Indulgent Filth: a Vivid Sadness Novella | The Empty World Sequence

David's Chemistry

David took the flowers. "Thanks, Rasul, we'll be getting out of here soon." He looked at the club manager in such a way that the man walked slowly backward from the room.

David moved from his seat to pass the flowers to Orchid. "Looks like you've got a fan."

"Orchids," Morpheus observed. He shifted shape briefly to free his legs. "Who sent them?" David raised his eyes to find Morpheus glaring mildly, as if he were annoyed the shifting had been noticed.

"Doesn't say," said Orchid. He dropped back to the cushions and stretched his legs before him, now Morpheus was no longer beneath him. "I think I know who it is, though. We've got flowers like this before," He pulled a plastic card from the bunch. "An invitation to play for someone in Islamabad.Says we should leave a message if we're interested in the offer."

"The capital," Morpheus said, "we could cause a scandal if we tried."

Orchid laughed.

David turned away to pack their remaining belongings and let his favorite divas dress. It didn't take long, considering Morpheus just had to shift his exostructure and Orchid had a couple centuries practice handling clothing at Vampyre speed.

They kept their Vivid Sadness gear at Zulfi's house. Most everyone in The Village knew their Haven keeper and his lover were also masked singers, but they felt better if the children weren't given too many opportunities to ask about their performances. Fortunately, Orchid and Morpheus were good at keeping the details of their staging separate from running the Haven, or from any other aspect of their lives.

David said goodbye to Zulfi, Miko, and Laila who lived in the Village. As he left  Zulfi's house with Morpheus and Orchid, Orchid took the disc from Zalman's camera.  The three of them got into the Ford Vampire and drove the short distance from Village proper to the Haven's Villa.

They took the outside staircase to the rooftop patio and pool. Orchid handed the small media disc to David. "I'm going to take a quick swim, you can watch the beginning without me if you like." Orchid's wide cobalt eyes fell on David. He smiled.

"Oh, I'm going to watch it," David said. He stood watching a moment, while Orchid stripped off his clothes, before entering the adjacent penthouse apartment atop the villa, where Orchid maintained private quarters.

David found Morpheus inside, walking about the penthouse wearing only a kilt; not the tartan of David's mother's people, but some piece of modern menswear.  

David looked to his own clothes. He picked at his shirt with pale fingers, and it fell damply back against his torso, soaked pink with vampiric perspiration. David reached to the back of his collar and pulled the shirt over his head. He let it drop to the polished marble tile, knowing Orchid would later walk about rescuing all the fallen garments and put them neatly into drawers or hamper.

David put the disc in the machine, then sat in one of the faux-antique chairs near the monitor. He heard a splash of water, before the  guitar music came from the concealed speakers.

David had seen many Vivid Sadness shows live, at least the public ones. At first, he'd thought it a stupid idea. Morpheus was a real guitar player. He'd been playing since he was born-- or sung into being or whatever; David wasn't sure. Old videos of his acoustic covers of pop songs still turned-up on the net, sure, but David knew Morpheus had toured with actual rock bands back before David was even born. Orchid had, too. That was where he'd got the name, they said. Before that he'd just been Julien, and hadn't thought much of others choosing 'Vampyre names', but he'd picked a stage name and it had stuck.

Often, David felt like there was a a secret joke he just didn't get. Like, seeming vapid sex objects who shimmied and gyrated on stage to mostly pre-recorded dance beats and sing-songed repetitive hooks was art, because they intentionally chose this expression or performance. There definitely was intent and effort. They programmed those beats, and designed their costumes, and composed the lyrics.