Requiem for the Undead

What he did wasn't exactly what I was expecting him to do, which was let go of me so I could try to escape again.
But instead he just stared at me, lowered his head, and whispered a word into my ear; which automatically halted my screams. Which also confused the hell out of me. I still had no idea what was going on.

Then it was my turn to stare back at him; dumbfounded and unable to find my voice.

He was much older looking than I first thought he was. Maybe 4 or 5 years. It might have been his eyes. They looked aged, distant, and completely gray-scale. I didn't know it was possible to tell someone's age by the look in their eyes until then. Though I never knew very many older people to compare eyes with. Those eyes were just staring right into my soul, and I didn't like it. If I hadn't looked at his eyes I probably wouldn't have noticed how much taller than me he was.

His hair was shaggy and dark brown but not dark enough to make me think it's black and his attire was just a little out dated. Out dated as in he was wearing clothes fresh out of a Victorian catalog.

We stood like that for who knows how long, no violence, no screaming, just staring at each other.

He loomed over me with an unpleasant look on his face, like I was a cat that had gotten out of its cage.

If he was expecting me to fold, then he was in for a surprise. Even if it was pointless, I would keep fighting.

With that I tore away from his gaze and tried ripping my wrists from his grasp, to no avail. I was getting unbelievably angry. I didn't like being controlled, or forced to stay in one place.
His grip only tightened which broke me from his spell, and I yelled again.

"Let go of me!" When he didn't answer it only fueled my rage, I insisted, "Let go!"

He pulled me closer instead, "Do not test me, girl. I may be on your side, but that doesn't mean I'll treat you any better"

He released my arm with a shove and I lost my balance and fell backwards; wincing when my arm twisted behind my back to brake my fall

"What the hell are you talking about, leech?" I tried that on a vampire before. It proved to be the most insulting thing I could've said. Let's just say I didn't go home unharmed the first time i said it.

He snorted, but nothing on his face was readable. If he were any other vampire I would've said he was disgusted. Maybe with himself, maybe from the fact that I reminded him of what he was, but I couldn't quite tell. As I examined him once again he turned slightly and assessed the destruction I'd reeked upon the room. So did I after a while of silence.

It wasn't that bad, as in, it wasn't as bad as it could've been. The only thing broken was the lamp. But that was the only thing in the room that was breakable.

He turned abruptly again and frowned at the position i was in on the rug covered flooring.

"I understand that you must be confused, and worried for your acquaintances," He paused, possibly to allow me to contemplate what he was getting at, "I'm not afraid to hurt your feelings and neither am I going to hold the truth from you, but I've been notified that almost no one survived.. the.." He made a gesture with his hands, hoping I would catch on to what he meant, and I did, ".. that's all I've come here to tell you"

If you must know, I was horribly confused. everything was just happening too, too fast and I barely understood anything. I couldn't believe what he was telling me. Not only because it was kinda corny, but I refused to believe it until I saw it for myself. So I had to keep strong, even though my heart had sunk and I still felt like sobbing. If they see that you're weak they'll take advantage of you. I knew that much from experience. As you should know by now I didn't get along very well these creatures. I had a million scars to prove it

I didn't respond to him. I was too busy fighting with myself to give him any pleasure of hearing my broken voice. When he finally got the hint that I was keeping my mouth closed he took a few strides away from me and began pacing in the middle of the room. If I didn't know any better, it seemed like he didn't want to be there as much as I did. I noted then that he was a bit different, well with how first impressions stood anyway. I'd never lasted this long in a room alone with one of them. It always ended badly. But it was different now. I had to watch my tongue.

I wanted him to leave. I thought he was going to, if that was all he had to say to me. But he didn't. He seemed lost; like he wanted to say more but didn't know what.

He turned to me for the third time, running a hand through his dark hair. He looked frustrated. Maybe even a little exhausted.
He opened his mouth to say something, closed it, then opened it again, as if deciding what he was going to say,

Finally settling with, "Clean up this mess"

and he left.

I stared at the door in disbelief.

Are you kidding me?

I decided that the following confrontation had absolutely no purpose what so ever and dismissed it.

But I wasn't cleaning a damn thing.

Instead, I curled up in a ball on the floor,

and cried myself to sleep.

~

I left the room in a hurry.

I couldn't even begin to comprehend all the things that went wrong a few minutes ago. I had planned the whole thing out. I was going to go in, find her where I left her, and explain everything to her calmly, and rationally. But she fought, I should've known that's what she'd do.

I hoped that tomorrow she'd be a lot more.. at ease. I didn't think i could stand much more of that. It was dreadfully annoying even though I had the authority to silence her. I couldn't.

I cursed to myself; frustration surged through me.

I felt a small shock of pain shoot through my hand. It seemed that I had slammed my fist into the wall subconsciously.. again. My anger towards everything was something I needed to work on. It left a small indent in the wall; hopefully something that no one would notice.

I walked silently through the hall, still fuming. I wanted to put as much distance between me and that room, hoping it would decrease my frustration with her. She was turning out to be much more trouble than what she was worth.

Doesn't she realize what kind of position she's in? If anything she's lucky to be alive, and she sees this privilege like its a prison, I thought to myself. I ran my hand through my hair and started taking deep breaths. My stride started slowing down; it's not like I had any particular place to be. I just needed to calm down. I couldn't let her get to me; I didn't even know why it was bothering me at all though besides the fact that I felt guilty. I'd have to find a different way to handle this.

