The people of Kirov screamed as devils and demons ran through the street, killing all the citizens in sight. Many buildings (and people) were on fire, and the airships above sent down blasts that leveled buildings due to their sheer power. Alice tried not to cry as she saw the corpses of both of her mommies lying on the ground, as well as her grandmother. Alice had hid when the devils came for them, not knowing what to do, hoping they would somehow survive, and now they were dead. But they would be ghosts, right? Just like her? They could be a big ghost family.
Suddenly, Alice saw before her a beautiful figure, equally masculine and feminine. Their cheeks were covered with tears. “Who are you?”
“I am the Divine Compact.” said the figure, mouth not moving. “I am here to take the souls of your family, dear one.” As if on cue, glowing things emerged from the chests of each of the corpses, then floated around the figure.
“No way! They’re going to become ghosts, like me!”
The Divine Compact looked sadly at the girl. “I’m sorry, but your mothers’ spirits are ready to move on. But yours still is not. You are too tied to this world and what you have lost.”
“NO!” screeched Alice, trying to hit the figure with her fists. “You give them back! They’re going to stay with me and become a ghost family!”
The Divine Compact flickered away, “I’m sorry.” Its voice echoed as it left, souls in tow.
Alice began to cry.
Suddenly, Alice saw before her a beautiful figure, equally masculine and feminine. Their cheeks were covered with tears. “Who are you?”
“I am the Divine Compact.” said the figure, mouth not moving. “I am here to take the souls of your family, dear one.” As if on cue, glowing things emerged from the chests of each of the corpses, then floated around the figure.
“No way! They’re going to become ghosts, like me!”
The Divine Compact looked sadly at the girl. “I’m sorry, but your mothers’ spirits are ready to move on. But yours still is not. You are too tied to this world and what you have lost.”
“NO!” screeched Alice, trying to hit the figure with her fists. “You give them back! They’re going to stay with me and become a ghost family!”
The Divine Compact flickered away, “I’m sorry.” Its voice echoed as it left, souls in tow.
Alice began to cry.
A few days later, a repair crew entered the apartment. “We got three dead in here!” said a workman, pointing to the corpses of Alice’s family. “Identify them and let’s get them out.”
“This broad’s got a pretty necklace on her.” said another workman, looking over Big Alice’s wedding necklace. “Don’t think the dead lady’ll miss it, do you?”
“You get your hands away from her!” said Alice, popping out from the floor. “All of you, leave!”
The man jumped back several feet. “Melkar! A ghosty girl! Where’s your corpse, little one?”
The other workman sighed. “Someone go get the exorcist.”
“Nobody’s going to exorcise me!” said Alice. “This is my house! Go away!” She shrieked as the workman approached the corpse again to take the necklace off.
“Yeah, what you going to do about it, kid? Where’s that bleeping exorcist at?”
A few moments later, a priestess of Elolei entered the room. “Bleeping exorcist here. What we got here?”
“Ghost.” said the man, pointing to Alice. “Little kid, too.”
“Get out of my home!” screamed Alice. “All of you!”
The priestess began chanting. “Aaia-bound spirit, I release you from your chains. Aaia-bound spirit, I release you from your suffering.” The woman pulled out a vial of holy water and threw it at Alice, burning her horribly. The girl screamed, waving her hands in front of her face. “Aaia-bound spirit, time for you to move on. Aaia-bound spirit, get the hell out of here.” She threw more holy water at Alice, who screamed again. It felt like she was melting.
What to do, what to do? If she let herself go, maybe she could be with her mommies again. But if she did, she’d never be alive again, and that was the thing she wanted the most, to no longer be dead. The priestess threw another vial of holy water at Alice, muttering something about “damn stubborn ghost” and Alice made her decision.
“Aah, you got me, I’m melting, I’m a bad ghost, I’m melting, I’m going to the afterlife, goodbye!” Alice dramatically dropped through the floor as the exorcist rolled her eyes.
“Kid, you are fooling nobody here.”
Alice then decided it was time for plan B, which was flying the heck away.
“This broad’s got a pretty necklace on her.” said another workman, looking over Big Alice’s wedding necklace. “Don’t think the dead lady’ll miss it, do you?”
“You get your hands away from her!” said Alice, popping out from the floor. “All of you, leave!”
The man jumped back several feet. “Melkar! A ghosty girl! Where’s your corpse, little one?”
The other workman sighed. “Someone go get the exorcist.”
“Nobody’s going to exorcise me!” said Alice. “This is my house! Go away!” She shrieked as the workman approached the corpse again to take the necklace off.
“Yeah, what you going to do about it, kid? Where’s that bleeping exorcist at?”
A few moments later, a priestess of Elolei entered the room. “Bleeping exorcist here. What we got here?”
