When The Night Comes (What We Do In The Shadows)

3. The Night

It wasn't easy getting used to being here. I remember not having slept at all the first night, with my eyes wide open and listening to every sound, every step, every whisper. The walls seemed to be made of paper and full of eyes pointed at me. I found myself locked in this damp, moldy room with marsh green walls, wondering if I should find a way to escape or just stay to see what would happen, if my life would really change someway. If it really would've stopped, I'd say. Jesus, boredom can make really stupid choices for you. But despite my hopes I'm still here in all my humanity, with warm blood and a beating heart, waiting for something that's probably never gonna happen. Obviously Vladislav has not kept his promise yet, claiming that I'm not ready to become one of them...but the truth is he loves keeping me on a leash and having a free maid, fomenting my desire day after day. Making me covet it, showing me and telling me the beauty and the ugliness of eternal life. I do their laundry, iron their clothes, I dust, do their dishes and get them food every night. Having a human do all these things for you is less suspicious and makes everything seem less murky to people. A nice convenience, isn't it? I don't like to think they're taking advantage of me but...that's exactly what it is. So why am I still here, quietly accepting all this, waiting for someone to think I'm worthy enough to finally become part of a new world? The answer is that they're the closest thing to a family I've ever had. I like being with them. As the days passed they learned to accept my human presence and I got to know them better, spending some time together and studying each other a bit. I taught them the wonders of technology, showing how to use the laptop to watch videos, send emails...and in return they told me many interesting anecdotes about their lives that are hundreds in one, with so many things to share and tell. Deacon once told me about when he was almost killed after World War II, captured as a Nazi vampire and sentenced to death by firing squad. The way he managed to get away with it was very improbable, typical of a guy like him. Vladislav instead told me that once, but many years ago, he had extraordinary powers and was able to hypnotize masses of people at a time, creating armies and shaping their minds. He also taught me the importance of choosing the right chains while showing me his torture chamber. He's very proud of it. With Viago I spent some pleasant time listening to him playing his lute, over time he collected many books of poetry and has a real passion for the processing of clay: at his wheel he enjoys creating small jars and bowls, even if they do not come very well but a little crooked. With Petyr, well...I didn’t spend much time with Petyr. He’s not very talkative and I have to say that he creeps me out. But even though he doesn’t look upon favorably to the presence of a human in his house, I appreciate his effort not to suck all the blood out of my body before leaving me rot in the basement.

They're good guys despite their killer instincts.

The bed I sleep on is...well, at least is a real bed. Small but comfortable enough, surely better than a coffin. I didn't ask myself too many questions about cleanliness of the sheets and the mattress: I think there are things that are better not to know. How many hundred years has been here? Who knows where it came from, who slept on it, who died on it? I'd find bloodstains raising the sheet? Probably. But I'm aware that I'm not a five-star hotel guest, so...I think I should just be okay with it. My room is right above Viago's and at six o'clock at night I always hear his alarm clock ring, waking me up. Although I'm quite used to sleeping during the day I struggled a lot to adapt to their pace of life, completely distorting the normal way has led me to have strong headaches and a bit of fatigue...but I'm getting used to this, too.

During the day here life stops. Literally. The daylight doesn't filter through the thick curtains that cover all the windows of the house and it always seems late at night. At first my body rebelled against this change but in the end I found myself forced to accept it: what would be the point of staying awake during the day? There's no one to talk to, there's no one at all, actually. I don’t have any friends in town and a job anymore, but as preposterous as it is these four vampires are now all I have.