Escaping Christian

26: Release

Song: River - Leon Bridges

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It was quite an unreal feeling being pulled from that place.

It was like dying and coming back. Being in limbo. But instead of coming back I was stuck. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be but it was lonely. The scenario my brain had stuck me in was a soulless Vancouver. Whether every other vampire desiccating was the same – a place with only yourself as company – I wasn't sure. This was mine.

Time passed but I couldn't decipher how much of it. I'd sat in my apartment, waiting to wake up but I couldn't. I'd tried sleeping and "waking up" but I'd still be in the same place. The only reason I knew I hadn't woken up – apart from the fact nobody else was here – was the colours I could see in. Everything was dull, there was no life in the trees, no brilliant blue to the sky.

Everything was grey.

The only thing keeping me sane was the fact I could wander around. Vancouver wasn't the same but it was similar and that was enough.

I knew the moment I was slowly coming back to life. I'd blink but couldn't open my eyes again. It was scary yes but it was a relief. I could feel the blood circulating through my veins, feel my body become my own again. My eyes closed one last time on my grey limbo; I felt myself slip into a dream. The colours were vibrant, the dream almost heaven like.

And then I opened my eyes. My vision was blurry at first, the sun peeking through the curtains made me flinch. Slowly, my surroundings started to come into focus. I recognised this room... I was at John and Amy's house.

Good lord, how much time had passed if I was back in Vancouver?

I slowly sat up with a wince. Although I felt a hell of a lot better, I still felt sluggish and tired. I glanced down at the tube coming from my arm and almost panicked, the memory of Henrik draining me of every drop of blood smashed into the forefront of my mind.

I took a deep breath at the blood bag hanging from the pole beside me and exhaled.

The door in front of me opened and I tensed. But it was only Amy. Her smile was cautious and I didn't blame her. I probably looked like a frightened cat.

"Hey," She spoke softly holding clothes, a toothbrush and a towel. I lifted the blanket and realised I was only wearing a large t-shirt. "Evie and I changed you. How're you feeling? There's water next to you, your throat must be dry."

I took a quick sip and cleared my throat. "Like I've got the world's worst hangover."

Amy's smile relaxed as she sat on the edge of the bed. "Good to know you've still got your sense of humour."

"How long have I been back in Canada?" I mumbled, crossing my legs.

"Three days, but you've been unconscious for five." She carefully took out the needle and patched up all the necessary bags and tubes. "Have a shower, come down and we'll talk about everything. You'll still be very thirsty so there's blood downstairs for you too."

Amy gave me a small hug and I hugged her back before she went downstairs. I stood carefully - I was a little unbalanced - and glanced at the note on top of the clothes.

I recognised the hand writing immediately: "If you wake before I'm back, I'll be by your side just as the sun sets."

I stood in the shower watching whatever blood the others didn't manage to wash off stream into the drain. The image of the human I'd killed when I'd been thirsty flashed across my mind and I flinched. I tapped my fingers against the tiles on the wall and took a few deep breaths to expel the thought.