Storymakers: A Bite To Remember

Storymakers: A Bite To Remember

By Megan
Eighth Grade
Kenmore Jr. High School
Bothell, WA

The icy breeze snapped at my face, burning the skin in its wake. Night was crawling in, the sky darkening with the passing minutes, and I still had a ways to go until I reached my destination. Most of the stores crowding this end of Chicago were empty of people, their lights glimmering with a false sense of liveliness. The old cobblestones that made up the street beneath my feet were cracked and ragged - not at all the ideal terrain for heels - and despite the early hour the moon was already hanging low in the sky, illuminating the shabby alley that I was cutting through.

I shivered and pulled my dress coat closer, reveling in the minuscule source of warmth. My heels clicked on the ground, loud compared to the noiseless, desolate streets. With a few more lengthened steps, I rounded the final corner and took the stairs leading to Rowan's apartment two at a time. Trembling from the cold, I approached the last apartment on the strip and pulled my hand out of my pocket to knock. Though before I had the chance, the door creaked open, revealing the interior of Rowan's apartment to me for the first time.

Candles were positioned around the room, their flames flickering in the eerie darkness. The walls were painted a dark red color and the floor appeared to be gold. The living room was small but it fit Rowan's personality perfectly. I smiled at the décor and moved further into the room, feeling hesitant without Rowan there to guide me.

"Rowan?" I called - my voice breathless from the lengthy walk. I stood still for a moment, shifting on my heels as I waited.

A cool breath of air blew on my neck and I jumped at the sudden feeling. A smile lit my face as two familiar arms snaked around my waist and I twisted around to gaze up at Rowan. In the dim light I could just make out his features - pale, almost white skin, brown hair the shade of chocolate, and eyes that were too amazing to be described.

"Fancy meeting you here," Rowan murmured, gazing down at me with a smile in his eyes.

"I know, right," I leaned into his sturdy chest and sighed. "So what's the occasion?" I wondered aloud, his shirt muffling the words.

"There isn't one. I just assumed that you'd like to see my place."

I gave a mental head shake and rolled my eyes. I wasn't buying it. Though instead of pursuing the answer, I gave up and pulled away. As I moved to the side, I tilted my head and shot my 'date' a questioning smile.

"Dinner," he announced at the sound of the timer, and with that he grabbed my hand and lead me to the small dining room a few feet away.

A table in the center of the room was set for two with plain kitchenware and generic lighting. The plates were already filled with various meats and greens. I licked my lips and slipped into the chair opposite of Rowan. We ate in silence for not much needed to be said. We understood each other, we loved each other, and in that moment, that was all that mattered.

At last the food had been cleaned from my plate and I found myself being pulled back towards the den. Rowan came to a stop in the heart of the room and moved over to the CD player to raise the volume. With a lazy grin on his face, Rowan sauntered back over to where I stood.

"Dance with me?" he whispered in my ear, sending chills down my back.

I nodded and wrapped my arms around his neck, leaning my head on his chest as I had done earlier. Rowan copied my movements and soon we were moving in sync with the slow music. We continued to dance for sometime, I can't be sure how long, but it felt like only seconds had passed when Rowan leaned down and brushed his lips across my forehead.

"I love you, Blaze," he whispered against my skin, a smile forming on his lips. As he pulled me closer, Rowan began to kiss down the side of my face and continued down the contours of my throat. "Forever," His lips traced over my pulse point and I moaned at the soft sensation. Rowan kissed the spot once more, as if claiming it as his own, and then I felt a sharp pain where his lips had been just a mere second before.

A sharp hiss escaped my lips and the slight pain increased until I felt myself beginning to fall. My heart racing, I gasped and stumbled as the area on my neck began to lose feeling. The numbness spread from the point where Rowan had bitten me and continued to flow through my veins until almost no sense of feeling remained. As my last ounce of strength drained away, I collapsed into Rowan's arms and a mumbled whisper escaped my lips. As my vision began to fade, Rowan let out a strangled cry and pulled me closer to his body, whispering over and over, "I love you," and that was the last thing I heard as the world around me faded to black.

My eyes fluttered open, heavy from the slumber that had bound me to the unconscious world. Feeling almost weightless, I slid off the bed and glided over to the gaze in the mirror.

Outside, the birds were singing, the street was alive with people moving forward with their lives, but there I was no longer a part of that world. Nor would I ever be again.

In the mirror, my violet eyes, the color of flames dancing on water, glistened back at me - exposing me for what I truly was.

A vampire.

Storymakers: A Creative Challenge for Young Writers, is a program inviting students in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades living in Washington State and British Columbia, Canada, to submit their own original creative writing pieces.