My Contract With A Vampire

Chapter 1- A Bad Day, A Bad Week...

Chapter One- A Bad Day, A Bad Week...

I'm sitting on the bench alone in a small park in Philadelphia, thinking about my life and how I ended up where I am. I'm so depressed and stressed and worried and tired. This week has been, by far, one of the worst weeks of my life and I knew that come tomorrow, I would officially hit rock bottom, I thought to myself as someone sat down beside me on the bench...

FIVES DAYS EARLIER...

It's Monday morning and of course, being that it's me, the day started off badly. I was already rushing to get out of my small crappy apartment, which set in downtown Philadelphia in an old brick building in a not so great neighborhood, so that I could make it to the bus stop on time. Suddenly there was a banging on my apartment door. Not wanting to deal with whom ever it was at the moment, I continued to rush around my apartment as I tried to collect my things stubbing my toe on the corner of my end table in the process.

To be honest I already knew who it was on the other side of my door, seeing as I didn't have friends or family for that matter. The banging on the door became more forceful as I found my last shoe and grabbed my bag to leave. I stopped moving, when I had retrieved everything I needed, and stood silently in the middle of my studio apartment hoping that the person on the other side of my door would just leave.

I hated my apartment, but it was all I could afford and even though it was horribly crappy I tried to make it as homey as I could with an old couch that I found on the side of the road in front of the apartment when I first moved in. It was perched in the center of the small space with an old travel chest in the front of it to act as a coffee table. I had a queen mattress set placed up against the wall with the big window and a floor lamp beside it. Besides the one big space I was silently standing in I had a very small bathroom with an even smaller shower and a wall, which was near the wall where my bed was, made up the kitchen.

After a few moments and a few more annoying pounds on the door, the person finally stopped and for a second I thought that maybe I would get lucky and they would leave finally. But as soon as that thought crossed my mind my landlords voice came out agitated through the wood of the door, "I know your in there Amelia, so you might as well open up and give me what I came for," Tony my landlord yelled from the hall.

I closed my eyes and cursed silently as I reluctantly trudged towards my apartment door and hesitated before slowly opening it to reveal my landlord who was glaring daggers my way. Tony was the owner of this apartment. He was in his early forties and was just as disgusting looking as he was annoying with his huge beer bell, scruffy beard, sweat stained beater and smelly cigarette breath.

I looked up at him and tried to act as innocent as possible, "I don't know what you're talking about, but whatever it is can we talk about it later? I'm late for work and I need to catch the bus," I told him in a rushed tone as I tried to scurry past him only to be blocked by one of his hairy arms which was keeping me inside my apartment.

Tony stared down at me with knowing, accusing eyes before shaking his head, "Amelia don't play dumb with me, I know you know what I'm talking about, you owe me rent from last month and this month," he said before taking the hand that was placed on my door frame to block me in and outstretched it towards me, "Rent. Now."

I knew he wanted the rent even before I opened the door, but the problem was I didn't have it. Looking away from him for a second I tried to think of an excuse that would buy me some time to pay him. I had most of the money but I was a hundred dollars short and I just needed a few more days.

Looking back at Tony, I gave a frustrated groan and a sigh, "Look Tony, I only have half the rent for this month only," I started and instantly Tony's eyes narrowed at me like he was about to say something so I quickly continued, "But, I promise if you give me a few more days to get the rest I can have it to you by Friday," I told him in a pleading tone.