Kevin couldn’t believe what he just had seen. He ran as fast as he could, not looking back. They would probably kill him soon. I didn’t dare to see them coming. They had killed this man, this innocent man. He probably had a wife and kids, just like his parents. He stopped by the first house they had visited, with the man who had blue hair. He wasn’t there, probably inside. Kevin was tired of running all the way. He rested against the fence, looked up at the sky. Thought for a minute.
They sat on the man, fed on him. They sat up, looked at each other. Then Oskar had.. Kevin felt shiver going down his whole body, twisted the man’s neck! Just the sound of it.. Bones breaking ten times in a row. He closed his eyes. They had been so nice, so funny. So.. He opened them again, looked around himself. They had been so fake, they had lied to him. Told him about vampires, pretended to know so little. Not bringing bags for their candy. He looked down in his hands, he still had their candy. They weren’t probably going to eat it anyway. All of it was his.
Soon he got his breath back and started running the last two hundred meters or so, home. As he got in he didn’t understand what he saw up the stairs. Bloodstains, blood drops. On stairs every now and then, Kevin knew. It was from them, that man’s blood. And the stains stopped by their door, and didn’t go further up to his apartment. He looked at their door, tried to figure out something. They were inside of there, he should do something. They just pretended to be his friends right? Maybe they wanted to kill him? Then why did they kill that other man instead? And why doing it while he was there? It would be much easier for them to do so when he wasn’t there, obviously. Something didn’t quite fit.
He wanted to hear something from their door, anything that proved him wrong. But nothing came. He lowered his head and walked up the final set of stairs. He opened the door, still with the candy bag in his other hand.
“Hello!” He yelled, his mom came from around the corner inside of there.
“Oh, there you are. How was it?” His weak smile faded, he felt his eyes getting wetter. He couldn’t hold it in, his mask faded. The door closed behind him as mom came running to him, Kevin fell on his knees. Mom lifted him up and pulled him on her lap.
“Oh Sweetie, what did they do to you?” Kevin could barely speak as he sobbed loudly.
“They.. They...” Mom stroked his hair, dried off his tears where it soon came new ones.
“Was Noah involved?” Kevin shook his head, mom held him closer. He sobbed louder.
“Tell me Sweetie, what did they do?” Kevin grabbed her, moved over her and rested his head on her shoulder. He didn’t want to see how she reacted. He didn’t even know what he did himself.
“They..” Mom stroked his hair, he was calmed down by now.
“Those two that came earlier.” Kevin said, still with weak sobs in-between the words.
“Yes?” Mom said.
“They’re vampires.” Mom stopped stroking his hair, sat there quietly.
“Really? Did you see it?” Kevin dried his eyes off, stepped out of her lap. Sat on the floor, looked straight at her. She actually took him seriously.
“Yes, I saw them feeding on a man, behind a garage.” Mom held in front of her mouth.
“Oh dear, and you’re absolutely sure?” Kevin nodded, started crying again. He didn’t want Mom’s embrace anymore, he pushed her away. But he continued talking.
“I saw their faces full of blood, and Oskar, the blond one. He..” Kevin put his hands in front of his face.
“He twisted his neck, bones shattering.” Then he started crying again and couldn’t speak in a while. Now his mom forced him to be in her lap, cuddling him and hugging him.
Kevin sat by the dinner table, dad was already asleep. But mom was of course awake. Dad had come in the hallway to see what all the fuzz was about, mom didn’t answer. Said something about him stumbling across something, and nothing to worry about. Dad had already half asleep stumbled into bed again and never awoken since. Kevin ate some of his candy, still with tears in his eyes. He couldn’t get that image of his head, their bloody faces. The sound of bones breaking. He closed his eyes. Mom walked in circles in front of him, trying to think this though.
“So they live downstairs right?” Kevin nodded. “In the apartment just a staircase down from here?” Kevin nodded again, ate his candy with his eyes closed.
“Do they live all by themselves?” Kevin opened his eyes, he assumed they had parents. But now things had changed, did they?
“I don’t know.” Kevin answered after a while. Mom crossed her arms.
“Well I am going to call the cops now.” Kevin mumbled on a piece of chocolate.
“Mmmm.. Remember to ask them about when they will .. Get them.” Mom nodded and went off to get her cellphone in her jacket. As she called the police Kevin sneak into his bedroom with the candy, then he lay down on his bed and put the pillow over his head. He didn’t want to listen to this. When he closed his eyes again he saw Oskar and Eli, blood smeared and silent. Staring at him, sitting on top of that man. Oskar stood up and yelled in echo far away:
“Kevin.” Then he yelled so loud it made the world shake. “PLEASE!” He yelled, Kevin curled up in his bed. His ears hurt, he felt tears running down on the side of his nose and probably making a dark spot on the sheet.
“Go away!” Kevin yelled. They had big teeth, Oskar wanted to get close to eat him.
“Kevin PLEASE!!!”
“No! Go away!” He started sobbing again. Mom opened the door, came in and held around him. Said she had called, said it soon was over. It didn’t help at all.
*
Oskar and Eli had dried each other off. They were prepared to leave now, they knew they had to. They had put Oskar’s movie inside the cover and put it in the brown memory box. Then they had gotten all the clothes and all the money from the kitchen lockers and put it in the big bag they had. They couldn’t leave now, they would only get to the end of the city, maybe. It would be better to leave as soon as they woke up the next evening and travel much farer then.
Both of them were silent, they didn’t really need to speak. Oskar had cried, Eli had cried. In just a few hours ago life was so good. The best apartment they have had in years, someone to actually hang out with. All ruined by bad timing.
They waited for the sunrise, sat in the couch. Eli touched Oskar’s back, it had healed by far. Oskar was still very sad, he leaned over Eli. Just sat there on top of him, not saying anything. They had experienced things like this many times before, and they were always stupid enough to think that this time it could end better. Something always happen when kids their age were involved. They never understood, got angry, scared, sad. It was actually a miracle that Oskar understood back then, something Eli had realized after these experiences. It takes a special one to actually accept them. And Kevin seemed to not be one of them. Oskar was the only one, Eli didn’t know what to do if anything happened to him. Eli never wanted him to get hurt, not even a scratch.
