REST IN PEACE, VAMPIRE.

Chapter: 5

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JOHN:

We had been at sea for three days now, and concern gnawed at me for the vampire boy I had left wrapped in a tattered blanket beneath the cabin floor. The dead vampire's condition remained a mystery to me, and above all, I dreaded the possibility of his body starting to decay and emitting a foul odor. If my family discovered my deceit, the repercussions for my disobedience would be severe.

My father, an authoritarian figure, brooked no disobedience, especially from his own son.

Sighing heavily for what felt like the hundredth time, I reclined in my seat, allowing the cool breeze and water to soothe my flushed cheeks. I gazed out at the dark horizon, yearning for a swift return to land so I could give the deceased boy a proper burial. The boat lay still, everyone else asleep except for me, stationed by the wheel, struggling to suppress my thoughts. A fleeting notion crossed my mind. Should I risk sneaking to check on the dead boy hidden away? I shook my head. No, it was too risky. None of my family were deep sleepers; the slightest movement would rouse the entire crew.

Another sigh escaped me as I rested against the steering wheels, briefly closing my eyes as my mind drifted into nothingness. I awoke to the cabin flooded with sunlight and the sight of two familiar faces looming above me. Startled, I scanned my surroundings and spotted my father and uncle standing nearby.

Evidently, I had drifted off at some point, and they had brought me to rest properly.

"Are you feeling unwell, lad?" My gruff uncle Bob inquired, his concern evident in his rough tone. "You look pale."

Swallowing hard, I mustered a weak smile and nodded slowly. "I'm fine, Uncle Bob, just exhausted," I replied in a hoarse voice, forcing another smile.

My father, though still aloof, seemed less stern than usual. His words carried a hint of warmth that eased the burden in my heart. "I believe we've been at sea long enough... It's time we head back home... I miss my cozy bed," he spoke with a tinge of melancholy.

Turning to address the rest of the crew, my uncle raised his eyebrows. "What's with the silence, lads? What are you waiting around for? Let's make our way back home."

"Yes, sir!" The crew chorused, myself included.

*********

Anticipation coursed through me as we approached land, a wish on the cusp of realization. My heart raced at the prospect of finding a way to discreetly remove the deceased boy from the boat and conceal him in my secret cave, nestled beneath a magnificent waterfall. I had stumbled upon that breathtaking sight during one of my explorations, following a refreshing swim in the sea, and had since claimed it as my own private refuge.

As the evening sun began its ascent above the horizon, we finally reached our destination. While I busied myself with packing up the boat, my father and uncle secured the vessel with tight knots to prevent it from drifting away. Together, we began unloading our bounty, a fruitful day of fishing yielding a plentiful haul. Hailing from a lineage of fishermen in our hometown of Pelberg Reef, I often endured teasing from my peers, who jested that I perpetually smelled of fish and seawater.

Renowned for our catches of cod, turbot, pike, herring, squid, and mussels, my family's fish market was praised as the go-to spot for the finest seafood. Though we weren't lacking in wealth, I found myself devoid of friends, labeled a loner by those around me. As the last of the cargo was removed, I observed my uncle Bob preparing for our evening meal, selecting the fish to be cooked and deftly tossing them into the waiting bowl my mother held. Sensing the need for a diversion, I knew my moment had arrived.

"Father," I called out, turning to face him as he raised a quizzical brow. "I'll take care of cleaning the boat. You all head home... I promise I won't be late for dinner!" I chirped, flashing a bright grin.

My father regarded me with suspicion. It wasn't my usual responsibility to tidy the boat, nor was it my turn to assist the cleanup crew. I feared his objection, but to my surprise, he didn't protest. Instead, he directed the rest of the family to load up the trucks, leaving me standing alone on the dock as they drove off. With a limited window before the cleaning crew arrived, I knew I had to act swiftly.

Alone at last, I hurried back onto the boat and unlatched the concealed compartment, revealing the hidden underground space. Acting on instinct, I extracted the blanket from its cramped confines. A faint odor lingered, but it was not the overpowering stench one might associate with a decaying corpse. Instead, the predominant scent was that of singed flesh, nothing more.

