Vampire Life

Mrs. Pennington was sicker than usual this Thursday. Being the last on your list for food delivery, you gladly invested the extra hours of effort. You are certain that most Americans would have done the same. You even waited with her, until the doctor finally had time to pay her a visit.

When you finally departed you ran into Cassia Pennington, the daughter of Mrs. Maria Pennington. With one look you had assessed the situation, and so you helped her carrying supplies into the house. God has his own way to reward the minor niceties. At least that was the thought you got, when smelling the wood of the stairs leading into the cellar.

Even on your walk home you still thought about good craftsmanship, and all the little blessings of life. It helped you thinking less about the Army. Sometimes you missed your unit, and the feeling of being one among equals. Still you rejoiced at the thought that tomorrow there would be another sinful Friday.

Sinful Friday. Fred, Anderson and Mike had liked it, as they had feared you would be too well-drilled to enjoy beer, barbecue, or burgers. You were not. You learned to give others the time they needed to become the best possible person, and you liked your new friends without judging them.

Just six more lantern-posts. And indeed, you were close to home, when you heard a scream for help, and sounds of a struggle. Ruffians in your hood? It was a weird thought. Your body had already reacted, and you ventured towards a badly lit parking lot.

Three muscled brutes were circling a business woman. It was injustice by the book. Like predatory beasts they allowed their greed to guide them down the road to hell. You remembered that Chris Rea Oldie named Road to Hell. It ran on the radio some nights before you were stopped from being a soldier anymore.

You had a pretty clear estimation about your chances here. You even felt that a shadow of darkness was lurking for you. Yet justice had to be done, as allowing the wicked to win breeds only more injustice, and suffering. Maybe you would not be able to save the woman, as brawling versus three thugs had bad odds for you. Yet that was a maybe. The option of abandoning a woman, nearly like giving her as a sacrifice just to save the own life, was no option at all to you.

“No man is left behind.” In your time female soldiers did already exist, and were treated like soldiers. The thought of abandoning anyone in danger was pure dishonor. You would be beaten to death, even when they raped you first, too, before you would even consider it. The trio of ruffians was in position, and the lead-rabid dog had to attack you first. He did.

While far from your maximum efficiency, you had restarted your workouts six weeks ago. Real workouts, not just the gym stuff. The brass knuckle came flying towards your face, just that flinching, or cowering, was not your reaction. You blocked the swing while positioning your feet, and retaliated with a brutal thrust kick, sending the criminal stumbling backwards.

Everything went too quickly for you then. The three ruffians were standing against you. The expression on their faces changed from wrath to something else, just that precisely in that moment God told you something. And that somebody else told you something, too. It was during this moment, when you realized that God and that other person had told you the same, that you lost conscience.

“I am sorry.” a female voice had said to you. One instance before you passed out.

Isaac Barton was killed that night. Even though a different truth does exist. You are certain of this by now. Whatever you are it is no longer human. The ruffians, much like you, had been like peasants on her chessboard. She sacrificed whatever, and whoever, did not further her goal. And you did understand, why she did this to you.

“Because from all the mortals, who I had encountered through the centuries, it was you who convinced me that you would do your very best to be the least of a monster, and not the most of it.” This was her first note to you. An entire library full of lore awaited you. Several houses, bank accounts, apartments, and holdings just as well.

God had tested you, preparing you for your greatest trial by fire. Being a creature of darkness, and damnation, while keeping your faith, and goodwill, intact! From now on it would be up to you, if such faith in you would be a good idea.