Chapter 2
The Genesis of Actuality…
I can’t keep up this pace for much longer. Sweat was pouring down the side of my face, trickling into my eyes, blinding my vision somewhat, but not to the point of me having to slow down. If I slowed down, I was dead. I stumbled, yet caught hold of my stride before slamming into the underbrush. I wouldn’t let him beat me that easily.
I didn’t want to die this night. I pushed myself harder, fighting through the maddening brushwood around me. The forest was claustrophobic. Suffocating me with its leaves and branches as I ran as fast as my legs could permit.
He dropped to the ground directly in front of me, his burnt sienna, Vampire eyes incandescent in the wooden cove. He was wild, blood crazed and I could tell far beyond reason. Instinctively I slowed to a stop, scanning my surroundings, searching desperately for an option, for a Plan B.
“Going somewhere?” The Vampire asked.
I hid one hand behind me then began to chant. Reciting words I had only just learned maybe an hour or less before. Thunder shook the sky; so loud it was as if an airplane had crashed just a mile away.
“You made me run.” The Vampire exclaimed in disgust. “And into the woods no less.”
I continued the chant, oblivious to the words the Vampire spoke, my eyes slightly averted from his gaze. To stare into the eyes of a Vampire is to lose yourself, to become a slave to his will. I can’t let that happen!
It was starting to rain, my torn white dress sticking to my flesh with every raindrop. I just needed a little bit more time. I continued the chant as softly and quickly as I could, still taking slow steps backwards, the forest floor cutting into my already bare feet.
“I really hate this place you know.” The Vampire continued abstractly, more to himself then to me. He knew there was nowhere left for me to go. The hunt was over. The prey was within his grasp.
“I burned it all down once.” He motioned with his hands in this overtly grand gesture to the landscape around us. “All of this. Three hundred years ago. It was sacred then. The Native Americans said their Spirit God dwelt here within the leaves, the bushes, the animals, in every singular blade of grass.”
The Vampire laughed sadistically. “So I reduced this place to ash. To a smoldering cinder, just to prove a point.” Guess what point I’m going to prove here tonight?”
That’s it. Keep him talking just a little bit longer.
I was almost done, the finale verse of my incantation only moments away. I took another tentative step backwards and found to my dismay that I was unable to move any further. My back pressed up against a monolithic, oak tree behind me.
“What is that you’re mumbling, witch?” The Vampire stopped short. “Is that Latin?”
“Actually…” I answered, a smile slowing etching its way across my parched lips. “It’s Sumerian.” The evening sky thundered with such force that the ground actually shook, the clouds swirling in opaque fury just above my head.
A lightning bolt flung itself from the sky, striking the tree I was up against, burrowing through the ancient oak like so much paper mâché, slamming into the Vampires chest, enveloping his body in crackling electricity.
The Vampire was propelled backwards, the force so intense that when he struck one of the massive oaks, the tree shattered on impact.
I wanted to run, to continue my plight, but that option was gone now. The spell had taken too much out of me. Blood began trickling from my nose and ears. I’d never cast a spell before and this one in particular wasn’t exactly supposed to be recited by a novice, let alone by me.
Yet as much as I wanted to collapse to the ground beneath me, I pressed forward, each step a systematically calculated thought, pressing myself to move despite the pain that was overwhelming my body. It wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
The Vampire’s body lay charred and lifeless, a smoldering rag doll of a thing, yet I knew better than to be deceived by that ruse, tricked into thinking these things could die so easily. But maybe, just maybe…
The body twitched, fingers flexing then retracting into a fist. I tried to move faster, to persuade my body that the agony and exhaustion that I felt didn’t exist, yet no matter how much I struggled, it wasn’t going to be enough.
The Vampire was on me by then, his bony fingers at my throat, hoisting me up in the air with one hand, my bloodied feet dangling helpless. I could see his scorched body healing before my eyes, the flesh regenerating itself, weaving together in such a fashion that it made Vampires particularly problematic to kill.
“Now. That. Wasn’t. Very. Nice.” The burnt flesh around his mouth literally reconstructed his lips as he spoke. “No, not very nice at all.”
He drew me in closer, so that we were almost face to face, his putrid breath hot against my skin. “Remember that thing I was rambling on about? You know, before you so rudely drove a fucking lightning bolt through my chest?”
The Vampire hadn’t seen it, he was too busy with bravado. All paper tigers and wolf tickets to me. He hadn’t been told about it either; otherwise this entire altercation would have gone down a lot different. He would have killed me be now. His mistake, my gain.
