The Professors Memory

Chapter 7

Danika stood at the door rather stunned. She could see that Olive was a beautiful woman, but she had gone all out in the dress for dinner. Olive was in a black baby doll dress that sat halfway down her legs, the deep boat neck was low enough to show her generous cleavage and the very pretty necklace that adorned her pale skin.

'Uh, you good to go?'

Olive nodded as she put on her shoes, warily looking at the buff men standing behind Danika. Her security followed her everywhere when she was outside of the castle grounds. These were the same two guys that always followed her around, she noted with caution that they were vampires too. Olive was trying her damnedest to get over her fears of them, Danika was a good person, these fellows behind her seemed like they were too. But a run in with a vampire when she was twelve had caused her to hold serious fear with them. She had been walking home from school and somehow knew she was being followed. Trembling with fear she ran to the nearest shop which happened to be a bakery. With no money to make any purchases the nasty old man booted her out of the shop, ignoring her fears about the vampire that was stalking her. His words were of little sympathy, telling her that vampires don't hunt the protected and that she was imagining things. Olive had darted from shop to shop, watching her surroundings. The last portion of her journey was the most terrifying, there were no shops to idly dwell in nor any safe places. This was a dirt road lined by trees that were thick in their numbers. Normally she held no fear of them, as a child she had played in them with the other children from the neighbourhood. But now it was a place where terrible things could happen, somewhere she could be dragged and defiled or drained of her life. Olive had sprinted the distance, her house was in sight, she thought that she was fine. But life never worked out that way, she knew that all too well. He tackled her into the grassed edge, fangs barred at her as he readied to feed. Olive did all that she could to be free from him, kicking, screaming and trying to free her arms to punch him. Her efforts were not in vain, a man that she knew as the old crank at the end of the road started hitting the vampire with a straw broom. He continued until the vampire gave up and took off into the dark forest beside them. The old crank helped her to her feet, his gnarled hands were soft even though they had seen better days. Olive was grateful that he walked with her until she got home, stopping to tell her mother what had happened.

Olive shivered as she remembered the attack, it had left her a trembling mess for several weeks, sleepless nights from nightmares. She held fear of the dark, of new people, of being alone and of anyone with skin that was too pale. In the days before her mother died, her father used to walk her to and from school, ensuring her safety. There hadn't been another incident, she had spent her days relatively vampire free. But the fear still remained, causing her grief in this world. This was a world where the two species had to live side by side in peace and harmony. She had to find some kind of ease with them, after all, this world was ruled by a vampire. Thoughts would slip through her mind, that one day the vampires might just forget about the peace treaty and start hunting the humans.

Danika looked at her with an odd smile, hearing her worried thoughts loud and clear.

'What's wrong?'

Her eyes darted to Danika.

'Nothing.' she murmured. 

Danika nodded watching as she closed the door and locked it. She pulled a stray lock of hair behind her ear, looking at Danika with worry. It was obvious that Olive had serious reservations about vampires, she didn't even need to enter her mind to see it. She thought it was time to make her see her as a person, not as some feared creature that would kill her given the opportunity.

'Nice dress.'

'Thanks.' Olive blushed 'I made it.'

'Really? It's quite good, like the other one was. Why are you wanting to be a teacher when you can make clothing like this?'