1875

Conditions for the poor people in London had improved some with the recent improvements of sanitation systems. A young man by the name of Jason worked tirelessly to support himself; he had no living relatives. Then one moonless night while traveling home he laid eyes on a frightening scene. An entrancingly beautiful man had a dying woman in his arms, sucking the blood out of her neck. Although every bone in Jason’s body told him to run, he couldn’t.

Over the next two years him and the beautiful killer, William, became close. Upon Jason’s twentieth birthday William realized he wanted Jason to stay with him forever, he turned him into a petrifying creature of the night; a vampire.

2016

Jason and William lounged on the steps of an old downtown building of Riverside, California. Both we’re darkly dressed. In William’s hand was a dark colored glass bottle. To any passerby they looked like any ordinary no-good boys.

Jason held open a popular vampire romance book. “Wouldn’t it be cool if we sparkled?” said Jason. William toyed with the zipper of his jacket absent-mindedly. “Yes, but we live in the real world where vampires burn in the sun” replied William.

“What do you want to eat tonight?” said Jason looking up at the sky. “I don’t know man, but what I do know is if we don’t bring Anne back something warm she’ll stake us” said William. Jason laughed at the thought of pixie-sized Anne coming at them with a stake.

A young woman walked down the street, slowing slightly when she saw Jason and William. “Show time lover boy” said William, slapping him on the back.  Jason gracefully stood and leisurely made his way toward the girl.

“Hey there” she said twirling her hair around her finger. “You look lovely in the moonlight, part of me wonders what you look like in the day” Jason purred in a voice smooth as black silk. “Well give me your number and you might get to see me in the day” she said smiling. He sighed, “I can’t go out during the day”

“What? Are you a vampire or something?” she inquired jokingly. “Perhaps I am” Jason replied, smirking as he stepped closer. The girl had now idea that a third vampire was creeping out of the shadows behind her.

“Come have a little flirtation with the dark side, lovely” said Jason holding out his hand to her. She took it, sealing her fate. Jason pulled her against his body and placed a hand on her waist, smiling the way a predator did.

“Watch out!” a voice screamed. Another girl up the street had seen the third vampire. With deadly precision the last vampire slit his target’s throat. Spraying crimson blood over Jason’s front. The other girl turned and fled as quickly as her highly impractical high heels could take her.

“You weren’t supposed to kill her yet Arthur,” said Jason with a disapproving look on his face. Arthur shrugged and grinned. Jason let the dead female’s body hit the ground with an ugly thud. William sauntered over to Jason and put an arm around him.

“You sparkle when you’re covered in blood” he said and kissed Jason deeply. “I got dibs on the runner” Arthur yelled, already in pursuit of the other girl. “Dammit Arthur” the remaining two said in unison, taking off after him into the night.

The End

Note: This story will be featured at the 2016 Ghost Walk on the Things that go Bump in the Night tour – Orange.

INT. LIBRARY – NIGHT

THUNDER RUMBLES from outside. BOBBY, a young man, sits at a table typing furiously on his laptop. He takes a drink from his water bottle and sets it next to his lap top. He looks
exhausted.

He stretches, yawns, and types a little more.

BRENDA and TIFFANY, young women, enter and stop in front of
Bobby. They each carry their smart phones in their hands. .

BRENDA
You were supposed to meet me an hour ago.

Bobby motions to his lap top exasperated.

BOBBY
I need to finish this paper.

TIFFANY
You could’ve called.

She holds out her phone as if presenting evidence.

Brenda sets her smart phone on the table and rummages through her purse.

BRENDA
You wasted our time.

She looks to Tiffany.

BRENDA (CONT’D)
I left my card at Back to the Grind.

BOBBY
Please. You know I love you. I’ll be there in another hour. If not I’ll call. Promise.

BRENDA
Fine. But you’d better call.

TIFFANY
Or have a really good excuse.

BRENDA
Or you can just drop dead!

Brenda and Tiffany storm off. Brenda’s phone still on the table.

Bobby looks sad and frustrated. He yawns.

BOBBY
Maybe just a catnap.

Bobby lays his head on the table.

EVIL SPIRIT enters. A woman dressed in a white dress, white faces with slight skull shadings. She is at once playful and menacing.

She puts her finger to her lips and shushes the audience, with a mischievous grin.

She waves her hand and THUNDER RUMBLES. She knocks over the water bottle and it spills on the lap top. It SIZZLES.

Bobby jerks and spasms from electrocution and then slumps in his chair.

The Evil Spirit LAUGHS.

Brenda’s phone on the table RINGS.

Tiffany walks in, looking at her phone.

The Evil Spirit moves around her.

TIFFANY
Here it is, Brenda.

Brenda comes back, picks up her phone, and regards Bobby.

The Evil Spirit stands by Bobby and motions towards him like a game show hostess presenting a new car.

BRENDA
(exasperated)
Look at him. Asleep.

TIFFANY
So rude.

Tiffany sniffs the air.

TIFFANY (CONT’D)
Smells a little like burnt chicken.

The Evil Spirit rolls her eyes.

Brenda shrugs.

TIFFANY (CONT’D)
Let’s go.

Brenda takes a step, but hesitates.

BRENDA
Why should I let him sleep?

She reaches out to shake his shoulder.

The Evil Spirit dances about, encouraging her.

TIFFANY
No wait. He’s been working so hard.

Brenda pauses. The Evil Spirit shakes her fist at Tiffany.

BRENDA
Excuse me?

TIFFANY
He just wants to get good grades to get into med school.

BRENDA
I’m his girlfriend.

The Evil Spirit continues to pantomime.

TIFFANY
He wants to make a great future with and help people.

BRENDA
How do you know this?

TIFFANY
He says it all the time. You just don’t notice it.

Brenda softens. Pulls her hand back to her side, looking at Bobby lovingly.

BRENDA
Oh. I guess I can be self-involved.

The Evil Spirit LAUGHS, but Brenda and Tiffany don’t notice.

They move to the side and whisper to each other as TWO YOUNG MEN, MIKE and FRANK, enter and pause in front of Bobby.

MIKE
Smells like my mom burned dinner again.

The Evil Spirit regards the two young men.

EVIL SPIRIT
(to audience)

Ah. Boys. The pliant tools of mischief.

FRANK
Bobby’s hard out.

The Evil Spirit beckons them toward Bobby.

Mike grins mischievously at Frank who grins back.

The Evil Spirit motions for them to shake Bobby.

Mike takes out a Sharpie and uncaps it.

The Evil Spirit gives them a what the heck look and a look of disbelief to the audience.

MIKE
Mustache time!

EVIL SPIRIT
(to audience)

The imperfect tools of mischief.

Mike and Frank move toward Bobby.

BRENDA
What do you think you are doing?

Mike pauses.

BRENDA (CONT’D)
He is dead tired from studying.

She points to Bobby and in the same instant the Evil Spirit waves her hand and THUNDER RUMBLES.

Bobby falls from his chair to the floor. They all SCREAM in horror. The Evil Spirit looks satisfied with herself as she dances around.

Tiffany rushes to Bobby, checks his pulse…

TIFFANY
Call 9-1-1.

Mike takes out his cellphone as Tiffany starts CPR. Frank jumps to help her. Brenda stares in shock.

Bob gets off the floor and walks to the Evil Spirit. Tiffany and Frank keep doing CPR where Bobby had been on the floor.

The Evil Spirit hands Bobby a cellphone. Bobby nods and dials.

Brenda’s phone RINGS. She looks at it in horror and to where the CPR is being performed. She answers it.

BOBBY
Hi, Brenda. I’m not going to make it for coffee.