“Ghost.” said the man, pointing to Alice. “Little kid, too.”
“Get out of my home!” screamed Alice. “All of you!”
The priestess began chanting. “Aaia-bound spirit, I release you from your chains. Aaia-bound spirit, I release you from your suffering.” The woman pulled out a vial of holy water and threw it at Alice, burning her horribly. The girl screamed, waving her hands in front of her face. “Aaia-bound spirit, time for you to move on. Aaia-bound spirit, get the hell out of here.” She threw more holy water at Alice, who screamed again. It felt like she was melting.
What to do, what to do? If she let herself go, maybe she could be with her mommies again. But if she did, she’d never be alive again, and that was the thing she wanted the most, to no longer be dead. The priestess threw another vial of holy water at Alice, muttering something about “damn stubborn ghost” and Alice made her decision.
“Aah, you got me, I’m melting, I’m a bad ghost, I’m melting, I’m going to the afterlife, goodbye!” Alice dramatically dropped through the floor as the exorcist rolled her eyes.
“Kid, you are fooling nobody here.”
Alice then decided it was time for plan B, which was flying the heck away.
The girl rested in a cemetery, a place where she hoped she would be safe. Sort of sitting on a tombstone (though she didn’t need to sit, sometimes it felt better), she watched the funeral taking place across the graveyard. Ever since dying, her vision had gotten better. It let her see things like that, which she never would have noticed when she was alive. The funeral ended, and the people left. She was all alone in the graveyard now, and it began to rain.
Alice used to love the rain, the cold and wet feel against her skin, but now the rain just moved through her, ignoring her, like everything else did in life. Things either wanted to remove or ignore her now, except for that Divine Compact who just wanted to make things worse. Maybe it was ignore or make things worse. The only two options.
She waited there for hours, not knowing what to do next, until a tall, pale man approached her, carrying an umbrella. “Excuse me, small child…. would you like to get out of the rain? How about going into my… mausoleum.”
Alice shrugged. “It’s fine.” She twirled in the air, landing on the ground. “Why do you live in a mausoleum? That’s silly.”
The man blinked. “Oh, you’re a ghost! Wow, I’m so sorry, I thought you were a regular kid, I was going to take you to my tomb, drink your blood, turn you into a vampire, the whole shembangle.”
“How did you not notice I’m a ghost?” asked Alice.
“Sorry, my vision is really horrible during the daytime. I’m Ivan, by the way. If you still want to hang out in the mausoleum, that’s cool. I’m sure you’ll like it there, there’s a bunch of other kids down there.”
Alice shrugged. “Not like I’ve got anything better to do.” She followed Ivan to a mausoleum and floated on in. He led Alice down the stairs, to a large stone chamber, where there were various children, all looking rather sickly and many of them pale, sitting around at stone tables, talking, playing dice or cards, or simply looking bored. “Hey kids! This is Alice!”
“Hi Alice.” said all the kids in unison. Not a creepy “they’re a hive mind” unison, more like children in a classroom, who knew what to say when a teacher spoke.
“Anyway, she’s going to be a new friend for all of you, hopefully. She might even stay.”
“It’s better than being exorcised.” admitted Alice. “Are all of you kids vampires?”
“Yes.” said Ivan. “We take in orphans and make them vampires. Also sometimes kids that aren’t orphans, when we screw up. They’ll be happy forever in undeath. I’m their new parent now.”
“That’s cool, I guess.” said Alice, floating towards a table of kids playing cards. “Hey, can I join?”
“Our game is almost done.” said a black-haired girl dressed in fine velvet robes. All of these kids were wearing different oufits, presumably what they were wearing when Ivan had got to them. Some of them had nice clothing on, but most of them were dressed in ragged or ill-fitting clothes. “And how can you play cards? Aren’t you ghosts incapeporael?”
“Incorporeal? Yeah. Um, one of you can hold my hand or something.”
The girl sniffed. “I would hardly allow that. Too much room for cheating.”
One of the other vampire children, dressed in a tunic two sizes two large for them approached Alice, smiling in a friendly manner. “Hey, ghost girl, if you wanna play marbles, you can possess one of us or something.”
“I dunno if I can possess people.” said Alice.
“Oh.” said the vampire child. “Um, you could play hide and seek with us, as long as you don’t use your ghost powers to hide. Oh, oh, or we could play ‘I’ve Come To Learn the Trade.’ That don’t require any touching.”
“Sounds good.” said Alice.
The vampire child led Alice over to where he and his friends were playing. “Okay, Alice, you can go first.”
“I’ve come to learn the trade.” said Alice.
“What trade?” said the other children.
“Any old trade.” said Alice.
“Set to work and do it.” said the others.
