Vampyre 2000: Life to the Lifeless
by
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The cocktail was placed on a bar napkin in front him promptly, the bills were removed from the stack and the bartender went on about his business. The gentleman sitting next to Cornelius suddenly went into a loud discussion about something that occurred in the game on TV, he couldn't help but overhear. "Oh, that's bullshit, they're going to review!" one man said angrily. "What's wrong with that? I wanna see the call made right." said his friend. "That's crap Andy, you saw the play, they're gonna take all day to tell us what we already know." "I don't know it, they don't know it, if they're gonna have replay, then I want it to work." The game cut away for a commercial break, Cornelius was out for some conversation tonight and he saw this as a chance. "Pardon me, I don't mean to intrude, but what is this `review' you speak of?" Cornelius asked to one of the men. "What are you, serious? You don't know what a review is? You're not a sports fan are you?" "Although I do enjoy them, my line of work prevents me from viewing a lot of television." "You look like a normal guy, you aint one of them are ya?" replied the man. Cornelius understood exactly what he was insinuating and he didn't appreciate it, but he wasn't here tonight to show this stranger just what kind of a man he was. He looked him dead in the eye and furled his brow. "Hey, look, it was just a joke, I'm sorry. You don't know me, I don't know you, I shouldn't be saying stuff like that. Listen, a few years ago, they came up with this new rule that the referees can look at the video of the last play when they're not sure what call to make. They'll look at it over and over, from this angle and that angle to try to get the call right." "Let me see if I understand you. A play or a score is made during the game. The result of the play is unknown until the judges watch a recording of it. After which a determination is made. Wouldn't that directly affect the outcome of the game?" "That's right" said the other sports fan "and there's a lot ridin' on these games." "So what do you think about it?" It all seemed so very ridiculous to Cornelius, his answer to the man was this: "When machines invent sport and it is played by machines for the entertainment of machines, let them have this `review', but man invented sport. It is played by man, for the entertainment of man. Therefore, let a man officiate it." " I like your style buddy, you're all right!" He said as he patted Cornelius on the back. He gestured to the bartender and said "Let me get this man's next one." He turned back to his friend and returned to watching the game. Cornelius was surprised by the stranger's generosity, he felt like he had said something right and it felt good. He returned his attention to the people and the activity of the bar. Several people had come in since his arrival and it was becoming more crowded. He thought to check his watch, as it was getting later, 9:05pm. If he didn't feed tonight, Cornelius knew that he would have to on some night soon, but tonight was to be a night of discovery, nothing more. So he decided not to make it a late night and close the bar, he simply had to be on the last train out of the city around 12:20am. Just then he felt some pressure on his back, it was a woman trying to get the attention of the bartender through the mass of people surrounding the bar. She waved her hand in the air, he didn't notice her, she waved her hand again, still nothing. "Sir, excuse me, sir?" said Cornelius in a frequency he knew the bartender would hear. He nodded at Cornelius, dried his hands on a towel and made his way to that end of the bar. "Yes sir, whadda ya need?" " I believe this young woman here is trying to get your attention." "I'll take a Greyhound, please" she said to the bartender. He acknowledged her and started to prepare it. Waiting patiently for her drink, the woman stood there and remained next to Cornelius, she decided to be the one to break the ice. " Hey, thanks for that." she said to Cornelius. "This place is a madhouse tonight, usually it's pretty mellow in here." "I'm finding all the activity rather refreshing actually." "Oh, I take it you don't get out much?" "Not like I once did." "You know, I come here a lot and I don't think I've seen you around, is this your first time here?" Cornelius now turned completely around to face her, upon seeing her face, he had a sudden revelation. He had seen this woman before, she obviously didn't remember their brief encounter. On a night, some weeks ago, this woman nervously walked past him near a street corner not far from here, he could feel her anxiety as she went by. Quickly and awkwardly she glanced at Cornelius, he could hear her heartbeat pounding wildly as she crossed in front of him. It made him hunger. Now she was there directly in front of him, just inches away and he was quite taken by her and her amazing beauty. She was a tall woman with long dark brown hair. Her brown eyes accentuated a very elegant face that sat atop her long and athletic hourglass body. To Cornelius, she was the embodiment of a goddess on earth. He thought to himself what an incredible creature she was and now he wanted her company.
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About the Book
Cornelius was able to roam freely among the streets of the city undetected for one simple reason. If that man next to you on the train or that woman at the theatre told you that he or she was a vampire, would you believe them? After being turned into a vampire during transport to America to become a slave, he was thrown overboard and drifted ashore on the New England coastline in 1804. Now, hardened from a lifetime of death and solitude, he sensed a void within that left him feeling so very alone. In search of something or someone to give his life some meaning, Cornelius had walked the earth for centuries. Finally, he found what he had been endlessly waiting for, her name was Rita. But Cornelius had many secrets, most importantly, a frightening reminder of his past that had plagued him for over one hundred years. Inescapably, that past could no longer be ignored and would prove to be an obstacle that would prevent Cornelius and Rita from ever being together. If neglected further, it also threatened to end both of their lives, a life Cornelius saw as a new beginning. Even if he chose to confront his demons to find some closure and stop running, was he powerful enough to accomplish it? Staring deeply into the face of such an overwhelming situation, were they foolish to believe that they could be together?
About the Author
I first had the idea for this book back in the summer of 2004. I wanted to write a "realistic" story about a vampire as he might live today in the 21st century, while possessing a very unique and tangible backstory. I imagined a dark, lonely and sad existence. One that most people would regret as they were doomed to endure this curse for eternity. It is a short look into that vampire's life as we see how he would "live" in a major American metropolis right here and now. Early on, the original title of the book was "You Wouldn't Believe Me If I Told You" and that was the initial premise of how vampires would blend in and be amongst us unknowingly everyday. In the few weeks that the story follows Cornelius, the main character, we see his transformation from a lonely killer into a creature that once again appreciates life. This long awaited journey is forced upon him by the re-emergence of his nemesis of over one hundred and forty years, also his very serendipitous meeting of the woman who would change his life. VAMPYRE 2000: Life to the Lifeless isn't a story about young, model type vampires that walk in the daylight and experience soap opera lives. This story is about something completely different. Within this story is drama, action, suspense and romance, I very much enjoyed getting it out of my head and onto the paper.