Vampire Manifesto (6 page)

The vender looked wacky enough, kinda like a street mime that’s had three bottles of tequila and chained smoked a pack of Newport's. While on break. Just the type of person you wouldn’t think twice about ordering perishable food items from.

“
What will it be Juliet?” The ice-cream guy questioned. His breath smelled like two-day-old Pepto-Bismol.

“
Double scoop of chocolate, with hot fudge and chocolate syrup.”

“
Not a problem.” He began to hook my ice cream up! Drunken venders are always the best venders.

“
Hey, you got that one chocolate syrup that turns all hard after you pour it?” I love that kind.

“
Anything for milady. And you Romeo?”

“
Just a single scoop of French vanilla on a cone please.”

“
Ahh, a classic man at heart! Don’t get too many of those around here these days.”

I had already eaten half of my ice cream by the time the vender handed Ethan’s his.

“
These are free?” Ethan asked.

The Vender paused what he was doing as he looked at Ethan, blinked a couple of times then returned to his wacky self. “But of course they are!” He laughed. “Last meals are always on the house.”

Before either of us could respond, he had already starting pushing his cart, ringing his ice-cream bell as he walked.

“
Well that was creepy.” I stated between mouthfuls of hot fudge covered yumminess.

Ethan eyed after him somewhat, then looked at me. “You’ve got chocolate on your nose.”

“
Of course I do, that’s just how I roll.” Really, that’s the best response you can come up with Madison? That’s just how I roll?

“
Here, let me.” Ethan wiped the tip of my nose with his napkin. “Come on, let’s head back.”

We didn’t really talk much after that, yet it wasn’t awkward. More like one of those comfortable silences you have with someone where the actual silence speaks volumes. Plus, I’m all about the ice-cream baby.

“
So, what are doing tonight?” I could see Aiden and Abby sitting on the blanket off in the distance. Looks like Aiden was educating her to the ways of comics again.

“
Why, what’s up?” Asked Ethan. His hand was covered in melted ice cream. Looked like he wasted more on himself then he did eating.

“
There’s this thing going down tonight. A Party. Well, bonfire actually...”

“
Oh, you mean the one at The Dave’s?” Asked Ethan.

I was surprised. “You already know about that?”

“
Who doesn’t know about that?” Ethan laughed. “They made flyers.”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course they did. So, we were all gonna swing by there later and chill for a bit. If you wanted to stop by...”

“
Madison Amber Rose, are you asking me out on a date?” Oddly enough, his demeanor was quite serious.

“
Well, I figure all those old chicks back in the day burned their bras for a reason right? So yeah, I guess I am. I mean, if you already got other plans or whatever...”

“
I’d love to.” Ethan said with all honesty.

Yes!

“
But just to be clear.” He added. “I’d only be going there to spend time with you.” Ethan clarified. “I...really don’t do well with crowds.”

“
Don’t worry; I’ll be sure to keep you occupied enough.” I responded playfully.

We came to a stop next to Abigail, who seemed to be determined to prove her theory on how Wolverine could beat Batman. Yup, my brother has got his hooks in her deep.

“
Batman is not God Aiden, just deal with it!” She yelled.

Aiden collapsed back on the blanket. “You’re just saying that because you think Hugh Jackman is hot! That’s not a valid argument point.”

“
Well he is hot. And Wolverine would so totally shank Batman with his three fingernail thingies!”

Ethan face palmed himself. “They’re not fingernail thingies, Abigail, they’re adamantium claws.”

“
Aaand we’re here.” I said sarcastically to Ethan. “Welcome to my world.”

“
Your world is a lot better than you think.” Ethan said. “Oh and for the record, Batman would find a way to neutralize Wolverines healing factor. It’s pretty much game over after that point. Batman fought Captain America hand to hand and it ended in a stand still. Wolverine doesn’t have a chance.”

Aiden almost had a cardiac arrest. “See! Even the new dude knows what’s up!”

“
So, I’ll see you there tonight?” I had to cut in.

“
Definitely.” Ethan said. He turned towards my brother and best friend. “It was very...interesting meeting you both.”

“
Take it easy bro.” Aiden said.

“
Nice to meet you to Ethan.” Abigail unexpectedly snapped another picture of him again. “G’s up Ho’s down.”

“
Um...okay?” He looked at me with those eyes, then gave me a quick nod. “Madison.”

I waved as he ran off down the beach. He was fast, because it only took a sec before I couldn’t see him anymore. I just stood there, ignoring my brother and his girlfriend as they continued their argument. This time if Mega-Man could beat Link from Zelda in a fistfight.

I just continued to smile to myself. My only thoughts were of Ethan and the fact that I was going to see him again tonight.

I let Abigail drive home, content to just lay in the back seat and reflect. Today’s little unexpected excursion to the beach went much better than I had planned. At best, I figured I’d just catch some rays. Look at some cute boys surfing and get mildly intoxicated off of Margaritas.

