Olivera, the original Vampire Hunter in his first blood thirsty adventure. |
‘Vampires aren’t my kind of species, if you get what I mean. The whole blood sucking thing kinda creeps me out, well that was before I met Jennifer. She was one of a kind. One part woman, one part fiend. I don’t think I’ll ever meet anyone like her again, in fact I don’t think I want to. It’s been fifty-six days since I last saw her. She had the looks of an angel, in a devilish kind of way that is. I mean a vampire can’t be an angel, it’s unethical. Still she was one that should have been. It cuts me to the bone every time I think of her. How she was, how she is, how she will be...’ Olivera was one of a kind. He had jet black hair that went down to his earlobes and green eyes that he had found to change to yellow on very rare occasions. He looked nothing like either of his parents, not that he had ever met them. The closest he had been to them was when he looked at their photo. They looked like a happy couple, if only they hadn’t died. A car crash had taken their lives a month after Olivera was born; he had been living with his aunt and uncle since. Both of them where cold hearted people with two children of their own. At the age of fifteen he had been kicked out of the house and told to ‘get a life’, a direct quote from his uncle’s mouth. Since then Olivera had been living by himself. He had turned his back on the world as it has done to him. He didn’t need people, money or cars. He was better off left by himself. He didn’t need moral support or a shoulder to cry on, the only thing he needed was himself and that was enough to keep him going head strong for a long time. ‘I should have done something, at the time though I couldn’t believe my eyes and even if I wanted to more I couldn’t have. His stare kept me frozen on the spot. I remember feeling cold, well cold doesn’t quite cut it; freezing is a better word. Jennifer called out to me numerous times but I couldn’t react. All I could do was look at her. I still dream about it at night. Every time I do dream though it fades away a little, more and more every time. I know one day I’ll wake up and think that it was all a dream, but I can’t bear to think like that. Jennifer wasn’t a dream, she was more than reality it self...’ A Friday night annual for Olivera was to go down to the local pub. He’d been doing it ever since he had come of age, drinking as much as possible but yet keeping away from the zone that would give him a hangover in the morning yet to come. He could never remember the bar tenders name, but the bar tender seemed to know his as he could greet him with a smile and a hello every time. “G’day there Olivera” he said grinning a toothless grin. In one hand he held a glass, and in the other an old dirty rag. Somehow he seemed to be cleaning the glass. Olivera took his seat on his bar stool, second from the right window, closest to all the taps. It was snowing outside, something he didn’t look forward too as he didn’t have a heater of any kind at home. “Will it be the usual then or the special?” Olivera didn’t care. “Let’s go for the special, surprise me” The bar tender grinned and pulled a heap of non-labelled bottles up onto the counter, pouring some into the empty glass while putting others away. “Here ya go mate” he said still grinning. “Drink up” Olivera pulled the glass to his lips, awaiting the cool liquidly flow of the contents the glass held. His mouth went dry as it came nearer but before he could drink out of it the bar door slammed open. At the time there had only been thirty odd people in the bar, a world record low. However all seemed to turn towards the door, and there she stood. ‘She was unique in everyway. It wasn’t her fault that she was a vampire; she had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time for that to happen. Nevertheless she had to act on her cravings. She needed a victim every third night, until then she would starve herself. She didn’t mean to kill the innocent, but on very few occasions she had to, it was as they say ‘survival of the fittest’. I’ll never forget that one night though, the night that we meet. She tried to take my blood, but I fought for my life. I wasn’t going to give into her or anybody else in my way…’ A woman of twenty-two stood in the bar doorway. She was hunched over and breathing cold raspy breaths. Some of them men got to their feet as if to help her but stopped, not but choice but by force. They all just stood there as she removed her clock limply. It fell onto the floor with a thud as she dragged herself through the crowd and over to the actual bar itself. She sat down but the bar tender stayed clear of her. Everyone did, except Olivera. “You should go see a doctor” he said bluntly. “That doesn’t sound too good” “And what would you know” she snapped back. “You don’t even know what’s wrong with me” Olivera smirked and took another sip of his drink, unable to detect what it was the bar tender had poured into the glass. “You’re so up yourself, congrats you win first place for that” Olivera watched as more than half of the men in the bar chose to leave, not wanting to stay near her any longer. It was as if she was forcing them to leave though, forcing them to leave her alone. “You’re in pain” he said. “Let me help you” “No!” she yelled. “Stay away!” Olivera grinned. “Suit yourself, but I still think you should go get it check out” The woman swung around in her seat, facing Olivera. She grabbed his neck with both hands as she produced