It begins with a heightened fever. Minor at first, but quickly climbs to a lethal rate until you feel your throat close up and fire rip through your chest, merciless and angry. Vampirism isn’t the popularly believed event of becoming undead, you still need basic food and drink to survive and you still have all basic bodily functions, it’s more like a disease if you require a bastardized explanation. The blood is required to avoid the heat, the throat closing, the near torture of it. The blood is needed to blend into society as if nothing is wrong. Of course governments and whatnot know about us, they keep a few in secret to figure out how to make the symptoms stop and keep the near immortality that comes with it. However these tests always sound like torture methods than science when you listen to the escaped, so it’s an unspoken rule to keep it to yourself. You can always sense who has it though, almost like opposing magnets. That’s where you get your communities of us all over the city here, however I always preferred to be alone. It just how it was back then, you tell no one and keep alone because you’ve become in league with killers and monsters. Killers and monsters should be kept outside.

It was early fall, conveniently cooler than it had normally been for the past few decades after human insistence to use all these new technologies to travel and keep their daily lives as comfortable as possible. It’s a shame really, the city used to be so peaceful until mobile vehicles filled the streets at all hours. I was walking down the street to a nearby convenience store, just for a drink. Go in, pay, and slip back out drawing as little attention to myself as possible and continue my walk back home. Leaves above were canopies of orange and red and yellow, very few holding out their original color for as long as possible, but they would eventually succumb, as all living things do. Couples stuck close together for slow strolls and menial conversations. I could feel a tingle in the back of my throat, the emergence of a headache, and the watering of my mouth. I managed to stave off all desires to feed for at least a month, and though it was quite the accomplishment to go this long without any symptoms, the truth is I’ve been doing this for so long I am just well practiced. Maybe the symptoms were worse than I thought and I just got used to this level of pain. Whatever the reason, I quickened my pace until I reached the little glass door covered in stickers advertising new cheap foods that are tied in with some endorsement deal for lord knows what new wild film people were into these days. Movies became too loud and violent for my taste, I stopped keeping up with them by 1973.

A small bell tinkled when I opened the door, barely garnering the attention of the teenage cashier lazily playing with a small phone in front of them. Another sad result of this new century, people just didn’t care to physically socialize much anymore. They were distant and disconnected with any feelings, jaded and lacked any real care of whats around them. But for now, a distracted cashier was more than desirable to get this done quick and easy. I had pulled out a water from one of the fridges lined up in the back against the wall when a large crowd of at least four boys walked in. They were all dressed in overpriced designer brands that honestly weren’t all that appealing to the eye (though, I guess, for this day and age it was a highly attractive look. Why is beyond me). I hung my head to avoid eye contact and walked quickly to the register. I accidentally pushed lightly against one of the arms of these boys trying to get around them, but they took up most of the aisle and all seemed fixated on whatever was coming out of the mouth of a tall, thin individual.

"Hey, what the is your problem, huh?" I turned to the one who called after me, noting the height of all of them to be at least half a foot taller than I.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-"

"Yeah you didn’t mean to, why don’t you explain yourself outside and see if your story still holds up, huh?" an arm shot out and kept the angry boy back. None of these men were unattractive by any means, but none of them matched up to what I assumed to be their leader. He was very lean and had a very confident vibe that surrounded him. His black hair seemed to be intentionally messy and feline like eyes were lined in a thin layer of black.  His bow lips that were curled into an overconfident smile quickly straightened out. He looked me once over, looking for some confirmation. I recognized it, too. The magnetism that I hadn’t experience for a very long time now. Of course, you can never be too sure, some just have that quality to them, but there was something else there. He was hurting. Struggling in a crowd of perfectly healthy people. He needed to feed and if these people around were anything to consider it was probably them he was going to feed off of. The younger a vampire is, the more they need and of higher frequency. He squinted his eyes a bit.

"Leave him be. He’s not worth it." suspicion edged at his voice, sleepy with a dash of raspiness, almost as if he were sick. The aggressor did a once over at me and turned his attention back to whatever they were crowded around. I paid for my water and took my leave, making sure not to look back to see his eyes staring after me.

