Chapter II

<b><u>Chapter II</u>

1914

 

Marcus owned a tailor shop, too, although it was near his own home. He was a Master tailor at nineteen years old which he was very proud of. He had left home at seventeen to travel around Massachusetts to learn other ways of tailoring from guilds all over. When he returned a year later, he proposed to Francine once he arrived back to Luke.

 

But now, as Lyle stared at his brother inside the shop, Lyle saw that his brother looked ill. His skin was blanched and his eyes were tired; something not right for his physical looks.

 

“Are you alright?” Lyle began as he stood up. “You look…ill, to tell the truth.”

 

Marcus shook his head and came towards Lyle at his table and placed his hand against the table to use it for support. He looked at Lyle wearily and answered quietly,

 

“I’m not alright. Something happened…” He trailed off and looked back at the door. “I need you to leave here, alright? Go to Boston.” He reached into his coat pocket and took out a wallet. “I’ll pay for a cab there.”

 

“No, no. What happened? What’s wrong?” Lyle clapped a hand on Marcus’s shoulder, looking him in the eyes. But Marcus looked away as he tucked his wallet back into his pocket. “You have to see a doctor. You don’t look well at all.”

 

“No!” Marcus snapped and pushed his hand away. “It’s a curse. It’s a horrible thing…There’s nothing you can do about it. Now just listen; if you see a man with a young girl…He has…” He trailed off, thinking for a moment. “Dark hair, pulled back when I saw it, and the girl fair. Stay away from them.” Marcus stared up at Lyle for a moment as it sank in. “I-I can’t tell you why. Just please listen.”

 

The thought of Marcus being crazy passed through his head, although he wanted to push it away. His brother wasn’t insane. Perhaps at the closest delirious. Lyle touched his brother’s forehead gently and went to the phone in the back of the room.

 

“Doctor Miller should be home…” Lyle muttered as he picked up the phone.

 

“Lyle!” Marcus rushed over and snatched the phone, slamming it down on the receiver. “I said I’m not <i>sick</i>!”  He held his brother’s chin while glaring into his eyes. “You will listen to me, Lyle. If you see them, do not speak to them.” He drew a deep breath and he whispered his last words softly and carefully, as if they were listening themselves. “They are monsters.” </b>

 

“Usually I’d feed off the drunks at the bar…” James murmured as he sat down on Lyle’s couch in the apartment. His head was in his hands and not too long ago he had been complaining of a headache. “They always tasted like alcohol.” He snorted and looked up at Lyle, smiling. But the smile didn’t mask the sickness on his face.

 

Lyle went to the window and looked out to look over the city streets. It was nearing twelve about now and not many were out. He went to the dresser in the corner of the room and opened a drawer, searching for something. He took out gloves and tossed them to James, sighing quietly.

“Come on. Let’s go get you something.” Lyle then went to the door before patiently waiting for James. James got up slowly, taking his time before he came to the door and followed Lyle out to the sidewalk. Lyle looked down the sidewalk before beginning to walk. “We need someone with no life, no family, no point with life…” Lyle looked at James with a charming smile spreading on his lips. “A waif.”

 

“Downtown.” James snorted.

 

“I had a feeling someone like you would know.” They continued down the street and after about thirty minutes they saw someone ahead. Lyle strained to see in the dark, but luckily the figure moved into the light under the street lamps. Her attire included a short skirt, almost six inches above her knees, and a shirt with a plunging neckline and no shoulders. She James took the gloves from before from his pocket and put them on. Lyle looked at James and chuckled. “Who goes?”

 

“You. Then bring her back into the alley.” He gestured to the dark area and then James grinned. It seemed to reflect in his eyes wickedly. “Don’t want to ruin my reputation.”

 

Lyle went to the woman, seeing she wasn’t very attractive. He smiled at her and said quietly,

 

“In the alleyway. I’ll pay you there.” He took her hand and led her away into the dark alley. He saw James’ figure against the wall. Lyle pushed the woman to James and he shoved her against the wall. Without any hesitation he buried his face into her neck and bit her. The woman stiffened greatly, although the was no noise or struggle from her. After a few moments, Lyle saw her body drop onto the ground and he heard a great sigh.

