Carpe Noctem

Chapter I

"So, what are you meant to be?" I ask him, our bodies swaying drunkenly to the loud music.

"A pumpkin," he replies, pointing to his orange shirt. I smile and place my hands on his waist.

"Listen," he starts, "let's find some place more quiet," I nod enthusiastically, happy to find something to take my mind off things, as he slithers his arm around my shoulder.

We walk up the stairs, and I try to dodge as many unconscious people as I can.

Then, we enter a bedroom. I think it's a guest room or something since it has minimal decorations and it's smaller than the rest of the rooms.

I almost lay on the bed thinking this night will end differently, till he opens up the balcony door.

"What are you doing?," I ask, confused. He just gives me a look and walks out. And i follow him.

It's cold out here. He slowly takes out a blunt from his pocket and my face instantly lights up.

He takes a deep inhale and passes it to me. I inhale, and inhale again to let the smoke fill my lungs. It burns my throat going down, and I slowly exhale.

"That's good shit," I say, passing it on to him.

"Thanks," he smiles, "grew it myself," and he takes the joint from my hand, bringing it to his lips.

We stay in a comfortable silence for a bit till he motions for me to come inside.

I sit on the bed and he goes to lock the door. Finally, some action. He sits down next to me then climbs on top of my lap, blunt still in his mouth. I take it from him and inhale deeply.

I don't take my eyes of his as I take my hand up to his jaw and open his mouth. Then I blow the smoke in his mouth and he starts inhaling. He doesn't break eye contact once.

The way his dark eyes look up at me through his thick eyelashes makes me feel trapped under his gaze, transfixed. I can't look away if I wanted to. So I do what any sane person would do and kiss him.

He immediately responds, kissing me back. He doesn't hesitate to open his mouth, giving me access. I grab onto a lock of his wavy blonde hair as he pushed me down, so i'm laying on the bed and he's on top.

He starts biting my neck slightly, and i dont even think about the fact that thatll definitely leave a bruise tomorrow, but whos thinking about tomorrow?

He bites and licks and I feel woozy from the shots and the weed and the rest is a blur.

I stirred awake. I struggled opening my eyes.  It was still dark out. I scanned the room. slowly realizing its not my room, my sight fell on a tall figure. It was the guy i was with last night. Couldn't remember his name.

"You leavin'?" I managed to say.

He was already at the door by the time I got a word out. "Bye, Attas," he said, before taking his jacket and leaving.

I fell asleep again. This time got woken up with an annoying sound in my ear.

"Leave, leave, leave and take your things with you." he exclaims, while picking up red cups and putting them in a black trash bag.

"Jesus, Reed, can't a guy with a banging hangover get some peace?"

"No, dude, you know how the uni patrol is like. word gets around, I'm not risking that, Attie." Reed replies. I just grumble a response and put my head further in the pillow. He notices and adds; "You can either get up and clean or get up and leave. your choice."

"Fine, fine, i'll leave. Just let me get dressed." I say, nonchalantly.

Reed leaves and I quickly put my clothes on, aswell as pocket my phone. 10:23 am. What day is it today? Thursday. I have a class in about thirty minutes.

"Bye, pencil dick. See you around." I say to Reed as i leave his place.

I get to my dorm and take a quick cold shower. I feel the cold water running down my spine and my tiredness goes away, while awareness comes in. With ice cold water, its almost like i can feel my brain solidifying.

After about 15 minutes, I'm dressed. Nike sweats with a black hoodie. The only clean things I could find. Before leaving I looked at the clock again, realizing I'm about to be late. I check the mirror one more time and examine my face. My lips look chapped, so i put a bit of chapstick on. my hair is a mess, i make a mental note to get it braided soon. My neck looks like someone had a feist on it.

I make it to class only ten minutes late. I take out my chromebook, knowing I won't use it. I'm completely zoned out. I rest my head on my hand and the professors lecture about socrates' life tunes out and I just think.

Think about school. About mom. My grades. Halloween. My friends. My birthday is soon. Twenty!

My attention is brought to the door. Last night's inquiry, bursted through it, out of breath and flustered. I check my phone. 11:03. Theres thirty minutes left in the lesson. He scrambles to find a seat and finally sits down. We breifly make eye contact before I bring my attenton back to the unwritten document on my chromebook. why do school hours have to be so excruciatingly slow?

The lesson finally ends, and I'm left with more questions than answers. My head starts pounding horribly, and i start to feel nauseous.

I pinch the bridge of my nose and hold on to my seat before regaining balance. Thank god i dont have any other classes today. I catch the guy looking at my direction again but dont think much of it.

I arrive home and immediately get in bed. my head feels like its going to explode, and i remember i had plans with Nate later, so i text him and tell him i wont be able to show up.

I fell asleep to the sound of thursday noon traffic.

i woke up in a haze. My mouth feels dry and I feel so hungry, like I havent eaten or drunk water in days. I get up and try to regain my balance, feeling dizzy.

I drank water and order some tacos from the local mexican restaurant.

I still feel dehydrated. weird.

It's been a few days since the party.

I haven't been going to my uni classes.

This is the worst flu ive ever gotten. I was tired and hungry constantly, but when i tried to eat or sleep i just couldnt. I havent even looked at myself in the mirror because I know ill look ill and disgusting, and i hate that.

My symptoms vary. Even my gums hurt badly. I haven't been outside much either. I feel as though my hearing senses have been heightened somehow, whenever i hear a specific sound it'll sound as if it were whispered in my ear, with a faint ringing after. I hear heartbeats. Even from people outside, I'll hear the heart pumping blood throughout the body, even the blood itself rushing in the veins, sounds as if someone played it on loud speaker.

Thats not normal, is it?

I entered the bathroom and decided to look at myself for once. I take a deep breath and hesitantly look up.

What the fuck? My eyes are bloodshot, as if ive been crying for hours, and my eyebags have worsened a thousand times over. But my skin, my skin is what amazes me. It's nearly perfect, glowing and all. Almost celestial, unearthly. The tan burnt umber color is the same, but it's almost like theres a sickly sweet radiance surrounding it.

Ow, fuck.

My gums start to hurt again. I take a look at my teeth and gasp lightly.

What the fuck?

The once dull ivory plated canines on my upper teeth have turned into more than half inch long sharp almost tusks. My bottom teeth, once straight and blunt, have turned into bulging gnashers with serrated edges.

Are these.. fangs?

I blink and my vision turns black.