Days had passed since I had secreted him away. Shouldn't a corpse emit a putrid smell by now?

Pushing aside the unsettling thoughts, I carefully wrapped the body in the blanket, as though preparing a gift of sorts.

Transporting the body to the cave by boat would be swifter, but it risked attracting unwanted attention, especially once the cleaning crew discovered the vessel missing. Hastily gathering my tools from the kitchen, I stowed them in a toolbox, threw on my coat, and draped it over the wrapped corpse, ensuring it was concealed as if I were heading out for a fishing expedition. Exiting the boat, with a vow to return and fulfill my promise to clean up, I anticipated my father's penchant for assigning me the arduous task of single-handedly tidying the vessel.

The sandy shore stretched out before me as I trudged along, the body balanced on one shoulder and the toolbox clutched in my other hand. Just as the sea yielded its bounty, Pelberg stood as a haven of natural wonders. Renowned for its hunting grounds, the island offered plentiful game in its forests, abundant fish in its waters, and a plethora of nesting birds. Caves peppered the landscape, including the one I had stumbled upon years earlier. Save for occasional visitors, Pelberg remained largely untouched, apart from the time a transient family, later revealed to be vampires, had infiltrated the island.

Their presence had wrought havoc, claiming the lives of livestock and islanders alike. Banishing the vampire family had been a harrowing ordeal, fraught with fear and destruction. I understood my family's reluctance to welcome another vampire onto our home soil, although the vampire was dead, it made no difference, yet I couldn't bring myself to cast the boy back into the sea.

I lacked the resolve.

If our intention was to discard him, we shouldn't have brought him aboard in the first place.

If fate had not intended for us to encounter him, the winds and currents would have steered the boy in a different direction, never to intersect our paths. Pushing aside such musings, I concentrated on the task at hand. These solitary moments were when I found solace in my solitude. Despite the beach being dotted with sunbathers, none approached me, be they young or old, allowing me to proceed unhindered until I vanished behind the veils of cascading water and slipped into the tranquil embrace of the cave.

Within the cavern, the rhythmic patter of water droplets echoed as they splashed into puddles. Though darkness enveloped me, I traversed the familiar terrain without hesitation. Navigating by memory, I reached the heart of the cave where I had fashioned a rocky table and a small stool. Half-burnt candles adorned the surroundings, casting a soft glow that danced across the walls. Tenderly, I lowered the lifeless form of the boy onto the slab and kindled the candles. As their flames flickered to life, illuminating the chamber, I unwrapped the bundle in my arms with care.

The vampire boy lay motionless, his countenance serene and almost childlike. His skin bore a faint translucence, his dark hair lustrous in the dim light. Blue-tinged lips and festering wounds infested with wriggling maggots marred his visage. Dried blood, a sticky residue of decay, clung to his form, triggering a wave of nausea within me. The putrid odor of decomposition pervaded the cavern, yet I steeled myself against its assault.

The odor lingered, though not as overpowering as expected, and the boy's form remained unchanged since the day of his discovery.

Upon closer examination, the boy, now a decaying corpse, bore a striking resemblance to life, yet his stillness betrayed the absence of a pulse. I confirmed this fact with a second check. In the wavering candlelight, the rotting boy possessed an eerie beauty.

"I suppose it's time to lay you to rest," I murmured, scanning the cave for a suitable burial site. My gaze alighted on a patch of soft earth adjacent to a waterbed, offering an ideal location for a shallow grave. With the pressing need to return to the boat for cleanup and make it home in time for dinner, time slipped through my fingers. Digging a grave at that moment was out of the question. Tomorrow, after concluding our market sales, I vowed to return and inter the deceased vampire boy.

Recovering the blanket, I draped it back over the boy, concealing him once more. Extinguishing the candles, I plunged the cave back into darkness, securing my toolbox and departing from the chamber.

"Rest in peace, vampire," I whispered as I exited the cave.