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Theresa & Allison (2019)
Uh... look, I know with what happened
What happened? Oh, uh, I mean, you know, the body and Oh that? Dont worry about that. Wait, what? Dont worry about it. Happens to everybody. Okay, Im confused. About? I mean... I just... I had the NYPD knocking down my door; raid my apartment and drag me here! And Im pretty sure that they found the girl that was in my bathtub. I heard somebody say, Holy shit, look, theres a dead girl in the bathtub! And? And?!? And nobody has asked me about how the body got there and nobody has interrogated me- Do you want to be interrogated? Well, no, but There you go, then. Okay, so... Im right back to being confused. So, Im not under arrest or, you know, Im not going to get taken in for experimentation. Experimentation? Why would we want to experiment on you? Oh... because, Im... you know, one of the undead. Oh. Please dont call it that. Well, I thought that was what it was called when I got the dark gift or whatever... Holy shit! Seriously, dont say things like that. What else am I supposed to call it? What it is. Youre a fucking vampire! Deal with it! Goddamn it, Theresa! I told you not to do this! Do you remember that? Im sorry! Youre sorry?!? Sorrys not good enough! Sorry?!? Sorrys not going to cut it because Cassidy and Susalyn are never going to invite you back again! And do you know how long Ive been trying to get invited here?!? I said that Im sorry, Mika. I just cant deal with what her father does! Hes poisoning Yeah, its all about you. Huh? Youre fucking unbelievable, do you know that? Youre unbelievable. Unbelievable. Just. Dont talk to me anymore. Dont. Okay? Come on. Jesus Christ. Really? Come on. Watch your head. Im sorry. Can you just get her to this address? Sure. You owe me $30. Okay? Remember? You owe me $30. I dont know. Venmo me or something when you get home. Thank you. Ummm... hello. Mr. Driver person? Oh, Im sorry. I didnt see you there. I thought tonight was going to be a shitty night. Ow. Ow. Thats a little too hard. Ow! Ow! Thats too hard! Just stop please! Stop! Stop! No! Oh god! Please stop! Get the fuck off of me, please! The nights not over yet. Wow. You really were drunk. Im feeling that now. I was just thinking That when you dont show up wherever you were going to go tomorrow, Theyll blame the cab driver for it. Thats how it always works out. And then every woman in the city will be afraid to take a town car for a little bit. Kinda funny when you think about it, huh? Help me! Please! Somebody help me! Help! Shhhhhh... Little Doe. You mustnt scream or the Big Bad Wolf will hear you. Seriously. Its almost a shame that someone as pretty as you is going to be in some fridge tomorrow. Some cold, impersonal city morgue, with a little tag on your toe like a Christmas present. Imagine a little kid opening up a Christmas present and its your corpse inside. Thats so funny! All warm and wet but tomorrow, itll be dry and cold. That beautiful soft skin of yours is going to crack and just rot off. These. Are just going to sag and wither. Even this pretty face of yours. Gone. Oh, Little Doe. You mustnt cry. I can tell youre afraid now. You dont want to die, do you? Nobody does, Little Doe. Nobody does. Fuck it. 138! 138! Please report to office two. Now. Thats me! Alright then. Orientation time. First off, Im sure until the moment you were made you had no idea we were real, right? Yeah. Well, we aim to keep it that way. Im guessing since we only found one body at your place, That means youve left bodies in other places, right? Yeah. I was just... I couldnt... chop up... just... No worries. Just fill out a form. We have people who handle that sort of thing. Here. This goes into the basic dos and donts. You know, sunlight, stakes, beheading, fire, all the things that kill us. Then theres the things that are bullshit. Like not appearing in mirrors, being allergic to garlic, needing an invitation to enter someones home Being harmed by holy water and crosses. Its really all bullshit, huh? That it is. Also, theres some numbers in there to deal with our particular problems like If you decide you dont feel like killing anymore, we have blood banks set up all around the city, around most major cities, actually Where you can get blood from willing donors. I dont know. What about feeding on rats and stuff? Why would you want to do that? I mean, thats what they do in the movies. Just forget all those stupid movies and tv show. We dont sparkle. We dont turn into bats. We cant fly and we cant ride fucking moonbeams or whatever. Youre a physical creature of flesh and bone. Just with a longer lifespan than other creatures of flesh and bone. And a very particular diet. Little stronger, little faster. Cant sunbathe. All the rest bullshit. Got it? Yeah, I got it. Oh, theres also something in there about who to call if you encounter any problems from werewolves, demons, or other supernatural beings. Wait, werewolves and demons? Those things exist? Yes, said the vampire to the other vampire. Supernatural creatures are real. I know that may come as a shock to you, but surprise. In truth, though, there really shouldnt be werewolves anymore. Its completely treatable. Jesus Christ. Oh and dont blog about this. Any of it. Were monitoring that. Not even little subtle hints. Dont start randomly quoting Bela Lugosis Dead or anything. Wait, who? Bless your ignorant little heart. Dont worry about it. Just remember no one knows about us. I will say it again with extra emphasis. No one knows about us and if you tell people about us you will die, kay? Okay! Can I help you? Hi. Im Allison. Theresa. Saw you back at the office there. Was worried I missed you. Were you following me? Yes I was. Your perfume is really easy to track. Well, thats pretty creepy. Were hunters. We hunt. So, youre new, huh? That I am. Well, you just got yourself a guide. So, what do you got there? Thats pamphlet Ms. Solenz gave me. It has all the dos and donts and stuff. I mean, have you read this? I think that its supposed to be a little bit sarcastic, just in case someone who isnt one of us finds it. I guess that makes sense, but Oh, and this part that says you should learn hobbies that are difficult to master. What does that even mean? I dunno. Ive had enough time to get really good at my Mandarin. Have you? Mmmhmm. So what do you say, do you know any other vampires besides the one who made you? I dont even know the one who made me. Poor baby. Tell you what. Why dont we take a walk? Well talk about it. Talk? Maybe some other things. If I didnt know any better, Allison, Id say you were flirting with me. And if I was? Well, the last woman who picked me up ended up tearing a pretty big chunk of my throat out by the end of the