her fangs. She lunged forward but before she could make contact with his neck, Olivera pulled out a gun. “I wouldn’t do that if I where you” he said. “Old faithful here has never missed a target.” The woman pulled away snarling. “You shouldn’t have provoked me; people like you don’t understand people like me” “You wanna test that theory?” The woman backed down, not all that sure of herself anymore. She was in fact a darkened beauty. Red glossy hair swept down to her shoulders, layered in more ways than one. Darkened blue eyes enclosed her face making it more noticeable than others. There she stood, dressed in knee high boots, leather pants and a blood red singlet top (not all that ideal for the type of weather they where having). “You cannot help me, even if you wanted to” “Name your price” The woman just stood there, entranced by these words. By the way she looked it was obvious that she had never been challenged or threatened in this kind of way before. ‘I mean having a vampire plunge herself at you in an act of survival isn’t my ideal treat. If she hadn’t have been a vampire and it wasn’t a matter of life or death, well let’s just say I would prefer that…’ “Blood” Olivera just looked at her blankly. “Ever heard of a blood bank” The woman didn’t grin or even laugh at his response; instead she just looked at him. Olivera, none the wiser challenged her, returning her stare. What he didn’t know was that a vampire’s stare could freeze anything that makes eye contact with it. Olivera just sat there, motionless but still looking at her. He wasn’t glaring anymore but just looking at her as he would anyone else, yet he could still see everything and everyone surrounding him His mouth felt dry as it was left hanging half open. In those few moments Jennifer knocked his gun out of his hand and flexed down to pick it up. From there she released her stare. Olivera sat there stunned. She had his gun! She had his pride and joy! She just sat there, pain filling her face as she doubled over clutching her stomach. “Give her back” he said. “Give her back to me!” The woman sat there panting. She was growing weaker with hunger every minute. Sooner or later she would snap. ‘Vampires are extraordinary creatures when you think about it. Being able to transform into bats, wolves and rats must be extremely handy at times. As a child I used to pretend I could do stuff like that, it kept me entertained. Sleeping all day wouldn’t be all that bad either. Most vampires wouldn’t even have jobs, how cool would that be? I never did like sun light anyway. A paralysing stare would also come in handy at times. Well only if you where a crook trying to get away or even a murder at that. Living on other peoples blood though is the only real let down. I couldn’t bare to do it; I still don’t know how Jennifer did it…’ “Give her back to me” “No!” The bar as filled with the woman’s echoing voice as another two people scrambled to their feet and left before she could turn on them. The room seemed frozen on the spot. Men who had been drinking held their glasses in mid air, not daring to move a muscle even to put it down. Everything seemed to be frozen in time, yet it wasn’t. Olivera, himself just sat there as the woman pointed his gun at him. She sat there, panting yet sitting up straight enough to aim. She was partly still doubled over at the time but made no move to straighten herself up. Olivera shifted in his seat. “Don’t move” she said. “Move again and I’ll shoot” Olivera thought about it for a moment. Slowly he bent forward, so he was able to talk to her in a whisper unheard from anybody else. “If you shoot me” he said. “I wouldn’t be any good for you. Doesn’t your victim have to be alive for you to be able to drink their blood?” The woman looked at him stunned but smiled. “You’ve done your homework, but that won’t get you out of this” “And exactly what did I do to deserve this?” The woman’s grin faded as she flipped off the safety on the gun, putting her right index finger on the trigger with slight pressure but not enough to set it off. “You pissed me off, and your death equals my survival” “But if you suck my blood I wouldn’t technically be dead, I’d just be like you” The woman laughed. “To be like me is immortality, and immortality is death” Olivera went silent as he heard a shotgun being loaded and ready to fire. He turned his head slightly towards the bar bench where the sound had originated from. There stood the bar tender, shotgun in both hands, aimed at the woman. “You get outta here” he said shaking. “I don’t want no trouble from ya or anyone like ya. This here is my property.” The woman grinned at Olivera and in the next few seconds from what he saw she jumped over the bench, towards the bar tender, plunging her teeth into the side of his neck. The rest of the men in the bar bolted as she did this, not waiting around any longer. The bar tender looked at Olivera, his eyes wide with shock as he gasped and tried to choke out a few miserable words. His last moments as a human where almost gone, while a whole eternity as a vampire awaited him. ‘In the end I’m just glad she didn’t decide to take my blood. I do feel sorry for that bartender though. He’s just like her though; he starves himself and only feeds when he needs to. He still runs the bar but it’s not as popular as it used to be. Most of the time its only vampires in there, it’s their grounds now; they have rights over it even if it is legally that bar tenders. They spend most of their days there, hiding away