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Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Vampiric Talents Ep 2: Cordell Meets The Werewolves

“I'm sorry your princess is in another castle!”
The Iliad and the Odyssey*


        Today's the second “episode” of the Vampiric Talents series of flash fictions. As I said it would be posted nice and early. I know not all of you read this daily so be sure to read episode 1 that was posted yesterday or re-read it if your unfamiliar. Here's a link to a page with episode for email subscribers who deleted/lost/didn't get episode 1 or anyone who can't scroll down to it. http://langdonflashfictions.blogspot.com/2012/08/todays-flash-fiction-vampiric-talents.html
I'll post links to pages with all previous episodes whenever I post a new one.



Vampiric Talents Episode 2: Cordell Meets The Werewolves

       I sneaked back into the place where the violinist had performed. Someone had taken the map to The Diox Cross. It was hopeless. I didn't know where to go. And a vampire can't simply ask for directions. Many humans wonder how much they can get for a vampire head when see one where they live. I wasn't fortunate enough to be inside political borders. I left vampire country awhile ago. I was afraid because of my stupid mistake of draining the violinist's talent with my vampire fangs I wouldn't be able to drain the ability I needed to save her.
       I couldn't just wander around. If I went the wrong way I would get even further away and I knew if I went the right way and made good time I could get there in a week. If I don't then I'll be there when the moon is much larger in the sky. Worst case scenario being a full moon. Which is the most dangerous time for vampires. Because of the werewolves.
       “Oh Sir Werewolves, thank you for coming here!” I heard a human woman's voice say from my hiding place in the alleyway. Werewolves? I didn't even have to speak about something to jinx it? I just had to think about it? Crap. “There's a vampire here! He's already stolen someone's most valuable talent. She was a marvelous musical prodigy. It was horrible.”
       “Don't worry.” I heard a gruff voice say. I could hear the dog-like spittle in his speaking that accompanied werewolves speaking even in human form. “We will kill him. What did he look like?”
        The human voice responded. “He was a young vampire. Couldn't be more than twenty two or twenty three sir. He's got black hair and bright green eyes. I'd say they were nice but I'd hate to compliment a vampire. Oh, he's wearing a thin, white jacket and blue pants. Yeah. That's the weird part. The jacket was just buttoned up completely. I don't think I saw a shirt underneath when I saw the jacket collar. Why?”
       The werewolf responded to her, “It's all heat and sunlight regulation. Believe it or not the beasts are delicate monsters. Even if a vampire is damaged by sunlight we're comfortable with they need their own amount of heat and exposure to light. He can't tear open and sow back a shirt, but he can unbutton and button a jacket all day. Thank you for that detail ma'am. That will help us identify him better.”
       I didn't know how many werewolves the human was talking to. But it didn't matter. One or a million werewolves are always bad news. They hunt us vampires for a living and fun. They get stronger the moon is exposed in the sky. They get more hair and they get their own fangs as it becomes full. Well not technically. It doesn't magically appear. It's already in their body. The hair that “grows” out is already in their body. It just sprouts out. The fangs are also are just elongated incisors. Growing hair actually requires the werewolf to grow through puberty. (And female werewolves have less hair come out). Really their “power” comes from an adrenaline rush of sorts that changes their body temporarily. Werewolves don't actually have tails. Except for the few more savage cultures in the far, far northern parts of the world that sow ones taken from real wolves onto their lower backs. When I heard about that I couldn't sleep for a week.
       My father tried to explain it too me that the werewolves are supposed to be nocturnal and their body uses the amount of light in the sky to trigger their "transformation". When the sun is out that's too much light. Complete blackness like a dark room is too little. But the moon provides the degree that body says “this is the right amount of adrenaline” from the amount of light from the moon. The full moon hits the adrenaline limit. I've never seen it but apparently there are little photo sensors on a werewolf in their skin. Hit them right and it's supposed to hurt them a lot. The sensors distinguish between natural and artificial light too. He told me they also have something at the bottom of their neck that detects the pull of the moon's gravity so that they don't change if cloud cover or something else makes it as dark as night. He said if you hit the neck you can mess with their transformation. That's all I remember that my father told me.
          Sure a vampire can go out a night. But that's when a werewolf gets their power. So take your chances. That's why we go out during the day despite our weakness to intense sunburns. It's when the werewolves are weaker. It's easier to see too of course. We have about the same sensory abilities as you. Though I think vampires have better taste senses I think. Lotta good that'll do you fighting werewolves though. Honestly I'm surprised evolution created something as odd as us vampires and that we lived through it.
        Although we can time our travels right we can avoid the moon cycles how we want. I want to get to The Diox Cross on a night without a large moon. Or even worse...a full moon. Werewolves actively hunt us to the point of recklessness. The adrenaline rush can really go to their head. They only get real good self control when their adults and that's if they try. But during the daytime they're just like humans and vampires in physically. However their truth strength then comes from their ruthlessness.
