Chapter 5: Family
Mel Sanchez was the love of my teenage life, she was pretty and fit and kind, we've been friends since we were both 12, and since then she's been the target of my affections ever since.
She was the first girl I ever came out to, and the first one who rejected to me, I tried to kiss her and she freaked out. She didn't tell anyone but we never spoke after that; I was never that outgoing and coming out of the closet was the last thing I ever wanted to do, I'm thankful that Mel never spread my homosexuality around school or anything, but we never spoke after that.
It's weird how things work out, I would've dreamed of this kind scenario every night before in bed before I fell asleep, I don't deny I would've touched myself furiously thinking of this scenario. Now that I have it, I don't want to say that stupid cliché, whoever said it wasn't being faced with the possibility of being brutally tortured to death and eaten.
With any luck I'll be seeing her again very soon, just as long as nobody finds this floorboard. Of all the things that would save me it turned out to be a broken piece of wood under the bed where I spent my first night in this house. It was 5 AM and I'm praying that no one else is up except me, one 'vampire' thing I'm hoping is true is that these women still need to sleep, even if it's not in a coffin they still need to sleep. Sneaking into Farah and Vanessa's room was easy enough, those two had exhausted themselves after a loud night of makeup sex; my brain had been so heightened by the constant fear of everything that memorizing where the key's location was easy.
I had to hide the key for now, like any wealthy house this one had a security system that would sound an alarm any time the front door or any other entrance was open, I couldn't risk guessing the code or even the noise of the engine starting. I was lucky that they didn't really seem to care much for the guest attic, it was something I didn't even notice at first but again that hyperactive memory of mine noticed a creak in the floorboards my first time here. And like a gift from god as I was able to find a loose floorboard, I had to bend it a little but with a little force I was able to break it loose; that little hole in the floor held my salvation, I pray no one in this house would find it.
I snuck back into Veronica's room and curled up into her embrace, have to keep calm, have to control heart rate, she's a vampire she'll sense any changes in my body. Keeping my breathing even and my body still was surprisingly difficult, I was so tense and anxious by the time I actually came relaxing wasn't until sun came up, just in time to wake up.
"Wake up sweetie pie, it's your special day!"
"Yes mommy." I hate that word, I don't even like my own mother that much.
"You don't want to keep Regina waiting, she's set aside all her affairs just spend the day with you."
What could she possibly have to do other than kidnapping and molesting random girls?
"Now come on, we gotta get you all washed up and ready."
She pulls the covers from the tight grip of my foetal position and leaves me naked in the breeze.
"Oh come on buttercup! We'll have plenty of fun later on, we gotta get you all ready."
"I'm not feeling well, I've got a stomach cramp, I think I'm having my period."
"First off no you're not, I don't smell any blood; second off you won't have to worry about that after today."
"Are you really going to turn me into a vampire?"
"Kind of, it's complicated, but it'll all get explained to you once we meet Regina."
"I just don't want to get up today."
"Sweetie, do you want another visit from the tickle monster?"
"You mean as opposed to every moment of every day and night since I've been in this house."
"You do realize I'm still bigger and much, much stronger than you. You bored of tickling? How I about I find some more creative ways to make you cooperate."
"You can't hurt me, those are the rules."
"No I just can't break your skin, there are lots of ways I could hurt you without breaking your skin: wrestling, pinching, spanking, twisting, biting."
"Biting counts as skin breaking."
"Not if you apply the pressure just right."
"Why is it all your torture methods sound either incredibly childish or silly and fetishistic?"
"Sweetie I worked my entire mortal life as a prostitute, believe me when I say that anything involving physical contact is sexualized. And they can also be really painful if you don't get turned on, there's a reason why that shit is filed under sadomasochism."
"Alright I'll get up."
That was stupid, but it felt good, can't risk anything now, have to wait until the right moment to steal the car.
Veronica wouldn't leave me out of her sight, literally guiding me around the house like some kind of disobedient cat.
"I don't know where it is!"
"Well it didn't just sprout legs and walk away did it?"
"Why do you think I lost it?"
"Because you're the one who drove last!"
I could hear Vanessa and Farah arguing over the missing car keys, I almost feel bad about that, almost. I just prayed they didn't find the keys before I had a free moment to get away, just praying that between now and then that enough people will be out of the house. I don't even know how to drive a car, but it doesn't matter, if I can crash into something that's all I need, just get enough attention out in the open to attract the police or some neighbours. I know it's a stupidly desperate plan but that's all I could think up right now.
As we entered the bathroom Veronica's giddiness was palpable, she kept giggling and shaking and humming all the way through, this time I actually really was sorry about this. Veronica wasn't exactly stable but she was kind, and she genuinely wanted me here, I wonder if I stay here will eventually become like her? She'll be happy, she'll have the companion she wanted, but honestly what good does that do me? Being the child will only have appeal for so long, it's still the bottom of this hierarchy, like Veronica used to be, how long before I want my own companion and force these horrors on another unsuspecting girl.
At the same time, Veronica seemed so innocent and happy, I started to hate myself for leaving her.
"Stop with the sour puss already, do you want Regina to think you don't want to see her! She's more fragile than she looks, she's like a tender flower, you can't look like you are now in front of her! We need to get you smiling all good and proper!"
Another attack of the tickle monster, of course that had to happen; as she plunged her hands between arms and underarms, locking her cruel fingers between my defensive and sensitive body parts whose protective instincts have now become its own worst enemy.
"He-hey! Don't you want to save a bit for later, isn't it also rude if you get started without Regina?!"
"Oh fine, go ahead ruin my morning, I swear you're lucky Regina's waiting for us. If she weren't I'd string you up upside down, slather you up in ice cream and make it a party so everyone in the house gets a turn at turning that frown upside down!"
