlight lied to get close to me and the discovery of what the scientist had done to me, she called to another human. He had strode forward without an ounce of fear in his scent and announced he was her lawyer and upon her request was taking me as his client. This fiasco of a trial had gone on long enough and it was time the court stop wasting tax payers’ money.
Being Human Page 26