Chapter 8
1886 Words
It was almost half past two in the morning when she managed to push the last drunk stunner out the door. Turning the key in the lock of a small smoky pub she felt unspeakable relief. She quickly cleaned the tables, put chairs on them and wiped the bar. While Joe was washing the floor, she was putting dirty mugs and glasses into dishwasher. It was very long and hard day. But despite her terrible exhaustion, she felt satisfaction. She collected quite a lot of tips today. And she was slapped on the butt only twice.
- What’s your plan for the weekend? – Joe asked cheerfully.
- Complete laziness! – She answered without thinking. – I’ll lock myself in my small flat, I’ll sleep until noon, and then I’ll eat ice cream and other caloric food. Of course without leaving the bed! – She marked solemnly.
- Sounds good! – He stated with a smile. – But maybe you’d like to go out somewhere? – He asked uncertainly. – Maybe to the cinema? Or to the club? We could go out together if you want. – He offered.
Every few weeks Joe tired to invite her on a date. Though he was not her type, Sue did not dare to tell him that. She liked him too much. She quietly hoped that one day the boy would finally give up. He was a good friend. She treated him like a brother.
- Thanks, but I have to rest. I haven’t had a whole week off for a few weeks.
- But you have a day off every week. – He noticed with hope.
- You perfectly know that a day off in the middle of the week results in settling all arrears – laundry, shopping, offices. It’s not how relax should look like. – She said.
- I understand. – He said, clearly disappointed.
They finished cleaning in silence, closed the windows, turned off the lights and locked the bar. Having lighted their last cigarettes, they walked slowly toward the metro station. They had plenty of time. They talked about trivialities, daily affairs, work, and customers. Finally Joe’s train arrived.
- If you change your mind about Saturday night let me know. – He said on leaving.
- Sure! – She had to appreciate his persistence. – See you on Monday! – She waved him goodbye.
She crossed the street to get on her train and go in the opposite direction. She sat back comfortably, put on headphones and turned on her favorite music. She became completely anonymous. Invisible. That was what she loved in this city – out of millions of people, only a handful knew her. Thanks to this, she could do anything she wanted, without the risk of the society being outraged by her behavior. Unlike in the small town in Ohio where she was born and spent most of her life. There everyone knew each other by name, or at least by sight, so it was difficult to keep anything in secret.
Rumors and gossips were bread and butter of the vast majority of residents. People talked about everything and everyone. You could not meet anyone, lest half of the town would not be speculating about it the next morning. You have been judged and criticized at every turn. She was sick and tired of it. She had to get out of there. Run away. Break free.
She came to New York two years ago. Full of optimism and energy, focused on success and making her dreams come true. She wanted to dance and deeply believed that here everything is possible, and an elite dance school is within reach. She had high hopes and even greater ambitions. Unfortunately, it soon turned out that not only she had the aspiration to train under the watchful eye of the best. At the audition she only missed a few points to get the scholarship. She was in a fix. She did not know what to do next, where to go, who to turn to.
She could, of course, come back to her hometown, but she was too proud and stubborn to admit defeat. Wanting to save her face, she had to gather herself up and stop to self-pitying and pondering failure. The first thing she had to think about was job. And apartment. She could not stay on the street, and she could not afford a hotel. She accepted the job of a waitress in a small, rather shabby bar in Brooklyn and somehow survived a few nights in a cheap motel off the beaten track. It was important that she could keep up somehow, preserve until the next audience. Because she was not going to give up, she wanted to follow her dream.
It was supposed to be only a temporary job until she found something else. She rented a flat, a small attic in an old tenement house actually. Thanks to self-determination and endurance, she managed to make ends meet. She worked at night, practiced during the day. She squeezed sweat to make herself even better. She strived for perfection. She focused o dancing so much that better work came to the background. The most important thing was that she had time for her passion, money did not count so much. The fact that she had cash for the rent and she was not starving was enough. And she also got along with Joey and the rest of the bar staff.
