A Day And A Night

• Stephanie Sinclair, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2013

I heard a rustle in the leaves behind me and I turned, “Wh-who’s there?” I stammered. No reply. It was either: run, get caught, or stand there looking like I was just inviting people to come to get me. So I ran. I stopped, attempting to regain my breath and turned around, expecting there to be a knight in shining armour coming to my rescue. I read too much. No one is going to come help me. I was just about to start running again, when I heard it. It was like a thump. Oh...my...gosh! “Show yourself!” I ordered.
I kept turning around; trying to see what was there. I couldn’t.
“Some don’t see what they don’t want to, my sweet Emma.” I looked around; the trees, the flowers...nothing. I looked around and I saw it. Really pale skin, like there was no blood circulation. Creepy. “My girl, accompany me to the Hotel Hugon, and I will see to let you live.” He mumbled something else, but I didn’t catch it.

I followed him, though not willingly.
“Who are you?” I said with more bravado than I felt.
“I am François.” François looked at me, and simply made a hand gesture that said ‘come along now’. I think I made a whimpering noise as I followed.
Once François and I had reached our destination, he held the door open and gestured for me to follow. Gentleman, I thought. I walked in and saw maybe three or four dozen pale-people staring at me. I don’t know why, but at that very moment, I shuddered. “Why am I here? What do you want from me?” I asked urgently.
“You are here because you are an orphan and are alone.” The one who spoke was the tallest of them and slightly reassuring-looking. “We can give you a family. We can make you live forever.” This guy screamed NUTJOB. Before I had the chance to say so, someone else spoke
“Emma, do you know what we are?”
“Kidnappers?”
“No. Not kidnappers. We are vampires.” Vampires?
“You must be joking. I read, but I don’t believe what I read.”
“You may not believe, but it is true.” Ah, naturally. A ‘vampire’ walked towards be, grabbed my neck and bit it. I didn’t know what to do. Kick? Scream? But before I knew it, everything went black.

I woke up that night in a dark room. There were no windows and no way of escape. The door to the room swung open, and in stepped the man who bit me.
“Do you believe now that we are vampires?” That would be a yes!
“What, in the world, is going on!”
“You are here because you are alone, and we wanted a new recruit.”
“Wait –” It was that moment I realised what he meant. He smiled.
“Welcome, Emma. Be ready to begin your lessons soon.” I was living a perfectly normal life. Now...I am dead. Or un-dead. And it was only a day and a night.