Dominic
awoke just as the sun was setting. He
didn’t make it a habit of sleeping so late, but he functioned best with a full
12 hours of undisturbed sleep. How he
adored the night though, with the moon and the stars lighting up his
world. A few years back, he had been a typical
nine-to-fiver, punching in and punching out, and shuffling papers in
between. It had been a generally satisfactory
life, and he had earned enough to get by, but that’s all he had been able to do
– get by, until the night he met Lenora.
Tired
of his routine, one evening he decided to treat himself to a show at one of the
small theaters at the south end of town.
He had heard co-workers discussing their fascinating experiences there
and found himself captivated. Those
productions and players were not the sort one sees in a typical community
playhouse. There were several stages set
up, each with their own unique backdrop, in a large field that was part of
Teddy Jenkins’ farm. In an adjoining
field, a band of gypsies had set up their camp, and performed in all the
nightly shows.
Teddy
had tried to run them off when they first arrived, but over time, it appeared
they came to a mutual understanding.
Teddy maintained his home and the rest of the farm’s operations and the
gypsies kept their camp clean and trouble free, and were able to sustain
themselves with the take from the tickets they sold to their various
productions. There was a great deal of
variety to be found. There were high
wire acts, plays depicting characters from various times in history, musical
performances, and card readers to tell fortunes. Dominic sampled them all and one evening,
decided to get his fortune told, just for a laugh.
He
didn’t believe it was possible to see into one’s own future, but Lenora proved
him wrong. She showed him what was to be
and how he could obtain a long and stress-free existence. She set him free from his dreary life and he would
be forever grateful to her. He left the
area soon after and never saw Lenora again, but the memory of her and the world
she opened up for him would remain dear to his heart forever.
Free
now to travel to seek his fortune, Dominic settled in a small village in a
county whose name he could not pronounce, but that didn’t matter. The people were kind and gentle and Dominic
made his home in an abandoned estate a few miles from town. None of the locals minded since the owners
were long since deceased and no heirs came to claim it as their own. Tourists passing through often stopped by
thinking it was a bed and breakfast.
Dominic always accommodated them since it was a mutually beneficial
proposition. They were afforded the
opportunity to spend the night in a luxurious mansion and Dominic was provided
with the means to maintain the house and property. Also, having guests in his home served to
keep up his spirits and sense of well-being.
This
morning had brought him an unexpected windfall.
A group of people on their way to a family reunion decided to spend the
night at Dominic’s. There were 18 of
them; men and women, boys and girls, and grandmothers and grandfathers. Dominic was beside himself with delight. For a brief time, he had a bit of company,
and with what they paid him, in advance, he could complete his make-over of one
of the downstairs sitting rooms.
They
had all bid him goodnight and retired to their rooms, planning for an early
morning start after breakfast to continue their journey. Dominic was in his room preparing for his
nightly routine when he heard a window break in one of the downstairs rooms. Slowly he crept down his private staircase to
confront the intruder.
***
Frederick
had always been a happy and easy-going soul.
His parents were hard workers and while they could never be considered
wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, Frederick’s home was always filled
with love and joy and toys and small treasures his father would purchase for
him when a few extra dollars could be spared.
They were a close and solid family unit; that is, until Frederick’s
terrible accident. His mother had
permitted him to play outside in their backyard while she completed her
housework inside. The terrible scream
she heard her little boy emit would haunt her for the rest of her days.
No
one could ever explain to him how such misfortune could come into Frederick’s
life. He grew into a decent,
hard-working young man, but all potential for a rewarding career and fulfilling
life was gone after the horrific event from his childhood. He lost more than a promising future. His parents could no longer bear the sight of
him and turned him away, as did his friends and neighbors, and his
unpredictable behavior following his injury instilled fear in all he encountered. He was left to face life and survive alone
with his disfigurement.