Alice mimed getting bottles from shelves, talking to customers, pouring out drinks and the like. The children were all confused. “A shop worker!” “A factory man!” “A drunkard!” Alice shook her head to all of the children, continuing to pantomime. “Alice, we don’t know what you’re doing! Are you even doing anything at all!”
“Yes I am!” said Alice. “It was what my mother used to do, before she died!”
“A housewife!”
“No!” said Alice. She mimed pouring things into mugs and glasses more, wiping them off when the customers were done.
“A bartender!” finally said one of the children. “And that’s not a proper trade!”
“Yes it is!” said Alice. “It’s a lot of work!”
“Well, whatever, I’m next.” The child began to wave their arms around, thrusting them out and mimed chanting words. They also read invisible books and ate invisible food. “A king! A scholar!”
“A wizard!” said Alice. “You’re a wizard!”
“You must have used your ghost powers to get that from my brain!” said the child.
“Nuh huh!” said Alice. “You were really obvious.”
“Well, I’m no bartender!”
“Children, children, stop fighting!” said Ivan. “Children should be kind and loving to one another, because you are innocent creatures and will stay innocent forevermore. Let’s all hug it out!”
Alice rolled her eyes. Kids weren’t innocent, they were just kids. Kids did whatever they wanted, nothing more, nothing less. If they were better than adults it was because they knew less, also because adults only thought the best of children, and always punished them when they didn’t meet up to their expectations.
Alice used to love the rain, the cold and wet feel against her skin, but now the rain just moved through her, ignoring her, like everything else did in life. Things either wanted to remove or ignore her now, except for that Divine Compact who just wanted to make things worse. Maybe it was ignore or make things worse. The only two options.
She waited there for hours, not knowing what to do next, until a tall, pale man approached her, carrying an umbrella. “Excuse me, small child…. would you like to get out of the rain? How about going into my… mausoleum.”
Alice shrugged. “It’s fine.” She twirled in the air, landing on the ground. “Why do you live in a mausoleum? That’s silly.”
The man blinked. “Oh, you’re a ghost! Wow, I’m so sorry, I thought you were a regular kid, I was going to take you to my tomb, drink your blood, turn you into a vampire, the whole shembangle.”
“How did you not notice I’m a ghost?” asked Alice.
“Sorry, my vision is really horrible during the daytime. I’m Ivan, by the way. If you still want to hang out in the mausoleum, that’s cool. I’m sure you’ll like it there, there’s a bunch of other kids down there.”
Alice shrugged. “Not like I’ve got anything better to do.” She followed Ivan to a mausoleum and floated on in. He led Alice down the stairs, to a large stone chamber, where there were various children, all looking rather sickly and many of them pale, sitting around at stone tables, talking, playing dice or cards, or simply looking bored. “Hey kids! This is Alice!”
“Hi Alice.” said all the kids in unison. Not a creepy “they’re a hive mind” unison, more like children in a classroom, who knew what to say when a teacher spoke.
“Anyway, she’s going to be a new friend for all of you, hopefully. She might even stay.”
“It’s better than being exorcised.” admitted Alice. “Are all of you kids vampires?”
“Yes.” said Ivan. “We take in orphans and make them vampires. Also sometimes kids that aren’t orphans, when we screw up. They’ll be happy forever in undeath. I’m their new parent now.”
“That’s cool, I guess.” said Alice, floating towards a table of kids playing cards. “Hey, can I join?”
“Our game is almost done.” said a black-haired girl dressed in fine velvet robes. All of these kids were wearing different oufits, presumably what they were wearing when Ivan had got to them. Some of them had nice clothing on, but most of them were dressed in ragged or ill-fitting clothes. “And how can you play cards? Aren’t you ghosts incapeporael?”
“Incorporeal? Yeah. Um, one of you can hold my hand or something.”
The girl sniffed. “I would hardly allow that. Too much room for cheating.”
One of the other vampire children, dressed in a tunic two sizes two large for them approached Alice, smiling in a friendly manner. “Hey, ghost girl, if you wanna play marbles, you can possess one of us or something.”
“I dunno if I can possess people.” said Alice.
“Oh.” said the vampire child. “Um, you could play hide and seek with us, as long as you don’t use your ghost powers to hide. Oh, oh, or we could play ‘I’ve Come To Learn the Trade.’ That don’t require any touching.”
“Sounds good.” said Alice.
The vampire child led Alice over to where he and his friends were playing. “Okay, Alice, you can go first.”
“I’ve come to learn the trade.” said Alice.
“What trade?” said the other children.
“Any old trade.” said Alice.
“Set to work and do it.” said the others.
