I am a Vampire

"I am a Vampire"

An article by Thomas Clyne

          July 12th, 2003: I was sitting down in the pew for the church service. My foot was tapping the side of the wooden pew leg as the quartet sang the hymn. This was the moment I remembered it. I knew this was what I had to write my article on. Though I tried to keep my mind on the event at hand, the revival, I couldn’t concentrate on the talented singing. My mind was running back to that night, a place I knew I would never forget. Perhaps this event is much too dark for me to write an article on, but I know the truth must be heard.
          After shaking hands and saying my farewells to the church brothers and sisters I run to my car. Looking through the back seat I find my recorder and play the tape. That voice is frightening, as much as that scene. I open my briefcase and go through my notes and articles. There, out in the church parking lot, I begin to write my article. This is to you, the reader, take it as you will.

          -Thomas Clyne: “How are you?”

          Valinu: “Much worse than you.”

          TC: “Okay (chuckles softly), that was a different answer…”

          Valinu (interrupting): “Who told you where to find me?”

          TC: “That night at the club, that young man told me you could help me find the person I was looking to interview, and then he suggested interviewing you also.”

          Valinu: “The one you were looking for, who was he?”

          TC: “Jack Curry. It’s rumored he’s in Mexico or around there. I figured I’d be the first to get an interview with the college professor turned murderer.”

          Valinu: “I’m afraid I’m not to familiar with him.”

          TC: “He killed his wife and daughter one night after coming home. They say he even fed off their blood. He then ran off after the police were called by his boss. They assume he went down to Mexico, like I said. That man at the club heard I was wanting to do a story on him and suggested to find you here.”

          Valinu: “Do you know how much danger you have put yourself in by coming here?”

          TC (pausing): “I don’t know… How much?”

          At this moment Valinu swoops out of the chair, knocking over the table with the tape recorder on it, and pins me against the wall.

          Valinu: “Do you know who I am?”

          Thankfully the voices were still able to be picked up over the recorder.

         TC: “No!”

          Valinu (whispering and can’t be heard on the tape, so this quote is just from memory): “I am Valinu, I am immortal. Do you fear me?”

          TC: “What do you mean?”

          Valinu (releasing and dropping me to the floor): “I feed off the blood of the mortals, I sleep during sunlight and prey during moonlight, I am immortal, I am a vampire.”

          Then Valinu sits back down in the chair and allows me to set the table back up and continue the interview.

          TC: “What’s your name?”

          Valinu: “My name is Valinu.”

          TC: “How do you spell that?”

          Valinu: “V-A-L-I-N-U.”

          TC (very fearful): “You don’t have a last name or anything?”

          Valinu: “We all were created without last names.”

          TC: “Vampires are created and not born?”

          Valinu: “No, angels have just a first title.”

         TC: “You’re an angel (sarcastic)?”

          Valinu: “I was at one time, now I am cursed.”

          TC: “You were one of God’s angels?”

          Valinu: “Yes. It was very long ago, in fact, I was one of the first created by Him.”

          TC: “What is it like? I mean, an angel being created?”

          Valinu: “It is beyond your recognition as a mortal.”

          TC: “You can’t even try to describe it?”

          Valinu: “Do you feel I could begin to describe God to you?”

          TC: “I don’t think you could.”

          Valinu: “Then, I can’t describe the creation of an angel.”

          TC: “Why aren’t you an angel still?”

          Valinu: “It began with the serpent. Because Lucifer grew very jealous he forced the Garden to be closed…”

          TC: “You mean the Garden of Eden?”

          Valinu: “Yes. The Father appointed me to set watch over the Garden with a flaming (pauses and hesitates) with a powerful weapon.”

          TC: “Well, what happened? God just fired you or what?”

          Valinu: “Oh, not at all. Even angels feel doubt at times in their life, but doubt is not sin. I acted upon my temptation, and angels have no salvation.”

          TC: “You couldn’t repent?”