night, So thanks but no thanks! But that turned out better than expected, now, didnt it? Are you hungry? No, not them. Im trying to be careful about this. Are you sure? Hes AB Negative and shes ovulating. Makes everything taste better. You can tell all that from here? You cant? Sorry. Youre new. Sure I can. Pretty far out, huh? Dont worry, youll be able to do it soon enough. Theyre not that far from us. Oh, Im doing it again, arent I? Its so hard to keep up with what everyones saying now a days. If I wasnt this, Id be a grandma by now. How old are you? Youre going to make me do math? Its not one of the powers that we get. What year? 1972 Okay so thats 42- Whatever. Its boring. Dont be such a downer. Were not supposed to be boring anymore. Now come on. Walk with me. So, you said you saw me back at the office? Yep. Do you work there? God, no silly. Not nearly old enough to work there. Everyone there is like a thousand years old or something. Seriously? Honest injun. Wow, that was kinda racist. Is that racist now? My mother used to use it all the time. Its just a word. Anyway these rules are too boring and they change far too often for my tastes. I see So, if you dont work there, what were you doing there? Me and my ex were kinda bending the rules. I thought they said if you bend the rules, they kill you. Bending, not breaking. If I was breaking, then I wouldnt be standing here talking to you right now. Those guys dont fuck around with that shit. So what rule were you bending? Youre new. You got a little weird about the whole injun thing. So, maybe its best that I not tell you. You may not think it was as bitchin as we did. Bitchin? Is that not used anymore either? Its so hard to talk to new people in my little vampire bubble. No, its cool. Its okay. Ah, see you wouldnt have thought it was as cool as we did. Alright, well, I get the feeling I shouldnt talk about it anymore. Dont worry about that any of that boring bullshit anymore. We are going to be young forever! Theres no reason for us to worry about anything anymore and now you have me as your guide! Im going to show you the ropes! Be the Mickey to your Rocky! And fuck No, I understood that reference. Far out. Anyway, enough about me. It doesnt seem like you are enjoying this much. Its not that. Its just... I can barely wrap my head around Okay, heres the thing. I took some self-defense courses before I moved here because I heard all the stories about New York. Ah, another transplant, huh? Yeah, Wooster, MA. Conchord, New Hampshire! New England, REPRESENT! So, you picked up fist bumping? Yeah, boy-ee! Okay, so as I was saying I took a couple self-defense courses in my freshman year and Someone comes at me I can, punch them out, you know, but otherwise Wouldnt hurt a fly, huh? Oh no, I see a roach that fuckers dead! I volunteered in college. I dont really like violence. Im a pacifist. Whats so funny? Boy, did you choose the wrong creature to become! You shouldve been like a unicorn or a pixie and then you could prance around the enchanted forest As you sprinkle pixie dust on all the little woodland creatures! This isnt funny! In the last month, Ive killed five people! Oh dear! A whole five?!? You realize you are just like Hitler, right? This is serious. I dont know what Im doing. Im way over my head! I feel like shit about it! I think I might just try out one of those blood banks. I doubt youre going to want to wait a whole 90 days to feed again. What do you mean? Takes 90 days for them to process the application. Are you fucking serious? Had a sister who applied for that. Took them 90 days before they let her into the program. Isnt it like a blood bank or a soup kitchen or God no. Its a city program. Its not like theres a bunch of people with their necks out for you. Fuck! Its part of the cycle, baby. The whole circle of life. Listen, I was made back in 1972 but it doesnt mean I dont go for a Brazilian once every four weeks. Ummmm.Im sorry. By Brazilian, you mean a bikini wax, right. Not that you kill a Brazilian person, right? Want to see? No. Thank you. And you know, Im not sure if that analogy actually works. You adapt! You adjust to your circumstances. You were one thing, now youre something new. Its not that easy! Dont think about it. I cant help that! Then Ill help you. I have to ask you, if youre like this, then why did the person who made you make you? I think I got her drunk with my blood. Whats burn- Who are- Oh, shit. I made you last night, didnt I? Fuck. Well, you dont want to be touching the sun now. Stop it! Christ, youre being annoying. Look, I was really fucking drunk last night and I didnt know I was going to have a guest this morning, so You can stay here for the day but I want you out by the time the sun sets. No problem. I dont want to be anywhere near you, after what you did to me! Did to you? You mean made you immortal? You tried to kill me last night! Whatever. Fine. Bathroom doesnt get any sun. Feel free to sleep there if you dont want to be near me. Oh, fuck! Wow. Thats pretty fucking far out. I mean No, I get it. I know what you mean. That better So, not to interrupt, but you did say that it was five people? Yeah. No no no no no. Please please. Just wake up, please! Alright. Okay, um, okay. Drink. Just drink! Please! Im so sorry about this. No no! Dont feel bad! Its what we are. I didnt want to do what I did to the jogger. Never again. Itd been five days. Five days of me just sitting in my apartment. Smelling her get just riper and riper and I didnt want to go outside because I was afraid of hurting somebody or attacking somebody. But I couldnt stay in there with that smell anymore. You know, maybe if I went outside when the streets were empty and no one was outside, people would be safe from me. And then it just happened. Do it. You said youd do it! Do it! Thank you. Thank you. It doesnt have to be violent. I only need to feed when I feel the hunger coming on. And that makes it Not horrible. Did you get a job at a suicide hotline? No, Ive never met anybody who wanted to die... that directly but... Ugh. I hate feeding off of junkies! I have to be honest. I was kind of hoping that whatever was in her system would make me overdose So that all of this would be over. Its good to know where youve come from. I am really glad that you came out tonight. Me too. My night was such a downer up until I saw you. Tony and I were- Toni. Is she your ex? Tony with a y. Yeah, hes my ex. Wait, uh. Im sorry. He? So, youre normally into guys? Well, yeah, silly. But how things are and with us breaking up, I thought Id try something new. Wait. So what am I? Just your vacation from dick? Dont be like that. I think youre great, but tonight has been traumatic enough without being somebody elses Katy Perry moment. Theresa, baby! Dont