The Night Watch

A young girls comes of age in the vampire world

 

The Night Watch

 

Carefully playing between the shards of light that invaded their world, Kamala and Malachi cast their watchful eyes upon the French doors of their home. The back yard was filled with shelter, yet their mother dared not venture from behind the blackout curtains of their ancestral home. The eldest ones of their kind could barely stand a light bulb, especially these new compact fluorescent things much less the filtered sunlight of the daytime hours. Adults of their world could and did venture out into the filtered light, although covered with sunscreen, wide hats and layers of clothing. 

            Kamala was older and showing some signs she needed to watch her exposure to the light even at the age of twelve. Malachi was only ten and never feared the light. He was special. Now Malachi had Kamala trapped. In their game of tag, he cornered her between the house and a tree, with a harsh shaft of light so bright even he had to shield his eyes from the brightness of the sun. Kamala could do nothing save surrender to her brother lest she risk severe burns from the light.

            “You got me, now let me pass!” she demanded as the shaft of light grew closer to hr feet. It was so bright even the reflected light from the grass caused her some degree of discomfort.

            “Say it first!” he demanded back. “I am the Supreme Ruler of Dark Tag.”

            “This is the only time you’ve won! I’ll not say it! Mother!! Kamala protested.

            “You’re just mad because I’ve beaten you!” he argued. “You make me say it, now it’s your turn!”

            Kamala saw no escape if her Mother did not wake to her plea for help. Malachi won the game, the first ever for him, and yes, the loser had to declare the winner to be the Supreme Ruler of Dark Tag. It was her rule, and now she hated it. 

            The shaft of light grew frightfully close to her face, the heat of it making her sweat, which was very bad. The beads of sweat magnified the beams of the sun. 

            “The sun is getting too close, Malachi. Let me pass and I promise I’ll say it, but I’ll not bow down to you here.”

            “Pass then, but keep your promise or I’ll not allow you such respite next time,” he warned. 

            Malachi stepped aside to allow Kamala enough room to escape the shaft of intense sunlight. She then bowed to him in their tradition of the game to make her declaration when the strangers entered the yard.

            “Malachi, we have company. Take the watch here while I get rid of them.”

            “But the game isn’t over,” he protested.

            “We’ll finish once these people leave. We have enemies Malachi; remember that. All unknowns are enemies.”

            Kamala went to answer the persistent doorbell and used the intercom to instruct the visitors to come to the side door, far away from the dangerous sun. Kamala’s mother woke from her sleep to answer the door. 

            “May I help you?” she asked of the strangers. The two teens stood a formal distance from the door, almost like two police officers answering a call. 

            “We are looking for a lost cat. We heard you take in cats and care for them. If you’ve seen this one, could you call me please?” the younger of the two girls offered a full color flyer to her as she asked.

            “Such a beautiful creature,” she all but exclaimed. “Kamala will show you to the pens. Maybe this one will be there. We take in so many I dare not try to remember them all.”

            She called for her daughter to escort the girls to the feline pens. It was true they took in cats, and it was true they cared for the animals until their owners claimed them. Only the sick were candidates for the cure. As a creature of the night, she and her family vowed to care for these felines as a part of their code. FIV took many pets from their owners, and they had the ability to help find a vaccine or cure if their lives lasted long enough.

            Stanley’s ears perked up quickly when he heard the girls’ voices. Kamala’s curiosity had her up against the wall. Very few mortals ventured into their world, yet these two girls boldly walked into their home with a confidence reserved for those of old, the Slayers; sworn enemy of their kind.

            “Who told you of us?” she had to ask. “We get so few people who come to us in search of their cats. We see their flyers and call them if we have their cat.”

            “There’s a security guard at the school who knew your father. He told us you were our best chance if Stanley was alive,” the older girl offered.

            Kamala knew the security guard. He was an ancient vampire, once and still King of the Highest Order. If these girls knew him, could they be Slayers or minions of the Ancient one? 

            “Oh, I think I know him,” Kamala offered as she tried to hide her surprise. “He keeps much to himself.”

            “Yes, that he does. That’s Stanley!” the older girl exclaimed as she ran to his cage. Stanley rubbed his side against the cage and cried loudly to make sure his owners knew where he was. 

            “Stanley? Odd name for a tom like this. He’s quite friendly.”

            “Yes, he’s been with our family for years. I’m glad to see he is okay. May we take him home now? Do we owe you anything for his care?” the older girl spoke again.

            “You may take him home. His collar was a bit of a mess. We couldn’t read your number. Might you have him chipped? It would help find him should he wander again.”

            “That’s probably why he ran this time. He hates the vet,” the younger girl said.