He started rocking Oskar from side to side, said with a soft voice:
“To flee is life, to linger, death.” Oskar held him tighter. They rocked for a while without saying anything.
“It’s hard to think that anyone would want this.” Eli kept rocking.
“Those who want this don’t know a thing.” He responded.
They wore their pajamas. Oskar liked it a lot, said it made him feel like a normal kid. Eli had no association with it, but he liked to share it with him. They wore them now, needed to be in a better mood. Oskar’s pajama was dark blue with small yellow starts all over it. While Eli’s was white and had black little starts all over it, In a way they looked like ying and jang. Just like with their hair colors.
Eli stood up and said:
“Let’s sleep.” Oskar nodded, took his hand. Together they placed their bag just beside their bed. They lay down in their little lair and got a good hold of each other. Moved the covers over themselves. But they weren’t that sleepy still, but they wanted to ley there for a while.
Oskar’s head rested on Eli’s chest. Eli stroked his hair, felt him breathing. It was so good to have him here, being sad, being human. He remembered how he was nervous about Oskar becoming like this, how he might lose his humanity, enjoy the killing. But he was still in so many ways the smart and innocent boy he had gotten to know in Blackeberg. Oskar had gotten used to it of course, just like Eli had with the killing. But he didn’t enjoy it.
Every move he made, Eli understood. He didn’t need to dive into his mind, he was like an open book with his whole body. With his face, eyes, lips. Eli looked down at him, he looked so healthy now. It was the vampire blood, it made his lips redder and his cheeks pinker. The face of an angel.
“What are you thinking about?” Oskar mumbled. Eli smiled, he had been blushing for a while now.
“What do you think I am thinking about?” Oskar looked up, then he started smiling. Eli blushed even more.
“Me?” Eli nodded. Oskar moved up to his head, lay his face just beside Eli’s face. Eli looked into his eyes, like blue crystals. Their noses almost touching, Oskar moved his hand up to Eli’s cheek, stroked it gently. Eli grabbed his body, moved it closer to his, kissed his nose tip. Oskar started giggling, dried his nose off with his sleeve.
“I thought about how you’re so perfect and human and.. Beautiful.” Now Oskar started blushing. Eli raised his eyebrows.
“You’re welcome.” He said. Oskar put his arms around Eli’s head and started kissing him. All over his face, his nose, both of his cheeks, his forehead. And at last, his mouth. Pretty soon they kissed each other deeper, and Eli could feel Oskar’s tongue touching against his. Eli smiled, opened his mouth wider, and kissed him deeper. A shiver went down his spine, his belly weren’t filled with butterflies anymore, but eagles. Big and mighty eagles of love.
I love you so much, love you love you! If you only knew how strawberries tasted, it would be like you.
Eli released himself, started laughing.
“Strawberries?” He asked. Oskar grinned still with a red face.
“Yes, they taste really sweet. Mostly.” Eli nodded.
“Okay then.” He sighed with a smile and bent down again, kissed him like they just did. Thinking that he tasted like strawberries.
I love you too. Forever.
*
Eve was at home resting when she got a phone call from the police office in Seattle. The man spoke about something she hadn’t even thought of. Vampire children. What monster would do that?
She had gotten up, told her loved one who was still sleeping in their bed that she had to go. It wasn’t that often that vampires were captured and considered. Mostly they were captured and killed, but who would kill two children?
She stepped out of bed, went to the bathroom and took a quick shower. She looked down at herself, water making her body move when it stood still. Eve smiled, finally something really exiting. It wasn’t too far away, an hour or so with airplane. She washed herself off, shaved her armpits, legs and groin. The she walked out of the shower and dried off quickly. She had to make it until sunset, that’s when they usually strike.
She looked herself in the mirror, blue eyes and white haired. She was young, beautiful. She colored her hair white, but really it was light blond. Her hair was wavy and thick and wet. Her eyes big and strong, she looked at the world’s leading expert on vampire psychology. All the way back to being a kid she was fascinated with vampires. But when they were discovered for about ten years ago she took her chance without fear. And studied those who were willing to talk, those who were somewhat “not evil” but rather just mean.
After getting her new clean clothes on, all in black. She jumped in their bed, her wife Sarah laid there. Eve held around her, stroked her neck with her nose. Then she kissed it gently, the slow kisses changed into a motionless hug for a few seconds.
“See you in a few days, don’t miss me too much.” Sarah mumbled something about that she would anyway. She grinned weakly.
“I will call you when I get to Seattle okay?” Sarah nodded and fell asleep again. It was after all five in the morning. Eve packed her little roller bag with clothes, extra underwear, all of her make-up. A book she wrote about her studies. Then she left, with her loved one left behind. Eve would miss her too.
She ordered her plane ticket on her smartphone. It didn’t even cost her too much, since it was in the middle of the week. Not many people were at the airport either, short lines and everything went smoothly. She got a window seat at the airplane as the sun shone. No bad weather, almost no clouds. She looked out, watched the cars looking like aunts. What monster would turn a child into a vampire? Most vampires were evil and addicted to human screams and not to mention their blood. Would the kids be like that too? Or would they be like normal kids, and why are there two of them?
By the time she landed she was tired, the seats were small and uncomfortable. Even for her who was slim. But she got off her plane and got her back inside the airport. Then she went to the hotel near by, in just the other side of the road. And she rented a room while she called Sarah and told her everything was okay. She had awaked by now and was ready for work.
“In just a few days right?” Sarah asked.
“Yes, unless something happens, then I would have to stay longer.”
“Oh.” Eve smiled.
“But that almost never happen, you know that right?”
“Yes yes. But is it a normal case then?” Eve grabbed her bag and rolled into the elevator, as it closed she answered Sarah.
“No not at all, but I can’t tell you much more right now. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
“Well I see you in a few days.”
“Okay bye.” Eve hang on her phone and put it in her purse again. If only Sarah could come along for once, that would be much better. But this was secret at the moment, the world would go insane. Now people would have to be afraid of not only strange adults. But strange children also. It even scared Eve a bit, what were they capable of? Were they like old people in their heads, or were they simple kids? She knew what vampires looked like, thin, pale, eyes beyond their years. Were the kids like that too?
When she got to her hotel room she called the police office again.
“Hey it’s Eve, I am in town.” The police man answered:
“Hi, yeah good!”
