The Thirst In Me

Sixty-One

"There are no limits to what you can accomplish, except the limits you place on your own thinking."- Brian Tracy

Keisha's POV

We laughed as Damion told us about almost breaking his hand at a football match.

"You see guys if I were a vampire that would have never happened." He pouted and Vanessa slapped him.

"I told you to stop talking like that." She said. "If you are meant to be a vampire it will happen. Stop forcing it."

They continued bickering as we walked toward the house. Veron was holding my hand as if his life depended on it. "I'm never letting you go K.P." He whispered. "I'm holding onto you forever."

I smiled nervously at him feeling guilty about not telling him that I'm going to leave and not telling him about my encounter with Mellisa.

My smile faded as we opened the door and saw the scene before us.

Malik and my mother were both in their bath robes and were shouting at each other.

"What is the matter here?" Veron shouted and they stopped to look at us.

"She!" Veron pointed at my mother. "She is the problem."

"How am I the problem?" My mother retaliated. "I have no control over my body."

I was confused as were all of us so we waited for an explanation.

Malik looked crushed. He sat in the armchair and gestured for us all to sit as well. He cleared his throat twice. "You may not know this but I fell in love a long time ago and got married."

Everyone looked surprised.....except for me of course. I knew about his marriage to Sophia because I have the photo and his letters.

Malik laughed humourlessly. "Why do you all look so surprised? I was human once. I had feelings too." He sighed and continued. "When my wife was pregnant I was more than overjoyed. I was going to be a father. I was going to have someone call me Daddy. When my wife was a couple of months pregnant, however, I was drafted by the army to fight. I didn't want to go but I didn't have a choice so we had to keep in touch by letter. I wasn't there when my son was born and I didn't meet him until he was almost a year old. He was so handsome....just like his father." He paused and smiled at his memory.

"Where is your son now?" Vanessa asked, probably not believing a word he is saying.

Malik took in a slow deep breath and continued his story. "I was so happy when I got to come home and meet my son. One day I was bathing him outside and he was laughing so much that I had to start laughing too. A few moments after that I heard a loud bang. Everything was happening so fast that I didn't have time to think. It was when I looked at Malcolm that everything came into perspective. Blood was running from his chest and his lifeless body was lying in my arms." He sobbed. "My little boy was s-shot. Dead. And I c-couldn't do anything about it. I couldn't save him." Tears flowed freely from his eyes as he cried openly. I have never seen him in such a vulnerable state before and my heart ached for him. I could feel his pain. Now I understand why he was always so serious and never trusted anyone.

Everyone watched him with wide-open eyes. No one made any move to comfort him so I stepped forward and rubbed his back. "It's going to be alright Malik." 

Malik sobbed quietly until he finally stopped and looked up at me. "No. It's not going to be alright Keisha." He said. "I thought I could have a son and give him all the love I would have given Malcolm but that will not be. Your mother here just informed me that she has reached menopause." He looked at my mother with pity in his eyes and my eyes started to tear up.

He got up, his shoulders slumped over and his legs looking weak. "I'll be in my room." His words were heart-rending and he sounded defeated. 

I stepped out of his way and we watched his retreating back as he left the living room. Two maids accompanied him but he shook his head telling them he wanted to be alone.

"Whew! That was intense and kinda weird." Damion was the first to speak.

"I've never seen my uncle look so weak before." Veron looked taken aback. "I knew there was a reason why he was always so conservative but I had no idea it was so tragic."

Vanessa rolled her eyes. "I can't believe you guys are getting soft on me. Let's not forget all the bad things he did to us. It doesn't matter what shit he went through so many years ago. It still doesn't excuse his cruel behavior. He is still a monster!"

"Come on babe," Damion said to her. "Have a little sympathy. The man's son was killed.....right in front of him. It must be very painful."

Vanessa flashed him a glare. "What the hell does he know about pain? What do you know about pain? Let me tell you what pain is.....not knowing who you are or who you're related to, finding out that you killed innocent people against your will. That is pain, honey. Don't you ever again tell me to feel sorry for someone who doesn't deserve my sympathy!" She brushed past Damion and stormed madly out of the room.

Damion started to follow her but Veron grabbed him back. "No man. You do not go after a female when she is that upset.....especially one that can break your neck in a split second."

Damion nodded and sighed. "Not ladies and gentlemen you see why I should be a vampire? We could finally be equals."

"I'll be in my room." Mom said and gestured for me to follow her.

As everyone went to the kitchen I discreetly followed mom into her room. She locked the door behind us and smiled. "Phase one of the plan is completed now we'll just have to wait until next week, the tenth of December then we will be out of here. Remember Keisha, no one is to know our plans.....not even Veron. It could ruin everything."

I sighed. She knew I really wanted to tell Veron. I didn't want to just leave like that.

"You can write him a note before you leave." She said and I relaxed a bit.

"I'm going to leave this place. I can't wait for December 10th." I said as I hugged my mother.

As I walked back to my room I was still feeling the effects of eating that fish. I had to run to the nearest bathroom to vomit again.

I feel like I'm going to die!