be like that. You know what? Maybe Ill see you around. Theresa! Theresa, come on! Alright, listen! I have had a shitty enough night without some horny guy trying to get in my pants! On a normal night, I wouldnt be into your equipment and tonight is not a normal night, so just please Back off! You have no idea what I could do to you! Yeah. That sounds like a challenge to me, actually. Im serious! Fuck off before I hurt you! Hurt me? Wait. Oh my god. You cant tell? Tell what? Seriously? Oh my god. Okay. Alright. Gimme a minute. Wait. What? So, you seriously couldnt tell? Couldnt smell me? Jesus, what are they teaching kids at the Hierarchy these days, man? The Hierarchy didnt teach you anything? Allison didnt teach you anything? How do you know Alli- Oh shit, youre Tony, arent you? Allison talk about me? Look, whatever youve heard about Allison and I, its- Hey, hey, listen. If the little lady wants to have herself some fun of the sapphic variety, Im totally cool with that. Listen, Im not interested in just being her fun. Oh my god, youre one of those! Bringing the U-Haul to the first date! Tell me, whats your name? Theresa. You know, Theresa, I saw you earlier at the office tonight, when they were yelling at Allison and I Well, of course, then we started yelling at each other. So, you two literally broke up tonight? Broke up is a really harsh term. Besides, my mom will get really pissed off if Allison doesnt show up to the party tonight. Party? What, like a vampire party? Uh yeah, like a vampire party. Youre telling me she didnt invite you? Wow, thats really cold, Allison. Geez. You know what? Im just gonna go, okay? No no no no, no no baby girl, dont go! Listen, just because Allison and I are taking a break does not mean that you and I cant be close. I cant think of a single reason why you and I cant be friends. Oh you cant think of one? Well, I can think of several! First of all, my name is not Baby Girl, it is Theresa. And second- Second of all, you couldnt even smell me, which means you dont know shit! Which means you probably need a guide. Because Im willing to bet thats only one of many problems youre having. I bet right now, the world is a whole lot of white noise. Youre hearing all sorts of things you couldnt hear before. Rain drops. Insects. Heart beats. And I bet when someone walks by, its like a whole herd of elephants right next to your ear. Been avoiding the subways, been avoiding midtown. Staying out of really populated areas I bet. And hey, listen, its okay. I know its scary. You must be going through hell. I mean, I had Allison. I had a mom to be there for me. Maybe what you need is someone to be there for you. Tell you what, come with me. Ill keep my hands to myself and show you what you can do. Okay? This doesnt have to be awful. This can be really, really wonderful, if you know how to use your abilities. So, what do you say? Ill be good. Okay. Just seriously, hands off, okay? Scouts honor. Now come on. No no no! Theres too many people! That is the whole point! You have to be in a place with a lot of people! My head feels like its going to explode! Its too loud! Yeah. Close your eyes. Oh! You lured me here so you could- I didnt lure you anywhere. Listen! This only works if you close your eyes first. I am trying to help you. If you try anything- Im not going to try anything. So, you can either do this or I can leave and you can figure out all this shit on your own. Fine. Okay. Close them. Now, can you hear my voice above everything else? Barely. Alright. What I need you to do is focus and let everything else fade away. Just listen. Listen. Listen. Listen. Now, open your eyes. This is freaky! Its this easy?!? Yes, it is, Baby Girl. I mean, Theresa. Let me show you something else. I want you to focus on these people. Now, Find one. Listen to them. Let yourself smell them, let yourself hear them, let yourself smell them, let yourself feel them. But just focus on one at a time, otherwise, youre going to get overwhelmed. kay? Fucking prick! Youre not supposed to pay any attention to that. He doesnt fucking belong here! Look at him! Wanna do some shots? She was supposed to be here two hours ago! Im gonna have a couple more drinks! You have to calm down! Im fine! Im fine! Oh my god! They all sound different! They all smell different! Yeah, thats scent. Its a combination. Diet. Blood type. All that sort of shit. Eventually, youll be able to tell blood type from taste and smell, you know? Something to learn. Oh my god, I really can smell everything. I mean, Ive been smelling little bits of pee on all the guys here, but that guy- Yeah yeah, okay. No no no. Dont be smelling that guy. Why am I smelling little bits of pee on all the guys here? Thats not a debate were going to have. I havent peed in 42 years so- No wonder I dont fuck you guys. If I really wanted to, I can point out some of the women here who arent smelling too fresh this morning- Oh come on! Can we talk about something else? Okay yeah That sounds like a wonderful idea! Music! Music! Youre not hearing the music right now, so Lets focus on the most primal form. Drums. Vocals. Drum beat is like a heart. Find it. Okay. Now, let the other instruments fade in. Listen to the voice and just put it together like a skeleton. Parts become one beautiful whole Feels like I have super powers. Can I read minds too? No, you cant read minds. Sucks. But now, that Ive been kind enough to show you how to use your senses, do you smell what I smell? I dunno. What? What do you smell? Lets think outside the box a little. Come on. Tell me what you see besides these people. I smell a lot of people outside the club. Uh huh? And someone outside in the alley behind the bar. Shes alone and shes drunk as a skunk from how her blood smells, so go lets get you a drink! Sorry. Im not thirsty. I have a few days before I have to drink. And if I drink from her, Im going to get drunk- Listen, grasshopper! The lesson is not yet over! Are you saying you dont trust me? No, Im not saying that. Okay, good! Because I was nice enough to go and help you here! Okay?!? Yeah, you were. You were. Good, so come on. Lets go. Itll be fun! Fuck! Fucking asshole! How could he do this to me?!? Fuck!! Maam? Are you okay? No no no no. Im not fucking okay. Fucking asshole. He took my fucking- Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Youre like, really, fast. That I am, but dont worry, youre safe with my friend and I. Check it out, Theresa, its another redhead. Something you and I have in common. What, you couldnt tell she was a redhead by scent? No, Theresa, you cant tell hair color by scent. Thatd be stupid. What are you guys even talking about? Dont you worry your pretty little head about it. Listen, your knight in shining armor is here and Im going to help