‘We’re not vampires, but anyway,’ she grinned, ‘you need to know more about our history and what to expect. Call it your preparation. For whatever its worth, you need to know what you are even if you don’t think it’s important.’
Steven’s shoulders slumped, ‘Great, I can’t wait.’
She wanted to talk more but the conversation was over. Another day she would try again. ‘Do you want me to get you some accommodation with the others? I doubt you’ll want to stay with me.’
‘No offence, but, yeah, that would be great.’
The fact he said no offence pleased her. At least he was polite. ‘I’ll take care of it.’
*
Steven frowned at his new accommodation – a tiny room with no natural light, split into four even smaller areas. A single bed, with a pale blue cover, in the corner was his. There was no side light, bedside table or bookcase. It was just the bed. To make matters worse, the three other beds meant company. He slumped on the bed, deflated. The prospect of having a place of his own had vanished.
Earlier, he’d had the pleasure of meeting the grumpy male warden. He failed to remember his name, he exuded no charisma. He didn’t even respond when Emily told him Steven was her son. The introduction of another student, regardless of who they were, obviously held no added thrill. In a dry, monotonous voice, he reeled off the rules to Steven and listed his duties and responsibilities. It had been difficult to pay attention.
Before long, the warden had dumped him in his cell, at least it felt like a prison cell, and left. It was not what he considered a real welcome. His head spun from information overload. In a nutshell, it appeared all adolescents approaching the change were kept together in the final months. All of them were expected to pitch in.
A sense of impending doom swept over him. He never had a set of jobs to do at home. At university, he got by. Housekeeping was not his forte. What a wakeup call. He doubted in a small community like this, there would be any room for slackers. The job he dreaded was the communal area checks. It could only mean one thing. Toilets! Ugh! Even in this community, he doubted it would be any different.
‘You must be Steven,’ said a male voice.
He turned round to find himself face-to-face with a man of his age, with a fair complexion and blond hair. ‘Are you related to Ingrid, by any chance?’
The man gave a crooked smile, and replied, ‘I guess we all look alike, don’t we?’
‘You do have very distinct features. That’s for sure.’
‘I’ve been sent by Emily to show you around. I’m Jensen,’ he held out his hand formally. ‘She thought you could do with a friend.’
Instinctively, Steven held out his hand and gave a firm handshake. If there was one thing boarding school had taught him, it was the importance of a firm handshake. ‘Is that what you are, a friend?’
Jensen dropped his hand, ‘Only if you want one. I’m not going to impose myself on you. I’m just showing you around as a favour. But, we are sharing this room, so, it’s not a bad idea to try to get along. I know this is all new to you, but it’s not really my problem. You might as well get used to it.’
‘Fair enough, I don’t need your sympathy.’
Jensen turned away from him, ‘Let’s go.’
Steven noticed the dress code involved a lot of green, brown and black. He imagined it was for camouflage. Time would tell. Either way, he was beginning to get tired of being told what to do all the time. It was like being back in boarding school.
Steven tried to focus on what Jensen was saying. He was listening; it was just a lot to take in.
‘To your left and right are the accommodation blocks. The senior members of our community are entitled to the bigger rooms. Obviously, we get the smallest. The teaching rooms are on the second floor, that’s where we’re headed.’ He grinned, as if hiding a secret.
‘Teaching rooms?’ Steven groaned. He was sure none of their teaching would interest him.
‘I’m sure you had them back where you come from. In our case, it’s where we prepare for the change. School is school after all, no matter where you are.’
Steven’s lips twitched as he suppressed a smile. It amused him to think anyone actually had a sense of humour here.
‘We learn about a range of subjects. I can’t really explain them all to you now. You’ll have to learn as you go. Other than this, we lead normal lives as you would outside, I mean, in your world,’ he paused, as if undecided. With a casual look around, Jensen leant in and whispered, ‘By the way, what’s it like in your world?’