She was a slim blonde, of medium height, with long, shapely legs and cat moves. Her big smoky gold eyes made people think she was naive. However, appearances can be deceptive. Susanne Jamison had her feet firmly on the ground and was able to stubbornly pursue her goal, and after two years spent in the Big Apple, nothing could surprise or shock her anymore. She got into this city and felt very good about it.
She got off two stations earlier. She wanted to take a walk. She needed some fresh air. And though she was tired, her legs ached so much that she felt like chopping them off, and she had cherry-sized blisters on her feet, she really needed that walk. The area was a bit shady, but everyone knew her here. Besides, it was almost four in the morning and the streets were empty. Social life concentrated in the centre, not in the suburbs. The dog was barking somewhere and she could hear fighting cats, but apart this there was complete silence. The moon shone brightly lightning up the darker alleys and only for moments hid behind the veil of clouds moving slowly in the sapphire sky. She missed the sight of stars she could not see now.
The August night was hot and steamy, without the slightest gust of wind. An unpleasant smell of old trash and sewage floated in the narrow streets. Sue turned into a dark side alley to shorten her way home. In a few days she had an audition, which meant only one thing – her plans to laze around during the long-awaited free weekend will fail. She will replace eating ice cream with hard trainings. As always.
She turned abruptly when she heard a rustle behind her back. The street was empty. The glow of the distant lantern did not light up the darkness too much and the moon was just covered by a dark cloud, but she had only a few dozen steps to go. She started walking again. Suddenly she felt a gentle breeze on her neck, as if someone or something ran right behind her. She quickened her pace, glancing over her shoulder every now and then. ‘It’s probably a bat.’ She tried to convince herself. When she turned again, she cried out in terror.
The man, who stood just behind her, was tall. His face hidden in the dim light was extremely beautiful. But when it was lighten up by the moonlight Sue shuddered. He looked at her with cold eyes, and is gaze was unpleasant and repulsive. She controlled herself, however. She put her hand over galloping heart and forced herself to smile.
- You scared me, sir! – She said in a shaky voice, but smiled at the man.
- I’m very sorry. – His voice was quiet and calm. But still she felt chills running down her spine. – I really didn’t mean that!
- That’s okay! – She assured him. – It was so quiet here, and the street was empty. I didn’t expect to meet a living soul. I was just surprised. – She explained.
- After all, please forgive me! – The man said charmingly, but Sue still could hear something strange in his voice.
- I have to go. – She stammered and took a step back.
- Why? – He grabbed her arm. – The night is so beautiful. Soon the sun will rise. Maybe we will watch it together? – He tempted, hypnotized her with his voice.
- That’s very tempting offer, but I’m really tired and a bit late already. – She tried to free her hand.
- I insist. – He growled in a whisper.
She looked into his eyes. They were ice-cold and Sue could notice dangerous flashes there. There was craving in them. Lust for murder. She wanted to run away, but her body refused her obedience. She tried to scream, call for help, but out of her throat came none, even the lightest sound. She realized with horror that the stranger had complete control over her. And when he bared incredibly sharp fangs, her fear crossed all boundaries and flooded her with a powerful wave.
Her thoughts became chaotic. Images began to move before her eyes. They swirled like a speeding carousel. All her memories blended together to create unforgettable collage. Every joyful moment. Her seventh birthday party when she got her dream doll. The final of the dance competition when she was in the fifth grade. Her first kiss with Sammy Tullon. Graduation day. The arrival to New York.
But there were also moments she wanted to forger. Kids in the kindergarten laughing at her because she had problems with writing. Bobby Miles asking her best friend for a date, while she was dying of love for him. The hard slap across the cheek as she told her father she was leaving that sunken hole. All the dreams she lost.
She felt an overwhelming fear. The moment the man sank his fangs in her throat she knew she would never be able to make them come true. She was not afraid of the death itself. What scared her the most was the irreversible loss of the chance to achieve her goals. And that she would never see those she loved again.
That she would never look up at the starry sky in her home town.
She became numb. The pain eased a bit. Her thoughts grew dim and her memories distant. She saw a scene. Flooded with the glare of the headlights. Strewn with flowers. The audience. Standing ovation. And she was standing there. In the middle. In the blaze of fame.
Then everything was swallowed up by darkness.
- Writer
