Do It To Death

2

    Jack wasn't sure how long he was left to his own devices, but he did know one thing.  Although there was nothing that seemed to be keeping him in that basement, the stairs leading out of it were most definitely cursed.  Jack had spent what felt like hours running up those stairs, only to find himself right back where he started, lying on the cold concrete floor of the basement.
    He gave up after about six attempts, choosing instead to curl up on the concrete floor and try to get some sleep.  God knew he was tired.
    Jack awoke to the sound of footsteps.  He looked up to find the long haired creature standing in front of him, a torch hung on the wall behind it.
    It was strange, finally seeing what the creature actually looked like.  It looked almost... human.  But after the events that happened the day before, Jack knew that wasn't true.  Still, he felt a small sense of familiarity as he studied its features.
    The creature had dark brown hair to its shoulders and a beard, and was wearing a sweater and jeans.  As Jack looked back up to its face, he noticed that it seemed to be studying him as well.
    "Hmm," the creature rumbled, kneeling down in front of Jack.  If the memories of the day before weren't so prominent, Jack might've tried to fight off the creature.  But Jack knew the repercussions of that.  The repercussions dotted his arm like mosquitoes biting his flesh.
    The creature in front of Jack seemed... almost entertained watching Jack's facial expressions change.  It looked Jack up and down just as Jack had done to it, and then stood.
    Jack would never have admitted that he was afraid of needles.  But he didn't have to after the squeal that escaped his lips upon seeing the creature pick up a syringe.  Jack immediately darted to the corner of the room, although he knew there was no escape from whatever was going to happen next.
    The creature turned back to see Jack cowering in the corner and laughed.
    "Afraid of a needle, are you?" it chuckled, looking between the syringe and Jack's horror stricken expression.  "Don't worry, this won't hurt at all.  It's just a little prick, so I can study some of your blood."
    Jack still cowered, pulling the hood of his hoodie up and over his head, as if that would help shield him.  He felt a cold hand gently pull the hoodie back, and found the creature kneeling in front of him, still holding the syringe.
    "You're too funny," the creature said, smiling from ear to ear.  "It's just like the doctor's, nothing bad!  I even brought some disinfectant and gauze."
    Jack glanced down to see a small wipe packet and roll of gauze at his feet.  It wasn't kidding.
    "C'mon, just give me your arm, okay?" the creature said, hand moving to Jack's arm.
    Jack narrowed his eyes.  "You've kidnapped me.  How do I know you're not gonna inject some horrible serum into me that turns me into... I don't know, a pigeon?!"
    "A pigeon?!"  The creature suddenly broke into a fit of laughter.  "I'd lose you if you were a pigeon!  You'd fly away and live with all the others in New York, and I'd never get to finish my experiment!"
    Jack shuddered.  "I fuckin' hate pigeons," he muttered.
    "Goodness, Ryan would lose his mind if he were down here right now!" the creature laughed, wiping a tear away from its eye.  "It's a good thing he's not.  He really was set on eating you yesterday.  I don't know how I managed to keep his fangs in."
    "Ryan?" Jack asked as the creature picked up the disinfecting wipe.  "Who's that?"
    The creature's face went cold.
    "Shit."  The creature stood, throwing the half opened wipe to the ground and putting its head in its hands.  "Fuck, Ryan's gonna kill me.  I wasn't supposed to say that."
    Jack suddenly smiled.  All of a sudden, in this messed up situation, he had leverage.  "What, is Ryan that other dude's name?"
    The creature grumbled.
    "What's your name then?  Wait, no!  I'll guess!"  For the first time in the past roughly 24 hours, Jack felt warmth creep under his skin.  "Ryan's a pretty dumb name, so I'll have to think of something that fits with it.  Like Gregory!  But you don't look like a Gregory."
    "My name is not Gregory!" the creature groaned, head still in its hands.
    "George!  No, Georgina."  Jack practically purred that last name, just to get the creature to groan even louder.
    "How are you this fucking annoying?!"
    "It's a rare talent, only held by the last few members of a sacred tribe of people known only as dumbasses."
    The creature turned back to Jack, sighing to itself.  "Maybe Ryan was right about you..."
    "That Ryan guy really doesn't seem like he knows what he's talking about," Jack replied, trying to hide the small prick of fear that returned to his heart.
    The creature shook its head.  "How about this?  You give me your arm so I can draw your blood, and I'll tell you my name.  Deal?"
