Midnight Falls

5: Carl

  One week: two survived vamp encounters. If I ever want to intimidate people, I know how to do it. 

  Though, if I really look around, it might not be enough for the people I see. Most everyone here is my age, but the way they’re built, especially the men, is extremely impressive. No, that’s not the word… Rugged? Maybe. Their muscles show through the uniforms that the Hunter’s gave us. Dark blue and double green stripes on each arm for men, one stripe for women. Some men, and women I guess (I didn’t pay them much mind), were already working out, forgoing their jackets for the white undershirts underneath.

  The undershirts were tighter than the jackets, and so more of their form was shown. That weird feeling in my stomach returned for some reason and my pulse quickened. Am I coming down with something?

  “What are we lookin at?” I hear from beside me, so suddenly that I jump and yell slightly. She yells back. “Sorry,” she whispers to me and everyone around us, since we were getting weird/annoyed looks. 

  Not all of this girl’s long, blonde hair was pulled into her ponytail; it covered her brown eyes in a thin sheet of it. I have to wonder how she can even see me. Or anyone, for that matter.

  “Why did you do that?” I asked/yelled, slightly annoyed. She tilted her head and pointed to my face. She was actually quite petite, for someone who I know is at least 20 years old, reaching almost half a foot to even touch my nose.

  “Because you seemed dazed and your face was really red.” 

  “It was?” She nods. Feeling my face, I only just notice the heat leaving it now.. Maybe the weird stares weren’t just from our shouts. At least my stomach and pulse feel normal now.

  “Uhuh. It’s just about gone now. Did you have a rash or something? I’ve personally dealt with my fair share of rashes, including poison oak, poison ivy-” Man, she’s just as talkative as Su. I know it’s rude to ignore her, but there’s only so much hyperness I can take, so I look around anyway. That’s why I look around again. Not because I want to continue looking at the men just standing around and working out.

  There is a part of me that wants my stomach to do that thing again. I ignore that, and instead let my eyes fall on a woman with skin as dark as Ari’s doing push-ups. She was doing them so fast that if I didn’t know better, I’d say she was a vamp.

  Her lack of hair is what caught my attention at first. Then the many earrings in her left ear, yet only one or two in her right. When she got up, breathing heavily as she untied her jacket from her waist and put it back on, I also caught a glimpse of one in her lip and one in her nose.

  “-I’ve spilled laundry detergent on me; that caused a naaaasty rash. I think I’ve had ringworm, somehow-”

  Even from this far away, I could see three scars on her. Two on her arms, one left, one right, and one that fell across her face. She would definitely not like how my last two encounters ended, if that’s what hers were like. 

  Someone next to her tapped on her shoulder and pointed to me. She glared slightly at me. I quickly look back to the girl spouting off how many rashes she’s had, not wanting anymore confrontation for the day. Honestly, though I know I can’t avoid anymore, I think I’ve had enough for a lifetime.

  “And- hey, have you been listening?” She asked, putting her hands on her hips.

  “Uuuh, oh y-yeah.” I stammered.

  “Ok, then what did I say?” 

  “Um, something about laundry detergent and ringworms?” I smile sheepishly and she just groans a little.