Chapter Three

            I woke up startled by a loud banging sound. I hate that feeling. It’s like you’re pulled back to wakefulness while the air is being jerked out of your lungs in shock. It’s the opposite of that terrifying fake falling feeling you get when trying to go to sleep. What was that noise? Was there construction? At 5 am?? Surely, there are laws against that.  I opened my eyes and sat up. The bang sounded again, and I realized the sound was someone knocking, loudly, on my front door. Who is banging on my door at 5am? I grumpily dragged myself up to door to peer out the peephole and see who it was. Maybe it’s an emergency. It had better be an emergency.

            Mads. Mads, that who is awake at five in the morning banging on my door. Who does she think she is?? She knows I need to be at work in a couple of hours! I never get up this early.  I answered the door with an attitude. Mads charged in and nearly strangulated me with hugs.  How many near death experiences could I have in twenty hours. I was about to tell her to loosen her grip when I noticed that she had been crying. Okay – something must be wrong. “What is it? What is going on?”  

            Madison was looking at me with her crazy, bloodshot eyes “You’re alive!”    

            Obviously, I’m alive. “Obviously, I’m alive Mads. What has gotten into you? Did those people call you? You didn’t get my messages?”.

            Madison stared at me like I was the one who had barged into HER house at 5 am. “I got your messages…this morning.  I’d gotten a call from the hospital yesterday letting me know that you had passed away. I was devastated.  Checking my phone wasn’t the first thing on my mind. How are you here right now? You were dead… they said you were dead. Murdered. But you’re not. You’re not murdered, are you? Wait, does this mean you’re a zombie? My brains are off limits, you don’t want them.”

            “No Mads, I’m not a zombie. I’m fairly certain that I am not dead. I might look it though. I haven’t even checked myself in the mirror yet.”  As I said that, I started walking over towards the mirror in my hallway. Oh. My. God. I looked like I was wearing clown makeup, my skin was so pale. I had blood all over my clothing, but no blood on me that I could see. Maybe they cleaned my wounds off while they were trying to fix me. Or did they clean me while preparing to cut me open?  I’m so glad that they did not cut me open. “Okay… I look like shit. But I’m not dead. The craziest thing happened last night! I was getting gas, I got into my car, and some MAN was inside of my car. He must have climbed into my back seat while I was getting gas. By the way, lock your doors while you’re getting gas! He attacked me. I don’t remember anything after that. Who knows what he did to me or how I ended up where I was, but I feel fine now. I don’t even feel any pain anywhere. I’m starving though.  I haven’t eaten a thing since lunch and this near-death experience has really taken it out of me.”

            “Okay...” Madison replied. “You need food. Let’s get you food. Breakfast? I’ll cook.”  Madison never cooked. I was slightly terrified. Put on a brave face. “Sure Mads” was my response. She pulled out a frying pan, opened the fridge, and started frying eggs. I really didn’t even eggs, even the name sounds kind of gross. Eggs. I felt like I could eat anything right now though.  She had never cooked in my house before and was opening every cabinet and drawer.  I was too tired and too entertained by her search to help. She looked all dolled up right now. I’d just noticed the effort she’d put into her appearance. I mean her eyes were a bit puffy – I blame the stupid doctors that don’t know how to check a pulse – but overall, she looked adorable.  She must have gotten up early and dressed herself up. Or maybe it was from last night still. She had her wavy, blonde hair up in a high ponytail. She still had on the ghost of makeup that once was. Now it is a bit racoon-like. Ms. Madison Brooks was standing in my kitchen, frying eggs… in a dress. She never wears dresses.  She reminded me a bit of a housewife from the 50’s right now.

            “I’m still not feeling great. I’ve been feeling a bit off, hungover almost since I left the hospital yesterday. I’m really not looking forward to going into work today.”

Mads stopped cooking for a minute and looked over at me. “About that,” Mads started “I might have called them already. I might have let them know you had passed away. I didn’t want them to be waiting up for you in the morning and thinking you had no showed.”

            I stopped my pity party for a moment so that I could turn it into a pity circus. “You did WHAT? I hadn’t even been dead a whole day. Not even for twenty-four hours. Not even for twelve hours. My work performance doesn’t matter anymore if I’m DEAD. What am I going to do?! I can’t just show up there, they’d all drop dead themselves of heart attacks. I could call I guess and say I’m not dead. This might be the first time in history that anyone has ever had to call to let their work know they’re not dead. What do I do now? I don’t even want to go in, but I can’t call in to say ‘I’m not dead’, then turn around ask for a sick day. I don’t think there are set rules on that, but it just seems wrong.”

            Mads seemed to be at a loss for words. That never happens. She set a plate of eggs down in front of me and a fork. I stopped talking and shifted my priorities for a moment. Food! Finally. I picked up the fork and started eating. Instant regret. Worst thing I’ve ever eaten. Ugh, Mads was a terrible cook. Poor dear. There is no way I could even eat this. “Mads, I’m so sorry, but there is no way I can eat this.”

            Mads glared at me. She was the master of displaying her annoyance through only her eyes, but I could tell she was trying to power through it. “Okay… what DO you want?” she inquired.

“Cereal?” I replied. “Any kind will do.”

            Madison went to open a new box of cereal from my pantry and grabbed a bowl out. She was sliding her finger inside the top of the box to part the seam and strangely, suddenly I could smell blood. Does blood usually smell? Does she have janky blood? It had a heavy, almost metallic scent. “Ouch!” Mads squealed “Papercut.” She looked up to see me staring at her hand. She looked a bit panicked.

“What?” I asked “Do you smell it too? That’s weird right?” Mads looked terrified.

She took a moment before she finally said “Rach…honey. I think… I think you might really be dead. You have fangs. Like a vampire. Real fangs.”

            “It’s a little early for jokes Mads. Har har. Save the jokes for after coffee.” I replied.

            It was odd. Mads didn’t look like she was joking. “I’m serious” she said.

            I started to smile at her absurdity and felt something sharp poke my lip. I reached up and felt my mouth. What the hell? My teeth did feel weird.  I ran to the hall mirror, once again. I’m still pale and now I have FANGS. “I have fangs – Mads, what do I do?! I have fangs! This can’t be real. Am I still asleep?? Maybe I’m in a coma and this is all in my head. Maybe they’ve got me hooked up to a machine and I’m fast asleep, tripping on pain meds right now.”

            Mads approached me reluctantly and pinched me. “You’re not in a coma. This is real. I guess vampires are real. And now you are one.”

            I responded with the only reply I could think of. “Shit.”