At worst, it would have rained and we would have had to call it a day a lot sooner than we did. Never did I expect to meet someone who had enraptured all of my senses the way Ethan Blackwood did. Ever since we moved to Palm Coast last year, I hadn’t really found anyone that I was even remotely interested in.

It wasn’t because no one was interested in me. That’s far from the case; rather it was the sad fact that I wasn’t interested in any of them. Not a single one had captured my attention the way I thought my attention should be captured. I never connected with any of them like the way Aiden and Abigail connected. They were in synch almost all the time. Finishing each other sentences, knowing when the other one was about to call seconds before they actually did.

I still find that a little creepy, but hey, to each his own.

Ethan Blackwood.

I even liked the way his name sounded in my mind, yet knowing my luck he’ll probably end up being like, the biggest douche ever. Either that or a serial killer. Well, he is coming to The Dave’s tonight, so one way or another I was gonna find out.

When we got home, I just went straight to my room. Aiden was making Abigail play test his Little Big Planet level he created again. She pleaded with me with sympathetic eyes to save her, to intervene, but I just shook my head. I had other plans on my mind.

I wanted to sleep, to try and get a little rest before the nights outing, but I decided against it. I knew as soon as I closed my eyes I would have that crazy dream again. The dream I could barely remember other than just a few insane moments. I was planning to go to the library sometime, get some books on deciphering dreams, but I never did.

I always plan on doing a lot of things that I never do.

I wanted to talk to Mom. Get her advice about how I should approach this whole Ethan thing. Unlike most teens, my Mom and I were extremely close. We talked about everything. She never judged. She never yelled. One of the best things about her was she knew when to be Mom and when to let go and let me make my own mistakes. Even when she was right, she never once said
I told you so
.

I tried hitting her up on the cell, but it went straight to voicemail. I didn’t leave a message. I don’t leave messages. I tried Dads cell. His just rang a couple of times then went to voicemail. I’ll just try them later tonight. Well, maybe not later tonight, considering I’ll probably be just a little wasted.

Tomorrow then.

I dug in the back of my closet, shifting through the mass of clothes I’d acquired until I found my easel and paint supplies. I was in the mood to paint. Put my feelings onto a canvas for the entire world to see. My brother had his comics and plays video games, Dad works on
The Rolling Stone
, Mom likes to watch boxing and I, well I paint. That’s what I do to decompress. I was pretty good at it. Art was something I picked up when I was young. Aiden was always into to comics as a kid, that’s how he learned how to read I think.

We used to draw together, make our own comic books and stuff. He would write them and I would draw them out. That was our thing. Then he found out what a PlayStation was and I discovered oil paint. People used to compliment my talent, but it was always just a recreational thing to me and today I was in the mood to be recreational.

I plugged my iPod into the speaker system and started to blast
Stairway to Heaven
by
Led Zeppelin
, throwing on my favorite worn, black leather jacket that I always painted in.

I don’t know what made me do it, chose the subject matter that I did. In the beginning, I didn’t even know what it was I painting, it was more or less me putting oil to canvass, yet as I continued, as I slipped into that zone that I get into when things just perfectly click and I’m just there doing what I do, no longer checking the time to see how long I’ve been at it, but rather, just doing what needs to be done, I finally realized what it was I was painting.

It was the man from my dream. The one that’s been chasing me every night for the past thirty days nonstop. I’m not sure why I chose him as my muse. Honestly, this was the first time I’d ever gotten a clear and defining look at him. I could never really remember his face upon waking, even though he haunted my every move at night. Yet there he was, in all his wicked glory, staring at me with those lifeless glowing orbs.

I continued to paint, going into detail now, the forest behind him, the dark clouds swirled together just moments before the lightning struck his body. I poured my soul into it, oblivious to the outside world around me, only focusing on the task at hand. I tried to get every detail I remembered into the painting, every little snapshot that had escaped me before, poured out onto the canvas.

“
Whoa, that’s kinda fly.” Abigail’s voice made me jump. I almost dropped the paintbrush I had been using on the carpet.

I exhaled, catching my breath. “Jesus, you scared me.”

“
I’m sorry, Madison, I thought you knew I was here.” She replied sincerely.

“
No, I just...when I paint, I kinda just get into this, I don’t know, zone I guess. I just block out the world and nothing else exists. How long have you been standing there?”

“
Few minutes I guess.” Abigail crossed her arms, taking a few steps forwards. “It’s beautiful.” She admitted. “Who is he?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know really.” I admitted. “Just some guy…I guess.”

I hadn’t told anyone about my dreams. Not even Aiden. I’m not really a confessional type person, plus, my dreams were intimate, personal. They were mine; they belonged to me and only me. Some things you just don’t really want to share with other people. Some things are just yours and yours alone to do with as you see fit.

“
Well, whoever he is he’s cute.” Abigail admitted.

“
Abby, you think everybody is cute.” I responded.

“
Uh, no not really. Only the ones that are.” She exclaimed. “You still coming with us to The Dave’s?”

“
Yeah, but I thought that wasn’t till later.”

“
Madison, it is later. It’s already ten p.m.” Abigail headed towards the door. “Aiden wants to be there before eleven.”