from the light but their still heavily clocked. I wonder how they survive though the summer heat with all of those clothes on…’ The woman dropped the bar tender to the ground as soon as she was done, whipping her bottom lip with the back of her hand as she did so. She still looked weak but not as bad as from before. She was now able to stand up a little straighter and had stopped herself from doubling over. “He’ll be ok” she said. “Give him twenty-four hours and he’ll be his new self” “You’re sick” replied Olivera. “Do you know that? What you did was sick!” “Don’t you think I know that” she snarled. “Do you actually think that I enjoy what I just did?” Olivera didn’t answer. He was now on his feet looking over at the bar tenders body. His eyes where still open but this time looking up at the ceiling not at Olivera. “Besides” she continued, brushing a piece of hair off of her face, it was either me or him. You saw him; he would have shot me in a heart beat” “I’m not completely stupid you know” said Olivera, anger rising inside of him but not daring to come out. “Bullets can’t kill a vampire; all they can do is hurt you” The room became quiet. Neither of them spoke as they glared at each other in hate and admiration. Yet she still had his weapon in her hand, just not pointing at him for the time being. Olivera was smart enough not to backchat her, he wasn’t stupid. The woman placed his gun in both of her hands, aiming it at him. “I can’t let you love, not after what you’ve seen. I’m sorry”. With that the woman pulled the trigger. ‘I only wish I had told her what she meant to me in the end. By saying that most people would think that I was in love with her, but I wasn’t. Sure she was beautiful but I didn’t think of her as a lover or a girlfriend. She was my best friend and close enough to be my sister. She was the only person that felt like they where family to me. Sure we went through the bad times but there where also the good…’ He didn’t know how he did it but as the woman pulled the trigger he ducked and pushed her hand aside. The bullet hit the wall ricocheting until it smashed a glass bottle. Olivera sat back up straight, not all the sure if it was safe. Would she shoot again? What she didn’t know though was that he knew how many bullets where loaded into it. He only had to dodge another five shots. He hadn’t loaded it properly this morning, yet as this moment he was kind of glad that he didn’t fully load it as usual. The woman stared at him blankly. “How did you do that?” she managed to say. She looked rather pale from what had just happened. Olivera shrugged his shoulders and finished off his drink. He was amazed to find it still there. He took a sip and spat it out. “What ‘n’ the fuck” he said as he got to his feet and looked down at the dead bar tender. He knew he couldn’t hear him but he continued anyway. “You call this a drink, its fucking revolting” “Don’t count on him answering you” said the woman. “Although you’ll both have something in common very soon” Olivera ducked as she shot another bullet at him. With that he began to run around the room, hiding behind a turned over table at one stage. A bullet whizzed past his head as it went through the table. Olivera was stunned. Those tables where at least five inches thick. Yet he moved again running towards the juke box. On the way there she shot two move bullets. She only had two more shot left. With numbers like that she could still hit him. Olivera approached the juke box and hid behind it. It was old but completely metal. Keep your self alive by Queen was playing which kind of irritated him. He never really liked Queen all that much although his real excuse was that he didn’t like fags such as Freddie Mercury. However this was a special occasion. The music played at a medium level but from where he was crouching it was too loud. The woman took another shot at him, aiming for his foot which he had left accidentally poking out from behind the juke box. Luckily she missed as he pulled his foot in behind the juke box with the rest of his body. One shot left, she had a fifty-fifty chance of hitting him. He couldn’t take that risk. Olivera darted out from behind juke box, running straight for her. The woman just stood there shocked by his actions, her feet frozen on the spot. Olivera came at her, charging like a bull, knocking her to the floor. She let go of the gun as she hit the floor hard. The gun went skidding across the floor. Olivera dived for it before the woman could get to her feet. He fumbled it in his hands as he picked it up. The woman was getting to her feet. Olivera took a few steps forward; cautious of what he was doing, not daring to go any closer than he had to. He was less than a meter away when he shot at her. ‘I guess I never really thought about it though. Me and her being an item that is. We where two completely different people yet at the same time very similar. It wouldn’t have worked out anyway. She’s a vampire, and I’m a human, there was too much between us…’ The world seemed to go quiet as she fell to the ground. She didn’t even mutter a sound as she fell. Time itself seemed irrelevant. He had shot her though the stomach, the bullet going straight though and into the wall behind her. Olivera just stood there for a while looking at her. He knew she wasn’t dead but she was hurt. He moved closer to her, reloading his gun with a few extra bullets that he always kept in his denim jacket. He held his gun by his side when he was done, his finger firmly on