It’s been two days now, Kevin had held it in. Nobody at school. Not even his parents knew. Mom knew about them being vampires and all that but not the meaning behind this. Dad didn’t know a thing, nor did any of his peers. Kevin didn’t even care when on his way home Noah and two of his friends came and took his hat again. Kevin figured he deserved it, he was the worst friend in the whole wide world. He would just go home alone and do his homework, eat, then watch the news about Oskar and Eli, then go to bed.
The police had trapped them in some kind of vampire cells, Eve had been there, also the other police man. They had done interviews every day since Oskar and Eli were captured. He had been watching with mom and dad, mom usually frowned and dad didn’t seem to be too excited about it. Kevin fallowed because he cared, nobody else did that. Cared about them.
After the last news report this evening he went to his room, sat down in his chair by his desk. Moved the laptop to the bed and looked down at the piece of paper he had picked out. He had decided that something good should come out of this, and that was the letter for Lydia. She was one of his peers ever since first grade. For about a year he had liked her, more than he thought was possible, probably what Oskar felt for Eli. Kevin could tell by the way he spoke, how he described their first hug. Kevin shook his head, no he would never dare to do that, ever. But give her a letter, that would do.
He had no envelope left, the only things that went through the mail now a days were bills and presents for birthdays and charismas. He remembered when he was a kid and sent letters to grandma, but a few years later they stopped doing that, everybody had a computer anyway. He would just have to give her a paper with some ugly writing on it. Oskar suggested some hearts, he knew girls liked hearts.
Kevin concentrated as he wrote as nicely as he could:
Hello Lydia.
Oh here it comes, what should he write?
I’ve liked you for a long time and..
Was that too cheesy, or would it be okay to write that? Loved you FOREVAH!
And I was just wondering if you liked me back? Then we could be together.
Yeah but what would make her like him? They were kind of like friends a few years back, spoke a bit during classes, but that was before Noah decided to hate him and turn everybody against him. Kids who wanted to have friends kept away from Kevin, even Lydia. Besides, he was ugly.
You’re really pretty.
He looked down at the letters, it was true yeah, and she probably knew it. Pretty people didn’t fit together with ugly people.
Hope you’ll say yes.
Then he made a little heart, just above his name.
From Kevin.
There, not the best love letter in the world. He wondered what Eli wrote to Oskar, he had said she did more than one. They probably didn’t meet two years ago, maybe they had been together for hundreds of years? Now that must be true love, he wished to have that with Lydia. But she probably didn’t like his ugly little face. Kevin shook his head, hid his note in his pants pocket. He told himself he would do this, that he was good enough. That she would like him! This like most things was worth a try!
He told mom on his way out that he was going to the school to play in the big jungle-gym. She told him in return when he had to be in, and then Kevin closed the door. Put the note in his jacket pocket filled with excitement. If Oskar and Eli made it, then he would too.
As he walked on the street all alone some people passed him by, some he knew of maybe. But none of them cared, neither did he. He was lost in thought, what had Oskar said? That Eli was poor when they met? And looked like she was hungry and sad? He hadn’t read much about vampires, maybe she just hadn’t fed in a while? Was Oskar a vampire when he met Eli? Or.. A frightening but kind of cool thought went through his mind, did she turn him? Or him her? Maybe she was poor and sad and abused or something, and he came and turned her, made her his? Willingly Kevin assumed. It was probably over a hundred years ago, who knew?
He had almost been dream-walking all the way over to Lydia’s house. And there it was. He had walked through her front gate without even thinking about it, about if she said yes or no. But now he thought about it, as he looked at her door. But something else came from there, not only lights, not only TV lights flashing. Somebody yelled, a man. He was angry, then something broke. And a woman screamed, a fight? No, it was more than that. Soon only the woman screamed, she screamed like that man Oskar and Eli fed on screamed. Probably not that serious, but out of pain. Kevin thought about it, he shouldn’t be here. Maybe tomorrow, or maybe if he rang the doorbell he would stop it? He could ring it and then run like crazy. Yeah, that would help right?
He walked up a small staircase made of stone very carefully as the woman’s screams continued. They made him think back on the feeding, how it sounded. Bones breaking, Kevin closed his eyes, breathed for a moment. He opened them again and looked at the doorbell, he made himself ready to ring and good balance for his feet. He was about to ring when he heard Lydia yelling, something about them to stop. Then someone ran up to the door and the screams continued as Kevin backed away from the door. He had just gone down the small staircase when the door behind him opened and light flew over their small garden.
The door closed, light steps ran down the stairs. Kevin turned around fast, Lydia stood there looking very sad.
“What are you doing here?” She asked. Kevin didn’t get around to answer before she grabbed his arm and dragged him away from there. She whispered:
“We need to get away from here.” Like he didn’t figure that out by himself.
She held his arm, just walking in silence until they were a few houses away from hers. Kevin dragged his arm off, looked her straight in the face.
“What was going on inside of there? Your dad hit your mom?” Lydia looked down, she had her jacket in her hands and her shoelaces were loose.
“Yes.” She answered.
“For how long have It been going?” She still didn’t look up, he stood a meter away from her.
“For about half a year maybe, he started drinking again.”
“Again? Not the first time?” She shook her head, put her arms around herself. The streetlights made her hair glow as it stood out everywhere. Her face clean and smooth, looking down, being sad. She put her jacket on and got a grip of herself again, just standing there. Small, weak. Kevin looked at her, thought about what Oskar had said. She could have rejected him, moved away from him, pushed him away, but she didn’t.
Kevin didn’t know where he got the will from, but he stepped forward and put his arms around her fast. He could feel her getting all tense and her slow breathing on the side of his neck. He closed his eyes hard, any second now she would push him away. He was so terribly scared, she would reject him now. Who wouldn’t?
But then she lifted her arms and placed them gently on his back, pushing him closer to herself. He could feel her chest touch against his though his jacket. It lifted as she breathed heavier. Kevin hugged her tighter and closed his eyes again. He couldn’t help but smiling as pure joy went from his heart and spread in his whole body. His belly curled up and his heartbeat rose. This was the closest he would ever get to a girl, he was sure of it.
Then she let go of him, let her arms fall down to the sides of her body. She looked down but was clearly in a better mood. Kevin also smiled, and she saw that.
“So why did you come by my house?” Kevin dug down in his jacket and found the piece of paper he had brought. He held it in front of her, now he was more scared.
“Here.” He said, and she took it. Unfolded it and began reading, which was no problem since they were standing right beside a lamp post. She read pretty fast, smiled every now and then. Kevin was even more scared now, what if she didn’t like him like that? Well she did hug him back, but maybe she just needed a hug. Who it came from didn’t matter, was it like that? He wondered.
She looked up at him, she was done reading now. Excitement and fear grew in his body, what if she said no? What is she said yes? He didn’t know what to do, how to act. If she said no he would go back to normal, maybe after getting over her. If she said yes, he had never kissed anybody or even dared to look a girl in the eye before. Yet he still wanted this, more than anything else. And she looked at him, put the note down and she smiled weakly. Then very carefully, she nodded.
“Really?” He said, he almost felt like laughing but he managed to hold it in.
“Do you want me to say it one more time?” She asked, Kevin smiled.
“Yes.” He answered, and she did. She nodded more eagerly with a wider smile. That was her yes.
She had tied her shoe lasses and they started walking to their school. On the way they had added each other’s phone numbers on their phones and Kevin had made jokes that made her laugh. He didn’t know what to do, he wanted to grab her hand. But would that be too needy? He didn’t anyway, but soon enough they stared at the big jungle-gym together. But he didn’t feel like climbing it, actually he felt like just talking. Laughing, and what not.
There weren’t much lights at the school. And those who were there were really weak. They sat down together inside a small roof inside the jungle-gym, in almost darkness. They listened to the night and the breaths of each other. Kevin turned his head towards her, he started whispering:
“Have you ever tried to call the police?” She sighed.
“He said that if any of us did he would kill us.” He heard her jacket twist as she probably turned her head towards his. Her soft breath flew over his face.
