Vampire Residence

XX

The group had ended up at the base of the escalator going to the next floor of the store, all waiting for one particular vampire to step onto the contraption.

Dorothea was at the front of the group, her eyes staring up at the escalator in front of them as though she had never set eyes on such a monstrosity before.

Eleanor was standing beside her, her tone slightly exasperated.

"Thea, it is not going to kill you."

Dorothea's eyes were still fixed on the escalator as she spoke, her voice filled with fear.

"Are you sure?"

Sybil was standing a little behind them both, still looking slightly irritated, but now more exasperated.

"It is just a moving stair... thing." She responded. "How terrified could you possibly be?"

Daciana was already standing at the top, waiting for the rest of them. Granted, she'd chosen to morph into a bat and simply fly to the top... after which she'd had to hypnotize everyone around into believing that none of them had seen a thing.

Dorothea was still slowly edging onto the first stair, her body flinching every time the moving steps made a clicking sound.

Finally, Eleanor had had enough, rolling her eyes as she moved to be behind Dorothea, grabbing her shoulders and pushing gently.

"Just... go..."

Dorothea let out a small, fearful whimper as Eleanor pushed her forward.

Reluctantly, she stepped onto the first moving stair.

Slowly, still flinching with every clack, she began to make her way up the escalator.

Eleanor continued to follow her, keeping one hand placed on Dorothea's shoulder in an attempt to calm her down.

Behind them, Garrett was watching Dorothea's painfully slow movements, his expression a mixture of worry and impatience.

Daci, who had already made it to the top of the escalator and was waiting for the rest, spoke up from her spot near the edge.

"Hurry up, you fools."

Sybil shot Daci a glare before turning back to Dorothea.

"Just... go faster."

"I am going as fast as I possibly can-" Dorothea responded as she stumbled on the next moving stair, flinching yet again, but quickly regaining her balance with Eleanor's help.

"You would think a 200-year-old vampire would have a little more... courage..." Sybil commented, trying her best not to sound utterly impatient- and mostly failing.

Daci watched the scene with slight annoyance, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for Dorothea to continue slowly shuffling her way up the escalator stairs.

Dorothea, having almost made it to the top of the escalator, suddenly tripped, nearly falling forward with a small gasp.

Almost immediately, both Garrett and Sybil took several quick steps forward at once as they prepared to catch her, but were both stopped by Eleanor, who had stayed behind Dorothea, keeping her balanced on her feet with one steady hand.

Daciana held out a hand to Thea as she neared the top, grabbing onto her wrist and pulling her over the metal grate at the end.

As soon as her feet were off the escalator, Dorothea fell into Daci, grabbing her shoulder with a look of both exhaustion and relief, letting out a slightly shaky breath.