Do Vampires Day Dream - Part 2 – Remember, No Biting!

The whole of the next day, Vlad was unable to sleep, he was far too excited. Not that he would have slept anyway, but this time he had an excuse for his insomnia. That night, he was going to become human!

During the many hours, lying awake, he had logged onto the History Museum’s website and was looking through the different exhibits and sections. He had found the ideal spot for the bite to take place; the animal exhibit. An exhibit filled with a huge variety of preserved wild life, the zoology collection was ideal. Although what Vlad had wanted for a long time, being bitten was still a huge thing, and the thought of it happening amongst the preserved animals allowed him peace, knowing that his former self may also be in some way preserved (just not too closely accessible).

The day had felt long, and for the last hour he had been going through his wardrobe, looking for the perfect outfit for the occasion. Even just the idea of seeing other children was a big thing, he was home schooled and so never got the chance to mingle. The only people he normally saw were the people in the bar, when he would sneak in and hang out at night. Usually hiding in the ceiling. 

After choosing five different outfits, then taking the top from the first and the trousers from the third, he realized, it was a sleep over, they were to be camping out in the museum, and if Vlad were to have a chance at fitting in, he would have to wear his pajamas. The choice was now more limited, since he only owned two pairs, and one was in the wash, he had no choice but to pack his batman onesie into the bag.  

Looking at the small black bats on the grey background, he felt fluttering in his stomach, like the bats had escaped the onesie’s cotton fabric and were now flying in a frenzy around his belly. He was not used to feeling nervous, he had never really had any occasion to be. 

“VLAADD!” his father shouted up the stairs. “You ready?” 

Vlad took one more glance into the mirror, breathing out a heavy breath, like he was trying to the starve any oxygen from the bats inside, suffocate them. He picked up his bag and left the room.

****

It was only a short walk down Deansgate from his flat to the history museum, or ‘Manchester Museum’ as it was actually called. Waiting outside the front gates was a strange looking figure, with a tweed blazer and a balding head, the street light danced off his hairless scalp. 

“Vlad, this is Howard.” Vlad’s father crouched down as he spoke directly to his son. “He´s the history teacher at the local prep and will be looking after you and the other kids tonight.” 

“Mr. Thompson…” A broken voice erupted nervously from Howard’s mouth. Weakening further as both Vlad and his father looked to him. “I mean, my name… p… p… p… probably best you call me Mr. Thompson, you know for the s…s…sake of the other children.” He tried to laugh but the sound actually sounded more like a pained whimpering.  

Vlad had noticed most people often spoke this way around his father, of course no one knew he was a vampire, but most had a feeling that something was not quite right, a survival instinct. 

“Ok.” Vlad’s father smiled looking back to his son. “I’ll leave you with Mr. Thompson for tonight.” He stressed the name, glancing once again to Howard.

“REMEMBER… No biting!” his father shouted after them, as Mr. Thompson and Vlad walked through the gates. Mr. Thompson turned looking to Vlad, another whimpering laugh getting stuck in his throat. 

Inside the museum was hot, not just warm but really hot as soon as Vlad stepped through the doorway. And there was a smell, not just the smell of old things. This smell was blood, blood that was pumping fast around small bodies, as they hurtled between the exhibits in the main hall. This smell was human children. Vlad had been used to smelling blood, the bar was filled with humans but this was far stronger. As the children’s hearts beat fast, their bodies full of energy and life. Vlad inhaled, getting a good whiff.

“Children…” Mr. Thompson’s voice was soft, despite him trying to shout, although, to be fair to him, amongst the chaos and screams coming from the children, even the loudest of shouts would have sounded like a whisper. “Come on now children… settle down… I have someone I would like to introduce.” he continued. 

The chaos suddenly stopped. The screams silenced. The entire class turned and faced Vlad. If a vampire could blush, he most certainly would have. For a moment there was a silence, a silence that Vlad could hear being filled by the tiny beating of wings. The bats had returned to his stomach.

“This is Vlad and he will be joining us tonight.” Mr. Thompson’s words did nothing to still the wings. “I want you to all be super nice to him, ok, treat him as one of the class.”

“Why’s he so white?” an unseen voice called out from the group of children; the class parted, revealing a tall chubby boy, who was left to take ownership of the words. The boy was tall and chubby (as I just said) and generally big, the biggest in the room, behind Mr. Thompson of course. He was less boy and more man-child.

Vlad had no words to respond; the bats had stopped just fluttering and now had taken to eating any attempt of communication. The man-child was walking forward, toward him.