The question made Steven stop short and frown. As if they were in on a conspiracy, he whispered back, ‘Totally different to here. I’d say it’s more complicated by the look of things. Things here are a lot more…simple here.’
‘More complicated, jeez, I don’t know if I could handle that. Hang on a minute, are you calling us simple?’ Jensen’s voice got louder. He did not sound aggressive, just amused.
‘No, not simple, that’s a bad choice of word. It’s hard to explain, I don’t know.’ Steven ruffled his hair with his hand for a moment and then looked up to continue. ‘It’s like, here you don’t have to follow the normal rules of society, you make your own – like for example not having to use money. It blows my mind.’
In an ominous voice, Jensen added, ‘You forgot the part about having restricted movements, being contained to this site, and having to apply for vacation time. Not forgetting the fact that you are only eligible for a vacation, with a chaperon, five years after you change.’
Steven felt his last shred of hope disappear. Five years. That was too long. Way too long. ‘Does that mean that you’ve never left this place?’
‘Yes,’ Jensen replied, as he shrugged his shoulders. He did not seem bothered about it. Perhaps he had a reason to like being within the community. Steven bet he had a girl. A girl made all the difference.
‘So, effectively, this is almost like a civilised jail?’
Jensen laughed aloud, ‘You got it in one. I think we’ll be friends, alright – you’re sharp. I can do with someone like you to teach me the ropes. Someday, I’ll brave it outside. There’s no hurry, right?’
‘Maybe not for you, I wouldn’t mind going back home.’
‘It’s not my call. I can’t help you there.’
‘Fair enough,’ Steven half smiled and relaxed. Jensen seemed decent. ‘Seriously though, what’s it like living here?’
‘It’s great, don’t get me wrong. Sometimes I can’t help being curious about what’s out there, but I get it; our kind can’t integrate into normal society. After the change, I think we’ll get a better understanding of our true nature.’
Steven stiffened, defensive, ‘I don’t understand how it could change who I am.’
‘None of us do, that’s why we need to prepare.’
The conversation came to an end as they approached the second floor. It appeared deserted. There were rooms to either side, carved into the rock. It was difficult to see inside as they walked past, but Steven sensed a series of eyes watching as he passed. At the end of the curved hallway, an arched opening greeted them with the words we are here to help etched on the stone. As they eased through, an imposing handmade wooden table dominated the room. A stunning brunette sat behind it.
‘Jensen, what can I do for you today?’ she asked, a twinkle in her eye. Her long, chestnut hair swished to the side as she flicked her head. ‘You’re not skiving again, are you?’
‘Not at all, I am acting as a tour guide. We have someone new joining us today. This is …’
The lady held up her hand to silence him and shot off her seat. An arm’s length away, she gave a broad smile and said, ‘Is this Emily’s son? Are you Steven?’
‘Nothing gets past you does it?’ Jensen joked.
‘Well, it’s not every day that I meet a cousin I knew nothing about, an outsider, someone who lived in the human world, but who is actually one of us.’ She extended her arms, and took Steve
n by surprise with an embrace and kiss on both of his cheeks.
Steven was both stunned and speechless. He knew she had to have a Spanish side, only his step-mum’s family ever kissed him like that.
She gave him a dazzling smile, ‘It’s amazing how much you look like Emily. It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Sofia, I am Ian’s daughter.’
The statement made him nod as a half-smile eased across his face – it was good to be right.
‘It’s going to be important for you to remember where we all came from. It will be a big part of your teaching,’ Sofia continued, with one hand on her hip. ‘¿Hablas español?’
‘Un poco,’ he replied. He hoped she was not expecting him to have a whole conversation in Spanish, but he could hold his own for a little bit.
‘Hablas español, fantástico.’ She repeated the words and nodded, impressed, as she folded her arms and studied him.
‘What are you two talking about?’ Jensen asked, perplexed, ‘Are you talking Spanish?’
‘Our friend here talks Spanish like my family,’ Sofia said, ‘that’s very useful.’
‘Don’t you speak Spanish?’ Steven asked, as he turned to look at Jensen.
