Integral - Vampire Fantasy Cyberpunk

The City That Wasn't: Part 1

Some days Frank Kerwin simply could not sleep. It was a problem that followed him from his previous condition, that of being human. However, in that life it was during the night that he suffered his insomnia, frequently falling asleep only to wake with a panic attack gripping his chest and mind.

The nocturnal man could feel the sun's presence while it hung in the air, a sickening miasma that pierced the walls and ceiling of his small apartment. It caused his body to tremble slightly. Most vampires could not resist the drowsiness brought on by its presence, but Frank wasn't most vampires.

He stood just under six feet tall with a medium build and appeared to be in his late thirties. His skin tone was a curious hue. Born Caucasian with a relatively dark complexion and dark hair, his skin didn't lighten by much after the turning. While the color partially washed out, to an untrained eye Frank was just another guy. He wore a uniform coat of stubble on his face to further conceal his nature. His eyes retained their deep blue aspect.

He stood from his bed and walked to the front door and opened it, revealing a corridor lit only by round LED panels flush with the wall. Frank walked to the end of the hall, passing several doors. He knew a few of his neighbors by name, some of them fellow nightstalkers. Living arrangements that provided absolute protection from sunlight were uncommon and thus in demand. At the end of the hall was a large set of double doors made of metal. Frank pulled one open, and the slightest ambient light washed over his body like heat radiating from a hot oven.

The building's exit was just up a flight of stairs. A thin beam of sunlight came to a stop on one of the handrails a few feet from Frank. He took very short steps toward the foot of the stairs, then reached his hand forward, cutting off the beam. Pain shot through his hand, then up his arm, then through his body which convulsed in response. His head felt like it was being dragged along a washboard. Frank quickly pulled his arm back, emitting a subdued groan, and covering his mouth with his other hand.

He bent his knees, then straightened them, over and over while shaking his abused hand. He looked at it. The skin had darkened slightly, but he knew it would take little time to heal. Frank looked back down the hallway towards his room, then back at the handrail, then looked up toward the ground floor. The vampire removed his belt, threaded the strap through the buckle, and placed it around his neck like oversized jewelry. He shoved a section of it between his teeth and bit down.

Frank hovered his hand, still burned, near the beam, close to the handrail. "Fffk Ew!" he shouted. Then with a quick motion, he shoved his hand under the light and gripped the handrail tightly. Pain again shot through him, but his grip was strong, keeping his hand in place. Though his legs buckled underneath him, he held on. Frank screamed a quiet, muffled scream from behind the belt. His hand turned red, and after a few moments his legs gave out entirely and his body fell, coming to a stop with his arm fully extended above him, still holding onto the rail.

Smoke gently wafted from his hand, and Frank's body shut down. He relinquished his grip and flopped onto the tile flooring. The air became hazy and smelled of burnt food. Frank exhaled heavily, pushing the leather out of his mouth with his tongue. He squinted and blinked a few times, then pulled his hand around in front of his face. It was dark red, but hardly damaged. As Frank rested his head on the tile, he decided sleep was worth another try.

Integral

In the year 2029 governments had buckled under the pressure of financial debts and dwindling natural resources. In a chain reaction, one state after another declared bankruptcy and ceased providing services. Attempts to print money resulted in all trade agreements breaking down, and as the crisis dragged on, much of the world's populace declared their governments illegitimate. For a month it was armageddon. No police to protect property, most hospitals shuttered, fires raged with no one to put them out, and rioters filled the streets.