2-Sweet Nanu

After many hours of delving through Mildred’s life I grew bored. Well, maybe not as much bored as I was envious. Her life was nothing special, but she lived it. Even though she got to watch the world change as I did, and got to move on in the end as I did as well, she experienced something I didn’t. Something I never would. Closure.

She watched her family age and move on. She watched her friends and acquaintances do the same. I never could. We were so similar and yet so different. Realizing the end was near for her, Mildred secluded herself to the comfort of her home to wait out her time, where as when I would see the end is near, I would move on… I gave up waiting for death a long time ago.

“I shall return soon.” I stroked Elsa softly as I stood up from the floor, leaving bits of Mildreds life scattered around me. She simply yawned in reply before curling up next to Ingrid asleep on the floor. I needed to go out. If for nothing more then to feel the night air in my lungs.

I mostly only went out at night. It was easier to blend in under the cover of darkness and I felt some comfort in mingling with the other lost souls who wander the empty cities at night. But tonight I wasn’t lost. I didn’t need a map or directions to tell me where to go. I could just feel it in the air, the aura of it was overwhelming…

I found myself heading down a dark alley, a locked chain linked gate at the end pried open just enough for me to slip through to the other side. And then down the steps to the brick wall. It was here.

I could feel the energy radiating from behind it and with out hesitation I stepped into it. The first few times I stepped through a wall like that caught me off guard. it’s a strange take you breath away for a second kind of feeling but it quickly passes. I've done it so many times by now that I barely even noticed it anymore, just took another step forward and made my way down yet another dark stairway into the club.

It was dimly lit and smokey, an empty stage was set up in the corner, no music tonight except for the one playing overhead. It was underground club, both literally and metaphorically. A haven for those who just simply did not belong in this modern world, they were run by the gatekeepers.

The gatekeepers as they were, entrusted in a position of power and respect controlling the bridges and gates between the villages in ancient times, no longer existed. And to add insult to injury the modern world somehow now looks back and interprets them as trolls or evil goblins.

But they adapt and adjust as we all do I suppose. A gatekeepers life is approximately 300 years and they shun from the sunlight as most of the miscreants here do. There's just something mocking about the sun above. Shining on a world you no longer fit into…

And that’s what everyone here was- an outsider. Whether a warlock, or a vampire or a lycan they just did not fit in above. We were all just biding our time, waiting for the world to change once more and accept us back, as it always did. Perhaps they more then me. I would never fit in as I was the only true immortal in existence.

Vampires lived around 1000 years, contrary to public opinion they were not immortal but simply perceived to be because no ones ever outlived them but me… However the last two hundred and fifty years of a vampires life was painful, and they were a dying species. Havent seen too many of them around since the 1500’s. Most that were left were secluded away underground much as Mildred did before her passing, just counting the years until they die.

The warlocks however were a different story… Having a dramatically shorter life span then the vampire a warlock could live around 500 years, one that dabbles in the dark arts could live twice as long. Like Mortimer, who was now coming towards me…

“I knew our paths would cross again.” He addressed me and I stood stoically staring at him. Warlocks age slowly. Once they turn 20 they only appear to age one year for every fifty they live. Mortimer appeared to be 25 but it was the dark arts keeping him that way since I knew him to be older.

"Mortimer." I addressed him back.

“You look beautiful as always sweet Nanu.” He kissed the back of my hand lightly.

“Is there any other way.” I replied as I pulled it back. I would always look this way. This was my curse. I could not change myself even if I tried and I did.

I would cut my hair and in hours it would grow back to the perfect stick straight shoulder length it was when I was entombed. I could scar my skin and the next day it would vanish, restoring me to the porcelain doll I was. I could engorge myself in food and never gain a pound. And as I learned through the famine of the 1800s I couldn’t lose weight either all though I could suffer through the hunger pains, my perfect curves would not falter.

The black lines around my eyes only made my eyes look greener and the red stain on my lips would never wash away. I wore oversized sunglasses when I went out in the day and let my hair swing in my face, which was currently the style so I was lucky in that regard. Clothing however, not so much.

Anything that I would put on would mold to my body, no matter what the size, it would cling to me, so I would wear a lot of layers to disguise my figure. High necked conservative dark clothing was my wardrobe. I did not want attention above which is why the underground clubs were such a refuge for me. There was one in almost every big city and I could be myself here, if only for a night or two, but it was enough to keep me sane.

“Come sit with me.” Mortimer beckoned me to his table and I obliged. He was not my friend and he was not my enemy. He was nothing to me although it was clear he wanted more.

My paths had crossed with Mortimer many times over the last half century and he would proposition me each time, yet each time I would turn him down. I was no ones trophy any more. What ever twist of fate it was, or perhaps it was the high priestesses’ misunderstanding of the spells in the book of the dead I was given my freedom and I would not give it back up willingly.

As much as Mortimer would profess the wonders of it - A dark movement retaking the world and me by his side I wasn’t interested.

“So how are you finding the city?” He begins to engage me in conversation.

“Well, thank you.” I studied him carefully as he spoke. He couldn’t have followed me here, my movements are much to scattered and unplanned for that, but I wouldn’t put it past him.

“Dare I ask your name Nanu?” He grinned slightly as if he knew I didn’t trust him.

“Jennifer Wycleff.” I replied and he extended his hand out to me as if we had never met before.

“William Leaone. Public defender.” He nodded at me and I faintly smiled amused. Of course he was a public defender. It would give him access to all the scum the city had to offer… “Might I offer you a drink Nanu.” He offered and I could see the glimmer in his eye. One drink would turn to two and I would end up spending the night with him.

“No Im not staying.” I announced as I stood up briskly. It was just my luck Mortimer was in the same city as I was.

“Then I shall accompany you home.” He stood as well.

“That wont be necessary.” I reached my hand up and pulled a small blue crystal ball from the air. Another trick I learned in the dark ages. He smiled faintly as I dropped it at my feet, smoke filling the air around me and when it had vanished - so had I.