10 - Followed Dreams

Coffins skidded across the floor crashing into each other while Maddy stood in the middle of the chaos. “Fucking hell” Marcus exclaimed as his coffin shot past the door and crashed into the wall just missing him. Vlad entered the room “MARCUS, KEEP GRETA OUT” he yelled his voice just heard above the din. “WHAT'S GOING ON” Greta shouted but Vlad shook his head “IT'LL BE ALRIGHT. CLOSE THE DOOR”

“Maddy” Vlad leapt over the caskets and grabbed her.  She looked up him her eyes full of terror.

“It’s ok” wrapping an arm round her waist he pulled her into the corner and held her hoping she was at less risk of being hit, he began stroking her hair his voice soothing “Control Maddy” But she couldn’t control it, her body was charged so much she felt she could blow the world apart. Vlad cradled her and waited for it to pass, shoving any object that got too close.

The others sat downstairs and listened to the noise above, both wanting to see what was going on but neither willing to look.

He felt Maddy relax, her body started to shudder as a huge sob escaped her, the house stopped shaking and the coffins cessed their rampage. “I am a freak” Maddy stammered through her tears. “No, you’re not” But she refused to listen “I did this and the mirror it wasn’t supposed to happen but I couldn’t stop it, I felt, I felt…..” Maddy buried her face on his shoulder. “Maddy look at me” She shook her head. “Look at me” She lifted her head. “This has happened before and I don’t mean the mirror” She nodded weakly. “Tell me?” he asked as he wiped the tears from her face.

Her mother’s face came into view …..

Weaving her fingers through his she gripped them tight as she shuddered, remembering the day so clearly…..

Opening the door to her bedroom her mother had been distraught to find her daughter surrounded by flying teddies and toys. Screaming at her she had told Maddy that it was the devils work and that she must never play that game again, she didn’t till……. Louis was a boy at school, at first his teasing was just that but when she didn’t react, didn’t fight it got worse till one day he stood on the jungle gym shouting names at her, he had eaten his lunch there and picking up an apple core had thrown it at her. Something snapped inside her, the jungle gym started to creak then shake, the other kids shouted for him to get off but he had frozen with fear.

“It collapsed kill…..killing, him, the police said it was old and rusty that it was unsafe and should have been torn down years ago……”  Vlad listened as she rambled, recalling the day in her mind, harrowing for anyone but a child! “It wasn’t your fault, like you said it was old……” Maddy turned away her eyes full of pain of fear “I did do it, I wished it would fall…..and it did” Vlad pulled her closer his strong arms wrapped round her “You were ten, a child how could you know what would happen” Maddy closed her eyes and listened to his heart singing “I just wanted to frighten him” She shifted uneasily scared of what she’d see in his eyes - fear, hate... disgust.

Settled in the bedroom while their room was sorted Vlad returned to the others. “What the hell was that?” Marcus exclaimed. Taking a seat Vlad leaned forward and stared at the floor “It seems there is a lot about Madison we don’t know” With a sigh he sat back and explained what she had told him. “The poor kid” Greta wished she could do something. “What can we do?” Vlad wasn’t sure, she was telekinetic had been all her life but shame had her blocking everything that wasn’t the norm. “She must except what she is, learn how to control her Vampire side then we can work on the other stuff”

The phone call over Vlad stood at the bar window and looked out into the night. The air was warm and muggy except he couldn’t feel it, he hadn’t felt heat or cold since his turning, sometimes he missed it, missed the small things of humanity like waking in the morning and rolling onto his side, the tingling feeling you got in your fingers and toes when it was cold. His thoughts drifted to Maddy, her mother. What kind of woman scolded their child for such a gift, ok telekinesis was not something that happened every day but to tell a kid it was the devils work, to make her ashamed of who and what she was. He’d like to wring the woman’s neck.

Madison was bringing things out in him he thought were long dead, compassion, a need to protect, a passion he hadn’t felt since his death…..

He watched the stranger watching him, the man saluted then vanished into the dark. Checking the door he went to the office and stared at the phone, Aarons word rung round his head “This is serious, if they find out, I’m afraid there’s nothing else for it but move, you have to leave Snake canyon and take Maddy with you”   

The next night with Maddy outside Vlad told the others. He wanted to give her the news on his own unsure of what her reaction would be. Marcus and Greta listened as he explained the call he had made, that for Maddy’s safety she had to get out of the state. “So where are we going?” Marcus asked, he had gotten used to the sudden moves over the centuries but he had liked this place. “You’re not” Vlad sighed “You and Greta are to stay here, only Madison and I are to go as yet I don’t know but Aaron wants the two of you to stay here, for now” Greta was gutted, they had been together for so long it was like they were family. Marcus’s eyes burned with rage but he could do nothing, it was not his decision “We knew this could happen” he sighed turning to Greta.

Sitting on the bed Vlad explained as gently as possible about what was to happen. The girl sat motionless and listened. “I’ll be with you” Maddy didn’t respond ‘Still I’m on my way, on and on it goes’ She was leaving, the town she had grown up in and known all her life….. Finally she turned to him “Where?” Vlad shook his head; he wasn’t to know till the last minute. Maddy nodded “When?” He hesitated; wishing he didn’t have to do this “Tomorrow” he mumbled. Things where spiralling so out of control but she no longer cared where she was or who she was, except….. “You won’t leave me?” she implored.

Vlad smiled “Never”

Part 9                                                      Part 11......Soon