Countryside

Six months.

It has been six months since I left it all behind: my parent's house in the suburbs, my high school, my responsibilities, all for him. And for these six months, we have been running, hiding, and hoping. In and out of hotel rooms, under bridges, inside of caves, trying to stay safe. My boyfriend and I don't belong anywhere anymore. Not since Eli, the man that I love, identity was revealed. He is a monster. At least everyone thinks he is, but I know better.

He's not some glorified, hideous beast that terrorizes young women and enslaves men; he's my Eli. A handsome, sweet, and caring boy. But, he isn't like other guys; he needs blood to survive. He claims the term vampire is cliche, but there isn't a better explanation for it. One day, a long time ago, he got into a horrible accident. Whenever he woke up from it, his thirst could no longer be satiated with water; his hunger raged on even after gorging himself on various foods. Unlike the movies, his body requires sleep instead of insomnia, sunlight isn't fatal, but it badly burns his skin, forcing him to seek shelter in black clothing and dark spaces. That's how he met me.

During the hottest Summer I've ever seen, I spent every day at the creek by the edge of the woods. Surrounded by thick, green bushes and tall trees, I would bathe myself in the cold water, at peace with nature and myself.

That's when I spotted him. Black hair, black clothing, and muscular body with red slightly staining his lips, sleeping atop an old log. I approached him carefully, but my movement still awoke him. Prepared for the worst, he got into a fighting stance. After minutes of persuasion and reassurance, I convinced him that I meant no harm. We talked for hours afterward and figured out we were alike in many ways. His parents were abusive; he was treated like an outsider and alone in this world, just like me. He revealed himself to me as a drinker of blood, the red coming from a wild hare he consumed earlier. I was in shock but accepted it. He was worth my patience and understanding. This event marked the beginning of our passionate romance and my life on the run from forces outside my control.

During one of our rendevous, my father followed me. He was drinking again and angry that I snuck out. The moment Eli and I kissed, a blinding light was upon us. Daddy dearest discovered his "baby girl" making out with a strange teen boy in the woods, after midnight. Without hesitation, he pulled a shotgun out of his jacket and fired at us. Being protective of me, Eli blocked the bullets with his body. There was blood everywhere. After Dad stopped, he had a look of terror on his face. Three large, gaping wounds were in Eli's chest/abdomen area but he was alive. Still holding onto me like his saving grace. As the wounds began to heal, Dad dropped his weapon and took off into the night. We ran before he could bring back up.

Six months later:

Winter came; it was cold and windy. Eli and I had been traveling by foot for months, with occasional hitchhiking from local strangers, and I was tired. Eli had been moving from place to place for years, so it didn't bother him anymore. Sometimes he would carry me on his back if my feet hurt, like a gentleman. We sat down at the edge of a frozen-over lake. It was a breathtaking view: crisp white snow, green trees, and creatures foraging for food.

“Eli,” I began. “Where are we going?” I stretched out my arms as I sat on a large rock.

He sat down next to me and started rubbing my sore calves and feet.

“It's a surprise. Trust me; you will love it.” He said with a smile. He always smiled around me.

We spent an hour setting up our humble tent and sleeping bag in a feeble attempt to keep warm. It was not very effective, but certainly better than the brutal cold outside. I tucked myself into the warm thermal lining of the bag and began to yawn.

Eli leaned down and kissed my forehead.

“You should get some rest. I'll be up for a bit; we have a ways to go before we reach your surprise.” He says quietly, almost in a whisper.

“Okay,” I reply, kissing him on the cheek. “I'll see you when I wake up.”

The next day:

I had no idea where we were going. Eli had covered my eyes with a bandana and told me to trust him, so I did. Several minutes passed when he removed the cloth but still fully covered my eyes with his hands. Then we stopped.

“Okay,” He began. “On the count of three, open your eyes!” There was excitement in his voice.

I opened my eyes.

It was amazing. As far as I could see, open fields were sectioned off with weathered wooden fences filled with unkempt grass, weeds, and remnants of a garden or perhaps crops. In the middle of it was a sizeable barn. The paint was bright red with white trim and panels to complement it; the wood was worn down with age and the elements, much like the fences, but seemed structurally sound overall. This was my surprise, a forever home for us.

I gasped.

“Whoa,” I said, mouth agape. “This is incredible! But how did you find this?”

He smirked.

“A family friend wrote me a letter a while back, before we left the city, telling me that my parents had recently passed away. It wasn't enjoyable, but we never close emotionally. It turns out they had a piece of land out here in the countryside that Mom and Dad had abandoned. I figured...” He explained, scratching the back of his head.

“You figured we could live here, right?” I finished the thought for him. We often did this because of our bond.

“Yeah.” He exhaled in relief. He was smiling. “If you want to, I know it took a long time to get here, and I'm sorry, but I thought it was worth the trouble.”

I kissed his lips passionately.

“It's perfect!” I exclaim, hugging him tightly. “But, I have a request.”

He nodded.

“Name it.”

“Turn me. I want to be like you.” I asked politely. I held his hand in mine.

“I...” He began. “I don't know how to.” It was true. He woke up suddenly after an accident in his current state, so there was no definitive theory for it.

“I've been thinking about that. You have to consume blood to live, right?” I asked

“Unfortunately, yeah.”

“What if I have to drink some of your blood?” I said curiously.

He thought about it for a minute.

“It could work, but do you truly want this? An eternity of hunting, running, and hiding?“ He said as serious as a heart attack. He didn't want to burden my life, to make things hard for me.

I made my decision long ago. I was going to stay by him no matter what.

“As long as I'm with you, I will regret nothing!” I said happily.

He smiled at me sweetly and nodded. "Okay."

He took a pocket knife out of his jeans and sliced his palm open. He presented it to me as a proposal of marriage. An eternity stretched out in front of me in the form of crimson droplets.

“As you wish, my love.” He whispered to me.

I pressed my lips against it, slowly nursing on his bitter lifeblood. I felt a burning sensation throughout my body, then a sudden cold, and finally, I lost consciousness. After a while, I woke up. I felt powerful, confident, and connected to my Eli. There would be a whole world of people against us, but I didn't care. Because together, there is nothing that we couldn't overcome.