“You talk too much.” I whispered, driving the Blade of Osiris, which I had kept concealed behind my back, into his chest. The Vampire’s eyes went dull and then hazed over, becoming pools of pitch-black emptiness.
The Vampire staggered back, releasing his grip on my throat as I slipped down to the damp earth, the Blade of Osiris still clutched in my hand, the obsidian blade drenched in blood. The reason they called it Osiris was that it was rumored to have the ability to kill anything.
I watched as he toppled to the ground. He did not get back up. From behind came an assortment of screams and wails, terrifyingly horrific in nature. I spun around, the balls of my feet digging deep into the moist terrain as I mentally prepared for anything. The rain was coming down hard, maddeningly so, to the point that it was virtually impossible to see.
However, I could see them. Vampires. Nine in total, yet I knew more were on their way; it was only a matter of time. The few that were closest began to encircle around me, their soulless eyes like death.
“Well what are you waiting for?” I challenged. “It’s not like I got all fucking night!”
The alarm went off, a slow buzzing sound from something straight out of the 1950’s. It was the same stupid dream. Every night for a month, it’s always been the same. Me, some weird looking knife and a bunch of cocky Vampires until I go all Buffy on their ass.
The clock read 8:00 am. I so did not want to get out of bed right now. My covers were all toasty warm from body heat, not to mention it was freezing in this house, like Antarctic cold for some ridiculous reason. It’s been like this ever since we moved to Florida last year after the car accident. The air conditioner seems to be on full blast, all day, every day. I exhaled sharply and could swear I saw a white puff.
“Oh come on!” I moaned.
It was Monday. I hate Mondays. I forced myself to crawl out of bed, grabbing my pink, Hello Kitty bathrobe grandma sent me for Christmas last year, the one with the chocolate ice cream stains on it from last night.
Mmmm…chocolate.
My room was in a state of chaos. It was as if my entire wardroom was thrown haphazard like across the carpet. I was meaning to clean it last night, but got distracted. Game of Thrones and Ben and Jerry’s. When it comes to cleaning, it doesn’t take much for me to get distracted. I guess I can do it after school today, I mean, it’s not like this mess was going anywhere.
I shuffled out my bedroom. Stifling a yawn, I stopped at the room next to me, banging on the door. “Aiden it’s me.” I announced before cracking the door softly, peering inside. “It’s time to get up bro.”
Aiden came awake with a start, drool crusted up on the side of his face. “Huh, what?” He stuttered. “Oh, uh, hey sis.”
“You’re gonna be late for school again, Aiden. You know it takes
you like, seven years just to take a shower.” The covers beside him started to move, a small, blonde mass of hair peeked her head up from underneath them.
“Morning Madison.” She exclaimed sleepily, drooping one around across my brothers bare chest.
“And hello to you to Abigail.” I rolled my eyes. Why is she even here? Mom is gonna have a freaking aneurysm if she finds the both of them together. “You know Aiden; I’m not covering for the two of you again. I got grounded for a month the last time Mom almost found the two of you hooking up.”
“Please!” Aiden countered. “I said distract Ma for a sec. One second. Not go and open the front door and let her prize, stupid little dog run out the house and almost get run over.”
“I’m just saying.” I responded.
“Okay, okay.” Aiden conceded. “Point taken. Besides everything’s cool. Mom, Pop, they rushed outta here last night around two in the a.m., said they were gonna be gone a couple of days.”
“What for?” I asked.
“I don’t know? Something about Cousin Frankie. I think he’s sick or something, he’s in the hospital, but yeah, they aren’t gonna be back till next Wednesday, Thursday at the latest.”
“Is he gonna be okay?” Abigail asked, propping her arm up on Aiden's shoulder. I liked Abby. She was cool. My best friend honestly, well my best friend here in Florida, at least. I’m not sure I’m at all comfortable with her sleeping with my lil brother though.
“Yeah, is he gonna be okay?” I asked.
“I dunno know.” Aiden replied. “They got a phone call, freaked out and left.”
“Oh, that’s sad. I’ve met Frankie before, he was nice. Bought me a pack of Newports once.” Abigail added.
“Yup, that’s Frankie alright. Always there to contribute to the delinquency of a minor.” I said. “What were you doing up at two in the morning for anyway?”
Aiden shrugged. “Playing Little Big Planet.”
Abigail giggled. “Omg, you are such a dork.”
“Whatever, you love it. Pop left me in charge by the way.”
I looked at him skeptically. “I doubt it.”
“I’m being serious Madison. He said I was the head of the household until he got back.”
“Whatever. You’re gonna be late for school Mr. President.” Like I would EVER do anything Aiden told me to do.
“I’m not going to school today.” He announced.