“So do you have any idea what we’re dealing with?”
“Yes, but we question their evil nature right from the start.”
“Why? Because they’re kids? Do you have any idea how mean kids can be to each other?” She thought back at the bad old days, her sitting alone. Hair pulled, backpacks disappeared, wounds on her knees.
“Well yes, but this case is rather different. It was reported by a worried mother, she said her son was witness to one of their feedings. But before that the two of them were the boy’s friends. Or seemingly, we’re not too sure.”
“And?”
“Well, we searched for the body they had killed, the mother gave a very precise location. And we found the man, but something was rather unusual. The man was also a vampire. And he was stabbed in the heart, but no weapons were found. He also had biting marks on both sides of his neck. Pretty small biting marks.”
“So you mean they could have killed him in self-defense?” Eve got a bit happier, now this would be interesting.
“Yes, we do suspect that. The mother also gave us the location of where they live, in the apartment under where she lives.”
“Really? Then when are you planning to strike?”
“By sunset, just before they would awake I guess. You have any better suggestions?”
“No, by sunset fits perfectly, listen. Let me come over and prepare what we could do.”
“Yes of course, please come.”
“Ok see you.”
“Bye.”
Eve hang up, lay down in her soft bed for maybe half an hour. Half asleep. Then she got up and ordered a taxi to the police station.
She looked out the window, no snow. Just a lot of buildings, but the people here looked slightly different. Like she had read it was a good mixture of Asian people and strangely enough Scandinavian people. She had never been here before, with mountains and water and really neat nature. No wonder people lived here, she laughed to herself.
She arrived at the police station, a man with somewhat big belly with a police uniform stood there, waiting for her. Probably the one she spoke to in the phone. Eve stepped out of the car, he spoke. It was him.
“Good you’re finally here. We have a lot of plans to make.” She nodded, shook his hand and walked with him inside.
“The first thing I want you to do is to talk to the boy. The one who was a witness.” Eve nodded again, but was kind of doubtful of involving a child. Most people couldn’t handle to see somebody getting killed. But she said she would give it a try. She followed him through the halls, many police officers crossed her path. All busy and in a hurry. Most of them had documents in their hands, papers and letters. Then the man named Robert, who she had spoken in the phone. He stopped by a door, and then he said:
“Be easy on him.” She nodded again, people had said before she was the silent one of her and Sarah.
“Ok.” Robert said, he nodded, and opened the door.
“Ladies first.” She calmly stepped inside, and the boy sat alone on the table in front of them. Beside him was a recorder, and two chairs on the other end of the table. Where she and Robert would sit.
The boy looked up at them, he looked tired. Probably had a rough night, and he surly didn’t smile either. His eyes were light gray, big and acing. His hair fluffy and dark blond. He wore a green thin sweater inside a bubble jacket in black. And an orange Palestrina looking scarf hung loose around his neck.
Eve smiled to him, sat down in her chair quietly. She twinned her fingers together, looked the boy in the eye.
“What’s your name lad?” She asked. He answered, just barely loud enough for her to hear:
“Kevin.” Eve smiled.
“Hi, I’m Eve. It’s really nice to meet you.” Kevin nodded, didn’t seem as thrilled as her.
“Let’s start with the beginning okay? But I need you to answer truthfully. We won’t tell anyone, and the recordings will only be used inside of this building. I promise.” Kevin lifted his eyebrows.
“Promise?”
“Yes, I promise.” Kevin nodded again. Eve continued, while Robert watched like a fly on the wall.
“So, how did you first meet them?” He looked up.
“In the courtyard outside our apartment. They were playing on the swings.” Eve found her little notebook, Robert gave her a pen. And she noted: Played in swings.
“Yes continue.”
“Well.” Kevin said. “Nothing special, when they were done with the swings they started chasing each other around, and I asked them who they were. Their names, where they lived. You know.” Eve nodded.
“And what are their names?”
“The boy is named Oskar, and the girl’s: Eli.” Eve nodded, noted down their names.
“Were they nice?” She then asked. Kevin nodded, smiled a bit even.
“Yeah, they were fun to hang out with, they made me laugh a lot. And didn’t try to be like anybody else.” Kevin bent down over the table. “Not that I saw them with anyone else but each other.” He added.
“So what happened yesterday?” Kevin closed his eyes, sighed. Tried to man himself up for this.
“We were out trick or treating. Funny how they don’t even eat candy, I have thought about why they went with me still.” Eve noted, they seemed to have some kind of conscience.
“Well, and then. They were scared of the hunting troops that passed by us. Now I see why.” Eve noted, nodded to him, Kevin continued.
“Then we were on our way home and we laughed about something. Eli suddenly said she had to pee. Which was pretty weird, then we were supposed to wait for her on the other side of the garage. Oskar kept looking back at the garage, and then he said he was going to see what took her so long. And for me to stay right there.” She turned to Robert, wrote on the pad, only for him to see: Did you find the body behind a garage? Robert nodded. Eve looked at the boy again, smiled and said:
“Yes, we’re fallowing.” Kevin nodded nervously, he seemed tense.
“And then.. I heard Oskar scream so I ran behind it to see if they maybe had a fight or something. Then I saw them pushing a man down. And Oskar had a knife in his hands, and he stabbed the man in the chest. He screamed and both Oskar and Eli bent down and bit him in the neck.” Kevin covered his face, Eve looked at him with a sympatric gaze.
“In what seemed like ten minutes they just sat there, on top of him. Drinking, I could hear the sounds. I was maybe five meters away from them.” Eve and Robert looked at each other, Kevin had cranked in his chair.
“When they got up again their mouths were smeared with blood, and Oskar looked down at the man. Then he grabbed his head and twisted it all the way around. Like.. Many bones breaking at once.” Kevin sobbed weakly, he looked at Eve wet eyed.
“Do you want to continue Kevin, or should we take a break?” He shook his head.
“No, let’s get this over with.” Eve nodded, gave him her knowing eyes, her patient voice.
“Please continue then.” She said.
“Well, after that they saw me, and Oskar said something.”
“What did he say?”
“He said: Kevin please. Then I ran. “ Robert pushed himself forward. Said as calm as he could:
“Do you know if they live alone in their apartment, downstairs to you right?”
