"OK;first you strangle me, then you start telling me about Civateo vampires, and THEN you tell me I'm one of them! This is just too much." He held his head in his hands and hugged his knees. Romulus watches over the crying boy who had just had his life taken from him in an instant and transformed in the next. Romulus tried reaching him, but then Derek seizing his opportunity runs off toward his home. Unfortunately for him, the clear night sky has now become cloudy and it starts to rain. The fast droplets soak his grassy green T-shirt and stain it dark and muddy. Just keep running. He tells himself. Don't look back. He arrived home at 9:15; boy did he know his mom was going to have a cow. "Where have you been mist-" One look at Derek's pale face and her attitude changed. She runs up to him and hugs him tightly; Derek is drawn aback from her embrace, but is too weak to comprehend it. "I was so worried about you." she reached down and touched his cheek. "Oh, my poor baby, your running a fever! Derek, go upstairs and wait for me to come bring you some chilled soup. I'll send Jake to come up and check on you after I straighten things out at work."
"I'll be alright mom." He said though his body didn't react to his fib. I can't let her know that I just died today, she'd freak! I just have to act casual and everything will be fine. "But baby, you're shaking with sweat. And you head feels-" He pushed her back and willed himself to stand up straight and not give into the anguish he was feeling. "I'll be fine mom, look I'll just go into the kitchen and grab a bite to eat and then I'll head up stairs. Alright?" his mom nodded in agreement but she didn't look convinced. Partly stumbling to the get into the kitchen Derek Reaches the refrigerator and pulls out chunky peanut butter and grape jam. His mother stands at the entrance knowing her son was lying but she also wanted to believe him. She smoothed out her brown soft hair as she walked in and took a seat at the table to see if he was really alright. Derek continued to prepare his meal but when took a bite out of his dinner, he tasted nothing. The cool sweetness of the jam with the crunchy center didn't quench his hunger. He took more and more bites until the whole sandwich was gone, and still nothing. Then he took a look at his mother. Suddenly all his senses where up. He could almost taste what he needed. He licked his lips hesitantly. Then griped his head as a screeching rang in his ears. He shouted in protest. No he told himself, I won't do this, I won't- suddenly the room started spinning he heard a faint voice call out his name, and then felt the hard tiles hurt his already aching body. He saw his mother stand over him holding him in her arms with tears streaming down her cheeks. That was the last straw for his lie, and he knew it. She kissed his forehead and led him up stairs. Walking up each step felt like heavy weights latched to his feet. The top of the stairwell looked like a highway of never ending walls where the family photos hung. Jake appeared at the top of the stairwell. "Don't worry mom I'll take it from here." he said taking Derek from their mother's grasp. Jake sat him down on his bed, and then as any good jerky big brother would do he took his shoes and tied his laces together when he thought he wasn't looking. "I saw that." Derek said his eyes half open. Jake just shrugged "Yeah, well, when you fall,I'll always be there to pick you back up when you call." Carefully he tucked Derek in. It was times like these where he missed their father. Having to keep his father's death a secret and the truth about his little brother was a deadly game him and his mother shared. Yet he wondered why he couldn't possess the kind of power Derek had? Was it because he didn't go to church all the time like Derek use too? Preferring to talk to pretty women and booze with his friends, Derek hardly ever went. Their mother didn't know about his heavy drinking, smoking, and gambling his own allowance savings to see chicks at the local bar. Sometimes he'd even play a game of poker occasionally to douse the fire within him. Derek, his little brother had the power, and not him. It was why he hated him. But only he knew the truth about Derek.
Sometimes he'd even listen in on Derek's prayers at night to see if he would do anything questionable. Like looking at porn he'd purchased at a local store like Jake did at his age. But Derek never did that sort of thing. And he'd never even tried. Jake flicked off the light in his room and headed to his own. Why did Derek fall away?
******
Derek tossed and turned violently in his bed grimacing in cold sweat. What was happening to him? His heart beats where increasing as each beat throbbed in pain. Thump Thump...Thump thump... Thump thump. His breathing grew ragged Thumb thumb thumb, His muscles pounded and stretched in agony. Thumb thumb his eyes widened Thumb thumb thumb thumb his sharp white fangs seeped threw his teeth, Thumb thumb thumb thumb thumb...