“He also said that if I told anybody he would do the same thing.” He could see the weak outlines of her head, but her face barley showed. He wished he had never brought it up again, now she probably felt uneasy.
“Are you really going to hang out with me at school? You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” Kevin said just to bring something else up, but he also worried quite a bit about it.
“I want to, I should have done it before. It was hard seeing you all alone. Now I have a good reason to.” Kevin shock his head.
“But you’ll lose all of your friends.” Lydia giggled, leaned her head on his shoulder. Kevin’s heartbeat rose.
“Then they won’t be real friends, I guess.” She got a good grip on his arm and pulled it over her shoulder. Then she snuggled up closer to him, she laughed.
“You’re really shy.” She said. Kevin smiled a bit.
“I know.” He replied. He could barely see it but she looked him in the eye, and she whispered:
“I have liked you for a long time too.”
“For how long?” She smiled.
“Half a year I suppose.” Kevin laughed weakly.
“Oh, well I beat you with another half a year.” She pulled a bit away from him, seemed surprised.
“Really? That long?” Kevin nodded, she continued. “ And you didn’t do anything about it?” Kevin looked down, embarrassed.
“I’m not the bravest person, you know.” He answered. She leaned on him again, took him by the hand.
“It’s okay. Brave guys aren’t my type anyway.”
“Good, cause I’m really not.” Kevin sighed, he was still very much surprised that she actually liked him. Nobody did, how can anybody like him? But she did, a miracle.
“I can teach you have to be brave. You know I hit Noah in the face last week, because he was so rude to me.”
“He was, you did?” Kevin was really surprised.
“Yeah, and I can teach you how to do the same thing.” She laughed while Kevin pulled her closer.
“Then you can help me, and I can help you. With your dad.” Her smile faded.
“How?”
“Well next time it happens, you can make a call.” She shook her head.
“I can’t do that.” Kevin smiled.
“But I can. Text me whenever it happens again and give me the address of your house. Then I’ll call the police as an anonymous neighbor and make them come to you.” She smiled.
“How can you say you’re not brave?” She put his arm around herself again while Kevin giggled.
“I’m not brave, I won’t be there.” She grabbed his hand again. This time he was more confident and leaned his head on her too, stroked her arm with the hand that was over on her other side.
“Have you ever been with anybody before?” He asked.
“Yes but not like this. I didn’t like him, I just said yes because he asked me, like two years ago. I ended it just a few days later.” Kevin didn’t even care who it was, as she said he never mattered.
“Did you ever kiss?” He asked again, butterflies grew in his belly. She shook her head.
“No, I have never kissed anyone, have you?”
“No.” Lydia faced down, she also smiled, he heard it as she laughed weakly, it sounded more like a breath.
“Do you want to?” She asked.
“Want to what?” He knew what she meant, but he had to be sure.
“Want to kiss, do you?” Now he also started laughing just as silently.
“It is kind of scary don’t you think?” He asked her, yeah he sure wasn’t brave at all.
“I guess, but it must be a reason why people do it right?” Kevin nodded. “And also, how bad can it be?” They faced each other and sat still for a few seconds, excitement filled Kevin’s body. He didn’t know how to act.
“You think we should count to three?” He asked.
“No, that wouldn’t feel right.”
“Ok.” Both of them breathed heavily, she was also nervous. He thought about what she said, looked back on how Oskar and Eli would just hold hands, as the most natural thing in the world. As if it was nothing. He would have to make this feel right. How does anyone do that?
He looked up at her again, he could tell by her cheeks that she smiled; the shadows were pretty strong over their faces. He lifted one of his hands, stroked one of her cheeks. She put her hand over his, leaned her head slightly against his hand. Even when he almost couldn’t see her she was really pretty, and his stomach twisted. For the first time now he would lead, and she would let him.
He leaned over and made their lips touch gently; she put her arms over his back, made him crawl closer to her. Carefully in complete silence they dragged their lips over each other, he with his eyes closed. He saw nothing, but felt everything. His body grew wormer and his belly moved like never before. He smiled as they still kissed, thought that it actually felt pretty good. No wonder people does it. And she was no better than him, did nothing he didn’t do. After a little while they kissed a bit harder, and it felt better.
When they released Kevin could somehow tell that she blushed. But he didn’t get a good look since he was too embarrassed to look her in the eye, he looked down instead. Lydia giggled, bent over and hugged him tightly.
“You’re so cute.” She said. Kevin got even more embarrassed, but got a grip around her too. And held her there, for a long time.
*
They awaked together the next night, they were so happy for that. But of course, it didn’t change much now. They were still trapped, with no private life or freedom what so ever. Something they used to have a whole lot more of 24 hours ago. They had been let alone the whole evening and fallen asleep holding each other yet another time. The woman in the speaker hadn’t even said anything. She was probably planning something that worried them. But at least they were together now, still scared of awaking alone. But they fell asleep, dreaming of a better world.
Yesterday they also awaked together, but they still wondered about if the woman would ever part them again. Or maybe somebody else was in the lead, someone bad, even in the police. But they were let alone during the day, and it helped a lot. But they were still really bored, and they had a bad gut feeling. Something would happen soon.
And then the door opened, Oskar and Eli had to get up. With guns against their necks they walked through the halls, and nobody was seen. Just the four guards, two behind then holding the guns and two in front of them. Always looking back. Soon they came into a room with a table and a few chairs. By the desk a woman sat, black dressed and with white hair. She had big blue eyes, they were very intense. And she was so calm, it was almost scary. They had to sit down in two chairs beside each other, close to the desk on the other side of where she sat. The guards still standing with one gun each.
As the woman spoke they realized who she was. The woman in the speaker. Her masculine voice, it could have been Eli’s if he ever grew up. Oskar had thought.
On the desk a white envelope was, all blank. She took it and gave it to them. Oskar had to reach for it, and together with Eli he opened it and looked at it. Two folded papers were inside, and on the other side of the envelope their names stood, and that it was from Kevin.
One of the papers was a simple drawing of them, in striped clothing and masks, holding hands and smiling. It was really moving, and clearly he had drawn it. The woman in the speaker had said that he gave it to her when she went to get Oskar and Eli at their apartment. She said he knew that the man they killed was a vampire, she had told him so. Oskar became a little happier.
They unfolded the second paper, written with nice but quite childish letters.
Hi it’s Kevin. I am so sorry for what I did. I thought you were going to kill me, that the man was innocent, that he belonged to a family. As if he was my dad. Then I learned to know that you probably saved me, and I want to thank you for that. Thank you for saving me, it means a lot.
I asked Oskar for advice, and he told me Eli have sent him love letters. And I have decided that I will too, to the one I like. All thanks to Oskar. I will always remember you two, and you have changed me already. I know we probably won’t see each other again. But I hope you don’t die and that you are happy.
And again, thank you for saving me and helping me. From your stupid friend, Kevin.
Oskar and Eli were so moved, nobody had ever done this before. The woman in the speaker asked to see it, not that they had a choice but they gave the drawing and the letter to her. Left the envelope on the table. She read through it, peeked at the drawing, smiled while doing so. She had put it down, smiled to them and said:
“I guess you have influenced somebody then, now that is very good.” Then she said her name was Eve, and that she was the world’s leading vampire psychologist. And she would probably join them to a big vampire rehab center in New york. Then she said that they would not die. But she had to give the rehab center some reports, and that’s why they were here.
The first thing she asked about was their real and full names. Oskar answered first.
“Oskar Erikson.” He had answered, Eve had smiled and said that was what she had thought. She turned to Eli.
“Elias.” He said. It was weird but he had forgotten his last name. Normally it wasn’t something anyone would forget, and Oskar hadn’t. After two hundred years of taking in that he didn’t have anyone anymore, and no family. His last name became irrelevant, and therefore forgotten. The long sleeps had something to do with it probably. Sometimes he forgot, and can barely remember his past before the infection. Something here and there, he soon forgot.
“Your last name please?”