“Right. But no, I have no idea. They said they were homeschooled. And that Eli lived a few blocks away, but that she basically lived there since she and Oskar were so good friends.” Kevin smiled a bit, for a change.
“But that wasn’t right, but I still don’t understand something.” Kevin added. “Can you tell me something?” Eve responded quickly.
“What?”
“Why didn’t they kill me instead of that man, if that was blood they wanted?” Eve gave Robert a questioning look, should they tell him? Robert nodded; Eve looked over at Kevin again.
“Vampires can feel the presence of each other, and that man they fed on, he had fangs. He was also a vampire. Oskar and Eli might just have saved your life, if that man was out hunting, and found you.” Kevin sat back in his chair, he looked into nothing. He was thinking hard.
“Now I get it. Maybe they weren’t bad. Maybe they tried to protect me?” Eve smiled.
“Maybe.” She said. Even Robert laughed a bit. Eve stood up, smiled down to Kevin.
“Then I guess we’re done. Thank you for your help.” Kevin stood up.
“When are you going to get them?” Eve looked over at Robert, and he answered for her:
“By sunset. Try to not be in the way.” Kevin smiled weakly.
“I won’t.” He answered. Then Robert and Eve walked out of the room, while a woman passed her by, probably Kevin’s mother. To go get him again.
*
Kevin lay in his bed, he looked up at the roof. He didn’t cry anymore, he felt bad. He had been the worst friend ever, not even Noah could top this. If only he had let Oskar talk, let him say what was going on. Then they could still be his only friends, and he wouldn’t have to be alone again. He wondered what they thought about him, and why did they chose to hang out with him? He wasn’t that special, was he?
Kevin left his bed, sat down by his desk. He had his computer right there, but instead he found a white paper, it was totally blank. Now, what had Oskar said. He didn’t want to write a love letter now, maybe later. This letter was for two friends of his. Or, maybe not anymore.
He used his time well, paid attention to the watch, he didn’t want to be late. He made a nice card, with a drawing of them, then he wrote inside. Put it in an envelope, all ready for a giveaway. Mom yelled to him, said it was dinner. He placed the envelope on his desk, then he left his room. More at ease.
They sat and ate their dinner, meatloaf and potatoes and brown gravy. It was boring, but he could live with it. He was simply too excited. His parents sat there silently, and just ate their dinner. Kevin hadn’t told mom what he got to know in the police station. They knew nothing about the other vampire man, about Oskar and Eli maybe being good despite of it all. How he was going to give them a letter. If he actually made it that is, he might fail. But then it would be worth a try. That’s what mom always said: It’s worth a try.
Kevin drifted off to a place outside the window, where he would sit in a three and carve out his name on it. Beside it he would carve the name: Lydia. Then a heart around it. And she would come, fly on the branch he sat on. She with the big curly blond hair and big green eyes. She would touch the carving, smile with her thin lips. She would take his hand, lean against his shoulder. And he would smile like Oskar did when he spoke about Eli, and their first hug. He and Lydia looked up at the sky, it was twilight. Everything was blue, Kevin awaked, twilight! He better get going!
He jumped off the table, both mom and dad jumped too. Kevin ran off while he yelled:
“Thank you for the dinner, I just want to be alone for a little while!” He ran by her with the letter in his hand.
“Okay, dear. “ Mom said. Kevin closed the door and went down the stair without shoes or a jacket or anything. He stopped and saw that their door was open. And the house lord stood by it, looking a bit nervous. He had the keys, and he swung them around. It made an echo that moved in the whole stair case. The man said nothing when Kevin moved closer to the door. He peeked inside, he saw people moving inside of there. Men in military uniforms.
“OK they’re ready.” Somebody said. Kevin walked over the doorstep and hid behind the door that went inward.
“I’ll take her, and you take the boy.” A man said. And from the other side of the dark room a man dressed in a military uniform came with two feet dangling from his shoulders. He turned around as somebody spoke to him, then Kevin saw Eli’s dark hair and arms dangling over the man’s back.
“Then the next one. Come on, and be careful.” A woman’s voice said, one he actually recognized. When the man carrying Eli had passed him by he ran to his staircase again without anybody seeing him and then he sat down.
A man came out with Oskar over his shoulder, he wore a blue pajama with little starts on it. Kevin had one just like it, he felt bad. What kind of a friend does that? Tell on his friends? He looked down at his hand, the white letter. I had to give it to them, somehow. On the front their names were, but also his. He wished he could make everything well again, help them escape or something. God knows what the police are going to do with them. But he knew he was too small, too weak. That he was used to hear, but that was just words. This was how it really was. He had betrayed them.
“Kevin?” Eve stood there in the door, she held a big black bag in one of her hands, in the other she held a black suitcase. It looked like something a spy would have, was she a spy? No she wasn’t.
“Hi there.” Kevin responded, he got up and walked to her. “Can you give them this, you don’t need to read it. Just give it to them.” Eve took the letter slowly, gave him a questioning look.
“Please.” She put it in the pocket in her black robe. She smiled a bit.
“Are you going to miss them?” Kevin looked down, nodded slightly.
“Yes they were good friends, new ones. But good.” Eve nodded and looked down at her big black bag.
“Well I have to go now, maybe I see you around some time.” Kevin smiled.
“Yes, maybe. Please don’t kill them.” Eve got a serious look.
“That depends on how they are.” She said.
“They are nice, does that mean you won’t kill them?” Kevin pleaded.
“Possibly, but now I really have to go. Good bye.” The man with the keys locked the door and went down stairs with Eve. And Kevin stood there, the only one left. All alone, saw her head disappear in the stairs. He sat down on one of the steps again and rested his head on his hands. Good bye friends. He thought. I’ll see you never again.
*
Eve said good bye to Kevin, poor kid. Something told her he had a good heart, probably didn’t think it would end this badly. But it did, these two vampire kids had to be secure from the world. At least until they were moved, maybe. Like she had said to Kevin, it really depended on how they were. But by the judge of it, they looked pretty good. They didn’t really expect to find to little vampires curled up together in a bed, cute as babies. She absolutely melted, and knew she would treat them nicely.