‘No, I learnt a bit, but we developed our own language,’ Jensen replied. ‘You will have to learn it too. It’s a cross between English, Spanish, Swedish, German, and Hebrew. It was developed to keep outsiders from understanding what we were saying in the outside world. English is the common tongue. We do actually have access to the internet, as backwards as we are.’ Jensen said, arching an eyebrow.
Steven was beginning to regret having called them simple.
Chapter 31
A Warm Welcome
Sofia sat down again, folded her right leg on her left knee and crossed her hands together, deep in thought. ‘So, I guess we need to register you for classes immediately. No time to lose,’ she laughed, at a joke he did not understand. ‘Steven when are you due to change?’
He thought about the question, perplexed.
‘Your birthday,’ she clarified.
‘Oh, right, the fourth of September.’
‘Right, well, since Jensen is due to change on the 11th August you will be in the same classes. This is your schedule.’ Sofia handed Steven a piece of paper, after the sound of a printer reeled it out from under the desk.
It was weird for Steven to see such a normal thing happening in such an abnormal setting.
‘Just follow Jensen until you find your feet. Have fun,’ she beamed.
‘Okay,’ Steven looked at the sheet. He felt totally inadequate. He gave a quizzical glance in Jensen’s direction.
‘You ready?’ Jensen turned towards the exit.
‘Sure.’ Steven shrugged. He might as well follow and pretend he knew what he was supposed to do. He had no idea what the rest of the day had in store for him.
‘Look, it’s nearly lunchtime, so I suggest we skip the end of this lesson and go through the itinerary of the day over some food. You must be hungry.’
‘Starving. Sounds like a plan.’
‘I like that saying – sounds like a plan. I’ll keep it in mind. If it’s any consolation, I’m hungry all the time too,’ Jensen said, ‘Let’s eat.’
After leaving the administration room, they turned into one of the smaller corridors, which widened into an arched doorway to reveal yet another room. Above the doorway, the words we all need fuel were carved into the stone. The most amazing aroma wafted into Steven’s nose. His mouth watered immediately and the sight of the goodies made his eyes widen.
At the far end, he saw a table covered with exotic fruits. Next to them were huge clear jars filled with a range of coloured juices. All around the room an array of wooden tables and logs moulded into chairs created a homely appeal. It looked like a version of a school cafeteria – just a much more sophisticated one. No plastic chairs and wonky tables to greet him here.
Like in the larger room he’d seen the previous day, a serving station in the corner housed the food. It was split into two sections, hot and cold. The hot food was piled into heated covered containers. The cold options comprised a variety of bread rolls, various delicatessen and salads.
Steven was awed at the selection. ‘Where do you start?’
Jensen gave him an encouraging shove. ‘Anywhere you want. Indulge.’
Just as Steven took a plate from the neatly stacked section, he heard muffled sounds behind him. It sounded like a herd of elephants approaching. He turned around and saw the hungry herd approaching – students.
‘You better hurry, they’re a hungry bunch,’ Jensen smirked.
The mixture of people coming through the opening was amazing. They all looked of school age, but the difference in skin colour allowed him distinguish some of their origins. You could easily spot the Hispanic colouring of the Santos family and the bleached blond look of the Swedish Clausen Family. All at once he was surrounded. Everyone grabbed a plate and headed straight for the food. What struck Steven was the fact that none of them had stopped to stare. They ignored him. He wondered if they had been told to do this. It seemed too obvious. Normally, the new kid would get attention.
‘Well, come on then, you better get some, before it’s all gone. We’re not going to hold back for you,’ Jensen remarked, his plate already full to the brim.
Steven had a déjà vu moment; he was back at his cousin’s wedding the previous summer. It was always awkward when you had to blend into a situation you had no control over. Since no-one seemed to pry, he kept his eyes focused on the food and concentrated hard on choosing things he recognised.
