by R. M. Garcia
“Where were you?” Kelly asked,
“I was with Stefan. It’s all good,” Abbie replied. Having Kelly so close, Abbie couldn’t help smelling her blood. It smelled different, almost softer than the blood from earlier that night. She was mere inches from Kelly’s neck. She was very glad that Stefan insisted that she fed once more. Otherwise, she wasn’t sure she would have been able to resist.
“So how was he?” Trista asked.
“He was great! Much better than Donnie,” Abbie replied, smiling.
“Abbie, why did you?” Kelly asked, sitting her down on the couch. Trista took a seat on the other side of her. She could smell Trista’s blood now also. Amazingly, it smelled very different; she could almost detect . . .
“Trista, did you eat steak for dinner? Abbie asked.
“Yeah, but how did you know?” Trista asked quite surprised.
“Uh, I smelled the onions on your breath,” Abbie replied.
“Come on, Abbs, quit avoiding the questions. Tell us what’s going on?” Trista demanded.
“To be completely honest, things haven’t been that great between me and Donnie lately,” Abbie said.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Abbs,” Kelly said.
“Yeah, he seemed like a great guy,” Trista said.
“No, don’t get me wrong. He’s a great guy, but we have drifted apart. I’m in college, and he fixes cars. We don’t have a lot of time to see each other. It just doesn’t feel the same anymore,” Abbie continued.
“Abbs, I didn’t know. Why didn’t you tell us?” Kelly asked.
“I wanted to be sure. I wanted to see if I could be happy with someone else,” she said. Kelly and Trista hugged her tightly, expecting her to cry, but Abbie never shed a tear. Abbie was also really glad she gorged just before coming downstairs.
“I have decided to break up with him when I get back,” Abbie declared.
“Dang, sorry, Abbs,” Trista said.
“Don’t be, it’s been coming,” she said. “I just want to spend the last few days here with Stefan and start over when I get home.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Trista said.
“If that makes you happy, Abbs, I’ll support you,” Kelly said.
“Great! OK, I am leaving the resort to spend more time with Stefan. All my stuff is packed, and it’s in his car already. I let the front desk know too. You guys can still use the room for the last couple of days,” Abbie explained.
“Wait a minute! You’re ditching us?” Trista’s tone expressed how offended she was.
“Get over it. You still have this incredible room. Quit judging me!” Abbie snapped.
“We aren’t judging, Abbs. We’re just surprised. This isn’t at all like you,” Kelly said.
“Why, because I don’t take any risks or because I plan everything I do?” Abbie asked.
“Yeah, sort of, this isn’t like you. You are running off with a complete stranger.” Abbie knew that her oldest friend was concerned for her.
“Yeah, Abbie, I have to agree with Kelly on this one. I don’t think it’s a good idea to go shack up with him.” Abbie took a deep breath. It was now or never.
“You two are such hypocrites! Kelly, you sleep with another guy to get revenge on Trevor for something he never did. Have you even told him? I bet you haven’t,” Abbie said.
“No, I haven’t told him. I’m scared to,” Kelly replied.
“You cheated too, Abbs,” Trista said.
“Yeah, but I’m breaking up with him. I’m not letting him think he’s the only guy I ever slept with. Maybe I’ll let Trevor in on that little fact,” Abbie said coldly.
“Whoa, Abbs, Kelly is your friend. Don’t treat her like this,” Trista said.
“What about you, Trista? You spiteful bitch, you aren’t happy unless someone else is wallowing in misery. I bet you will wait a week, then call Donnie to see how he is doing,” Abbie said, making quotation marks with her fingers on the word doing.
“I can’t believe you, Abbs. What has gotten into you?” Kelly asked in complete shock.
“I just see everything a lot clearer. I can finally see that my supposed friends think me incapable of living my own life. Well, I don’t need friends like you in my life any longer. So do whatever the fuck makes you happy and leave me out of it!” Abbie yelled. She got up and walked out of the villa, slamming the door on the way out. Abbie was met outside by Stefan. She fell into his arms sobbing. She could clearly hear Kelly crying inside and Trista cursing up a storm.
