Okay, here is the beginning of 2 new ideas I’ve half developed and a piece of Wings’ World Ch.3 (separated by ***). If you have any thoughts or preference please let me know. If I get no feedback…okay I have no idea what I’ll do, but I’ll come up with something. Enjoy!
***
Being a vampire was never easy. Although I lived among my kind most of my childhood, when I was eight years old I had to find my way through the almost exclusively human town of Sunrise Valley. My father played a key role in the explosive revelation of our existence, preceding the Civil Rights Movement. As a statement to prove the very point, we began to coexist openly in a vampire-free town with humans. Meanwhile, the world as I knew it ended in front of my eyes.
I always wished I was strong like my dad. Striving in the most adverse of circumstances. But I wasn’t. I was the helpless freak. The weirdo. I was the outcast in and out of school. Nine years later I had stopped trying to fit in. Too far removed from my people and their customs to call them my own and still trapped by my nature, I was an outsider to both worlds.
I firmly rejected the sweet memories of a past which only brought me pain now to remember. I was not human, would never be, however they were my only reality. But I just could not relate. I was stronger. Lived much longer. I needed their blood to survive… It made me so sick to think about that inescapable fact.
Sometimes I daydream my mother’s spirit would guide me away from this fate. Other times I fancy her soul has taken the form of my two best friends, werecat sisters Lune and Soleil. Their family relocated to Sunrise Valley only a year after my dad and I. Ever since everything has been more bearable. For all purposes we were just as different as humans and vampires, or humans and weres. But not really. Soleil, Lune, and I felt the same alienation because we were different and it brought the three of us closer. Together against the cruel world of Sunrise Valley Academy.
It dawned a dark, sunless morning that day. Just another Monday. The beginning of a new uneventful year at boarding school. Contrary to myths and legends we vampires do not turn to dust from exposure to sunlight. We do tend to be more sensitive to it than the average human or were, due to past centuries of living hiding in the shadows of the night. Only after the revolution of Civil Rights in the sixties did most of my race venture into a human-like daytime existence.
It was drizzling outside. The sky covered in grey felt like a premonition of the day to come. Or maybe I was just being overly dramatic, as my dad liked to say. Dad knocked on the door and I fell back into the drill I knew so well.
“Morning sweetheart, breakfast is ready!” He called from the hall.
“Almost done, dad.” It would’ve fooled any human, had I not known a full glass of O negative was waiting for me on the kitchen table. Poor dad, I couldn’t blame him for still trying. He truly believed in his heart we belonged in this town just because we had made our home here and paid our dues like everybody else. Me, I wasn’t so hopeful. But then again, what did I know about anything…
Sunrise Valley Academy looked like every other previous year. The massive stone building reached three stories up and about a block in length and width. It was nestled in the outskirts of town, surrounded by an expansive forest at the foot of the mountains. The deep shadows caused by the elevations gave it a cooler climate and an eerie feel.
The line of cars bordering the entrance was impressive. I gave my dad a quick peck on the cheek and a quiet good bye, making my way through the maze of people. Most of the fuzz was due to first year students. Parents had to help them settle in the dorms they would call home during the school week, for the next four years. The rest of us made our way inside knowing exactly where we were headed.
I made it to the west wing on the third floor, after some pointed stares and whispers from this year’s newcomers. It was no biggie. I was used to it by now. They all wanted their turn to get a look at the freak. Lune and Soleil were spread on the carpet as I opened the door to my dorm.
“Muriel!” They both squealed with equal delight swamping me with hugs. I lit up regardless of the pressing gloom. It was nice to know someone−or someones−was happy to see me.
“Hey guys!” I returned a warm smile and dropped my bags in a corner.
The three of us sat comfortably in a lose triangle on the floor.
“Oh my God Muriel, did you hear about the new student starting in our year?” Asked Lune all excitement.
“A new student? I had no idea.” I leaned back half interested. My friends exchanged knowing looks with each other.
“We thought maybe your dad would’ve known…” Continued Soleil.
“My dad? What does he have to do with anything?” I was definitely not following this conversation. They turned to each other once more, in a manner I had witnessed a million times, deciding who would talk first.
“Well, we thought you already knew about him ’cause you two have something in common.” I chuckled, a perfect sarcastic sound at Soleil’s words.
“Really, and what might that be?” I continued in the same mocking tone, too confident in my own category of weird to find anyone else remotely near me.
It was Lune who answered my question.
“He’s a vampire.”
***
Blackmore knew she was drunk. The small bathroom where she currently sat on the tiled floor spun each time she so much as tilted her head. Her back pressed against the tub, she held her head with an elbow leaning on the edge. Thank God she wasn’t toilet-hugging, yet. Blackmore was starting to doubt she could get up on her own two feet without falling on her ass five seconds later, when the door swung open. A tall, leggy, girl of crazy platinum hair loomed on the doorway watching her out of pitiful chocolate eyes.
