Midnight Show

VI 🌠 Menthol

My eyes slowly open, however, I cannot see anything. It’s pure dark. I sensed a cloth in my eyes, and I didn’t know where I was. I thought about what my body was feeling. My arms were up in the back, my feet were tied and I was wearing tape in my mouth.

I rolled my body back to observe and find out where I was. When I rolled myself, face facing the floor, I felt the cold temperature of the floor.

“What if you rolled and fell off the cliff?” my body jolted from the masculine voice.

W-who the hell??

“Ah, I forgot…” I heard footsteps, getting closer to me. “You can’t speak with that thing,”

He tears the tape off swiftly. I clench my teeth at the pain.

“It left a red mark…” he softly said. “I like how quiet you are,”

I was confused, I didn’t know what was happening, I didn’t know what he was talking about and I didn’t know how I ended up like that. And a red mark? It's probably around my mouth because of the tape. I kept myself quiet. I’ll speak when he asks me questions.

He frustratingly exhales. “Maybe I like you being quiet, but not this quiet. Are you deaf? Or mute?”

“N-no,” I stuttered. I felt half feared of him. I must focus on the situation and know it before escaping.

“Mhm yeah…do you know why you’re here then?” he asks.

“No,” I replied. “I passed out. That’s all I can remember.”

“That’s not all,” he rolled my body. I was surprised but I tried not to make an obvious reaction. “I’ll tell you from the very start.”

He pulled the blindfold upwards. It was Varden standing. I can recognize him but I forgot what happened between us. The first thing that came to my mind was to ask him why he kidnapped me.

“Why did you kidnap me?” I asked.

“What?” he said in a strong tone. “You seriously don’t remember?” I stared at him confused.

“It’s the venom isn’t it?” he sighs as he softly palms his face to his hair. “I’m too lazy to explain, I’ll just tell some of it. Then you’ll remember the rest.”

He squatted beside me. He took out a cigarette and lit it up.

“I caught you stealing from my friend and you kissed me and we almost f*cked but you passed out,” the smoke then blew right on my face. I shut my eyes tightly from the smoke. He snickers at my reaction. “Don’t you remember anything else?”

“I don’t,” I said. I really don’t remember anything.

“I’ll help you.”He opened his mouth and he showed his sharp fangs. I was frozen from the fear, unable to react. He got closer to my neck but as he approached my neck, I screamed.

He pulled his body away.” Damn, I should've recorded that,” he muttered while I looked at his eyes wide, truly terrified.

After my scream, I instantly remembered what happened last night. However, I’m not sure about my speculations about him.

“Is that a toy in your teeth?” I asked, calming myself down.

“If it’s a toy you’ll have an infection in your bites,” he opened his mouth and licked his fangs at the same time as his eyes looked down at me.

Vampires aren't real, they’re just make-believe, right?

Numerous thoughts go through my mind. Refusing the idea that this person is a vampire.

“Are you really a vampire?”

“Yes, but does it matter?”

I thought about his reply. He is a vampire, but does that really matter right now? Even if I told everyone, they'd think I was crazy. Additionally, this guy is famous, people will laugh about him being a vampire.

How does he live when he’s a vampire?

“Have something to ask? You keep staring at me,” he said.

“How do you hide your fangs?”

“Hmm…” he stared at the ceiling, thinking of how to respond. “You’re warming up to me… I’ll answer your questions. You’re gonna die anyway.”

My body shivered because of what he said.

“W-what?”

“I said it. I don’t have to repeat that,” he stood up and started pacing around the room.

“I can hide my fangs and I drink healthy blood. I’m very picky about which blood I drink because some of them taste so bad, especially people with tattoos,” he explained.

I did not need to know that. I guess I have healthy blood after all.

“Why did you bring me here when you could pick other humans to drink?”

“You’re right,” he stopped. “Why? I have a lot of reasons. You tried to steal from my friend, you acted nice to steal their money, and you tried to seduce me so that I wouldn’t tell on you,” he slowly walks to me. “What else do I have to say just to prove that you are guilty of being a bad person?”

I was speechless. I was guilty. And now I am getting my punishment for all the crimes that I have committed in my second life.

“You’re going to accept it just like that?” he said.

“I don’t have a family, my girlfriend left me and I have a criminal record,” I felt depressed.

“Then you’re perfect!” he beamed. “Think of this house as your prison. Though prisons are smelly, but here it isn’t!” he happily said.

I recalled all the memories that my girlfriend made. I’ll never see her again. I’ll also never see life outside again. I won’t have a chance to order food again. I’ll never get a chance again to live as a citizen.

The loneliness grew in me as I thought about my future here.

“You don’t want to die, right?” his voice echoed through my head. “Don’t worry, it will be over soon,”

“Why can’t you just end it right now?”

He looked at me. “If I had a chance to like you. I might even release you.”

“R-really?...”

Hope was given to me.