Nightshade

uriel - another endless night

Uriel took a deep drag off the joint, looking up as he let the music of the festival rattle through him, then blew out. He laughed and passed the joint to his left, grabbing a little packet out his pocket "so, who's up for some crys?" He was handed a pipe by another one of his company for the festival. Tonight was the last night, the next festival wouldn't be for days. He let the highs carry him through the night, the music's drums echoing through him as he sat in his tent with his so called friends.

The next day, he was awoken by one of his friends, his stomach growling. The woman said goodbye and headed out. Uriel didn't remember her name, but it didn't really matter did it? Not since that fucking day. The day he got in a strangers car as a rebellious teenager to get to a concert. The day a half mad creature tore away his humanity and childhood. Left him a blood drinking monster, that would never grow up. Never grow old with friends and family. Not that his family wanted anything to do with him once they heard he was a "fag." He wiped away an angry hurt tear and sniffed, rubbing a hand over his face and put on a smile, heading out of the tent to pack it up and get ready for his next destination. He knew it was a bad idea, but... he couldn't help it. He wanted to see them.

He stood outside, the rain coming down hard around him. He looked into the windows of his old school. It was a makeshift 20 year reunion. The function was filled with men, women, and children, well, teenagers. the men and women beginning to turn that point where they no longer saw themselves as the young people who had gathered here so long ago, had bullied and laughed and made friends, some of whom would last a lifetime. His gaze fell on the small group by the window. John, his best friend, and benefactor. Well.... it wasn't like they were best friends anymore, though the man continued to supply him pity money, an allowance he lived off of, since he couldn't keep a job for more than a year without risk. The man looked so... distinguished... happy. He watched his son and daughter, off to the side, talking, with pride. He looked at his wife with love. Every second he spent here felt like a blow to his sanity, and the hunger pangs didn't help, but he... couldn't bring himself to leave. If he stood here like this... just a little longer... he could just pretend. That he grew up with them, that he too got to live a real life, instead of numbing himself to the world and letting the beat of the music be his heartbeat. It was hopeless. He didn't want to die, but he didn't want to live. Not for another minute, much less for an eternity. He toyed briefly with giving himself up to the hunters that had begun combing the town he called home. But no... despite it all, he felt fear at the idea.

He wandered home, bumping into a stranger. He could smell them... their warm blood pumping away... it was sickeningly mouth watering. He bit his lip, hoping his fangs wouldn't slide out and give him away. That night, he went to a party, his fake ID proclaiming he was 21. He'd lost track of his exact age, though it was somewhere near 40. He spent the night out on the dance floor, eventually being pulled into a quiet mop closet to make out with a nameless man, and he lost control. He slammed the man against the wall, and he began to feed, his fangs piercing the man's tender neck flesh. He drank freely a moment, till he snapped back to his senses, feeling sick. He tore away from the man, apologizing and giving him a crumpled wad of hundreds, before stumbling out. As he headed out, he tripped, catching himself against the wall, ripping down a poster. 'A three day event! The best time, opened for by first time performer Luka and the way things go! Many other bands will be featured, such as...' It proclaimed. He checked the dates. Tomorrow was the beginning. Fuck it. He needed to get out of town. This was an hour or so's car ride out of town. He got home, got together stuff for the festival and got in his beat up van, heading out. He tried to look up the headlining bands. It was odd, the main band, the best time, was a rapidly growing in popularity metal/pop band with a good number of shows under their belt, but this... other performer, Luka and the... way things go? Was a nobody small-time musician who only posted covers to Youtube. He listened to a few. The young man's cheerfulness and talent were infectious, but it still seemed odd, especially as they had been proclaimed as a band, not just him. But hey, who knows, money flows in interesting ways. Maybe this will be good. He thought along the way back to his own music career he had once pursued...