The two men from the hunting troop let them go in the back seat of the car, and fasted their seat belts. They didn’t want it to look like it was something serious, once the media got to know this the whole world would want to get a piece of these two. They had to do this in hiding, in a normal car. They wouldn’t awake in an hour or so anyway. They had gotten a dose of Holocaine , which made everyone sleep, even vampires. That was what the troop’s guns were filled with. Only in liquid.
The doctor who gave them the needles drove while she sat beside him. The two men from the troop had their own car, and drove straight behind them.
Eve looked back at their faces as they drove. Their shadows moving about as the car made turns and passed by lights. Both of them with their faces to the roof. They were on each side of the car, an empty space between them. It seemed so big, so sad. She gave their faces another look, she had never seen faces like these on vampires. Their lips were redder and their cheeks were pinker than normal. Their cheekbones didn’t snow at all, they looked like normal healthy children. Even a vampire that just ate didn’t have roses in their cheeks like that. Maybe because they were kids?
Another light flashed by their faces, the girl sat straight behind her. With black straight hair and long lashes. Eve had never seen such a doll-like face on a child before. Then she waited for the light so flash before the blond boy’s face. Both of them were pretty damn cute, Eve smiled. Looked forward again, she felt a little sleepy, it had been a long day. And it wasn’t even over yet.
When they arrived Eve went out and waited for the military men to come, and they sure came right away. She looked onside the back of the car she drove, the blond one’s face turned to her. He was also fare, just like the girl. Eve smiled to herself as the military men got out of the car and opened the door beside the boy. The man lifted him up and threw him carefully over his shoulder while the other man was doing the same thing to the girl. Eve got a glimpse of something golden around Eli’s neck. She looked over at Oskar’s neck, and he had the same thing. They wore bracelets. The men were about to go inside with them.
“Remember to invite them inside, just say as you walk through the door: You can come in.” The men nodded and walked inside, she heard them say what they were told to say. The last thing she wanted was for them to bleed to death. This was a brand new thing. She had never studied vampires together like she would now, how their connections work. She knew they sensed each other, something a vampire man had told her maybe eight years ago. And she found it most interesting, but this was something different. This wasn’t just for them to sense a stranger. But they actually knew each other, it would be interesting how they would deal with being apart.
The men put the kids in two different rooms right beside each other. Seattle like many other cities in Washington were well prepared for vampires. And since Seattle was big they made sure to have two cells. Most cities had only one. Now it came in handy. The rooms were dark gray and the walls were of metal. It had a speaker, a microphone and a camera on each room, placed to see and hear everything.
Eve and Robert were the only ones who were allowed inside the room where they would watch the kids. With screens and microphones and lots of buttons she knew how to use. Robert was rather uneducated, but he cached up fast when they had practice earlier today. They had decided that she should do all the talking, kids were normally more at ease with her voice. Strict men tend to be scarier for most people, compared to the voice of a woman. They had planned out what to say and observe their reactions to everything. Their dialog would also be recorded, and so would their actions. The little girl started to move slightly. Eve leaned over the desk, pushed her palms on it. And she thought: Let’s begin.
*
Eli awaked slowly, but he noticed a difference right away. He wasn’t in a bed anymore, but on the floor. He had never rolled off the bed before, in his sleep. Neither had Oskar. Eli tried to find him, feel him. His feeling wasn’t there, Eli started grabbing around himself. When he noticed no one was close, he opened his eyes fully and sat up. He was in a dark gray room, probably steel. And that was it, a light in the ceiling. A camera that filmed him in the corner, Eli looked around himself fast. Where? Then he noticed how dizzy he was, he had something in his body. Maybe a bit like alcohol, but he felt like throwing up also. No this was something else.
Oskar? You’re there?
Eli could still not feel his presence, what had happen to him? A lump grew in his throat, was he dead?
“Hello Eli.” He jumped, looked up to the camera. A calm and relaxed woman’s voice. Eli crept closer to the wall, pushed his back against it. How did she know his name? Where was he?
Oskar?
“Where is he?” Eli asked, he looked up at the camera.
“Who?” The woman in the speaker responded.
“The blond haired boy!” Eli felt like crying, what if he actually was dead!?
“Oh you mean Oskar?” Eli got scared now, they knew too much. He nodded carefully, curled himself in a ball while still sitting against the wall. She didn’t answer, Eli grew more worried, and also a bit angry.
Then he felt it, the weak and worm feeling of Oskar. He awaked, somewhere. Eli turned around, touched the wall with both of his hands. It came from there.
Oskar, you’re there?
The woman in the speaker didn’t say anything, she was probably watching him. But Eli didn’t care.
Yes, where are we? Where are you?
Eli sighed with relief, he was there. He moved his head up against the wall, crept closer to it.
I don’t know, a woman have talked to me though a speaker. You’re hurt?
No I’m okay. I feel a bit dizzy, you feel the same way? Eli smiled.
Yes, I am dizzy too.
Eli could feel Oskar’s legs moving, creeping closer to him. He jumped a bit when Oskar put his hands against his side of the wall, like a light ghost running though him. He could feel Oskar leaning his head against the wall, the presence of him got even stronger. His heart rose.
Oskar, I’m scared.
I know, I can feel it. Eli laughed a bit. Oskar continued.
I am scared too, but I’m right here. Let’s just.. Oskar moved his hand a bit to his left, Eli followed it right away. Made sure their palms where close.
Let’s just keep talking to each other. Oskar sent him a worm breeze; it was the warmth of all of his feelings. He had gotten so good at that. They had noticed many things they could do to each other though their minds, though their connection. And they had trained each other up, for events like this one. So that if they were apart, they would still be.. Together. Eli gave his warmth back to Oskar as he moved his other hand a bit down. And he felt that Oskar moved his hand after it.
*
Eve looked at their screens, this was amazing! As soon as Oskar awaked Eli’s body language changed. Then as they crept closer to each other with the wall between them. How they smiled and even humbled a bit without Eve hearing a single word being said. How they moved their hands along with each other, as if it was a window between them. But really it was a meter of steel, most impressive. Their connection was remarkable. Eve needed to get a grip, continue the program. Even Robert had his mouth wide open. Nobody had ever seen anything like this before.
*
“Eli, tell me what you feel.” He moved his head from the wall and to the camera up there. He had tears in his eyes, what the hell does this person want?
“I feel lost.” He answered.