“We’re not going to school today.” Interjected Abigail.
“Correction. We’re not going to school today.”
These two can be exceptionally difficult at times.
“You? You’re skipping school? Captain America, say no to drugs, only got a B+ last semester and cried about it, literally, isn’t going to class? You hear that?”
“Hear what fool?” Asked Aiden.
“That noise.” I continued. “Must be the sound of the last trumpet blowing.”
“If your opinion meant anything it would be published.” He replied.
“She does do a blog.” Abigail corrected.
“I do do a blog.” I repeated
“Haha, you said dodo!”
Sigh…my brother can be such a juvenile.
Abby mushed him in the side of his head with her hand. “Don’t be gross, Aiden.”
“Smell my morning breath!” He bellowed, breathing harshly in Abigail’s face without warning. “Smell it!”
Abigail scrunched up her expression, pinching her nose. “Eww, H1N1!”
“Right. Whatever. I’m getting ready for school.” I went to close the door.
“No, wait Madison.” Abigail called out. “Come with us.”
“Yeah, she’s right; Pop gave me the keys to the car. We’re rolling out in T-minus not sure and counting, but it’ll be soon.”
“Dad? Dad gave you the keys to the Rolling Stone?” That’s what he always called the cherry red ’76 Mustang that he’s had since, well, like…1976 I think. It was his baby. More important than football. More important than Presidential elections. “You’re joking right? He wouldn’t give you the keys to escape the zombie apocalypse.”
“I told you Madison, when they got the call, they just freaked. Mom packed them some clothes and they just split. Just like that. Pop tossed me the keys, then said: Be back Wednesday, maybe Thursday. You’re in charge. You ding it, you die. Then they were gone.”
“What about school Aiden?”
“What about school Madison? What are you gonna learn there today that you can’t learn there tomorrow? I’m trying to go to Flagler beach. Catch some waves, some sun…”
“I’ve got a new bathing suit!” Abigail added, just a touch to cheerful for me. Of course she has a new bathing suit; she’s grown up here in Palm Coast, Florida all her life. Her body was made for the beach; it was perfectly tanned and sculpted.
“I don’t know.” I said. “I’ve got AP English today.”
“What is that on the front of your bathrobe?” Abigail inquired, squinting her eyes, trying to get a clear picture. “Is that…chocolate?”
“It’s not just chocolate, it’s Ben and Jerry’s chocolate.” I corrected.
“God Madison, you’re worse than my Grandmother.” Abigail stated. “Kinda smell like her to.”
“It’s the Icy Hot.” Aiden whispered. “She puts it on before bed.”
“I told you, I only do that when I do yoga so I’m not sore the next day.” I screamed
“I think it has something to do with the drugs personally.” He continued. “Rave thing.”
“Shut it.” I was in no mood for school today. I was tired. Like, really tired. Even though I slept the whole night, I wasn’t rested. A day at the beach, yeah, that would be awesomely copasetic right about now.
“So, are you rolling out with us or what?” Aiden asked.
“Yeah, I'm going.”
“Sweet! See, I told you she would come!” Abigail was ecstatic, bouncing up and down on the bed.
I rolled my eyes.
“I’m gonna get dressed. Let me know when you’re ready.” I closed Aiden’s door, not waiting for a response. Apparently, Abigail forgot she was naked underneath the blanket during her little bouncy fit. Just a little bit too much of her then I originally planned to see this early in the morning.
I went downstairs, planning to let our dog Caprica Six out for a piss run in the backyard, but he wasn’t there. Neither was his bowl. Wow, they took the dog with them? Mom must really be stressed then. That dog does not leave this house. Ever. Other than the backyard and the one time I opened the front door and he scampered outside, I doubt if he’s even smelled air from another locale.
The remote was on the counter and I pressed the power button. Nothing happened. Great, must be the wrong one. I grabbed the one next to it. Power button. Nothing. Why does this always happen to me? Always! I grabbed a third remote. Nadda. I didn’t even know what the fourth one did.
“Aiden!” I screamed out from the bottom of the stairs. “The TV won’t turn on!”
“You trying to watch, a Blu-ray or cable!” He yelled back. “Or the DVR?”
“I wanna listen to music!”
“From a CD, or one of them cable stations that plays music or satellite radio?”
“Umm…from my IPod!” I’m way too lazy to walk back up the stairs, but all this yelling is simply ridiculous.
“I don’t know fool! You’ve got a better chance blowing up the Deathstar then figuring out that madness of an entertainment system.” He replied.
“What’s a Deathstar?” I yelled. “And why would I need to blow one up?”