       “I know I gave you a description. But... how do we know you'll get the vampire?” asked the human voice.
        The werewolf then responded. “Simple. We'll do a fang check. I'm not sure if you know citizen, but vampires grow their fangs in places different from even us werewolves when we change. We'll check the mouths of every person in your lovely little town until we find the vampire. We'll go day and night until we find him. Then we'll shoot him. Simple as that.”
      Crud. Crud. Crud. Crud. Even if I tried to hide my fangs while talking they would just force my mouth open. I'm dead. Dead! If only the map was still there when I checked earlier. I would have already left this town before they even finished this conversation! But no! Now I'm stuck and probably dead!
     “Finally!” someone said from behind me. I jumped. “I've been looking for you everywhere vampire! Your my ticket out of this crummy town.”
      I turned to see a human. It was a teenage girl. Her skin was a mellow bronze. Her tin-gray irises looked painted on her eyes and her brown hair had been so lazily done it looked like a mop had been dumped on her head. She looked innocent at first in her long green skirt and simple green shirt. But she was confidently holding a pistol. And anyone holding a gun is a problem. And when your a vampire humans do not have the same issues they have with humans.
     “Are you going to kill me for the vampire bounty?” I asked. Vampires in general had a bounty. And now that the town wanted me I think I must be worth even more than a normal passerby vampire.
She laughed. “No. I have a much better plan. A way to get much more money. For both of us. You're going to pretend to take me hostage. Demand 100,000 in cash in a nice aluminum suitcase. Then say that you're going to release me when we leave town. I saw your map. Take me to where your going and we'll split the cash when we get there.”
     I looked at her awkwardly. “You've really thought this through haven't you? But couldn't you get a job a instead?”
“I did think this through. This is get out of crummy town plan #54. And I'm not getting a job here. For a teenager like me in this little town all we've got is farming. Carrots. And only carrots. People call this place Ashenburg. But I call it the Carrothole. If you go north all you will find is our carrot fields for miles and miles.” She looked tired just talking about them. I think she must have lived her entire life around carrots. “And don't get nervous. The gun isn't loaded. But that I can always scream for the werewolves and tell them it isn't loaded if you don't play along.”
         I sighed. “You really thought this through.”
         She shrugged. “I really don't like this crummy town.”
        “Right...” I pulled out my umbrella and opened it. “Well it is the only way I'm going to get out of this mess. Hand me the gun.”
        “You really are that sensitive to sunlight?” She handed me the gun and I grabbed her by the forearm. “Really? By the forearm? Are you some politically correct kids cartoon where a girl can't get hit by a stiff breeze? You're the evil vampire taking me hostage. Wrap your arm around my neck leaving just enough room for me to breathe, talk and realistically struggle if I need to. Geez. Thought vampires were supposed to be scary.” I wrapped my arm around the girl. I wonder how the girl would so confidently ask me do such a thing. Is she nuts? But I could strangle her. Honestly I've never killed a human being. So I wouldn't kill her. I was raised not to think that way. Some vampires are.
         “So if this is 'get out of crummy plan #54 what are the others?”
She frowned. “Many I haven't had the chance to do. I've planned more than #54. This is just the first time a vampire like you came through so I had a chance to do it now. Every other one I tried failed. I was so close with #30. I lit the barn on fire. I stole the banjo. I got my cat ready. I just couldn't get Mr. Daniels to agree to help. He's our little town's crime boss. He agreed when I first proposed it but had second thoughts when I explained what the banjo was for after I finished the first part.”
         I looked at her baffled. “W-what kind of plan was that?”
         She then replied, “Well see it's an insurance fraud scheme and...you know what never mind! we need to go now before the werewolves start searching and notice us planning. Now grab me tight! But not too tight.” I'm glad she didn't finish explaining. I think I'm better off not knowing how plan #30 worked.
         I leaped out of the alleyway with my, um, “hostage”. I pointed her gun at her head. I forgot to ask where she had gotten the gun. That's a question for later. Not sure if I would like the answer though. When I came out of the alleyway I saw that there were five werewolves with the human. I was glad I went along with her plan. I held my umbrella to shield me from the sun in the same arm I wrapped around her neck.
        “Alright werewolves!” I yelled. “I don't want any trouble. I just want 100,000 in cash in an aluminum suitcase then I'll leave town and release my hostage and you'll never have to see me again. Understood?”
        “We understand your demands....? Sir...?” They asked. Uh, oh. The girl never told me an alias to use to throw them off. She then whispered something into my ear and I repeated it without thinking unfortunately.
         “Count Genocide.” I blurted out.
          The werewolves looked at each other baffled curious they then asked. “What's your first name?”
I just said the first thing that came to head to make sure I didn't say whatever she suggested. “Edward. I'm Count Edward Genocide. Now just get me the money or this girl will become very familiar with bullets. I can strangle her too. I actually want to do that right now.” I glared at her.
