Chained

Logic

"I told him that I didn't care... That I didn't care if he died... That it was better if he did, because he was causing me pain... And that I hated him... I didn't mean it though! I didn't think he... would really die..." She buried her face in her hands and started sobbing.

I glanced at my wrist watch, 1:39 PM. I could leave work at 5 o' clock. I glanced at her and saw that she was still crying, I sighed. Telling someone that before they die, can cause emotional damage to the person who said it, such as regret. And this is the result. "Did he say anything?"

"No... I left after..." She said between her sobs, she was wiping her tears away furiously with her hand. "... And I didn't return... Until he was dead..."

Steve was obviously hurt, who wouldn't? I wrote down at the paper I was using 'hurt'. Being told something like that, especially in the state he was in, he must've been hurt. "How many days passed before you supposedly saw him again?"

"After one week... he appeared again..." She stopped crying, now her face showed fright. "I thought vampires were supposed to be beautiful creatures... or something... but he wasn't... he looked so... so pale and... it was as if he didn't eat in months... his eyes... I remember... he looked at me with murderous intent..."

"What did he do the first time you saw each other?"

"I... I was happy to see him again... I remember..." She chuckled. "When I saw him I ran towards him... I was just so happy that I... forgot that he was supposed to be dead." She frowned at the ground, in this whole conversation, I realized, she never made eye contact.

"And, what did he do?" I asked, tapping my index finger on the desk, before narrowing my eyes at her.

"He..."

I looked around, it was getting late. If I had to guess what time it was, I'd say about, 12:00 AM. I was walking around the streets, I just came back from the Grocery Store. I bought a couple of things so that I could eat. I regret choosing to go at this hour, but I was hungry and there was nothing to eat. Good thing that Grocery Store is open 24/7.

As I was walking, I couldn't help but feel as if there was someone staring at me, from behind. I glanced behind me a couple of times but I never saw anything, or anyone. I dismissed it, thinking it was just my imagination. Until I glanced back one more time, and saw him. There he was, Steve.

Steve was walking behind me. I turned around and rushed over at him, I stopped in front of him. He looked so sad and angry. He was pale and bony, like he didn't eat. I smiled at him. "I thought you were supposed to be dead? Was it a prank?" I laughed, "You really got me." I spread my arms, inviting him for a hug.  He looked down at me, and frowned.

He stepped closer to me, which I let. He then did something I didn't think he would. He grabbed my neck, and squeezed it. He squeezed it so hard that I thought he would break it. I gasped for air as my knees gave. I had no strength whatsoever on my knees, the only thing that kept me in the air was his large hands that were wrapped around my short neck.

His eyes were what scared me the most. Merciless. Murderous. I didn't think of fighting back, I knew I wouldn't stand a chance.

"... The only thing that saved me that time was this lady that started walking our way... he fled when he heard the footsteps... I just fell and stayed there until she came to help me... When she stood me up, I ran home. The next day I woke up and remembered... he was dead, well supposed to be."

I didn't know what to think, if she saw things or if he really came back, the only thing I knew was that, Steve didn't bit her, and if he was a vampire he would've, but he didn't. So another question popped on my head.

"Why do you think Steve's a vampire?"

She didn't answer, what she did do was pull her collar down. I didn't see anything, but she pointed into a certain part of her shoulder. "He bit me here, a few weeks ago. It's faded because he never bit me again, but he did... He's been haunting me for... Ever since the first time, he showed up everyday... at night at my house. I don't even let him in. He just comes!  And... he doesn't bite me... he just beats me up and... and licks the parts that are bleeding..."

"Didn't you ever think of the possibility that he's not really there and that you're just believing he's come back because of the last words you said to him, the one's you regret?" I asked. It isn't impossible. The human mind is a powerful thing and it'll make you see, feel, smell and hear things that aren't real. I believe that she regretted her last words so much, that she's been punishing herself by making the person she wants to apologize to the most torture her.

"It's real! Dug his grave up! You'll see that he hasn't rotten yet! I'm not crazy!" She barked at me, obviously angry at my suggestion.

"I'm just trying to sound logical. If he is a vampire, who do you think turned him into one? And why is it only him that has died? Why aren't there any other people dying of the same illness Steve did?"

"I... I don't know who... who turned him... I don't know why there aren't... other people being bitten..."

"And how does that make you feel?"

"It's unfair! Why was it him! Why was he bitten! Why couldn't it had been someone else! I don't get it!" She wasn't asking questions.

"It's unfair, but I need you to think that there aren't any vampires. It's an illness, a rare one."

"But.."

I interrupted her before she continued, she was just going to tell me the same thing. "I'm not asking here. It's an illness. Not a vampire's doing, ok?"

She rushed out the door. I couldn't see if she was crying or just angry, maybe both. I don't know if she's going to come back with a new story tomorrow, it's not like she told me all her experiences with 'vampire' Steve. I don't think it's real, I think she's imagining things. It's just her mind playing tricks on her.

The rest of the day passed quickly, uneventful. I didn't had any other customers, and soon it was 5 o' clock. I locked up and went home. I wondered about Maddison though, if she kept believing he came back her mind would never leave her alone. She had to believe that he was dead, and was resting in peace. In other words, she had to let go and forgive herself for what she had said to Steve that day.