“I don’t recall.” Eli said. Oskar nodded.
“For real.” He commented. Eve leaned forward.
“I see.” She said. “But you like to be called Eli?”
“Yes, it’s a name for both boys and girls, I like it much better.”
“You don’t identify yourself as a boy?” Eli shook his head.
“Nope.” He answered.
“Nor a girl?” Eve continued. Eli shook his head again.
“No.” She looked over at Oskar with her strong eyes.
“Yet you referred to him as a girl in the cell. You view him as a girl?” Oskar smiled.
“Well no, I view him as an in-between. But I think of him as a he, but to others I say she. To avoid judging, mostly.” She looked over at Eli again, seemed very interested.
“Eli, how do you view yourself?” Eli sighed, looked over at Oskar. He had no idea what to answer really.
“I have no idea, my self-image have changed over the last fifty years. I have no idea where to place myself.” Oskar took over.
“Back in the day before I got infected and me and Eli started to hook up, he kept telling me that he wasn’t a girl.” Eve lifted her hand, pointed at them with all of her fingers.
“Cause you thought he was one?” She asked. Oskar nodded.
“Yes, and well. I ended up asking him about what he was then, if he wasn’t a girl. He said he wasn’t a boy, but rather. He was nothing.” A sad facial expression appeared in Oskar’s face.
“I thought it was so sad when I began to think about what he had said. He was nothing, not just not a boy or a girl, but not a human? Not important, not anything?” Eli took his hand, looked at Eve, Eli spoke.
“And that was what I thought of myself. But after we got together I wasn’t just “nothing” anymore. I was something to him, and that changed a lot.” Eve smiled at them, and she spoke calmly.
“Then I guess you became an everything.” Oskar smiled widely.
“Yes that’s right.” Eli continued.
“But I think I view myself as an anything.”
Eve twinned her hands together, looked at them a bit more serious.
“Can you remember the first person you ever killed?” Both of them nodded. She looked at Eli, nodded to him.
“Well, it’s so long ago. But I do remember. It was a teenage boy. Maybe fourteen, I have no idea. During my first years as an infected I was in a cell. And people were brought to me for me to feed on. And he went first. He had a nosebleed, and I had no control. And I fed on him, he cried and pleaded and screamed. Then I was taught about why I had to twist the victims’ necks, and how to do so.”
“Cell?” Eve asked.
“Yes the one who turned me was a wealthy and powerful and very much evil man. He kept me as a prisoner until he got tired of me.” Oskar looked sad, Eve game him the word. Nodded to him.
“Oh, yes. My turn then?” She nodded again, Oskar began.
“The first one Eli helped me with. It was a woman, walking outside at night, all alone. We tricked her to come by calling for help, and Eli had to bite her and make her bleed for me to feed on her. Cause I refused. When I was done Eli twisted her neck, and it was so awful to listen to. Then I started crying, and so I did for the rest of the night.”
“Why did you cry?”
“Because I had taken a life and stolen a person from another. I imagined her having a boyfriend, someone who loved her like I love Eli. And if he was taken from me, well. You know what I mean?”
Eve nodded slowly. Then she had said that it was enough for today, and she sent them off to their boring little cell again. Knowing a little more about where they were. It was very much reliving.
They were going to be transported to a vampire rehab center? Get a cure? Be in the sun and eat food, maybe grow old together, get married? Have kids? Eve was willing to help them, both of them understood that. And after a long while they had fallen asleep a little bit happier.
*
Eli awaked slowly again, still feeling the hard floor, but also still feeling Oskar close by. His arm was around Eli, resting over his body. Eli opened his eyes and saw his face in front of himself. Oskar’s face was expressionless and motionless. Soft skinned and stunning, Eli wondered what he would look like as an old person. He had seen on the photograph of Oskar’s parents that he kind of looked like both of them at the same time. Oskar had also shared memories, he got his sweet little smile, eye color and hair from his mom. While his nose, eye and head shape, the way he moves his body, looks like it came from his father. None of them was to compare to, none of them looked like he probably would do as an adult.
Eli stroked his cheek, wonder if he would be as other men also then. Or would he make something that gross and hurting into something beautiful? Heck he even made feeding look beautiful, with blood covered soft lips and glowing and striking eyes.
Those eyes awaked and looked at him, his eyes smiled along with his lips. Still fresh and healthy as the days before. The vampire blood sure did them good in times like these. His hand lifted and stroked Eli’s face in return. Warmth went through his fingertips and over to Eli.
“Did you sleep well?” He asked, Eli nodded. Asked the same thing in return, and Oskar nodded.
“It still looks like we just fed.” Eli commented.
“Yeah I know, feels great.” They smiled to each other.
The door went up and light flew over the room and on them lying on the floor. Two military men, they told Oskar and Eli to get up and come. Oskar got up first, took Eli’s hand and helped him up. Not that Eli needed any, but the thought was sweet. Together they walked over to the men, who separated their hands and turned them around. Put a gun to each of their necks again. That always made them a bit nervous, one quick move and they might misunderstand; think that either of them wanted to run. When really they just saw something, heard something.
And so they started walking through the halls again, Eli looked over at Oskar. He was still a bit tired, and so was Eli. He looked down at Oskar’s hand, dangling alone on the side of his body. Eli tried to reach it with his own hand, the man behind him pushed him further away from Oskar. Held his arm and said:
“Oh no you don’t.” Eli looked behind himself, at the man. Still with a gun to his neck, he said with a very fragile voice:
“I just want to hold his hand. It makes me feel safer, and I get calmer.” He could tell that the man thought about it, Eli looked at Oskar. They smiled to each other still.
“Fine then.” The man behind Eli said, and pushed them a bit closer. Eli grabbed Oskar’s hand, twinned their fingers together. It felt better, both of them sighed.
Don’t you worry Eli, we’re going to make this.
Eli smiled, walked a bit closer to him. Made their arms touch slightly.
Before them the military men opened the door again, into where they went yesterday. And there she sat, Eve. She looked down at their hands, and then she smiled. As if she liked It, and did care for more than her job. Maybe that was the case? They sure hoped so.
They sat down in the chairs and the men backed off, stood by the wall. Aiming at their necks from behind. Eli was kind of nervous still but at least the lady seemed nice now. And not as scary.
She twinned her fingers together while her elbows rested on the table. And she looked at Oskar, and then Eli. Always switching with a few seconds each. Then she said was her clam voice:
“You guys.” She laughed silently of her bad joke. Then she continued:
“There’s something I am wondering about. Remember yesterday when we talked about identity? And you were so mature and confident. Yet what I am looking at are two children right?” Both of them nodded.
“I spoke to Kevin before you were caught even, and he told me he met you while you played on the swings, am I right?” They nodded again, let her speak now.
“Now, I assume it’s true of course. Can you tell me if you are actual kids who have lived for quite a while as kids. Or adults trapped in young bodies?” Oskar looked over at Eli, well he was the oldest. Eli sighed, made himself ready to answer.
“We are mature yes, and have been though some things most people haven’t. But we are actually still kids, I don’t understand why but we are. We like to play games and we like to play with toys. I have never felt like a grown-up. I have always loved puzzles and other games that made me think and twist my mind. And an interest in numbers and letters, and it’s also the same with Oskar. I am sure it’s all individual of course but we are still kids.” Eve nodded, she got the answer she wanted. Hopefully. She released her fingers and put her hands down and made them rest on the table. She looked more relaxed now.
“How did you two meet?” Now Eli looked over at Oskar.
You were there too
Oskar laughed a bit by the funny comment, Eve gave him a strange gaze.
“Well.” Oskar said. He looked over at Eli, gave him a playful grin.
“I was stabbing a three, with a knife, in the courtyard of out apartment complex at the time. I wasn’t infected, just a normal boy.” Eli interrupted him.
“No you weren’t.” He said teasing, he looked over at Oskar who gave him a sweet gaze in return. They stopped for a moment, then Eli looked over at Eve again. She looked very concentrated.
“Anyway.” Oskar said slowly, smiling at Eli once more.
