The Vanishing of Viera
by Jacob Anderson
Lovec
(publishing December 17th)
Krvavý
(publishing December 18th)
Upír
(publishing December 19th)
Lovec
I woke up late in the afternoon as the setting sun’s beams spilled between the motel room curtains. I sat up on the edge of the bed trying to shake off the haziness I felt. Everytime I do one of these late night jobs I always wake up like I just finished binge drinking. I was still wearing the clothes I did the job in last night, the specs of blood crusted over and the sweat made my flannel and jeans stick to my body in odd, uncomfortable ways. I finally reach down and pull off the boots I was too tired to ditch before I collapsed into bed last night, and get ready to get cleaned up before finishing the job. I dragged myself to the bathroom and started the shower and brushed my teeth while looking over my face for any marks. Just a few drops of blood managed to get on my face and were easily removed by some water. My eyes looked tired though. To be fair I have been doing a string of these late night jobs for the past few months, but hopefully that will come to an end soon. I heard of some weird goings on a couple states south, maybe in a couple months I could come back up here and make sure another brood hasn’t moved in. Last night should’ve been the last one, she seemed out of it and more rabid than the others. Oh well, on to the next one I guess.
A few months later I circled back to that town. I went back to the neighborhood I found that last pest in and did a few laps looking for any signs of a new brood. As I made my rounds I saw that the final residence I took care of was having an estate sale, I guess the city or someone was trying to make something off of that old bird. Walking through the house in this state was strange, before the place had been trashed with animal carcasses half eaten and strewn across the place. But, now it was spotless. Any evidence to what happened that night washed away and replaced with tables and tables of dusty and outdated knick knacks and sentimental objects. I walked around, dodging the early shoppers as they hunted for secret valuables hidden among the garbage, until I came around to what would have been her bedroom. A few things were set out for display, but nothing enticing enough for the bargain hunters to linger around. I poked around the place, she may have been another head to hunt but at some point she was a normal person and deserved to be remembered as such. I came to the wardrobe, it looked grand but really was just made of laminate and cheap wood. I was about to turn away and leave when out of the corner of my eye I spied something poking out from beneath it, I fished it out of the tight crevice and examined it. It was an old book, the covers worn and corners fraying. I flipped through the pages and realized it was her diary. There were some interesting tidbits I saw as I skimmed over a few pages and maybe this could lead me to whoever turned her in the first place, but I definitely needed to take the time to go over it carefully. I quickly went down to the person running the sale and gave them a few bucks before going on my way.
I carried the diary with me while I checked for any signs of monsters around town. I don’t want to be back here next year and deal with another brood of vampires just because I got lazy. At the edge of town was a lake that was great for watching the sunset, so once I finished the rounds I pulled along the shoreline, sat in the bed of my truck, and started diving into the diary.
The pages were in good shape, but carried the musk of mothballs with it. It looks like she had been here for a long time, her kids growing up in this town before moving away. The entries were fairly frequent, the dates between were usually two or so weeks apart unless there was a major event she wanted to jot down. Suddenly there was a long break in her entries, almost 3 full years. Apparently, one of her kids had been in a bad accident and died. After that her entries went back to the bi-weekly pattern, and she started focusing on new hobbies to brighten up her life after her loss. Everything just seemed to be the ramblings of a normal old lady. Then I saw it, a few years ago she had been up late reading when she heard rustling in her backyard and when she checked it was a young man who looked like he was attacked. She brought him in and nursed his wounds, she even let him stay the night. He hung around for a few days and then disappeared in the middle of the night. From then on her entries were mostly about feeling hungry all the time. Then she started noticing dead animals in her backyard, assuming a coyote had left them there. As the entries continued they became less and less coherent, with only small glimpses of her real self showing through. That guy she brought in must have been the one to turn her, but it seems like she didn’t even know. Luckily I had gotten to her before she hurt anyone.
Unfortunately there wasn’t anything very descriptive in there about this vampire. I closed the diary and looked over the water as the sun finally disappeared from sight, and on the wind was the scent of cinnamon and incense, with a tinge of iron. I held up the book as I cocked my gun.
“I know you’re there. I assume you did this?”
Krvavý
June 23, 2017
It’s been awhile since I’ve done one of these. Ever since I lost Jackie a few years ago it has been a struggle to do anything. A few weeks ago I started seeing Dr. Trenton and she recommended that I start journaling again as a form of therapy, apparently having a routine like this can help me get back into the groove of day to day life but I guess we’ll see how that goes.
July 7, 2017
I’ve started sitting out on the porch in the afternoon and wave at the kids as they walk home. It hurts to know my kiddo won’t be walking through the gate, but seeing them run home all happy and smiley warms my heart.
August 3, 2017
I’ve been having a much better time lately. I started picking up books from the library and have really enjoyed reading my nights away. Sometimes I’ve been hearing some animal noises out in the backyard, hopefully there’s not racoons digging up my flowers.
August 10, 2017
I went and saw Dr. Trenton again today. She says that I’m starting to show signs of Alzheimer’s dementia. I would be lying if I said I was surprised, momma died of it and so did grandma. Well. I’ll just try and enjoy what time I have left.
September 18, 2017
Last night while I was reading I heard some loud noises from the backyard and when I went to check it was a young man! He was very beat up and was bleeding a little bit. I brought him in and helped him get cleaned up. I know I shouldn’t have but I let him rest here for a bit. He has been good company, he may be young but he has an old soul. He loves to listen to my vinyls and he has so many fun stories! I hope he sticks around for a little bit, I could use the company.
