Sophie Morgan (Book 1): Relative Strangers (A Modern Vampire Story) (19 page)

The horrors of the last few months notwithstanding, life seemed almost normal. I was taking control of my future, I was moving home where I belonged and I was down to checking for emails from Mickey once or twice a day. I couldn’t shake the feeling that perhaps everything was going to get back to normal once I moved back home.

After an hour of wrapping and packing, I changed into my pyjamas and curled up with Charlie on the sofa to watch a film. After a good ten minutes of sifting through my DVD collection, I’d finally decided on The Way We Were with Barbara Streisand. Cuddled up with my furry friend and a mug of tea, I saw Richard from my lounge window. It was dark outside, but I could just about make him out through the large French doors. He was running down the road with two other people. It was difficult to make out the specifics- they were all dressed in black.

I arose early the next morning, determined to make the most out of what would be one of my few remaining weekends in the area. After an hour of vacuuming, dusting and polishing, I threw a load of washing into the machine and hopped into the shower. Once my ablutions were completed, I headed up the road to get breakfast at one of the local bars. After polishing off a leisurely breakfast, I walked briskly into the city centre and bought some chicken, fresh bread, olives and feta cheese from the market. I intended on picking up a bag of salad leaves and a few other staples from the metro supermarket on the way home.

Carrying my few bits of shopping with me, I spent the rest of the morning browsing the shops in town, looking for inspiration for Christmas presents. I settled on a pair of earrings for my Mum, who was really the only person I
had
to buy for and a box of bath bombs as a farewell present for Tracy.

Without realising, Tracy had been a rock to me over the previous few months and it only felt right to give her a little something to say thank you. She had picked me up and out of the dumps when I was a total mess over Jason, and had put up with all my distances and weirdness since we came back from Antwerp. I would have liked to have bought a Christmas present for Mickey too, but I didn’t know where to send it.

By lunchtime, I was hungry again and sated my appetite with a pot of tea and a slice of carrot cake in the Transport Museum cafe. It would be just enough to tide me over till dinner. After finishing the last crumb of cake, I was energised enough for the walk back home and headed back through the city centre, picking up some milk, lettuce and tomatoes from the supermarket on the way.

I wasn't far from my apartment, when my mobile phone rang in my jeans pocket. Dropping my shopping, onto the ground, I squeezed the phone out of my jeans and answered. It was Tracy, calling to ask if I fancied heading into town for a few drinks that evening. A few months ago, before Antwerp, before vampires, I’d have said yes, but I was loathe to go out at night anymore. All I could think about was keeping life as normal and excitement free as possible until I finally made my escape to Wales. Outside the comfort of my own home, just about anything could happen, particularly given the possibility that a vampire was loose in the area. But I hadn’t seen much of Tracy socially over the last few weeks and I felt guilty at the thought of rejecting her offer.

I can’t accurately recall what feeble excuse I made, but it would have been a lie. I didn’t have anything else planned. I proposed that we meet for a drink in the pub around the corner from my flat instead. It was a large chain which had a relaxed atmosphere. It served cheap food and good beer, and refused to play music. It would be perfect for a quick catch up. I'd have just enough time to drop my shopping back at my place before Tracy got there. An hour soaking up the gossip with the closest thing I had to a friend didn't seem that threatening.

Tracy was as excited as a kid in a sweet shop when I handed her a small basket of handmade soap and bath products. It was a little thing, but it looked pretty all wrapped with a yellow ribbon. I’d picked the gift set with care so that it would match her lemon bathroom- a touch I knew she’d appreciate. Us girls like things like that sort of thing apparently.

"I didn’t get you anything," she said, pulling a sad face." What's this for? It’s not even Christmas. Oh, thank you Babs, I love it."

"I don’t expect anything. It’s just a little thank you from me for being such a good friend over the past few months. You really helped me get over the Jason situation, plus everything in Antwerp with the whole mugging thing and everything."

