Nightshade: A SimLit | Chapter 7: Little Talks
Garrett quietly entered his childrens’ bedroom, his neck still aching from the earlier incident. He walked lightly, careful not to awaken Alexander as he approached his daughter’s bed. “Amelia,” he said quietly.
Amelia’s eyes fluttered open and she slowly sat up. It hadn’t been very long since she had returned home and fallen asleep, and she was exhausted. “Dad…?”
He forced a smile. “Hey. Is it okay with you if I sit down for a minute?”
Amelia nodded, and Garrett sat down beside of her.
Amelia looked at her father with a guilty expression. “Um… how are you feeling…?”
Garrett sighed. “I’ll be okay, honey, we just need to have a little talk.”
Amelia’s heart sank at those words. ‘I’m in big trouble,’ she thought, and visibly cringed. “Um… a talk…?”
“Everything that happened is a little hazy, but your mother told me everything, and…” Garrett paused. “…told me you’ve been hanging around with the vampire’s son…”
Amelia’s heart was racing. “She told me I can’t see him anymore…”
“I know,” Garrett replied. “Look, Amelia, your mother just wants to protect you. Vampires are dangerous, as I’m sure you figured out from that… situation.”
“But Onyx doesn’t seem dangerous…” Amelia frowned. “He can’t help what his mom does.”
Garrett pondered for a moment, trying to figure out how to reply. “I know he doesn’t seem dangerous, honey, but you have to understand,” he began, “when he gets older, he will be.”
“If he’s not dangerous now, why would he be dangerous then?” Amelia asked sadly. “How do you know?”
He looked down. “It’s hard to explain. Someday, you’ll understand.”
“I want to understand now!” Amelia snapped. “Everyone keeps saying he’s dangerous and won’t tell me why!”
“Because when he gets older and his vampire powers manifest, he will follow in the footsteps of his mother,” Garrett tried to explain. “The same way that you want to be like your mother and be an artist.”
She frowned. “You mean he’ll go around biting people?”
“They have to drink blood to survive, that’s just how it is,” Garrett said. “I don’t know much about them, but I know there’s a fruit they can eat instead of drinking from people. But.. they want to drink from humans, and his mother is going to raise him that way, do you understand?” He frowned. “She’ll teach him to drink from humans, not use alternative methods.”
“But he’s not like that, dad!” she exclaimed. “He doesn’t wanna hurt anybody. He said so himself.”
He sighed. ‘He’s only a child,’ he thought, ‘and she’s right that he can’t help what his mother does… he says he doesn’t want to hurt anyone, but will he feel the same way when he’s older?’
“He’s really nice, dad… can’t you just get to know him before you judge him…?” Amelia looked down at her feet. “He’s no different than you or me. He’s got two hands, and two feet, and two eyes and ears… and a heart, just like we do.”
Garrett’s expression softened. “You’re right… he does,” he said quietly. “You know something, Amelia? You have wisdom far beyond your years. I’m so proud of you.” He smiled, and pulled his daughter into a hug.
Amelia smiled. “Really? I thought you and mom were proud of Alexander, ‘cause he gets all A’s…”
“I’m proud of him too,” he smiled. “But you just reminded me of something really important that school can’t ever teach.”
“What’s that?”
“You’ll understand someday,” her father replied, and kissed the top of her head. “I love you, sweetie."
“I love you too, dad,” she replied with a smile.
“You should go back to sleep now,” Garrett said. “I’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight.” He stood up and left the room, closing the door softly behind him.
“Goodnight,” she replied, and laid back down, drifting off to sleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
The next morning, after the kids had left for school, Garrett approached his wife. “Elaine, can I talk to you about something?” he asked.
“Of course,” she smiled. “How are you feeling this morning?”
“Fine.” Garrett replied, and sat down on the couch. “Listen… it’s about Amelia.”
“What about her?” she frowned. “Is something wrong?”
“I think you’ve misjudged her friend,” he began. “He didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Pardon me?”
“What his mother did isn’t his fault. He’s just a kid, Elaine. He isn’t hurting anyone,” he continued. “Amelia really likes him, so what’s the problem with them being friends?”
“What’s the problem?” Elaine repeated. “He’s a vampire, Garrett, have you forgotten!? Maybe he’s incapable of hurting her now, but he surely won’t be later!” she snapped. “She’ll be nothing more than a midnight snack!”
“You don’t know that, Elaine," he retorted. “There are alternative methods. Not all vampires drink from people.”
“Yeah, right!” she exclaimed. “They’re all the same, Garrett, and you know that’s the truth!”
“Do you know what Amelia said to me last night?” Garrett asked. “She said, ‘He’s no different than you or me. He’s got two hands, and two feet, and two eyes and ear, and a heart, just like we do.’ She’s right. Who are we to judge him because of something he can’t even control? He was born a vampire, that’s not his fault.”
“So that's what this nonsense is about? First they’ve brainwashed my daughter, and now she’s brainwashing you!”
“What? How is that brainwashing? It’s the truth! You just don’t want to hear the truth!”
“The truth is that he’s a vampire, and vampires are evil!” she retorted. “He’ll be no different than his mother when he grows up! Is that what you want to happen to our daughter? To be turned into a thing like that?"
“No,” Garrett replied. “But we don’t know that–-”
Elaine’s temper had reached it’s boiling point. “We do know! My decision is final! Amelia is not to go anywhere near that boy!”
“But–”
“There are no buts!” she continued. “I am not allowing him to hurt our daughter, and if you really love her, you won’t allow it either!”
“Why won’t you just listen!?"
"I've had enough of this!” she yelled, getting up from the couch and stormed toward the door.
Garrett rose to his feet. “Elaine, wait! Where are you going!?"
“To settle this once and for all,” Elaine growled.
Uh oh, there's going to be some "settling" going on... this could end badly.
ReplyDeleteAh, yes it could... buckle up, this might be a wild ride.
DeleteThe mother isnt into Vampires but little does she know her husband is about to turn soon! Can't wait to see what happens!
ReplyDeleteoh my gosh I completely didn't even notice that happened. I thought he just drank his blood 0_0. This is about to get interesting.
Delete