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written, directed, and unlived by Santiago and Louis
Louis
It was half past eleven when I arrived...Everything was quiet in this macabre dwelling...I
stepped onto the stage, my heels clicking as I moved across the hard floor...I began to
imagine things, as though I was being watched, when I knew no one else was
there...Perhaps just the ghosts of my guilt haunting me once again...
Time passed quickly suddenly...11:45...Fifteen minutes until they would all arrive...Last
night it had been as unsuspecting mortals...Tonight would be different...Tonight they
would be demons in the guise of humans...Oh how I dreaded this...dreaded the interaction
I would have to have with them...dreaded the scenes that would play out on stage...all of
it...
I stared over at the empty seats, seats which would be filled by three weeks time with
oblivious patrons who will have no idea that what they are witnessing before them will be
a reality of horror...
As was said so long ago, I repeated now in the silence of the auditorium, disdain evident
in my tone, “Vampires...pretending to be human...pretending to be vampires...Irony in its
finest...”
Santiago
Strangely, when Louis had run from the Theatre last night, I had not laughed.
And I had felt...almost...almost... a twinge of...some emotion which I could not lay my
finger on. Guilt? No, most certainly not. Compassion? Impossible!
I had gone home, taking a long walk, killing two passersby who adequately satisfied my
hunger. I was weak from making so many fledglings. I was tired.
And he was on my mind. Louis, Louis, Louis, could I think of nothing else?
Could I deny the little thrill I'd felt when he had released his anger, when he had allowed
his meek demeanor to slip....
No.
I returned to my quarters and fell into a deep slumber. I passed the entire day and half of
the early evening in the repose of the dead. It had been a long time since I had slept so
much.
When I awoke, I went out and killed again. I would need my strength.
I arrived at the theatre a few minutes early. My fledglings were near -- I could feel them.
But they were not yet here.
Louis was. I heard his words, crisp in the silence.
"How avant gard," I replied fliply, strolling down the aisle towards him. I leapt onto the
stage gracefully. I bent my head, looking into his eyes, smirking just the tiniest bit. "I hope
you are in a better mood tonight, sir."
Before I could say more, the fledglings began to trickle in. When they had come forth and
sat in the first row of seats, I looked at them in amusement. They were just as they had
been last night, except they were no longer human...and there was one less of them.
"Ah, my children!" I exclaimed. "Everyone here...time for lessons. Who's hungry?"
They all clamored eagerly.
"Wonderful!" I said. I went over, took Louis arm and drew him towards them. "Monsieur
Louis will show you the finer points of hunting...and disposing of the remains...tonight!"
Very low, in his ear, I added, "I'd advise you to comply or there will be corpses all over
this city...and you know whose job it is to clean up."
I slapped him on the back, then stepped back to see what his reaction would be.
The second morbid chapter was under way...And though I did not know the reason why, I
must admit it quite surprised me that he would expect such a thing of me...Me, who was
no more a teacher than any of them were...
I turned my head slowly to look back to him, then shifted my body to face him...my own
words quiet in response. “Why are you doing this?...Why?...I cannot teach them how to
hunt...when I lack the desire in accomplishing it for myself. Please Santiago...Don't...don't
ask me to do something you know I am incapable of...I heard the threat you made loud
and clear...but I can't do this...you know I can't...If anyone is suited to show them, it is
you...not I.”
Why did I always find it necessary to protest something where I knew I would not
prevail?...as though I believed he would suddenly relent...But I did not want it to appear
as outright defiance either, so it was there that I stopped my words.
I smiled at him flatly, drawing him aside, speaking in tones so low that not even the
fledglings could hear them.
“Louis, Louis, Louis,” I said, “Is it going to be this way every night? You said you were at
my command. I'm simply asking you to do one small task. And here you are balking once
again. Are you at my command or not? And surely, this is not such a difficult task. I know
you're...hungry...anyway...”
Though the words, as they always did when he would say them, made perfect sense...he
had to know that I could not so easily follow through on such a task...that I could not
bring myself to show others what I fought within my own being every night to prevent.
“Of course I am hungry...but...” I looked to them, then back at him, pleading silently
before the words were even said. “I...can't.”
I sighed overdramatically.
“You will go and hunt then...and I will lead the pack to follow and observe.”
It was not a request -- it was a command
He had not left room for argument, and yet I felt compelled to offer it nonetheless as I said
quietly.
“I...do not wish to do that either...it has been nights, yes...since I have last fed...but I am
trying to refrain, for as long as I can...to spare a life, that would otherwise be taken...to
allow one to have a few moments more of existance...I beg you...do not force me into
something I despise to do so much...”
I was growing annoyed with his weakness, with his goodness, with his arguments. Hardly
realising I was doing so, I began pacing back and forth in front of him like a caged jaguar.
“Fine then,” I said. “Fine!” I turned to the waiting five. “Louis refuses to help you, little
ones. I fear you must learn on your own. Go now. Shoo. Come back when you have fed.”
They stared at me, stunned at my anger, not moving. “Go,” I said more loudly. “GO
NOW!” I shouted, and they scattered like a pack of geese.
I turned back to face Louis.
“Are you satisfied?” I asked bitterly.
Even in the face of his obvious anger, I felt relief at not having to be the one to lead them,
closing my eyes as I let out a heavy breath...But was it that he did not fully understand
how truly difficult it was for me?...or was it that he simply did not care?...I pushed that
question from my mind just as soon as it entered, knowing how easily he could pick
thoughts up from me...I watched as they departed...How foolish they all looked to
me...Then I turned back to him, finding myself looking down to the flooring just as soon
as I met his angered stare.