“Good job. I know that was hard. Let’s get out of here before they decide to follow you,” Stefan said as he guided Abbie away. “We need to prepare for your parents and Donnie.”
Kelly and Trista checked out that very same night. Kelly stayed with Trista until she was able to get a flight back to DC. Abbie watched them from the sixth floor as they got into their cab.
“I feel terrible,” Abbie said.
“Take comfort in the fact that I won’t have to rip their heads off.” Abbie was startled by his remark but knew he was completely serious when he said it.
“What’s next?” Abbie was completely numb.
“Your parents, have you decided how you want to handle them?” Stefan asked.
“I tried writing letters, but they can’t be sent. The argument worked OK. Let’s go with that one,” Abbie replied.
“Let me see the letters,” Stefan said. Abbie handed him two letters. He read them over and shook his head.
“You’re right. They would get on a plane the moment after reading it. I’ll help you write another one after the argument. I’ll keep these for now,” Stefan said, and he put the letters into his pocket.
“Are you coming back to New Jersey with me?” Abbie asked.
“Yes, we leave tomorrow night via train,” he replied.
“Why the train, it’s slower.”
“We can control the environment on the train, less security, and we need time to rehearse. This one will be harder,” Stefan explained. The trip up took almost two days on the route Stefan booked, and Abbie agonized over what she needed to do. She was not sure if she would be strong enough to see it through. They arrived a few hours after sunset. Stefan watched from the shadows as Abbie got into Donnie’s car. As soon as they were out of sight, he took off running. Since he was not limited to using only roads, he easily arrived at Abbie’s house before them.
“I’m on the roof,” Stefan whispered, knowing full well it was clearly audible to Abbie. Abbie nodded slightly, letting him know she heard him. Stefan watched and listened carefully, and she broke up with Donnie. When Donnie asked Abbie to get out of the car, he whispered to her again.
“He’s safe now, go inside,” Stefan instructed. Abbie went inside and began screaming at her parents. Stefan coached her the entire way. She finally went upstairs and slammed the door and locked it. Abbie opened the window and invited Stefan inside. Abbie still lived in this house, so she was able to enter it at will, but Stefan had needed an invitation. Abbie marveled at how such an old legend was true. She pondered momentarily what Stefan would have done if she had simply locked him out but then imagined him setting fire to the house.
“Good, we’re almost done,” Stefan said.
“I can’t do it. I have to apologize,” Abbie said.
“Don’t lose your resolve now. I am in the house already,” Stefan reminded. “If I have to, I’ll go downstairs and . . .”
“No! But, can we change it?”
“To what, we’re almost done?”
“Don’t kill them. I just don’t think I can look them in the eye. Please, Stefan, I made them cry,” Abbie begged. Stefan stroked his chin and paced a little. Stefan smiled; his plan for her was coming to fruition.
“OK, let’s change it to suicide. I’ll break your neck and string you up,” Stefan said. “It will make it look like you hung yourself. Hurry and write a suicide note.”
“But my neck will heal within hours,” Abbie said as she wrote out a quick suic
ide note. She never thought she would be here at this point doing this to her parents, but what choice did she really have? She handed Stefan the note.
“Yes, but it will immobilize you long enough to sell the ruse.”
“OK, let’s do it. So you won’t hurt them, will you?”
“It shouldn’t be necessary now,” Stefan answered and snapped Abbie’s neck in one swift action. It took Stefan only minutes to hoist Abbie’s limp body up. He had brought along a rope in his pack. Abbie wondered if he had planned this as she was hoisted up. “Remember not to make any noise. You may not be able to move, but you will be able to hear and feel everything,” Stefan instructed as he looked out the window just in time to see Donnie arrive back at the house. “Your boyfriend is back, and no, I won’t hurt him either. Now play dead.” Stefan unlocked the door and jumped out the window. Moments later, Donnie opened the door to Abbie’s room and screamed. Stefan smiled as he stood on the roof. His phone rang. He looked down and again smiled. He had after been expecting this call. “Hello, Hulderich, we are almost done here.”
“You have undone me! You bastard, I will destroy you!” Hulderich screamed though the phone.
“You are such a fool! Did you really think that after thirty years of hell and killing my blood mother, I would just walk away?” Stefan said calmly into the phone.
