The Blind Vampire Hunter (17 page)

Her eyes widened when I said ‘kill here.’
She had not considered being killed. Push the point. She is not
ready to die.
“Are you ready for me to kill you, to feed on you
to the point of permanently taking your life? Do you really want me
to kill you, dear Celeste?” I emphasized my point by extending my
fangs in her sight. Celeste had seen my fangs before, but she had
never seen them as instruments of her death. She visibly flinched
at their appearance.

“There is one more point about which you need
to consider. Becoming an immortal Ghoul.”

“A what?” Celeste asked, doubt sneaking into
her voice.

“A Ghoul. A grave-robbing eater of the dead.
A disgusting brainless creature shunned by even the worst of the
creatures of the night. A creature of decay that exists on the
decaying flesh of the dead. There is nothing lower than a ghoul
and, for some unknown reason, sometimes a “turning’ goes wrong and
the newly dead is not reborn as a vampire, but is reborn as a
disgusting, decaying, creature ruled by a decaying brain that only
wants one thing, to eat the dead. Do you really want to take the
chance of spending immortality as a disgusting decaying brainless
ghoul? Personally I would not like to see that happen to you.”

Sounding a little defeated, she asked, “But
if that did happen to me, wouldn’t you end my ghoulish
existence?”

Making a point of looking and sounding sad, I
answered, “I really don’t think I could. I would have to touch your
repulsive form long enough to end your existence. I really don’t
think I could.” Sadly shaking my head, I added, “No I really could
not touch you, let alone end your existence.”

That’s giving her something to think
about.

I decided to put the last nail in the coffin,
“There is always the possibility that something could go wrong and
you will just die. Remember, while I know the procedure, which I
learned by word of mouth, I have never seen, let alone performed, a
‘turning’. There really is a greater chance that something will go
wrong, than that the turning will go right.”

Sounding childishly defeated, Celeste
replied, “Please leave. No snack tonight, just leave.”

Feeling relieved, despite my lack of a snack
size meal, I walked over to the ladies’ toiletry door, unlocked it,
and quietly left for the subway. No meal tonight.

Chapter
Thirteen

Dr. Who

Meanwhile, in the life of a future blind
vampire hunter. Years ago when I changed my medical plan to a new
HMO, I needed to pick a general practitioner, also called a primary
care doctor. I looked down the list and saw
Dr. Who.
How
could a sci-fi nerd like me pass that up? Pass up telling my nerd
friends that my doctor is Dr. Who? No way.

I became a little hesitant when I read that
the doctor was a female, but I also read that she spent some time
working at John Hopkins, so I choose her as my doctor. This pretty
little Asian has been my doctor for about five years now. I only
had to drop my pants for her once during that time. It was all very
professional and no problem, as she is not a woman, she’s my
doctor—my Dr. Who.

Today I had a follow up on the growth which
had been removed. It had been sent to the lab to be tested for
cancer.

I followed the usual procedure. After paying
my co-pay, I sat out in the waiting area to be called in to see the
doctor. This time when the nurse called me, instead of following
her with my white cane, I asked if I could take her shoulder so
that she could lead me into the examination room, easier being led
then feeling my way behind her, possible tripping her with the
white cane if I get too close. She complied.

After helping me up onto an examining table,
she went about taking my temperature and my pulse. Both were
fine.

After a reasonable time waiting, Dr. Who
knocked on the door and let herself in. As she walked in, she asked
the usual, “So, how are you doing?” Then she sat down.

I could not pass it up and answered, “Well, I
have gone totally blind.”

It sounded as if she almost missed sitting on
the chair with that come back.

Then she questioned, “Mr. Poisner, you
serious?”

“Yes, ma’am. Since the last time I saw you I
went from legally blind to totally blind. I had been warned for
years that it could happen, that a sudden activity of the RP could
have me going to bed sighted and waking up totally blind. Well
that’s what happened to me. I woke up one morning seeing nothing,
nothing but grayness.”