“Yoda would be very disappointed with this conversation.” Aiden responded.
“Who is that?” I asked
“What?”
“Yoda, who is that?” I repeated. “Is he that Latino kid from home room, you know the really cute one?”
“Yeah, I’m not dealing with you right now, so use some headphones and leave me alone.”
“Whatever jerk face!” I screamed.
“What?”
“Ugh…just forget it!” Why do men deem it necessary to have a gazillion remotes sitting in some lame wicker basket? Just man up, spend the money and get a nice universal remote control. Why do I need to figure out the Da Vinci Code just to listen to some music around here?
I plopped down in Moms writing chair in front of the computer. Now this I know how to use. With a few clicks, I had Pandora pulled up and music blasting through the computer speakers. Of course our computer speakers couldn’t just be regular speakers, oh no. That would be entirely too normal.
Dad needs something powered by Unicorn tears or some other madness so he can hear Sports Center like he was sitting in the station with them, right next to the guy who films it.
I cranked up the volume. Some song by Hearing Damage. I love that group. I surfed the net for a bit, read some emails, scanned over some random twitter post, something about tiger blood, checked the Facebook, then headed towards the downstairs bathroom.
I stared at myself long and hard in the mirror. Yes, Abigail was gorgeous, but she was just your typical, beach blonde bombshell. My skin was tan, yet nowhere near as olive as hers. My hair was full and long, stopping around the middle of my back or so. It was dark brown to the point where it almost appeared as if I had black highlights.
Boys had always told me I was cute. I didn’t believe them when I was younger, but now I could see it. My eyes were crazy; they kinda changed colors when they wanted. One day they would be violet with flecks of gray and blue. Sometimes they would just be azure. It didn’t matter though, once I caught you in my gaze, you were mine if I wanted you.
Hmm…
I paused momentarily. That ice cream stain on my bathrobe kinda looks like Jesus. I could probably sell this thing on E-bay. I wonder if I could go to hell for that?
I stripped down and climbed in the shower, letting the water wash away everything that was troubling me. I tried to focus on the dream, yet the intricacies were already fading fast. I could barely remember all the details, I rarely could. I knew there was more to it, it was longer then it appeared, yet I could only recall the part with the lightning and the knife. The blade of something or whatever.
The water felt good against my body, offsetting the subzero temperature of our house. Mental note: check the thermostat. I didn’t spend long in the shower. I wasn’t like Aiden. You watch the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy and he would still be in here, doing only God knows what. It’s not as if we even got hot water like that to begin with, but he doesn’t care.
I grabbed a towel, wrapped it around my body and brushed my teeth. Something smelled good. Abigail must be up then, because my brother can burn corn flakes. I exited the bathroom and found Abigail in the kitchen, standing at the stove wearing one of my brothers t-shirts. The one with the picture of James Dean on the front.
“Hey Madison.” Greeted Abigail. “I’m making ham and cheese omelets. You want one?” Abby was an excellent cook. Her mother owns a small little Italian restaurant over by Home Depot and Abigail cooks there sometimes on the weekends.
“Yeah, sure.” I said, taking a seat at the counter. As if I was going to turn down some home cooked food. “What time did you get here?”
“Around six thirty.” Abigail said, placing a plate of the most delicious, picture perfect omelet down in front of me. ”I was gonna go to the gym this morning before school, do some palates when Aiden called. I think he was up all night playing that stupid video game.”
“Yeah, he just got it last week.” I said between mouthfuls. “He’s trying to create the most awesome level ever created in the history of awesome created levels.”
“I know!” Abigail pulled up a chair and took a seat in front of me. “He’s so cute. He asked me to be his girlfriend this morning. After he made me play test that God awful level of his of course, but we’re official now!”
Aiden and Abigail had been pretty much been dating ever since we first moved here earlier this year. In fact, I kinda think she was the first person we met at Palm Coast High. I’m pretty sure she was the one to give us the initial tour of the place on our first day. She and I have been cool ever since.
“Finally!” I announced with relief. “He’s only been talking my ear off about it for the last three weeks.”
“Really?” Abigail leaned forward, obviously intrigued. “What all did he say about me? Was it good? Bad? Tell me everything!”
I was about to spill when Aiden came clamoring down the steps wearing a pair of flip-flops, some plaid shorts and an Abercrombie and Fitch t-shirt. He had this Beetles haircut thing going on. Ever since their music was released on iTunes, he’s been blasting them ever since.
“What are you two gabbing about?” He asked, grabbing my fork and scooping a mouthful from my plate. I smacked his hand away, snatching my utensil back.
“Just girl stuff baby.” Abigail leaned over the counter and kissed him on the check.