 

Lyle saw movement from James, although he couldn’t see what he was moving for. He moved and kneeled down beside James and saw a flash of metal. Lyle realized what James was doing. James brought the knife across the woman’s throat to conceal the two puncture wounds. He then closed the switchblade and put it back into his pocket.

 

“How sour.” James commented dryly as he stood and looked up at Lyle, grinning.

 

* * *

James went his own way when Lyle had to go to work. He saw Leslie there at the bar again, and he served her water.

 

“No,” She sighed. “I’ll have a bloody Mary today.” She smiled up at him and he smiled back as he prepared it. Once she had the drink, she took a sip and reached into a pocket. She placed down the drink and looked down at something Lyle could not see. He turned away as he attended another customer, and then upon turning back to Leslie, there was a ten dollar bill placed under the untouched water glass. Paying for the drink and leaving a tip. She smiled up at him. “A tip.”

 

He smiled back and took it, shoving it into a box underneath the bar. Another customer impatiently tapped the bar, calling him over. Lyle quickly said,

 

“Thanks, Mary.” The nickname was obvious from the Bloody Marys that had seemed to cause a joke between them. She only flashed a smile before he attended the customer.

 

 

Leslie waited until Lyle was finished with work. She didn’t order anything else, only waited patiently. When he wasn’t busy, he spoke with her. He learned she was ‘eighteen years old’. Of course they both knew that was when she was only turned into a vampire since she had mentioned to him earlier she was forty years old or so. When he was finally leaving, he escorted her out of the bar.

 

“Why did you wait?”

 

She shrugged in response.

 

“I have nothing else to do.” She stopped and looked out into the street as if in thought for a moment. “I moved here from Massachusetts after getting out of college.” She smiled at him. “Where did you come from?”

 

“Oh, from Luke in Massachusetts. Ever been there?”

 

“I’ve heard of it. Never been there.” He looked off, watching the street lamps. They had come on more than an hour ago. Right now it was around eleven o’clock at night. Leslie had stopped at the bar around nine o’clock. He wasn’t really happy that she had waited for him; but he wasn’t annoyed either. He didn’t know what to think of Leslie.

As he thought of Massachusetts, it made him want to go visit Luke. Or maybe Boston; that would seem a lot easier by train. He listened as a car went by. Two cars. “Was it nice?”

 

Leslie’s voice broke into his thoughts and he shook his head.

 

“Uh,” It took him a moment to come back to reality. “Yes, it was. Everyone knew each other well. Everyone was trusted.”

 

“Then who changed you? If everyone was trusted, how could someone there change you?”

 

Lyle’s face burned as he glared at her. He grew annoyed at how nosy she was.

 

“None of your business.” He snapped. “I better be getting home; it’s late.” Lyle turned, beginning to walk down the sidewalk as he shoved his hands into his coat pockets.

 

“No, Wait!” Leslie rushed up beside him, following. “I’m sorry. I spoke too soon.”

 

Lyle didn’t answer as he walked, watching his feet. It was a bad habit that was common between many Americans. He sighed, stopping and looking at her as he responded dully,

 

“Don’t you have somewhere you can go?”

 

She looked at him and blinked.

 

“Well, yes, but it’s early-“

 

“Then go. I’m not in the mood to talk.”

 

She bit her lip, but nodded, accepting this mood swing from Lyle. She stood still as he walked away, watching him until he turned a corner and disappeared.

 

* * *

Lyle decided to visit Boston. He wanted to see the town he had traded in over 90 years ago and had never seen since. He had enough money to take the train from New York there; so he did. He said goodbye to James, although he didn’t see Leslie again to say he was leaving. He regretted getting mad at her so easily since it seemed that she looked up to him in a way. He thought about her on the train as it went past the scenery of the towns and trees. And then, slowly, Lyle felt himself fall asleep…