i venice - fabrica

I got up at 6:30am today. This is the time I should actually
be going to sleep, seeing that I’m a Vampire and all. The
sun was unfortunately shining again, and a small crack in
the shutters allowed a single shaft of light to dissect my
room. My windows are double glazed, which means that any
amount of light is magnifi ed, making it extremely hazardous
to my sensitive skin. I had to jump from my bed to the table,
and then dangle from the curtains in order to shut the blinds
properly. I was holding onto the curtain with one hand, my
feet resting on the tabletop, and my other arm stretched out,
trying to get hold of the shutters, when the curtain railing
collapsed from the weight and I fell to the fl oor, smashing my
chin on the carpet. I lay there for a minute, rubbing my chin.
“What the hell are you doing up there, Kevin?” yelled
my mother from downstairs.
“Nothing mom, I’ll be down in a second.” I wrapped the
curtain around me and stood up to close the shutter. I put
on my black pants, long sleeved t-shirt and sunglasses and
walked downstairs to eat some breakfast.
“Morning love!” said Mom as I entered the kitchen.
“Dear God, why are you wearing that thick cotton t-shirt,
it’s boiling outside!”
“Just because. And God isn’t dear” I said. Then I got
a smack round the head.
“And take those bloody shades off.”
Breakfast was good; bacon, lots of it. After much
convincing my mother fi nally decided to give in and stop
buying frosted cereal for me. Vampires don’t eat
frosted cereal. “What if I buy Count Chocula cereal?” she’d
said laughing. Yeah mom, whatever.
The bus ride to school was as depressing as always. Fred,
from the 8th grade made some stupid remark about the
last episode of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’, I just sneered
at him and sat down. I hate Buffy, everyone glorifi es this
dumb blonde who goes around killing Vampires. They don’t
understand that the Vampires are the good people. All she
represents is corporate America and plastic toy giveaways
with Happy Meals. I tried to sit close to Olivia, the girl from
6th grade, and found a seat behind her. I’ve had a crush on
her since she moved into town, but I don’t stand a chance.
She would never understand the lifestyle of a Vampire.
Maybe I could bite her, and turn her into one, but then again,
maybe she wouldn’t appreciate it. My heightened sense of
smell allowed me to feel her wonderful scent, which at least
brought a half-smile to my face. Love hurts when you’re
fourteen and your soul belongs to the Devil.
We began school by reciting the pledge of allegiance,
as usual. I recited it backwards, as usual. The fi rst class was
history, and we continued with our project about the witch
hunt at Salem, that was cool. We had to read ‘the Crucible’
this semester, and despite the fact that they kill the witches
I thought it was a great book.
Whilst I was in the hallway, going to math class I met
Principle Rooney, who told me to take my sunglasses off.
“But the lights in school are too bright for me!”
I complained. He said it was that or detention, so I took
them off and walked away squinting.
After Maths was recess. I was sitting on the bench
listening to the Cure when I noticed someone walking
up to me. I looked around and my jaw dropped.
In front of me stood Fabio, the other Vampire in school
and my only friend. Fabio was in his usual all-black attire,
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