Chapter 2: Heading Out in the Daylight

As the sunlight passes through the small rectangular window high above and reaches my eyes, I am awoken. The sunlight does not burn me or hurt in any way beyond interrupting my sleep and causing me to feel weak. Re-explaining my can and can'ts to myself is just as annoying a recurrence as the brightness of morning.

I try throwing myself out of bed but I cannot find the strength to, I just want to go back to dreamland but this accursed sunlight refuses to leave my eyes. Left with no choice, I eventually rose out of bed.

Looking through my belongings I find the piece of plastic that old man dropped last night. I breathe a heavy sigh as I'm reminded of my own morals and responsibilities to try and return this thing. Inspecting the card I am able to determine that it has some correlation to a building called "Sheridan & Associates".

"Sheridan? Wasn’t he that author? I wonder what happened to him..." with the passing thought of books, I feel unpleasant at the prospect that I'll never be able to publish a story of my own, much less ever finish writing one at this rate. "Well no matter, I have all the time in the world~". I lean towards a shelf with a bunch of outdated stuff in hopes I can find a map or something. I would head out on foot now but I'd rather wait until the afternoon before leaving my place of refuge, but that doesn't mean I can't still be productive.

Rummaging through a bunch of dusty books and files, I come across a map slightly torn at the creases. I don't know how old the map is but I sure am glad they put a big arrow saying "You are here!" while pointing at a pirate ship because I can discard this in full confidence knowing that it's wrong. Time passes and I'm still unable to discover anything useful so I fall to my back and rest on the cold stone floor.

"How do people do it now-a-days?" I say weakly in a defeated tone, "Everything is so big, and it's so easy to get lost..." I tilt my eyes to check on the sun. "...Still rising."

I throw on my jacket pre-emptively before going out, so that I can slide the strange thing into a good pocket before I forget about it. "Now you might be thinking, what is a 'good pocket?' Well the answer is simple! A jacket's pocket has good room and is easy to access, but wait, there's more! A jacket pocket can keep things concealed! Yay! But my jean pockets always show that there's something in them because they're tight fitting." I run my hand along my thigh trying to find the pocket seam, "Then again I choose to wear these skinnier jeans because the baggy ones just feel... off."

[Despite her usage of exclamation points, this woman was not enthusiastic or loud with her proclamations. She spoke with sarcasm more often than anything else, and most of all, she speaks to herself. Having been alone for so long, she managed to cope by imagining scenarios where she would be on stage, or more recently, on TV speaking to a crowd. The logistics behind it all is inconsistent but it's what inspired this woman to write about herself. She quite literally narrates her own life as if someone was watching over her, or in this case, reading her mind.]

I allow myself to get lost in thought for some time, wandering about this small yet large room, lazing about here and there on occasion, skimming my journals to relive old memories, and before I knew it, the sun had begun its descent. Although still nearing the peak in the sky, it was most certainly going up no longer. 'Twas then I headed towards the door leading outside, nearly knocking over all the leftover cleaning equipment in the corner as myself slowly left the realm of my mind and re-entered my body.

Leaving my room was always a pain as this abandoned building had many hallways and many more rooms. It always annoyed me that I chose to reside in the storage room rather than one of the other spaces. I could never recall why it was I made that choice, perhaps it was because the other rooms didn't have anything resembling furniture, but it would make navigating towards the real exit much easier than from the room I chose. From there it was like trying to make your way through the labyrinth.

"Where art thou my dear princess Ariadne?” I looked up towards the old ceiling, with my left hand over my heart and my right outstretched.

“Unlike that rude Theseus who came from Athens, I vow to never leave you." My voice echoed through the complex, it sounded like the hopeless cries of a lost young girl. And yet, it was the yearning for a princess that made my heart hurt first.

I run my hand lightly against the walls as if I were marking them with paint so I may find my way back later. The sound of my footsteps continue to echo until they're muffled by the front door squeaking and struggling open. My eyes flinched in the sunlight, it was still much too bright for myself. In order to progress, I removed a pair of sunglasses from my jacket pocket as I made my way into the active city.

***

"People these days are so mean!" I said with a pout. But honestly though, half the people I tried asking for directions looked at me strangely, bobbing their heads to the rhythm of the wind or something. Then when I call for their attention again they have this face full of annoyance and inconvenience as they point to some thing sticking out of their ears as if that answers anything.

[This woman interacting with people often is a very fun watch. She grew up many centuries ago and has been away from society for the past decade so devices like wireless earphones are foreign to her. Despite this, it is fair to agree that people are often "mean"-er these days as a result.]

A man, appearing as a father taking care of his child, steps out of a store. Considering how they're talking to each other, I'm betting they're the only people in this deaf town that can hear.

"Excuse me sir?" I call out for attention before stating my request. I've noticed in the past few decades people just go straight into what they want, never stopping to consider if the other person even has the time to spare.

The father looks up from his child with the warmth in his demeanor still lingering. "Yes? Did you need something?"