the trigger. The woman groaned with pain as she managed to get on all fours, but keeping her head down, too ashamed to look at him. “You didn’t think I would do it, did you?” he said. The woman shook her head as he arms gave way and she fell on her face. She let out a small cry of pain, but covered it quickly. Olivera grinned at this. She was weak and at his disposal. “You see my lady, you underestimate me. Before you, in my gun are another five bullets. One of those five is silver. If by chance it hits you, well do I really need to waste my breath on what will happen?” The woman got back on all fours and spat at his feet. “You bastard” Olivera laughed. “I’m a bastard. You started all of this. If you die today there is no one to blame but yourself. You cause this, not I” The room filled with the echo of his laughter. He laughed until it seemed that minutes had past. His eyes filled with tears as if he had just been told a hilarious joke and couldn’t stop laughing. Finally he collapsed, sobbing. Yet he wasn’t crying because of what he had just done, but because what had happened. Either way she was still a human being, and he had shot her. She had killed the bar tender and Olivera hadn’t even had the curtesy to remember his name. The woman stood up, helping Olivera to his feet. However she didn’t go for his gun as she did so. ‘I hardly ever cry. I used to never cry before I met Jennifer, in fact I don’t think I even knew how to cry until I met her. It just came naturally on that night though. I was overwhelmed by what had happened, I just couldn’t stop myself. She taught me the meaning of life, and death. I only ever cried in front of her although I tried not to. She was strong and I was weak. No man ever wants to cry, especially not in front of a woman. But to admit that a female is stronger than you, well it’s not easy to do. I hardly ever cry anymore. If I ever do it’s about Jennifer…’ Olivera rose to his feet as the woman helped him up. He was still crying but wiped the tears away with the back of his hand. His face felt hot and sticky from the tears but now wasn’t a time to be self-conscious. “I’m sorry” she the woman. “I’m so sorry about all of this” “A vampire can’t be sorry” he snarled. “Vampires don’t have feelings” The woman seemed hurt by what Olivera had just said but continued on. “You’re wrong. Most vampires don’t have feelings, but I do. We’re not all dark and evil like people think us to be” “You don’t think you’re dark and evil? For Christ sake you just killed a man. You took his blood!” “Just because I took his blood doesn’t mean that I don’t care. I don’t like what I do and I sure as hell don’t encourage it. But let me ask you something. Have you ever feared death? I have and I always will. I take peoples blood because I’m afraid to die, I don’t want to die. Being immortal is amazing, but the things you have to do to stay that way aren’t. All I want is to live, but hat I want even more is for people to trust me” Olivera snorted. “Well you might want to go back in time for that bit. People like me are never going to be able to trust people like you” “You’re beginning to sound racist” “And you’re beginning to sound sarcastic!” Both Olivera and the woman fell into silence. Their voices had stopped echoing off of the walls but there was something beneath all of that. A murmur that didn’t belong to either of them. “Quick” said the woman. “Follow me” “Why?” argued Oliver in a whisper. The woman grabbed his hand forcefully. “They’ve found me. They’ll kill us both if they catch us” ‘Some times I wish she had bitten me, just so I could have a taste of immortality. I wonder hat it feels like, to never age and to always stay young. I’m growing older ever day. My face is drawn and silent. I only just got rid of the dark circles under my eyes but they’ll be back soon. I’ve lost all interest in life, well all interest except for writing this book. I don’t play sport anymore, I quit my day job, I don’t go down to the pub for a drink, I don’t even socialise with my neighbours. I want out of this life, I want Jennifer…’ “What do you mean, they’ll kill us both” Before the woman could reply the front door to the pub splintered right down the centre. Straight after that the door was blown open, leaving three men to walk into the room, each one dressed in casual day clothes. A few windows where busted open, with hands clawing though wanting to be the first one through the window, towards the woman and Olivera. The woman dragged Olivera out the fire door before he could say anything in protest. The fire door lead them into a dark alleyway. Olivera found this typical and amusing as he had seen a lot of movies in his life. He pointed up with out even looking. “We have company” Sure enough half a dozen Vampires jumped down from the roof of the building and into the alley way to greet them. Olivera got out his gun, and unloaded it shoving all of the bullets into his left coat pocket. He had lied to Jennifer about the silver bullet before; he hadn’t put one in there. “Put your gun away!” she yelled. “Save it until later” Olivera didn’t listen to this. He dug his hand into his right coat pocket and pulled out a handful of silver bullets. A quickly loaded them into his gun, taking less than thirty seconds to do all of this. By the time his gun was loaded one vampire was already knocked to the ground and unconscious while Jennifer fought off the other five. She was quick and flexible, a she through a punch in one direction and span around