Dinner

Interesting thing I was bored, so I popped out to the local store to buy some ginger.
Why Ginger? Because my mother likes it and to this day I still cannot understand why? Ok for those of you reading this, those who like Chinese cooking then maybe you can tell me.
Factoid: Vampires can eat ginger, sure it makes the blood thin but it is a personal taste.

Anyway when we left off the young man (whose name you will lean in a few lines from now) had discovered that the stranger (whose name you will also discover in a few lines from now) was a vampire.

“Who are you?” the young man asked the stranger, trying to get as much distance between himself and this real vampire.

Laughing, the stranger suddenly appeared next to the young man, in fact it was merely moving faster than the eye could follow.
“My name is Reginald” as he extended his hand to the young man, “and what is your name?”

“I, uh...my name?” the young man stammered.

Looking around, “Well you are the only other person in this room, and I have already told you mine.”
“Oh come on now, what can you be afraid of? Getting bitten?” This made Reginald laugh again. Taking the young man’s hand in his Reginald pumped it a few times, “Nice to meet you….” In a softer voice, “This is where you fill in the blank”

“Ivor Follendoon”

“Ah, well now Mr. Follendoon, I welcome you to our little home”

“Hh..home?”

“Yes home,” waving his hand around Reginald got up and walked over to the door, “come with me I’ll give you the official tour and make introductions on the way.”

Ivor could not believe it, here was a real life vampire talking to him and it was acting like he was the guest at a friend’s house.

“Come on Ivor, we may be immortal but we do not waste time”

Getting up Ivor quickly followed the fading candle light out the door and down the corridor.

“We are currently several floors below the church.” Said Reginald as he walked ahead of Ivor. “Much of it is unused but that is just fine for us.”

“I don’t understand, you said our home, and now you say us. You mean to tell me there are more of you here? Living in a church?”

“Yes Ivor, there are more of us, and mind you when I say us I include you. As to this being a church, it is a fully active and very holy place.”
Stopping at a door, Reginald knocked twice, waited then entered.
“This is the dining hall…” turning to face Ivor, Reginald again burst into laughter, “Oh haha oh my oh dear, if you could only see your face, I do forget that you still cling to the age old ideas and myths”

“Is this the newling father Barre spoke of?”
Turning quickly that he almost lost his balance Ivor saw another person by the side smoking, taking a closer look he saw it was a woman.

“Yes Anna, this is Ivor Follendoon” walking over to Anna he took out his own pipe and lit it. “Come Ivor, let not be rude”

Anna held out her hand, gingerly Ivor took it and pressed his lips to the gloved hand.
“Uh..nice to meet you” stammered Ivor.

“Smoke?” asked Anna offering Ivor a cigarette.

“No, I don’t.”

“You should try it, it’s not like they can kill you” Reginald said winking at Anna.

At that moment the door at the other end of the room open and dinner was brought in.

The first meeting

I have to state that the idea of living forever is totally over dramatised.
Not only is it a fantasy but it is also a very disagreeable situation to be in.

Vampires do have “long lives”, but not pleasurable ones. In fact many choose to “die” after being a vampire for 60 years. (This means 60 years AFTER becoming a vampire; not counting the 30 odd years you may have lived as a mortal)
The tales of 200-year-old vampires is mostly myth, yes I said mostly. Few have the mental strength to handle it.

Let us not be fooled by the movies where you get a disco filled with vampires dancing and drinking, all looking sexy and buff.
Many in fact look like you and me, less than flawless skin, flabby or way too skinny, bad hair days.

As I told you previously the priest was telling the young man the story.

“This is not possible,” the young man said when the priest finished. “This is a holy place, and we know that vampires cannot cross sacred ground”

Nodding his head the priest replied, “That is true, but you have yet to be turned or drunk the blood of your first victim.”

“But I am cursed, I can feel it,” as the young man spoke he felt himself, “I no longer can feel my heart beat, I can see you clearly in this dim candle light as if we were out in the noon day sun.”

“Again true, but if you remember we were all born with original sin but we can still receive the sacraments, touch holy water, sing praise to God.”

“So what am I?” asked the young man as he got on his in front of the priest, “Am I to go to hell or forever walk this earth never to see heaven?”

“My son,” the priest bent over to bring the young man to his feet.

Suddenly it seemed as if time slowed, the sound of a beating heart filled the ears of the young man. The scent of flesh, its warmth filled his senses. An urge he could not explain filled his being, he grabbed the priest with strength that he never knew he had.
One bite is all he needed to quench this desire that held him in its grasp.
Revulsion of what he was about to do turned his stomach, and yet the desire for the blood that flowed through the priest’s body was exquisite.
Just as he was about to take a bite a stronger hand stopped him. A voice he had not heard before spoke.

“Stop! Take control of yourself, let not the urge control you.”

The young man let go of the priest and tried to turn to face this other person.
The hand of the stranger held his fast. He could not turn no matter how hard he tried.

“Listen to me, hear my voice, the urge is subsiding, you will feel weak”

The voice some how took control of the young man. Like a spell had been cast the urge died as suddenly as it began. A trembling filled his body. The young man found himself sitting on the floor. The priest was standing next to another figure.
This figure was simply standing and watching him. The priest adjusted his robes, then turned to the stranger.

“I was wondering when you would turn up.” The priest said the stranger.

“Pushing the limits of your faith again father, you are not as young as you think you are.”

“The day I no longer can face a newling is the day when…”

“That day was near father, you left him too long. I sensed a newling but you did not mention it so I thought I was mistaken.”

Puzzled the young man spoke, “Who are you? Where did you come from I saw no one in this room!”

“It is time you left us Barre, I’ll take over” the stranger said as he ushered the priest to the door. Turning to the young man, “Look at me, see me..”

“My god! You……you are a vampire!”