September 15, 2016
Unfortunately it seems that my visitor has vanished. He was a great help the last few days helping me clean the house and doing some other chores that I’ve started struggling with. The excitement of having company must have burned through my energy because I am so tired today.
Octobr 1, 2017
I don’t know what it is, but I have just been so hungry the last few weeks. No matter what or how much I eat I just can’t get enough. I should go see Dr. Trenton soon.
October 30, 2018
The Dr says it’s probably nothing, just a side effect of the medication I’ve been taking or maybe I’ve been forgetting meals. She said if I eat a little more red meat it should keep me fuller longer. I guess I’ll try that.
January 12, 2018
I’ve started seeing dead animals in the backyard. It looks like a coyote or something has been dragging stuff in, hopefully it gets run off soon. Also, it looks like the Dr was right, just a change in diet and I haven’t been so hungry lately!
Janary 29
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Jackie, and she won’t pick up my calls. I am starting to get worried. It doesn’t help that something has been leaving dead animals in my backyard.
Feb 8
Why is that man always looking at me, it’s like he is planning to break in. I keep trying to tell Jackie about it, but she won’t answer my calls. Hopefully, she’s not mad at me, it looks like I forgot to send a birthday message so I hope she gets my sorry text and reaches out.
It hurts so much, why won’t the hunger stop, I just keep eating and eating and eating. I need to get better before Jackie gets back, it’ll be a shame if she sees me in this condition after coming home from her friends house
Upír
Holy hell. I knew Larric was strong, but that bastard did a number on me. I limped through the streets, covering the gash in my ribs hoping the flesh would start to mend soon. Dodging street lights to remain unseen became a challenge in my condition, but I saw a house with its lights off and it looked like the family might be gone. I meandered down the side of the fence until I was hidden from the street and clumsily threw myself over it into the backyard. I hit the ground and tumbled forward, bouncing off a shrub and landing hard onto my back. Definitely not my most graceful landing. As I struggled to catch my breath and composure, unexpected footsteps hustled to the rear door. Oh great. An older woman walked out and when she saw me she hustled over and helped me to my feet, fussing about getting me cleaned up. I tried to break away but she was insistent, and honestly, her determination to help me was refreshing. So, I did as she said and she got me bathed and fed, even going as far as stitching up the gash in my side. Apparently she had been a seamstress when she was younger, remarking that skin was just the cloth of the body. Very macabre, but I still found it very endearing.
We got to talking and I explained that I was “jumped by some no good goons.” Not a total lie, Larric and his band of half-breeds certainly ambushed me and are quite goonish. She offered me her couch for the night, or for a few nights if I still wasn’t feeling well tomorrow. Her kindness was warming, it was clear that she was missing company and someone to dote on. From the pain in her eyes she probably lost a child, but it is not my place to ask.
The next day I repaid her kindness by fixing some broken items I saw around the home and cleaned where I could. She had well maintained vinyls of Marvin Gaye, and with those spinning the work was done in no time. She eventually woke up and greeted me and we spoke more, she loved hearing my tales from ages past. We spent hours and hours chatting, reliving our glory days. She was a wonder. Kind and strong, enduring all the hardship life threw at her with a smile. She eventually did mention the passing of her daughter Jackie. She talked about how hard life was after she lost her and she even thought of ending it all, but she decided against it. Deciding that since Jackie didn’t get to live her full life, she would take on a few more years to make up the difference. It was a beautiful sentiment.
I stayed another night and the next day went much the same, I did a few chores and we reminisced and listened to oldies. That night she said goodnight and went to bed, and I sat on the couch thinking. She deserved to live a full life and carry on the legacy that Jackie would’ve wanted. So, as she slept I snuck in her room and gently as I could, as not to wake her, I began to blood her. This would give her the chance to live long enough to fulfill her wish. As I finished the process I could hear some raucous outside, when I peeked I saw that it was Larric and his goons again. I carefully slid out the back door and made my escape, leaving enough clues to drag Larric away from that poor woman’s house.
I spent the next couple months knocking Larric and his brood down a peg and regaining control of my territory. Unfortunately, this whole process kept me away from seeing my new progeny come into her own, but I would make my way to her soon and indoctrinate her properly. Alas, that never came to fruition. I was called to visit a colleague a few states over and during that time I felt a tinge in my heart. That old, familiar feeling of when someone close to you has their chapter closed. My presence was required by my colleague and delayed me from investigating her death.
When I finally came back, I was greeted with an estate sale at her home. I had been gone far too long and now I may never be able to avenge her. But, I caught a whiff of someone with an overt garlic odor, and I saw a man walk out of her home with her ragged diary in his hand. I followed him that day and waited for my time. He parked by a lake and sat on the bed of his truck as he read through her journal. I waited as the sun set, and once it dipped below the horizon I made my way to a tree closer to him.
“I know you’re there. I assume you did this?” He said.
“Nothing gets by you hunters.” I laughed as I stepped out of the shadows. “I assume you’re the one who killed that lovely woman.”
“When I found her she was nothing more than a rabid dog.”
“You will not speak about her that way. You bastards would never know a pure soul like hers.”
“That old bitch was just another pest like all of you.”
I instantly closed the distance, knocking the gun out of his hand and holding him in the air by his throat.
“All you hunters are self-righteous bastards with no sense of morals, and I will not stand for it.” I said as I snapped the bastard’s neck and dropped him to the ground. I looked up at the rising moon.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you, Viera.”
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