It always starts with darkness. Just like the rumors that vampires were made to sign Satan's book with blood as the registration, it was thought that a vampire's soul was consumed by darkness. For the first couple months, that's what it really feels like; darkness, always there like the puppy you always wished for to follow you around. Sadly, I never had a puppy, so this was all awkwardly new to me.
"That's how it's going to be for a while." Adrian told me one day while I woke up from a deep sleep, facing the sunlight. I had forgotten that we were now affected by that sunlight more than humans. I crawled under the covers and sighed before another wave of sleep passed over me. I felt Adrian make a light tap on my back, and I knew that was a sort of sympathy for me. I appreaciated it.
Along with that there was times where my body temperature grew amazingly hot, bringing me up to temperatures near 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
"That's to regualte your temperature until you get the craving for blood." Adrian explained, making a wise face while stroking the invisible beard. I would have normally told him that he was losing his charm that way, but since I was having a hard time moving my lips since my mouth was burning as if someone stuck a match there, I just rolled my eyes.
Then there was the shivers, when my body would grow cold. My insides would feel numb, and no matter whether I had ten blankets on or a heater next to me, I'd still be freezing my vampire ass off.
"There is a positive reaction to the negative." Adrian stated, sitting as far away from me as possible as if frost was radiating off of me and repelling him away from my convulsing body. "Think of the raging temperatures above 100 as being the positive, and what you're going through now as the negative. There will be a balance somewhere."
"Yeah? Like when?" I chattered back icily, and instead of answering he just left me, which i accepted grateully.
If that wasn't enough, I had to get regular training with Marcus and have historic lessons with Dimitri. The only times they excused me was when I had my sleeping spells, which went from hours to days. I feared that my condition was going to get worse.
"It's got to get worse before---"
"Stop being so damn intellectual!" I shouted at Adrian, and he gave me a pouty look before leaving me alone for a number of days.
Most of these symptoms I had started to accept in stride, but after a while all I heard was "this will all fade once you get your dose of blood." Yet no one was telling me when I was going to get my dose yet, or when the thought of blood was going to appeal to me. Thinking about it now, it was just as neutral as any other unimportant word out there---no signifigance except when I got bloody bruised when Marcus gave a swift side-kick to the face yesterday.
"Oh, Zelos, is that all you've got?" He questioned tauntingly, curling his finger at me. He was crouched predatorily, flashing white teeth that glistened with the familiar clear liquid.
I stumbled to my feet, rubbing my cheek in anger. He knew I just became a vampire, so why in the world was he treating me like some 400-year old Coven leader? "Maybe if you eased up on me I could make a hit sometime."
"That won't make you stronger, that will just make you think that every enemy you go against will let you get the hits first." Marcus stated before racing in a blur around my body before twisting a long arm around my waist and hurtling me to the nearest tree in the forest. The impact sent a flock of birds to flee. I looked over at him gloomily, then staggered to my feet again, panting.
"Good, Zelos, you have gotten increased stamina. That will be beneficial later." He ran over and helped me back to the cabin, inspecting the print left on my ribs. "Sorry about that, brother. But pain is the reward to gain, and gaining is a step closer to greatness."
It was the first time I heard him call me brother. I smiled. "It's okay, Marcus. Thank you."
After that, I cherished the pain I recieved and thought of me greater. It didn't take long before I had Marcus pinned to a tree, his neck inches away from a spear made of wood. The pain vibrated underneath my fingertips, but Marcus looked ten times frigthened by it than I was, his eyes glued to the space between the tree protion and his neck. He made a shaky smile and peeled me off like tape, pushing me back cautiously. Even though he was shook, he was pleased. "Well done, Zelos. It takes a lot to bring me down. I think the others can tell you that." He nodded behind me, and I turned to see Dimitri and Adrian come from behind the looming trees, broad grins on their faces.
"Well done, little bro!" Adrian slapped me hard on the back, making me cough, but I smiled eagerly at him. Dimitri clapped his hand on my shoulder and nodded, and I was shocked at the emotion that he gave. Respectfully, I nodded back.
Marcus drew my attention back to him. "Zelos, I think it's time that tomorrow, we will---"
"Am I going to drink?" I asked a little to happily.
Adrian laughed, but Marcus shook his head sadly. "No, we are going to take you to the outskirts of town. I want to see how close you can get to the humans without getting reacted. Only your true instincts can tell us whether you are ready enough to feed, and that will be the hardest for all of us, especially you." He led us back to the cabin.
I shivered this time, and I knew it wasn't because of my cold temperature.
"That's how it's going to be for a while." Adrian told me one day while I woke up from a deep sleep, facing the sunlight. I had forgotten that we were now affected by that sunlight more than humans. I crawled under the covers and sighed before another wave of sleep passed over me. I felt Adrian make a light tap on my back, and I knew that was a sort of sympathy for me. I appreaciated it.
Along with that there was times where my body temperature grew amazingly hot, bringing me up to temperatures near 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
"That's to regualte your temperature until you get the craving for blood." Adrian explained, making a wise face while stroking the invisible beard. I would have normally told him that he was losing his charm that way, but since I was having a hard time moving my lips since my mouth was burning as if someone stuck a match there, I just rolled my eyes.