“I was stabbing this three, in the courtyard. I pretended it was one of my bullies.” Eve nodded and whispered:
“I see.” While she began to hold her jaw with one of her hands.
“And I was stabbing it, behind me was the jungle-gym. It had lots of colors and a slide and everything. I heard something, and I used the knife as a mirror to see what was behind me. I saw a person.” Eve looked over at Eli, nodded to him.
“Yes of course it was me.” Eli added, Oskar quickly continued.
“I turned around and Eli asked me what I was doing. I do recall everything we said, more or less.” They smiled to each other.
“But Eli jumped down from the tall jungle-gym and I was impressed, then I told him something about being stupid and smelly.”
“Not a good first meeting then?” Eve asked with a smile. Eli laughed.
“No.” he said. “But when we met the second time Oskar had a Rubik’s cube, which I had never seen before. I got interested and we agreed that I would give it back the next night. And the rest is history.”
“It sure is. You are probably in the Swedish history books.” Oskar smiled.
“You really think so?” Eve nodded.
“Yes.” She answered. “Of course, something like that doesn’t just vanish. Even if it happened in the 1980’s.” They all nodded a bit, looked down at themselves.
“So, then..” Eli mumbled. Oskar continued for him.
“Are you going to kill us?” Eve sighed, it worried them.
“Well I would have to send my reports about you two to the rehab center, and then they would have to accept you. It’s room enough, but the leaders of the vampire rehab center would have to evaluate you though what I have written. I do want you to do well of course. But I can’t be sure.”
“Oh.” Both Eli and Oskar said at the same time. Eve looked a bit sad.
“You may leave.” They got up, the guns were on their necks again, and they left the room.
*
He floated through the air, and when he landed he saw a red pained garage. It was long, way too long. On one side he saw a dark figure he soon recognized. Lydia, with her hair. But he didn’t walk to her, because somebody else was screaming. And he had to figure out who it was, he had to help. Lydia was safe where she was, standing alone in the middle of the street. All calm, kind of spooky actually. Something was wrong but he had to run.
He ran around the corner on the other side of the garage, and he ran by the fine brown line made in-between the dark grass. He ran as fast as he could, the garage as so terribly long and he knew it was by the end of it. The screams continued, and he had to be there. He had to help. Yet he knew it wasn’t going to be a nice experience. He didn’t know why.
Then he saw a man lying down, and he screamed. He had big pointy teeth, and his face was blood smeared. On top of him Oskar and Eli sat, and they were just as scary as him. Two knives were in their hands, one each. And they started stabbing the man, he screamed even more. Kevin held over his ears, told them to stop. But they didn’t. They bent down, bit him in the neck on both sides. The man screamed lauder. It hurt.
Oskar got up really fast, tried to grab his arm while Eli was still feeding. Oskar yelled, he said the same thing over and over again.
“Please, please, please.” Then he started to whisper. “Kevin please please please, don’t please.”
Eli got up and screamed, but in no words. She just screamed, as if glass broke. Oskar began screaming too. The ground started shaking and Kevin screaming too, but in pain. His ears hurt so much, he would die.
Then a phone rang, and Kevin jumped in his bed. It was dark, and the curtains waved in the wind before him. It was all blue and chilly, calm and safe. He sighed, and looked over at his phone that began to light up the room. He saw her name on it, Lydia. He grabbed it.
“Hello?” He whispered.
“Hi it’s me.” She was also whispering, she sounded scared.
“Is something wrong?”
“Of course it is.” She sighed. “It’s time, can you come to the playground and call me up when you’re there?” Kevin looked at the clock. 01:23
“Sure, I’ll go right now.” He didn’t want to, he was so tired. But he had to, he had promised to help her and he would do so. He had to help her. She was.. It still surprised him just by thinking the word. She was HIS girlfriend. And he had to.
He got up in silence, got dressed, then he drank some water in the kitchen. He got dressed and put on his shoes without anyone noticing. Locked the door on the other side and walked down the stairs. He opened the door into the cold, it made him more awake. He checked that he had brought his cellphone, he had. Kevin sighed with relief. Now he was on his way. It wasn’t too far.
She had kept her promise; she had been with him today at school. She had been sitting with him, her friends gazing at her. Judging her because she was beside a loser. But she always said that she didn’t care, and that he wasn’t a loser. It helped a lot, but he felt a bit guilty still. During lunch she ate with him, made their feet touch underneath the table. She had looked over at him and smiled. His heart rose just by thinking about it, she really meant it. Even in public.
He thought about his bad dream as he walked. It was so damn scary, and it could happen anywhere. He looked around himself, waiting for a dark shape to appear, and try to eat him or something. But that did not happen, only leafs blew in the wind. But other than that no sounds were made, it killed him mentally. It was simply too quiet.
Then he was there, by the playground. It was just as quiet. She would soon be here, after he had called her up and told her he was here, he would call the cops. Then he would call her and say he had called the cops, and she would come out. Meet him here, and they would be together while the police arrested her dad and helped her mom. Kevin hoped that she would cry, then he could pretend to be brave and hug her tightly.
He called her, pushed the phone against his right ear. Looked around himself as it rang.
“Hello.” She whispered.
“HI I am at the playground, I will call the cops now.”
“Ok..” Then something happened. He heard something big break, and she started to scream. He heard a male voice yell filled with anger. Kevin felt like crying again, she kept screaming. He looked around himself, it wasn’t far away, her house. He had to run like crazy.
He was about to call the cops when he remembered that she hadn’t been giving him her address, he had no idea how to describe her location. A few tears streamed down his face as he still ran, he was useless. Simply useless.
By her house, by her staircase he heard the sounds again. But it came from upstairs and it was not her mom. But the door wasn’t locked and he got inside. He had never been there before, a big staircase was before him, the walls were orange. He ran into the first door he saw, and looked at the living room. Her mom laid there unconscious. He walked up to her, blood came from her head on the floor but her face didn’t show and some blood came from between her legs but he didn’t want to see that. She wore a short white nightgown. He saw that she breathed and made her ley on her side. Like he had learned at school a few weeks ago. Luckily he still remembered. But he didn’t think, he just did it. Then he went to the kitchen, looked for something heavy but still something he could carry.
He opened all the lockers, and soon found a fried pan, a bit too heavy but it would do. Then he walked out of the door and up the stairs, her screams became higher. It hurt.
The door was open, and he looked inside. Her dad tried to keep her still, she still fought really hard. But Kevin understood what her dad wanted as he heard sounds that pants belts made. He looked at the door, the key was on the other side. Her screams was laud enough for him to take the key put of the hole and place it on the other side, without anyone hearing.
Then he went into the room, none of them noticed him. He lifted the fried pan and aimed at the man’s head, she didn’t scream as much anymore and her dad tried to drag off his pants with one hand. The other one held over her neck.
Then he did it, as hard as he could while Lydia cried. He hit the man in the head and he went limp. He fell over her but she quickly pushed him off still screaming. Then she looked over at Kevin who was ready to hit if he awaked again. Still holding the fried pan in the air. She looked shocked at him, then they ran out of the room. Kevin closed the door and locked it from the outside.
She fell to the floor exhausted; Kevin sat down on the floor with her. She breathed heavily while she still cried. She had a bad nosebleed, but nothing more than that from what he could tell. Slowly while she was bent down to the floor, he put his arms on her back. Pushed her a bit closer. She looked up, still scared but slightly relived. She let him hug her, she put her arms around his back. Breathed heavily, Kevin closed his eyes.
“It’s okay.” He said. “I locked him inside.” She sighed, stopped crying and just hugged him for a little while.
“You’re the bravest kid I know of.” She said after a while. “Now you can’t tell me otherwise. Thank you.” They released and she looked him in the eye still with a bleeding nose.
“I’m sorry. I am spilling blood on your jacket.” Kevin laughed quietly.
“I don’t mind.” He stroked her cheek with his right hand, she smiled wider to him. Then she thought of something, she got scared again. She stood up quickly.
“Where’s mommy?” Kevin grabbed her hand and got up.