“Why?” The woman in the speaker asked. Eli frowned.
“Why? Why do you think why?” Eli turned to the wall again. “Because there’s a wall between us.” He closed his eyes.
The woman is asking me what I feel, I answered: I’m lost. She asked why, I said because we’re apart.
I miss you too. Oskar responded, Eli smiled a bit. The woman spoke again:
“Why do you think you’re here?” She asked. Eli had an idea, and he sure didn’t like it.
“Because you think we’re evil?” It was silent for a while, Eli reported to Oskar what that just had been said.
“Yes.” The woman in the speaker answered. “But I’m beginning to change my mind.”
“Why?” Eli asked.
“Eli?”
“Yes?” He answered.
“How old are you?” She probably didn’t want to know that his body is twelve.
Protect me.
“I’m 270, more or less.”
If anything happens I will break this wall to pieces. Oskar sent Eli his warmth again, Eli started smiling a bit. again
“And have you ever enjoyed killing people?” Eli shook his head right away.
“No.” He answered. Maybe he had enjoyed killing people he knew were bad, like pedophiles and murderers and men who beat their wives or children because they enjoyed it. But mostly there were normal people; Eli knew he had stolen thousands of lives. Wreaked families, mothers. Sisters, daughters. Brothers, fathers, sons. But as long as Oskar was there it was worth it, then he had something good he knew nobody would ever hate.
“If Oskar was here, what would you feel?” The woman asked. Eli knew the answer right away.
“I would feel love, and joy. And I would also be relived” He turned against the wall again, Oskar was still there. Waiting.
I just told her I love you.
Good, maybe she will bring us together then. I hope so.
Me too.
Eli turned around again, looked at the camera.
“Please.” He pleaded. “Bring him to me. Please.”
After that the woman was silent, and Eli relied on Oskar updating him. Oskar said the woman asked him the very same questions, and he answered almost the same as Eli. He still pushed himself against the wall, longed for Oskar’s body close to his. But he got the feeling that she would keep them apart in a while. Where ever they were.
*
Someone working there had called the news, a sea of people were just outside the door. Eve was going to find a place to call Sarah, she felt lost herself. She had seen how the kids longed for each other, she imagined to be in the same position. She on one end, Sarah in the other, it had made her feel so bad. Eve needed to hear her voice, the kids couldn’t even make that happen. But now that people with their little cameras blocked the door she had to run off to the toilet to do the call.
“Is everything okay?” Sarah asked, Eve covered her face with one of her hands.
“No. I just.. Needed to hear your voice.”
“Is it that bad?”
“Just watch the news, but it’s more complicated than that.”
“When you get home I’ll find something nice we can do.” Sarah tried to cheer her up.
“I don’t need that, just you.” She sat down on the closed toilet.
“Aw, Sweetie. Is it that bad? You know you can tell me, I won’t contact anyone. Just me. I am watching the news right now, two vampire kids really?”
“Yes really. But the problem is. We have to part them in order to consider them, to see how they react alone. It hurts because they are so in love, I can tell by the way they move. Though the wall they move synchronized and and.. Both of them asked me to bring them together again. I see us in them, and they are old. Probably pretty old together.”
“You know what I think you should do?”
“What?”
“See what they do when they get to each other, now that would be something to consider. Are they scared?”
“Yes, they are, And they don’t really speak much, but they answer truthfully.” Eve looked up to the white ceiling, didn’t want to hear this. But she knew that Sarah was right. Why did she need to part them off? Because she was curious.
“Maybe they answer even better when they’re less scared. Are they kids in their minds also?”
“I don’t know. I am trying to figure it out. But I think it would be easier for the rehab in New York to figure that out. Rather than me, trapping them in a prison.”
Someone opened the door out there, Robert yelled:
“Eve is that you? I’ve been looking everywhere. The press want some answers right now, or else they won’t leave us alone! You can chat in your phone later!” Eve started whispering.
“But I have to go now.”
“Stay strong.”
“Yes. Bye.” She hung up, and walked out of the toilet booth. He stood there in the doorstep, looked pretty stressed out. With his small dark eyes and thin hair that fallowed his head shape.
“Well, come on then.” He said in a hurry. As they walked through the halls as fast as they could, Eve asked:
“What do you need me for? You’ve seen what I have seen.”
“Yes but since this is a special case they also want to talk to an expert.” Fine then, she thought. They walked though doors, pushed them apart, passed by other stressed out police officers. Then outside the building.
Lots of people with small microphones and tiny black video cameras jumped as they came out. And moved closer to her and started asking lots of questions at the same time, Eve was overwhelmed. A man came up to Robert, put a microphone close to his head, the reporter asked in a hurry:
“Are there really two vampire kids inside of this building behind you?”
“Yes, but don’t worry. The situation is under control.” He answered.
“Are they willing to cooperate?”
“We’re not quite sure yet, we are going to run a few tests before we start considering them to the rehab in New York. But until then we do not want any more questions.” The reporter turned his attention to Eve:
“Are they kids, or adults in kids bodies?” Eve didn’t know what to say, she had her thoughts.
“We think so yes, but we’re not too sure.” After all, Kevin met them while they were playing on the swings.
“But that’s all we’ll give, good bye.” She and Robert turned around, and many other people tried to reach out with their questions, Eve ignored them and went inside quickly. They both sighed, what a mess. Eve started walking again, she looked back at Robert.
“When we went getting them at the apartment, I noticed something between their necks. Some kind of jewelry. I will go ask them about it.” Robert nodded, fallowed her.
“And when I’m done with that we’re going to look though their belongings.”
*
Oskar had been leaning against the wall all the time, he knew that if he weren’t infected his back would hurt so much. He and Eli tried to make things better, sent each other songs and warmth and jokes. But it didn’t quite help, the least this woman could do was to bring them together. Oskar was so scared, what if they just picked Eli up and did something to him. Oskar had studied the walls, tried to measure the space between his and Eli’s hands. Maybe a meter, that is pretty thick. He didn’t know if he could break that, and Eli hadn’t done it before and had no idea. Glass, sure, stone, maybe. Three, but metal? Steel?
Oskar had tried to hit the wall as hard as he could, only one small bump was made, it was pretty solid. These were made for keeping vampires inside, he wondered where they actually were.