you. So, listen, first thing I need to know This guy, what was his name? Jimmy. Jimmy fucking Cesare! He took my fucking purse and then he hit me! Who hits a fucking girl?!? Who fucking does that?!? Who does that?!? Obviously, someone with a lot of issues. Yeah yeah yeah. Whatever. Where the fuck are my keys? Were they in my purse or- Whoa whoa whoa! Tony, what are you doing? Hey! Listen! Listen! I was just trying to help! I was just- Hes being a douche is what you were being! Tony, what are we doing? Is there a reason why were here?!? Of course there is. Hands off me! Check this out, Theresa! Tony! Tony, please stop! Tony, what the fuck?!? Shes still alive! Yes, she is! Please please please, please! Tony! Here! What the hell was that Tony? Why didnt you finish her? Can you smell that? Can you smell the fear in her blood? Gives her blood a little extra flavor, dont it? Youre so fucking fucked up! No, listen, theres a lesson here. Okay... okay What I need you to do is let her go and then Ill show you how to track her using her fear. Its a really useful skill to have. Oh yeah, I like to wear this, so you dont look like you just murdered someone in an alley. I dont want to die. Its okay. Its okay. What is going on? Why arent you chasing her? The whole point of me bringing you out here was so I could teach you how to do this, okay? Shut the fuck up, Tony! Im so sorry about this... Son of a fucking bitch! Just close your eyes and think of somewhere nice. Somewhere you love. Somewhere beautiful. And I get to tend the rabbits! Stop, Tony, come on! I dont know. Maybe youre not smart. Maybe youre not brilliant. Allison doesnt really go for brains. But the red shit coming out of her neck means she is dying, okay? It doesnt matter if you want to be Mother fucking Theresa and let her go, she is going to die in this fucking alley, so you should do what I tell you! I don't want to die. Close your eyes! Close your eyes because youre going somewhere peaceful alright? Yeah, the Kings County Morgue is really fucking peaceful this time of night! So, stop being so fucking dramatic! My fucking god! Waste of a goddamn fucking evening! Shhhhh. Its okay. Well, its about fucking time. Jesus. I cant believe you made me do that. She was so scared. I know what its like to feel like that. Whatever, Gandhi. Listen, instead of complaining, maybe you should be saying thank you. Because now you dont have to sit in your cave and wait for the people to go away. No! That was awful! That wasnt me. I dont want them to feel terror like that. You know, theres a lot of good blood going to waste. You should probably do something about that. Yeah, Ill hold. Fuck you! Fuck you! Seriously! Fuck you, you fucking psycho! Hi. V-Code: 483-367 Yeah, uh, Im in an alleyway off Troutman, between Irving and Wyckoff. Victim was arguing with someone named Jimmy Cesare. Yeah yeah. She was going on about how her purse was stolen. Yeah, final kill was done by me and... Whats your V-Code? Theresa somebody or other. She just ran off. Okay... Oh, okay. Thanks a lot. Yeah, cool. You have a good evening too. Thank you. Well Waste not, want not. Can I ask you why the government hasnt tried to hunt us down or experiment on us? Well, they recognize that were predators and predators have to hunt. As long as youre registered and dont step on the wrong toes and dont let the general public know were around Theyre perfectly okay with us hunting. Sorry, but why are they okay with that? Because there are rules; acceptable losses. Keep your kills private. Dont feed on anyone youve been seen with. Dont feed on anyone you know. Dont turn anyone who will have a big mouth about it. Dont feed on anyone who will be missed. Dont feed on children- Whoa. Children? People will-we... we feed on little children? Let me tell you from personal experience, children are delicious. Its like heaven in your mouth. Really? Oh my god, yeah! Especially babies. So, you have fed on babies? Why arent you in trouble? One of us was lucky enough to be born in a time of plague and abundant orphans. The other was born in a time of Amber Alerts and Nancy Grace, so stay away from kids. Not thinking thats going to be a problem. Good. Because if it becomes a problem, well kill you. Without question, without mercy, we will kill you. And if you think youre going to get away with fucking with the rules, you will have another thing coming. Theresa! Excuse me. Theresa! What? No scent. Youre another vampire, arent you? Guilty as charged. Im terribly sorry to disturb you. My name is Polina. Polina Volkova. Well, thats great. Thats just fucking great. Its just going to be an insane vampire parade. Thats my life now. I don't need to deal- Wait. Holy shit. Youre their mother, arent you? Excuse me. Tony and Allison. Youre their mother, arent you? No. Dear me, no. Far from it, in fact. I represent someone of great stature who would like to speak to you. Im sorry. I dont want to deal with this. I just want to go home. Ms. Costanza. It will only take a moment. We just want to talk. Wait... I didnt tell you my name. All will be explained when you meet Her. I would offer you a drink but I can tell you have just fed. Oh, my sweet child Do not be embarrassed by what you are. Ive been hearing that all night. Yes! But you have heard it from those who should be. Those who do not appreciate the gift they have. You ran into two of that Russian barbarians offspring. She, like her children, do not know of beauty. They do not know of the grace in what we do. But you do? Ah, the things I could show you, Theresa Costanza. The things I could show you. What about her? I serve a greater purpose. Before I met the Order, I was lost, but now Im where I was always supposed to be My blood will feed La Reina and thats all I need. If I can help her live one more day, even with my death, I have lived a good life. You see, Ms. Costanza? There are those who will give themselves to us willingly. We are not all animals like that Allison and Tony you met earlier tonight. He, especially... leave it to that graceful woman to allow one like him to become one of them. A man like him in Order would have been sport come Festival de Malandro A man like him would never taint my blood. Ms. Costanza, you should participate in the Festival sometime. It really is quite glorious. The predator becomes prey. We, those who love La Reina, become something more than ourselves. Something... Something more like her. Something divine. Also, it is quite the chance to let loose, shall we see. What do you want from me and why do you both know my name? Theresa Costanza, I know many things. La Reina was gifted with the second sight even before she ascended. My Order would embrace you. There would be no more struggle to feed. That would be nice. That wouldnt