She needs to be taught a lesson; something that would be sure to break that attitude of hers. She has a place here now, and she needs to learn it. I started sounding like my father, which instantly made me sick.

I lost my train of thought as I noticed a servant approaching from down the hall. The look on his face gave away the impression of bad news.

Great, I thought, this is exactly what I need right now... I acknowledged his presence and started walking toward him. He broke eye contact with me and glanced down at the floor tiles. I probably gave him a dirty look: something unintentional.

"Yes what is it?" I said rather abruptly. My frustration seemed to be putting him off, making it hard for him to tell me whatever news he was suppose to. He looked up at me with a nervous sort of gaze.

"I-Its a message for you, sir-" His voice quivered as I interrupted him

"Please, call me Lucas. I hate sir. It makes me feel old." He repeated a few times as if trying it out.

"Lucas.. From your father. He requests that you meet him in the council room". A council meeting usually never meant anything good, but I didn't see any sort of reason for me to be involved in one. This day just kept getting better and better.

"Is that all?" I asked him with a tone that wasn't as harsh, already knowing the answer. I didn't want to be more rude to him; He wasn't the cause of my current problems.

"Yes sir- Lucas, that's all." and with that, he was on his way. I went one way while he went the other.

Calling for me in a council meeting had only happened once before, and my presence wasn't even necessary. I wondered what it could be this time.

I picked up the pace as I hurried to the council room. Keeping them waiting wasn't a smart thing to do. It was times like this that made me regret having such a large home. It was talking longer than I wanted to get to the other side, and time isn't what i have right now.

After a few minutes of practically running there, I reached the room. The only thing that stood between me and them was a pair of large, decorated wooden doors. I gripped the handle and pulled it open, never really noticing just how heavy the doors were. It would be difficult for anyone but a vampire to try and pull them open.

Maybe that was the point.

I walked in; the light was shining down towards the door. I could see the council members sitting all around the room, focusing their attentions on me.

It looked like something from Underworld and nausea swirled around in my stomach as I imagined, unrealistically, that I was going to be exposed to sunlight and killed.

I looked around, recognizing some faces while others were completely strange to me.

Things had changed since the last time I had been in here.

Their stern gazes pierced right though me. It gave me the idea that I had done something bad, really bad. I stood in the middle of the room and watched their un-shifting eyes. The quiet murmurs settled down as I entered, which gave me the hint that this whole meeting was about me.

"Have a seat, my son." My father's booming voice rung in one ear and out the other, I challenged him, showing that I would rather stand uncomfortably than seat amongst them. Some of the council members began to whisper to each other.

I stood my ground, in the middle of the room, with my hands clenched behind my back. "Lucas, my boy, you've caused quite a dilemma" The voice sounded familiar to me, but I was unsure of who exactly it belonged to.

"And what sort of dilemma could I possibly cause to involve the whole counsel?" I knew that I'd end up paying for my smart ass attitude, but I didn't have the patience for stuff like this at the moment. Not right now.

"Watch. Your. Tone. Boy." Someone else had felt the need to comment on this situation, and with very distinct words. It seems that I had crossed some imaginary line. "You are not yet old or wise enough to speak to us in that sort of manor." It was the original voice again.

I bit my tongue. They were just making it too easy for me.

"I apologize for my attitude, but I do not know why I am here." This had better be good. I had other places to be, and these people were starting to test my patience. I couldn't afford to lose my temper in front of the entire counsel, especially at a moment like this.

Did I mention my father was the head of the council? That's why the meetings are in my home

He spoke again, "Theres no dilemma, the council has decided."

"Decided what?"

"Because of your little show earlier this evening, we've all decided its best that we leave the girl in your charge, hmm?" He laughed, as if he found it funny, "I mean, you're both young, yes? I'm sure she'll feel a lot more comfortable around someone her own age"

What?

"She's not a child, father, and it wasn't my decision to bring her here so I strongly disagree"

The whispers circulated around the room again but they were quickly interupted

"But you did bring her here. That you chose to do."

I growled "That, I was told to do."

"The point remains, you still did it, my son and we've already decided. Continue doing what you're told to do. You know the drill."

I scoffed, leaving them before they had anything else to say to me.

~

I didn't know how long I'd been lying there. It felt like days.

But in reality it might've been only a few hours.

When I woke up I was hoping everything was just a crazy dream, unfortunately it wasnt.

I laid there, silently, on the floor until another human, a maid probably, came in and tidied up the room.

She left food sitting on a tray next to the bed

I told myself not to eat it, but I did anyway, right after she left. I was always a huge fan of food. Mostly because it did absolutely nothing to my figure, and because food was so damn delicious.

After that I didn't have much to do besides stare at the ceiling, thoughtless.

I didn't think being here would be this boring.

I got up and moped around, sliding my fingers over the carvings in the furniture, the ends of the wall paper, and even drew faces on the bathroom mirror.

It was as childish as it came, but there was nothing better to do.

Hours and hours flew by but nothing happened.

Another maid had come in later in the -night?- to drop off more food. I tried to get her to talk to me but she wouldn't have anything of it. She only told me what time it was, and then left again. She didn't seem to have any problem being here. It angered me.

Having surveyed the room earlier I came to the conclusion that there was nothing I could do towards my escape effort in here. It was hard to believe that it was still the same day.

Still the same day and all I had was a vampire's word that my brother was probably dead. This whole situation was horrible.

If only I'd known things were about to get a lot worse.