    Jack pursed his lips as he thought for a moment.  Was risking horrible death, or worse, becoming a pigeon, worth it to know this creature's name?
    "Deal," Jack replied.  Yes, yes it was.
    Jack rolled up his sleeve and extended his arm, allowing the creature to wipe the spot over the bend in his arm gently with disinfectant.  Jack bit his lip and looked away as the needle drew closer to his arm.
    After a moment, Jack asked, "Are you done yet?"
    A cold hand patted Jack's cheek, and he looked over to see that the creature was wrapping his arm in gauze, a full syringe of blood at its feet.  "Yes, I'm done.  Was it really that painless?"
    "I- I didn't feel it at all.  I was still waiting for it to happen."
    "Wow, I've gotten good then."
    The creature stood, grabbing the syringe of blood and roll of gauze, and walked to the entrance of the room.  It was about three steps up the stairs when it turned back to look at Jack.
    "By the way, my name is Adam."
-----
    Jack turned that information over in his mind for a while after the door shut.  They had names, both of them.  He honestly did not expect that.  But I guess everyone had a name, even someone not quite human.
    Jack had resorted to tying his sleeves into a knot and escaping into his hoodie to pass the time when Adam returned.  He carried a plate with what looked to be a sandwich on it.
    "I haven't cooked anything in so long, I don't know how I managed to only burn myself once!"  Adam looked down at the small burn on his hand.  "I wasn't even using the stove, really not sure how I did that even once."
    Adam kneeled down in front of Jack again, setting the plate down between them.
    "I figured it's been long enough that a human would probably start to get hungry, so I made you something.  I hope you like it."  Adam smiled, pushing the plate towards Jack.
    Jack examined the dish for a long time before he took a bite.  It wasn't amazing, but it wasn't bad either.  The pickles were damn good.
    Before he could fully think about the repercussions of eating a sandwich his captor made, it was gone, and he was wiping crumbs from his hoodie.
    Adam laughed.  "I guess I was right, you were hungry."
    Adam picked up the plate and stood, but paused at the entrance of the room.
    "You seem kind of lonely down here.  Not a lot to do."
    Jack watched Adam set down the plate on the first stair and walk back towards Jack.  Jack couldn't help wondering if this was the same person that had kidnapped him just the day before.
    "Mind if I sit next to you?" Adam asked.
    Jack nodded, and Adam took a seat next to him on the ground.  "I really don't like how cold this floor is, I've always preferred the warmth."
    Adam reached his hand towards Jack's wrist, and then paused.  "Can I touch your wrist?" he asked.
    Jack, unsure of how else to respond, nodded.
    Adam gently held Jack's wrist in his hand, feeling for Jack's pulse.
    "Wow," Adam breathed, leaning in to listen to the sound.  "I haven't just stopped and listened to a heartbeat in so long."
    Jack watched as Adam closed his eyes and smiled just a little, hair falling over his face.  He looked at peace.
    "Do you have a heartbeat?" Jack ventured to ask.  With how cold Adam's hands were, it seemed like a sensible thing to ask.
    Adam frowned.  "No.  I haven't had one for a long time now.  It's just cold now."
    Adam turned over his hand and opened his wrist for Jack to feel.  It was true, there was nothing there but cold.
    "Are you, like- not alive?" Jack asked quietly.
    "Nope.  Dead as a doorknob.  Have been for about 400 years now."
    Jack's face whipped towards Adam's so fast he thought he would hit the wall.  "How many years?!"
    "I think it's 412 to be exact.  I don't really keep track of those kinds of things anymore."
    Adam's face fell suddenly, and he sighed.  "I really shouldn't be telling you this stuff though.  I shouldn't even be down here.  Ryan would be so mad if he saw me getting attached to you.  I don't even know why I'm doing this.  I thought I got good at keeping my distance."
    "How old is Ryan?" Jack asked, wondering if Adam would even answer his question now.
    "A little younger," Adam said as he stood up.  "Somewhere around 250.  He's my fledgling, so it's been just the two of us for a while now."
    Jack nodded.  Fledgling.  That sounded like a word for a bird.
    "What... are you?" Jack asked, seeing that he had a chance for one last question as Adam leaned down to pick up the plate.
    Adam turned to Jack and smiled, but it was different this time.  It was colder, sharper.
    "A vampire.  But not a good one.  If I were a good one, you'd be long dead by now."
    Adam stepped up the stairs and closed the door with a soft click.