The first thing he took was a bread roll. It looked like any other normal white bread roll he could have bought at the supermarket. He added slices of what looked like ham and some mixed salad. The ham made him think of pigs and livestock. Another question for Jensen. He made his way over to the hot section. The containers were uncovered to reveal a selection of dishes. One looked like a mixed paella, the other a stew of some sort, and the third had sausages and hamburgers next to fried onions. Unsure on how much to take, he took a heaped spoonful of paella, a couple of sausages, and a banana from a woven basket. He gave a quick glance at his colourful plate, impressed. With a glass of what he was sure was tropical juice he headed off to find a seat. Selection over, it was time to taste.
Even though no-one was watching him, he felt self-conscious all the same. Most of the tables were already taken. He moved towards the back. Out of the corner of his eye he saw someone waving. It was Jensen and it looked like he had saved him a seat. He could see others sitting at the same table. This was going to be interesting. At least Jensen seemed to accept him for what he was. Jensen was beginning to make Steven feel, well, almost, normal.
Jensen nodded as Steven approached, ‘Hey, you didn’t think I’d bail on you already, did you?’
Steven took his seat, and replied, ‘I thought you might have had enough of me.’
‘Nah, not yet. Anyway, did the food selection meet your expectations?’
‘Pretty good. It’s like a glamorous version of a hall cafeteria.’
‘What’s a cafeteria?’ The question came from the girl to the left of Jensen. She looked Steven straight in the eye.
‘Erm, its catering provided for students that live on the university campus.’
‘What’s a university?’ the same girl asked, her curiosity sparked. She took a bite of her roll and chewed as she waited for his reply.
Steven gave a half-smile. She sounded harmless. ‘I guess there’s a lot you don’t know about life out there.’
‘Obviously,’ another girl sitting opposite him said, her tone huffy.
‘Well I’ll answer your question first. Then, I’ll do the best I can to answer any other questions. I do have a request of my own.’ Steven looked around the table, and then continued, ‘You have to answer mine.’
‘That’s a deal,’ Jensen said out loud.
Everyone else nodded; keen to be in on the a
rrangement.
‘But where are my manners? I have not even told you who everyone is. Well, you know who I am, but maybe you should introduce yourself first,’ Jensen said.
Steven flinched. Jensen had just thrown the ball firmly in his court. Perhaps he had underestimated him. He hated being put on the spot. Steven thought for a few seconds about what he could say. He kept his eyes to the table as he began, ‘For the past nineteen years, I have led a normal life with ordinary humans.’
A few of them raised their eyebrows.
He took a deep breath and continued, ‘Ingrid tried to kill me. She was, let’s say, taken by surprise. I turned out to be like you.
‘Well, not exactly like us,’ Jensen said, with a smirk.
Steven rolled his eyes. ‘Either way my existence has been erased and I was more or less kidnapped into coming here. Since, I’m half human, like Jensen just inferred, I have no idea what the change will do to me. Frankly, I would prefer to go back to the way things were. No offence to any of you, but this is all too weird. I mean, let’s face it, vampires are supposed to be a myth. It’s ridiculous.’ He burst into nervous laughter.
Everyone around the table stared, dumbfounded; none of them laughed now. It surprised him when everyone started to sit up straight. All of a sudden, he got the feeling someone else was listening.
A deep voice reverberated behind him, ‘And yet here you are, and here we are.’
Steven turned, freaked out. Standing behind him was a man in his late forties, possibly even fifties. He was too old to be one of them. It did not make sense. He had a small, grey moustache and beard. It made him look like Robinson Crusoe. The man held out his hand to shake Steven’s.
‘My name is Jeff, or Grandfather, if you prefer it. I am Emily’s father and I was born in 1892. I should be over a hundred years old by now. Do I look that old to you? Ridiculous is a pretty strong word to describe something that is true. You are right about something, vampires are a myth. We are not like the creatures written about by Bram Stoker in his Dracula. We are, as you can see for yourself, very much alive. The question is what are we then? What do we call ourselves?’ He gave Steven an intense stare and waited in silence, almost challenging him to speak.