Status: This is the 1st time I have ever tried to put pen to paper for the stories in my head. Please provide feed back and comments it will help me to know if I am moving in the right direction and if I should continue. Thanks K
Embraces the Night
Chapter 4
Brody heard Johns truck pull into the driveway and headed towards his front door. Lately, Brody had noticed that John wasn’t moving around as well as he should be. He wanted to get to the door and meet John in the driveway to get a good look at him and make sure he was doing okay. Brody opened the door and stepped outside before John could even turn the car off.
Brody had met John well over 35 years ago. Pure happen stance, but at the time John had saved Brody’s life. He was being hunted by a group of people who thought he was a vampire and they were trying to stake him. Not that that would have killed Brody, but if they got the chance to stake him they might have decided to cut out his heart or chop off his head, and that would kill him.
John was just a kid at the time, no more than 16, but he could tell Brody needed help and offered to let him crash at his place. Back then John was into the supernatural, and thought it was cool that Brody was a vampire. Oh, Brody tried to tell him that he wasn’t a vampire. But John had one hell of an imagination and well he just winked and didn’t bring it up again.
John’s home was located underground and was essentially and unused water tunnel. But it was safe, warm, dry and away from the stupid human hunters. It didn’t take long for Brody to want to protect and care for John. To this day it still bothered Brody how John had been treated like human garbage and left to find his own way on the streets at such a young age.
Anyhow, John liked to believe he was the one taking care of Brody, but from the start it was Brody taking care of John.
Looking for ways to make money and improve their living conditions, John and Brody opened a construction company together. Brody came up with the investment money so he took ownership and John became his right hand guy.
John and Brody had one rule to their friendship: No lies, no secrets. Yup, John knows all about Brody and his race. Brody remembered the day him and John had gotten honest with each other like it was yesterday.
It was more than 20 years ago now. John had grown out of his beliefs in Vampires etc., but he had also started to notice that while he was technically supposed to be the younger of the two men. John had started to appear the older of the two. He started asking Brody questions about those early years. Like why were those guys really hunting you? Initially, Brody tried to play it off with things like “Hey I’m just aging nicer than you” or “Don’t be a hater” etc.
After a while John just wasn’t biting anymore. He knew Brody was different and threatened to end the friendship if Brody didn’t get honest. There was just no way to denying it. John was aging and Brody wasn’t. Hell even clients had started to notice. People started talking behind Brody's’ back. Words like Vampire and demon were being whispered. It just wasn’t natural for a 40 something man to look 25.
After their talk, John and Brody made a decision to make some changes. This way, Brody didn’t have to move on without John and start over, and people would stop whispering.
The plan was simple. Sell the company to a fake owner, who Brody would impersonate for a few years since he could imitate the appearance of any human male he wanted to. Then when the rumors stopped, they would sell back the company to a member of the Marshall family. Then Brody could be Brody again.
So just like that, one day Brody stopped going around to the job sites. A few weeks later, John started telling everyone Brody was sick and moving to Europe to be with family. A few months after that, the company was sold and Brody Marshall had passed away. Just a few years after that the Marshall’s construction company was repurchased by Brody C Marshall, the nephew of the late Brody K. Marshall.
John rolled up his windows and turned off the truck. John sighed deeply, and started to pull his body out of the truck. At just over 52, John was still considered an attractive man. He kept his dark brown hair cropped rather short. He had classic dark Italian looks. Prominent nose, sleek physic and all the wit and charm a woman could handle. Women often told him he reminded them of Sean Penn.
“Hey John! Hurry in. There’s a storm brewing. I can feel it in the air” Shouted Brody from the front door.
John couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped through his lips. Lately John had been feeling old. Construction was a young guy’s game and John well; he just wasn’t as young as he used to be.
“Yeah, Yeah” John groaned back at him. “I dam right know there is a storm coming. I can feel it in my bones. These bones are tired and getting old Brody, but they know more than just a storm is coming.”
Without another word, John climbed the steps to Brody’s front door and walked in.
