In Death's Arms, I Wait For You

Costume

Boxes and tissue paper were strewn about the floor in the master bedroom of Thornhill Manor. The considerably sized bed, encased by an elaborate French Victorian headboard and footboard, was littered with beautiful blouses, form fitting denim and classically flared dresses, all with their price tags still fastened to their interior labels.

Even as a child, Cheryl always held a special place in her heart for fashion. Often she would refuse to dress in the clothes set aside by her caretakers, instead, she would throw tantrums, the repetitive beat of her tiny fists were dulled by thick carpeting until the help finally gave in to her petulance. And when clothed in the dress of her choosing, she would be off, only stopping at the top of the formidable staircase, taking them slowly, one at a time, each foot meeting on the same step, until she touched her foot onto the foyer of Thornhill Manor. Without a moment's breath, she would dash into the dining room, proud smile bulging her cheeks, only growing larger when her young eyes perceived the pride glowing in mother and father's eyes while they laid blame on the caretakers. Blossoms always got what they wanted.

Their status and wealth allowed the Blossom family to stay abreast on the latest English fashions. As money was no issue, they would order clothing custom made to their measurements from London. Their ongoing patronage allowed Cheryl to repeatedly send back dresses for alterations if they were not up to par. Frustrated and impatient, she began to include sketches of what each dress should look like when their mail orders were sent off. Through this, her love for drawing was born.

As the years passed in her vampiric life and fashion evolved from bespoke to prêt-à-porter, she began to see clothing as not only a means for self expression but a tool to seamlessly blend in from one decade to the next. The appropriate clothing allowed Cheryl to submerge herself in the daily life of mortals without drawing any suspicion. Clothing became the costume the vampire used to step into the role of defiant flapper of the 1920s. Bathed in satin that clung to her womanly curves, it was how she emulated the glamour of Hollywood's young starlets during the period of Escapism in the midst of the Great Depression.

She turned a blind eye to the absurd influence on fashion that pop culture had in the 80s, and rebuffed the idea that bigger was better. When the majority of women teased their hair and embraced padded shoulders, Cheryl held onto minimalism. She preferred the subdued tones popular in the early 80s, a stark contrast to the overwhelming flashiness and overabundance of colors that marked the mid and later years.

The vampire stood now in front of the floor length mirror, appraising the fit of the newly purchased lambskin leather jacket. The material felt buttery and sumptuous against her bare arms. The moto look was on trend, had been for the past few years, a clear reemergence from its popularity back in the 50s. She had seen many young women wear similar silhouettes in Manhattan and thought it would make a staple piece in her new wardrobe, which had been carefully curated to fit the role of an eighteen year old entering her final year of high school.

While Cheryl had passed the time waiting, rather impatiently, for the delivery of parcels, she considered the story she would ultimately share with her new peers. The vampire assumed there would be many with questions. So, in her musings, she wove together a depth filled history that needed little convincing to ring true. She decided she would not lie regarding her surname. Nor would she lie about her abundant wealth. She would not lower her standard of living simply to conform, for the best lies were the ones with a shadow of truth. Lies that did not take effort to maintain.

She would be Cheryl Blossom, last living heir to the Blossom fortune, who at the turn of her eighteenth birthday had left her strict guardians to experience a more "normal" adolescence far from private schooling and social grooming. The decorative details were prepared readily in her mind if any were so curious.