          Valinu: “The Son laid down His life for mortals, not for angels. The only way mortals receive mercy is through Christ’s death. There is no redemption for fallen angels. As my punishment God cursed me to darkness, to forever walk in a physical, immortal body. I am in this prison until the end of time.”

          TC: “All fallen angels face punishment?”

          Valinu: “When Lucifer turned away from God he convinced many of the angels to go with him. God cursed them to Hell, though their time has not come, it will. My time has come, my curse is Earth, and I am to walk it until time is through.”

          TC: “Do you face Hell?”

          Valinu: “Do I fear Hell?”

          TC: “No, do you….”

          Valinu: “I fear it as much as a new born baby fears Catholicism.”

          TC: “So, you must have seen very much in your time.”

          Valinu: “I have witnessed your history and your mortal mistakes made over and over again. I can’t comprehend how you mortals continuously make the same mistakes throughout time. Sometimes mortals seem so smart, but other times mortals look so ignorant.”

          TC: “What do you mean, the same mistakes?”

          Valinu: “I remember the city of Soddom, it was a very pleasant city to feed in. That city was full of immorality and God judged that city. Man made a promise to God, to never have such an immoral city again. This happens again, I see this land called the United States, and, though it’s not as immoral as Soddom, there are almost just as much immoral qualities.”

          TC: “America reminds you of the city of Sodom?”

          Valinu: “It does in many ways. Homosexuality, the way you mortals are never happy with your lusts, the turning away from God’s holy day, prostitution, and I believe it would make even the people of Babel ill to see. I can’t blame you mortals, for Lucifer is keen at deceiving you.”

          TC: “You blame Lucifer for modern America? What do you think he’s done to influence it so much?”

          Valinu (without hesitation): “The greatest thing Lucifer has done is convincing you he doesn’t exist. You see, Lucifer is very wise, much wiser than me. I can see Lucifer’s mistakes, as he can see mine, though he sees mine much better. Lucifer is making certain mistakes right now, but he’s made such a great foundation, it will take thousands of mistakes to ruin his plan. His foundation is if he doesn’t exist, then God must not exist.”

          TC: “You can see Lucifer’s mistakes? What are some?”

          Valinu (laughing): “I shouldn’t dare to say, for that you will see in time. Allow me to just say, Lucifer’s original plan consisted of mortal domination, now he’s been backed in a corner and uses the strategy, if I can’t have them, neither will God.”

          TC: “Do you talk to Satan?”

          Valinu: “We have conversed throughout time, yes.”

          TC: “Do you care to speak on some of those?”

          Valinu: “No.”

          TC: “What about God? Do you still talk to God?”

          Valinu: “All things on Earth are always talking with God. There’s no escape from it, but I have not looked to God since this curse was put upon me.”

          TC: “What was your most favorite time in mortal history?”

          Valinu: “I would have to consider my most memorable events what you mortals call the 'Crusades'.”

          TC: “You were a witness to the 'Crusades'?”

          Valinu: “I am responsible for the 'Crusades'. Your history text books were a result of deceitful strategy. The Crusades were not France getting back the Holy Land from the Muslims. It was gaining back the Holy Land from vampires. I was lonely one night so I decided to begin a revolution. I led an army of vampires into the Holy Land to declare rule on the mortals. God allowed me this for some time. He then allowed Joan of Arc to take over my vampire rule and give the mortals their Earth back.”

          TC: “You’re telling me that the Crusades were not what I learned about in High School?”

          Valinu: “Your text books are wrong. Were the writers there?”

          TC: “Well, no.”

          Valinu: “I was.”

          TC: “You have to drink blood to survive? And when you do, does it turn that person into a vampire, you know, by drinking their blood?”

          Valinu: “I must drink blood to keep my strength, if I do not continue drinking mortal blood my physical body will weaken and ache, but not die.”

          TC: “So, drinking blood from a person turns them into a vampire?”