simultaneously kicking at another. Olivera walked over to the one unconscious vampire, standing just above it. “This one’s from me” he said as he kissed his gun and shot the vampire though the head. The woman seemed to be dong ok but at the same time she was taking a lot of damage. She was still weak from before she walked into the bar, but now she was weaker. Olivera ran over to her, shooting his gun with precise aim and mobility at the attacking vampires. All vampires where killed except one as Olivera put his gun away and held him up against the pub brick wall. “Who sent you?” he asked The vampire seemed to quiver at the sound of his voice but did not answer. Oliver turned his attention back to the woman, but not letting go or loosening his grip on the other vampire. “He a friend of yours?” The woman shook her head as she walked over to join in on the fun. “What do you want Crysiflur?” “Drake sent me here after you. He sent me here to kill you. You’re a disgrace to all vampires, you don’t deserve to live” Olivera punched Crysiflur in the gut. “That’s no way to speak to a lady” “Send Drake back a message for me Crysiflur. Tell him that I would stop until every last vampire is dead, that I will not stop until I know that he himself is dead” Crysiflur snarled at this as Olivera let him go and back down onto the ground. Crysiflur just stood there for a few seconds looking at them both. “Go on you heard her, rack off. Beat it kid” Crysiflur glared at his. “Drake won’t be happy about this” “And Drake won’t be happy about you letting me live, so will you go already” Olivera watched as Crysiflur ran out of the alley way and into thin air. Olivera guessed that he changed into a bat, to worn out to walk the rest of the way home, or where ever he was going for that matter. “So you do know him” said Olivera once they where alone. The woman nodded. “He was meant to be my brother in-law” ‘Its kind of weird thinking that vampires can have families. Well not in the way that most people would think but relatives. Jennifer never spoke of having any, apart from her once to be brother in-law and fianc酒 “So what happened?” The woman sighed. “Walk me home and I’ll tell you” Olivera agreed to this as they walked out of the alley and onto the dark streets. He didn’t have his watch on but he guessed that by now it would be some time in the early hours of the morning. Hardly any cars where on the road while he could here motors going off in the distance. It was most likely that the young people would be out drinking and showing off their cars today. Olivera had never fitted into a crowd like that. “I was human when it all started. That was six months ago. I’d just come back from a holiday in Las Vegas with my friends. It was late at night and that was when I met him. Drake was everything that I ever wanted and more. He was good-looking, intelligent; you know how it all goes. Within a week he proposed to me. I said yes without even think about it, but at the time I didn’t know everything about him that I should have. A month later he introduced me to his brother, the only remaining family that he had left. Crysiflur was a miniature version of his brother but not as good. Crysiflur is only two years younger than Drake, making him the same age as me. Any way, Crysiflur and I became really good friends, but Drake didn’t like that. He wanted us to be married straight away and even considered moving to France, but I wouldn’t.” “Why though, why would you or anyone else for that matter pass up an opportunity to go to France” “I don’t know, it just didn’t feel right. I knew that something was wrong, don’t ask me how though. I just knew” ‘I do feel sorry for her though. Drake was selfish and self-centred. What he did to Jennifer was wrong and I hate him for it. Then again I hate him for a lot of things now. I will have my revenge though, no matter what it takes…’ Olivera nodded at this beckoning her to go on. She was right though, she was different. By now most vampires would have tried to take as much blood from him as possible. But he wouldn’t be dragged into it; he wouldn’t be fooled by her planning ahead. He was ready for any sudden movements. “Crysiflur and I organised to watch a movie one night, at his and Drakes place. We where half way through the movie when he kissed me. It just happened, I didn’t plan it and I didn’t encourage it but by then it was too late. Drake had seen us and before I could even pull away he had Crysiflur by the scruff of the neck. He bashed him until his knuckles bleed and by then Crysiflur was in pretty good shape. I cried the whole time he did it and begged him to stop but he wouldn’t listen to reason. He led me out of the room after that and into the kitchen. He calmed me down enough so I could at least stop crying. I was still shaken up though. He kept saying how he wanted to be with me, how he’d do anything for me. I made the foolish mistake of telling him that I wanted the exact same thing for him. He lent forward, I just though he was going to kiss me but I was wrong. He went straight for me neck. I could feel his teeth sinking it, taking my blood. He left me in the kitchen after that and went back into the lounge room to deal with Crysiflur. His screaming voice is still in my head. I soon found out that I was a vampire, one of Drakes gifts. Crysiflur ended up being one as well.” “I take it you weren’t to happy with Drake after that then?” “You got that right. I tried to avoid him at every cost. At one stage I even had to put an