18 Night and day no longer matter. My sleep has become erratic, broken, and my neck is sore from lying down for so long. Kate is desperate for me to give up on animal blood, praying that I’ll reconsider. But it’s not gonna happen. I have a family out there—somewhere—waiting for me to come home. I miss them so much. I have to stay strong. I have to beat this. The end is getting near. I can feel it. Touch it. Whether it’s an end to this dependence on human blood, or an end to my life, I have no idea. I close my eyes again and let the hunger take me away. Somewhere far, somewhere easy, a place where there’s no pain, no cravings, just peace, just light. Away from this darkness…