“That’s enough Tomothy.” Mr. Thompson’s voice was surprisingly firm. 

Tomothy said nothing, just stared at little Vlad before returning to a small group of boys, who had split from the larger class. His attention was now occupied by the skull of a large dinosaur, and he had already taken to poking the fossilized bone, despite a sign saying do not touch. 

I am sure, reader, that you already have established that this man-child was a bully, and the worst kind of bully, a stupid one. But please, although in the next few pages it may be hard to have any pity for this oversized boy, remember, his parents had chosen to name him, Tomothy. 

Vlad stayed where he stood, the group now splitting into smaller cliques. 

“You can change in the bathroom, it’s just down that hall way and on the left.” Directed Mr. Thompson, his voice startling Vlad, whose eyes had remained fixed on the man-child. 

****

As he closed the cubicle door, it was now Vlad felt furious, his fists clenched tight, so tight his knuckles whitened, even whiter than before. He had the urge for blood, a calling to bury his fangs into the man-child. ‘How dare he talk to me like that.’ He thought. ‘Does he not know who, what I…’ Vlad paused his inner monologue, he was thinking ‘what he was’ but now he didn’t know himself, not knowing what he would become by the morning.  

The bathroom door crashed open, the wood hitting against the tile with a loud crash. 

“Where are you paley.” The not so creative insult had come from the man-child. 

Vlad could here footsteps walking toward the cubicle, not just one set, but four, bouncing heavily off the tiled floor. Vlad did not know what to do. He had seen in films and on TV, people standing on the toilet to make it appear like no one was in the stall, but that wouldn’t work, not in reality, not if they simply tried pushing the door to find it locked. He was conflicted. He did not know how he felt. The anger that had circled him moments before, was still hovering above him, like a cloud, but the bats in his stomach were also fluttering with fear once more. 

“Come out, come out.” It was still only the man-child who spoke, the others just echoing with giggles. Another door slammed as they threw open one of the cubicles and started their way down the line. 

Vlad wondered, if he just waited, then maybe they would get bored, move on. But what if that took all night? Vlad swallowed hard, that would mean he would miss his only chance of being bitten. He knew he couldn’t go on, not like this. The sudden clarity helped Vlad with his decision. He zipped up his onesie, and turned the lock with confidence, swinging the door open and stepping out to face the four bullies. Sure enough, leading the group was the oversized man-child, behind him stood his three stooges. One chubby, but half the size of Tomothy, the other two, stick thin. 

“Well… well… well… there he is.” said the man-child. “I can hardly see you there in front of the white tiles.”

Vlad just stood, staring the boy down. He realized, although he felt confident all of a sudden, he did not know why. What was he going to do? His father had specifically told him ‘no biting’. But then, he smiled to himself, he realized he did not have to bite, not to get these bullies to back off, he just needed to frighten them. He took a step forward, an act in itself that seemed to knock the man-child off balance, he clearly was not used to people holding their ground in front of him. For a moment Tomothy took a step back, before correcting himself and hardening his face.

Vlad did not harden his, no, instead he just smiled, a grim grin that he had only ever practiced in the mirror. Already, two of the boys backed away, not sure of this new situation. Vlad continued to smile, staring directly to the man-child leader. As his grin spread, he expected to feel the fangs getting longer, as they did at home, but running his tongue over his teeth, they were all the same size, no fangs at all. 

The boys, where previously they had been unsure, now showed conviction once more, the man-child laughing as he stepped forward toward Vlad.

“What you tryna do, smile us to death?” He continued walking closer, the boys following. “Although, I don’t know about you boys, but he really is a little creepy lookin ain’t he.”

Vlad tried even harder, focusing on the anger, willing the fangs to reveal themselves, but there was still nothing. The group of bullies were now closer and the leader reached out grabbing Vlad in a head lock. Pushing his head down and under his arm pit. He could not just smell Tomothy´s sweat, but the rancid odor seeped into his mouth and changed to taste. He could feel the other boys laughing and encouraging Tomothy as his grip tightened around his neck.

The man-child lead Vlad into the same cubicle he had come out of moments earlier, thrusting his head further down, Tomothy pushed it into the toilet bowl and into the blue stained water.

“Flush im… Flush im… FLUSH IM!” The boys’ chants got louder and louder until the sound was blocked by the noise of the waterfall cascading over Vlad’s face, the torrents flooding into his mouth, nose and ears. 

“Welcome to the class pale boy.” Tomothy said as he loosened his grip and lead the gang out of the bathroom.