Our Dwindling Night (A Vampire Gerard/Frerard Fanfiction)

Chapter One

"So Many Bright Lights to Cast a Shadow"

The day dawned bright and warm. Outside the world was alive with activity as people enjoyed the summer weather. Gerard sat in his apartment, lit only by electric fairy lights, alone and sweating in the claustrophobic heat. The small window that was open previously was  now covered with a wooden board. Dipping his brush into thick yellow paint, he added the finishing touches to his acrylic sunset. This little room was his studio, festooned in drawings and paintings. Beach scenes from his photographs, sunsets, but mostly comic book character designs. There are half boy, half blue gorilla hybrids, a gang of rebels with a car painted with a stylised spider and even depictions of a dark, menacing marching band. Satisfied with his latest addition, Gerard hung it up with the rest, and then frowned as hunger pangs wracked his skinny frame.

Clutching his stomach, Gerard hurried to the fridge and grabbed two ready meals, a Chinese and some type of lasagne and threw them in the microwave. When ready, he ate both from the containers, not bothering to put them on a plate, scooping them down still piping hot. Throwing the rubbish onto the coffee table to join countless others, he sat a while, fidgeting. The food seemed to do nothing to curb the pain in his stomach. All alone, deathly tired and in terrible discomfort, Gerard let a single tear run down his pale face before wiping it away angrily, he didn't know what to do, and he had no-one to vent his anxiety to. After stewing a while in the heat of his dark apartment, he decided to visit the hospital once night crept in, to finally find out what was wrong with him.

***

"Deep breath" instructed the doctor softly "and another"  Gerard did as he was told, taking wheezy breaths as the Doctor pressed the cold metal of the stethoscope the his chest.Pulling the instrument out of his ears the doctor motioned for Gerard to look at him. "I need you to be honest with me" he said sternly, looking Gerard right in the eyes. "You're showing signs of cirrhosis, you're glands are swollen, you're jaundiced." he paused "Your body is telling me you're malnourished, but you say you're eating like a horse. One of you is lying."

Shaking his head slightly, Gerard moved to get up "This was a bad idea" he said softly to himself, turning and pulling his shirt back on

The Doctor continued "You may be developing some type of anaemia"  his face was drawn with concern. "I won't know till I run some tests." 

Gerard looked at the Doctor again, frightened but half relieved at the his conclusion.

****

Later that night, Gerard was back at the desk in the lobby of the office block. Squinting at the computer, he typed "anaemia" into the search bar. Reading the results softly to himself, he was so absorbed by the screen that he didn't notice the cleaner shamble towards him, carrying a broom.

"Feelin better?" the man asked, smiling slightly at Gerard.

Pulling his eyes away from the computer, startled, Gerard replied. "Oh...um..yeah a little bit"

The cleaner nodded to himself as he placed his broom against the wall. "You just fell right over" he chuckled, motioning the fall with his hands.

"Thanks again for helping me" Gerard half smiled back.

"How old are you?" questioned the cleaner

"24" answered Gerard, eyes back on the computer screen.

"Cause they say that human body stops growing at age 25." continued the cleaner, leaning on the desk. Gerard looked up at him, confused.  "Yeah. You're in the last stages of something, like a..a caterpillar turning into a butterfly" Gerard frowned at the strange old mans rambling, smiling slightly. "I don't think so" he laughed softly to himself. The cleaner also smiled and grabbed his broom from the wall, turning to return to his work. Gerard looked up again, watching the man sweeping the shiny floor, shook his head, and returned to his internet browsing. 

His job was done at around 5am. Gerard decided to pick up some more food on his way home, having nearly emptied his fridge yesterday. Popping into the local convenience store, which was empty besides him, he walked along the aisles, deciding apon bread, a chocolate bar, and a few more ready meals. Passing the meat counter, he paused. reaching down, he chose a thick steak, bright red and juicy. Licking his lips and smelling it through its vacuum packed plastic, he placed it carefully in his basket.

Back at his apartment, he immediately fried the steak in his rusting pan and ate it the moment it was ready, not waiting for it to stop spitting. Disappointed that it did noting to satisfy his hunger, which was becoming desperate, he sighed, massaged his temples to calm his headache, and decided to clean up the mess of his kitchen. Screwing up plastic wrapping and throwing it in the bin, he made his way though the mountain of rubbish on his worktops, until he came to the steak packet. The Styrofoam container that had held the meat sat on the side, blood pooling at its corners. Gerard picked it up and tilted it slightly so the viscous liquid ran to the opposite corner, its coppery smell filling his senses. Struck by the sudden urge to put the container to his lips, Gerard was unable to resist and before he was aware of his actions, he had tipped the blood into his mouth. Surprised at its pleasant taste, he swallowed hesitantly, waiting for his gag reflex to hit and for his stomach to reject the liquid. But it never happened. Instead, he thought, although he couldn't be sure, that the pain in his belly subsided slightly.

Confused and slightly scared, he slowly placed the empty container into the bin.