Spiderweb

Chapter 12 - Angel Heart

Author's Note: This chapter contains explicit sexual content.

I rarely get a Friday off from work, but Miss Emma gave it to me tonight. Unfortunately, I couldn't spend my time after school with Matthias. I haven't seen or heard from him in almost a week.

During that time, Schützer passed away. I knew something was wrong when he suddenly stopped eating. He never missed a meal. The vet told me it was just his time. Matthias did warn me that the old fella wouldn't be around for too long. I'm glad I got to spend his last days with him. I hope they were good despite the day I tried to serve him to a vampire.

All my repeated texts and calls to that vampire went unanswered. For a loner with no friends, I doubt that Matthias used all the minutes I paid for on his phone, so I don't know why he's been avoiding me.

Summer wasn't home by the time I got home from school. Lounging alone on the sofa, drinking a tall can of AriZona green tea, I pulled out my phone and stared at the last texts I received from Matthias. A weak grin settled on my face as I looked at his whimsical words, 'cloudy days are for me'. How ironic that today was another cloudy day. But he didn't want to see me.

I wasn't strong enough to stop my lips from trembling and I wasn't fast enough to wipe the tears from my eyes before they trickled down my cheeks. Pessimism and disappointment quickly darkened my thoughts. Perhaps, Matthias left the city after his confession in church. Maybe I'll never see him again. He told me that he liked me and that he wanted to stick around for a while. I guess those were just more lies.

As I wiped my tears on the sleeve of my purple and pink patched hoodie, I threw my phone onto the cushion. I shouldn't be surprised by Matthias' actions. We met on a lie. Lying was part of his trickery to get humans to give him their blood. I think it's sad and pathetic. Part of me felt sorry for him. So many times, I tried to put myself in his shoes and imagine what it must be like to walk in them. He's the only Pure Born vampire in existence. No one in the world has had a similar life experience. No one could relate to him, and it seems, there is no one he can turn to for support...not even me.

I wondered if there was a mental healthcare facility for vampires. Surely, at some point, living secretly as an immortal dependent on fresh blood must take its toll on a person's mind.

Although Matthias left me heartbroken, I still wanted the best life for him. I hoped he would change his mind and decide to make real, meaningful connections to humans and end his constant deception to survive.

Tears kept falling and blurring my vision as I stared at my phone laying there. I couldn't believe I got ghosted twice in a row. First by a man and now by a vampire. The vampire hit different though. Matthias was the first one I ever met. His blood flowed through my veins, giving him a supernatural connection to me for the rest of my life. I wished he knew that he could've trusted me and creating our blood bond wasn't a mistake. I would've loved him. Maybe I already did.

After sunset, I took an Uber to Jane's Carousel in Brooklyn to try and amuse myself. Golden light illuminated the indoor carousel encased in a square building of glass on the coast of the East River. A whimsical melody filled the air as the ride spun in an endless circle. I sluggishly made my way to the long line of riders and patiently waited for my turn to hop aboard.

As I rode slowly up and down on one of the colorful plastic horses, I saw a young couple cuddling in the two-seater carriage in front of me. The man kissed the woman's cheek, and she smiled as a rosy blush bloomed beneath her fair skin.

Jealousy and longing quickly filled my heart. I looked away from the couple and stared out of a window at the Brooklyn Bridge. Its many white lights shined brightly against the city skyline as it stretched across miles of black, rippling water. I wondered if Matthias ever perched atop the highest point on the bridge, looking down at humans like we were ants. I wanted him with me on the carousel. We should've been cuddling in the carriage. I would've asked him if he liked amusement park rides. Just a simple question to know what he enjoys.