Alice mimed getting bottles from shelves, talking to customers, pouring out drinks and the like. The children were all confused. “A shop worker!” “A factory man!” “A drunkard!” Alice shook her head to all of the children, continuing to pantomime. “Alice, we don’t know what you’re doing! Are you even doing anything at all!”
“Yes I am!” said Alice. “It was what my mother used to do, before she died!”
“A housewife!”
“No!” said Alice. She mimed pouring things into mugs and glasses more, wiping them off when the customers were done.
“A bartender!” finally said one of the children. “And that’s not a proper trade!”
“Yes it is!” said Alice. “It’s a lot of work!”
“Well, whatever, I’m next.” The child began to wave their arms around, thrusting them out and mimed chanting words. They also read invisible books and ate invisible food. “A king! A scholar!”
“A wizard!” said Alice. “You’re a wizard!”
“You must have used your ghost powers to get that from my brain!” said the child.
“Nuh huh!” said Alice. “You were really obvious.”
“Well, I’m no bartender!”
“Children, children, stop fighting!” said Ivan. “Children should be kind and loving to one another, because you are innocent creatures and will stay innocent forevermore. Let’s all hug it out!”
Alice rolled her eyes. Kids weren’t innocent, they were just kids. Kids did whatever they wanted, nothing more, nothing less. If they were better than adults it was because they knew less, also because adults only thought the best of children, and always punished them when they didn’t meet up to their expectations.
A week later, Alice was thoroughly done with watching endless games of marbles and had played “I’ve Come To Learn the Trade” enough times to make her want to puke. The only interesting thing about marbles was that she had almost learned how to influence them a little. By looking at a marble a certain way she could sometimes make it move in a direction it wasn’t going, but maybe that was just marbles. They were always weird. The other kids had gotten wierd over the past week. Their eyes got more red, they got more tired and impatient. Alice hated when the kids and Ivan were all asleep, because she couldn’t sleep. It was 12 hours of boring nothing.
Suddenly, Ivan came to the center of the room, raising his arms. “My dear children!” he proclaimed happily. “It is time for us to find new friends! Make new friends, and keep the old. Our hunt will begin!”
The children all let out a cheer, and lined up behind Ivan. “Alice, you will have a very special role during our hunts. You will work with Valier and look as sad and pathetic as possible so other children will approach you.” Valier smiled at Alice. He was the only catboy, one of the kids who she would play with.
“That sounds stupid.” said Alice. “Kids don’t wanna approach pathetic kids. Why don’t I ask them to pay a game or something?”
“No.” said Ivan. “Children have gentle and loving hearts, and will want to help you. Now remember, let’s keep to orphans and homeless children only! Maria, I’m so glad you joined us, but the fact is your parents are still looking for you and that’s a bit of an issue. Now, children, our hunt will begin!”
Ivan led the procession of children out of the mausoleum, but once they were out the kids ran in all directions, except for Valier, who stayed by Alice’s side. “I’m so glad you’re giving me a little help. Other kids don’t want to approach me, except for my own kind, and even then they are a little worried by how pale I am.”
“What are you vampire kids doing, finding other kids to turn into vampires?”
“Yes, and finding adults to drink the blood of. We must have blood. I wish Ivan would let us go hunting more of then than this.”
“Okay.” said Alice, even though this kind of wasn’t okay and she felt bad about the kids of the people who the vampires fed from. Maybe that was part of Ivan’s plan too, though. “So, where do you wanna go? Where can we find kids?”
Suddenly, Ivan came to the center of the room, raising his arms. “My dear children!” he proclaimed happily. “It is time for us to find new friends! Make new friends, and keep the old. Our hunt will begin!”
The children all let out a cheer, and lined up behind Ivan. “Alice, you will have a very special role during our hunts. You will work with Valier and look as sad and pathetic as possible so other children will approach you.” Valier smiled at Alice. He was the only catboy, one of the kids who she would play with.
“That sounds stupid.” said Alice. “Kids don’t wanna approach pathetic kids. Why don’t I ask them to pay a game or something?”
“No.” said Ivan. “Children have gentle and loving hearts, and will want to help you. Now remember, let’s keep to orphans and homeless children only! Maria, I’m so glad you joined us, but the fact is your parents are still looking for you and that’s a bit of an issue. Now, children, our hunt will begin!”
Ivan led the procession of children out of the mausoleum, but once they were out the kids ran in all directions, except for Valier, who stayed by Alice’s side. “I’m so glad you’re giving me a little help. Other kids don’t want to approach me, except for my own kind, and even then they are a little worried by how pale I am.”
“What are you vampire kids doing, finding other kids to turn into vampires?”
“Yes, and finding adults to drink the blood of. We must have blood. I wish Ivan would let us go hunting more of then than this.”