Snow had just started falling this week and has continued on and off at a slow, steady pace. The city glitters with old holiday decorations wrapped around people balconies and streetlights and trees. It was past midnight and I have been itching to get outside, distract myself from pasts bouncing around the relatively bare walls of my apartment. I threw on the black wool jacket I had hanging on the back of a chair over my sweater, briefly considering if adding another jacket would help fit in better. This disease never lets down your heightened body temperature, but you have a slim chance of actually getting ill so you get out of an awkward explanation with a doctor. With barely any activity on my floor, I didn’t bother to lock the door behind me. The only real complaint I have is the elevator takes too long, but I never trusted how these elevators worked since I never understood how, but most neighbors used it and I assumed doing the same would help me hide among them a little better. The silver door opened into an empty little lobby, where a young girl at the desk was scribbling away at course work and the security guard stood by the door, watching her dreamily. Once he registered I was walking in his direction, he shook his  slightly and reached for the door.

"Are you heading out Lu?"

"Procedure!" the girl called from the desk, never looking up from her work.

"Sorry, Mr. Han?" I nodded and he opened the door, eyeing my clothing with concern. "Is that enough layers for you? It’s really cold out there." I probably should’ve went with my instinct. I always choose the worst times to ignore it.

"It’s fine, thank you. I shouldn’t be out for long."

"Whatever you say. Enjoy your night." I showed as much of a smile as I could muster, which wasn’t much honestly but I did my best and stepped out into the soft drizzle of snow. I let my mind wander, get lost in the sounds of crunching snow under shoes and wheels and the running of windshield wipers . In soft laughter within restaurants and street corners. In the inhales and exhales that thin out of it’s smokey state and get lost as it floats up toward the grey clouded night sky. The cold air made my skin a little less alarming to touch, bringing my temp down to a natural level. Despite the lateness of the evening and weather young people were still out in droves at bars and nightclubs with music far too loud than what would be good for such sensitive hearing. Movement from the alley across the street stopped me in my tracks. I stared as I began to see two figures instead of one big one, with the one pressed against the wall going limp against the other. A part of me suggested I continue what I had been doing, whatever was happening wasn’t any of my business and would be met with challenge. I recognize a feeding anywhere. For whatever reason, my ability to make good life choices was tonight. 

I crossed the street, not even bothering to look for traffic on a salted street. The closer I got, the clearer the figures became. The one against the wall had light brown hair and small features. He was rather thin for his height and had a long face that his features didn’t quite match for. He looked foreign, probably from one of the western countries. The other figure had dark hair, intentionally messy. If it wasn’t for the brief moment where he pulled away to readjust the body, exposing his bowed lips, I probably would have never recognized him. I stood at the entrance of the alley, a brief moment of pride at still being able to recognize others of my kind despite practically secluding myself of them before becoming extremely aware that Convenience Store Hottie of the Year was draining this poor stranger in public where anyone could see.

"Just because it’s after hours doesn’t mean it’s safe for you to be doing this so out in the open. Anyone could catch you." he shot up and turned quickly to stare at me. A moment of panic dashed across his eyes before recognition set in. He gasped before squinting his cat eyes.

"I knew it." his voice was a bit raspier than before, possibly as a result being interrupted mid-meal. "I ing knew it. I should’ve called you out that night. Want a taste?" he moved to the side as if to invite me over, lifting one of the arms toward me. I could smell something wrong with the blood, and he must’ve recognized from my expression as he frowned and looked back at the limp body.

"Maybe you don’t like A-’s huh. Are you an O+ guy, I know a girl who’s O+. One of the rare ones, she’s nice so I never drain her beyond the safety zone. It’s a wonder she’s still alive, almost killed her the fist time, but you know…" I shook my head, brushing away all the issues I already had with his story, like the fact he drank people until they died or that someone KNEW what he was and wasn’t infected.

"I’m fine. I don’t need to eat for awhile."

"Oh. Okay, I see, you smell something I can’t." he frowned at the body. "He was a bit of a drug experimenter and heavy drinker. Maybe that’s why he tastes so funny." the young man pushed the body further into the alleyway. I began to turn back to cross the street in order to separate from the recklessness of Convenience Store Model, when he started running after me and calling for my attention. I tried to quicken my pace, but his long legs gave him an advantage of catching up easily. He slipped an arm into mine to link them and hummed to himself a bit before turning to me.

"So what’s your name?"

"Why are you doing this."

"Because I’m friendly and lonely and I haven’t met another person like me since I was turned."

"Infected," I corrected. "It’s like a parasite in your blood and sticks in your organs and changes how your body functions in terms of needs. This isn’t some romanticized teen novel or show or movie. This is serious. It’s the parasite your feeding, not you." he whistled and and put his down to watch his feet as he walked.

