I walked down a street that I knew very well, though it had changed throughout the years. I kept my steady pace. My boots tapped lightly on the cobblestones. My long coat billowed while I passed others on the street. I pulled it closer around me, tying the belt to bind it in place. I scanned the stores ahead of me, searching for the right place. My long straight almost-black-brown hair blew into my face as I passed a street that was carrying a strong wind. Others cried as their hair became tangled, whereas I just kept on going. Once I got away from the gust of wind, my hair fell down back into its place. Then I saw it. I kept my pace and crossed through the traffic gracefully. I maneuvered through the crowd of people swiftly and carefully, making it to the office in moments.
It was heated and rather quiet besides the light typing on a keyboard. A receptionist that was stationed in front of me didn't look up from her 'work' as I walked up to the counter and folded my hands on it. I am not a very patient person. The walking here was only done upon pretense, so waiting here like an idiot made me agitated. When she still didn't look up, I cleared my throat, trying to make her aware of my presence. She finally looked up, popping her gum and rolling her eyes effectively. I smiled a polite smile as she examined what she could see of me with a catch in her breath.
"H-how may I help you?" she asked finally. She was thrown off balance for a moment at my appearance, but regaining it in a matter of moments.
I smiled another polite smile and answered, "I would like to see the realtor here, if I could?"
She jerked her head down to look at the computer screen in front of her and typed on the keyboard for a moment. I saw that she was looking at the appointments for the day. It seemed that there were only three and none at that time. But I saw the plan formulating in her mind before she looked back up. When she did she returned the polite smile I was wearing.
"I'm sorry ma'am," she emphasized the 'ma'am', "but he's booked all today and through this week and next. So, I guess you'll have to come back some other time." She popped her gum once more. Why must these people provoke me? I thought.
"No, I'm sorry, because I can guarantee you that he's not." I smiled another smile. "I suggest that you go ahead and ask him if he'll see me. Oh, and I don't ask twice." I didn't mind playing the bitch if it got me what I wanted.
Her smile dropped. She sighed and pressed the intercom on the desk phone. I heard a voice come from the other side. "Yes?" He asked. She gave her gum another good chew and me another glare, "There's a woman here to see you, but without an appointment. Would you like me to send her in?" She asked, smirking for some reason. "No," the intercom answered after pausing. Her smirk grew larger, mocking me. But I kept my smile and stare. "I'll be out there in a moment to escort her in." He continued. Her smirk disappeared. I kept my composure. I waited the moment. Then a man appeared in the hall, wearing a suit and tie. He was around his forties, with receding hair. He spotted me and his eyes grew.
"Hello, I'm Mr. Salazar." He held out his hand. I took it easily. When I didn't respond, he showed me into his office, his receptionist staring blankly after. He seated me and then himself. "How can I be of service?" He asked folding his hands on the desk.
"I need an apartment. Preferably on the east side of town." I answered quickly. I knew what I wanted and I wanted to get it as fast as possible.
"Oh, well, miss, the east side is rather, um, expensive, but also rather dicey. Are you sure you want to live there?" He looked me over once more.
I nodded quickly. "Yes. I don't care what the cost. It needs to be high-end. And it needs to be in that area." I assured him. He looked at me skeptically once more and then moved to the computer.
After a few minutes of typing and clicking, "There are three apartment buildings that have rooms available. Do you want to go right now to see them?" He offered, looking up from the screen.
I smiled, "Yes that would be very nice. Thank you."
"Alright, we'll just take my car then." He stood up and started gathering a few things, and then led me out the door. "Take messages for me, please Stacie." He said before we went out into the cold. She popped her gum once more; nice and loud. He shrugged the jacket on and made our way to a black Mercedes. He clicked it open and we both got in.
"So, Miss, what is your name?" he asked, driving.
It was a sensible question, especially since he would have to find out some time. "My name is Veronica Kelly." He nodded.
"And, um, please excuse me for asking this, but, what is your age? You don't look a day over eighteen." He asked.
I gave a short laugh, more to myself than him. "I'm twenty-five." I lied easily. The lying came with experience. "Though, I do have a niece who's seventeen." I threw in. "She's going to be living with me and attending the local high school on the east side." I explained smoothly.
He looked thoughtful. "Then I must warn you again, Miss Kelly, that though that neighborhood may have the best apartments, the crime rate is horrendous there. It's dangerous and you should consider both you and your niece’s safety and reconsider living there. There are some very decent apartments of the upper west side that are as just as comfortable as the east side's that I can recommend to you."
I smiled. He was concerned for my safety, how sweet, I thought wryly. "Mr. Salazar, please focus on your job right now and keep your concerns to yourself from here on out. You don't have to worry about me or my niece." I briefly wondered if telling him I had a husband living with us would help him calm down, but since I had already brought in an imaginary niece into the picture, I thought not.
"Yes, I'm sorry Miss Kelly." He said a bit grudgingly. He was a good guy, but this was nothing to be concerned about.
