Where I Belong - An Extract From The Lighter Side Of Darkness

• Samantha Smith, Grade 12
• Short Story
• 2011

I lay silently amongst the soothing green grass of the clearing and listened to the gentle whisper of the wind whistling through the leaves on the trees bordering me. Being a vampire had hindered my ability to soak in the tranquility that surrounded me at this moment, for we were always moving; paranoid of what could be lurking in the trees. At this moment, however, I didn’t care.

I stared up at the dense blanket of miserable grey clouds that threatened to drench the earth and I suddenly grew infuriated with myself: I’m sick of darkness! Unexpectedly, the clouds broke into a stream of unfathomable blue sky and I closed my eyes as sunlight poured over me. I didn’t recoil; I ignored the insufferable pain as the rays singed my undead corpse into flakes of ash that detached from my body and whirled away with the wind. Instead, I enjoyed the warmth of sunshine that I had been missing, this simple pleasure returning my sense of normality and purity; I was one of his children again. As my body continued to blaze and deteriorate into mere cinders I felt as though I were beginning to float toward the light; fading away into perpetual happiness.

Suddenly, a great power began constricting my chest, tightening as it forced me downward rapidly. Now I was descending into eternal darkness, the flames of evil licking my body and dragging me down, down, down. I panicked. Eyes still closed, I thrashed my arms and legs desperately as I screamed a terrified cry for help; I pleaded to him. However, it was agonizingly clear that he didn’t want monsters in his sanctuary of souls; he didn’t want me. Nevertheless someone hurled their deathly cold body over mine, shielding me from the smoldering sunlight. I opened my eyes, and although they were blurred with tears I could see his eerily perfect body protectively draped over mine. He - my dark angel - delicately edged the both of us to the shaded safety beneath a tremendous oak, despite his obvious pain from the rays and despite his skin shedding into dust.

In the safety of the shadows he pulled me firmly into him, stroking my hair and tenderly running his fingers over my charred skin as it gradually began to regenerate. I couldn’t find the words to thank him, for all I could do was weep; I had never felt more worthless in my life.
“He didn’t want me,” I whimpered and broke into an unstoppable tremor from the realization.
“He may not want you, but I do,” he hummed lovingly into my ear.
With that, my tears ceased and I pulled myself away from his strong embrace. I held his perfect face in my hands as I gazed deep into his brilliant silver eyes and, finally, pressed my lips onto his with such passion and longing that the world seemed to fade away; every sound, every smell, every thought. All there was - all I wanted - was him.