"Well someones a little bitter. A little salty. Disgruntled. I didn’t know that, no one told me. I’m on my own." I stopped in my tracks and looked up at him, confusion clearly plastered over my features. I had difficulty wrapping my head around it. How could he have just been left alone without any knowledge of what was happening and survive this long? Dumb luck maybe, or perhaps the parasite developed over time and he had some new strain. Maybe when unfed for too long it did some zombie possession, like what happens to insects, until it’s satisfied. He giggled, the sound like tiny bells and a bit like the teenage girls that go down the street after school for snacks, flashing a smile that changed his face from that of a killer to a child, bright and warm.

"You look funny like that." there was something endearing about him, a protective quality that tugged at some inner instinct in me I reserved for women when I bothered to interact with anyone a long time ago. He was trying to play around, I could tell, and I gave in, feigning offense and hitting lightly against the chest. He giggled again and we continued walking. He got lost in his humming, going along to no tune in particular that I recognized. I haven’t really focused on any of the music popular as of late. It became apparent he wasn’t going to leave my side, as he occasionally adjusted himself for a better grip on my arm. 

"Luhan."

"What?" he snapped from his wandering and looked down at me. I kept my eyes forward as we reached the corner of the block.

"My name is Luhan." he jaw went slack a little as he nodded his head and looked back down at his feet.

"Your Chinese too? It’s just you’re name, you know. It sounds like it." I nodded.

"Beijing." he let out a sound of recognition, a grinned to himself.

"Qingdao."

"Is that your name or where you’re from." he sputtered.

"Place! Place! My name is Zitao. Or Tao. Or Taozi. Sometimes Taotao. It depends on the person, really."

"You should always introduce yourself first, Tao." A small breeze began to pick up as we neared the a street of closed family-owned shops that sold a variety of items of no real particular theme. The owners were nice and conversational, so I stopped by sometimes if I was really in need of social interaction. Instead, for whatever reason, some kid has attached himself to my arm, staring into a small blue screen. It didn’t look like he was doing anything particularly interesting. Foolish me brushed off whatever Tao was trying to do until he squished his face against mine and held the phone in front of us at a bit of a high angle. I was temporarily blinded by the sudden flash as he pulled his phone back in to his chest and smiled satisfyingly at the screen. 

"Look," he waved the phone at me. "we look really nice together. You look really pretty." I looked at the screen completely baffled by the events that occurred. There was an image but I just couldn’t understand how. 

"How did you do that?" I turned so my body faced him, almost completely unhooking his arm from mine if he hadn’t gripped onto my upper arm. Tao furrowed his brows and frowned a little, looking back down at the screen and then at me.

"You mean take a picture? I just touched the screen and it took the picture. You’re like my age, how do you not know this." I couldn’t keep down the laugh that bubbled up into my chest.

"I am much older than you think. Pictures used to take a long time to process. When I was a child you had to stay perfectly still and wait because you never knew when the picture was going to be taken." Tao tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at me. I turned and continued walking up the street, dragging him along. He kept quiet, lost somewhere in his thoughts.

"Luhan. Luhan, how old are you?"

"Much older than you are." he let go of my arm to link his elbow into mine, using the hand holding onto the phone to grab onto his. Despite the original cold impression he gave of with his features and clothing that seemed ripped from runways, there was a childish aspect to him that made it difficult to just brush him away. I could see the roof of my building as we approached the end the of the street. The snow had stopped a bit and the clouds were thinning out, letting the sky peek out with less than a handful of stars sparkling up high, most silenced by the many lights produced by the city population. I tapped at his hand, and after a beat of confusion he unwound himself from me and stuck his hands in his jacket pockets.

"Thank you for accompanying me, but I’ll be heading home now. Enjoy the rest of your night, Tao."

"You live there? In the building ahead? That’s nice. I’ll see you around, maybe hopefully possibly?" I shrugged and continued forward. I wasn’t sure if he went the other way or just stood in place, I never bothered to look back. He was young, knew nothing about what was wrong with him, naive to the consequences of what he’s become. He probably wasn’t going to last much longer before he was caught and wheeled away to become another torture subject to find the answers to eternal life. It was unfortunate really. He seemed like a nice kid. I hope to never see him again.

The security opened the door before I reached it, closing it with a silent click, cutting me off from whatever concerns I had for Tao.