On a more serious note, I never believed in vampires, I've only seen them in movies and read about them in novels, not until I met David.
David and I were very close friends in school, same level, same course and he also happens to be my next door neighbor. Well, I don't know how best to explain him, he's stubborn, and can also be very calm and quiet, what I know that also looks a little off was the fact that I've never seen him on short sleeves, even during the heat period he's always on long sleeves and long trousers. I have never caught him unaware, his door is always locked from the inside so there's no way anyone could meet him or barge into his room, and since I was a little bit of that too, always locking myself in, I never taught much about it, maybe that's just him. We all are different.
He also has very good looking set of teeth, with his canine teeth always looking a little longer and sharp than normal. And because of how a little bit similar our lives looked, we became close, we respected each other's boundaries, we both struggled through school, we both smiled through tough times. And to some extent, I rated him much more than a friend and I trusted him.
Then one night changed everything.
We had read together and since both of us was never really a night reader, we decided to stop by 7pm, I was never one to joke with my sleep except if I am not sleepy, and he too, he seems to be same. We finished reading that night and both went in, not long after I felt heat, so I decided to step out and get some water to shower since we didn't have light to pump. On my way back, I saw a figure lurking behind a corner near our building, I flashed my torch to the direction and saw him, I dropped the bucket I was carrying and run to him, what could be wrong, I was seeing blood, was he wounded, I got near and saw a dead animal in his hands, it's neck all open, I staggered as he faced me, his face was glowing and his mouth up to his nose was all blood stained.
I just stood there, frozen, to shock to move. "Please, don't tell anyone about this," he said as he tried wiping blood off his mouth and continued, "I can explain, but please be calm, please...."
I wanted to run, but there was something about his voice that made me stay. And for a very long time we just stood there staring at each other in silence. Later, we went into his room, I was scared but then again, I summoned courage and stepped in, he came close to me and explained a lot of things, about how they avoid sunlight, live on animal blood and the likes, I could remember vividly word to word how he said his last statement, "My family is not like others, this is who we are." I didn't know maybe to scream, run out or plead for my life. I thought vampires only existed in movies and novels. It even felt as if I should wake up from this dream, cause it definitely must be one.
I avoided him for days, kept taking my time in school and then fellowship so I could return home late. Even when am home, I am scared, to sleep become hard for me, I couldn't stop asking myself some questions. What if he got hungry one day and I happen to be the only one around? What if there's a time he couldn't lay his hands on any animal? But then again, I had to remind myself of the countless times he had helped me, defended me, gave me things and all. Now, here's the question, was all of that fake, was the friendship also fake now because of what I just discovered about him?
Well, after a while and he's seen how distance I've become, he came knocking one evening, and we talked, "I understand it if you're scared, I'm already planning on moving out of here." I felt that word deep, he's still my friend. So, I just shook my head and replied, "you've had a lot of opportunities to hurt me, but you didn't, you're still my guy."
And for the first time in days, we smiled, for the first time in years, we hugged and for the first time since our friendship began we talked till it was morning. I decided to help keep his secrets, and that wasn't because I wasn't scared, but because our friendship is bigger and has gone far than that. I didn't tell anyone, I kept it secret, even when people gossiped about how strange and different David do act at times, I kept mute about it and only defended him, "we all are different." I would always say. And there are times when he would be indoor for days, that wa when we came up with the fact that he's going through some health conditions.
It's been some years now, and I'm still friends with David, and his secrets too remained safe with me. That made me come to the conclusion that true friendship is about seeing the monster in someone and still choose to stay because you trust them and know their heart.
This is a friend who's been good to me and has never for once given me a bit of an issue or situation to doubt him. Our friendship taught me that being human goes beyond being about blood, being human is a matter of choice. One thing remains true, and I guess that's one of the reasons he's so intelligent and knowledgeable, since he's been around for long and he's been changing locations. David will/may never grow while I will, but then, he remains my friend.
Could you see someone’s true nature, and still choose to stay?
All pictures were generated using AI.
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