Unloved

The rain falls around me. My wet hair clings to the sides of my face as small splashes soak my pant legs. I sniff the air to see if any humans are near. When I smell none, I continue walking down the street. As I turn the corner I realize I will be risking everyone’s life.

The site before me is appetizing and amazing. It looks like a snap shot from one of those art magazines. Familiar people roam the street walking from shop to shop. Locally owned stores line both sides of the street, and the street is a rough cobblestone. Mrs. McCravy, an old lady that lives a few houses down from me, moseyed along the street in a way that suggested she didn’t need to be anywhere soon.

As I stared at the scene in front of me, I took a small sniff to test my vulnerability. As soon as the scent touched my nose, I gasped. I was much hungrier than I thought; therefore the smell affected me much more. I quickly ran through my options, run as fast as I could, which wasn’t very fast, or try and hold my breath until I get to the end of the street.

I took off at a steady jog, trying to make it seem like I was just out for a jog in the rain. The wind against my face felt amazing. The rain splattered my face, as I weaved in-between the people who wandered the street with umbrellas held high above their heads. When I finally reached the end of the street I took a huge breath of fresh air, and jogged the rest of the way home.

My home never looked more inviting; there was smoke coming from the chimney, and a dim light shone through the front window. I slowed to a walk and climbed the stairs that led to the front door. I slowly open the door letting the warmth fully claim me. I stepped inside and closed the door quietly, and then sat on the leather couch. The TV was on, but I wasn’t really paying too much attention to it.

I live with my aunt who looks not much older than me. She looks to be about 19 or 20, but in reality she is nearing her 136th birthday. When she was around the age of 20, a group of rogue vampires attached her, and they completely drained her of blood. When a human is drained of blood, they are turned to a vampire. Therefore, she looks young even though she is pretty old.

She really isn’t my aunt, but just really good friends of my parents. No speaking of my parents, I didn’t learn about them until just recently. They met when they were human, and had me soon after they met. A few months after my birth, my parents were attacked by a group of vampires and forever changed. They decided to leave me with a foster home thinking it would be the best place for me to live, at least until they could return to me and change me.

My foster home wasn’t exactly homey. My foster mother was one of the nicest ladies you could ever meet, but she just didn’t know what she was getting herself into when she took in 5 kids. I was the oldest and therefore was expected to be responsible. When all I wanted to do was hang out with my friends, and sleep. My life got so miserable at one point that I slowly began cutting myself. My arm has small white scars from it, but they will eventually fade. My plan was when I graduate to run away. I wanted to move away and forget that life, but the summer before senior year, my aunt came to get me.

I had just turned 16 when she came to get me, and in a way I was relieved but I was also terrified. She was definitely a strange character I never could figure out what was with her. She always was oddly stiff around me. Often times, she would avoid me altogether.

After living with her for a few months she sat me down and said “I need to tell you something.” I expected her to explain why she acted so weird around me, but I was in no way expecting her reasoning. “I’m a vampire” she said in a calm voice. I slowly pushed myself farther into the couch.
“Your parents recently contacted me and asked me to collect you-““Why didn’t they get me themselves?” I cut her off. She sighed, a little irritated at being cut off but she continued and said “they recently had to move out of the country, for personal reasons.” Then it hit me, I had lived for 16 years thinking my parents were dead. “So my parents are alive?” I asked stupidly. “Of course they are alive! Why wouldn’t they be? They are vampires, and therefore immortal they can’t die.” I looked at the ground and wished it would open up and swallow me.

I thought for a few minutes and then sat up thinking of the obvious and said “so you’re a vampire? Aren’t you going to drink my blood? Turn into a bat? Something… anything?” I asked desperately. My life was just turned upside down, and the most sensible thing I could think of was for the woman before me to turn into a bat, or attack me.

She laughed a laugh that would make angels jealous. She smiled and said “Sam honey, you have so much to learn! You can consider this your first lesson on vampires 101. First of all vampires do not turn into bats, we are humans just like everyone, we just live on blood. Also, it is almost impossible for a vampire to kill a human. If the human is completely drained of blood a silvery liquid that comes from our fangs will kill the human, and bring them back as a vampire.” She paused to make sure I was keeping up.

“The only way a vampire can kill a human is… well never mind.” I didn’t have time to ponder what she was going to say because she said “we need to move soon, and you can choose, I can change you now or when we move.” I looked at her in confusion and said “what the hell are you talking about?” Marge looked at me surprised and then it dawned on her. “I will be changing you into a vampire, only if you want to of course. We need to move because vampires cannot step into light. If they do they will be turned to stone until night falls again. So it is hard for a vampire to live here in California.”

I loved living in California, it never rained and I loved surfing. I nodded and said “well of course, I want to be a vampire. Now the moving is going to make me sad, I love living here but I guess we can make a sacrifice.”

“Sammy? Is that you?” Marge’s voice brought me back from my flash back. “Yes it’s me” I sighed. I stood up from the couch and walked into the kitchen of our small town house to find Marge standing at the sink. Her hands rested on the sink and she leaned forward in a tense position staring out of the window that was above the sink. The window didn’t have the most pleasant view, but it was enough for Marge to stare out of it. She had a distant gaze and I stepped towards her and said “are you okay Marge?” She smiled and turned to me. “Yes, I’m fine” she replied sweetly.

Marge’s long strawberry blonde hair framed her face perfectly. Hey blue eyes matched the color of the sky on a summer day. Her tiny stature made her look like a sweet pixy. I knew that she was fierce though, she could easily destroy you self confidence, in a matter of seconds. Standing next to her I feel out of place.

I am average compared to Marge. I have brown hair, which is the exact same shade as my eyes. My hair is in a bob cut, and frames my face nicely. A silver stud sits in my nose, a remnant of what is left from my rebellious human days. I am much taller than Marge, and larger. I am not skinny but I am not fat in any way. I am about 5 foot 9 inches, and weigh about 160 pounds.
My stomach let out a low growl and I smiled at Marge and said “are you hungry?”