The Vampire in Fishnet Stockings

The Castle

I don't know where I'm going or how far I'm getting, I just want to get away. It surprises me at first when no one come after me but I keep running. The grounds outside of school are barren and flat, easy to really run on. I stop briefly just at the curb, pausing to catch my breath, I hear a sound and resume my escape.

Some time later, I reach my neighborhood when I realize something; I can't tell my parents what's going on, I need to escape everyone, not even my own home is no longer my sanctuary. But where can I go?

My head turns to the forest, dark and ominous with clouds that probably hold rain. I turn all the way around, mouth gaping slightly with my tired breathes. Slowly, I start to walk, then jog, and finally I'm running, running towards the most isolated place in town.

~

It's raining hard, I'm not entirely sure when it started but now it's coming down in buckets. I'm soaked to the skin as my small blue flats slosh around with water on my numb feet, my arms feels frozen at my sides as I rub my upper arms, teeth uncontrollably chattering as my hair's plastered to my face and neck, making the cold breezes even worse. I sneeze, rubbing my hand beneath my nose.

Where is that castle? I look around. "It's gotta be here somewhere." But what if it isn't? The single thought makes me stop short, falling to my knees on the wet forest floor.

What if it doesn't exist? What if it never did? Because of all the rain I'm not sure if I'm crying or it's just raindrops dripping down my face. I'm ready to scream until I hear something: the roar of a motorcycle engine, getting closer by the second. I lower my hands to the ground and crawl into a bush, watching and waiting.

An entirely black motorcycle comes out of the shadows from god knows where, it's single headlight bright like the sun. It roars past followed by two more, driving on a path I swear I hadn't noticed. Once they're gone, I creep out and go the path they went. I push back a few branches and enter a clearing. I look up, and my jaw drops.

Several feet away stands a huge castle made of pale-ish red brick and dark green ivy that creeps over the entire first story of the building.  Despite the night, the building seems to glow with some inner power, drawing me like a moth to a flame. It takes me longer then it should for me to get across the ground, my sense of reason holds me back yet my numb feet urge me forward. As I step on the porch, a bit of movement catches my eye in the high tower window but when I look up there's nothing there.

I reach the door and greatly hesitate before knocking three times. There's a pause before the door ever so slowly opens, revealing an extremely pale man with stringly blond hair and hallow looking eyes. There's something about his empty looking eyes that stops me from speaking at first.

"Hello." The single word he utters wraps around my heart, squeezing gently as if to warn me. "Hi, I'm lost and was wondering if I could come in until the storm stops. Please?" He looks me over carefully, before stepping back. I nod a silent thanks before slipping inside. Upon entering, I notice how soaked my clothes are.

"I hope you don't mind but my clothes are soaked and I can't wait for the shower..." I pull of the uniform before he can say anything, followed by my socks and shoes until all I'm standing in is my violet bra and skirt. When I look to him, I find no once of surprise in his eyes. I ignore this and turn my head, lips parting as I look around.

Though there's not much light, I feel like it's all around me, the whole place feels even more welcoming then my own room. I walk to the staircase railing and run my palm across the polished wood, smiling at its smoothness. I turn back to the man.

"I don't believe I caught your name." His eyes stare so blankly into mine. "Riff Raff." I suppose any other person would've found the name odd, but I smiled with a nod. "Pleased to meet you Rif Raff." There's a brief flash of surprise in his eyes before it's gone like the wind. 

"Well look at that, we've got company." I turn around and spot someone at the top of the stairs. It's a girl, around my age with pale skin and a sparkly little gold top hat atop her short red hair. Her eyes lit up when I look into them.

"And it's a girl." She turns with a hand cupped to her mouth. "Hey Magenta, we've got another girl in the house!" "We do? It's about time!" There's the far off sound of a door opening, followed by footsteps and someone else comes to stand by the teen. She looks about eighteen years old, old enough to be responsible but young enough to goof off naturally. I glance at Riff Raff before looking back at her.

"Are you two related?" Both their eyes go wide. "Well what do you know, someone actually guessed it." The teen says, sliding down the banister and hoping off in front of me. She takes my hand and shakes it happily, smiling warmly. "My name's Columbia, nice to meet you Ms...?" "Christa." "Christa, oh I think you and I are going to get along quite nicely." I nod before an unexpected yawn slips from my lips.

"Forgive me for saying this but I'm kind of tired. Is there anyplace I can catch a few winks?" "Sure!" Columbia says, before pulling me up the stairs with a gleeful grin. We eventually reach a large room where she pulls some stuff off a bed and yanks back the sheets.

"You can sleep in my room for now." "Are you sure?" "I insist." Can't argue with that. I think, slipping under the covers as she walks out and flicks off the lights.

"Yo Genta, I gonna have to sleep with you tonight." "What? Why? You slept with me last night." "Christa's sleeping in my bed tonight. It's temporary I promise..." And that's the last I hear before drifting off to sleep.