Parallel World

Chapter 13

"What is the most difficult thing about being immortal?"

I was about to answer when I realised I actually needed to think about it. Today I was with Chase, visiting him in his apartment. As usual, he asked me all sorts of questions about vampire life and compared it to his own life. I had never asked him but I was wondering which one he found more attractive at the moment. Being a vampire had a lot of advantages but also some serious disadvantages and the same applied to humans so it wasn't that easy to tip the scales.

"Probably the constant need to keep yourself occupied. More mentally than physically," I said. "Eternal life can't lose its meaning, not even for a moment, otherwise I will soon find myself pondering whether cheating the Grim Reaper was such a good idea after all."

Chase was carefully listening to me, like a student at uni. I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd jot it all down after I had left. Since meeting me he had started to gather all available information about vampires. A lot of what he found out surprised him. I had crushed assumptions and beliefs, and given him an insight into a world that officially did not exist.

"As time goes by, vampires find themselves becoming involved in all sorts of things. For instance, there are a lot of environmental activists among ourselves. Sounds mad, I know. However, it has a perfectly logical explanation. No-one cares more about the environment than an immortal. Unlike humans, we can't think short term. Besides, it's a way to try something new."

Chase chuckled. He was probably imagining a demo fronted by a bunch of vampires with banners.

"That's just one example. All the usual stuff is still there: new music, film premieres, new artists, book releases... It's a constant search for novelty. It's hard, though. There are moments when one just doesn't want to do anything and longs to fall asleep and wake up a few months later. Or, in extreme cases, a few years later."

This last example was borrowed from the experience of some vampires I had met. Me, I was only one hundred and thirty two years old and had spent one hundred and nine of them as a vampire. I had no trouble finding something new and exciting. Besides, the production of Slood and Renviro, and running Glory & Shame and the clinics meant I never had to wonder what to do today. On the contrary, I was wondering how to manage to get everything done on time.

But still... I couldn't pretend it couldn't happen to me, that would be naive. Depression, loss of interest in things, the feeling that I've already seen and experienced everything, and the desire to turn back time and return to my era, my world, the place where I felt best... Many born in the 18th and 19th centuries were suffering from the same symptoms. The twentieth century with its rapid changes had turned out to be a serious challenge for a lot of us.

"Vampires, as a rule, have money. Freedom and independence means everything to us. A life without obligations, following only our desires. The more money a vampire has, the better. Vampires are usually very good with money, we have some brilliant investors among us. At the same time, we are also great spenders. Clothes, shoes, furniture, art... We have very few needs but many wants. We are the early adopters of new technology: cell phones, computers, sound systems, you name it, if there's a new product on the market we will buy it. Conspicuous consumption is our thing. There is, however, one crucial difference between vampire and human consumers - a vampire will never spend beyond their means. To declare bankruptcy is unheard of in our world. It is equal to thrusting a stake in one's heart."

"You are the reason why we will never get rid of consumer society," Chase joked.

"Yup!" I laughed. "If a vampire will find something more interesting, they will move away from buying lots of stuff. But until then..."

"So," Chase was trying to sum everything up. "The average vampire is incredibly wealthy, lives in an expensive apartment or mansion, has a wardrobe full of designer clothes that is about to burst, is an intelligent aesthete and a technophile. And that's on the top of the fact that he or she is also drop-dead gorgeous."

"Well... I wouldn't say it's the average, but you're pretty close. However, it's just one side of the coin. As I said earlier, eternal life forces you to be constantly occupied and in search of something new. Secondly, there's the discovery that nothing is forever, apart from yourself, of course. Humans lose their loved ones because they die. Vampires lose interest in their partners and lovers. And, believe me, to hear someone you love telling you that they're sick of you is tougher than going to a funeral and getting used to the idea that your beloved has passed away. Humans can maintain the illusion that the relationship could have continued forever had the other person lived. Vampires know the truth."

"What happened to the saying that after years together two people become one person?"

"It does happen but only temporarily. Nothing is forever apart from ourselves. That is one of the saddest revelations in this life. Mortals are afraid of death. Immortals know there are things far worse than that. As Count Dracula said in Nosferatu - "It's bad to be mortal, even worse to be immortal."*

"You don't look unhappy, though."

"I'm still young. One hundred and thirty two is not a serious age for a vampire. Especially if one's biological age is twenty two. Besides, don't forget that my schedule is packed. I only sleep five hours a day. It's fine for me most of the time but there are days when I feel exhausted. It's the same with Jack although he is a bit more melancholic than I but I can understand that. He fought in the Great War, after all."

"Your relationship with Jack is another topic worth exploring," Chase changed the subject. He was dead right about that. "You seem very close. Would you really be able to kill each other?"

I know that would be his next question. It was an easy one to answer as I had made my mind up decades ago.

"I don't think so. Even if one of us would let the other one down I think we would just part ways... You see, when we made the arrangement, things were very different. We hadn't seen each other for years and, despite having been in a relationship, knew very little about each other. I knew I couldn't do everything on my own and needed a business partner. The beginning was humble, no-one had attempted to do what we had in mind... Jack and I had doubts about each other so we took a precaution. That's how we came up with our agreement. But that was then... Now... We have no reason to betray each other. There is nothing that could tempt us. In the human world you can offer someone a lot of money and lure them away, it doesn't work at all in our world. Our life will never end and it's not worth ruining a relationship to earn a quick buck. Jack and I make a great team and we know that. We know we have created something special and won't be able to replicate it with someone else. Together we can achieve way more than if we were on our own. Jack is my best friend, my next of kin, he knows me inside out." I sighed. "Of course, it won't last forever. I can't see us working together, let's say, five hundred years from now. But I do hope that we still have plenty of years together."

Chase looked thoughtful now. I wondered if he could understand what I had just said. Human mind was wired differently and tended to believe that something can last forever.

"You miss him, don't you? You long to be with him again."

"Chase, you could have warned me. What you just said is equal to punching me in the face."

Chase ignored my remark.

"Oh, come on, as if you weren't expecting such a question!"

"Sure I did but that doesn't mean I want to answer it. Yes, in a way I do miss being in a relationship with Jack but I can't imagine what would need to happen in order for us to rekindle our romance. Human relationships end because people age and die. Vampire relationships end because they grow tired of each other. Have you seen Queen of the Damned? It has a great opening line when Lestat says that "Immortality seems like a good idea, until you realise you'​re going to spend it alone."

*A 1979 film by Werner Herzog starring Klaus Kinski (Dracula) and Isabelle Adjani (Lucy). It's a remake of Nosferatu (1922), an absolute vampire film classic.