"If it isn't a bother, and assuming you know, might you be willing to help me find wherever this is?" I show him the piece of plastic the old man dropped, with the tip of my nail I point near the middle unsure where exactly would be most optimal.

"Daddy look! Isn't that the same one you have?" The young child spoke with such enthusiasm, prideful of his father.

With a kind smile the father looks back to his child and clarifies "Mine's a little different but yes, it’s from the same company." After ruffling his child's hair he looks back to me in a more serious tone, "Might I ask first how you got that ID? I mean no offense but it clearly isn't you on that card."

At first I thought to be offended believing that this man had thought for a moment that a woman as beautiful as I could even for a moment be accused of looking like the elderly fellow portrayed on the card. Then I understood, he wasn't implying that it all. It's been far too long since I've conversed with someone who isn't me.

"Of course, it was late last night when an old man passed me by on the sidewalk. We accidentally collided into one another, and that is when I believe this fell from his person. It took me a moment to recognize that it had fallen, but by then he had already passed. I am now aiming to return this to its rightful owner." I spoke clearly much in the manner that my mother had raised me.

"Daddy, that lady talks funny." The child said with annoying glee. I am not quite sure what part of my proclamation the developing human found risible, but I forced a pleasant smile on my face using all my strength and determination.

[The woman was clearly upset at the comment, anyone could see that. Her suppressed anger was hidden so poorly that it had even frightened the child's father. She pressed her eyes closed too forcefully and her smile was much too symmetrical, it was haunting.]

The father reigns in his child and apologizes on his behalf "Now what do we say after doing something not nice?" he spoke in a slow, condescending tone.

"I'm sorry miss." the child spoke with his head low, and all traces of joy gone.

Unable to remain upset, I kneel down before the child and say to him softly before asking a question, "Everything is all alright and well, but if you might know, where would I need to go to return this?"

Without saying a word, the child points in a direction. I look up towards the father for confirmation and he elaborates on the whereabouts of this company. I thank both of them before heading off towards my destination. Many cars pass me by, I breathe a heavy sigh, yearning for a vehicle of my own to get me off my feet. "A motorcycle would be so very lovely."

***

Having arrived at the correct building, I head inside. I presume they renovated a grocery store as the doors had opened on their own in my presence, sliding out to either side. There was a cool breeze that rushed out the building, it had the lingering scent of many brews of coffee in the air. On top of that, the building seemed dimly lit.

[The woman had stood near the entrance trying her best to process the automated door that she’s only seen at a grocery store before, leading her to believe incorrectly that they’re only used for such purposes. As she walked in with her sunglasses still on her face, the clicking of her footsteps echoed around the room joining the chorus of clicking keyboards.]

Once I was inside, I was greeted by the receptionist, who in her kindness helped me find the words I needed to say. At first I started with a basic introduction, but was met with her simply nodding at me as if to say "Go on..." There was a suspicion in her expression as she looked at me. 

I held out the badge, remarking that it isn't mine. The woman grew curious and concerned. It took several tries before I managed to eloquently convey that I wanted to give it back to whom it belonged. And that I wasn't apart of some agency or other.

"I see. That makes a lot more sense. Thank you for returning this. Is there anything else I can help you with today Ma'am?"

Being around so many people made my body remember that I was starving. It's been a ten long years since these fangs of mine have been dyed red. I thought for a moment to ask if she wouldn't mind letting me have some of her blood but I had to remember, it is safer to refrain from feeding than it is to feed carelessly. 

With the card handed off, I was going to take my leave. However it was then I noticed tucked away in a corner was a familiar face. The face of that woman whom I had visited in the night not long ago. She was typing away on something that resembled a slimmer personal computer. Her demeanor conveyed that she was tired, and stressed. It left me with a horrible feeling in my heart to see her in such a state, and I couldn't understand why.

Knowing I was overstaying my welcome, I wished the receptionist a farewell, thanking her for her help before walking back outside. The sun was much lower now, but it was still giving off that bright light indicating that evening hadn't yet set in. I linger, gazing at that celestial orb, wondering why something that provides so much for all walks of life, seems to despise me and those too who are vampires.

My stomach growls, and weakness becomes harder to ignore. I should've taken a drink of blood when I had the chance but it's far too early for me now. I try distracting myself with thoughts of my incomplete novel before my attention was stolen by the sound of those grocery doors sliding open. It was that very same lady from before who had walked out.

"Why am I unable to look away from you?" My eyes follow the lady as she walks away until my neck reaches its limit, as I start to twist my body some teenager walks into me. They give me a glare of pure contempt. Annoyed with their kindness, I pointed to my ears as if that answered anything, as I began to follow that lady into what seems to be a cafe, to see if I might learn more about this strange attraction I feel. 

I can understand how my behavior can seem strange and even outright wrong, but it's as they say curiosity killed the cat, and I am much stronger and smarter than a cat. So I was left with no reason not to act on my desires.