A.V.O. on him. But I became weak; I couldn’t cope not being with him. So I meet up with him. He still wanted to be with me, more than ever before. But I couldn’t, I wouldn’t. He said that he was sorry, that he would never do it again. I almost went back to him, until I saw Crysiflur. He looked as if he’d been beaten badly and yet he was like me, trapped in a new life that he didn’t want. I broke up with Drake then and there. Crysiflur and I didn’t see each other much after that. Every time we did see each other he seemed to have changed too much for me to handle. He became vicious and envious; every motive was influenced by his brother, Drake. When ever I see him now, well you saw him tonight. He hates me for what happened; he wishes he’d never done it, that he’d never kissed me. He wants me dead more than anyone else alive, and Drake, well he wants me dead for my reasons, most of which I feel as if I shouldn’t have to discuss tonight.” Olivera was left walking with the woman in silence. The stars above twinkled in the dark night sky making it look as if the whole universe was eternal. The moon shone brightly off to one side of the night sky, its rays beaming down but making hardly any light against the harsh street lamps. ‘It’s funny how the small things can do so much damage, damage beyond our wildest dreams. If Crysiflur had never kissed Jennifer a lot of things would be different. The biggest one would be that I would know her, and that I wouldn’t be writing this down. It’s strange though because wether we like it or not everyone has an influence on somebody’s life…’ “Well this is it; home” Olivera looked up at the building they had stopped at. It was a three story building made of harsh red brick. Although it was dark he could tell that it was an ugly shade of brick. The windows where up high so not even a person standing outside could be tall enough to look through one. Five stairs led to the front door that it’s self being made out of a combination of wood and steel. “Can I see you again?” he asked before even thinking about it. She was a vampire, why would he want to meet back up with someone like her for. He sure as hell didn’t want to die anytime soon or be ‘immortal’ as she said. The woman smiled. “I’m here all day, even you should know that.” Olivera smiled in return and shoved his hands in his jacket pocket, with no intention of pulling out any extra ammunition. “Maybe we could meet up tomorrow night then, only if you want to” The woman began to walk up the five stairs and towards the door. “Sure, I’d like that” “Seven o’clock” “Eight” “You drive a hard bargain” said Oliver; he looked down at the ground then back up at her smiling. The woman opened the front door to her house and turned around. “My names Jennifer” “Huh?” said Olivera, who hadn’t been paying attention. HE had been thinking of tomorrow as most dreamers do. What it would bring, what would happen etc. “My name’s Jennifer” “Olivera” Jennifer smiled at him as she walked inside and closed the door behind her. Just before it closed she spoke up. “Good night, Olivera” ‘How do vampires sleep I wonder. I mean people tell you that they sleep upside down like bats or in coffins but I find that a little unbelievable. Coffins are for the dead, not the immortal…’ Olivera walked the rest of the way home in silence. It was quarter past six in the morning when he got home, but he wasn’t tired. He had a day off of work today not that he did much. He worked at a shooting ranch, a few blocks away from his house. It was an ok job but it wasn’t the best. The only good thing about working there was the free ammunition. Well technically it wasn’t free, if you include stealing into the equation. Olivera didn’t like to use harsh terms such as that though. He preferred the term borrowing, it made much more sense. He finally reached his house, but then again it wasn’t really a house at all. Olivera lived in a small duplex building by himself. No pets, no flatmates, no family. The building contained two floors (as most duplexes do). The first floor was dedicated to an overly sized lounge room, a study and a kitchen. Upstairs was a bathroom, his bedroom and a laundry. Olivera walked up to the front door and opened it with the key that he always kept in him back pocket. He never carried a wallet around, finding it a waste of time and space. He didn’t have time for shopping or accessorising, only the female species did that kind of thing. He didn’t see the point in having them around either. Of course there where the more obvious reasons, but apart from that they where a waste of time and a waste of money. Olivera walked inside taking his coat off and dumping it on the floor, missing the coat rack by inches. He couldn’t be bother picking it up though. She, Jennifer was on his mind. She was vicious he knew that and way out of his league. He didn’t care about things like that though. She had almost taken his life tonight but he had stopped her. In the end they had both saved each other by fighting the vampires off. Olivera walked up stairs to his bedroom and laid on his bed, trying not to fall asleep, only resting his eyes. He of course fell asleep almost instantly. ‘After Crysiflur's death, Jennifer didn’t know what to do with herself. She had loved him all of her life, more than she ever had Drake. Yet Drake had killed Crysiflur in spite of jealousy and to prove a point to Jennifer. As much as I had always hated Crysiflur, I couldn’t help but feel a painful loss when I saw his body. Jennifer