“She was lying on the floor in the living room.” A panic went through her face.
“She is unconscious but she is breathing, I put her on the side. She’ll probably be okay.” Lydia sighed again.
Together still holding hands they ran downstairs. Ran into the living room and then she stopped him. She watched her mom lying there like a motionless dolly. She had the same hair as Lydia, her face didn’t show. Lydia let go of his hand, went over to her mom. She bent down to her and moved away some of her hair. Her mom’s face appeared, with a nosebleed and a swollen eye. But Lydia still looked kind of like her, he couldn’t really tell. Too much was in her face.
She stroked her mom’s face gently. She whispered but Kevin could tell what she was saying.
“Oh mommy, why did you have to take all the hits?” Then she turned around and looked at Kevin.
“She’s probably been raped really bad, again.”
“Again?” She nodded, got up and walked up to Kevin again. Together they went into the kitchen and dried off her nose, the bleeding had stopped.
They heard nocking and screaming coming from upstairs, her dad was awake. Lydia got scared again and jumped into Kevin’s arms. He had to get used to that.
“Look, we need to call the police and the ambulance. What’s the address?” She looked up at him.
“I want to do it.” She said.
“Fine.” He gave her the phone and she called the police at first. Described how her dad was drunk and hit and raped her mom, she could barely say he also tried to rape her, without crying. While she spoke Kevin grabbed her hand again. She continued speaking about how someone she knew helped her lock her dad in her bedroom. That they should come right now, she gave them her address.
Then she called the ambulance and told them her address, and the condition of Lydia’s mom. Kevin walked over to her mom, sat down beside her. Poor woman, he was happy that he came. If he hadn’t.. Kevin swallowed, the thought made him want to vomit. Lydia was soon done with the phone call and sat down beside him. Put her arm over his shoulder.
“Thank you so much.” She said. He looked over at her.
“No problem.” He responded. They smiled to each other.
*
He and Lydia sat by his dinner table, it was really late. Maybe two in the morning, they were both tired and hungry. The police had brought her dad out, and the ambulance had treated her mom, both of them had joined her to the hospital. Her mom had awaked there, and Kevin had got to meet her for a few minutes before the doctor said she needed rest. Lydia had told her what he had done, and her mom was so grateful, all she could say in almost a whisper was: Thank you, thank you so much.
The doctor had called back home to his mom, since he didn’t really dare to do it. Mom drove down after half an hour and picked them up, and Lydia was allowed to sleep over at their apartment. She was tired, almost fell asleep in the car, along with him in the back seat. She wanted him to be close, and not sit in the front. She had said that, and mom had picked it up and smiled to them.
Mom sat in front of them while they ate. She smiled and said quietly with just a few light on in the kitchen.
“If you feel like it Lydia, you can sleep in his bed tonight.” They had both gotten very embarrassed; Kevin swore he started blushing again. Lydia just nodded, and when mom looked away she smiled to him. Out of joy, she was safe now.
“You want some more milk?” They both shook their heads.
“No, we’re good.” Kevin said still a bit embarrassed. Mom nodded, smiled.
“Okay, but you can just help yourself then, get ready and to bed. Cause that’s what I am doing. See you tomorrow.” Mom walked slowly into her and dad’s bedroom and closed the door without a sound almost. Probably not to awake Dad.
Lydia looked at him again, with her little smile. Kevin looked into her eyes, and he thought about something Oskar had said.
“Imagine what it feels like to have that person close to you, looking at you the same way. Thinking the same things as you think of them.”
That was what that was happening right now. He looked at her, and she looked back at him the same way. Soon he saw her blushing, and she then started down at her food. Ready to finish the few last pieces of bread. Without saying anything they just sat there and ate their late meal. Kevin kept thinking about what Oskar had said, those two probably knew much better what love was than many other normal people. Oskar knew what to say, and he was right. Then.. What he and Lydia had, that was love then? It hadn’t been long, not even a week. But it sure felt like it would last a long time.
Mom had to stop by Lydia’s house on their way home, she had to get her things. Pajama, toothbrush, hairbrush and what not. Clothes for tomorrow. It was perfectly safe, a police car was still there, probably taking pictures like they do in the crime series and movies. They saw the police do just that on their way past the living room and up the stairs. She soon found what she was looking for, seemed somewhat scared. But then he took her hand and she smiled again.
She picked out something random out of her closet, said it didn’t really matter what she wore. He agreed, he liked the way she thought. Some girls even wore make-up, pick their outfits with much effort, afraid to have dirty clothes, to not joke around or else their hair might go out of place. Lydia was not like that, she was up for it. He liked that.
She soon found a green and small bag pack and put her things in there, threw it over her shoulder and walked downstairs with him. Soon they were out of the house and she sighed out of relief.
She got off the chair in his kitchen, walked over to the bag pack she had placed in the hallway. Kevin cleaned the table while she did so, and both of then soon went to the bathroom to get ready.
After they had brushed their teeth and hair, Kevin went into his bedroom and they changed into their pajamas in different rooms. She soon came in and stepped in bed with him, which was an odd feeling. But he soon got used to the small space that they shared.
The room was dark blue, and the curtains waved carefully as the window still was open. Lydia had put his arm over herself again and they ley there in silence. She looked at him like that again, and seemed so happy. And he was too, he lifted his hand. And he stroked her cheek, she did the same thing on him in return.
They had almost fallen asleep still holding each other. Far away on the other side of the window a car drove and parked, the door opened. And footsteps made sounds on the ground. Lydia jumped and sat up quickly, it made him jump too.
“It’s him!” She yelled. Half asleep almost Kevin mumbled:
“Who?”
“My dad, he’s coming and he’s going to kill me!” She started crying and she bent over her legs underneath the cover. Kevin had awaked a bit more now and he sat up, stroked her back with his hand.
“Nobody is coming.” She turned to him.
“But what if..” He made her turn to him by holding on her shoulders with both of his hands. He almost yelled at her:
“No, nobody is coming.” She broke down in tears and leaned on his shoulder. He put his arms around her and stroked her back. She made an awfully lot of sound, mom and dad were probably awakened by it. But they didn’t complain, they like he let her cry.
He hugged her tighter as she began to calm down, he rocked her back and forth. Stroked her back in rhythm, whispered that nobody was coming, that she was safe here. She hugged him back and started to believe him.
“Can I tell you a secret?” She was still crying weakly, but still she nodded and said:
“Mhm.”
They didn’t sit anymore, they had ley down and she was lying on his chest, still holding him.
“A few weeks ago I was at the playground just outside, and there were too kids there. Sitting like a crab on the wings, I had never seen them before. We soon started talking, it was a girl named Eli and a boy named Oskar. They were best friends, Eli said she basically lived at his place.” He looked down at her, she smiled with her eyes closed, she didn’t cry anymore. It worked.
“And the boy, Oskar. He lived in the apartment underneath this one. He never spoke of his parents, but of course he had to live with either one of them.” She nodded silently and seemed somewhat awake.
“Then on Halloween this year they came by my apartment dressed up like thieves, and me as a vampire. Mom was glad to see them again, and so we went out trick or treating. We passed by some hunting troops, and they got scared for some reason. And they held hands.”
“They were together right?” Lydia asked as she whispered. He stroked her back a bit.
“I’ll get to that.” He said.
“Okay.” He bit his lip, now where was he?
“And then it got late and we had to get home. We came to this long garage, then the girl Eli said she had to pee. Which was weird, but me and Oskar started walking alone while she went behind the garage. I asked him if he and Eli were together, and he said yes. I also asked him what it felt like.” Lydia moved up, away from his tight embrace, and she lay down beside him. Looking him in the face, she seemed concentrated. He moved his hand over her again and she started smiling. And soon she asked:
“What did he say?”
“Well, he said something like: Imagine what it feels like to have that person close to you, looking at you the same way. Thinking the same things as you think of them.” She looked him in the eye, smiled of those words both of them could recognize.
“Do you feel that way?” She asked, Kevin nodded.