“How did you mask her Jew blood to me?”
“That was easy. I fed her some on your favorite donor’s blood a few hours before. What is her name, Heidi? I wasn’t sure it would work, but the familiar taste masked her Jewish taint.”
“I am coming for you, Stefan! I will be there very soon.”
“Save your threats for someone they will actually frighten. The Führer has undoubtedly already dispatched executioners to destroy you and your half Jew child. I will be long gone before you get here,” Stefan said, laughing.
“Where is she?”
“Hanging from the rafters in her room, I broke her neck. She will recover in a morgue completely alone.”
“You will be held accountable for this by the Führer!”
“I don’t think so. My actions also fall under your accountability. You never released me,” Stefan reminded. “Face it, I outplayed you.” Stefan hung up the phone.
He lay on the roof in complete satisfaction. He watched as the coroner arrived and packed Abbie up in a body bag. He was certain that she had heard every part of his phone call with Hulderich. He moved stealthily over to the coroner’s wagon. And spoke once again.
“Abbie, I am sorry it came to this and that I used you. I never thought I would care about a half Jew girl, but as it turns out, I found myself admiring you. So I want to give you some advice before I leave you. Hulderich is coming, so you need to run. First chance you get, flee, and never stop running. I’m not sure how much time that will buy you, but you may get lucky. I made you a promise, and I will keep it. I won’t harm any of your loved ones. I would suggest disappearing from the morgue as soon as you can. Good luck,” Stefan said. “Oh, one last thing, I mailed your two letters before we left Florida. Maybe they will provide your loved ones the peace they will need to accept your loss.” Stefan finished and vanished into the night. Abbie had no choice but to listen to it all.
CHAPTER 19
Run
ABBIE TRIED TO gather her wits on the ride over to the morgue. She could barely move a finger, and healing was using up her blood stores. She remembered that if a vampire is forced to heal from a big injury, it would need blood sooner, and she was now unsupervised. The coroners placed her on a cart and rolled her into the morgue. She could hear them talking and could feel the bag being opened.
“What a shame! She was so beautiful,” the examiner said remorsefully.
“No autopsy, the parents’ religious beliefs,” the coroner said.
“I don’t need to do one. I can tell her neck is broken. I’ll do an x-ray to make sure and satisfy all parties involved,” the examiner said. The examiner took several x-rays and determined that her neck had been broken by a swift and violent action; he wrote it was consistent with suicide. A lab tech came into the morgue.
“The Hevra Kadisha is here for Abigail Gottlieb,” the tech said.
“That was fast. Tell them they can have her in ten minutes. I have to finish my paperwork,” the examiner replied. The tech nodded and exited the morgue. Abbie knew what that meant. The Hevra Kadisha or Holy Society was a group of Jewish people that took care of handling a Jewish funeral. They made sure that all traditions were carefully followed. Tomorrow was Sunday, so she would be buried no later than Monday. Abbie could hear familiar voices in the hall outside.
“You need to leave, Donnie,” Cecilia said.
“I want to see her,” Donnie argued.
“Listen, her mother wants a Jewish funeral for her. There are traditions that need to be followed. I know it’s hard for you, but you can’t be here,” Cecilia explained.
“Let me help,” Donnie pleaded.
“Absolutely not. You need to let me handle this,” Cecilia said. “I’ll see if the rabbi will allow you to be the Shomer,” Cecilia said.
“What is that?” he asked.
“It’s the role of the guardian. You would stay with her until she is buried and make sure her remains are undisturbed,” Cecilia explained. “Go home. I’ll call you when it’s time.” Donnie went home and lay down to sleep. He wasn’t sure why, but he knew he would need his rest.
Abbie was taken to an isolated room and was followed in by a rabbi and several women. Abbie was sure that one of her aunts was in the room. They performed the Jewish ritual of the Taharah. Abbie’s body was cleansed and covered in a special white shroud called the Tachrichim. The rabbi exited the room and spoke to Cecilia. She had made all the arrangements by phone, and Abbie could hear that she would indeed be laid to rest on Monday. Abbie began to admire Cecilia’s tenacity and how calm she was through all this. She really was a “grab a bull by the horns” type of girl. The ladies exited the room, and the rabbi finished saying a few prayers and waited for the Shomer to arrive. Cecilia called Donnie and explained to him what he was supposed to do, and he arrived a few minutes later.