He
learned that he could conceal his frightening appearance if necessary, but the
true, and new, Frederick would always show itself at the most inopportune
times. He avoided interacting with
anyone to save himself the embarrassment and ridicule that always occurred when
his scarf slipped or his gloves were forcefully removed by the ever present
bullies that resided in every town. He
ate what he could catch and was usually able to find drinking water in streams
as he traveled the back roads searching for somewhere safe where he might
possibly settle down.
At
first, the ugliness in his appearance and manner would seem to come and go at
odd intervals, but one day, after another of his too often restless and
nightmarish evenings, when he awoke, the vile markings on his person had
remained and continued to the present day.
That’s when he knew he had to resort to covering up his head, face and
hands if he were ever able to pass people on the road and not have them chase
and persecute him.
His
aimless wandering led him ultimately to a charming village in a county whose
name he could not pronounce, but that didn’t matter. The people were kind and gentle and never sat
in judgment of the short, yet extremely muscular, man who lived in fear of his
deformities being revealed. Frederick
knew he couldn’t take what he needed from these people. They were non-judgmental and supportive, and
one of the storekeepers offered him three meals a day and a small room to call
his own at the back of his shop free of charge.
All Frederick would be required to do was sweep the inside of the store
and pick up out front after closing.
When
time permitted, Frederick cruised the countryside to see if perhaps he could
find some transient or lost traveler he could abduct. He had about given up one afternoon when he
came upon a large mansion. He decided to
stake the place out to determine if a break-in would be worth the risk. No one from town ever spoke of the place or
went out that far, so he assumed there was no link to any of them. He observed that people would arrive there,
carrying in suitcases and stay past sunset.
He wondered if the place might be one of those bed and breakfasts he had
heard talk about. When Frederick
returned the next morning, he watched for some time, but never saw any of them
leave. Since he had no experience with
that type of establishment, he didn’t know their checkout times, but since
their stay involved a bed for the night and breakfast, he assumed perhaps their
morning meal was provided at sunrise and they were long gone by the time he got
back to further observe.
On
a couple of occasions however, he had seen a young man out and about on the grounds
at daybreak. At times, he looked to be
carrying quite a heavy load and at other times, he drove the vehicle the people
had arrive in around to the back of the house.
Frederick thought perhaps there might be another road through the woods
that would provide quicker access for the travelers to the highway than the
road through town. Frederick felt for
this young man since he could see how slowly and deliberately he moved. He would, at times, have to drag the large
parcels as he was obviously too weak to carry them. Another man cursed by the Fates, Frederick
thought; disabled and ruined for life as am I.
He decided the tourists were fair game, but he knew he would spare the
owner any distress. Frederick knew what
it was like to have to live one’s life knowing you would never again be 100%.
This
morning, on one of his visits to the house, he saw a large group of people
enter the home. What a stroke of luck. He knew tonight would be the perfect time to
get everything he needed. He finished
his duties at the shop and snuck out the back and made his way to the
estate. He waited in the surrounding
woods until all the lights went out and the house appeared to be secured for
the night. Frederick decided to use a
small rock to break one of the small downstairs windows, climb in, and make his
way upstairs to the sleeping victims.
He
gently tapped the window and the glass fell inside with a soft tinkling
sound. He was certain the noise was not
loud enough to awaken anyone within.
Only someone with super powers would hear him tonight. Frederick laughed quietly to himself at such
a ridiculous thought as he began to climb through the window into the
house. His smile froze and his giggle
caught in his throat when he felt powerful hands grab both his arms, pull him
through into the house and push him to the floor.
“Who
are you and what are you doing in my house?”
Dominic was livid, his plans for the evening having been disrupted.
Frederick
recognized him in the moonlight streaming into the room through the windows as
the young man he had seen tending the grounds, only he wasn’t moving slowly now
and there was nothing weak about him at all.
“I
did not come to do you any harm, good sir.
I am only interested in your guests.”
Frederick hoped this would appease the angry resident, but it seemed
only to enrage him further.
“They
are mine,” Dominic said harshly. “Each
and every one of them. You know, I
should kill you for interrupting me, but I confine my proclivity to guests of
the manor. I do no harm to the locals or
visitors to our town, but you have taken it upon yourself to vandalize my
property and try to take that which is not yours. Speak up, man. What do you have to say for yourself?”
