Vasilica

Presenting my 750 word challenge story for the above self-portrait photograph by Sarah Chambers. She does make up and design, and is stunning – as you can see.

I share this story today for Fandango’s Friday Flashback — August 28

Hope you like it.

Vasilica

I’d grown tired of my monotonous life. I wanted action and adventure. I craved excitement to make my heart beat faster. Instead, all I had was warring parents and a school full of bullies out to maim me. Then I found the book that brought me to this point. The summoning ritual for the one called ‘Vasilica Problem Solver’ wasn’t printed in the text. It’d been scrawled in the margin. Deciding to try it, I raided the chemistry lab for ingredients. Cloaked in the darkness of the woods behind my home I set the fire. One by one I cast the chemicals onto the blazing sticks while reading the Romanian incantation. Each powder caused the flames to dance and change colour before me. The last chemical, Rubidium, filled the clearing with eerie red flames. The fire crackled as my words died away. It turned violet, flashed green and went out in a puff of noxious smoke.

I fumbled to light my torch and there she was, caught in the beam. She stood tall and mystical in an ice blue pelisse coat. Her hair was long, the colour of midnight. She peered through eyes like freezing orbs of blue, framed in dark and moody makeup. I dragged my eyes from her blood-red lips and took in the tattoos on her milky skin. They resembled unfurling ferns and lightning; this was a powerful woman. She took a deep breath, blinked and focused on me. That icy gaze causing my heart to pound in my chest.

“I am Vasilica. You summoned me, mortal. What is your request?” her voice was deep and rich.

“I- I—”

“Stop mumbling and get on with it, mortal. I’m growing thirsty.”   

I watched Vasilica’s lips move with her words. My chest tightened. There were fangs within her mouth. She was a vampire.

“Stop staring and talk, mortal. You can talk, can’t you?” Vasilica paced like a ravenous wolf.

“I- yes, er- sorry.” I stuttered again, causing her to groan at me. “I summoned you because I’m fed up with being bullied at school. And—”

Vasilica waved a hand full of long sharp fingernails at me. “One thing at a time.”

“Sorry—” I muttered before she cut me off.

“Saying sorry makes you weak, mortal. Never be sorry. Now, boys or girls?” Vasilica held a hand over the remains of my fire, causing it to ignite again. She grinned at her work and paced again.

“What?”  

“Focus Mortal.” Vasilica sighed. “Are the bullies boys or girls?”

“Oh, Sor-boys.”

“Ugh, teenage boys are sweaty and smelly. They taste bitter with all that testosterone in their veins too. I never get the sweet and sugary girls to deal with.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. “What! You’re going to deal with the bullies by eating them?”

“I am a vampire, mortal.” Vasilica poked her fangs as if to prove it. “Failing that, you can always stop being a coward and start punching the bullies. That’d save me having to bite those disgusting creatures.”

“Right, er… Yeah, punch those bullies.” I made a fist and looked at my knuckles. I’d never even punched my younger brother, let alone a bully who stood taller and stronger than me. “What about my parents. Can you stop them fighting all day?”

“Are you listening to me?” Vasilica paused to pierce me with her icy gaze again.

“Yes, every word.”

“Good, then you remember, I’m a vampire- not a bloody councillor.”

“So, what can you do for me?” I put my hand over my mouth, that came out more cutting than I intended.

“Give me the bullies names. I’ll ensure they cause you no further trouble.”

“No.” I shook my head. “Don’t eat them. I’ll get a million years detention.”

“Okay, which parent do you want to vanish?” Vasilica’s features had grown darker with anticipation.

“Neither, I…”

“Then, what do you want?” Vasilica put her cold hands on my shoulders and looked into my eyes.

“I- I want a better life. One without bullies and fighting. I want adventure and excitement in my life.”

“Fine.” Vasilica scratched a fingernail across her wrist, drawing a line of blood. She opened her mouth and sank her fangs into my neck. My scream of pain was smothered by her bleeding wrist being shoved in my mouth. I tasted her blood and collapsed into the leaf litter. When next I arose, my troubles were over. I’d been sired. I was an all-powerful, immortal, hungry vampire.    

The End

---

Check out more of my tales in the Short Stories and Short Stories 2 tab too.
Have a great day!