just be nice, it would be an honor, Ms. Constanza! You are meeting with the high priestess of our order! Do you know how few receive an audience- She will learn, Polina! She will learn! What do you want?!? Information. It is, as they say, power. I have an enemy and that enemy made the two you met tonight. Them and many more. Many more who do not know of grace. My enemy, the Russian, she feels she has the right to get into my territory. But I am told I cannot move against her unless I want to start a war. No one wants a war. The Hierarchy wants us all to play nice. There is where I need you to become my eyes. Those two they will- I just want to go home. I think I just want to go home. Im sorry. Theresa Costanza, are you giving up the chance to be under my protection? Giving up the chance to be a sister in my Order? I just want to go home. Get out of my sight. If you mention that you met me to Sakkara or any of her children, they will kill you. And if they dont, I will! Then I will kill everything that youve ever loved! My name is never to be on your lips. Go! Alright. Alright! Okay, Alright, Jesus! Hi. What are you doing here? Are you tracking me again? Christ I just got done dealing with your crazy ex-boyfriend. You met Tony? Yeah! Listen, I dont want to be part of your weird relationship drama. Okay, sorry. I didnt know he was going to get involved with you. He didnt hurt you, did he? No. Hes just fucking sleazy. How could you go out with a guy like that? He can be kindve sweet when you get to know him. Whatever. Its really late. Im just going to turn in. No no no no no. The sun doesnt come up for another six hours! Really, Im done for the night! Theresa, I really really like you! Im sorry that we got off on the wrong foot and definitely sorry you had to deal with Tony. Can I come in? I thought vampires didnt need permission to enter someones elses house. We dont. Its just good manners to ask. Alright. Fine. Come in. Yay. Thank you! Hey, I like you. A lot. Youve got a certain vibe about you, you know? I really like you too, Allison. Im worried about just being your vacation from him. I just met you. I cant commit to someone so soon. No, thats not what Im trying to say. Baby, let's just take things as they come. Okay? Oh, this feels so wrong. Theres no wrong for us anymore. I dont want to live like that. So, theres a party tonight. I know, Tony told me about it. Why dont you come? Meet some more of your kind? Yeah, if theyre anything like Tony Some of them are, but do remember that sister I told you about, the one who does the blood donations? Miranda always shows up to these things and she never seems to have any fun. Maybe the two of you will have something in common. Are you trying to pawn me off on someone else? No, baby, I want you all to myself. I just think maybe you could use a few more friends. Alright. Um... so where is this party? Westchester. Westchester? Theres no way we will be able to get there and back without the sun- Its all taken care of. And its a nice place, with servants and everything. And its safe there. Its all family. And youre sure its okay if I come? Mmmhmm. Sorry to ask but is Tony going to be there? You wont have to interact with him at all. I promise. You promise? I do. Okay. Alright. Fine. Can I go change into something a little bit nicer? You need any help? Not if you want to actually make it to that party. So, what do you think? Its weird. I didnt realize how little Id be picking up when I was around all these other... well, you know You can say vampires. Vampires. Its like Im not picking up any scents or anything. Youll get to that in time. I guess. Its a pretty mixed party. I wasnt expecting this. Why? I dunno. Seems weird, is all. Aw. Fuck. Hey, Baby Girl! Hey Tony. And Indira Gandhi. Whatever. This is my ex and her beard. Shes decided shes a lesbian since we broke up. Ladies, this is Aurora. Shes going to live forever. Aurora Nightshade. Obviously. Tony is going to usher me under the long, black veil. Hes going to initiate me into the world of the Brujah. And together, we will rage against the societal norms that Ventrue like yourself cling to. The Bru-wha? Do not mock our clan. I was born into darkness. Conceived under the Only Theatre of Pain. Not the Valor stuff. Never the Valor stuff. He is untrue. Do you have any idea what shes talking about? Come along, Aurora. Lets let the ladies wallow in their conformity. What the fuck just happened? I think that Tony stopped at Hot Topic on the way to the party. Is that some stupid attempt to make you jealous. I dont know how it could be. Oh hey, Theresa, this is the sister I was telling you about. Hi Miranda. Hi Allison. Theres someone that I want you to meet. Thanks, but I have a lot of- This is Theresa. Shes new. Huzzah for her. Now, if you dont mind, I have some inventory- No no no. I wanted her to talk to you. You guys are kindve alike. Im sure were practically twinsies, but- Shes weird about the whole feeding thing. Oh. Hello Theresa. Hey. So you just got turned. Yeah. How long ago? About a month. So you are new. So Im just going to let you guys talk. Allison, you said- So Some party, huh? I guess. Where did you meet Allison? She actually followed me home from the orientation I had to go to. Oh, you mean the Hierarchy offices? Yeah, she and Tony were being bad. What did they do exactly? She didnt tell you. I didnt get specifics but if Tony was involved, I'm assuming it cant be good. Tony isnt even the worst one here. I take it you havent met Paisley yet. You mean like the garnish? No, thats parsley. Its Paisley, like the design or like the town in Scotland. Theres a town in Scotland named Paisley. Apparently so. But once you meet her, youll give serious thought to tanning. Wow. Shes really that bad, is she? Youll see. Or hopefully, shell get in a car accident on the way here and you wont. I guess. So, about the program? Yeah. Everything comes clean and packaged. It took me about 90 days to apply. Yeah. Allison told me it the 90 days thing I had to deal with doing some things Id rather not talk about right now until then. I understand. Do you? Ive fed on five people since Ive been turned and its just Really not my thing. Well, Ill hook you up with the app for your phone. It automatically applies you and then reapplies you when the years up. You have to apply every year to prove that youre not abusing the program in any way. I see. Uh, Can I ask you a question? No. Oh, okay. I was kidding. You asked me a question asking if you could... nevermind. What is it? Well, for my orientation, they mentioned something about other beings. Werewolves and demons and I dont know. Did you ever met any of them? No really. Just other vampires. But hey, until I met our mother I hadnt met any of our kind either. I am