go to the lighthouse after the old keeper is asleep. He’s actually more of a maintenance person as the lighthouse doesn’t operate as a lighthouse anymore. Technological progress has made it obsolete. The big modern aerodrome beacon strobe light is turned on, only for special occasions. Beginning of the crabbing season, the Christmas festival, things like that. The lighthouse is but a historical monument now.
This time of year it’s closed to the public so I can go just about any time. The old keeper mainly stays in his quarters down at the foot of the lighthouse. I take a good leap from the shore dock and land on the walk-about near the top. If it’s windy, I have to leap harder and can’t control my body as much, so I’ll aim for the pinnacle on the top which I latch onto. Then I slide down the copper roof and land right on the walk-about. No one even knows I’m there.
It’s so peaceful there atop the lighthouse, even when the wind is roaring. The peace is inside of me. God speaks to me and reveals His magic to me. During these times I feel like he did this all just for me. He’s given me my own planet.
I’ve almost been caught by the old keeper once when he came to clean the light lenses before an event. If he ever saw me, he’d think he only imagined it. It would seem like I vanished like a ghost I’d be gone so fast. It’s an easy jump to the ground for me, then a quick run on the dock to build my momentum, and a leap to shore.
It’s getting colder as we’re nearing the winter solstice. But it doesn’t matter to a vampire. Not this level of cold. Our blood runs so fast within our bodies it generates heat. It has to be close to twenty degrees Fahrenheit before we begin to really feel it enough that we need a coat. Some vampires wear coats even when they don’t need one. They use them as a fashion statement or symbol of power. They’ll put up with the discomfort to be able to stand out, or say “Look what we can take you little wussy vampires.” They are very in your face. I hate… I dislike these vampires. No… I actually do hate them!
KILLER BEES.
I really do not like them from the top of their blonde heads to the bottom of their pedicured feet and everything in between. They take “in your face” to whole different level. There are three of them. Three creatures from hell. I do mean HELL!
You rarely see the Bees out of their Canyon Heights COUGARS cheerleader outfits. Cheerleaders of all things! Where’s Buffy when you need her?! Come to Crescent City, Buffy, I’ll buy your ticket!
Nadira is the Captain; Alina and Tara co-captains. That sucks royally! They get to be the ones calling all the shots. That means they are out in front on all the routines and they are at the top of the pyramid. As if they need any more attention. AHH!
You’ll hear me talk about the “Bees” a lot. They are my nemeses in all things in life. Most of it caused by them just existing and going to the same school. The genesis of the problem is they are strikingly beautiful, each in their own way. Nadira is the most striking. She truly is a striking beauty. I’m jealous-- no lying on this. Alina and Tara aren’t far behind her. Tara is the youngest at fourteen. You would not believe she’s only fourteen. All three of them have been blessed by the body gods and those bodies of theirs show-off well in those cheerleader uniforms. The Bees seem to live in their cheer uniforms. I mean that’s all they wear at school, at the mall… maybe they sleep in them.
The Bees can have any vamp boy, get away with anything, and they have all the perks a rich, powerful, and connected vampire family can provide-- in other words, so not me and my life. A limo with a personal driver drops them off at school. I love riding my sweet bike, but a limo driving me to school once in awhile would be nice.
Just so you know, we can live amongst humans and we can put on a good act about being friendly and all; but we cannot fraternize with humans in a “feeling way.” We can’t become true friends of humans. We can’t bond with them or have feelings for them per the code. Our relationships with you are nothing more than a deception.
Falling in love with a human is strictly forbidden. It’s the number two violation of the vampire code. It’s very, very, bad for the vampire in the equation and for that vampire’s family. The vamp and their entire family are relocated with new identities and are on a strict type of watch by special vampire teams. IF that vampire attempts any kind of contact, or makes any kind of contact with the human again, the vampire “disappears.” As in, bye-bye off the face-of-the-earth, never to be seen or heard from again. The problem is forever solved.
As for the human in a vampire-human love equation-- if he or she has been revealed the truth about us they are killed. It is as simple as that.
There is no hiding the truth of the matter. There are vampires that can get to the truth. Mindreaders. I don’t know how they do it. It’s supposed to be something like a Vulcan mind-meld. It also isn’t a pleasant experience. It’s allegedly extremely painful as they do like a Google search of your brain to get to the information they are seeking.
These vampires have no problem reading human minds, but it’s more difficult to read a vampire’s mind. We are wired to lie and deceive. It’s in the DNA. Even within our family and closest vampire relationships you seriously have to work hard at building trust and even then there are lies. I told you, it’s complicated being a vampire.
As far as falling in love with the opposite sex-- I don’t expect I’ll ever run into the problem. Boys-- vampire or human don’t seem to be attracted to me or Lily. Maybe they really do believe we’re in the all-girls club. Whatever the reasons, we’re “toxic.” And vamp boys have their own detractions that I’d rather not deal with right now in my life. If I’m lucky to ever find a vamp of the opposite sex I just pray he’s one like Daddy-- a kind, self-assured vampire. On the other hand, we obviously can’t have a relationship with a human boy - so what’s the use of going there.
The run-up to the winter solstice is upon us. It’s when we need to feed the most. The sun’s rays have less intensity and the hours of darkness are much longer. We must take advantage of it to give us the sustenance we need for the summer days and months when the sun is out much longer and its UV rays more intense. UV rays are what are dangerous to vampires-- so during the summer months it is more difficult to take in all we need. We are very much like the hibernating animals but in the reverse. We store energy in the winter to make it through the summer.
Yes, the fact that we have the sunscreen should allow us to do what we need to do year-round, but the evolution of our bodies; our organs and cells still require this heavy feeding in the winter months. If not, we lull and lull and lull, until our body reaches an equilibrium and then we finally come out of the lull. That is called an “equilibrium lull.” It’s a defense mechanism of our bodies. Going into “shock” or a “coma” would be the human equivalent. When we come out of an equilibrium lull we need to feed something fierce. If we don’t we feel intense hunger pains and we can die.
It happened to me, last winter solstice. An entire month had passed. My parents and Christian we’re running out of excuses at school and Child Protective Services were ready to come when my Dad had one of our vampire doctors write a letter saying I had mono-- the kissing disease. Me? I don’t think so. But it worked.
Another interesting vampire fact: there’s like a “NO VAMPIRE ZONE.” It’s in certain latitudes within the Tropics and has to do with something about the sun being at zenith. It’s very inhospitable to us vampires, sunscreen, or not. The sun penetrates there like X-rays.
Luckily, the human race (our sustenance) keeps growing in places where we can live comfortably, and we are always learning to adapt to harsher climates just like the humans. Eventually we vampires will be everywhere humans are. When both of our species overtax the planet’s abilities to support us all is when worlds will collide. My Dad says it’s inevitable.
