The Blood Bank

Chapter 8 - My Twilight

I lie in bed for about half an hour after Stanley stormed out my room until I finally decide that if anything was going to happen, it would have happened by now. I’m also guessing Covas needs sleep during the day, considering that he’s a creature typically of the night, so I consider myself safe to go find Rosie. I slip my feet over the side of my bed, feeling the tug of fabric at the tops of my legs; I’d forgotten I was wearing the clingy red dress, not so suitable for friendly chats. I go into my walk-in wardrobe with the intention of finding a pair of joggers and a baggy t-shirt, but all I find is tight-fit clingy clothing rail after rail; just when I think they couldn’t treat me more like a whore...I couldn’t even dress comfortably in my own time?! Angrily I grab a pair of stretchy skinny jeans and a plain blue vest then scout around for a nice baggy jumper, which they apparently don’t have either! Brilliant. I make do with a cardigan, apparently my only option, and walk out the closet and out my room into the hallway.

       I step into the donor-lounge and find that it’s full of people, everyone except Rosie. I hadn’t really talked to anyone but her, but I suck it up, deciding it’s time to grow a pair – Annie’s turn of phrase. I sit down bravely next to Maria-the-scary-redhead and open my mouth to ask where Rosie is before she shuts me up with one of her soul-eating glares,

“She’s in her room recovering; Allen took a lot of blood. Do not go in there, now is not the time for idle newbie questions; she’s busy, ok?!” Something within me snaps,

“What is your problem with me?!” I flush slightly as the whole room’s attention suddenly turns towards us, but I try to keep my expression as hard and intimidating as hers is.

“My problem is that, unlike everybody else who arrives here, you think that you’re so fucking special; I bet you were just loving all the attention last night when Stanley carried you through here bridal style, bet that made you feel real fucking awesome! Oh ye, and this morning when you had two vampires fighting over you, all that swooning! ‘Oh help me! He’s taking too much!’ Please! You were loving it! And you know what?! It doesn’t make you fucking special, Mina, it just makes you look like a whore!” I stand there for a second or so, frozen with shock, no one had ever been so frank with me before, I actually feel tears welling up in my eyes; I’m absolutely pathetic. But now is not the time to show that side of myself.

“You think I asked for any of that to happen?! You telling me you can resist a vampire’s compulsion?!” She knows I have a point and in the couple of seconds silence between us, I calm down and try to level with her, “I don’t want to be here, Maria. I don’t want to be fed from.  I don’t want to be an object of any interest to any vampire. I’m sick and tired of knowing nothing and being told nothing; I know nothing about my new life! And here’s the truth of it: I’m scared. I’m scared of what I am and terrified of what might happen to me! And that’s not weak! It’s realism! Now, I’m not saying we should be best friends, but I’m saying we should have each other’s backs because when it comes down to it, it is just us and them. And I’m sure you wouldn’t be so confident right now if it weren’t for certain people who support you around here; all I’m asking is for is the same privilege, and don’t you think after everything I, and everybody else, has been through, that I’m owed just that much?!” Several emotions cross Maria’s face before she finally replies,

“What did you mean you’re scared of what you are?” My mouth pops open with exasperation.

“Is that all you took in of what I said?!”

“I chose to ignore the rest of what you said after I heard that part; you actually think you’re so special that you’re beyond human?! I could laugh!” My face drains of colour, I hadn’t meant to say that. I think quickly to come up with another reason for saying it...