World So Cold

Nothing interesting happened until seventh period, the last period of the day. By that time I was so glad that I was almost out of there. I couldn’t take be surrounded by humans any longer. They were just too stupid and ignorant to tolerate.

Walking into the classroom nobody was inside. I quickly chose a seat in the far corner where I was less likely to get noticed. I didn’t want to be associated with them anyway. I watched as each of the kids came in and took seats. Most of them chose to be away from me.

The girl I kept noticing with the blonde hair then walked in the door next. I gasped in surprise at the sight of her face. I didn’t have much time to process it as the guy I had suffered through a whole day of school for sat down. He sat near the door as if ready to exit at any moment. He also happened to sit right behind the blonde girl.

The girl turned around to look at the mystery guy who still sent waves of familiarity through my mind. I could see him almost gasp in surprise but he managed to contain it. Did he know her the same way I did? Did he realize who she resembled?

The girl’s eyes were fixed directly on his as she smiled. He looked down from the smile quickly. He kept his eyes on the desk and at last, slowly, the girl turned around again. The girl was hurt. I could feel her sadness wash over me even on the other side of the room.

The teacher then started talking and many of the students pretended to pay attention. Out of the corner of my eye I kept watching the two. The girl’s slender white neck was bent over her book, the fair hair falling on either side of it.

I felt the familiar feeling in my teeth at the site of her exposed neck. I’m guessing he did too. After all he had only a rabbit this morning. I had a human last night. He was probably hungrier than I was.

The teacher was pacing about the room like a ferret, asking questions, and the boy deliberately fixed his attention on the man. I also concentrated on the teacher curious as to what this one was babbling about.

The man kept asking questions and although none of the students knew the answers, the questions kept coming. The man’s purpose was to shame the students with what they didn’t know.

Just then he found another victim, a small girl with clusters of red curls and a heart-shaped face. I watched as the teacher badgered her with questions. She looked wretched as he turned away to address the entire class.

“You see what I mean? You think you’re pretty hot stuff; you’re seniors now, ready to graduate. Well, let me tell you, some of you aren’t ready to graduate kindergarten. Like this!” He gestured toward the red-haired girl. “No idea about the French Revolution. Thinks Marie Antoinette was a silent film star.”

Students all around were shifting uncomfortably. I could feel the resentment in their minds, and the humiliation. And the fear. They were all afraid of this thin little man with eyes like a weasel, even the muscular boys who were taller than he was.

“All right, let’s try another era.” The teacher swung back to the same girl he’d been questioning. “During the Renaissance―” He broke off. “You do know what the Renaissance is, don’t you? The period between the thirteenth and seventeenth centuries, in which Europe rediscovered the great ideas of ancient Greece and Rome? The period that produced so many of Europe’s greatest artists and thinkers?”

When the girl nodded confusedly he continued. “During the Renaissance, what would a student your age be doing at school? Well? Any idea at all? Any guesses?”

The girl swallowed hard. With a weak smile she said, “Playing football?” At the ensuing laughter, the teacher’s face darkened.

“Hardly!” he snapped, and the classroom quieted. “You think this is a joke? Well, in those days, students your age would already be proficient in several languages. They would also have mastered logic, mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, and grammar. They would be ready to go on to a university, in which every course was taught in Latin. Football would be absolutely the last thing on―”

“Excuse me.” The quiet voice stopped the teacher in midsentence. Everyone turned to stare at who had spoken. It was the vampire boy.

“What? What did you say?” asked the teacher.

“I said, excuse me,” the boy repeated. I watched with interest as the drama unfolded. Removing his glasses he stood up. I refrained from gasping but merely went rigid in my seat. It was impossible. He had died.

“But you’re wrong,” the boy continued. “Students in the Renaissance were encouraged to participate in games. They were taught that a healthy body goes with a healthy mind. And they certainly played team sports, like cricket, tennis―and even football.” He turned to the red-haired girl and smiled, and she smiled back gratefully.

To the teacher he added, “But the most important things they learned were good manners and courtesy. I’m sure your books will tell you that.” Many of the students were grinning. The teacher’s face was red with blood, and he was sputtering. The boy, who I refused to believe who I thought they were, continued to hold the teacher’s eyes. After another minute it was the teacher who looked away.

The bell rang and the boy quickly put on his glasses and gathered his books. He was very eager to get out of the classroom. As he reached the door, someone shouted, “Hey! Did they really play football back then?”

He threw a grin over his shoulder. “Oh, yes. Sometimes with the severed heads of prisoners of war.” The girl watched him as he went. I could feel the sadness emanating off of her. I thought of approaching her but instead quickly exited out of the classroom.

