Trapped

Chapter 8

The knock at the door cleared the silence that had begun to fill the room. Our eyes unlocked and stared intensely at the door. He quickly stood, as I turned away from him. Did that really just happen? I pushed it out of my mind; I figured I was just delirious.

He walked over to the door. I couldn’t look at him, so I stared at the TV screen. Some commercial for car insurance was playing. The man on the screen was speaking, but it seemed to be a foreign language, I could hear the words coming out of his mouth, but I couldn’t understand what he was saying.

 Stephan paid for the food then came back over to the table with to white plastic bags filled to the brim with square containers within. He set the bags down on the coffee table. There were four boxes in each bag. The aroma from the food quickly filled the air of his apartment. It smelled absolutely wonderful. It took a little bit of effort not to immediately dive into the food, but to wait patiently as he opened the bags and pulled out the food. As he set the food down on the coffee table he started laughing. I looked up at him. I didn’t understand what was funny. I looked at the TV screen, but nothing appeared funny there. Was it me? I touched my mouth, was I drooling?

“What?” I asked confused.

“When you have a vampire’s blood, it’s they become part of you, they can feel what you feel, and you right now, you’re dying for some of this food.” He smiled.

I could feel the blood rush to my cheeks as I blushed.

 “Oh, I embarrassed you.” He said obviously.

“A little, but you are accurate.” I said, trying to just brush it off.

“I didn’t mean to I’m sorry.”

This was strange, I felt like me, but I could feel what he was feeling too. He felt apathetic, he felt sorry… I wasn’t sure how I felt about this. It was all so confusing. I hadn’t realized it worked both ways. Did he know?

 “It’s alright.” I said smiling at him.

“You’re welcome to eat whatever you’d like.”

 I picked up a box -not bothering to see what was inside- picked up a pair of chopsticks and began to eat. Pepper steak, one of my favorites. I didn’t waste any time, piling a mound of food in my mouth.

 He laughed.  “Well is it at least good?”

I was still trying to chew. So I nodded my head buying me an extra second or two before I actually answered. “Delicious.”

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

“I don’t mean to be rude, but you eat human- people, this isn’t coming out right. You eat food food…?”

“Yes, I eat food, food.” He said as a huge smirk formed upon his face. “But I also drink human blood.”

Suddenly a knot formed in my stomach…

“Don’t worry.” He continued “I drink from donated bags… you know from like blood drives and stuff. Haven’t had the fresh stuff in years.”

I almost sighed in relief, but I was able to control the urge. But I wasn’t done asking my questions yet either. “How old are you? Technically vampires live forever right?”

“Yes technically we do. I am four hundred eighty seven. But my body is twenty-six. You’re what, twenty-one?”

I looked at him strangely “Well, umm yeah on July 24 actually… But what I really want to know is why did you break me out of there?

 “When I walked into that room, you were just laying there. It was almost like I could smell the death coming off of you. You looked so sad, so full of pain. I couldn’t stand seeing you there. And I knew if I didn’t take you, you would have died there. I don’t think I would have been able to live with myself if I had left you there. My conscience wouldn’t have let me.  ”