Chapter 6 ~Casper~

As I lay on the floor, it suddenly dawned on me: all those years of being starved of a proper blood diet were finally catching up to me. My body screamed for sustenance, like a neglected houseplant begging for water.

Desperation washed over me as I realized I needed blood, and fast. Without it, my body would continue to wither away, turning me into a dried-out, lifeless husk. But, wouldn't you know it, the sun shone like a big, round middle finger, taunting me from the sky.

Time ticked by at a snail's pace as I lay there on the ground, feeling my strength ebb away. The sun seemed to taunt me as it took its sweet time crossing the sky, each passing minute stretching out like an eternity.

With nothing else to do, my mind started playing tricks on me. What if I didn't make it until nightfall? Would I end up as a dried-up, shrivelled shell, a fraction of the being I used to be? The thought sent shivers down my spine, but all I could do was wait and hope that I'd survive long enough to see the moon rise, to venture out and find the nourishment my body so desperately needed.

I shut my eyes tight, figuring I'd better save up whatever energy I had left. The hunger chewed away at me, but I knew I had to hang in there until nightfall. I kept telling myself, “Just hold on a little longer. Don't let yourself turn into a raisin.”

When darkness finally wrapped itself around the world, I knew it was now or never. I mustered up every last bit of strength I had and started crawling, dragging myself across the floor like a soldier on a battlefield. My elbows hurt, and every crack and pop from my bone-dry body echoed through the room. It took everything I had to open that front door and haul myself outside into the cool night air, but I knew I had to keep going.

Out in the open, I tried to stand, but my legs were shakier than a newborn deer's. I let out a growl of frustration, my voice catching in my throat as my injuries refused to heal. Man, it was like the city was alive, cars zooming by on the street, their headlights cutting through the darkness like some kind of cosmic jury, judging my every move.

There I was, my body begging for the one thing I couldn't get, the hunger eating away at me. But I wasn't ready to give up just yet. I wasn't going to let this city beat me down. No way.

So, I summoned whatever was left of my strength and staggered into the street, not really sure where I was headed. All I knew was that I needed to keep moving. But then, BAM! Out of nowhere, headlights blindsided me, and a car horn blared in my ears. My body froze up like a deer in headlights as it hit me – this was not good.

The lights bore down on me, and before I could even process what was happening, WHACK! The car smashed into me, sending my dried-up body flying through the air like a rag doll. I hit the pavement with a gut-wrenching crunch, my bones shattering on impact.

I was sprawled out on the cold, unforgiving ground, broken and helpless, as the car squealed to a stop. It was like time had slowed down, and I could sense the darkness creeping in around the edges of my vision. This might be it for me.

The driver stumbled out of the car, his voice trembling with panic as he hurried over to me. I could hear the fear in his words, and I knew he'd probably never seen anything like this before. But honestly, all I could think about was how much I needed to feed. How much I needed to survive. Even as I lay there, battered and broken, the hunger burned within me like a flame.

So, this guy's kneeling next to me, panic in his voice as he says, “Hey, buddy, are you alright? Can you hear me?” His hands are shaking as he feels for a pulse, and his breath comes out in these quick, ragged bursts.

The dude's freaking out, desperate to help, and in his haste, he makes a huge mistake. He leans in real close, putting his ear right up against my chest to listen for a heartbeat. And man, I know this might be my last chance, so I muster up every last drop of strength I've got and make my move.

“What are you-” he starts to say, but I'm already on it. My fangs – stiff and stubborn as they are – pop out, and I lunge forward like a rattlesnake, sinking 'em deep into the soft flesh of his neck.

The guy lets out a howl of pain and shock, thrashing around as he realizes what's going down. “Let me go!” he begs, but I'm holding on tight. We both know that if he struggles too much, his carotid artery could be toast. So, there we are, locked in this twisted embrace, the taste of his blood filling my mouth.

So, I'm feeding, right? And man, it's like this rush of energy flooding through me. The pain from the crash just melts away, replaced by this feeling of pure rejuvenation. His blood tastes like the nectar of the gods, and I can feel my body knitting itself back together, the desiccation reversing with every gulp.