Once we got through looking at the apartments, I chose one that was on the seventh floor of the nicest building. It had two bedrooms- one for my nonexistent niece- one bathroom, a living room and a kitchen with a small dining area. The place was very modern. I would be able to decorate any way I liked, without restrictions, and it was also in the very center of the crime underworld. It was perfect.
He drove me back to the office to draw up paper work. He didn't mention me or my 'niece’s' safety once more. But he did offer me pepper spray. I told him I had something better, which I did.
Since it was only three in the afternoon, I decided to go furniture shopping and confuse the store clerks with the clear credit card that had no limit. I got my shopping done by six and got everything moved in by nine. I collapsed on the couch and then decided that Chinese food would be best. I quickly found the best one in the phone book and ordered. They came about fifteen minutes later.
I sat on the couch and watched some Jeopardy that was re-running. Not to my surprise, I knew every answer. I planned my day for tomorrow, making sure I went down to the school and registered myself. I made sure that I had my fake transcripts that showed that all my required classes had been taken and make the perfect schedule. I planned to also go to the main street in town and find a good job. I had an unlimited amount of money, but I still liked the time being occupied.
I also thought over my day and the lies that I had spread. There was no niece. I was living alone. I wanted to live alone in this area of town for a reason. And I'm neither seventeen nor twenty-five. In fact, I was approaching my five hundredth birthday the next month. And yes, I am immortal. I had lived in this exact town seventy years ago. I liked to be sure that there would be no record of me before going back to the same place. I am, to the world, invisible. I don't exist. My body is the only thing real about me anymore. My original name was Roselle Rousseau. It’s changed hundreds of times over the years, unlike my body. I'm not a vampire or a demon or an alien. I'm a human being but gifted with immortality. I only have the strength and knowledge I've acquired over my years that are special. Besides that, I'm normal. I don't age, and I don't know how to die. If I did, I wouldn't be here. I was originally born 1508, in Paris, France. I've seen through wars, diseases, and mad governments. I've seen death in the worst ways; I've seen angels and monsters; I've seen love and hate; I've seen beauty and deformity. All I wanted to think about is what I would see from now on. It’s amazing what little hope I had left would grow through the next few events in my existence.
I crawled into my bed drifting into dreamless sleep.
.xXx.
I dressed in a long-sleeve burgundy thermal shirt and a green sleeveless puffy vest over it. I wore designer jeans and my dark brown hair was up in a messy bun, showing the streaks of burgundy underneath. I wore eye-liner and mascara, with green eye shadow. I was wearing my favorite hot pink converse along with zebra-striped laces.
Over the years I had stumbled upon boredom which struck up my creative side and I had acquired a number of tattoos. There was one on the outside of my left ankle, one on my left hip, one on my right thigh, one on my abdomen below my right breast, one on each of my shoulder blades, and one right behind my left ear. I was considering getting one on the inside of my wrist lately. The one behind my ear- stars- were showing. They were black and purple.
I brought along my bag, which had all my fake transfer paperwork. It was October, so I was coming in late my 'senior year'. It was 9 on a Thursday morning. Class was in session, just not right now. I walked to the office of East Brook High School and rung the bell supplied on the desk. I looked around. It looked as if the school was deserted. I sat in the waiting area for another fifteen minutes until some lady sat down at her desk. I walked over quickly, not wanting to miss my chance.
"Hello, I'm a transfer student. I need to register for my classes." I called over the counter to her at the desk. She looked up and nodded quickly and then started typing. A few minutes later, I was handed a packet of hand-outs that I needed to fill out. And then she escorted me into the principal's office.
Mrs. Carlstrom shook my hand and seated me. Her hair was that generic blond short haircut style that older women have. She had glasses and the wrong make-up. She was also wearing a beige pantsuit that did not flatter her.
"Miss Kelly, is that correct?" She asked even though she had my file open on her desk. I nodded and she continued. "Well, your academia looks very well; an average of 4.2 GPA at the most and many extracurricular activities from your old school in Chicago." I nodded more and she smiled a thoughtful smile before asking, "Why are you here, Miss Kelly? You could have your pick of colleges. You aren't required to fulfill anymore here. You could graduate right now, and not come back. Why here?" She truly seemed baffled.
I paused for a moment to formulate an answer that wouldn't give anything away, and yet somehow sounded realistic enough to secure my spot here. Maybe next time I go to an incriminating neighborhood, I should bring less impressive paperwork. "I don't have enough money yet to go to the college I want, and I would like to receive the full experience of high school. I chose here because it’s close to Harvard, and because I had visited a number of times with my uncle and I liked it quite a bit."
She smiled, "Well, that's nice. You can start as soon as you get that paperwork filled out by your parent or guardian." She said, but I stopped her from closing my file.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Carlstrom, but if you'll look more closely at my file it says clearly there, that I'm an emancipated minor. I already have the required paperwork filled out from what I got in the mail." She looked impressed as I pulled out a manila folder and handed it to her. "What I would like to talk about, is my schedule." I folded my hands in my lap on top of my crossed legs. She raised her eyebrows. She clearly recognized that I was now in charge of the situation.
