'Monsters': The Tale of the Vampire sneak peek

A sneak peek from the vampire's story within 'Monsters'

     Carmichael stood on the grass, his face pressed between two of the cold metal posts of the fence enclosing the property.  A large mansion stood in the distance, at the end of a long winding driveway, illuminated by the full moon.  The fountain stood as it had, but no water aside from rain had run over its surface in many years.  No one aside from vandals and partiers had inhabited those walls for just about as long.

     Screams echoed in Carmichael’s mind as he looked at the darkened windows, the aged brick walls, the ruined and neglected roof.  He clamped his eyes closed, trying to shut out the sound and unpleasant memory.  Tears formed along the rims of his eyes and he looked back at the house, pulling back and hitting his forehead against the cold metal fence.

     The house had seen its fair share of pain and sorrow, yet it stood steadfast for all these years.  And who knew how long the house had been there before Carmichael Wilhelm III had ever set foot in those tortured walls.

     Carmichael turned to the front gate, chained and padlocked shut.  A ‘Condemned’ sign hung across it.  It would seem no matter how steadfast, eventually everything came to an end.  Everything, that is, but him.

     He gritted his teeth, one of the tears that had formed in his eyes falling down his cheek.  “Condemned,” he said out loud, gripping the gate in his hands and swaying back and forth.

     He had an appointment with Dr. Hydecker soon.  An appointment he wasn’t sure he would keep.  But then again, what better things did he have to do with his time but talk to a sympathetic ear about his feelings, under the pretense that he could somehow help him get his s**t together.  A lovely sentiment, but also a fantasy.

     Carmichael released the gate, giving the house one last look before walking down the sidewalk toward Hydecker’s office.  He wiped away his tears with the back of his hand.  He did not want Hydecker to know what he’d been thinking.  That he had considered trying to impale himself on the spires of the fence around his old home.  Of course, it wouldn’t have hurt him; he would have been stuck there in unspeakable pain until someone came along and found him.

     Not that the idea of the pain bothered him; he would welcome that.  But the idea of being found hanging there, having to have someone remove him.  He did not like that idea.  Not one bit.

     If there was one thing Carmichael hated more than his immortality, it was feeling like he was not in control.  Hell, his immortality made him feel like he was not in control - he could not die even though he damn well wanted to.