Chapter 2 - Part 15: Science is Real

Part of the punishment for egging the neighbors' house consisted of Vincent being grounded, but that didn't stop him from going to his favorite hangout after school to let off a little steam.  He was the only one in the place aside from the bartender, which meant he could listen to whatever he wanted on the radio and take up as much room on the dance floor as he could.

So involved he was in his sweet moves, he didn't notice a woman walk into the bar and head straight for him.  She was practically on top of him before he'd realized she was there.

Her low smooth voice carried easily over the loud music, "You've been asking about Vampirism," the woman said to him, almost as if she were confronting him for some wrongdoing.  Her dark black eyes seemed to bore into his soul.

"I, well, I..," he stammered, taken by surprise at her sudden appearance and the directness of her question.  

The only Vampires he'd ever encountered were Drake and Drake's younger sister Constance.  Before him stood a fully grown Vampiress, and he couldn't help but flinch at the power she held behind those dark eyes.  "Yes, I am curious," he finally finished.

The dark haired woman laughed at him, "You'll need to find more courage than that if you wish to enter the circle of Vampires, boy.  I'd heard you were special, but you're only a baby.  You have no clue what you seek.  What a waste of time," she started to walk away when Vincent impulsively grabbed her arm to stop her.

"I do know what I seek," he told her loudly, his voice dripping with confidence, "I seek the power of life over death, I seek to rid myself of this pathetic mortal world.  I seek to surround myself with those who actually understand me," he finished, not able to quite meet the eyes of the Vampire.

No emotion passed over the dark features of the woman for what felt an eternity to Vincent.  Then she finally spoke.  "Do this," she stated, "at dusk, find the Crypt Club, then ask for Vlad," she smirked at him.

She was gone before he could even say thank you.

That very night Vincent snuck out of the house and took a cab deep into the swamps of Harmony.  As he got out of the car the driver looked around the place, "You shouldn't be out here alone son, there's dangerous folk in this area."

"I'll be fine," Vincent told him harshly, as he slammed the car door.  He didn't need a babysitter or anyone telling him what he could or couldn't do.  "Get lost!" he yelled to the man when he tried to convince him to get back into the car.

As the taillights disappeared into the fog, he looked around and realized how eerily quiet the swamps were.

Making his way through the misty cemetery he found what could only pass as the entrance to the club.  Here goes nothing, he thought to himself as he descended the staircase, managing to appear less nervous than he felt.

Sitting down at one of the bars, he consciously made an effort to slow down his rapidly beating heart.  It would do him no good if they sensed that he was scared.  If he wanted to be one of them, he'd have to look the part.  Cool, calm and collected.

When the bartender, a huge sinister looking Vampire, asked what he was doing here, Vincent spoke in a clear and steady voice.  "I'm here to see Vlad," he said casually.

The mountain of a man let out a deep maniacal laugh that raised the hairs on the back of Vincent's neck and said, "You are 'here to see Vlad'," the Vampire mocked, "Mortal Child, do you have any idea what you're doing?"

Having had enough of being talked down to, Vincent stood up and yelled at the man, "It's none of your concern what I'm doing here, my business is with Vlad!"

It all happened in the blink of an eye.  He felt himself being lifted off the floor and whipped from the room, as if he'd been attached to a slingshot, his mind going dizzy at the blur of different rooms passing before him. When the world stopped moving he had no idea where he was.

A low rumble spilled over the highly disoriented Vincent, it took him a moment to recognize the sound as words.  "Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now," the voice said.

What stood over him was the most horrifying vision he'd ever seen, something that was apparently once human, but had been so far removed that any ounce of humanity had vanished.

Vincent turned away quickly, afraid to meet the Vampire's eyes, afraid that the man would go through with the threat.

"I was told to find you," he said quietly, dread filling every cell of his body, "I want, I want to be turned into a Vampire," he mumbled.

The ancient one sneered at him, "Just like that?  You want to end your life and start anew?"  The vampire stared at Vincent, who once again had a feeling the Vampire looking at him was seeing more than just his body, he felt his entire soul was being picked apart.  "Humans are so ready to throw away their lives for the chance at power, regardless of how slim that chance may be.  You know nothing of our kind," he huffed.

Vincent's anger flared up once more, "My chances aren't slim!" he said to the man towering above him.  "I know what I want and I will get it!"  Who was this guy to tell him he didn't know anything?  

The fired up youth continued, "And for your information, I know a lot about being a Vampire.  My mother is very close with one named Drake and she even invented a fruit that Vampires can eat instead of having to eat people!" he finished, momentarily proud of his mother's accomplishments, until the Vampire roared.

"Drake is no true Vampire!" the thing with the demon eyes yelled into Vincent's face, "He's a disgrace to our kind, refusing to feed on humans or give into his vampire instincts."  The creature called Vlad was livid, his eyes began to glow red as he continued, his anger rising, "We are killers, devourers of fear and life.  Your bitch of a mother has given the weak, like Drake, an easy way out.  She should pay for what she's done."

As the Vampire started to move towards Vincent, a pure hatred filled his eyes, his voice was barely more than a growl, "Your mother should never have meddled in the affairs of those more powerful than her.  This lesson is for her."

Vincent recoiled from the creature, taking a step back only to run into the wall.  There was no where he could go and he was no match for the Vampire's strength.

In a flash quick as lightning, Vlad snatched Vincent's arm, gripping it painfully and pulled the boy towards him.  Before Vincent could let out a scream there was blinding pain in his forearm where the Vampire's fangs sank into his flesh.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion.  He could feel his arm starting to run with blood.  A cold sensation which began in his arm slowly stretched and flowed along his whole body until he was completely numb.  His heart, which a moment ago was beating so fast, was slowing to a crawl.

When the Vampire released him, Vincent was fighting to hold onto consciousness.  His eyes rolled back as he collapsed to the ground, the world fading from view.

I'm dying, he thought.

This is the one time he wished he'd been wrong.

Title / They Might Be Giants