“John, you know you’re younger than me. Now why in the world would your bones be talking to ya?” Brody said in a mischievous voice. “It’s more likely, your sorry tired ass is telling you that I want that dam job completed and you need a new excuse.”
“Well now Brody” prodded John in a playful voice. “If I needed an excuse, I wouldn’t have bothered coming by tonight. You know it don’t matter to me how much you holler. Hell, I know the only reason you’ve stuck around this long and keep this business going is for my sake. Excuse hell! I don’t need any dam excuses!”
John and Brody headed to the TV room. It was their favorite place in the house. This house for a long time had been home to both of them. That was until about five years ago when John found himself in love and moved into his own home with his wife and heart Amanda.
Before Brody could even get comfortable on the couch John started talking
“Listen Brody” John said, “I know you want to act all keyed up about the delays on this job… but… we both know that ain’t what’s got you all fired up. How about we talk about the real problem and how the hell we’re gonna solve it. See Brody, unlike you my days are coming to an end and I haven’t got time left to be pussy footin’ around.”
Two thoughts went through Brody’s mind. Both important and both things Brody didn’t really want to analyze but he had no way to stop himself.
One: How does John know? How can he feel it? He is right. There is something really bothering Brody. He felt the change in the air just a few nights ago. Something is stalking Brody. But there’s no way John can know, Johns human and what’s out there is anything but human, and
Two: What the hell does he mean his days are coming to an end? Is he sick? He has been a little slower than usual but he can’t be sick. He’s only 52. They have a lot more years before they have to part.
That thought frightened Brody. He didn’t want to have to face an existence without John. In his 400 years of life, John had been his only solace. His only friend. He gave Brody’s life purpose.
Maybe Brody thought, Maybe I will just let the Vulnus destroy me. Yeah Brody knew what was out there now. He just needed to decide if and how much he was going to tell John.
Brody cleared his throat and moved his body closer to John.
“What do you mean your days are coming to an end? Are you sick? What is it? Maybe it’s something I can help with” he blurted out without taking a breath.
He pressed his face just inches from John’s nose. John could feel the warm breath Brody expelled move across his nose.
John had a small moment of panic. Dam his big mouth! I'm going to have to be more careful in how I say things to Brody. Now’s not the time to discuss this he thought. He was going to have to push the other issue to throw Brody off the scent. He wouldn’t lie if Brody asked him straight out, but omission that he could do.
Brody had met John well over 35 years ago. Pure happen stance, but at the time John had saved Brody’s life. He was being hunted by a group of people who thought he was a vampire and they were trying to stake him. Not that that would have killed Brody, but if they got the chance to stake him they might have decided to cut out his heart or chop off his head, and that would kill him.
John was just a kid at the time, no more than 16, but he could tell Brody needed help and offered to let him crash at his place. Back then John was into the supernatural, and thought it was cool that Brody was a vampire. Oh, Brody tried to tell him that he wasn’t a vampire. But John had one hell of an imagination and well he just winked and didn’t bring it up again.
John’s home was located underground and was essentially and unused water tunnel. But it was safe, warm, dry and away from the stupid human hunters. It didn’t take long for Brody to want to protect and care for John. To this day it still bothered Brody how John had been treated like human garbage and left to find his own way on the streets at such a young age.
Anyhow, John liked to believe he was the one taking care of Brody, but from the start it was Brody taking care of John.
Looking for ways to make money and improve their living conditions, John and Brody opened a construction company together. Brody came up with the investment money so he took ownership and John became his right hand guy.
John and Brody had one rule to their friendship: No lies, no secrets. Yup, John knows all about Brody and his race. Brody remembered the day him and John had gotten honest with each other like it was yesterday.
It was more than 20 years ago now. John had grown out of his beliefs in Vampires etc., but he had also started to notice that while he was technically supposed to be the younger of the two men. John had started to appear the older of the two. He started asking Brody questions about those early years. Like why were those guys really hunting you? Initially, Brody tried to play it off with things like “Hey I’m just aging nicer than you” or “Don’t be a hater” etc.