“You say ‘grayness’ and not blackness?” My
Dr. Who asked

“Seems strange even to me, but everything and
the only thing I see is grayness. I have gotten so that I can tell
if I am in a lit room or a dark room from the degree of grayness. I
can tell the difference from being out in the sun compared to being
out during the night. But that is all I can
see
.”

“How are you copping with this change?”

“OK. I am still adjusting. For example, I had
my wife drive me to my appointment instead of coming by myself
using Metro. I figure, given time, I will regain my confidence to
travel outside the home by myself again someday. Of course I miss
even the half-assed eyesight I had for so many years.”

“That’s understandable. You sound in good
spirits, under the circumstances. Just the same, if you feel like
some time at mental health would help you right now or even later
just let me know and I will set you up with a referral. If you
should suddenly find yourself feeling suicidal over your loss of
sight you can call Mental Health at anytime day or night and
instantly get an appointment with no referral needed.”

“Thanks doc, but I really am doing alright.”
I was tempted to add
except for the Vampire living under my
roof.
I didn’t. I grinned at the thought of her possible
reaction if I had done so.
Do they keep those special white
coats with the extra-long sleeves handy around here?

“Something funny, Mr. Poisner?”

“Sorry, private joke.”

“Mr. Poisner, you will be relieved to know
the mole that was removed was benign. Please take off your shirt. I
will have a look at your back. See how everything is looking.”

So I removed my t-shirt and listened to her
coming around behind me. She felt the area where the mole had been
removed and proclaimed, “Looks good. Hardly can tell where the mole
was removed. Just remember to have your wife occasionally check for
any signs of the mole returning. From what I have seen, I doubt
that will be a problem.”

She walked back to her chair, most likely to
make some notes, “As to your loss of eyesight. Remember you can
call mental health day or night and get help immediately.”

“Really, it’s no sweat doc. I’m not getting
around outside the house on my own as I used to, but I believe in
time even that will change as I regain my confidence in being
totally blind as I did when I was legally blind. Would you mind
helping me find my way out to the waiting area to my wife?”

Going home, my wife was quite relieved at the
confident report from my doctor, as some folks at church and at
work had been feeding her horror stories of reoccurring
melanoma.

Chapter
Fourteen

The Celeste Problem

Celeste’s attitude, when I was last with her,
troubled me. Who’s to say an unhappy Celeste would not get mouthy
about knowing a vampire? How do I know she wouldn’t give me up in
the dejected state I left her in?

I have too good a thing going here to lose it
over a little malcontent from a waitress. Celeste is going to have
to be taken care of.
Tonight. The theatre has only a single
movie scheduled, so I will have plenty of time after closing to see
to Celeste’s needs. Celeste, tonight is your night.

Sitting at my usual table at IHOP, Celeste
approached looking as if I was the last person on Earth she wanted
to see. I just kept a smile on my face as she continued to approach
with an air of defiance.
Yes, Celeste, tonight is going to be
your night.

Celeste was the first to speak. “You have
your nerve showing up here. Don’t expect to get the usual. That
feed fountain is closed.”

Interrupting her tirade, I said, “Celeste,
hon, I decided tonight is your night. Go tell your boss you are
going out for a smoke break. Tell him to take this job and shove
it, if you prefer. While you are doing this, I will be leaving and
going down the street to the deserted, unused warehouse down the
block. You know the one I mean?

With a notable change in attitude of
excitement, she replied, “Yes, yes I know the place.”

Interrupting her youthful display of
enthusiasm, I continued, “There your life is about to change
forever. There you will get ‘turned’.”

Looking like a little kid on Christmas
morning, Celeste announced, “Really? Oh thank you, thank
you....”

Again, I interrupted her display of
merriment, but I was happy to note the lack of interest by the few
diners within sight or hearing, “Celeste, dear, calm down. You
don’t want to raise anybody’s suspicions. Get yourself under
control and do as I say, and before dawn you will be totally
changed.”

Celeste made a notable effort to replace her
childlike display of merriment to her usual, careless “every night
is just the same boring night as the night before” attitude.

When Celeste left to follow my instructions,
I got up and left.