“Yes.” He answered as he swallowed. Then she crept down to his chest again and sighed, but not because she was sad.
“I want to know what happens next.” She whispered without taking her eyes away from the ceiling. He moved his hand over her hair and started stroking it.
“Ok, well, I asked him for advice, how to get to a girl.”
“Me?” He giggled weakly.
“Yeah.” She giggled a bit too.
“Well he said if it was hard for me to tell you face to face, I could maybe send you a letter. “
“Like you did.”
“Yes. But then Oskar had to go see what his girlfriend was up to, and why it took so long. He told me to stay right there, but when I heard someone scream I had to go and see what was happening.” She didn’t move in his arms anymore, seemed excited about the story.
“A man stood there and both Eli and Oskar hung over him, and Oskar bit down in his neck. Eli seemed to do the same thing. The man fell and they had one knife each, they stabbed him in the chest and the man screamed. They still bit him, and when he stopped screaming they just sat on top of him. I could hear drinking sounds, and for what seemed like many minutes they sat completely still.
Then they sat up and looked at each other, they had lots of blood in their faces. Oskar grabbed the man’s head and twisted it all the way around. I still have nightmares about that.”
“It happened for real?” She looked up at him, he could tell she was thinking hard. Then she jumped a bit.
“Those vampire kids on the news!”
“Ssh not so laud.”
“I can’t believe you have actually met them!”
“Shh you’ll awake Mom and Dad, I am not done with the story.” She looked down.
“Sorry.” She whispered. “ I’ll be quiet.” He sighed, stroked her hair a bit.
“Well, the boy looked up, he saw me. He stood up, his hands were also filled with blood. And both of them looked scared. The boy tried to speak to me, he said: Kevin please. But I ran away, all the way home. I told my mom about it and she called the police, and the next day we were sent down to the police station. A police man and some weird woman spoke to me about it. And by the end you know what she told me?” Lydia shook her head.
“Of course not.” She answered, they started giggling a bit.
“She said that the man they killed was a vampire man, they had found the corpse and he had sharp teeth.” She jumped again, but she still whispered.
“They saved your life?”
“The woman told me that vampires could sense each other, and that the man was probably hunting us down. So yeah they did, they saved my life.”
“I am happy they did.” He started blushing.
“Me too.” Kevin sighed and continued.
“When the woman and some troop members came to get them I gave the woman a letter, thanking them for saving me, telling them I will give you a letter.” He looked down at her, and she looked up.
“Just think about it, if I had never met them, if Oskar hadn’t given me the advice, if they hadn’t saved me, if.. Then I would never walk to you, know what your Dad did. Help you fix it.” Lydia looked up at the ceiling again.
“They saved me too.”
After that she got lost in thought, and he was so tired. Didn’t have more to say, he soon fell asleep with her head resting on his chest. And she didn’t awake later on, scared of yet another car. She slept all night though. It felt great.
*
There she sat again, the woman in the speaker. Eve. Oskar wondered if she had any family or anything like that, she didn’t seem coldhearted, just very strange. But then again, both he and Eli were strange themselves, and they had each other. They had been brought here to know whether or not her report on them was accepted or not. If it was not, they would be killed. If it was, then they would be sent to the rehab in New York, and have to run many tests like Eve had done on them. To consider them to be a part of society, be safe around other humans. To answer questions constantly was rather boring, and something they didn’t look forward to. But at least they would survive, both of them. They hoped.
“What did they say?” Eli asked. He moved in his chair, it made sound. Oskar looked over at him, they were still in their pajamas, he wondered if they would ever get to change outfits. It didn’t matter though, as long as the pajama didn’t start to smell it was fine. And it hadn’t yet.
Eve twinned her fingers together like she had done every time by now, Eli smiled to her. Tried to seem cute, well of course it worked on Oskar, but he didn’t think it would work on someone else’s decision far away.
“Well.” Said Eve. Even the troops that surrendered them were exited. Oskar could tell. They smelled different, and it was a certain gaze over their faces. They tried not to show it, but they cared also. Oskar took Eli’s hand, they looked at each other.
What if they turned us down?
Then we’ll try to escape.
I don’t think we can this time, oh.. I am scared.
I know, me too.
“They said yes.” Eve went up from her chair, she was happy. Smiled widely.
“Yes, they said that they looked forward to get to know you. You two are very rare and seem very kind and yeah, they wanted to transport you tomorrow. And then run some more tests, oh you know all of that!” Eli threw himself over Oskar, and the troops had no choice but to aim with their guns at his sudden movement. Eli fell all over Oskar and hugged him tightly, and of course Oskar hugged him back.
“We won’t die!” He yelled. “I can never die from you!” Oskar started laughing as he replied:
“Me neither!” The chairs were all torn over and Oskar and Eli lay on the floor. Oskar got up, still with Eli on his lap hugging him. Oskar looked over at Eve, she laughed.
“Eve are you going to be there too?” She went up to them and while she put the chairs up she answered:
“I don’t know, possibly. It depends.”
“Depends on what?” Eli asked.
“If my spouse is joining me or not.” Oskar turned around.
“Your husband?” He asked. Eve shook her head.
“Nope, my wife.”
“Aww!” Both Oskar and Eli said at the same time, Eve started laughing. Even a few of the troops silently giggled a bit.
She sat down on her chair again, behind the desk. Oskar and Eli sat down in their chairs, everybody were calmed down. Eve sighed.
“I have asked you lots of questions now. But is there anything you want to tell me, or ask me about?” She said. Eli went first, almost immediately.
“Where are our things? Are we going to wear our pajamas all the time?” Eve laughed.
“Well your things are packed and ready, I have seen through it all to evaluate them. Your little brown box sure helped me a lot.”
“You’ve watched all the pictures?” Oskar asked, he could feel himself blushing. He recalled all the times Eli had been running after him with the camera, chasing him everywhere when he was nude. With the camera, taking pictures, laughing his ass off. And some of them were in the album, because Eli loved them so much. No one was supposed to see them.
Eli burst out in laughter, Oskar knew Eli thought of the very same thing. But he didn’t get angry; they had the same type of humor after all. And after a little while Eli stopped laughing.
“And our clothing? Will we ever get to change them?” Oskar said as soon as Eli grew silent.
“Oh yes, before you leave tomorrow I’ll come and give you a pair of hoodies, pants and shoes. I will also bring sunglasses.”
“Why?” Eli asked.
“Well you see, you have drawn the media’s attention. Everybody would want a glimpse of “The vampire kids”. Lots of pictures will be taken as soon as you leave this building, with lots of flashing lights. I find them very annoying, and you have more sensitive eyes than me.”
“Yes that’s right.” Oskar confirmed. “Will we see you tomorrow then?”
“Yes.” Eli leaned forward, put his hands on his lap.
“Well.” He said, sighed a bit. “It’s been a blast.” Eve smiled.
“Yes it has.” She replied, and soon she got up. “But until then, see you tomorrow.”
They waved at her as they were escorted out.
“Bye!” They said together. And they left the room for the last time.
The troops weren’t scared of them anymore; they held their guns a bit looser. They opened the cell door a bit wider. They smiled to them and said:
“Have a good night.” Before they closed the door slowly, these people weren’t that bad after all.
Before the night ended Oskar got to think about Kevin. He had said in his letter that he would try to get the girl he likes, Oskar hoped he would get what he wanted. He deserved it, and Eli agreed. Kevin was right about one thing, they would never meet again.
*
Eli awaked with Oskar over himself, since they were parted he always really appreciated to not awake alone. Even though it had been something very normal for the last fifty years. Eli found himself feeling extremely lucky for having Oskar here. And he was still resting, not breathing.
Eli put his hands under the Pajama on Oskar’s back, stroked his soft skin until he awaked with a smile. Then Eli began to tickle him, and they rolled a bit on the floor, laughing. Eli looked at him while he still was giggling, leaning on his head with his elbow to the floor he watched. Oskar stopped, looked up at him. His blue eyes blinked, sweet and innocent. Yet knowing and mature, amazing.