Frederick
was confused.
“Your
pro…what? I’m so sorry, sir, but I wasn’t
planning to take anything from here or from them and I am sorry about the
window. I will return and repair it as
soon as I am able. Whatever possessions
your guests have are yours to keep. It’s
simply that I hunger, and while I am able to sustain myself on human food for a
brief period of time, I have reached a point where my need for actual human
flesh overwhelms me.”
Dominic
knew he had a total nutcase on his hands and decided to scare him away by
bringing out the big gun. He decided to
tell this poor disillusioned fellow the truth.
He smiled broadly, his now elongated incisors visible.
“My
‘proclivity’ – my natural inclination; it is the desire for human blood. I drink it to survive, you see.”
Dominic
could see the burglar’s eyes opening wide with shock and surprise.
“What
I am, you see, is a vampire,” he continued.
“Tourists stay here and I feed on them.
I dispose of their bodies and belongings in the woods over yonder and
their vehicles in the swamp that’s at the back of the property. No one ever comes here looking for any of
them, so it works out well for me. I
tend the grounds during the day as I am able to tolerate the sun, but it
depletes my energy terribly.
“Since
you are not a member of the group currently staying here, I have no wish to
harm you and you are free to go. If you
do not fear to return however, I would appreciate the repair and/or replacement
of my broken window. I do have to say
though, considering what you spoke of a moment ago, I’m not sure what your
problem might be, but there is a wonderful doctor in town I would recommend you
see. Perhaps he would be able to assist
you with whatever mental difficulties you might be having. You do seem to have some issues though; I
mean, you have a scarf wrapped completely around your head and face and thick
gloves covering your hands. It is the
middle of summer, my poor man. What on
earth happened to you?”
Frederick
couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He
decided to reveal his true self to this forgiving stranger, who had shown so
much concern for his welfare. He removed
the scarf and gloves and when Dominic saw all the fur, the large fangs and
clawed hands, he stepped back in amazement.
“You’re
a werewolf?” Dominic said, not certain
how to proceed since he’d never encountered one before. Then again, he’d never even run across any of
his own kind either with the exception of Lenora who had given him the dark
gift. “But the moon is not even full
tonight,” he pointed out.
“It
doesn’t work that way for me,” Frederick explained. “In the beginning it did, and I would only
turn when it was full, but one night, I became this…this… you know, and when
morning came, I remained this frightful beast to this day. I know I am in your way, good sir, or however
I am to properly address you, but could you find it in your heart to let me eat
just a couple of your guests? Flesh from
at least two at this point would satisfy me for a good week or two, and then I
will be on my way and will trouble you no further. I love the townspeople as well and could
never harm any of them, but since the people here are yours and yours alone to
feed on, I will seek another source of nourishment.”
Dominic
couldn’t turn this pitiful creature away – he’d been so courteous and
respectful, and Dominic did have to admit to himself that lately, while he
never went hungry from a physical standpoint, emotionally, he craved conversation
and companionship.
“I
have a wonderful idea,” Dominic began. “Why
don’t you stay here with me and we will share.
I can do my thing, you can do your thing, and then all we’ll have to
dispose of are suitcases and cars. We
already agree the folks in town are off limits, and I’ve got guests booked
through next spring. By the way, my
friend, my name is Dominic.”
Dominic
extended his hand, and Frederick responded in kind.
“My
name is Frederick and I am so grateful for your offer and for your friendship. I was staying in town and helping to sweep up
a store as trade for meals and a bed, but I could move in here and after the
shop closes, I could go into town and continue my duties there and then return
here for our late evening snack. What do
you say?”
“Our
late evening snack?” Dominic began to
laugh. “I believe you and I are going to
get along just fine and become great friends, Frederick. I know you’re hungry now and to be honest, I’m
famished. We have a buffet of 18 this
evening, all laid out and waiting upstairs.
What do you say we start with an appetizer in the first room on the
right at the top of the stairs?”
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