"Oh yeah, do you know what, I’d almost forgotten about that." I hadn’t. "That was wild, wasn't it? Do you think we should have gone to the police? Still, if you didn't see who it was then I doubt they'd have been able to do anything. I reckon it was probably one of those guys who nicked my bag you know. I still can't believe you did that, you know! I don't know if I've ever really thanked you for that... although don't
ever
pull a stunt like that again young lady."

I raised my hand to my brow like a salute and nodded, suitably reproached.

"Hey, have you heard anything from Mickey since?" Tracy asked. "He seemed to go cold on you a bit sudden didn't he?"

"No," I mumbled. "He probably just got bored of keeping in touch. I hear he’s gone back to Ireland, so I imagine he’s catching up with friends, family - the usual stuff. I’ll send him an e-card at Christmas, you know, to be nice."

"Mmm," she looked thoughtful. "I guess these holiday romances have a habit of not working out".

I moved the subject quickly on to her telling me about her plans for the weekend, which seemed to primarily consist of going out for drinks with some old work colleagues. She described each one in detail and I feigned interest. Tracy looked happy, which was good as she’d had a hard couple of weeks at work. A few of the placements which she’d made with employers had dropped out before the start date, which would mean that her commission was going to take a battering. I was glad to be getting out of recruitment, it could be so stressful in that respect and I had enough to worry about.

We spent nearly an hour catching up over drinks or one drink in my case, before going our separate ways. Work had been so busy we'd had little time to chit chat over the past week, and as I was avoiding going out in the evenings, I'd missed out on quality gossip time. Tracy had her car with her and offered me a lift back to my place, but as it was still daylight and I only lived a few minutes away, I politely declined.

As I strolled back to mine, past the handful of shops and restaurants, I noticed a couple of "Missing Cat" posters pinned to fences and telegraph poles. I hadn’t seen them before, they must have been new. They looked so cute and I hoped the owners found them. I shuddered at the thought of what I’d do if Charlie went missing. Although we lived on the first floor, he’d sometimes make a successful dash through my front door, timing it so that he’d make it through the external door when someone came in. I’d have to keep an eye on him, I told myself.

I was spending the evening alone as usual, but I took the time to prepare myself a lovely dinner of chicken stuffed with feta and a Greek salad all the same. Charlie was very disappointed that I didn’t leave anything on the plate for him to finish off; his little face looked so forlorn, that I was compelled to open a tin of tuna for him.

I considered giving Richard a knock, to see if he fancied coming out for a run with me, but he had made me feel foolish enough the last time I asked him. I wondered if he had called around while I was out to invite me to accompany him. I hoped that I hadn’t missed my opportunity.

As I watched the sun set through the French doors on my balcony, I was disappointed to see him pounding the pavement hard as he ran down the street. It looked like he was with his running chums again.
Wow, am I that unpopular? I’m kind of cool, I’ll have you know! I’ve killed a vampire and everything, well, sort of, I was there when it happened.
I decided to console myself with the large box of chocolates, which I’d intended to take into work as a farewell gift for the team.

A dozen chocolate truffles and a hazelnut whirl later, I was feeling decidedly queasy. Several mugs of tea helped wash the confectionery down, but I really had been excessive. I’d have to go for that run tomorrow, even if it meant running (badly) on my own. Perhaps if I got up early enough nobody would see me and cars wouldn’t honk at me. I knew I could run fast when I needed, too, but I was sure that my technique left a lot to be desired. I felt like I probably resembled a limping camel from any significant distance.

The odour from my kitchen bin wasn’t helping my nausea and I realised that I hadn't emptied it all week. It was full of half-eaten pizza, vegetable peelings and what was left of a chicken carcass. The smell was worse when I removed the plastic lid. I tied the tabs of the bin liner together, while attempting to cover my nose with my sleeve. It wasn't easy, but I managed it.

Thankfully, I had my slippers on, so I made a mad dash out of the flat, down the stairs and through the main door into the courtyard outside. The large communal waste bins that residents shared were kept in a corner of the car park, neatly partitioned off by dark wooden fencing. The space resembled a large garden shed, roof and everything. It housed a couple of large containers for household waste, smaller ones for glass, cans and plastic and another for paper and cardboard. The one thing it lacked, which it could really do with, was light.