            Kamala opened the cage and gave the cat to the older girl, had her sign a release form and watched with interest as the two girls left. She went quickly to her mother to inform her of this encounter.

            “They know the Ancient One. He sent them straightway to us,” she said. “They are either Slayers or Minions. They can’t be of our kind. They can stand the direct sunlight.”

            “If they are either, we are still safe. We feed on smaller prey and allow the felines to help us find what we need. They know our kind if they are Slayers, and they know our code. Mind you now to stand by it and never take an unwilling human victim. They will come for us.”

            “The man you took on Stanley’s watch that night Mother, was he willing?” Kamala asked now fearful of her way of life and for her life.

            “Yes, very willing and quite sustaining. Depression is such a deep illness in humankind. It drives healthy victims to their end, suffering in ways in rare case that only death can heal. He was one of those very few.”

            “Mother, did Stanley see you take him?” Malachi asked. Both turned to see a rather shaken Malachi standing in the early evening shadows.

            “Stanley stood watch until I could take him. He offered the man as much comfort as he could, but he refused the love of that compassionate creature. When Stanley left, I took his lifeblood. The cat followed me home, almost keeping watch over me. They are very intelligent creatures.”

            She noticed the look in Kamala’s eyes. The time was now for her daughter to forage with the help of a trusted feline.  

            “Your stomach burns with the hunger down deep. I can see it in your face Kamala. You must trust one of the cats to help you find prey tonight. Choose wisely, or you will face the two we met on the wrong side of the code.”

            “Mother, I’m not ready for the hunt. I don’t fancy I’m strong enough,” Kamala protested.

            “You are dear girl, you are. Take the tabby from the first pen. He served me well before their cat dropped by. Make your kill quickly; dare not savor the blood or it will turn you.”

            Kamala did as her mother instructed and took the grey tabby from his pen. The cat looked up at her and rubbed his head against her forehead. With the sun completely gone from the sky, Kamala knew her mother was right. The hunger burned deep inside, the yearning for the lifeblood of a willing victim. She thought tonight would be a good time to take down small prey, like a rabbit or raccoon. 

            She put on her black pants, black sweatshirt and black sneakers for the night, the better to blend with the darkness. The cat purred softly on her bed as she dressed with its tail flicking slightly as she scooped him up to forage for food. Malachi was so lucky, she thought to herself. He could spend hours in the strong sun and not engage in the hunt.  Still, this was her lot, her legacy and her destiny. 

            Kamala quickly tracked her prey down on the outskirts of town. It was a good size raccoon, older than most and she could sense it was very ill. Pain racked its body with every step and its eyesight was poor. Near death, this had to be a sign; this had to be a willing victim. 

The cat had other intentions. It shunned the raccoon and cried loudly to draw Kamala’s attention. It found a willing victim. Kamala could not understand why the cat seemed so intent on the box, but she soon understood as the man’s misshapen hand came into view. The man was an arthritis victim from the war, and made old before his time by the horrific memories of his life on the battlefield. He was in unbearable pain. 

He strained to stroke the cat’s fur, longing for one touch that would give him some comfort. Kamala approached him as he cried softly to himself.

“I can take away your pain, all of it,” she offered. “You have to be willing and give in to me.”

Their eyes met as he realized he was face to face with a vampire. He did not know how he realized this, but he knew the girl in front of him was a vampire and she was in need of a willing victim.  He weighed his options carefully as he studied the girl’s face. She could kill him or preserve him in this state forever. He much preferred death and at the hand of one so young, would he go quietly or would he struggle?

“I’ll make it painless for you, but you must be willing. I know you will pass to a better place than this,” Kamala reassured him. 

“Make it quickly then. I wanted to jump last night, but my legs wouldn’t take me to the bridge. They’re even worse today.  I submit myself as a sacrifice. This pain is too unbearable.”

“Close your eyes and think of someplace warm and pleasant,” Kamala encouraged him as her fangs extended into his neck. True to her word, she made it very quick for him. As he thought of the nicest place he had ever been, he looked around and found himself on the white sands of the warmest beach he had ever seen. He crawled into the hammock and accepted the drink from the island maiden and closed his eyes forever.

              

           

Reviews

[emmajoy]

I don't usually read stories like this - boring creature that I am.. but so 'glad I did.

It's very well written, descriptive, orginal and, the ending really touched me - 'wasn't expecting that.

Your characters are distinct and varied, your phrasing smooth and finely put: 'He could spend hours in the strong sun and not engage in the hunt. Still, this was her lot, her legacy and her destiny.'

Thank you for sharing what is an unusual read for me.

[deeps]

I like this it's very good
You tell an amazing story
Very well written and it's very wonderful
It's beautiful, I love the characters