“Okay.” said Alice, even though this kind of wasn’t okay and she felt bad about the kids of the people who the vampires fed from. Maybe that was part of Ivan’s plan too, though. “So, where do you wanna go? Where can we find kids?”
They were on the rough side of town now. Valier and Alice were wandering around, looking for orphans. Suddenly, Alice saw a little kid, or maybe young catfolks were called kittens (Alice didn’t really know) begging by the side of the street. “Please, even a copper will help! Please, my parents died in the invasion. Please, you must help me!”
The poor kitten was kicked away by a human man, a tall imposing fellow with a barely clad woman on his arm. “Get away, you little furball! Go beg elsewhere!” The cat child began to cry as the man walked away, laughing, and Alice approached her.
“Hey kid. Humans are awful mean, huh.”
“Are you a ghost?” asked the cat girl. “Or am I imagining you? If you’re a ghost, do you know where my parents are? Are they happy now?”
Alice felt bad about what she was about to do, but she nodded. “Yeah, they sent me to go get you. Follow me, okay, and I’ll lead you to them.”
The cat girl spung to her feet and put her sign down, happily following Alice into a dark alleyway. That was when Valier struck. Alice kept a lookout as the vampire made the girl into a creature just like him. Picking her up over his shoulders, he smiled. “Good work Alice, she will be our friend now. I know she’ll be happier with us than out there on the streets.” Alice wasn’t so sure, but shrugged. “Okay, let’s go find you someone for you to drink from. You can carry her while we work?”
“Nobody will ever see me.”
The poor kitten was kicked away by a human man, a tall imposing fellow with a barely clad woman on his arm. “Get away, you little furball! Go beg elsewhere!” The cat child began to cry as the man walked away, laughing, and Alice approached her.
“Hey kid. Humans are awful mean, huh.”
“Are you a ghost?” asked the cat girl. “Or am I imagining you? If you’re a ghost, do you know where my parents are? Are they happy now?”
Alice felt bad about what she was about to do, but she nodded. “Yeah, they sent me to go get you. Follow me, okay, and I’ll lead you to them.”
The cat girl spung to her feet and put her sign down, happily following Alice into a dark alleyway. That was when Valier struck. Alice kept a lookout as the vampire made the girl into a creature just like him. Picking her up over his shoulders, he smiled. “Good work Alice, she will be our friend now. I know she’ll be happier with us than out there on the streets.” Alice wasn’t so sure, but shrugged. “Okay, let’s go find you someone for you to drink from. You can carry her while we work?”
“Nobody will ever see me.”
They wandered around, Alice occasionally pointing out people for Valier to drink from. “There’s a cat lady and one of those Assel. Maybe you could drink from him.”
Valier shook his head. “Blue is an appetite suppressant. Plus, his girlfriend will probably fight us.”
“There’s a human guy. Hey, is that the same guy that kicked our new friend?”
“It is.” said Valier. “But how would we distract him?”
Alice had an idea that just might work. Turning invisble and floating towards the man, Alice suddenly jumped into his body. The man shivered as Alice got control of him. The lady next to him paused. “W-wwhat’s wrong, sir?”
“I just have a sudden urge to go into that dark alley over there!” said Alice, pointing to the dark alley. She began running towards it, awkwardly at first because she was unused to this new body. The woman followed her.
“Sir, are you feeling alright? Do you need me to-?”
“No, go away!” Alice continued running, and met up with Valier. “Okay, I’m here. Get me.”
Valier leaped on top of the man who Alice was in the body of, sticking his fangs into his neck and drinking him dry. Alice thought about leaving the body, but realized he would probably fight back. Best for Valier to drink this guy into unconciousness and then leave. She hoped that lady would get him some medical attention, even if he was a huge big awful jerk.
Alice left the body as she felt the guy hitting unconciousness, but Valier kept drinking. “Hey! That’s enough!” But Valier didn’t stop. When he did, the man was clearly dead.
“I’m sorry, Alice… I’m just so hungry, I haven’t had anything in a week.”
Alice sighed. “Well, he was kind of awful, but-”
The girl was interrupted by the woman’s screams. “Artis! Artis, Artis! You’re dead!” Valier and Alice ran away to watch as the woman dropped to her knees, checking the man’s pulse. Then she noticed the teeth marks. “Vampires! You were killed by a vampire!”
Alice looked to Valier. “Hey, come on, let’s go.” But the cat boy was looking hungrily at the woman. “Valier, no. Not her, too!”
“I’m sorry, Alice. But I just can’t-”
The woman shrieked as the tiny vampire leapt on top of her, struggling to get him off as he began draining her dry. Alice shrieked as well. “No! Stop! Police! Somebody!” But nobody listened to any of this. Moments later, this woman was dead as well. Valier wiped his mouth.
“Finally. So full.”