Donnie arrived and took his place as the Shomer. Camille had not objected, so the rabbi permitted it, even though he himself was not Jewish. Donnie took a seat next to Abbie and simply stared at her. Abbie heard him get up and walk around a bit and unfold a piece of paper and refold it. He did this repeatedly. Abbie didn’t know what to do. After a few hours, she could feel that she could move once again, and she was getting very hungry. She waited as long as she could and then opened her eyes. Thankfully, the room was pitch-black. She looked around and could see Donnie sitting in a chair. He was asleep. She could smell his blood; it smelled incredible. She could hear every heartbeat as it pumped his blood through his veins. It took everything she had to avoid attacking him. She sat up and snuck out of the secluded room. She moved down the hall as quietly as she could. She needed blood, and she needed it now! As Abbie was planning her next move, an ambulance pulled up.
“What do we have here?” the examiner asked.
“It was a bad one, two DOAs, car accident,” the coroner replied.
“OK, I am going to lunch, so just roll them into the examination room, and I will perform the autopsy when I get back,” the examiner said.
“OK, Doc, they aren’t going anywhere,” the coroner said as he rolled the bodies into the examination room one by one. Abbie remembered what her manual had told her and slipped into the room after the coroner left. Dead blood is not good for you, but it is better than starving. Abbie opened the first body bag. There was a black male in it. She felt his skin, and he was still warm. It would have to do. He had several lacerations and broken bones. The coroner was right. It had been a bad accident. Abbie elevated his legs and made an incision with a nearby scalpel and began to drink the outpour of blood. It smelled and tasted funny. Abbie could only compare it to milk about to go sour. She drank as much
as she could without suspending him by his legs. She knew that in the morning her casket would arrive, and she would be locked inside. She decided to repeat the process on the second body. She would need a store of blood to last her a few days. This bag contained a black female. Her injuries were far worse than the man’s; yet her body was warmer. Abbie could only guess that she lingered a while longer before dying. Abbie felt terrible that after their deaths, she had to defile their bodies in such a manner. As she remembered Stefan’s words about going mad and attacking people blindly, she made an incision and drank. This blood was not great, but not bad either. Bland was the best way to describe it. When she was finished, she was gorged, and after sealing the bags back up, she snuck back into her room. She considered making a run for it now, but there was a guard by the door. She would have been spotted.
Donnie was still asleep in the chair. She walked over to him silently. She leaned down and stopped when she clearly heard a low guttural growl come from behind her. She turned around but saw nothing. She turned back to Donnie and kissed him on his cheek gently. “I will always love you, Donnie,” Abbie gently whispered into his ear. “I’m sorry for this. I hope you will understand one day.” She again heard the growl and swore she saw something very large lurking in the shadows, but upon closer inspection, there was nothing. She lay back down on her table and placed the shroud back over herself. In the morning, her casket came, and Abbie was placed inside. Donnie never left her side. Misha brought him a change of clothes and encouraged him to eat, but all he did was drink a little bit of water. Donnie spent Saturday night, all of Sunday, and Monday morning by Abbie’s side. When she was finally taken to the cemetery on Monday afternoon, Donnie had not eaten or slept in well over twenty-four hours. He had also not uttered a word.
Abbie woke as she was placed in the earth and could tell what was happening. She felt quite odd listening to her own eulogies. One was Jewish, and the other was Catholic. She heard the rabbi comment to his aunt that Donnie had been the most dedicated non-Jewish Shomer he had ever seen. Abbie remained quiet throughout the entire ceremony. The detachment was almost over. Whatever happened to her now, she was sure that her parents, friends, and Donnie would be left alone. She had thought the worst part was listening to her parents’ cry. She was wrong, so very wrong. She heard Donnie and Misha speaking directly above her. Her hearing could easily make out their words, even though she was underneath six feet of dirt. After a few words, Misha and Cecilia walked away. She placed her hand on the top of the coffin as Donnie began to speak.