“I called someone to come take you home, Blackmore.” She said apologetically.
“Oh no, you didn’t−please tell me you didn’t call him.” Blackmore made an effort to sound accusing, condescending, but her voice came out like the slobbering babble of a toddler. She swore in that slow motion way inebriated people tended to do, and almost lost her balance trying to bang on the closest wall. Taylor kneeled before her and helped her to her feet.
“Don’t give me that bull, I had no choice, B! It’s not my fault you got so wasted you can’t even walk, is it? I can’t let you stay here, I’m sorry.” They ultimately made it passed the doorway and into the living room. Blackmore collapsed on the nearest sofa in a disarrayed heap.
“You, bitch.”
“Great, that’s the thanks I get for worrying about you. I will remember this tomorrow even if you don’t, you do know that, right?”
The elegant room around them was mostly trashed. Beer bottles and cans littered the floor, red paper plates, cups, and pieces of plastic were scattered everywhere, and two strangers were passed out on the opposite sofa still in each other’s arms. Taylor noticed Blackmore’s obvious survey of the place and went on.
“Yeah, I still have to get those two home somehow and make the house decent before my parents get here in a few hours. See why I had to call your brother?” She ignored the unintended pun in that statement and searched for the wall clock. Was it really so close to the morning? Not that it made much of a difference to her brother, he did get pissed about being interrupted by such trivial matters as hauling her drunk ass back to her apartment, though. However, he also greatly enjoyed pointing his finger down at her and patronizing her for irresponsible behavior.
“Riiight, ’cause you don’t appreciate getting some eye candy while you’re at it.” Blackmore knew how true her words rang when Taylor turned a few shades redder than the fake blush on her cheeks. “No worries T, you’re welcome to him. I really, really, wish you’d jump his bones and tug out that freaking stick he has up his ass, though unfortunately I doubt he’ll be that easy to unscrew.” Steps echoed across the room until a familiar tall male figure stood next to Blackmore, blocking the lamp light. “Well, speak of the devil…”
Taylor froze unsure of how much of their conversation had reached his ears.
“Evening Taylor, the door was open so I let myself in. I think they’re about to tow a silver minivan parked on the curve, is it your parents’?”
“Crap, I forgot to bring it back into the garage!” The girl scrambled outside, leaving the two of them alone.
Ames took a couple of steps to stand perfectly straight in front of Blackmore, hands held stiffly behind his back. “Right.” He looked her over obviously repulsed. “So, do you have any plans at all of ever being responsible, Love?” Blackmore momentarily winced at his use of her first name−which she forbade everyone and anyone from using, ever. She recovered quickly, since he was the only being who’d never accepted her preference.
***
“…Pip?”
“I’m awake.” I sat up with a jerk. My stomach knotted uncomfortably as the unfamiliar room came into focus and the memories from the night before floated back to me. God, did I wish this had all been a hideous nightmare! The fluffy pillow whooshed under the weight of my head plunging into it again.
“Breakfast is almost ready!” I could hear the smile in Jude’s announcement. Food, the universal happy-maker. Lucky me. My feet landed ungraciously on the carpet, resigned to the upcoming cruel and unusual punishment scheduled for this morning.
Following the bathroom ritual I picked a decent shirt and jeans from the spare clothes pile. I made my way down the stairs guided by the mouth-watering smell of fried bacon. The kitchen was an airy wide space outlined by counter top surfaces, appliances, and a square rustic table in the middle. Zack sat at said table devouring a plate bursting with eggs, bacon, bread, and… a Hershey chocolate bar? I watched him eat in awe.
“That boy’s got raw passion!” Jude bobbed his head back and forth in approval, going back to the pan on the stove. I took a chair next to Zack.
“What?” He asked oblivious to our amusement.
“You know, if you’re half as passionate with the ladies, I bet you have great luck with them.” An unrepentant smirk on my part. It was time I got him back for his smart-ass attitude yesterday. When he looked my way his face was hot pink. I couldn’t help liking this kid.
“I do okay.” He grinned with all the allure of a future Casanova, minus the blush of course.
*All rights are reserved*
I’ll work on short updates each week or so. I’m looking forward to the new Alice in Wonderland movie coming out in March. If it’s anything like the SyFy channel’s miniseries ”Alice” I’d love it, but I think it’ll probably be closer to the Disney version. Anyway, I’ll enjoy all the cool special effects.
On the brighter side, which I’m concentrating very hard on, all the writing -even what I have on ch.3- is savely stored away in my D drive. This means it’s going to be a bit longer than I expected to release ch.3. I plan on sticking with Wings’ World until the end, so I will get things back on track as soon as I get my laptop. Just thought you all should know.
