Deadly Eternities

CH2: Dying Sucks

      DYING SUCKS||02

     My favourite place in the world was now marred with death, death I caused myself. I refused to look back at the old maple as I ran as fast as my legs would carry me away from it. My backpack bounced against my back as I sprinted across the park grounds with it slung over one shoulder.  My eyes burned with the tears daring to fall. I couldn’t face stopping though; I knew as soon as I did, I would break down once more.

    I slowed as the park gates finally came into view. I hugged my arms around myself and walked out onto the street. The street lights made strange shadowy patterns over my clothes and the ground as the pale light streamed through the bars. The gothic entrance to the park had once been a beacon of hope, the entrance to my place of escape; I now found myself wanting to get as far away from them as possible.

    The light crunching of gravel was barely audible behind me. I paled and spun around to face whoever it was following me. “W-who’s there?” My voice shook as I whispered into the empty air unable to find the source of the sound. “I-I’m armed! Come out now-- or I’ll hurt you.” The first part was a lie; I wasn’t armed with anything apart from my heavy backpack. The latter though was somewhat more true, and just the thought made me nauseous.

    “You’re new, aren’t you?” A soft voice asked, although it sounded more like a statement than a question. I whipped back around confusedly; the voice was behind me now. He leant against the nearest street light, his hands tucked into his jacket pockets. The light cast shadows across his face, giving him an air of darkness as he looked upon me with an indecipherable expression.

    I scowled as an attempt to mask my terror, “New at what?”

    His expression didn’t change, but he lifted his gaze to look me in the eye. “You’re a vampire . . . and I’m guessing you’ve only just turned.” He ran his hand through his untidy black hair and let out a tired sigh, “How did you die?”

    My eyes widened at his accuracy. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I lied with false confidence in my voice. I bit my lip (carefully avoiding my new fangs), and began walking in the opposite direction to him.

    A sudden breeze whisked past me, sending my hair flying. He slowed beside me with mild curiosity in his otherwise mask-like face, “You didn’t answer me. How did you die?” He picked up his pace as I unsuccessfully tried to out speed-walk him.

    “I’ve no idea what you’re on about. Now if you don’t mind, please just go away or I’ll have to call the cops on you.” I answered firmly as I tried to pretend to myself that this all-knowing stranger wasn’t scaring the absolute crap out of me.

    I glared around at him as he grabbed at my shoulder, but before I could protest he pulled something shiny out of his pocket and placed it in front of my eyes. “Stop avoiding me, I know you’re a vampire—just take a look at yourself. But please, just answer my damned question!” He insisted, thrusting the object in front of me once more.

    I sighed took a closer look at thing; it was a reflection of myself . . . but . . . not me. It looked like the moon had been imbedded in my eyeballs; my usually dark grey eyes were now shockingly silver. I opened my mouth and let out one of the soft sobs I had been holding back as I took in my new fangs for the first time. In the exact places my canine teeth had been previously, were a deadly looking pair of fangs. They ended just beneath my top lip and were visible even without my mouth fully open. “Oh my god . . .” I couldn’t take my eyes away from the foreign beast showing back in the mirror—that reflection, that monster, was me.

    He cleared his throat from beside me and motioned towards the mirror. Reluctantly I handed it back to him, “So that’s how you knew.” I said, finally understanding how he’d known so much—it wasn’t exactly that hard to figure out. “Why did this happen to me?” I questioned, “I don’t want to be like this. I-I murdered that man, and enjoyed it; I enjoyed draining the life out of human being.” The tears began to trickle down my face once more. I didn’t bother trying to hold them back this time.