The Blister Exists.

Once inside my room, and seated comfortably on a chair, the nurse strapped me down. “Is this necessary?” I asked struggling a bit.

“Still.” She responded pushing on my shoulders.

“So, what's supposed to happen now?”

“Drink.”

“I got that much, but what should I expect?”

She pulled the IV tubes from my arm and replaced them with new ones. Instead of putting them into my arm, however, she put them in my mouth and the bag into my hand. “Drink.”

I sucked through the tube like a straw and watched as the deep red liquid traveled towards my lips. Once it made its way into my mouth, I nearly gagged. It was awful, but at the same time amazing. I couldn't describe it better than that even if I read a dictionary cover to cover. I noticed the nurse walking away, but after that I became completely oblivious to everything around me. The only thing I could concentrate on was the blood. Thick, room temperature, disgusting yet satisfying blood. That was, until it was gone. It's difficult to recall exactly what happened, but I remember hands on me. I remember voices instructing me to “fight it” I remember seeing the faces of those men I once idolized. I can remember drinking another IV bag, then going completely black.

❦ ❦ ❦ ❦ ❦ ❦ ❦ ❦ ❦ ❦ ❦ ❦ ❦

Hours, maybe days, go by. I open my eyes. Again, I am in a bed. Only this time, I am strapped down. I guess they didn't trust me. Not that I blame them. The last time I blacked out was after I drink an entire liquor store and woke up in a jail cell. Considering I wasn't waking in a puddle of my own urine and vomit, I'd have to say that this experience is better.

I lied there in bed, waiting for someone to come check on me. Nobody came. I looked around and noticed a security camera watching turned towards me. “You're watching me?” I asked out loud, not expecting an answer. The camera moved as though it were nodding. “Mind letting me out?” It shook as though to say no. “So, I'm just supposed to lay here until you deem it okay for me to come out?” I asked sarcastically. It shook no. I had no idea what that was supposed to mean, but I decided I was going to try and break the straps. I mean, come on. If I was supposed to be a vampire, shouldn't I be strong?

My first try. Failed. My second. I managed to rip them a little bit. I looked to the camera as though asking for approval. It nodded. I continued. With a few more attempts I was able to break my arms free. This allowed me to undo my neck and feet in no time at all. I couldn't believe how great I felt.

Knowing I was still being watched, I thought it best not to rummage through anything. However, I did glance around wondering if my wallet was anywhere. It wasn't. I walked towards the door, but before I got to it the Sid walked in. I never really noticed how much he resembled my brother.. Ricky. Would I even be able to see him, or anyone for that matter? Or would I be forced to create a new life. That would be hard. My family has always been very close. I wondered what they must be thinking. If they were worried about me. If they had sent search parties after me.

“Connie, how're you feeling?” He asked breaking my train of thought.

“Umm, fine. I think.” I answered as honestly as I could.

“Well, if it isn't too much stress on you, Corey wants to get packed up.” He said looking everywhere but at me. I knew what that meant. We were still in Indiana, but soon we had to leave. Because of me. Because I couldn't be somewhere where I'd go to my family. I could kill them. Or, they'd try to lock me up for thinking I was a vampire.

“Sid, can I ask you a question?”

“Didn't you just?” He answered.

“You know what I mean.” I said. “Am I ever going to see them again?”

“Who?” He asked already knowing who I meant, but not wanting to have this conversation. It seemed to strike a nerve with him.

“My family.” I answered.

“Connie. We are your family now. Your old life, is nothing anymore. But look at this way,” he said switching his tone from serious to uplifting “in a few decades, everyone you know will be dead.”

“That's strange...” I stated.

“Strange?” He cocked his head.

“Yes.”

“How so?” He asked.

“It's strange how comforting that was.” I looked over to him. He nodded and shrugged.

“How did you manage to get over it?” I asked him as I sat back on the bed and fiddled with the straps.

He sat next to me put his arm around my shoulder pulling me towards him and kissing my forehead. “Kid, it's like this. You never really get over it. You just sort of learn to live with it. Over time.”

“How long has it been?” I asked him looking at his tattoos.

“60 years.” He said with a small chuckle. For some reason I was expecting him to be some outrageous number of years old. “I'm the youngest though. Paul and Shawn are 100 years old, Craig and Chris, they're 120. Mick is 125. Joey's 200, and Corey's 500.” Just as he finished saying that, Mick came into the room.

“Sid, is she ready?” He asked eying us cautiously.

“Soon.” He answered standing up.

Mick soon left the room and Sid turned his attention back to me. “Listen, Corey doesn't like to talk much about himself. And neither do the others. You'll be better off if you don't ask too many questions. If you're meant to know something, you'll know.” He said almost as though he were warning me. I nodded still looking at his tattoos.

“Can I ask one other question?”

“Didn't you just?” He answered with a chuckle.

“How is it possible to have tattoos?”

This question seemed to tickle his funny bone a bit. “Instead of the usual ink, we use ink mixed with our blood&venom. That being said, it's important not to have a human tattooing us.”

“Well, I suppose that makes sense.” I stood up again not sure what else to do.

“I guess we should get a move on, yeah?” He said guiding me out of the room.