I ate two more mouthfuls and then pushed away from the table. “I gotta get dressed.”
“Yeah, you do.” Aiden sarcastically agreed. “We should be ready to leave in fifteen.”
“Okay.” I headed upstairs and began digging through the piles of clothes on my chair. I had just gone shopping. I bought some stuff for summer and I eventually found the outfit I was looking for. Nothing extravagant of course. My black bikini, some low cut jean shorts and a black tank top. I grabbed my shades, a Zelda beach towel and flip-flops. Apparently, everyone here in Florida wears flip-flops. Back in Baltimore, where we’re from, not so much.
I flew down the stairs, interrupting a massive kissing session between Aiden and Abigail. “I would say get a room, but then we would never leave.” I remarked.
“We need to find Madison a boy toy.” Abigail announced abruptly, her arms wrapped around my brothers waist. She had on just a bikini top, a white tennis skirt and some white and black Chuck Tailors that were obviously my brothers. I found it slightly disgusting that they wore the same size shoe.
“Negative Ghost Rider.” Aiden answered. “My lil sis does not need a boy toy.”
I disagreed. “Does too, lil bro!”
“How is it you both call each other lil, I don’t get it?” Abigail asked.
“Because when he says it, he refers to age, when I say it, it refers to mental maturity.”
“And yet, I’m in charge.” Aiden dangled the keys in front of me.
I snatched them out his hand. “And yet, I’m driving.”
Abigail couldn’t contain her laughter, grabbing my hand as we headed out the door.
“I call bullshit!” Aiden yelled out, trailing after us.
“And I call shotgun.” Abigail added.
“Oh, come on!” Whined Aiden.
I unlocked the car door and slid inside, the soft leather hot against my skin. Within seconds I had the air blasting and the top down, peeling out the driveway, making our way out the B-Section, which was what neighborhoods were called here in Palm Coast. A-Section, B-Section, etcetera, with all the corresponding street names beginning with the name of your Section. We lived on Bridgehaven Street.
Abigail connected her iPod to the stereo, Death Cab for Cuties blasting through the speakers. Dad had spent his entire life rebuilding the Rolling Stone. It was his first and only car, but he took good care of it and poured insane amounts of cash into it to keep it running smoothly.
“Did you bring the cooler?” Abby asked, turning a bit so she could see Aiden who was stretched out comfortably in the back seat. He was playing some game on his iPad.
“Yeah, it’s in the trunk.” He said, not bothering to glance up.
“Are you sure Aiden, because you didn’t walk out the house with it?”
“I put it in there while you were getting dressed, before you started cooking.”
“And the towels?”
“Yup.”
“What about the Margaritas?”
“Yes, mother!” He said mockingly. “Do you wanna check my social security number as well?”
“I already know your social security number Aiden. Do you?”
I laughed, pressing down on the gas pedal, listening to the engine rev up as we excelled towards our destination. Someone’s phone rang.
Ooh me so horny, ooh-ooh, me so horny!
Okay, so Aiden’s phone rang.
“Yo...what? Hold on.” Aiden leaned forward. “Turn that down, I can’t hear.”
Abigail decreased the stereo volume.
“Yeah, what’s up?” Aiden continued with his phone call. “Nah, nah, nah, I’m on my way to the beach. Yeah, yeah, Flagler. Nah, it’s me, Abigail and Madison. What? Dude that’s my sister, don’t make me punch you in the face. Hold on.” Aiden leaned forward so he was closer to us. “Madison, Mitchell wants to know if he can have your phone number?”
Abigail gave me one of the craziest looks of disgust ever. “Tell him he can’t, but his momma can.”
Aiden laughed. “Haha, nice!” He went back to his cell. “That’s a no go bro. When? Hold on.” Aiden leaned forward again to talk to us. “Mitchell said that The Dave’s are having a bonfire tonight. You two wanna slide through?”
The Dave’s. Dave Berger and David Anderson, these two guys that graduated last year and became roommates. Found a place down on the beach. Best bonfires ever.
“Of course.”
“Me too.” Agreed Abigail.
“Cool.” Aiden leaned back in his seat. “Yeah, we’re coming Mitchell. Okay. What? Dude, what’s up with the twenty questions? Nah, I’m putting you on speaker. Hahaha. Okay. Peace.” Aiden hung up.
“What was that?” I asked.
“Nothing. Mitchell wants us to bring some green to smoke if we can.” Aiden replied.
“I don’t know where to get any weed at.”
“It’s fine. I know a place.” Abigail stated.
“Good.” I announced, pulling into a parking spot. “Today is gonna be awe-some!”