A Vampire's Deception

1 - Eye of the Tiger (Edited)

The first ten, intense beats of 'Eye of the Tiger' blared up the driveway, along with an unpleasant moped, sputtering to a slow death. Katrina Schwarz removed her helmet and shouted in German, "nutzloses Stück Scheiße" – useless piece of shit, kicking the wheels on the driveway. She hurled more abuse, readjusting her rucksack over her shoulder, pausing the song on her phone.

If there was one person who would chase her worries away, it was her best friend on the driveway. Trinity could do with a laugh. She crept behind her friend, aiming for her weak points; she was sensitive around the hips.

Katrina saw the long shadow creeping towards her. She turned and grabbed her hands; a cheeky grin played on her boyish face.

"Got you!" she yelled, embracing her. "It's good to see you woman." She looked at her intently. "Jeez, when's the last time you ate something? Allow it – I'm happy you're back. Closer to college, but you know me, I'll always give you a ride on my shit arsed moped."

"It doesn't look that bad – honestly."

She finger-brushed her pixie blonde hair. "You're shitting me, right?"

Ethan opened the boot of the car, getting their attention. "Great to see you, Kat. We need your muscles."

She put an arm around her friend's shoulder, the other held her helmet. "Well, you know me, can't help but get ripped." She peered into the boxes. "Shit, Trin, is this all your gear?!"

"Yeah," she said at length. "But they're really heavy."

"Heavy my arse." She gave Ethan her helmet and heaved two of the cardboard boxes easily. The uncle and niece gawked at her new physique.

"Whoa! Why is it that every time I see you, your biceps get bigger?" Trinity asked.

She flexed her biceps. "I've been going to the gym a lot." Trinity managed to lift the remaining box and Ethan locked the car. "I end up eating too much and that annoys my trainer. Then I got to convert the fat into muscle."

He unlocked the cobalt blue front door. "Next thing I know, you'll become a bodybuilder and break my wrist in an arm wrestle."

"Ethan, mate, I wouldn't wrestle you," she said. "I've got a deep regard for senior citizens."

Trinity placed the third box outside her bedroom. She could hear Katrina thump her way upstairs. At the door, she could see the magnolia walls, the rich brown carpet and the oak furnishings. She walked into her bedroom which was spacious enough to fit a wardrobe, a double bed and a desk; yet still big enough for Katrina to stay around for the night. Some of her belongings were put in their places, except for one.

As Katrina pushed the neglected third box with her feet and dumped the other two on the bed, Trinity placed a photo of her mother on her bedside table. The more she looked at Grace, the more she was reminded of her absence. Her mother, frozen forever in the frame looked at peace. That was how Trinity wanted to remember her, smiling and content with life, not withering away in her last days.

"It's scary how you two look-alike," said Katrina. "Like a carbon copy. You look more like sisters –"

"I miss her so much."

She sat beside her. "She misses you too, you know."

"I really want to cry but I just can't. I'm exhausted. I've got no tears left to spill."

Katrina put her arm around Trinity's shoulder, the other held her hand. "I don't think Grace would want you to be crying after she's gone. When I lost Josie, who was there to comfort me, to tell me she'd gone to a better place? And who said Josie would hate to see me cry? When I couldn't cry no more, I knew it was time to embrace life. You've mourned for her. It won't last forever."