I hadn’t been standing within the shadow of
the warehouse for long, when a youthful Celeste could be seen
running toward my position. She reeked of innocent enthusiasm. She
was hardly being covert with her out-of-control emotions. I
listened closely around the area. I could hear no heart beats
nearby that were human. Luckily no one was around to observe
Celeste’s self-indulgent display.

On her approach, she looked at me, then at
the chained and pad-locked warehouse door and announced, “We’re not
getting in that way.”

“No, we are not. While I could easily break
either the chain or the lock, someone might walk by and observe
such evidence of intrusion into the warehouse. We don’t want to be
interrupted on this very special night.” Forcing a smile to fit
Celeste’s festive mood, I continued, “We will go around the corner
and find a way in from the side of the building. A way in where any
damage we create will not be seen by anyone but some alley
rats.”

“Rats. I hate rats,” she nervously announced,
looking around for the little rodents.

With authority I pronounced, “Fear not.
You’re with me. No rats will be bothering us this night.”

Without being told, Celeste followed her into
the alley beside the warehouse. There Isabella, only with the aid
of her predatory night sight, found two windows. She chose the
window deepest into the alleyway. For one thing, she did not even
have to break the window to unlock it. For effect, she forced the
window open without bothering to unlock it, to display the amazing
strength Celeste will be inheriting after her “turning.” This feat
of strength was not lost on Celeste, who did not even try to hide
her excitement about the possibilities that could soon be hers.

Isabella stepped through the open window
first, so she could assist Celeste, the woman of the hour, safely
inside. This also put Isabella in position to help Celeste into the
darkened structure, which she did find to be a problem.

Celeste’s smock got caught on the broken
window lock. It was easy for the vampire to free her special human
being’s outfit and continue to assist the woman of the hour into
the abandoned warehouse. With her safely inside, the vampire led
her further into the decomposing room, which had given way to time
and neglect.

Once inside, the vampire couldn’t help smell
her special friend’s growing excitement, and also nervousness. “I
can’t see in here. I can see a little light in the alleyway, but
here inside this building I can’t see my hand in front of my face.”
Celeste was comically waving her hand before her face for emphasis,
but for the vampire with her predatory night sight, seeing was not
a problem.

“Here, put out your hand, and I will be your
guide.” She did as she was told, so the vampire took her hand and
pulled her near. As she looked around the place, it looked like a
prime candidate for the wrecking ball; rubble was all around. There
was a stairway in the middle of the large room, a stairway that
went nowhere. After a few steps upward, it just did not exist
anymore. From the lack of human rubble, the vampire guessed that
even the homeless had abandoned this building a long time ago.

At first the vampire did not see the perfect
spot for tonight’s festivities, so the two ladies were going to
have to do some exploring. Before moving, Isabella instructed,
“Celeste, the flooring is full of rubble, so follow my lead, but
pick your feet up, as we will have to travel over some boards and
fallen pieces of ceiling tiles. It’s going to be rough going, but
remember I have your hand and will not let you fall.”

“Alright,” she almost squeaked out,
nervously.

The two walked in the general direction of
the stairway with the idea of checking out a darker area just a
little behind the stairway to nowhere. They had only gone a couple
of feet when Celeste tripped over some bit of ceiling rubble on the
floor, but the vampire prevented her from falling without a
problem. “Celeste, dear, please pick up your feet and watch your
step.”

“Yes Isabella.” With each step, Celeste
seemed to be getting more nervous.
Is she having second
thoughts? Too late for that now.

Eventually the two ladies, one young and the
over very old but not showing it made it to the their destination,
the darkened area in the middle of the building of rubble Celeste
only tripping two more times while on their short journey. As
Isabella suspected, the darkened area of interest was a large hole
in the floor. Perhaps this hole had been an elevator or some large
piece of equipment that was large enough to take up two or three
floors, as even Isabella with her vampire night sight could not see
the bottom of the large hole. While Isabella continued holding
Celeste’s hand, she kicked a piece of wood into the hole and
listened for it to hit bottom. It did, eventually. From the sound,
it was at least two floors down, possibly three. With her vampire
hearing she noted that the fallen wood had scared up a large number
of squealing mice, rats and other little urban insectoid predators.
This is the place.