After a while John just wasn’t biting anymore. He knew Brody was different and threatened to end the friendship if Brody didn’t get honest. There was just no way to denying it. John was aging and Brody wasn’t. Hell even clients had started to notice. People started talking behind Brody's’ back. Words like Vampire and demon were being whispered. It just wasn’t natural for a 40 something man to look 25.
After their talk, John and Brody made a decision to make some changes. This way, Brody didn’t have to move on without John and start over, and people would stop whispering.
The plan was simple. Sell the company to a fake owner, who Brody would impersonate for a few years since he could imitate the appearance of any human male he wanted to. Then when the rumors stopped, they would sell back the company to a member of the Marshall family. Then Brody could be Brody again.
So just like that, one day Brody stopped going around to the job sites. A few weeks later, John started telling everyone Brody was sick and moving to Europe to be with family. A few months after that, the company was sold and Brody Marshall had passed away. Just a few years after that the Marshall’s construction company was repurchased by Brody C Marshall, the nephew of the late Brody K. Marshall.
John rolled up his windows and turned off the truck. John sighed deeply, and started to pull his body out of the truck. At just over 52, John was still considered an attractive man. He kept his dark brown hair cropped rather short. He had classic dark Italian looks. Prominent nose, sleek physic and all the wit and charm a woman could handle. Women often told him he reminded them of Sean Penn.
“Hey John! Hurry in. There’s a storm brewing. I can feel it in the air” Shouted Brody from the front door.
John couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped through his lips. Lately John had been feeling old. Construction was a young guy’s game and John well; he just wasn’t as young as he used to be.
“Yeah, Yeah” John groaned back at him. “I dam right know there is a storm coming. I can feel it in my bones. These bones are tired and getting old Brody, but they know more than just a storm is coming.”
Without another word, John climbed the steps to Brody’s front door and walked in.
“John, you know you’re younger than me. Now why in the world would your bones be talking to ya?” Brody said in a mischievous voice. “It’s more likely, your sorry tired ass is telling you that I want that dam job completed and you need a new excuse.”
“Well now Brody” prodded John in a playful voice. “If I needed an excuse, I wouldn’t have bothered coming by tonight. You know it don’t matter to me how much you holler. Hell, I know the only reason you’ve stuck around this long and keep this business going is for my sake. Excuse hell! I don’t need any dam excuses!”
John and Brody headed to the TV room. It was their favorite place in the house. This house for a long time had been home to both of them. That was until about five years ago when John found himself in love and moved into his own home with his wife and heart Amanda.
Before Brody could even get comfortable on the couch John started talking
“Listen Brody” John said, “I know you want to act all keyed up about the delays on this job… but… we both know that ain’t what’s got you all fired up. How about we talk about the real problem and how the hell we’re gonna solve it. See Brody, unlike you my days are coming to an end and I haven’t got time left to be pussy footin’ around.”
Two thoughts went through Brody’s mind. Both important and both things Brody didn’t really want to analyze but he had no way to stop himself.
One: How does John know? How can he feel it? He is right. There is something really bothering Brody. He felt the change in the air just a few nights ago. Something is stalking Brody. But there’s no way John can know, Johns human and what’s out there is anything but human, and
Two: What the hell does he mean his days are coming to an end? Is he sick? He has been a little slower than usual but he can’t be sick. He’s only 52. They have a lot more years before they have to part.
That thought frightened Brody. He didn’t want to have to face an existence without John. In his 400 years of life, John had been his only solace. His only friend. He gave Brody’s life purpose.
Maybe Brody thought, Maybe I will just let the Vulnus destroy me. Yeah Brody knew what was out there now. He just needed to decide if and how much he was going to tell John.
Brody cleared his throat and moved his body closer to John.
“What do you mean your days are coming to an end? Are you sick? What is it? Maybe it’s something I can help with” he blurted out without taking a breath.
He pressed his face just inches from John’s nose. John could feel the warm breath Brody expelled move across his nose.
John had a small moment of panic. Dam his big mouth! I'm going to have to be more careful in how I say things to Brody. Now’s not the time to discuss this he thought. He was going to have to push the other issue to throw Brody off the scent. He wouldn’t lie if Brody asked him straight out, but omission that he could do.