Oh Eli. I am so scared, the walls are too thick.
I know, I miss you.
Oskar lowered his head, and the hardest part of all this was when they were going to sleep. From the day they roomed Blackeberg they had always fallen asleep together, holding each other. Things had happened to them through the years, people had tried to hurt them, they really had to fight. But at the end of the night they always crept together somewhere and fell asleep on top of each other. It would be hard to only have a metal wall to lean against. Oskar had a lump in his throat; he knew Eli felt the same way. They simply couldn’t make it without being close. Those shopping trips proved it, even half an hour apart really did hurt.
I don’t think I can fall sleep without you Eli.
Me neither, but I’m here.
Yes.
“Hi Oskar.” The woman in the speaker said. Oskar jumped, turned around fast, to the camera in the upper corner.
“Hello.” Oskar responded.
“You want to tell me what’s around your neck?” Oskar thought for a moment, pulled out half of his heart. The other half was on the other side of the wall. He lifted it up, yelled:
“You mean this thing?”
“Yes.” The woman responded, Oskar let go of it. It fell on his neck again, he looked down at it.
“Tell you what?” Oskar said. “We can trade, you tell me where we are, and I’ll tell you about the bracelet.” The woman was silent. Oskar continued.
“Otherwise I won’t tell you anything.” She was silent for a few seconds, then she said:
“Very well Oskar. I can tell you. You’re in a police station, and this is one out of two cells specially made for vampires.” Oskar leaned against the wall again, a bit relived. At least nobody wanted to rape them or something, this was under the observation of the government. They were somewhat safe, it depended on what they were going to do with him and Eli.
Eli! We’re at a police station!
OH!
Yes, she just told me!
“About the bracelets.” The woman in the speaker said while Oskar spoke to Eli.
“Yes, umm. It was a gift I gave to Eli, and myself. Yesterday. It’s two pieces of a heart.”
“Why did you give It to her yesterday?”
“Because I wanted to.” The woman grew silent.
Anything happening? Eli asked.
She wanted to know about our golden hearts, I didn’t tell her about our fifty years. But I told her it was a gift from me, to us.
Yeah? What did she think about that?
I don’t know. She haven’t responded yet.
*
Eve didn’t know if he told the truth or if he kept something from her. She sure understood him well if he kept some things secret, but she was so curious.
“Well then, talk to you later.” Oskar bent to the wall, touched the wall again. As he did so Eve could see that Eli did the same thing. This still fascinated her very much, how did it work in their heads? She knew already by now that she would travel to New York with them, study them. She bet nobody else could, she thought. Since she had found them, brought them here, seen them interact and communicate. The first one to see of any importance that is.
She left the room, went into the room beside the control room. This room she now entered was all normal, like a small meeting room. Only with a desk and a few chairs, and then this big black bag in the middle of the floor. She had seen belongings of other vampires, both good and bad. They possessed mostly the same things, clothes, money. If so, pictures of family if they were lucky. Those who had memories they held on to were usually the good ones. With some exceptions of course, some bad ones had diaries, or pictures or old drawings. But they had different.. Topics. Bad ones had diaries of the ones they killed usually, detailed with how their victims died. Sometimes they were even tortured. Drawings to illustrate what they had done, or seen from for example when they were turned. Something she had learned from every single one of the, bad or good, was that they were once only humans. And someone bit them, in some way or another. And they were turned, they survived. Lived in terror, fear, hate, loss. Until they began to accept themselves, and then gradually becoming evil.
Eve imagined what would be in the bag of two children, maybe they even had toys. Who knew, and she was the one to find out.
She opened the bag, and she only saw a small white bag and lots of clothes. She picked up the bag, it was filled with money. She emptied the bag on the floor, streams of bills flew from it, and some coins too. But she noticed pretty quickly this wasn’t just Dollars, but money from other places too. Euro, Fran, Yen, yes even Swedish and Norwegian money. And they were pretty rare after Norway agreed on becoming a member of EU and had to use Euro, and Sweden accepted using Euro. That happened around the same time as vampires were discovered, less than fifteen years ago. She looked at the money, how interesting. Also, they had been traveling, pretty usual for vampires. Traveling a lot.
Eve looked inside the bag again, she pulled out some clothes. Most of them were really old, she could tell by the fashion. Knitted sweaters, flat scarfs, even a leather jacket. Also, some ugly purple pants, and sweaters with earth colors, in stripes and routes, shirts and socks and underwear. No dresses, strangely enough, maybe Eli was the tomboy type.
As she pulled out more and more clothes, a brown box appeared in-between the top and the bottom layer. As if the clothes were a pillow for protection of the box. Maybe it was? She picked it up, a bit big, but not small, hard solid, and made of wood. It had a lock around it, but it wasn’t locked she noticed quickly. Eve sat down on her bottom, all the time she had been standing on her knees and it started to hurt.
She opened the box, half smiling. This was already a good sign. The first thing she saw was a small disc cover, she picked it up. Looked at it, it stood: Pool killings (Oskar Erikson), her eyes got wider. She had seen that thing when it first came out, a few years back. She remembered what it was about, why did they have that? She looked at the name: Oskar Erikson. Maybe it was just something they liked? She looked down in the box, saw some old toys and a small hand sized photo album cover, in dark brown. No, it had to be something special, maybe it was him? Maybe Oskar inside of there was Oskar Erikson? Eve shook her head, it can’t be?
She picked up a few of the toys. One of them a really old Rubik’s cube, all the colors had almost faded away, and a white solid color was the base. But it was solved, Eve had tried that once. Both she and Sarah did not make it. After a while they gave it away to some kid Sarah knew who wanted it. But this might have been one of the first ones, it looked so old and it was heavier than the ones of today.
She opened the photo album, the first thing showing up was a picture of two parents baptizing their baby. At a church, the mother held her kid in a white little dress and the dad just stood there, like a lamp post, not knowing what to do. Underneath it letters were, and it stood: Oskar, then something in a different language, then a date: 1968. The picture looked kind of old, but it had colors. It was older than she thought it was, was that Oskar’s parents then?
