The Cliché of a Thousand Years

She woke up the next day with a massive headache. Her bones felt compressed and sore. She blinked a few times and realized that she was, in fact, alive and still human. She removed the coat from her face and flinched at the sudden burst of light.

“What the hell?!” She held the coat in confusion. “‘I’m going to kill you’ he says, ‘I’m a monster’ he says. Then why am I still alive?!” She stood abruptly and kicked a nearby can. She clenched the coat, debating on whether or not she should leave it or take it with her. She took it with her. Vampires never forget someone’s scent. He’ll be back.

She sighed and walked to her flat. She unlocked the door, threw the coat onto the couch, and staggered to her bed to fall quickly asleep.

Her alarm woke her at two in the afternoon, time for work. She got up and took a shower. “Who knows what kinds of diseases are on the floor of that alley?” She mumbled as she stepped in. After her shower, she got dressed and straightened her hair. She skipped breakfast (or lunch, rather) and locked the door behind her.

It was the usual work day. Some kids from a nearby high school came in and messed around with the pianos and guitars, an elderly couple purchased a small amp for their grandson, and she locked up the store at exactly nine o’clock.

She almost considered taking a different, longer way home, but her laziness led her through the alley once again. She was able to make it through without any complications. As she approached her door, she reached into her pocket for her key, but remembered she left it on the shelf in the kitchen.

She smacked her hand against her forehead. “How could I forget my key?” She groaned in agitation at her bad luck recently. She turned the handle, just because. It opened. She stared at it for a while. “I know for a fact that I locked my door.” She stepped inside and flicked the light on. She closed the door behind her and took a few steps inside.

“You really shouldn’t forget your key I’m not always going to be here to let you inside.” He got up from the couch with his coat in his hands and walked closer to her. He stood a good four to five feet away from her.

“You know, I was going to wash that for you, but you seem to have made yourself at home. I’m sure you know where the washing machine is.” She said, motioning toward his coat.

“Well, it’s the thought that counts.” He said flatly. He stared at her until she began feeling a bit uncomfortable.

“Why didn’t you kill me?” She asked. It had been tugging at the back of her mind since she woke up. He took a step forward and seemed to stare right through her.

“Did you want me to kill you?” He asked, quirking an eyebrow. She refused to roll her
eyes.

“Not necessarily, I’m just curious.” She stated. He took a deep breath and paused.

“A few members of my coven needed to see me and it’s very rude to eat in front of others.” He said it as if it were just an act of common courtesy.

“So you’re here to finish the job, right?” She assumes with a black stare.

“No, I have come to collect my coat.” He shifted the coat in his arms as he said this.

“You’re not going to kill me? Why?” She demands. She’s confused.

“Why do you ask so many questions?!” He asks, a bit frustrated.

“Don’t I have a right to know?”

“No.” He narrowed his eyes and was gone. The balcony door was open and a slight breeze from outside made the curtains drift eerily.

“This is becoming cliché.” She muttered to herself. She walked to the balcony to close the door, but noticed something on the ground. She bent to pick it up. In her hands was a very heavy, gold ring with a large, green stone set into it. “I have a feeling that he’ll be back.”

She put the ring on the shelf by a picture and walked to her room to sleep. She tried not to think. She just plugged her headphones in and let the voices of the singers of her favorite bands lull her to sleep.

The next day was Saturday. She gets the weekends off. So she wanders around her apartment for a minute or two before becoming extremely bored. She opens up her laptop and does some mindless tasks on the internet. She the proceeds to watch TV, eat, surf the web, and repeat. She also reads.

By the time the sun sets, she has exhausted all forms of entertainment available in her living space. It’s not until she hears her front door open that she remembers a certain visitor that has take up the habit of leaving his things around. She walks down the hall from her room to her entryway and sees him rummaging around. She clears her throat.

“Need help finding something?” She asks bluntly. He looked surprised to see her at first, but in a split second his expression of extreme bore comes back.

“I seem to have left my ring here the other night.” He replies with a certain air of formality. She walked over to the shelf, picked up said ring, and hands it to him.

“Here.” She drops the ring into his hand and he puts it on his finger immediately. “You should be more careful with your stuff.” He glares at her for a brief moment.

“You’re not very smart are you?” He states it more as a fact than a question.

“What do you mean?” She has a faint idea of what he means, but she wants to make sure.

“I’m a vampire. I eat people like you and you’re standing there and looking at me like I’m just a neighbor or something.” She sighs and shakes her head.

“I’m a human. I eat animals, but you don’t see me trying to deep fry every animal I see. There are animals that aren’t afraid of humans. Why is this any different?” He doesn’t seem to know how to answer that. He steps towards her. She doesn’t move. He stares into her eyes. “What’s your name?” She breathes out. He blinks and steps back, moving out of her space.

“William.” He states.

“I’m Alice.” She smiles at him. William repeats her name over and over again in his head, although he doesn’t know why.