AQUADUCT: ONE
AQUADUCT: ONE
"Should we really be here?"
"Shush."
"But, y'know, what if..."
"I said shush!"
Can't he keep quiet?
"Hey, you're the one who's making noices, not me,"
"Would you please shut up?"
"Who's there?"
"Oh no...!"
"Let's get out of here,"
"Don't even think of it!"
Oh my god, he's eating me! No, he's sucking out my blood! What a disgusting sound!
"Ohmygod! Let go of her, you monster!"
No! I gotta get away...Gotta run...
"Gary! Run! Run!"
Nobody loves me...
I sit up, but I just want to close my eyes again. The stereo's playing some placid old song again.
That's true...
I don't want to be here.
Not like you do...
That can't be a sunbeam...not on my finger. Absently, I watch it burn
my flesh. It sizzles like bacon on a hot frying pan.
My mind is numb. I can't feel it. I try to, I really do...but I can't
even feel it when my own finger is set on fire, and the flame chases up
my arm.
I guess I should try to put it out or something. Dunking it in a bucket
of something sticky, definitely not water, the fire goes out. I examine
my hand closely, and it's covered with long, brown, almost black spots
and scars...they're already starting to heal. And it's not like I'm in
a hurry. I have all the time I want for them to heal.
I grab the guys neck and bury my teeth deep into his flesh. Knowing
that my gaze is as dull and lifeless as ever, I drop the body on the ground
and turn to the other one. The chase doesn't give me any thrills, the killing
doesn't give me any thrills.
I've only killed about ten people, which is not much for someone like
me.
I've always pictured our eyes to be like that of a savage beast's--like
a lion's or cat's or maybe even a lizard's or crocodile's...a predator's.
But they hold none of that majestic, spine-chilling beauty. They are
just two light, light yellow pools in which the victims drown instantly.
We do have reflections...that was just a myth...
Why should I bother to chase him? I can give him a headstart of nearly
a mile, and still catch him before he can even shout "help".
What I have noticed lately, is that I have no will any longer...no
hope, no drive, no energy.
My movements come automatically, almost as if my entire body is acting
on instinct and nothing else.
I don't do things because I want to anymore, just because I have to.
I don't want to move when the sun comes up. But I always do.
I want to just stay there, and let the rays hit me full force and simply
fry me. Turn me into a pile of dust...or was it a lump of slime? Well,
I'm never going to know unless I try...
My teeth are dripping with blood, as they always do this time of the
night.
I carve another long line on my arm with my knife. So far I've killed
twenty people. I'm counting now.
Watching the blood trickle down my arm, I wonder why I do it.
For fun? No, nothing seems to be fun anymore...
Does it give me a sense of pride, a sense of being the hunter that
counts up his prey at the end of the day?
Is it simply to hurt myself? Sure, I feel the dull, throbbing ache
of the scar, but it'll be gone in a few minutes.
The fact that I'm cutting myself doesn't justify what I do. But as
I search my heart--it has to be there somewhere down in the grey emptiness--
I can't find any guilt.
I do this to live, even if they say we are living dead. But if I walk and talk like humans, how can I be dead?
Humans kill animals, eat their meat and wear their skin, and they extinct
a new breed nearly every day.
How is what I do any different? They can't accuse me of cannibalism,
for I am no longer a human.
As long as they know I'm a threat to them, they will seek to destroy
me.
Luckily, barely no one believes in us anymore...
I kick the man's body carefully, but he doesn't wake up.
That's the twelth one this week. Man, they're dropping like flies here!
Our patrols are starting to get eventless. There aren't any thugs to
beat up anymore, not any citizens to defend.
Of course I don't want people to get mugged and stuff, but we
don't have much to do any longer...and this is getting suspiscious...someone
else is evidently also watching the neighbourhood-- the city...I wonder
if they are aware of us...
Whoever it is, he's pretty quick. We almost caught him once, but he
slipped away. We barely caught a glance of him.
A lone dark figure.
There they are again.
They're not like me. Not my kind. They act somewhat like me. Sneaking
around here, unexpectadly dropping on frightened people. They kill. But
they help.
I eat.
I want to talk to them. This hurts. Alone. I almost can't feel physical
pain, but that just makes the mental pain much harder.
That one in the back. I'll catch him. They won't even notice.
So easy. Just tip-toe forth, slip my hand around his waste and pull
him off the ground. My other hand over his mouth. Keep him from yelling
for help.
Carry him with me, under my arm, like a little packet. He's not so
heavy. Nothing's heavy to me.
He's kicking, but I don't notice it much. I'm running--no, rather floating.
I'm happy. Happy. The word richochetes in my brain and makes my head hurt.
It tastes funny in my mouth. Not like blood. Happy. Can't be happy.
I put him down on the ground once I reach my little pit.
He stares wide-eyed at me, and I smile and put a finger over my mouth.
"Shhh, don't say anything, or they'll hear you,"
"Who?" he whispers.
"The others you's," I clarify.
He backs away, but I sweep him off his feet and put him on my lap. I stroke his forehead, and smile down at him. He looks confused. My smile widens, and the moon-light shines on my fangs, making them look like they're made of porcelain.
"Holy shit!" he exclaims, in a boyish, cute voice. He tumbles of my lap. Not because I lost my grip, but because I wanted to.
"You're a freakin' vampire!"
Smiling mischieviously, I pull my long braid like a little schoolgirl.
"Yeeeeaah? And you're a freakin' turtle...!"
"Uhhmm," I stammer.
"Mike?!"
"I'm here, I'm here!" I yell, not looking away from the vampire.
"Aww, I told you to be quiet..." the vampire almost looks sad.
Leo enters the basement, and Don and Raph follows him. "Guys, look out, there's this vam--" I caution them, turning around, but realizing she has vanished. God, she's fast!
"Erhhm, I, she was here..."
"Why did you just disappear on us like that?" Don says.
"What kinda game are you trying to play now?" Leo sighs.
"But I'm telling you--" I cut myself off, knowing they won't believe me if I start rambling about a vampire. "Never mind...I was just playing...uhm, I was bored, so I decided to go check out this place..." my words trail off uncertainly.
"Great," Raph mumbles, "well, I say we head home now...it's a slow night."
"Aquaduct" copyright of Lola S. Cubish '99