Status: [INDEFINITE HIATUS]
You Wouldn't Want to Be Me
Five
A week had passed since Stacey’s arrival to the coven’s home and the transition had been everything but easy. Aside from Evan, Stacey did not speak to anyone unless she was answering with a “yes, ma’am” or “yes, sir”. She was not accepted to the mansion nor would she ever be. Acceptance was never an option. Survival was the only objective. Stacey did not even see Evan much of the time because she was always busy with her chores and he with… being a vampire. Sometimes he would stop and have a short chat if he ran into her but he never really made an effort to be the friend she needed or wanted.
Stacey had done nothing but be obedient and yet two thirds of her meals were constantly withheld. Most days she only ate dinner which consisted of a loaf of bread, cup of soup, and glass of water. She carried on in her solemn silence, never complaining. The vampires did not interact with her and she did not with them unless it was absolutely necessary. Matthew had made sure of that.
“Stacey,” Matthew called from his bedroom. Immediately, Stacey was by his bedside with her head bowed in respect. “Today is Sunday. I wish to go on my morning stroll. You will accompany me.”
Stacey held her breath, unsure whether to be flattered or horrified by Matthew’s statement. She did not flinch however which puzzled Matthew greatly. His human servant had a knack of puzzling him so. Matthew stood up from his bed without taking his eyes off of Stacey.
“Let’s go,” Matthew said, holding his arm out for her to take. Instead, she stared at in shock. Matthew rolled his eyes, “Please do not tell me you are as dumb as you are obedient. Take my arm, Stacey.”
Stacey blinked herself back to attention and took his arm lightly. It was the first contact with a vampire in which she was not being abused. She kept her guard up, expecting a hand to come down across her face. But not came. The girl breathed a little bit easier as Matthew led her out of the room and towards the gardens.
On their way there, the heads of various vampires turned and watched in a deafening silence. Conversations ceased to watch the two walk through the grand hall. Unnerved, Stacey’s eyes darted between their faces in order to read their expressions. But she couldn’t. They all had the same cold hard expression as the next. All except one.
Evan walked up to Matthew, “What are you doing Matthew?”
“What I want, Evan. What are you doing?” Matthew replied narrowing his eyes at Evan’s insolence.
“Stopping you from making the same mistake as last time,” Evan replied, his eyes narrowing as well.
Stacey blinked. “Mistake?” She blurted, loosening her grip on Matthew’s arm.
Matthew’s gaze dropped from Evan to Stacey’s arm. “Did I say to let go, Stacey?” Her grip returned to his arm, causing a smile to spread across his face.
“Don’t be stupid, Matthew. You remember how upset your father was last time,” Evan said.
“I think you forget whose house you live in, Evan,” Matthew replied.
“Last time I checked, it was your father’s, not yours,” Evan replied defiantly.
The other vampires in the room had started to make their way out leaving only the two quarrelling vampires and the human girl. Silence covered the mansion as the two stood in a
heated gaze. Both refused to stand down.
“Get out of my way,” Matthew gritted through his teeth. Evan blinked once and then bowed out of Matthew’s way.
Stacey stood defenseless against Matthew’s doings. Her gaze fell back on Evan who remained bowed until Matthew and she had left the room. Evan had tried to save her from Matthew. That meant whatever was going to happen in the garden… Stacey was not going to like it. They stopped walking when they reached a bench on the far side of the garden. There Matthew let go of Stacey and sat on the bench. Then he did the one thing Stacey did not expect Matthew of all people to do. He started to cry.
Stacey averted her gaze away from Matthew as she stood in front of him. She observed the different flower bushes in the garden and the curious pattern they were planted in. The trees she studied were tall and green, as they should be for that time of year. A few minutes later, Matthew’s sobs died down to a few sniffles.
He looked up at Stacey who he found was looking away from him. With as much pride he had left, he stood up with a composed face and wiped his tears. With the same commanding voice, he said, “Take my arm.”
She did. And together, they walked back to the mansion.
Stacey had done nothing but be obedient and yet two thirds of her meals were constantly withheld. Most days she only ate dinner which consisted of a loaf of bread, cup of soup, and glass of water. She carried on in her solemn silence, never complaining. The vampires did not interact with her and she did not with them unless it was absolutely necessary. Matthew had made sure of that.
“Stacey,” Matthew called from his bedroom. Immediately, Stacey was by his bedside with her head bowed in respect. “Today is Sunday. I wish to go on my morning stroll. You will accompany me.”
Stacey held her breath, unsure whether to be flattered or horrified by Matthew’s statement. She did not flinch however which puzzled Matthew greatly. His human servant had a knack of puzzling him so. Matthew stood up from his bed without taking his eyes off of Stacey.
“Let’s go,” Matthew said, holding his arm out for her to take. Instead, she stared at in shock. Matthew rolled his eyes, “Please do not tell me you are as dumb as you are obedient. Take my arm, Stacey.”
Stacey blinked herself back to attention and took his arm lightly. It was the first contact with a vampire in which she was not being abused. She kept her guard up, expecting a hand to come down across her face. But not came. The girl breathed a little bit easier as Matthew led her out of the room and towards the gardens.
On their way there, the heads of various vampires turned and watched in a deafening silence. Conversations ceased to watch the two walk through the grand hall. Unnerved, Stacey’s eyes darted between their faces in order to read their expressions. But she couldn’t. They all had the same cold hard expression as the next. All except one.
Evan walked up to Matthew, “What are you doing Matthew?”
“What I want, Evan. What are you doing?” Matthew replied narrowing his eyes at Evan’s insolence.
“Stopping you from making the same mistake as last time,” Evan replied, his eyes narrowing as well.
Stacey blinked. “Mistake?” She blurted, loosening her grip on Matthew’s arm.
Matthew’s gaze dropped from Evan to Stacey’s arm. “Did I say to let go, Stacey?” Her grip returned to his arm, causing a smile to spread across his face.
“Don’t be stupid, Matthew. You remember how upset your father was last time,” Evan said.
“I think you forget whose house you live in, Evan,” Matthew replied.
“Last time I checked, it was your father’s, not yours,” Evan replied defiantly.
The other vampires in the room had started to make their way out leaving only the two quarrelling vampires and the human girl. Silence covered the mansion as the two stood in a
heated gaze. Both refused to stand down.
“Get out of my way,” Matthew gritted through his teeth. Evan blinked once and then bowed out of Matthew’s way.
Stacey stood defenseless against Matthew’s doings. Her gaze fell back on Evan who remained bowed until Matthew and she had left the room. Evan had tried to save her from Matthew. That meant whatever was going to happen in the garden… Stacey was not going to like it. They stopped walking when they reached a bench on the far side of the garden. There Matthew let go of Stacey and sat on the bench. Then he did the one thing Stacey did not expect Matthew of all people to do. He started to cry.
Stacey averted her gaze away from Matthew as she stood in front of him. She observed the different flower bushes in the garden and the curious pattern they were planted in. The trees she studied were tall and green, as they should be for that time of year. A few minutes later, Matthew’s sobs died down to a few sniffles.
He looked up at Stacey who he found was looking away from him. With as much pride he had left, he stood up with a composed face and wiped his tears. With the same commanding voice, he said, “Take my arm.”
She did. And together, they walked back to the mansion.