The next day, Aril got me up to go downstairs for breakfast. I sat at the table and in front of me was a white girl with cracked skin.
She looked as if somebody had punched a mirror. I uncovered my plate. Today we are having… what is this? Spaghetti egg, sausage, rice with cheese.
"What the fuck?" I've never seen anything like it. "Are you going to eat?" She has the same thing on her plate. "Yeah…" I look at her. "No you aren't…" she snatches my plate. "Bitch!" I backhand slap her and grab the top of her hair. She screams help.
E A T H E R
Who is that in my head. Oh right…
I rack the girl's face with my nails. She gets louder. I don't notice it after a while but blood is gushing into my mouth. My bottom lip trembles.
I look at the girl and she's completely white with black tear stains. I rise my hand where I can see it. My hand is black with long red nails. I flex my fingers.
There's something in my palm.
The vision dismisses and my eyes roll as I sink my teeth into the white girl's neck. "SHE'S EATING ME! SHE'S EATING ME!"
I went to school. I don't know if I'm biting in the right place. I think I'm near the muscle. The Stemocleidomastoid muscle. I should bite lower. I should be near the vein. That's adjutant to the shoulders. I need to be near the jugular. I can't bite towards the ear, it's thin.
I have to change my whole view. My life, I'm not a werewolf anymore. I'm not my daddy's daughter.
When I bite near the jugular vein. She oozes blood, like lava cake when you cut the middle. Or a busted water pipe. It taste like metal. My eyes spread.
"Is…" Is she human? "Mokiri." I turn to Aril against the wall. "Bite Shabana."
"No…"
"Bite her…"
"I won't." he floats closer to me. "Bite her. Bite her. Bite her."
"I WON'T BITE ANYONE!"
Aril's eyes go black, he bends his head sporadically. "You will always be a good dog."
IT IS NIGHT! I WOKE UP FROM NIGHT! Uh… I woke up in the night. I get up and go to the bathroom. It's just me in this room. I don't have a roommate. I don't have Keku.
I look at my underwear. "Fuck." Well, it could be so much worse. I could be pregnant or dead. I don't have pads or shit. I stuff my panties with toilet paper. And get up.
I got an underwear stuffed with toilet paper. Nothing can stop me.
I do the unthinkable but doable and stupid thing and leave my room. I creak open the door and look down the hall. It is silent.
I step out and across from my door is a bridge and above my floor is another set of rooms.
I hear moaning and it sounds nasty. Gasping and bumps of dull sound. I'm not finna be stupid and start looking for people having sex.
But I will raid the kitchen.
I head downstairs and the moaning is louder this way. I don't care. I go to the kitchen, which is through the dinning area and towards the right. Those big doors I see. I shouldn't I'm not even hungry.
I A M
"Obayifo…" I utter. I put my hand against the double doors and push in. Running water, plus the dishwasher. "Jacoba, did you come back from outside? Can you look in the fridge and she if the pudding is still good? Zebedee's been asking for it, I think I'll give him that unless we need to fresh thing…"
B I T E H E R
"I wanna tell you a secret. You know Theophila? The girl with a hunchback?" this woman is talkative. I walk in unheard. I catch my shadow biting the air. "Let me tell you what, fuck her. She always showing off her kids and shit. This my baby Brion and my youngest Thalassa. I was like, what the fuck kind of name is Thalassa?"
I frown, she sounds stupid.
"Jacoba! Girl do you hear me?" She moves from the dishwasher. She looks back towards the door and her mouth falls open. "You ain't supposed to back here."
I swallow and lick my lips. "Are you human?"
"I am… oh no, don't you do!" She grabs a cast ion skillet. "I'll kill a bitch. Vamp or not; I'm leaving this world without a fight!"
F O O L I S H
I turn my head slightly to see me. I look at me. "My body… is a temple." My neck cracks. "And my body stays at home…" I say.
We look at the woman. She's heavy set. A bit aged but fat enough. I think I hear her heartbeat. She grabs a knife. "I'll take on both you hoes. I'm not finna die… I use to street fight with my brothers. I wish you fuckin--"
Lord…
My shadow slithers across the ground and grabs the lady's leg. She struggles, "Get the fuck off me!" She stomps, swears, and locks eyes with me. She throws the skillet. He phases through me.
B I T E H E R
There is rustling in the background. I pay it no mind to it. My body if so light, before I blink. My arm grasps her neck and my teeth poke out. I feel a pulse…
"Get off me bitch!" she tries to removes my hand. I squeeze tighter and take a bite. There isn't enough.
N O. L E T G O. I N E E D… I N E E D
"A VAMPIRE!" I throw the body down. "Bitch!"
"I said I wasn't!" she holds her neck. "You stupid fucking bitch… you done bit my ass. Now I'm finna catch hepatitis!" She wheezes. "I got a part time fucking job. They give me 30 dollars an hour. They said I wouldn't get hurt!"
I rise a brow. "I fucking hate you! Jacoba!" she hollers. "Jacoba!"
I grab the knife out her hand. My shadow covers her mouth. She gazes up at me and I stick the knife her neck. I do it again. One more time. And again.
H I D E
I have to put it somewhere else. She's definitely dead. I drag the body by her feet, make a U-turn to the backdoor to the right and out. Outside, there is a trash can toppled over. I drag the body to the can and look around it. "Shabana?"
She gasps catching my face, "You too!"
"Why are you out here?"
She gets up from the floor and hugs me. "I have a biting disorder!" she smiles with teeth. "Do you?" she looks at the dead body.
"No."
I used to be a dog. I had a dog.
"I just killed somebody. Did you name her?" she gestures to the body. "No…" Why the fuck would I?
"Well I did, her name is Pam. At first I was gonna name her somebody like Pancakeria."
"Why?" I tilt my head. "Well… I knew a girl with a weird name, Tykerikia. Or something."
"Why did you name it?" Out of the corner of my eye I catch a sight of fingers. I jolt, "Is that your shadow?" she clicks her tongue. "Lucky."
"What you mean?"
"I'm a vampire by rite." she shrugs. "You got an Obayifo?"
"All vamps are Obayifo…" I look at her curiously. I think she might be stupid. She slacks her muscles. Oh damn. "Bitch…"
"I'm sorry--"
"Whatever." she sneers at me. "I got a body."
"Ok…"
"And a spell. So, Imma walk in it. Take that for stupid."
"Ok."
"I'm so stupid but I'm about to get off this bitch while you remind a slave!"
I look at my shadow. Even my shadow shrugs.
"Ok, Shabana."
"My new name is Pam!"
"Ok Pam." I keep my eyes on my shadow. "I'm tired of being called simple. My brother is dead. You know what, I'll show you."
"Ok Pam."
"I got the spell and everything. Imma be you, and stab Zebede." My shadow hisses. I face Shabana. "Stop talking nonesense to me."
"Nonsense? I'm serious…" her eyes are wide. "Are you on drugs?"
"I had a percocet one time. Get over yourself. You're on drugs."
"Ok Pam…"
"STOP CALLING ME PAM!"
"Your name is Pam…" my voice is low. What is happening? I'm not in the nigga yet!" She rolls her neck. "I'm not them but I want this body."
My shadow growls.
L I A R