“Valier, I’m going to tell Ivan about this.”
“He won’t care. He hates adults. Only children are worth anything. Only children are pure.” Valier picked up the cat girl’s body and began to run. “In fact, I bet he’ll be happy.”
Valier shook his head. “Blue is an appetite suppressant. Plus, his girlfriend will probably fight us.”
“There’s a human guy. Hey, is that the same guy that kicked our new friend?”
“It is.” said Valier. “But how would we distract him?”
Alice had an idea that just might work. Turning invisble and floating towards the man, Alice suddenly jumped into his body. The man shivered as Alice got control of him. The lady next to him paused. “W-wwhat’s wrong, sir?”
“I just have a sudden urge to go into that dark alley over there!” said Alice, pointing to the dark alley. She began running towards it, awkwardly at first because she was unused to this new body. The woman followed her.
“Sir, are you feeling alright? Do you need me to-?”
“No, go away!” Alice continued running, and met up with Valier. “Okay, I’m here. Get me.”
Valier leaped on top of the man who Alice was in the body of, sticking his fangs into his neck and drinking him dry. Alice thought about leaving the body, but realized he would probably fight back. Best for Valier to drink this guy into unconciousness and then leave. She hoped that lady would get him some medical attention, even if he was a huge big awful jerk.
Alice left the body as she felt the guy hitting unconciousness, but Valier kept drinking. “Hey! That’s enough!” But Valier didn’t stop. When he did, the man was clearly dead.
“I’m sorry, Alice… I’m just so hungry, I haven’t had anything in a week.”
Alice sighed. “Well, he was kind of awful, but-”
The girl was interrupted by the woman’s screams. “Artis! Artis, Artis! You’re dead!” Valier and Alice ran away to watch as the woman dropped to her knees, checking the man’s pulse. Then she noticed the teeth marks. “Vampires! You were killed by a vampire!”
Alice looked to Valier. “Hey, come on, let’s go.” But the cat boy was looking hungrily at the woman. “Valier, no. Not her, too!”
“I’m sorry, Alice. But I just can’t-”
The woman shrieked as the tiny vampire leapt on top of her, struggling to get him off as he began draining her dry. Alice shrieked as well. “No! Stop! Police! Somebody!” But nobody listened to any of this. Moments later, this woman was dead as well. Valier wiped his mouth.
“Finally. So full.”
“Valier, I’m going to tell Ivan about this.”
“He won’t care. He hates adults. Only children are worth anything. Only children are pure.” Valier picked up the cat girl’s body and began to run. “In fact, I bet he’ll be happy.”
While there had been 18 vampire children before, there were now nearly 30, all lined up happily as Ivan inspected them. “Here’s our new friends! All our new friends!” Ivan sung. “We will all be friends forever! Hooray! Welcome children, you are vampires now! You will live with us forever!”
Some of the children began to cry, while others simply looked dead inside, which they technically were. The cat girl looked at Alice, a hateful look in her eyes. “You said you were taking me to my parents. But now I will never be with them! All you damned humans are liars!”
Alice opened her mouth to appologize, but Ivan simply shook his head. “But now you have a new family. And in our new family, nobody is a racist, nobody is cruel, we are all happy together forever! I am your new father. And we are all siblings. Now, children, it’s off to bed, good night!”
The children sighed and began getting into their coffins (which had once held the dead members of Ivan’s family) as Ivan approached Alice. “Alice, Valier told me about your special skills and how you used them today. I’m very proud of you, and I’m so glad you joined us. You’re just what we needed.”
“Yeah, about that.” said Alice. “I dunno if I want to stay here anymore. I think there’s too much difference between the vampires and me, after all, we don’t really have that much in common.”
‘Well, you’ll both be children forever, and all children should be friends.” said Ivan. “We can be different and still be friends. You have to stay.”
Alice shook her head. “I dunno. I dunno, Ivan.”
“That’s father, dear.”
Alice’s body felt cold. “Ivan, I-”
“I’m going to sing you a special song.” Alice sighed, not ready for more of Ivan’s horrible singing. “We are all friends. Friends until the end. Friends and a family. Family forever. We’re all happy now. And we’ll obey.”
Alice felt her will being crushed, but was bizarrely fine with that. “Yes father. We’re family forever. And we’ll obey.”
Some of the children began to cry, while others simply looked dead inside, which they technically were. The cat girl looked at Alice, a hateful look in her eyes. “You said you were taking me to my parents. But now I will never be with them! All you damned humans are liars!”
Alice opened her mouth to appologize, but Ivan simply shook his head. “But now you have a new family. And in our new family, nobody is a racist, nobody is cruel, we are all happy together forever! I am your new father. And we are all siblings. Now, children, it’s off to bed, good night!”