"Alright, I'll have someone show you to your counselor. That will be Miss Howell." I thanked her once before leaving her office. Someone did show up to take me to Miss Howell's office. She was very pretty and accommodating. She received my transcripts already from my 'previous' counselor and printed up the schedule I desired. I thanked her also and then made my way out of the office. I would start the next day at this doomed high school, only to try to bring it out of the pits of hell that was so commonly called 'streets'.
The bell rang and people started to pour out of the classrooms. I glanced at my schedule and the rooms I would be in. I looked around me, trying to figure out the system they had for the rooms. I deciphered that it was by floor and building. For example: S-2-8 would be the Science building, level two, room eight. This was without the largest school I had ever attended. I made my way to the parking lot and I was on my way in my little red Toyota Camry that I loved so much. It was odd to me, moving in a machine at first but after living for five hundred years, I became used to change; and the pain that comes with it.
I bought a newspaper and circled the jobs I was interested. By the time I was done, I had applied at one convenience store, three cafes, two clothing stores and one secretarial job. I then went shopping for school supplies. This year I wanted to focus on the arts instead of academics. I rotated to what I felt like. Each year was more of a mood than an actual school experience. I just wanted to go through this life with as little of interference and pain as possible. If I got close to anyone it would be like a gaping hole in my heart every time I went someplace else. That's why I made sure to stay away from school extracurricular, and away from attention. I didn't want to make friends. I didn't want a boyfriend. I've had lovers, not boyfriends, in the past and it was painful enough to leave those. What if I actually fall in love with one of them and then he eventually grows old and dies and I'm stuck this way forever? What am I supposed to do then?
I then rented a garage and stored my Camry there. I wouldn't need it since all of my school and all of the jobs I applied for are within walking range of my apartment. I chose to live there so that I would be in the place where I belong- in deep with the underworld. I'm not looking to work with them; I just want others to know that I'm not trying to be something I'm not- human, mortal.
That night was Thai food, of which I had to pick up because they wouldn't deliver to this side of town. On the way back I was walking down a wet street, from the rain earlier that day. The lights reflected smeared in the soaked road. It was dark and as soon as I passed an alley, I got pulled in. Grabbed by a hand covering my mouth and the hard thing in the middle of my back, of which I could only assume was a gun.
I backed away with my hands up, showing only the takeout food I still had in my hand and the purse that was on my other arm with them, without a struggle, knowing that they would be on the ground in a few moments. They turned me around and pushed my against the brick wall. I slowly lowered my purse and my food as a man about twice my size and physical age held the gun to my head and moved his hand to my throat.
"You can take my money, though I don't have much on me right now. Or you could take my food. I ordered Thai. Do you like their salads, because I really wasn't sure if the mugger on the way home would like it?" I asked sarcastically. He scowled and then smirked.
"Actually, I was more interested in your body. What would you like for it? Two, three grand?" He repositioned the gun and jammed it roughly into the side of my breast. "I have an idea. How about for free?" He started kissing, or rather sucking on my neck. His unshaven face scratched against my skin as I scowled in displeasure.
I put a fist into his gut, and he bent in pain, but aimed and fired his gun with pretty good accuracy. I had to remember to make it blinding pain next time. The bullet grazed my cheek. It stung, but only for a second. He stood straight and asked, "Is that enough to get you to behave?" Then he saw that the scratch was healing itself. The look of fear dawned in his eyes. "Oh, shit!" He whispered, in awe. "You're a vampire!" I crinkled my brow and he dropped to his knees. "I'm so sorry. I didn't recognize you as one of Marcus's clan. I'm sorry," he begged for forgiveness.
"There are vampires in this town?" I asked, not knowing what would come out of his mouth.
He looked up from the ground. "Yes, a whole clan, rather large. Aren't you a new one? Aren't you a new vampire recruited by Marcus?" He was quizzical now.
I shook my head and smiled. "No. I'm not a vampire. I'm a human like you; just immortal." His eyes widened in shock as he backed away, got up and pointed his gun once more at me, apparently not quite understanding the concept of immortality, seeing as the gun poses no threat and is now useless. "My Thai food's getting cold." I said and then moved in. I quickly kicked the gun out of his hand, but not before it fired into my left shoulder, I moving the gun before it got me in the heart. That has always been a mess and too much trouble. I then hit him in the gut once and head with my elbow once. I then kick him in the crotch for kissing me.
Once he's out, I move on, picking up my purse and Thai, which was still a bit warm. I go back to the apartment and clean my bloodstained clothes and take a shower. My wound had already healed at that point. I turned on Jeopardy then get my things ready for my first day at school tomorrow. I knew that something was up with the vampires gathering here, but I'd rather stay out of the underworld if I had the chance. I went to sleep, blocking out the gunshots and screams once more.