I tried to catch the vampire guy but by the time I got to the parking lot his car was already pulling away. I sighed in frustration at my day of school. It only opened up more questions than answers. It seemed like I’d be spending some time in Fell’s Church until my questions were answered.

After a full day of school and being surrounded by humans my fangs were itching to extend. I’d seen so many throats, heard so many heartbeats. I needed to hunt. I wove through the boys that had surrounded my car making sure to give them a flirtatious smile before getting in.

I drove out to the woods and parked my car. I moved it so that it wouldn’t be seen by anybody that quickly drove by. If you wanted to see it you’d have to be looking for it. I then went into the woods where I could travel without being seen or having to worry about being spotted by a human. I sped through the woods to a neighboring town. Once there I quickly selected my victim.

He was an attractive twenty something guy. Muscular, probably just got out of college, definitely a jock that played football. He had been walking by himself down the sidewalk with headphones in his ears. His hands were shoved in his pockets as he stared at the groud.

Stepping out of the woods I started walking behind him down the sidewalk. We weren’t in a very popular side of town and not many people passed us by. I kept my eyes trained on the guy’s back.

Occasionally he’d glance back in which I’d give him a flirtatious look. After a few minutes of this I noticed him slow his pace. I easily caught up with him then. Once I was next to him he turned to me as we walked.

“I haven’t seen you here before,” he said, his eyes gazing over me.

“I’m new in town,” I explained to him.

“I figured as much. I would have remembered a face like yours,” he said smirking. “Plus I wouldn’t expect you to be in this part of town. It’s dangerous.” If only he knew.

“Do you think you could show me around then?” I asked batting my eyelashes. “I wouldn’t want to get hurt out here.”

“Uh, sure,” he said seeming surprised. “Where would you like to go?” he asked.

“How about we go in the woods,” I said.

“Sure,” he said quickly recovering from my compulsion.

“Perfect,” I said grinning. We both turned off the sidewalk and headed into the woods. We walked in no certain direction, me leading the way more than him.

“Um, it’s getting late,” said the boy as darkness started to fall. “My parents will be wondering where I am. I have to get back.”

“Don’t worry about them,” I said coming up to him. “You are here with me and that is all that matters,” I compelled him.

“That’s all that matters,” he repeated.

“Good,” I said smiling. “Now to get what I want,” I said shoving him against a tree. I pinned him there and inhaled is scent deeply. I could smell the blood just underneath his skin. My fangs extended and that’s when the boys started to struggle. I pinned his wrists to the side of the tree roughly. My nails dug into his skin drawing a bit of blood.

“Wha-what a-a-are you?” he asked looking terrified.

“Don’t be afraid,” I told him. I removed one hand and traced along his jugular at his throat. I felt the rush of blood to the surface making my fangs grow longer, sharper.

With his unpinned wrist he took his fist and swung at me. His fist collided with the side of my face making my head snap quickly to the left. I took a deep calming breath before turning back to him. My eyes were furious and once he met them he quickly froze in place.

“I was willing to be nice to you,” I hissed at him. “I was actually going to let you go. But then you go and hit me? A boy does not lay a hand on a lady.” I quickly bit down into his throat, tearing at the flesh. He let out a scream and tried to fight me off. But no matter what he did I wouldn’t budge. I was too strong for a mere human.

I drank his blood as his screams turned to whimpers. His fighting turned to just mere twitching. Eventually I was the only thing keeping him upright. Once all his blood was gone I removed my fangs from his neck and let him slump to the ground. He fell forward so that his face was in the forest floor.

With my nails I tore at the jacket and jeans he was wearing. They made long scratches in the material and some cut the skin. Once that was done I quickly picked up his head and snapped his neck in one swift motion. I wonder what the authorities would rule this death as. That is if they ever found him. He’d probably be severely decomposed by the time they did.

I was smiling down at my work when something crashed through the trees and landed on a branch above me. It was the same crow that had been watching the other vampire. Of that I was certain. I sent a probing thought towards it.

I realized with a start that it was no ordinary crow. It was a vampire. A very strong one at that. I haven’t encountered one this strong in awhile. I didn’t get any information besides that. There was a defensive wall up. That’s the only way I realized it was a vampire, because I didn’t get any information.

Backing away from the crow it gave out a loud caw that seemed to echo through the forest. Its gaze shifted from me to the corpse lying on the ground. Right when its gaze shifted away from me I turned around and ran through the forest. I swear I felt its eyes on my back before I disappeared from view.