We had taken to sleeping in shifts, me during the day, and him at night. So we could both be watchful when we were most awake.

I leaned against the wall, eyes closed, trying to ignore the constant pounding in my ears that was Isaac's heartbeat. It drove through my mind like a railroad spike, constant and always growing louder.

I could feel it building inside me, tearing at my insides, begging to be let out. I slid down the wall, head in my hands.

What is the worst pain you can think of?

Fire? Being burned alive?

It's not like that, it isn't a burning.

An Iron Maiden would fit better, you know, those old torture caskets shaped like dolls?

Now multiply that by five thousand.

That is how I feel.

And if I breathe, it gets even worse, the scent, the shadow of taste. It swirls around me, inviting, tempting. I can't take it. I knew I wouldn't be able to the minute we ended up in here.

I'm out of time.

My eyes fix on Isaac's sleeping form. I stand up, walking towards him silently. Kneeling beside him the scent is stronger, I can see myself killing him.

My mind shuts down, the monster takes over.

My lips brush his neck, and my fangs sink in. Heat washes over me, and I can feel my strength returning as his quickly drains. His eyes fly open, but he is too weak already to cry out. Anger flashes in his eyes, then sadness, and they go blank, blood stops flowing.

He's dead.

****

I'm not sure if they were watching me, or Kyle simply chose to check on me then. I was sitting in the corner, crying silently, my knees drawn up to my chest.

"Alex?"

I didn't look up. I heard him call out to the others. But I didn't listen to their words.

Never grow old, never die.

****

A month has passed, maybe two, I'm not really sure. I don't keep track of time much anymore. My life has fallen into something more robotic. I wake up every night, let myself fall into a daze when I go out with the guys. Most days I'm still myself though. When I am, I wont deny that I have fun, being a vampire has its upsides. But I can't forgive myself. I can't forget what I did. Every few days I'll slip away from the guys and visit his grave. Today was one of them.

In a sense I was lost, kneeling by his grave.

My fault.

Those words rang in my mind, like David's used to so often.

A constant reminder, one I would never forget.

But the guys were waiting, my family, my brothers.

Now, like them, I was just another runaway.

Lost forever in the dark.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alternate ending

Darker

Sadder

Shorter

Opinion?

Luna