         “We understand!” The werewolves said. I noticed they were all young. There's a funny a thing about werewolves. No matter how ruthless they are they have a bureaucratic hierarchy to create who is their alpha dog. I bet they all wanted to kill me. But if they screwed up it would reflect on their records and would risk in them becoming the alpha dog in their pack. “We will get the money from the mayor immediately.” They scurried away. The money came rather quickly. I was expecting negotiations. I was expecting delay.
        “Now leave. I don't know how long it will take for me to get a comfortable distance away. But I assure you I will be violent if I have to. Hand the money to the girl. She will carry it so I can still keep my arm around her neck and the gun to her too. Now if you'll excuse me we'll be on our way out of town. Budge an inch and I may start strangling her.”
         It took forever to scoot out of town while facing the werewolves and keeping up the charade.
“Yes! I'm glad that worked! We should get moving soon now that you don't have to hold me.” She was laughing and smiling and throwing her arms in the air. “I'm finally out of there!”
        I looked at her. “I just wonder how the money got to us so quick. It was like it was already waiting.”
She laughed. “Oh. It already was. Dad's in on it too.”
        I then asked her with a puzzled look, “Dad?”
        “Oh yeah! My Dad's the mayor. The good ol' sneaky mayor that screws over people and rigs elections if he can. I help him get pity votes whenever I get sick. He taught me all the tricks and helped me come up with a few of my schemes. He's the one that introduced me to Mr. Daniels the crime boss for plan #30 too.” She smiled. “He says he wants to teach me to be ambitions like him. I told him plan #54 when I came up with it a few months ago. He even knows the name Count Genocide. No loss on us. It's the taxpayer money. He convinced the people to make a ransom fund a long time ago. It's got a million in it though. So no need to worry. We didn't take everything. It can still be used for actual incidents. And even though Dad is corrupt he promised he would never embezzle more than 20% himself.” Then she mumbled, “Though did he mean 20% before or after we have taken from it? Guess it doesn't really matter to us.”
       “You are an evil, evil person.” I told her.
        She huffed. “Says the monster that steals people's talents and abilities.”
       I yelled at her, “That's only because I can't learn anything on my own!”
       She looked at me confused. “What do you mean?”
        I then said to her, “Vampires can't learn anything on there own. We have long term memory problems.  We can remember things like addresses and names and events. I'll remember the events of today but I can't learn things on my own. I stole my ability to play violin. I stole my ability to paint. I stole my ability read. I stole my ability write. I stole my ability to tie my shoes.” I clenched my fist. “Everything I have has to be stolen by my fangs. At least you can choose to be a thief.”
        “I didn't know.” She frowned. “I'm so sorry.”
        “I'm not surprised.” I told her, “It doesn't benefit the human leaders if you pity us. Now you wanted to head with me to where I was going. I'm going to The Diox Cross.”
         “I saw your map.” She smiled. “To be honest I'm the one who stole your map after you left!”
           “Y-you!” I clicked my fangs. Maybe I should take a talent from her out of spite. Then again I could be tainted by her rottenness.
She smiled even wider. “What can I say? I really wanted to get out of this crummy town. Besides I already know the way there from a few political trips Dad took. He took the longer way so I'm not sure I can take the shortcuts your map had before I tore it up.”
          “You tore it up!?” I yelled at her.
She sighed. “I really wanted to get out of this crummy town. I couldn't have you leaving without going along with my plan no matter what. And it worked!” She said as she held up the 100,000 in cash in its aluminum we got from the werewolves.
         “This is just a game to you isn't it? I need to get there as quickly as possible and that map had the quickest way!” My rage was building.
        “What's so important that you need to get there so quickly? Besides getting away from the werewolves that is?” She asked me.
         “There's this girl. No she's not my girlfriend. She's more than some girlfriend. She's my best friend that I've had since I was four. We're like brother and sister. No. We're more than brother and sister. And there's a talent in that city I need to save her. And your little game could have just gotten her killed!”
         “I-I didn't know.” She replied awkwardly holding the ransom money.
         “Of course you didn't! You humans never know. All you humans and werewolves know is bullets and how to fire when you see fangs.” And I wanted to sink my fangs into her just taking every talent of worth out of her. Maybe I should take her talent for scheming. Just to make sure she can't use it again. Though I wouldn't want to be tempted to use it myself.
         She cried a little. “I feel so stupid now. Let me help you. I'll still go to The Diox Cross. But instead just setting up my own place with my part of the money I'll help you get that talent. We'll use the money to help you get it. Not sure how much it'll help. Let's keep the gun just in case you need to take me hostage again. Nobody told me those things about vampires. Then again I can see why they wouldn't want us pitying you. Let me make up to you destroying your map.” She then gave out a weak smile. “What's your real name Count Edward Genocide?”
        “Cordell. What's yours?” I asked her.
         “A-” She then stopped herself. “I'm sorry I really don't like my real name. Could you please just call me Jennifer?”
         I smiled at her showing both my fangs. “Alright Jennifer. I expect you to work hard to make up for tearing up my map.” My best friend always told me to give people second chances so I'll give Jennifer one. And maybe she'll make my journey getting to The Diox Cross easier than it would have been alone with just some map


Tomorrow: Vampiric Talents Episode 3: Cordell Meets The Vampire Hunter



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