Vampire at 14 Penrose Lane (re-write)

1. Chivalry is Dead

CHAPTER 1

Will you give your blood to a vampire?

That's the one question swirling in my head all day. I sit at my desk in the open-planned office, researching ways to repel vampires from wanting to suck my blood.

Gosh! I hated vampires!

The living dead was everything I learnt about through countless horror films and storybooks since a child. They were faster than us. Stronger. Pale skinned and cold. Their hypnotic and alluring nature added an extra layer of terror. According to the news, some of these undead creatures possessed telepathic abilities. It frightened me the living dead could infiltrate your innermost thoughts, reading minds or bending wills to suit their own sent shivers down my spine.

But till this very day, I never encountered a vampire.

I stayed away and kept my distance from the creatures of the dark, locking myself at home every night since their existence was revealed to humans. So, I remained unsure if those facts were all true.

But this I know! Above all, what do all vampires do?

They drink blood!

Ever since they emerged from secrecy twelve years ago, humans and vampires coexisted. A treaty was formed between vampires and humans to live in harmony. The condition to live freely amongst us was vampires drank only from the blood of animals and blood banks — humans who were paid off to offer their blood.

I shiver just thinking about it. It sickens me people will give their blood up for money. I hear gossip at work, even for sex!

Disgusting! Imagine getting it on with a walking corpse?

But we live in dangerous times now.

The vampires became more volatile in the past seven months. More aggressive. A few don't obey the treaty and there is a main reason for the high vampire crime rate. The disease amongst the vampires is getting worse, increasing day by day.

One third of humans carry a virus called Fading Fever in their bloodstreams. Blood type A positive, to be exact. It's harmless to us but fatal to vampires once consumed.

And now, in the last three weeks, scientist found the virus in animals, too. Lucky for animals. But bad for humans, like me with healthy blood that even turned the good vampire's criminal.

The bloodsuckers are getting desperate to drink human blood. They can't rely on animal blood any longer. There aren't enough clean blood banks for each vampire. Their thirst is getting stronger. Deadlier!

The supervisor manages all twenty-one of us at the small telemarketing company where I work. He selected a handful of us in the office to work the longer night shift.

I look at my boss leaving work before it gets dark. I tried to negotiate with Mr. Simmons. To raise my concerns, but it falls on deaf ears. I'm not the strong type. I'm shy and keep to myself. The others speak up, and they get the morning and afternoon shifts. I try to look for other jobs. But jobs are scarce, and I need to pay the bills.

Beggars can't be choosers.

I divert my eyes back to the computer screen at the extensive catalogue of weapons I can get for sale to protect myself from the soulless fiends.

'Keychain Brass Knuckles' it packs a scalding punch! Get it now for $399.

'Ray Flashlight' with three times the power of the sun! Now for only $250 – 30% off.