She flipped the page over, looked at the other side of the page. It was an old picture of Oskar, and she could tell. He wore a sweater in blue and white stripes, with a V-neck that went far down on his chest. He had long blond hair, it touched his shoulders, but mostly his hair on the back of his head. He smiled weakly, and Eve could also see that he was a bit chubbier, but not very. It looked like a portrait picture a school would do each year. Oskar would still live if he wasn’t turned, but he would be much older than her. This was Oskar Erikson.
The next pictures were combined, and probably taken in a photo booth. They were mostly yellow and black. Oskar and Eli were in them, Oskar with long hair and with a slightly thinner face, and Eli looked like she did now. The same length of hair and the same face, only they were smiling. Widely and happily, they rested their heads on each other. They looked a little bit different in the four pictures that were combined, but they stood there and smiled in all of them.
The next one was of just Oskar, looked like they had bought a camera. Bare chested he stood there with some house lights behind him far away, with arms spread he smiled. It was dark, but the blitz was probably on, he was pale, but not as pale as he was now. With his long hair and pointy teeth. He had skin between his arms, like wings. She had never seen ones that small before, his body was one of a child’s of course. But there were smaller than usual, maybe it was new to him? She had never seen the process of someone becoming a vampire before. Eve took a closer look at his eyes, and she could see his pupil being longer, thinner like cat’s eyes. And the blue color in his eyes was reflected by the light, and made his eye color light blue and glowing. Like crystals or diamonds.
The next one was of Eli standing in the same position, pale and very skinny and smiling. Also with fangs and dark brown glowing eyes. But her wings were wider, more done. And she carried them with confidence.
The next picture wasn’t even a picture, it was a piece of paper with the morse alphabet on, also in three extra letters, one O with two dots over it, one A with two dots over it, and also one A with one small circle over it. She assumed they were Swedish letters. It was folded but the extra letters showed.
The next one was also a note, a really old one. Written with nice handwriting in Swedish letters. She had no idea what it stood, but by the end of it a heart was drawn. And underneath it something stood, and then the name Eli. Maybe from Eli to Oskar? The next note was about the same, with no heart, but something and then Eli. Yet another note showed up, a big and folded one. It was way longer than the other two, but in the end it said like on one of the other letters; something similar, she wished she knew was “din” meant, and then Eli.
Eve was so tired, she almost fell asleep where she sat on the floor with clothes spread all over the place. But she awaked by a great bomb, it was like giant hits, someone hitting something. She stressed out, put the album in the bag again and threw the clothes over it. She didn’t close the bag, she ran from the room she was in and into the control room. She looked at the screens, Oskar was hitting the wall. It was like thunder, and where she stood at shock slightly by every hit. He didn’t say anything he just hit the metal wall. Eli sat close to the wall on the other side of the room, for a change. She just sat there quietly and waited.
Robert came in the door beside her, he looked stressed out.
“What’s up!?” He said out of breath.
“He’s trying to break through the wall.” Robert looked at the screens, he got even more shocked.
“What if he makes it?” He asked. He pushed Eve aside, was about to push on the button that made sleeping gas out in their cells. Eve grabbed his arm.
“Wait.” She said. He gave her a questioning gaze.
She continued:
“This have been going on for longer than it maybe should have, as I went through their luggage, I could tell they were pretty close. Let’s just bring the boy over to her. I bet they would be much easier to collaborate with when they are more relaxed anyway.” Robert withdraw his arm, accepted her offer. He pulled his phone up and called the troops that were in the building.
“Bring two to the boy’s cell and bring him over to the girl. Make sure to have the gun ready if he tries to do anything.”
*
Oskar started screaming, slowly it started hurting so intensely, by each hit his knuckles broke and by the time he swung it again it had healed. But broke again, shattered into pieces inside of his hand. Eli was worth whatever happened, if they stopped him, if he actually got though, if his hand broke for hours. Anything is just what it had to take, this wasn’t the worst. But by the worst in a long while, and it hurt so much. Oskar cried, the pain made him forget now. He just thought of the pain.
But then the door opened and he stopped, he looked over at the bright light from the other side. A man was standing there, in a troop uniform. He waved for Oskar to come closer, and so Oskar did. When he was close enough the man grabbed him by the arm and pointed a gun at the back of his neck. Then he made Oskar walk. The man spoke with a dark yet fearful tone:
“If you try anything you’ll get shot and end up right where you started.”
“Okay, where am I going?”
“To the girl, now stay calm.” Joy flew though Oskar’s body and he started smiling. He felt like jumping and singing, but of course as the man said. He wouldn’t risk it.
I’m coming Eli!
Really!?
Yes!
It didn’t take long before Oskar was on the other door made of steel. Another man came that had been behind the other, he walked forward and pushed the door handle after unlocking it.
It opened slowly, Oskar’s body almost hurt as he waited for it to open wide enough. The door was probably heavy, and just enough for Oskar to slip though they pushed him inside. And probably as fast as they could they closed the big door again.
Oskar turned around and Eli jumped over him, hugging him so hard it actually did hurt. But Oskar didn’t mind and he hugged Eli back. His heart rose and the eagles grew in his belly again. They released and Eli looked in his eyes. His eyes were wet, he smiled wide as Oskar started crying.
“I think I was going to go nuts! I love you so much!” They spoke to each other in Swedish. Eli hugged him again, cried.
“We did go nuts.” It was as if they fell down to the floor and held each other there and they hugged just as tightly. Eli stated whispering.
“Now everything is going to be okay.” Eli whispered.
“Yes, we’re at least together now.” Oskar spoke lauder than him..
“I love you too, forever and always. Always!” Oskar grabbed his head, now all pink. And bent over him, drowned in a kiss they soon made, like the sweetest strawberry. Like Eli. Oskar felt the shiver again as he had felt last night, but they didn’t kiss as deep as they did then. They knew they were being watched, but sure enough their kisses lasted for a long while.
After what seemed like hours they curled up in a corner, still holding each other tightly. They were scared of awaking alone again but for now they were together. And Oskar would be able to fall asleep. They were so tired, ready to sleep after a long night. Eli stroked his hair, and together they sang an old Swedish lullaby that Eli had taught him. Oskar was so pleased, felt so at ease. His body was over Eli’s this time also, and his chest rose as he breathed. It really felt like heaven now. With their heads resting over each other, and Eli’s arms wrapped around Oskar. Now they would survive, because what more was it to live for without love?