The children sighed and began getting into their coffins (which had once held the dead members of Ivan’s family) as Ivan approached Alice. “Alice, Valier told me about your special skills and how you used them today. I’m very proud of you, and I’m so glad you joined us. You’re just what we needed.”
“Yeah, about that.” said Alice. “I dunno if I want to stay here anymore. I think there’s too much difference between the vampires and me, after all, we don’t really have that much in common.”
‘Well, you’ll both be children forever, and all children should be friends.” said Ivan. “We can be different and still be friends. You have to stay.”
Alice shook her head. “I dunno. I dunno, Ivan.”
“That’s father, dear.”
Alice’s body felt cold. “Ivan, I-”
“I’m going to sing you a special song.” Alice sighed, not ready for more of Ivan’s horrible singing. “We are all friends. Friends until the end. Friends and a family. Family forever. We’re all happy now. And we’ll obey.”
Alice felt her will being crushed, but was bizarrely fine with that. “Yes father. We’re family forever. And we’ll obey.”
Ivan laughed happily as he saw the fifty vampires assembled. “Our friends! Our new and dear friends! We’ve all done so well getting new friends! Especially you, Alice.”
“Thank you, father.” said Alice, feeling a surge of pride. All she wanted to do was make her father Ivan happy. And now he was happy. “I know we will all be friends.”
Most of the children didn’t want to play with Alice anymore, telling her she was wierd now, but that was fine. She didn’t need to play with anyone else. She could have fun with herself, and that was fine, because children were full of innocence and happiness. Children were always happy, never sad, because children being sad was bad. Her father wanted every child to be part of his special family and happy forever. Then there would be children and children and children.
The black haired snooty girl from before, who Alice had learned was named Maria, approached Alice after the meeting. “Alice, not like I care about you, but are you okay? You’re…. really acting strange lately. What’s wrong?”
“I am not acting strange. I am acting happy like a child. I am a child.”
Maria blinked. “Okay, that just confirmed it. Alice, I know you’re a ghost, and ghosts are wierd, but that’s wierd even for ghosts. I’m going to get to the bottom of this.”
“Thank you, father.” said Alice, feeling a surge of pride. All she wanted to do was make her father Ivan happy. And now he was happy. “I know we will all be friends.”
Most of the children didn’t want to play with Alice anymore, telling her she was wierd now, but that was fine. She didn’t need to play with anyone else. She could have fun with herself, and that was fine, because children were full of innocence and happiness. Children were always happy, never sad, because children being sad was bad. Her father wanted every child to be part of his special family and happy forever. Then there would be children and children and children.
The black haired snooty girl from before, who Alice had learned was named Maria, approached Alice after the meeting. “Alice, not like I care about you, but are you okay? You’re…. really acting strange lately. What’s wrong?”
“I am not acting strange. I am acting happy like a child. I am a child.”
Maria blinked. “Okay, that just confirmed it. Alice, I know you’re a ghost, and ghosts are wierd, but that’s wierd even for ghosts. I’m going to get to the bottom of this.”
Alice was on the hunt, three other vampire children behind her. They had infiltraited an orphanage, the jackpot. Now all there was to do was to get the orphans out without alerting the orphanage’s master.
Alice slunk into the bedroom of the orphan master, who had fallen asleep on his desk reading a book on proper childcare. She began to slide inside his body when she saw Maria, who was carrying a wand of some sort. Before she could react, the girl pointed it at Alice, saying magical words as she did so.
Suddenly, Alice had no idea what she was doing here. Why was she in this old man’s bedroom? Why was Maria here? “Maria, what the heck is going on? W-what-”
“Good, you’re back to normal.” said the vampire girl. “Alice, you need to go. Ivan was controlling your mind, making you his puppet. I stole this wand, it broke the enchantment.”
“I thought us undead weren’t able to be mind controlled.”
“Yes, we can be.” said Maria.
“How did you know?”
“Well, at first the symptoms were minor. I only knew them because my parents used to use mind-controlling things on me a lot. But then they got really obvious. Anyone with a brain could see them.”
Alice blinked. “Your parents used to mind control you?”
Maria nodded. “Yeah…”
“Wow, that sucks.”
“Anyway, Alice, you need to go! Run away! Fly!”
Alice didn’t need to be told twice. “Bye Maria! Thank you! Good luck with Ivan!”
Alice slunk into the bedroom of the orphan master, who had fallen asleep on his desk reading a book on proper childcare. She began to slide inside his body when she saw Maria, who was carrying a wand of some sort. Before she could react, the girl pointed it at Alice, saying magical words as she did so.