          Valinu: “That’s not how it works. It’s not some magical force that overcomes you. My blood is a carrier for a virus, which has infected thousands upon thousands of mortals. You must be infected with the vampire virus to become a vampire. The only way it can be contagious is if you swallow the blood of a carrier. It’s after you drink vampire blood that the virus takes over your body, kills red and white blood cells, replaces them with vampire blood cells, which is the virus itself, then you lose all melanin in your skin, causing the least bit of sunlight to burn through your skin, your eyes become very weak to any ultra-violet rays, you body stops growing, except hair, and you never die.”

          TC: “So, there’s no way to kill a vampire?”

          Valinu: “The heart is the source of the virus, it’s the virus that keeps you immortal, I will not say anymore.”

          TC: “Germs and other things don’t affect a vampire? They have no allergies or infections?”

          Valinu: “All vampires become easily infected by some types of metal, salt water, and some types of wood. It will not kill us, but it irritates our sensitive skin and causes pain to our blood.”

          With a swift movement of his hand Valinu lifts up his black shirt and shows me a scar across his rib.

          Valinu: “This was caused to me during the fall of Nero in Rome. A crusader thought it to try to kill me. I ate his heart.”

          TC: “What did he use to cause that scar?”

          Valinu: “A sword.”

          TC: “What kind?”

          Valinu: “The crusader used a sword!”

          TC: “Okay. What about coffins, do you sleep in coffins?”

          Valinu: “If a vampire chooses to sleep in a coffin, let it, I enjoy sleeping in dark rooms on a bed.”

          TC: “Do all vampires have to follow your rule?”

          Valinu: “Some vampires do not even know I exist. They don’t know how the virus got started, or who was the first. I do have my small congregation of vampires who enjoy giving me their devotion and respect. Though, many vampires are separated, they all are united on one issue. We all know we must keep our identity secret to mortals.”

          TC: “Why is that?”

          Valinu: “It’s fear that we feed upon. All vampires enjoy hunting, and mortal fear makes the blood taste much better. If mortals are unsure of our existence, they will fear us even more.”

          TC: “Blood can taste different at certain times then?”

          Valinu: “All types of tribes of blood taste different. The greatest tasting blood is of the Israelites, Jews as you call them. There are three tribes, each having its own particular taste.”

          TC: “Where do the twelve tribes come from?”

          Valinu: “All from Abram, it was so long ago. It’s the memories in which I find little joy, but just little. Memories are mine.”

          TC: “You seem to be depressed, when you speak of memories, that you are a vampire, why is that?”

          Valinu: “This is a punishment, a curse from God! All of eternity I am alone, knowing there is no hope for me. All vampires are the same, all without hope.”

          TC: “If it’s so horrible, why make any one else a vampire?”

          Valinu: “Because, evil beings do evil things.”

          TC: “Excuse me, but I am still a little bit skeptical.”

          Valinu: “Skeptical? Does not my blood-stained teeth convince you? Look at my pale hands, they smell of the death of a thousand mortals, and my eyes, they are the eyes of a man who has seen empires rise and fall.”

          TC: “You’re telling me, you are over a million years old…”

          Valinu: “Earth is a mere six thousand years old.”

          TC: “Okay, you’re six thousand years old, you’re a vampire, and, well, I don’t know what else.”

          Valinu: “Mortal, are you scared of me?”

          TC: “I suppose I am, but that does not mean I’m not skeptical.”

          Valinu: “Would you be skeptical if I were to show you my collection of crusader heads?”

          TC: “Collection of crusader heads?”

          Valinu: “I keep all the crusaders who have tried to hunt me, they are my trophies.”

          I pay close attention as Valinu walks around the empty warehouse. He slowly steps behind me and puts his cold hand on my shoulder. Nothing has ever scared me as much as that cold hand grazing my shoulder and patting my back. His fingernails crawl up the back of my neck and stop at my hairline.

          Valinu: “I smell it, your fear.”

          Then he moves quicker than I can see, almost the speed of light, and lifts me up above his head. With this image of his eyes left in my head he leaves me, feeling like leaving me to die. That’s my experience, that will always be vivid in my memory. I don’t know if Valinu was a vampire, or he may have just been someone who’s gone insane, but Valinu convinced this reporter.

-Thomas Clyne-