The lamps outside each apartment block’s door flicked on as I dashed past them. I ran so fast that the soles of my feet barely made contact with the ground. The foul smelling juice dripping from the black bin bag was an added incentive. It dripped everywhere.
Eeeuuwww.

Although it was still quite early in the evening, around eight o'clock, it was pitch black outside. For some reason, in my urge to de-smell my flat, I had completely forgotten about that fact, until I made it into what I affectionately referred to as the "bin hut". Feeling suddenly very vulnerable, I threw the bag into the first of the two large metal containers, slammed the lid shut and turned back to the gated entrance.

It took a few moments for my eyes to focus properly on the dark shape that blocked my exit. Vulnerability blossomed into increasing panic. My heart pounded hard in my chest, beads of cold sweat formed on my forehead, vomit began to bubble from my stomach.
Who the fuck is that? Shit. Shittity, shit, shit
.

Why had I been so careless? I’d made a point of driving everywhere and avoided going out in the dark to avoid danger, to prevent an attack, but what had I done? Only walked straight into one on my own doorstep, the place where someone had been murdered less than a week ago. What was I thinking
? Damn me for trying to get along with my life
.

I’d done such a good job combining an appearance of normality with my growing sense of paranoia that I’d slipped back into a regular household task without even considering the consequences.

Why couldn’t I have just left the stinky old bin full until the morning? That wouldn’t have killed me. Perhaps if I charge at him with enough force I could knock him off his feet.
He doesn't look very big, no, wait, it's a woman
. I
think it's a woman? Damn lack of light, damn shadows
.
Perhaps if I screamed someone would hear me - surely someone would turn up in a car or something soon.
Great, well-done Sophie - avoid the great outdoors for weeks and now go and get yourself killed on your doorstep.

I tried to expel a scream, but nothing happened. My throat had seized up. I felt more terrified that I had in Antwerp. Perhaps it was because, in my home, I was meant to be safe, even if a dead body had turned up there weeks before. Or maybe it was because I didn’t know any better back in Antwerp, but now I did. I knew that vampires existed and what they were capable of. Plus, I was on my own to deal with it - that was a first.

There was no other option, I’d have to make a run for it. As I took what I hoped looked like a confident and imposing step towards the gate, I got a better view of the devil in front of me. At first, it was just a more defined outline of their frame, their face still lurking in the darkness of the doorway. But as I got closer the light of a nearby street lamp, peeking through the wooden slats of the walls, illuminated her a little more.

She was a tiny thing, not much bigger than me.
Perhaps I really would be able to push her to one side and make a run for it?
I took another step forward, larger and more confident this time, and made out the outline of a ponytail, a zip up jacket and slim legs wrapped in leggings.
What the hell?
This wasn’t a big scary vampire; this was just some woman out for a run.

"Bloody hell", I sighed, relieved. "You really scared me."

She didn’t move.

"Excuse me", I said, trying to shuffle passed her. But she didn’t move an inch. She stood completely still, her face locked on the floor.

"I said excuse me", and took a further step forward, making it clear that I wanted to get passed.

But she didn't budge. She stood there, frozen like a zombie. Just when I was about to get really frustrated, standing no more than a couple of inches away from her and ready to barge past, she looked up.

I noticed the blood staining her shoulder, her chin and neck before anything else. Her zip up top gaped at one arm, partially torn.
Oh crap, she’s injured. We’ve got to get out of here. If she’s been attacked by a vampire, then they could come back. No, it doesn’t have to be a vampire, not everything is about vampires Soph. Maybe she just needs a hospital, hit her head, whatever. Pull yourself together.

"Are you alright?" I asked, concerned, "Have you injured yourself? Do you need a doctor?"

She remained silent. Her eyes were closed and she began to shift her weight between feet, rocking from side to side, like a boxer keeping their muscles warm before the bell rings to announce the start of a fight. I wondered if she was perhaps in shock. Naively, I reached my hand out and gently placed it on her shoulder. As I bent my knees slightly to look into her face, I couldn’t have been more surprised to have seen two wild eyes flash back at me.