Dead But Breathing

Alex slowly sat back down in his chair opposite Matt, being careful not to make eye contact. He still couldn’t really believe it. Just this morning his biggest problem was having to share a room with a complete dick, and now he was sat in the same room as a fucking vampire. That thought scared Alex, he didn’t know what Matt was capable of doing, but he did know he could probably kill him in the space of a few seconds. He had seen enough shitty vampire films to work out that they probably weren’t good news. And then there was the fact that apparently Alex’s parents had been ‘vampire hunters’. How could Alex not have been at all suspicious that anything was going on?

“Alex, stop looking so scared, I just want to help you.” Matt sighed softly, leaning a little closer to Alex. Alex instinctively moved back a little, he didn’t feel comfortable being so close to Matt. Matt sighed and leant back in his chair again.

“It’s hard to not be scared when you’re locked in a room with a fucking vampire” Alex muttered. It felt strange saying the words. If anyone had told him this morning that he would meet a real vampire today, he would have laughed in their face.

“I know Alex, like I totally get it, obviously this must be really weird for you, but I need to explain some things to you Alex, some things that you really should know.” Matt explained.

“Just tell me then Matt” Alex said, impatiently. He wanted to go back to the children’s home and sleep and forget about all of this, even though that would probably be difficult.

“See the thing is Alex” Matt started to say, tapping his fingers slightly in his lap, “The vampires that killed your parents are after you now.”

“What?” Alex asked, shocked. “Why would they be after me? I haven’t done anything? I didn’t even know about vampires before today” Alex shook his head.

“I know Alex, but they don’t know that. They just assume that you were part of what they were doing as well” Matt explained, “The group of vampires that killed your parents have this kind of goal, to kill every single person who knows about the existence of vampires, and kill all vampire hunters. It’s for the safety of their own kind,”

“Then you need to just explain to them that I don’t have anything to do with anything” Alex tried to reason, still not completely understanding what Matt meant.

“It’s not that easy, Alex,” Matt sighed, “You know they exist now, I had to warn you about them or you could have been dead by tomorrow, they have so many reasons to want you dead Alex.”

“How do you even know so much about them?” Alex questioned Matt.

“I run with them, Alex. I guess you could say I’m a part of their group. But it’s only because I don’t have anyone else, and a lone vampire doesn’t survive very long. But that doesn’t mean I agree with what they’re doing, that’s why I have you here Alex, I want to offer you another way out of this.” Alex sat wide eyed as Matt explained.

“What do you mean, ‘another way out’?” Alex asked nervously, not really sure if he wanted to know the answer to his question.

“The rest of the group only have one lead on you Alex, and that’s your scent. I’m the only one who actually knows where you are and what you look like, because ive been following you for a while now without them knowing.” Matt started to explain. “If you don’t get them off your scent soon, they will find you, and you will definitely die. The only way to get them off your scent though Alex is to get rid of everything human about you, that way they won’t be able to smell you at all.”

“You mean-“

“Yes Alex, turn you into a vampire as well.” Matt finished Alex’s sentence for him.

“No fucking way, there has to be a better way to deal with this than that? Come on I’m 16, I have a whole life to live, I can’t throw that away. No fucking way am I ever becoming a fucking vampire” Alex shouted, he was angry that Matt would suggest anything like that.

“Alex, you have two choices here. If I don’t turn you, I’ll go back to them and they will smell you on me. I’ll lead them to you and they will kill you.” Matt said bluntly.

“No.” Was all Ale could say, shaking his head slowly as tears threatened to spill from his eyes. “You wouldn’t lead them to me, you said you were going to help me”

“I wouldn’t have a choice Alex. It would be either me who dies or you, and I would have to pick you.” Alex didn’t know what to do. He was pretty much dead whichever decision he chose. He did the only thing that occurred to him and got up from his chair and ran to the door, he had to just get away from there. But before he even reached the door, Matt appeared in front of him and pushed him backwards, throwing him into a wall. He slid down onto the floor and Matt was suddenly next to him again, fangs bared in Alex’s face.

“I really don’t think you understand Alex, there is no getting away from this” Matt snarled and shook his head. “I’ve been keeping an eye on you for years Alex, and I think it would be a waste if you then just died anyway.”

“No” Alex sobbed, he was shaking on the floor, he had never been so scared in his life. All he could see was Matt getting closer and closer to Alex, until he could feel his hot breath on his kneck. Alex tensed up and let out a large sob as he felt Matt’s teeth penetrate the delicate skin on his kneck, a burning sensation tingled up the side of Alex’s head, the pain causing him to cry even more. His body was shaking; he grabbed hold of the back of Matt’s black t-shirt, desperately willing the pain to go away. After what felt like eternity, Matt finally pulled away from Wiping the blood away from his mouth with the back of his hand. Alex carried on crying, he felt so weak and his kneck stung.

“I didn’t want to have to do it like that Alex” Matt said calmly, “But you didn’t really give me a choice.” Alex shook his head desperately, reaching up to feel the two holes in the side of his kneck. That had really just happened, Matt had really just bitten him and Matt had really just turned him into a fucking vampire. Suddenly, Alex felt a sudden burst of anger rushing over him. He stood up, and at that moment all he wanted to do was hit Matt, to seriously hurt him. Alex rushed over to Matt and slammed him against the wall, catching Matt by surprise. Alex started planting punch after punch into Matt’s stomach and chest, but his punches got weaker as he started to cry again. Matt didn’t do anything to try and stop him; instead, he actually tried to comfort Alex.

“Shh Alex, stop,” Matt said as he tried to swing his arms around Alex to comfort him. But it just made Alex angrier and he pushed Matt away.

“Get the fuck OFF ME” Alex shouted, still sobbing and shaking. Backed into the front corner of the room, and started wiping the blood from his kneck with the sleeve of his hoodie.

“Alex-“ Matt tried to reason, but Alex shook his head before walking to the door and opening it. He needed to go.

“Alex don’t fucking leave” Matt pleaded, “You’ll end up hurting someone”

“I won’t fucking hurt ANYONE,” Alex shouted through his tears before stepping outside and slamming the door behind him. Alex started running, he couldn’t see where he was going because his eyes were stained with tears, and he didn’t really care either. He just needed to get away from Matt. He skidded to a halt. He had no idea what the fuck he was going to do now, but at that moment in time, all he wanted to do was curl up and sleep, so he did.