Love At First Bite

Ruben And Dalton's Story

"Like Zaiden said, our childhood was similar. But my mother was a vampire and my father was a human. I was born a vampire and both my parents were ok with that. My father was in love with a vampire, so a vampire son didn't bother him. I grew until seventeen, and eventually stopped aging. News was spreading around that all vampires were to be killed. We have Zaiden's dad to thank for that one. Anyway, my father became scared for his wife and son. He sent us away to live on our own until things died down around town. But things didn't die soon enough. Now a law was put into place that anyone associated with vampires were to be killed as well. That meant my father, so they found him and killed him. Mother and I were forced to watch, although at that point I was blind. But I could hear it, which is almost worse than seeing it. I guess they grabbed my mother, too, and killed her right after father. I went bazerk. I killed all those men, including the ones who put those stupid laws in effect. And that's when I ran away and found Dalton and Zaiden. They listened to me and welcomed me in like I was family. And now I am."

I stare at Ruben. "That's also horrible. Not being family, the death of your parents." I clarified. Ruben just nods. "Ok, well, I'll tell you how I became blind." He says, and positions himself so he's laying down on his side, facing Dalton and I. Zaiden still sits cross legged while listening to his brother. "You saw the picture of my friend Christopher?" Ruben asks. I nod. "Ok, well, he and I were best friends. We would hang around with each other, and watch movies. Action movies with guns and violence, right?" I smirk. "My kind of movie." I comment. "Yes!" Ruben laughs. "Anyway. We were inseparable, if I went somewhere, he'd come too. One day when I went to pick up some fresh blood-" He looks at me. "Groceries, I ran into Chris. We talked for a while, and I guess I said something offensive. The next thing I knew, Chris was shoving my head against the wall of the building we were behind. Luckily, I didn't die. I think that was his attempt. But he did blind me. Head trauma." "How did you manage to get home? Did someone run across you?" I asked. He shakes his head. "I use my other senses to get around. Touch and smell in particular. I guess you can say I use echolocation. That's how I got home. It took a while, but I did."

I stare wide eyed. "Wow. That's incredible. Do you have any idea what made Chris freak?" I asked. Ruben shrugs. "I can't remember anything we said." "How long ago was this?" "About 67 years." "So you were... How old?" "I'm 83 now, so 16. That was when I still aged." I nod. "Is Chris still around?" "Yes. I haven't talked to him since." "Huh... I wonder what did make him freak." I ask, kind of to myself. "I wish I did too."

"Dalton? Your turn." Zaiden says. "Oh yay. I'm telling you, mine's the worst." "No way! It's mine." Ruben said. "I saw both my parents die! And it wasn't pretty!" Zaiden argued. "I heard my parents die. The screaming, the blood dripping, the cracking of bones..." Ruben said. "Ok, let me tell mine, and then we'll have Vanessa decide whose is the worst." Dalton said. They all nod in agreement. Boys. They're having a competition to see whose life is the worst.

"Like Ruben, I was born a vampire. But my difference was that both my parents were human. At first, they were horrified. That wasn't natural for two humans to have a vampire child. But I was their first and only child, so they decided they'd still take care of me. They loved and treated me as if I were one of them. Buying me ice cream, taking me on vacations- nowhere sunny- and throwing birthday parties. I thought they truly loved me for me. But I guess I was wrong. One day, my parents took me to the fair. This time, there was a freak show visiting. They took me in to look at all the strange people, but when I turned from the skinniest man ever, they were gone. I saw them running away. I called after them, but they ignored me. They left me at a freak show. They thought I was one of them." Dalton finishes. "Ok, I vote yours!" I say. "What?! That's just cause you are a thing!" Zaiden yelled, but laughs. "Don't get me wrong, yours were really sad, too. But leaving your child at a freak show?! That's horrible!" "He didn't have to watch his parents die." "Hey, I'm sorry I'm not Batman. Not all vampires are!" Dalton jokes. We all die laughing.