not sure why you mean by our. Mother. And who is this child? I do not smell any of my blood within her. Im Theresa. Child, come with me. We must talk. So, you seek to come between my children? Whoa. Whoa. Wait, I- My Tony and my Allison. I found them together at Galaxy 21 and thought they should be together forever, so I made it so. Are you trying to tell me that you know better than I, who was born before your grandmothers grandmothers grandmother? No no no. Thats not at all what Im trying- Do you know of poetry? Do you know of love? Love between predators? I know what its like to be in love. I You know the love of a little girl. The love of a school child who feels her heart thump for the first time. I speak of love passed through blood. Passed through time. Birth is painful. Always. Always, is it painful. Yet, I do not smell any of me within you. I cannot tell whose child you are, but you are not one of mine. Listen to me for just a minute! A minute she asks for. What is that to a god? Do you ask a second of the wind? To fire? To earth? To water? Do you know what these eyes have seen? Know she will never be yours! Just, please, lady. You may call me by my name: Sakkara! Okay, alright... Sakkara Did you give Tony the same lecture for his wanna-be Morticia? Oh, you are an innocent, yes? Oh, I see. Much you do not know of this world. Much you have yet to learn, yes? I dont get it. Go. Go, pleasure my daughter. Perhaps you learn a little of what you are tonight, yes? Uh... thank you for your blessing. I dont think your mom liked me very much. She doesnt have to. It only matters that I like you. This has all been like some crazy fucking dream, you know? I hope youre not planning on waking up anytime soon. No. Its just Some things have been terrifying but Some other things have just been beautiful. Thats what our life is. We can do whatever we want to. And we have all the time in the world to do it. All we have to do to get it is Is that really so bad? Yeah, it is for me. Well, Miranda will help you with that if it really bothers you so much. Its just nature, you know? I mean, do you blame a lion when it kills a lamb? Yeah, but were not lions. But were also not... people. Not really, not anymore. I know you still feel like one. You still look like one. But were different from them now. I have a lot of trouble believing that. People get sick. People grow old. People smell and pee and poo and they rot away. But we are going to be beautiful, forever. Forever, Theresa. If I wasnt made this, what would I be now? Some New England grandma, sitting in a nursing home, unloved? Old, ugly. My nurses being mean to me when my diaper needed to be changed. Probably looking back in regret at taking that bus to New York, thinking I was going to be Linda Lovelace, and that Tony was going to make me a star? Thats where Id be right now. Forgotten. Probably even dead by now. I was doing a lot of blow back then. But look at me now, 40-something years later, and Im still young and beautiful. People still turn their heads when I walk down the street. Hell, you want me, dont you? You know I do. But would you if I were an old woman? I dont mean to get too much of a head trip on you, you know, but would you really want me if I were just old, broken down Allison Crandel from Concord? Its just the cycle of life. Some things have to die so that other things can live. That's... Plants feel pain. You know that, right? So, even the gentle animals out there in the fields eating grass and leaves and shit Theyre still feeding on something alive to live. You cant get around it. No matter how hard you try. And we can go wherever we want to. Just the two of us. Go ahead. Name a place for me. Name someplace youve never been before. Ive never been to Spain. Then well go to Spain. Barcelona. And then maybe Paris or Berlin or Tokyo or wherever. We can go wherever we want to. And there are arms wide open for us, wherever we decide to go. Theres so much beauty in the world for us. The world was made for us. Were the only ones around long enough to see everything. Except the day time. Well, after weve seen everything there is to see. And were all riding around on flying cars and all the cities are in domes and weve been to Mars, we can go and watch the sunrise together and the last thing we see is going to be something beautiful. You make it all sound so... clean. Its a small price to pay. Eventually, you dont even feel guilty about it. Trust me on that. I think Im gonna go take a shower. I know, I laid some heavy shit on you today. But at some point youre going to have to accept what you are. Or youre going to just have to decide maybe its time to say hi to the big yellow bitch in the sky. Are those the only two ways this goes? Think Im going to stay in here for a bit. Im gonna go take a shower. Alright. What are you typing? Inventory. I run a vintage clothing store off Avenue A. Kinda appropriate. Would be if I were made in the 1850s. I was born in 1982 and turned in 2010. Im the second youngest in this little... well, I guess if you want to call it a family. Only one younger is Paisley. So, why do you run a vintage clothing store? Because money is required to exchange goods and services. Just because I drink blood doesnt free me from the joys of Capitalism. So, you know... I noticed that only half the people here are vampires. We are the real 1%. But nobody here seems to be quiet about it. I mean, Tony over there just told that girl that he was going to make her one of us. Oh. You really dont get it, do you? Get what? You didnt notice all the security getting in here? The giant fence around the property? The dogs? Yeah, I thought... Allison told me this was a safe place. For us, it is. Almost everybody who isnt one of us isnt getting out of here alive. I mean, come on, youve met Solenz. Can you imagine if Tony brought that girl into the Hierarchy Offices? Shed stake him on the spot. I think I feel ill. I cant believe... I feel like such a bitch for making fun of that poor girl! We need to get them out of here! We need to tell somebody! Your heart is in the right place and Ive been where you are, but youre just going to cause a panic and get them all killed sooner. Trust me. What about the lake?!? You didnt swim all the way out to the other side. Lined with barbed wire and theres guards on the shore. This is so fucked up. Wait, then what are you still doing here? Sakkaras still the one who made me. Even if I dont like whats going on, I still come, just to keep the peace. That is fucked up and you know it! I dont disagree. But do you think you or I, or even us both, could fight our way through here? What about the butlers- Slaves. Occasionally, Sakkara will pick out a few that she likes and give them the option of serving for life