was hysterical at the time and I don’t blame her. She wasn’t right for days. She wouldn’t feed; she wouldn’t look after herself or anything. All she kept saying was that it felt as if a piece of her heart had been ripped out and burnt. The scary thing is that she knew he was dead before she saw his body…’ Olivera awoke up at exactly four pm in the after noon. He’d slept in more than he had intended on and what he was used to. His body was aching from the previous night while he found that he had taken a nasty hit to his lower back on the left hand side. A bruise as big as a tennis ball had risen to the surface making his back sore to lie on. He was going to see Jennifer tonight. He didn’t know why he was so excited; she was just like every other girl, except for the vampire part. She was no different from anyone else, unless you included the need to kill. Olivera sighed at the thought of this. She was different from other girls, he couldn’t hide that. Olivera got to his feet and changed into a different pair of clothes, missing out on the shower this time. Who care what society thought about him, he didn’t care about they so why should they care about him? As he walked down stairs and into the kitchen there was a knock on the front door. Olivera sighed and turned around walking back though the hall way to the front door. Olivera unlatched the door and opened it wide open. “Mr. Olivera Davidson?” said the postman, looking down at a letter he held in his hand. Olivera nodded his head as the postman handed him the letter and left, not even caring to make ye contact or give a sideways glance. Olivera walked back inside, closing the door behind him as he did so. The letter had his name scrawled along the front in neat hand writing while an urgent stamp stood in the right hand corner. Olivera tore it open and pulled out the piece of paper from inside. My dearest brother Olivera, For years I have tried to track you down, you have no idea how hard I’ve worked. A few years ago I didn’t even know I had a brother. However if you want to be technical you’re not my brother but my half-brother. Dad had an unknown child before he met your mother. He never knew about me. I’ve been living with my mother ever since, kind of ironic isn’t it? It’s a long story how I found out about you and I have no intention of going into detail with you. In the end I managed to track down Aunty Eileen and Uncle Beck who said that they’d had been looking after you up until you where fifteen. If you ask me the two of them are a bit weird. Olivera I would really like to meet you, in fact that not the matter anymore. I need to meet you, my life depends on it. Your loving sister Sylvia Olivera put the letter down shaking his head. He taped the letter back up and put it on the kitchen counter. A dash into his study and came back into the kitchen with a pen. He turned the envelope so the front was facing upward, where he then wrote diagonally in bold letters RETURN TO SENDER. He had no family and he didn’t want one. ‘She writes to me every now and then even if it’s just to talk about the little things. She’ll ask me how the weather is and fill me in on all of her latest dramas. Frankly I can’t be bothered keeping track of them all. Every week beholds a new tragedy, kinda of like a worn out soap opera. I can’t let her see me though, see what I’ve succumbed to, what I am. Most of all I cant have her come her; it’s not safe with vampires around…’ Olivera walked the whole way to Jennifer’s house and arrived there ten minutes late. He hadn’t got anything planned; he didn’t even know why he wanted to see her again. It was most likely one of his child hood fantasies that he wanted to live out. Talking with a vampire had always been one of them. He rang the door bell and waited until an old lady answered the door. “What do you want?” she said. The woman was the spitting image of what most old people wish not to become. Her face was covered in wrinkles, most of them more than skin deep. She wore think coke bottle lenses and a brown walking Cain. Slippers covered her feet, while she wore a tacky sun flower dress and green beads around her neck. Olivera wondered for a moment if she was blind, then again maybe she just didn’t own a mirror. “I’m here to see Jennifer” he said, trying his hardest not to smile or laugh. Just the sight of the old woman was enough to make anyone laugh until they cried. “You better come in then” she said as she let Olivera walk inside. “What did you say your name was again?” “Olivera” “Tasteless name. What where your parents thinking, better yet what is this generation and the last few thinking. Singing terrible music and naming their children after fruit and land marks.” “I really need to see Jennifer” said Olivera, finding it hard to contain his laughter for much longer. “It’s urgent” “Yes, yes and so are the rules” said the old woman as she picked up a sheet of paper off of the floor. “Read this or get out” Olivera looked at the piece of paper. Rules of the board 1. No smoking 2. No pets 3. No loud music 4. No music at all 5. No instruments even if they’re not played 6. No sharp objects 7. No late rent payments 8. No drugs 9. No alcohol 10. No freedom of speech or protesting “You read all of them yet boy” said the old woman Olivera nodded his head but realised that she probably couldn’t see it. “Yes ma’am” The old woman looked at him questionably, rasing an eyebrow. “Are you being smart with me?” “No ma’am” he replied “Follow me then, she still may