“Yes...” I whispered gratefully, “Thank you...Please don't see this as blatant disprespect
towards you...it is not how I mean it to be...I just simply can't do it...I would...you know I
would, if I was able...because I have told you I would do whatever it was you asked of
me...but I suppose I should have added to that "nearly"...”
“You know,” I said thoughtfully, “This means that I could kill you right now if I so
desired, according to our contract. I could consider this a betrayal.”
I think, in that moment, I must have looked almost shocked by what he had said...but he
was right...I knew that...I had defied him.
“You could...yes...I know...but...” And then my voice left me as I turned from him, my
head bowed. “If that is what you wish to do...then I will not fight it...But know one
thing...it was not meant to go against you...”
“Yes,” I said softly, as the anger seemed to slip away from me even when I wished to hold
on to it, “I know. And...I will not kill you...now.”
I turned back slowly, the surprise mirroring in brows that came together confusedly...But I
would certainly not question it verbally...relieved that he had not chosen that option which
was available to him by the vow I had made.
“You have access to every bit of money you need...and with that knowledge, you have still
decided to spare me...I cannot promise you that more times will not come where I fight
what you ask me to do...because I know they will...and each of those times, you have the
right, as you do now, to destroy me...I can only hope that you will show mercy then
also...because never will it be for the reason of defiance...only fear...”
I made a noise of distinct frustration.
“It is going to be one argument after another between us,” I snapped. “I cannot promise
that one of them will not push me into excersizing that option!”
But I knew this tact of shouting at him would produce nothing but cowering from him and
that was not my goal, not at all...
I moved close to him, putting my hands on his shoulders, looking deeply into his eyes.
“You must learn to lose your fear, Louis,” I whispered as seductively as I could.
“Knowing me is going to change you... this business venture is going to change you...and I
promise...you will be grateful to me in the end. I know what you're looking for, Louis.
And I know I'm the only one who can give it to you.”
I stared back at him questioningly, though I let the words sink in...At once it brought both
promise and doubt to my mind...for even now, I still did not know just what that would
entail.
“ But what if I don't want to change?...And how could you possibly know what it is I am
looking for when I do not even know it myself?...Nor do I know how you can give it to
me...”
“Do you wish to be unhappy forever, Louis?” I asked him quietly. “Don't you want to
know peace? Didn't you come to me...for forgiveness?”
“Yes of course...your forgiveness is what I want more than anything...that is why I am
here...why I came to begin with...And no, I do not wish to be unhappy...” I looked down
then, convinced that was what I would always be. “But it is something that just is...I don't
see how that can change...”
“All you have to do is trust me, Louis,” I said. “And really...is there any other choice?
Now,” I continued magnaminously, “I realize that you have a fear as to how our theatrical
production is going to be performed... You remember our old shows? I wish to do
something...new... and I give you my word that you will not be forced into commiting an
act you find atrocious...upon the stage.”
Glancing back up slowly, my head still lowered slightly, I looked at him suspiciously, but
with the hope that he was telling me the truth.
“No?” I questioned softly, “But I thought...” I refused to finish that sentence, thankful that
he had turned the tides now and would no longer expect me to engage in something I
would find horrific. “Then what will you have me do...merely act?...You had said that I
would not sit idly by and watch as things happened...and if you have now changed your
mind, then I am grateful to you for that...Am I correct in my assumption?”
“I still require you to be an actor, simply because we have so few. Unless you think I
ought to recruit some more...” I said, but I knew what his reaction to that would be. “I am
simply going to choose a work to perform which will be less...painful...for you to
participate in. You see?”
“I...believe so...” I answered hesitantly...because really, I did not...I had no inclination of
what he had in store, and here I was pretending that I understood...I had placed my trust
fully in him, even after I had been warned by countless others not to...but I was far too
fearful of him to question further. “I'm certain that through the course of rehearsal, up
until opening night, you will make me fully aware of what I am to do...will you not?...”
“Of course,” I said reassuringly. In some ways...I was indeed growing loathe to harm him
in any way. What was it about him that aroused a...a tenderness that I had before now not
admitted to. Damn, but my plans would not be waylaid by his timidness nor my own
weakness!
“As soon as the fledglings have learned the ways of the night, I shall have a script for you.
I fear...you have proven this night that you will be not much help in that arena, and so I
will bid you adieu for the time being. Return to me in a week's time, and we shall begin
rehearsals in earnest.”
“I..couldn't...” I began quietly. “You know I couldn't...I cannot teach something to
another when I have no concept of it...They will no doubt enjoy what they are...I, do
not...I have just, more or less, accepted it...If I thought, for even a moment, that I could
have done them some good, I would have...But would you have really wanted me to be
the one to do it Santiago?...think about that...because then all they would've learned, is
how I am...and I know that is not something you'd want...”
I looked him straight in the eyes. The... very green....eyes.
“I simply thought that you might learn something from it as well,” I said. “In any case, I
have excused you...”
I started to turn my back on him, but then I stopped.
“Unless you want...to come with me...to sit and talk with me for a while.”
What the hell was I offering? Ah, but he would decline this, too...wouldn't he?
I found myself actually contemplating it even as I looked away from him and to the
floor...what harm could it do, really?...And I had to admit, something within me did want
to go with him...A part, that as much as the other, who just thought it best to return a
week from now, echoed just as strongly.
“Yes....I do...I want to come with you...to sit and talk with you, as you have said...If that
invitation was sincere...”
“Indeed...it is,” I said, trying not to ask myself what I was doing, for once. I inclined my
head, indicating that he should follow me to somewhere other than this theatre, which had
already become a place of blood and terror.
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