or dying here. I take it you havent seen the basement. No. Whats in the basement? Well, besides the fucking oven she uses to burn all the bodies from her little parties There goes avoiding a panic. Im sorry to do this to you, but Im allergic to Paisley. Alright, bitches! I brought tonights entertainment! Oh, for fucks sake. Is that who I think it is? Everybody, I want you to meet... uh... whatever. Her name isnt important. All that matters is that shes mine now. She was rude to me and now she has to be punished. Jesus fuck, Paisley! You actually went and got the goddamn salesgirl? Yes, I did. You dont talk to me like that. This isnt one of your fucking rich daddys lawsuits! You have to be more careful with this sort of thing! About a month ago, Paisley was bitching that she went to buy some shoes and the salesgirl who worked there was rude to her. Yup. And tonight, shes going to learn that the customer is always right. Isnt that right? Youre my little piggy now, arent you? Somebody help me! Fuck this. Please! Somebody help me! Somebody help me! I dont wanna die! No! Just dont! Im sorry to have to do this to a fellow creature of the night, but I demand that you let her go! This is nonconsensual and She has the right to say no! You are so precious! Whats your name, darling? Aurora Nightshade! I am a fellow child of the night like yourself. Are you now? Yes, I am, but this must not continue. I understand the need and the hunger to feed but if this was merely about feeding, I wouldnt dream of standing in your way A child of the Toreador with her mortal prey. But this is about sexual assault and we are above that! We are? Yes, we are, my sweet sister in crimson! And Im sure youre aware of the Sanguinomicon! And all the vast amounts of pleasure that are there to be had and desires to be quenched- You are so cute. Mwah! What the fuck, Paisley?!? Oh, was that yours? I didnt even get a chance to fuck her! Oh, whatever, Romeo. Why dont you fuck my new pet instead? Yeah, what really want I want to do is fuck your hyperventilating crying- Paisley, she is peeing on the floor! Sakkaras gonna be upset. Somebody get me a rolled up newspaper. Oh man, thats so funny! You know whatd be even funnier? If I killed your little pet! You let her go! Shes mine! You know what? You killed the one that was mine. Its only fair! She has to live and suffer for what she did! I dont give a fuck what she did! You want her to live, so maybe its time for you to learn that you dont always get what you want! Fuck you! Fuck me? Fuck you! Fuck me? Fuck you! Fuck me, huh? Enough! Enough! Both of you! But she- This arguing, I will not have in my home, between my children! Paisley, the girl now belongs to me. But- There will be no buts. The girl is now mine, to do with as I please. I will let you seed her, though. You best get a good vintage out of her or I will show you what it means to be punished, understood? Yes Yes, maam. Good. Now, Tony, you are out an offering, but you should pick one from the room. Paisley will make it up to the one whose offering you take. This ones not as pretty as Aurora was, but I think shell do. You should be glad. All the others, they will die tonight. You... if you can please my son with what you have between your legs, you may wake up tomorrow. Now, strip and pleasure him. I do not want that thing rotting in my home. Take it to the ovens. Now, I will be in my room. Let this charade end. Feed as you will. Well, you know what to do. Get to whipping it out, come on! Now, I feel like getting drunk. You, drink! Are you fucking kidding me?!? Darling, in about a half hour, Im going to tear your throat out with my teeth. Youre going to die. Right here. And theres nothing you can do about it, so if you want to, at least, not feel it, You better start chugging right the fuck now! Drunker you are, the less its going to hurt! That was fucking horrible! You know, Paisleys daddy pretty much paid for her to become one of us. What? Fucking rich oil asshole. Congressman. One of the few who actually knows about us. Some shit went down at Port Authority last year, after the eclipse and the blackout. I dont really know what happened, but he pretty much said that he was going to come down on us hard If we didnt do something about his sweet little girl who had a brain tumor or some shit. So, youre telling me that that monster in there was sitting and dying in a hospital bed And now shes this? No, from what I can tell, Paisleys always been that way. Tumor slowed her down a bit, made her bed-ridden, but shes always been a terrible fucking person. I think thats why my mom decided to turn her in the first place. She wanted to see what would happen if someone who was already a monster became one of us. That and the suitcase full of money probably helped. What is that smell? The basement. You never did tell me what was in the basement. Are you sure you want to know? Wait. Oh my god, is that what I think it is? Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my fucking god! You wanted to see it. What about the rules?!? They said were not allowed to feed on kids! They were very specific about that! No one is going to miss child that nobody knows about except for the ones who bred it. Honestly, thats what theyre probably doing to the salesgirl back there. Have enough of the male servants fuck her until she gets knocked up and when shes ready to pop, Sakkara will serve up her baby like its a Chateau Margaux. This is the most horrifying thing Ive ever This is who you are now. Did you think the rules were to protect them from us? The rules are there to protect us from them! If the average person knew what monsters we were, theyd rise up and kill all of us. It already happened once. Stalin did it after World War II. He purged the Soviet Union of all of us. Sakkara was there You should hear her go on about it. Thats why the good ol U. S. of A. had no problem working with us. Were enemies of Communism. Help me! Please, help me! Please help me! Why arent you helping me?!? Please! Please! Please! Oh, hey! Hi, Miranda and whatever your name is. I know this isnt like your thing and Im trying to respectful of that. So, Im going to take her out of here. So sorry. You keep doing what youre doing. Dont mind me. So sorry about this. Let me go! Shut the fuck up! Hey, everybody! Look what I got! I think Im going to be sick. Theres nothing in you to throw up. You have to stop kidding yourself. This is who you are. What about you? Isnt this who you are too? Theresa, let me tell you about the best feeling Ive ever had. The most wonderful euphoric joy Was the last time I saw my parents. I didnt mean to. I had held back for so long that lost control. I fed on them and it felt good. Feeling their fear, tasting their blood. It was amazing... And