He lifted his other arm and stroked Oskar on the cheek.
“Just think, we might grow old together.” Oskar smiled.
“I don’t want to be old, I don’t need all that adults do to each other. I want us to stay like this.” Oskar sat up, held his hand over Eli’s, which was still on his cheek.
“I don’t want you to change, I like you the way you are.” Eli’s sight became blurry, he could feel the tears coming now. He put his other hand on Oskar’s left cheek.
“Oskar.. I always thought you wanted to grow up. I was kind of scared.”
“No need to be, I’ll always be like this. And so will you right?” Eli pulled Oskar’s head closer to himself.
“Of course.” He answered. They lips touched gently as they started kissing. Warmth spread from his head to his heart, and further all over his body. With all his love he kissed Oskar back, he leaned over him and made them ley on top of each other instead. Drowning in each other’s lips and tongues.
They had been kissing for a while when sounds came from the big metal door. They released and sat up, looked at it. The door opened slowly while Eli kept looking over at Oskar, giggling of him blushing so badly.
Eve stuck her head in and smiled.
“Hello boys!” She said. Oskar threw himself over Eli in order to hide his face, Eli blushed too of course but not as badly as Oskar did. Eli giggled and enjoyed it. So did Eve, then she disappeared and told someone on the other side to push the door again. Soon the door was wide enough for her to walk though, and also a couple of troops. As always with their guns ready, but they didn’t seem as tense as before.
In her arms she had clothing; she smiled and threw it to them. Got down on her knees.
“You guys, as soon as you’re dressed you will be taken outside, and into a back car. But between the building and the car is lots of people with cameras, and between the car and the airplane, it will also be a bunch of people. So be prepared.” Eli looked at the clothing.
“Did you say airplane?” He asked. Oskar was still blushing but had gotten a grip of himself and looked at the clothing also.
“Yes, now hurry up. Give me the pajamas on the way out, and I’ll put them in your bag before I give it away. That thing is heavy.” She winked, both of them giggled a bit. Then she got up, waved to them.
“Bye bye now, and hurry.” Then she went through the door along with the troops, and as soon as they closed the door. Oskar and Eli began to change right away. A pair of sunglasses were also there, inside the clothes. They were brought two black hoodies and two jeans, both similar to each other. The sunglasses were mirrored, like cops wore in movies. When putting them on Eli felt pretty cool, he and Oskar nodded to each other.
“Oh yeah, I’ll get used to these.” Oskar said. Eli giggled, nodded to him again, like a cool guy.
“Wicked.” He said, Oskar laughed. And they giggled together for a little while, but then the silence grew. And Eli became more serious, walked up to him and hugged him.
“Those people out there, they’ll probably hate us. Be careful, don’t do anything stupid okay?” Oskar stroked his back.
“Come on, you’re the most impulsive one, and besides: I’m kind of scared.” Eli held him tighter.
“Me too.” He said.
The door opened behind them, they turned around and released. It opened all the way up for the first time, and Eve stood there with the bag in her hands. It looked too heavy for her.
“Come on now.” She put it down, and they gave her the pajamas. She opened it and put them in. Then she gave it to the troop man right beside her, he and another man carried it together. Eli found it rather light to carry all by himself, but then again. They were normal people, no need to feel better about it. But he simply couldn’t help the thought, it made him smile.
“Come on.” She said, waved them to go behind her. Oskar grabbed Eli’s hand, looked rather nervous. Eve looked back at them as she walked.
“It will be alright, just stay close that’s all. I don’t think you have a problem with that.” They smiled.
“No, we don’t. Thanks.” Eli replied.
Soon they came to the door that went outside, of course it was dark outside. People were moving about, Eli could hear then clearly. Talking at the same time, blending together. Then the door opened, Eve turned around fast and pulled their hoods over their heads while two troop men walked out first. Constant flashes came from outside, Eli walked closer to Oskar. They still held hands, Eli was scared also.
They walked through the door, voices shouting and lights flashing. Even with sunglasses on it actually did hurt, they covered their eyes. Eve shouted:
“Less at the time please!” The flashes slowed down, and they started walking again. People still tried to talk, they leaned over the small fence that was made, one of them put the microphone in the way and Eli jumped. Oskar grabbed him quickly as they walked.
“Hey watch it!” Eve barked, and soon they were in the car. It was like a soundproof room, well not completely. But it was a whole lot quieter. Both of them sighed, crawled closer to each other. Eve sat in the front beside the driver, she looked back.
“You’re okay back there?” Eli nodded.
“Yes.” He sighed, he was okay. He soon rested on Oskar’s shoulder as the car started to move. This was probably the most exciting thing he had ever experienced apart from anything involving love or violence. Eli looked up at him, everything have been exiting with him. Full of life, funny, romantic. And maybe soon they won’t even have to kill to survive anymore, how good could it possibly get?
It took a few hours before they got to the airport, Eve said that. And she was right, it did. Two hours almost exactly, Oskar was so bored he always made sure what time it was. It was also fun to nag Eve and the driver, and the driver he got mad at them.
“We get there when we get there! Do you want me to turn around!?” They looked down.
“No.. “They answered, and then they laughed. The man got grumpier, Eve laughed with them. She put her hand on the man’s shoulder and said:
“At least they are like kids, now aren’t that comforting?”
“Yeah.. well.. Fuck it”
“Don’t swear in front of the kids!” Oskar laughed and yelled:
“By all means, we’ll catch up the words to use on the doctors! They’ll like us even better!” Eli swore if he could; He’d pee his pants.
When they arrived at the airport Eve was right, lots of people were there. To get a glimpse of them, it was so.. Wicked. They put on their sunglasses, dragged the hoods over their heads. Smiled and nodded to each other. Eli could see the reflection of himself in Oskar’s sunglasses. Then the grabbed each other’s hands, there were even more here. Neither of them had ever been at an airport before, had no idea how it worked. But behind the mass of people a large building was, with lots of windows. Eve said that behind the building the fields were, big roads airplanes drove on before they began to fly.
The troops and Eve went out first and made sure the people kept a good distance, all though they would get closer when Oskar and Eli went out for sure. As soon as they went out people started shouting and taking pictures again. Eli put his arm around Oskar’s back, they smiled to each other. They wanted the people to see that they had a heart, at least for each other. He felt like saying something to them, It was a little monster that grew within him. Media wasn’t exactly the best choice, often words got twisted and showed other messages than intended. He gave the thoughts to Oskar, who stopped walking right away. Looked at him for a few seconds, asking him if Eli was sure he wanted this. Eli nodded, called for Eve to come. Dragged in her arm, Eve bent down.
Soon after Eve stood up again, turned to the people and their cameras.
“They wish to say something, the blitz will have to be turned off. They will not answer any questions.” The crowd turned quiet, and no flashes were made anymore. Oskar and Eli turned to them, holding their hands hard for comfort.
“Listen everyone!” Eli said, almost no movements were made in the crowd. Both of them took off their sunglasses and hoods, some pictures were taken with no blitz. Eli continued to speak:
“I know you might think badly of us, but I just want to say.. We’re sorry for all the people we’ve killed and hurt. We really didn’t want to.” Oskar continued.
“We are hunters by design but not by heart. We are still humans.” Eli looked over at him, he hadn’t expected such wise words. They fitted perfectly, simply genius. Eli had really taught him well, and he was smart from begin with. He could feel himself blushing, he soon put on his sunglasses and hood.
“That’s all.” He said fast.
You’re blushing
Oskar smiled to him while putting on his hood and glasses.
I know, now let’s move.
Eli quickly turned around and grabbed Oskar’s hand again. He felt a bit embarrassed; he didn’t want them all to see him blushing. Eve saw it too and she giggled a bit before they walking into the airport building. The crowd outside disappeared in a way, they didn’t exist anymore. They were on the other side of the walls. All though Oskar laughed a bit about it still.
The inside was houge, they looked up as they took off their sun glasses.
“Wow this is amazing!” Eli shouted, still trying to make the recent embarrassment fade. Oskar stood there quietly, looked up at the ceiling.