But even in the middle of this blood-fuelled frenzy, there's this voice in the back of my head reminding me that this poor schmuck didn't ask for any of this. He's just some guy who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, caught up in my messed-up world.

So, I let him go, pushing him away as I rise to my feet, feeling like a million bucks. I look at the dude, and his eyes are all glazed over, life slipping away from him like sand through an hourglass. Cars keep whizzing by, their drivers completely oblivious to the crazy scene playing out right in front of them. And I'm just like, “Alright, I gotta do something, and I gotta do it fast.”

I scoop the guy up in my arms, his body all lifeless and limp, and carry him over to the side of the road. I know I have to do something to make this right, so I raise my wrist to my mouth and chomp down on it, ripping open my radial artery. Blood starts gushing out, and I pry the dude's mouth open, letting my vampiric essence drip right in.

Almost instantly, the wounds on his neck begin to close up, like some kind of crazy supernatural healing magic. My blood is bringing him back from the brink, and I can see the life returning to his eyes.

As he starts to focus again, I look deep into those peepers and tap into my mind control mojo, erasing the whole night from his memory banks. “Listen up, pal,” I whisper, my voice all smooth and hypnotic. “You're gonna forget any of this ever happened, got it? You'll head straight home, take a nice hot bath, and hit the hay. When you wake up, this'll all be a blank.”

He just nods, his eyes all glassy and distant as my words take hold. I help him into his car and watch as he drives off, disappearing into the darkness. I know he'll be alright – at least, as alright as someone can be after a run-in with a bloodsucking creature of the night.

So, I'm strolling along, mulling over everything that just went down when suddenly my super senses start tingling. I have that feeling, you know? Like someone's watching me. So, I trust my gut and start scanning the shadows for any signs of movement.

And bingo—there it is. This figure lurking in the dark, their eyes flashing red for just a split second. My vampire peepers kick into overdrive, trying to get a better look at this creeper.

From what I can tell, they're on the small side, maybe a kid or a teenager. But just as I'm squinting to make out their face, they notice me staring and bolt, vanishing into the night like a ghost.

Now, I'm standing there, scratching my head, trying to figure out what the heck just happened. Was that another vampire? Or maybe some other kind of supernatural being? The thought gives me the shivers, reminding me that there's a whole lot of weird stuff out there that I don't know jack about.

But while I'm trying to wrap my head around all this weirdness, I start feeling kinda uneasy. See, I've just put my vampiric abilities on full display, and that could have some pretty serious consequences. I know I have to be way more careful from now on, keeping my secrets close to the vest if I want to survive in this crazy world of bloodsuckers.

So, I make my way back to the old mansion—the place that kept me locked up for centuries. But even the outside of the house looks different, all modern and fancy like the rest of this new world. It's like walking into a stranger's home, and I can't help but feel a mix of curiosity and nerves as I grab the doorknob and step inside.

The place is pitch black, except for this freaky glow coming from some flat box on the wall. It's showing moving pictures, and the laughter from the people on the screen just feels weird and out of place. I have no clue how to turn on the lights, so I just stand there, squinting in the dark, trying to spot anything that could help me shed some light on the situation—literally.

So, after standing there in the dark for what feels like forever, I give up and lean against the wall, totally defeated. But the second my back touches the wall, I hear this soft little click, and bam! The room lights up like a Christmas tree. I whip around, my eyes bugging out of my head, and spot this tiny switch. “Ahh, so that's how it works,” I mumble to myself, nodding like I've just cracked some secret code.

But just as I'm feeling all proud of myself, I turn back around and BAM! There's this dude, just chillin' in one of my chairs like he owns the place. His eyes are locked on mine, and he has this crazy smile that just makes my blood freeze. I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck standing at attention, and a shiver runs down my spine like an icy finger. Who the heck is this guy, and what does he want with me?

My eyes widen as I recognize him—it's the same creepy little dude who was spying on me earlier! “You?” I croak, my voice barely a whisper.

He just nods, his innocent-looking face breaking into this wicked half-smile. “Yep, it's me,” he says, his eyes all sparkly with mischief.