Suddenly, Alice had no idea what she was doing here. Why was she in this old man’s bedroom? Why was Maria here? “Maria, what the heck is going on? W-what-”
“Good, you’re back to normal.” said the vampire girl. “Alice, you need to go. Ivan was controlling your mind, making you his puppet. I stole this wand, it broke the enchantment.”
“I thought us undead weren’t able to be mind controlled.”
“Yes, we can be.” said Maria.
“How did you know?”
“Well, at first the symptoms were minor. I only knew them because my parents used to use mind-controlling things on me a lot. But then they got really obvious. Anyone with a brain could see them.”
Alice blinked. “Your parents used to mind control you?”
Maria nodded. “Yeah…”
“Wow, that sucks.”
“Anyway, Alice, you need to go! Run away! Fly!”
Alice didn’t need to be told twice. “Bye Maria! Thank you! Good luck with Ivan!”
But now Alice was in the same position she was in before. A ghost without a home. No place to be. She also had to worry about the small army of child vampires that apparently infested the city and Ivan finding her again. Maybe she could go to where that school was? Those two girls who saved her were nice, maybe they would be there still. It was at least some place to go.
Flying towards the school. Alice saw a familiar face. Vana?! He was unloading boxes onto some sort of car. Where was he going?
Alice followed him to an apartment, where he, the baby who the girls had named Morty (she had always thought of it as ‘The Baby’), Isha (that was that kid’s name, right?) and some sort of medusa began unpacking the the boxes, along with a cat lady. Alice simply watched, waiting until she could talk to Vana alone. Soon, everyone retired to various rooms and Vana got in a bed. Alice floated into the room. “Hey!” she whispered. “Psp! Vana! It’s me!”
Vana’s eyes went wide as he saw Alice. “Alice!” he signed. “I thought you went to go live with your mothers!”
“Yeah, they’re dead. They died in the invasion, about a month ago. I’ve been kind of wandering around, looking for somewhere new to stay, got mixed up in some bad business I don’t really want to talk about, then I saw you. Can I haunt your home? Or will Isha exorcise me? He is a casty man, right?”
“Isha is a good person. He’s kind of like my father now.” replied Vana. “Isha and his boyfriend Nadir have adopted me and Morti. I’m sure they’d adopt you, too.”
“Even though I’m a ghost?”
Vana nodded. “Yes, they’ll still accept you, no matter who you are. It would be nice to live with you, Alice. You could be my sister.”
“That’s cool.” said Alice, breathing a sigh of relief. “You me and Morty, three siblings. Cool cool cool.”
“The only thing is that you have to call me Vara. Everyone’s gotten my name wrong for months and at this point it’s too awkward to correct them.”
“I can deal with that.” said Alice. “Anyway, what should I do, just reveal myself to them in the morning?”
“Sounds good.” replied Vara. “Alice, I’m glad you’re here.”
“Yeah. Me too.”
Flying towards the school. Alice saw a familiar face. Vana?! He was unloading boxes onto some sort of car. Where was he going?
Alice followed him to an apartment, where he, the baby who the girls had named Morty (she had always thought of it as ‘The Baby’), Isha (that was that kid’s name, right?) and some sort of medusa began unpacking the the boxes, along with a cat lady. Alice simply watched, waiting until she could talk to Vana alone. Soon, everyone retired to various rooms and Vana got in a bed. Alice floated into the room. “Hey!” she whispered. “Psp! Vana! It’s me!”
Vana’s eyes went wide as he saw Alice. “Alice!” he signed. “I thought you went to go live with your mothers!”
“Yeah, they’re dead. They died in the invasion, about a month ago. I’ve been kind of wandering around, looking for somewhere new to stay, got mixed up in some bad business I don’t really want to talk about, then I saw you. Can I haunt your home? Or will Isha exorcise me? He is a casty man, right?”
“Isha is a good person. He’s kind of like my father now.” replied Vana. “Isha and his boyfriend Nadir have adopted me and Morti. I’m sure they’d adopt you, too.”
“Even though I’m a ghost?”
Vana nodded. “Yes, they’ll still accept you, no matter who you are. It would be nice to live with you, Alice. You could be my sister.”
“That’s cool.” said Alice, breathing a sigh of relief. “You me and Morty, three siblings. Cool cool cool.”
“The only thing is that you have to call me Vara. Everyone’s gotten my name wrong for months and at this point it’s too awkward to correct them.”
“I can deal with that.” said Alice. “Anyway, what should I do, just reveal myself to them in the morning?”
“Sounds good.” replied Vara. “Alice, I’m glad you’re here.”
“Yeah. Me too.”
Author's Note: I never did do the revision of this story. I appreciate how I wrote this story and then it became a plot of the next session, which was possibly even later that day. Also, that it explains how Vana's name became Vara.
Word Count: 4004 words
Date: June 11th, 2015
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