then, I saw what I had done and I couldnt live with myself anymore. I went outside that morning to go lay out in the sun, so Id die and I wouldnt have to face what I was. So, why are you still here? It rained. For four days straight. And by the time it was done, I realized that just because I was a monster, but I didnt have to act like one. I applied for the donor program immediately. How did you survive those three months? Do you know how easy it is to find a would-be rapist in this city, if you really want to? I figured if I was going to feed, Id feed on scumbags. Twelve less predators in the world... and... and then I never fed again. I want to be like that. And yet, you want to be with Allison. What do you mean? Allison has killed more people than Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, and Henry Lee Lucas combined. You could probably fill a concert hall with how many people shes killed. I didnt tell you from before what she and Tony got in trouble for, did I? No, you didnt. Do you remember the Tsunami in 2004? You might have been a teen during it, but there was an earthquake in the Indian Ocean. A 9.0. Triggered a tsunami I vaguely remember my parents watching it on the news. Around that time, Tony and Allison took a trip to Thailand. Why? There were an awful lot of orphaned children after the Tsunami. What? Nohow is that bending the rules? I think you know the answer to that. No one will miss those kids. As it was, there were regular businessmen, taking their pick for kiddie porn and slavery. So Allison and Tony were just two more invaders. But the Hierarchy got pissed off that they were so close to a news story. ThatsThats horrible. Shes a monster, Theresa. So are you. So am I. Its whether or not you act like one that matters. You can apply for the donor program, but dont forget what you are, because if you do, thats when youll really hurt the ones you loved before... this. Come on! Rut! Fucking rut! You fucking pigs! Huh. Thats the kind of ass the Puerto Rican guys like. Paisley! Christ! What?!? They like big asses! They write songs about it, dumbie! When hes done, youre next. Oh, phone! Come on, honey give us a smile! Come on! Give us a nice little smile! Fine. Be that way. Bet you that you break before I get bored. How can you do this? I dont want to be like this. How can you be such fucking monsters?!? You used to be just like them! Someone need some ointment for her butthurt? Little girl thinks shes better than all of us. Princess, even when I was like them, I still wouldve laughed my ass off when I made you eat your own shit. You wouldnt have even been the first. So, you better thank your lucky fucking stars that some dumb bitch met you and decided to turn you, because if I found you, instead, youd be doing little doggy tricks, like that little shit Remember, honey: just because youre one of us now, doesnt make you one of us. You fucking cunt! Oh, ladies! Ladies, ladies. Listen as much as Id love to see a cat fight, Allison told me she has a present for you. You should go see what it is. Why should I fucking trust you? This is just going to be some goddamn trick. Oh, you know what Im hurt. Because really, after all those powers I was nice enough to give you, you act this way towards me? I mean, hey, if you want Butch over here to rip your fucking head, then thats fine. Otherwise, no trick. Allison told me she has a present. Honest Injun. What the fuck, Allison?!? What the hell are you doing? Baby, been waiting for you. Look I got you a present. Isnt she pretty? I was going to put a giant pink bow on her head but I thought she looked better naked. They always do. Besides, itd be silly to put a tuxedo on a hamburger, right? This is what you wanted to show me? This is what Tony said I had to see? Allison, this is... this is bullshit. She is a person! I dont want to be like this. I dont want to be like those monsters down there. And why are you even talking to him still? I thought you two broke up! Dont worry about Tony. Just come here and see what Ive gotten for you. No, I cant do this. I'm not down for this. You know what Miranda was right about you! Oh, Miranda is so melodramatic. Eventually, youll learn to ignore her, just like everyone else. Besides, the suns coming up. If you go out right now, youll be killed. I... I dont think I care anymore. I think... I think... I want to see the sun, one last time. Baby, it would kill me if something happened to you. Just come back inside. What? Just a taste. A little taste. You dont like it, Ill find you someplace safe to sleep until the sun goes down. Besides, if she tastes anything like her sister or cousin over there, youre in for a treat. No no! No, Allison, dont! Let her go! Stop, let her go! Please, Allison! Oh, it tastes so This is so wrong. Theres no wrong for us anymore. Just what we want when we want it. For however long we want! I dont want to be like- Stop going through the motions and start being what you are! Hey... hey, mom. I know. No, Ive just... Ive been sick. I know its been a month but Ive been sick this whole... I dont know about those classes. I might just drop them. Ill have to see. No, Mika and I broke up. Yeah, I know. Thanks mom. Uh no please dont visit just yet. I have all these finals to Seriously, dont come visit. I have my finals to do and then I may- I know. Thank you. I love you too. No no nothings the matter, mom. Give my love to dad and Matt okay? Oh god! Youre not in the basement yet! No, its good! Its good! Theyre still asleep! Theyre still asleep! If you just- Theresa! Come back to bed! Come on. Come back to bed. Hey! Hey! Thank you so much for changing your mind. We understand how hard this must have been for you. The last time we met, you were understandably upset. But its good to know that youve seen that La Reinas way is the only way that this gets resolved. I knew she was coming back. Didnt I tell you? The mirror does not lie. I knew she would eventually see things our way. There is nothing good that can come of being associated with Sakkara. All that bloodshed. All that madness. You must be tired of that. She is. She told me herself. Last time we helped her. I am sure she remembers. How could you forget something like that? How long was that? Ninety days, while you waited for the program to kick in? Polina, I am sure the girl can speak for herself. So, my dear, would you be the eyes that we ask for? You will help us know the moves of the usurper and her children? Yeah. Ill help you. Im not joining your Order or anything, but I cant do this shit anymore. I think the last straw for me was that girl, Theresa. That night- There there. Soon, it will all be over. Order will overcome chaos. We have a goddess on our side. |
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