“This person you speak of sounds like a terrible man! Are you sure he and my father are not brothers?” I asked the boy sitting behind me.

This time of year was nice. The sun setting. The horizon aflame with the afterglow of the day. Watching it was like a reminder. I have completed one journey today and a new adventure beginning tomorrow.

“Don’t say that.” His distressed voice caused me to turn around. “That would make us related.”

His knees pulled upward so he could use them to support his hands. At the sight of him, my heartbeat surged so quickly I fear this rapid beat might cost trouble.

“So? Siblings date one another, don’t they?”

“You did not just say that.” His shoulders shook from laughter.

I couldn’t believe I said it either. But it would be a necessary sin, I think. It goes to show I would have him any way I could get him, then to not have him at all.

“Or would you have rather some else claim me?” I asked him.

“You with another guy?”

He tugged his blaze colour watch cap further on his forehead. “Don’t put outrageous thoughts in my head,” he warned. “That’s cruel.”

I nodded and moved toward him. “You know it’s not possible, right? Me with someone else?”

His long finger traced across my lips, leaving in its awake a burning fire.

“I know. No one will ever possess you like I do, Katya. Therefore, you and I can’t ever be separated.”

“Yeah.” I agreed and pressed my palms against his face and kissed him. “You are someone who has become dear to me and you aren’t slipping through my fingers. That’s why this is the happiest and most enjoyable time of my life.”

“Idiot.” He tugged my hair affectionately.

“Huh?”

“You will have a lot of happy and fun memory from now on. Don’t sell yourself short by saying right now is the best.”

“But it’s because you’re by my side why it is the best. Long as it remains so, everything is fine.”

“You… geez! That’s cheating.” He frowned. “I can’t object if you say something so cute.”

“It will always be like this, right?” I asked. “I get uneasy when we separate. What if tomorrow you don’t come as we planned? What will I do then? Thoughts like that keep me awake. With your circumstance, it’s possible and I don’t like it.”

He squeezed my hand, and I held my breath.

“What do you want from me then? A calm, secure relationship?”

That wasn’t what I need. I could never feel calm with him, for his very existence made me anxious because he always made our time together seem like something unreal.

“I do not want that.”

“No?”

I folded my lips briefly, thinking. “I imagine a calm relationship will get you bored.”

“What about security?” His expression seemed genuinely curious.

“I am not worried about that either. If you can’t protect me, who can?”

As if desperate, his palms clasped my face and his eyes searched mine with an emotion I had ever seen before. “Then you must tell me. What is it you wish for, darling?”

“I, I…”

“Yes?”

“I… want to be bound to you.”

*~* _ ~*~ _ ~*

I dream about this person who seemed precious to me. Someone with the same heart. That person was with me, and I still couldn’t remember a thing about him. And what of the name he called me? It was given to me by my grandmother, who long since passed away. And our conversations? To think someone other than Nicole and I had knowledge about what my father did was gut-wrenching.

Who was this boy that kept invading my mind each time I close my eyes? Who was he I felt connected to? And why couldn’t I remember his face? Why was it always a blur when I wake? These dreams were driving me crazy! After a while, I shuffled into an upright position and rested my hands on my knees. Looking around Uta’s room, I groaned. I lumbered out of bed and walked inside his bathroom; Uta wasn’t here. I groaned again and reached for his robe. I put my arms through it and inhaled deeply. His outstanding scent filled my nostrils. I waited for a moment; then at a snail’s pace, I exhaled. I tied the robe around my waist, aware of the silence of the house before going outside on the balcony.

When I look back on my childhood, I felt like my father abused me. He spent a lot of energy torturing me rather than loving me. Thinking about him, I realised I couldn’t remember what he looked like. He was probably happy with a new woman and kids who weren’t freaks like me. He hated me ever since I was born.

“You’re not normal; there’s nothing normal about you. Your entire existence isn’t normal.” Those were his words.

I’d no happy memories of him, but my last memory with him—I’ll never forget. It was the night he almost drowned me in a sink of water inside our kitchen. It was close to midnight. I was nine years old. And he never even said he was “sorry”. That night I learnt the world is remarkably big and strong… an unknown place where cruel and heartless people live and walk among us every day.

I returned from my reverie and saw someone coming through the double gates. The figure didn’t look like one I’d seen. I watched the person from where I’m standing as he walked towards the house. Each step made seemed very urgent. I couldn’t see his face, but one thing was clear. He was a vampire. Before I knew it, in one swift movement, he was standing at the door. After a split-second the banging came, sounding like last week when cops bust down Jermaine’s mother’s door, looking for her crack-head boyfriend. I wondered where Uta was.

The stranger stuck his head out. His eyes shot upward like a rocket in my direction. I jumped back, frightened. I kept still, waiting for another knock that didn’t come. Instead, I heard Uta’s voice. I returned to where I was standing, this time leaning halfway over the balcony.

“Are you alone?” asked the person.

I gasped! That voice!

Could it…? No!

“No,” Uta replied, and the stranger stepped out further. That was my cue to move. Just as I’d the thought and pulled back, he looked up to where I was hovering, as if he could sense me there. I still couldn’t see his face.

“This person is mortal?”

“Yes.”

“We need to talk and since you’re not alone, it is best we speak outside. Shall we?”

“Guess I have little of a choice.” Uta stepped outside with the stranger.

I returned to the bedroom, removing Uta’s robe. It got tangled up in my crazy haste. Rushing to the bathroom, I searched for a pair of scissors to cut myself out of it. Luckily for me, I found one inside in a container with other pointed edge stuff. I sliced myself free, hoping he wouldn’t get to upset at my destruction.

Light grey carpeting covered the stairs as I hurried down them. I’d never seen this person here. No one ever visited Uta. I wanted to know what was going on. I sidled up to the door and placed my ears on it, but unable to hear a darn thing. Through the window, I notice Uta and the stranger were facing each other. Should listen to their conversation? I figured a quick peek wouldn’t hurt, and the anticipation was maddening.