Then there was the shivers, when my body would grow cold. My insides would feel numb, and no matter whether I had ten blankets on or a heater next to me, I'd still be freezing my vampire ass off.
"There is a positive reaction to the negative." Adrian stated, sitting as far away from me as possible as if frost was radiating off of me and repelling him away from my convulsing body. "Think of the raging temperatures above 100 as being the positive, and what you're going through now as the negative. There will be a balance somewhere."
"Yeah? Like when?" I chattered back icily, and instead of answering he just left me, which i accepted grateully.
If that wasn't enough, I had to get regular training with Marcus and have historic lessons with Dimitri. The only times they excused me was when I had my sleeping spells, which went from hours to days. I feared that my condition was going to get worse.
"It's got to get worse before---"
"Stop being so damn intellectual!" I shouted at Adrian, and he gave me a pouty look before leaving me alone for a number of days.
Most of these symptoms I had started to accept in stride, but after a while all I heard was "this will all fade once you get your dose of blood." Yet no one was telling me when I was going to get my dose yet, or when the thought of blood was going to appeal to me. Thinking about it now, it was just as neutral as any other unimportant word out there---no signifigance except when I got bloody bruised when Marcus gave a swift side-kick to the face yesterday.
"Oh, Zelos, is that all you've got?" He questioned tauntingly, curling his finger at me. He was crouched predatorily, flashing white teeth that glistened with the familiar clear liquid.
I stumbled to my feet, rubbing my cheek in anger. He knew I just became a vampire, so why in the world was he treating me like some 400-year old Coven leader? "Maybe if you eased up on me I could make a hit sometime."
"That won't make you stronger, that will just make you think that every enemy you go against will let you get the hits first." Marcus stated before racing in a blur around my body before twisting a long arm around my waist and hurtling me to the nearest tree in the forest. The impact sent a flock of birds to flee. I looked over at him gloomily, then staggered to my feet again, panting.
"Good, Zelos, you have gotten increased stamina. That will be beneficial later." He ran over and helped me back to the cabin, inspecting the print left on my ribs. "Sorry about that, brother. But pain is the reward to gain, and gaining is a step closer to greatness."
It was the first time I heard him call me brother. I smiled. "It's okay, Marcus. Thank you."
After that, I cherished the pain I recieved and thought of me greater. It didn't take long before I had Marcus pinned to a tree, his neck inches away from a spear made of wood. The pain vibrated underneath my fingertips, but Marcus looked ten times frigthened by it than I was, his eyes glued to the space between the tree protion and his neck. He made a shaky smile and peeled me off like tape, pushing me back cautiously. Even though he was shook, he was pleased. "Well done, Zelos. It takes a lot to bring me down. I think the others can tell you that." He nodded behind me, and I turned to see Dimitri and Adrian come from behind the looming trees, broad grins on their faces.
"Well done, little bro!" Adrian slapped me hard on the back, making me cough, but I smiled eagerly at him. Dimitri clapped his hand on my shoulder and nodded, and I was shocked at the emotion that he gave. Respectfully, I nodded back.
Marcus drew my attention back to him. "Zelos, I think it's time that tomorrow, we will---"
"Am I going to drink?" I asked a little to happily.
Adrian laughed, but Marcus shook his head sadly. "No, we are going to take you to the outskirts of town. I want to see how close you can get to the humans without getting reacted. Only your true instincts can tell us whether you are ready enough to feed, and that will be the hardest for all of us, especially you." He led us back to the cabin.
I shivered this time, and I knew it wasn't because of my cold temperature.
The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and trauma complications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71. Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The gravesite was piled high with flours. Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half-baked schemes. Despite being a little flaky at times he still was a crusty old man and was considered a positive roll model for millions. Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, two children, John Dough and Jane Dough, plus they had one in the oven. He is also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart.
I breathed in and out slowly. This was horrid. Running. I spat at the word. I despised running.
Joseph jogged up to me. "You okay Kristen?"
"Yeah, just give me a minute."
"Hah! You always end up like this. Maybe you should quit track?"
"You know I can't! If I do, then I have to do Trigonometry. Ugh. That's worse."
"Right..."
I stood up and we walked in silence. His lithe step did not match mine. I had a clumsy, trip over step. I needed somebody to teach me how to walk right.
"Oof." I had tripped, and landed on my side. How? I have no idea. Normal people land on their face or back. Not me!
Please e-mail me or comment. Tell me if you like this segment or not, if I get enought votes, I will continue my writing.
Joseph jogged up to me. "You okay Kristen?"
"Yeah, just give me a minute."
"Hah! You always end up like this. Maybe you should quit track?"
"You know I can't! If I do, then I have to do Trigonometry. Ugh. That's worse."
"Right..."
I stood up and we walked in silence. His lithe step did not match mine. I had a clumsy, trip over step. I needed somebody to teach me how to walk right.
"Oof." I had tripped, and landed on my side. How? I have no idea. Normal people land on their face or back. Not me!
Please e-mail me or comment. Tell me if you like this segment or not, if I get enought votes, I will continue my writing.