The Red City

Red in a City of Grey

I held my chest. Gasped for air. Opened my eyes. There was blackness. Pounded my hands in an upwards motion. A slight splint. I could finally see something. There was brown dirt all over me, I wondered how I woke up in the graveyard until I saw something engraved on a coffin, It looked a lot like my name, 'Sebastien, loving son & boyfriend, 1819-1854' I was shocked, is this all a dream? 

I wandered outside the graveyard, I saw people in a much different attire than me, they were in these clothes that showed their hands and legs, much different than the suit I was covered in. I kept walking forward to get some sort of clue about what has happened to me. I suddenly felt this burning sensation on my skin. I didn't quite know what it was, my skin turned red instantly, and I was burning up. Almost as if I was going to be lit on fire, I quickly ran back inside into the shaded region. It was funny, The red rashes on my body disappeared within seconds as I went into the shade. 'Have I encountered a new disease?' I thought to myself. Just to try this new ideology of mine, I went back outside and felt the exact same burning sensation, and it disappeared as soon as I got into the shaded zone. 'Am I allergic to the sunlight?' I asked myself, but I had never faced this problem before. 

Everything looked and felt so different. It felt like I had never lived in this town, even though I've lived here all my life. I saw someone struggling to lift this barrel of water. I went up towards him and asked him if he needed help. Shamelessly he said yes, I placed both my hands on the barrel and picked it up with ease. He looked astounded, and asked me if I workout? "Workout? what is that? I asked. He looked at me and laughed like I had said something hilarious. He asked me how I was so strong, but before that, he said this word that I was unfamiliar with. I reckon it was 'dude' I didn't know if it was an insult or a compliment. 

As dawn struck I tried to walk outdoors again, I didn't feel any burning sensation on my skin this time, I felt relieved and decided to go out and explore this new town. I always enjoyed looking up and observing the stars, so I figured why not do that today as well. I couldn't see those many stars today, so I went to find the moon, as soon as my eyes collided with the white ray of the crescent moon I shouted out in agony. I felt this immense amount of pain in my mouth. Almost as if another pair of teeth were growing in my mouth. I suddenly felt this insatiable hunger and thus went to the nearest tavern. 

My hunger didn't die down as I ate food, Instead my eyes turned to a blood-red color, and I could hear everything a whole lot clearer, everyone's heart beating, the blood flowing through their veins, from the neck down to the hands. I noticed someone walk outside into the trees, I casually followed him, he kept looking behind, I kept walking towards him, he started running, I chased him, however, I noticed that I could run much faster now so I caught up to the man in no time. He nervously asked me "why are you following me into the woods?" and so I replied "I'm hungry, and I could smell your fresh blood from a mile away" He continued running. I caught him again and told him to stop and standstill. Surprisingly he listened to me. He didn't move an inch after that. I tried it again, "don't scream," I said and he obeyed that too. It was almost as if he was compelled to do what I say. 

I pulled his hand towards my mouth, his veins pumping the fresh sweet blood, I opened my mouth and bit on his veins. As soon as his sweet blood flowed into my mouth, I felt stronger, faster, better, and bigger. As I felt full, I pushed his hand away from my mouth. My mouth was dripping from blood, which rendered him unconscious. As he gained consciousness, I told him to cover up my bite marks, and never to speak of this ever again after which he ran away. 

I didn't know what was happening to me, but I sure felt great, the feeling of people obeying everything I said, I felt like a king. As the sun rose, the burning sensation came back, and so I hid till it was my time to thrive again. Each night, I had to satisfy my hunger for the delicious human blood, but I was able to stop before I got in too deep. 

I was getting bored of hiding under a tree during the day so one night I decided to go and compel a townie to lend me his house and scram. I felt like royalty, until one day when I decided to take a bath. I started the water, undressed, and got inside. As soon as the water touched my skin the burning sensation came back, I was bumfuzzled. It had never happened all these days, I could drink water and there was nothing wrong so why now? 

I felt weak for a while, my bloodlust grew stronger, I saw this mundane, his scent drove me towards him, his blood was like nothing I'd ever tasted before, as much as I wanted to stop I couldn't. The urge was too strong to fight, I gave in and soon reached the bones of this poor mundane and buried the body for nobody to find.

Henceforth I buried way too many people for my liking, I couldn't stop even though I wanted to, this hunger was like something I'd never felt before. Everyone in town was scared, there were too many missing person reports, and too many animal attacks, I felt scared of myself.

I tried to fight the temptation but I had fallen too in, blood was a part of my life now, I felt weak without it, and my skin grew pale without it. I decided to go back under the sun in hopes that I would burn up and die since I couldn't increase the number of grieving families. Unfortunately, it was another failed attempt, turns out I couldn't even die. 

I started hunting animals, I figured rabbit blood might be better than human blood. It tasted disgusting, it didn't satisfy my bloodlust either. I didn't know what more to do until I saw this one person, I told him to do something but he didn't obey me, maybe I lost my power? I got excited. Maybe I can be human once again? I asked him for water, however, once I took a sip the same burning sensation lingered on my tongue and I felt weak. I asked him "what have you put in this water, why does it taste so weird" He answered, "It's got vervain, the mayor has put vervain in the town water as it is harmful to vampires"

"vampires?" I asked. 

"Yes, vampires, haven't you heard about all the animal attacks and missing person reports? It's not because of animal attacks, It's just covered up so people don't get worried, but I know the truth, It's because of the vampires, who secretly attack at night, and compel people to do things they don't want to, however, a vampire is at his weakest when exposed to vervain which is what was in the water, as well as they can't be seen under the sun, and an oakwood stake can kill them" He replied.

I was shocked, that was everything that was happening to me, Am I a vampire? I asked myself, but at least now I know why he didn't listen to me as he had vervain on him. I asked him curiously "why do you seem to know so much about this?"

He answered softly "because I'm a vampire hunter" 

I showed no reaction, waited for him to walk away, and ran. Maybe I can be killed, maybe someone is stronger than me, I felt scared. I felt vulnerable. My powers were rendered useless against him. I decided to stay away from him henceforth. 

Each day I tried to reduce the number of bodies I buried, fighting the urge, feeling weaker, until one day I could suck the blood out of a human without killing, I felt happier, weaker but happier. It felt good to know that some little shred of humanity is still there inside of me. But there was no end to this, each day feeling weaker and weaker, then going on a killing spree, then reducing the number of bodies I have to bury, till I felt weak again. It is a loop that never ended. 

I'd eventually lost all hope of becoming human again, I went on to the rooftop, looked up at the moon, then looked down at the boulevard and said to myself in dismay "this is my personal purgatory. All I can see is red in a city of grey."