be asleep” ‘I’m amazed to see that old lady still alive and kicking. After Jennifer left another resident moved in. She’s new and attractive but nothing like Jennifer. Apparently this new woman fancies me, I don’t see how, I never sleep anymore…’ The old lady lead Olivera up a flight of stairs taking her time as she did so. Olivera offered multiple times that she stay behind and that he go on without her but she would not allow even the thought of it. Finally they reached the second floor which Olivera was both glad and relieved to hear was Jennifer’s floor. “I’ll be down stairs if you need me” said the old lady as she began to make her long journey back down. Olivera shook his head grinning while he tapped on Jennifer’s door. He listened intensely trying to block out the sounds coming from the old woman. She was breathing way to heavy for a normal person. Olivera tried not to concentrate on her but what was behind the door. He listened as a blot was slid and a lock was unlocked. The door opened and there she stood. Her hair was tied back in a loose ponytail while she was dressed in the same knee high boots. A denim mini skirt and a white long sleeve finished off her outfit. Simple but elegant. Jennifer pulled him inside with a hurry, locking the door back up. “I thought that you weren’t going to show” she said smiling. “I’m sorry about Mrs. Taylor, she gets bit carried away some times.” “It’s ok” he said. “She’s worth a laugh and a half” Jennifer seemed puzzled at this but didn’t push it any further. “About last night” she said. “I never got to thank you. You saved my life. If you hadn’t have been there I would have been out numbered easily and killed a lot quicker.” Olivera shrugged. “Don’t worry about it” “But I do, I must. You saved my life once and I’m sure if you had the chance you would do it again. For that I am at your disposal” “You’re crazy aren’t you? You’re just pulling my leg” Jennifer shook her head. “I’m serious. I am yours till death” “And what if I don’t agree to those terms” Jennifer shrugged. “Why wouldn’t you?” She did have a point but Olivera didn’t want to admit that to her, not just yet anyway. She was smarter than when he had thought she would be, maybe a little too smart for her own good. She seemed to know everything that he knew and more. But why would she want to work for a bum like him, it wasn’t as if he ever did anything in his life. She would just be an asset to clean and polish but never use. Why? Because there was no need. He didn’t go off fighting vampires for a living and he didn’t intend to. “Ok” he said. “But tell me more about Drake” Jennifer walked around the room straightening things up for a few minutes before she began to speak. “There isn’t much more to him I’m afraid. He wanted me dead because no one has ever had the nerve to stand up against him before. Drake wants all rebels like myself killed. Anyone who is a vampire but tries against their will not to be, he wants dead. He’s a madman, I’ll give you that but behind that madman is the man that I once loved. But since I because this…this thing I swore to myself that I would kill every last vampire, including, myself. I will not rest, nor die until I have slain ever single last one of them. I shall be the last to go” “And what if they get to you first?” Jennifer seemed stunned by this question as if she had never had the time to take it in and evaluate it. “Time will tell.” ‘Every time I hear of think of the name Drake anger builds up inside of me like shaken up soft drink. I hate him so much, I want him dead so bad. I’d seriously sell both my arms at the black market, maybe even eBay if they could promise me his death. I am like Jennifer; I will not stop until I have killed him with my bare hands. I want to show him what it is like to die, what it is like to have everything you love disappear. I know I’m not dead myself but I am the victim of other peoples deaths. I have to live alone in this world. There is one good thing though, eventually the gas in the soft drink must be released, as will my anger. “And Crysiflur?” “Things are complicated” Olivera smiled. He knew that excuse better than his own image. It was a short cut out of things that you didn’t want to get into in the first place. He used it more or less everyday of his childhood whilst living with his Aunt Eileen and Uncle Beck. If he had had friends then or even if he had ever had any he would have mostly likely have said that to them on numerous occasions. “Well you don’t speak much of him. Surly enough you speak highly of him but that isn’t much to work on when the information is scarce” “Why do you care so much?” Olivera thought about this for a minute, considering all of the numerous possibilities. There was no one straight answer to the question. It seemed like minutes passed as he processed this but in reality only seconds had past. Jennifer seemed to be waiting on his answer with anticipation. “Who else is there to care about? People from every corner of the globe hate me while you have a pack of vampires on your tail. Although we are different we’re very much alike.” “And you base this information on what” “Well the very mere fact that we are fighting what we fear; we are both rebelling against our own kind, are we not?” ‘When ever I think of the word rebel I always picture someone dark and gothic. I always knew I was a rebel but the minds eye always has a certain image for everything. To me a rebel is cold hearted, only caring for him or herself. Now I know better…’ |