“How did you do that?” They looked over at Eve, she laughed.
“Me? I didn’t do anything.” They laughed with her.
“Right.” Oskar said.
“Right.” Eli said a bet clearer, nodded and smiled. He couldn’t get his sight from the ceiling, simply amazing.
It was a sky over them, filled with stars. On the walls there were screens floating, almost see though. The floor, rock tiles that were strangely soft.
“Hurry up now, you can’t miss your first flight.” Eve commented, both of them had stopped walking and looked around themselves. Eve reminded them to continue walking, even normal people were there. They looked at them, the troops and then at them. People understood, got scared but stood still. Most people were stressed out and had to catch their flights, but they stopped for a few seconds when they saw what was going on.
Soon they walked outside again towards the airplane, and even more people were there, it was really stressing. Oskar and Eli put on their sunglasses and hoods again and walked through the mass of people. People took pictures and it still hurt, but the moments went by like nothing. Eve stood by the stairs up to the small airplane. They seemed to have one all by themselves. She looked down at them as flashes went on behind her. Her hair blew in the wind, she seemed sad.
“Aren’t you coming?” Oskar asked. She shook her head weakly.
“Maybe later, I am not sure.”
“Okay.” She put each of her hands on their heads, stroked their hood-covered heads a bit.
“You sure made an impression on me, make sure to do the same on the others too.” She said. Actually cared a bit.
“Will do.” He said and smiled. They waved bye to each other, Eve turned around and got lots of people in her way. Asking her about what they just spoke about. Oskar and Eli walked through the open door. More troops were inside, waiting for them to take their seats. Right in the middle of a room they entered two seats were. Around them seats attached to the wall, Their two lonesome seats were in the middle. These were much more tense, they didn’t have any facial expressions at all. Oskar and Eli walked to their two seats, sat down and put their belts on. Well, they had no idea how to do that so they needed help from one of the troop members. He looked rather nervous as he fasted their seatbelts, sweating with a fast heartbeat.
“There.” He said. They pulled down their hoods, removed the glasses again.
“Thanks.” Oskar said and smiled. Then he looked over at Eli, he spoke in English so that the troops wouldn’t be suspicious.
“Why did you start blushing? I mean, it’s nice but it wasn’t intended.” Eli grabbed his hand, it had been resting on the side of his body.
“Well.” Eli said. “What you said fitted so perfectly, and really showed what your mind was made of I think. You don’t always behave like a smart person but when you do.. I just liked it that’s all.” Oskar laughed, Eli had not been thinking this though before he spoke.
“Don’t tell me you were surprised?” He asked.
“No, I know you’re smart. I just sometimes forget just how smart.” The men around them had been listening while sitting down, aiming at them with their guns. They seemed curious.
“Ready for takeoff.” A man said from a speaker somewhere. The men fasted their own seatbelts and soon aimed at Oskar and Eli again. There were small round windows behind their heads, they blocked the view, how sad. But soon enough the airplane lifted itself up and they flew, Eli could feel it. Lots of noise, it kind of hurt. And Oskar held his hand really hard during takeoff, but everything was fine now. They were in the air, floating like they would do if they wore their wings. In five hours they would land in New York, Eli looked around himself. These men would get seriously bored, he smiled. He and Oskar sure could play some games on them, Oskar nodded back. Let it begin.
*
“Come and look!” Lydia yelled in the doorway, Kevin sat with her mom in her room at the hospital. He had just given her a cup of coffee and her mom had asked him something. He turned around and looked at Lydia.
“What?”
“It’s Oskar and Eli on TV!”
“OH!” He ran off the chair, it almost fell. Lydia grabbed his hand and led him though the long hallways. Doors and people in white passed them by. Excitement grew in his body, them on TV? She made him turn and he almost fell, then he saw an ugly pink couch, and an old woman taking one of the seats. She looked at a small TV hanging on the wall. And there they were, coming out of a black car.
“What’s happening?” He asked, looked over at her. She moved away some hair off her face.
“They’re just came out of the police house, to get to the airport, leaving here.” She answered. Kevin felt joy streaming through his body, they lived! They wouldn’t die! He shouted with joy:
“They got to live!” He and Lydia jumped together, he put his arms around her. Hugged her tightly for a few seconds.
“They wish to say something, the blitz will have to be turned off. They will not answer any questions.” Eve was speaking, they quickly turned around towards the TV again. The camera was still filming calmly. Oskar and Eli turned around, they wore black hoodies and sunglasses, Kevin giggled a bit. It looked funny.
But then they pulled down their hoods and off with their sunglasses.
“Is that what they look like? They’re pretty.” Lydia commented.
“Listen everyone!” Eli said. Lydia pointed at the screen.
“Look they’re holding hands.” Kevin looked at her, smiled. Then he grabbed her hand and said:
“I know.” She smiled widely back, then she started at the TV again.
“I know you might think badly of us, but I just want to say.. We’re sorry for all the people we’ve killed and hurt. We really didn’t want to.” Kevin pointed at Eli.
“You see the dark haired one, that’s Eli.” They were still standing in the middle of the floor.
“She looks like a boy sort of.” Kevin nodded, a tomboy maybe. Oskar opened his mouth..
“We are hunters by design but not by heart.” Wow. Kevin felt like being in shock, but instead he looked over at Lydia to see her reaction. She looked over at him big eyed.
“That was well said!” She shouted, Kevin looked at the screen.
“Look!” He said. She turned her head. On the screen Eli’s face turned pink and he looked down. Oskar looked over at her and smiled, it looked like he now held her hand a bit tighter. Eli dragged on her hood fast, and as she put on the sunglasses she said even faster:
“That’s all.” Lydia grabbed his hand with both of hers now, and she jumped weakly up and down.
“That is so cute!” Kevin grinned at her.
“When did you become such a girl?” He asked, and she began to laugh. They looked back, the old woman had left. They hadn’t even noticed. They sat down in the couch, laughed a bit still. Watched as Oskar and Eli walked inside a black car waiting for them. Lydia grabbed his arm and held around it. She sighed.
“I just wish I could meet them, and thank them.” The car started moving, it looked so smooth and blank. He looked over at Lydia, she seemed a bit sad. He put his arm around her, smiled to her. It made her smile in return, she was so beautiful. Then he looked at the TV again, the reporters were talking to the cameras, telling them what they had just seen.
Kevin gave her a quick gaze, looked at the TV again. Then he lifted his other arm and waved.
“Good bye Oskar and Eli.” He said. Lydia did the same thing, she waved.
“Bye bye, see you later.” They giggled , Kevin sighed. He would miss them, but at least they might get a better life somewhere else. He didn’t dare to think about all the bad things that could happen, then he was to blame. Lydia interrupted his sad thoughts, she started hugging him.
“We’ll be okay.” She said. He nodded and hugged her in return.
“Yes.” He whispered. Looked at the TV while he still held her close, the car was far away now. Distant, he would never be able to reach them again. He knew it.
“We’ll be okay from now on.” He added, then he jumped off the couch and yelled:
“Now! I bet I’ll reach your mom’s room before you do!” She got up like a snake, all too feminine than her normal movements.
“Don’t think you’re a little something something just because you have me.” She said smoothly, like a person would when imitating a cat.
“I am stronger than you, I am A BOY!” She laughed.
“We’ll see about that miss!” He pointed at her.
“You did not just call me a girl!” She jumped a few times up and down while she said fast:
“Catch me if you can.” Then she ran, and he ran after. They faded into the hallways with their brightly colored clothes and slim bodies.
Lydia’s blond hair flew everywhere as she laughed, she almost didn’t see anything. Kevin hoped she would never ever cut her hair, even though it was sort of in the way. It waved in slow motion, he smiled widely. In the middle of their intense running he grabbed her hand, she turned around, and fell backwards. He fell too, and they disappeared from the white and gray setting. Making all the doctors and nurses look down at them. Then they rolled their eyes and started walking again. Kids these days, one could never be too careful.