The world isn't what it once was.
Before, science, education, technology, and medicine were at all time highs. The economy was stable and everyone, even if they weren't particularly wealthy, was comfortable.
Maybe that was the problem. With comfort comes boredom, and too many rotten apples with too much time on their hands is never a good thing. Overtime, each sector of the prosperous fields became corrupted with greedy businessmen, looking to horde all the wealth to themselves.
Medicine became outrageously expensive, the education system failed, a swift rise in crime was inevitable. And creatures that had long hid in the shadowy underbelly of society took this opportunity to strike.
It was easy to lure desperate, hungry people to join the ranks of the undead. Even if they were denied entry, many sold their bodies to be used as an easy meal. Although, the risks in doing so were not always worth it. It wasn't uncommon to see a discarded, emaciated corpse on the sidewalk.
I was one of the lucky ones. A local blood Madame had taken a liking to me. She said I had...potential. I was ready to do anything. Anything to quiet the ceaseless ache in my stomach. Anything to be able to sleep without fear lurking in the corners of my mind.
So I became a monster.
After my first drink, I leaned back, finally satiated. The madame grinned at me and picked up the unconscious girl passed out at my feet. Looking at her through my hypersensitive eyes, I saw her weak pulse and felt sick. I had done that.
"Well done," Madame Rachelle had whispered. The bile rose in my throat and I couldn't look her in the eye.
I ran. For a long time I hid in the sewers, but eventually I would run into others like me and it would make me sick just to look at them. I stewed in anger. And hatred for what this world has forced people to do. After years of wandering, and drinking only when necessary, I came up with a plan.
My immortality had uses after all. I was going to change it, change everything.
The shack I had built outside the city was not what I would call five-star. But it had everything I needed. And it would be a long time before anyone would have to inhabit this dwelling with me.
It was time to prepare for the first step.
That night I met some of the locals. We were on the outskirts of the city, and many had fled to escape the worst of the crime. In fact, many in this area were in some way connected to the big crime bosses. Families, and friends that the bosses were wanting to keep safe.
Luckily, my appearance didn't bother them in least. We were a much more common sight these days.
Some were more accepting than others. Even trusting me enough to drink from them. I believed them foolish, but apparently it wasn't uncommon for the locals to allow their neighbors on a plasma-only diet to partake from them on occasion.
If anything this cemented my opinions on how sheltered these people were from the horror that I had escaped from, but I couldn't say no to a free meal when it was so willingly given.
It was time to put my plan to writing, so that if I should perish, my descendants would know what to do.
Yes. My descendants. I would, eventually, have to find a wife. But that was a ways off, and really, anyone would do.
For now, I needed to research. I spent countless hours finding the evil men who ran each branch of each sector.
Things were going slower than I had planned. With the internet being both limited and under intense scrutiny I couldn't figure who the big fishes behind all of this were. Under-cover was my best option, but I couldn't determine which branch was the one that needed to be taken down first.
I sunk lower into the hot water. Baths were my luxury, it reminded me what it felt like to have warm blood running through my veins. A poor imitation, but it was a comfort.
Even with my immortality, I couldn't let my body slack. Plus, the exercise helped me think.
I grew accustomed to living in this quaint village. But I tried not to become complacent, just because I was now living a relatively cushy lifestyle didn't mean I could forget the suffering taking place not thirty miles from me.
Not that there weren't distractions.
This woman in particular. Her garish fashion was an eye-sore and her constant smiling was blinding. I think she enjoyed torturing me, because she would come over nearly every night.
When I asked her why she insisted on bothering me she would just laugh and say, "I've never met a vamp who could pout quite like you can."
Sometimes, when she was being especially annoying, and she knew it, she would let me drink from her. I was careful to never take too much. But it was difficult. She was young and her essence was sweeter than the ones I'd had in the past. If I wasn't on guard, it could have easily become an addiction.
These little sessions became almost a nightly occurrence and there were times after I was done that I would simply hold her, and she would lay her ridiculous pink head on my shoulder. My chest would fill with a soft emotion that I refused to name. This was becoming dangerous. I couldn't afford to get attached, not with the path I'd chosen.
That last night, or pre-dawn rather. After my lips left her neck I came to a decision.
"This is the last time," I whispered against her ear. "After this, don't come around anymore. I'm not your damn baby-sitter."
Even in her blood-deprived state she knew I was serious, and the pain of rejection that shone in her eyes was hard to swallow. Wiping off the last bit of blood on her neck and licking it off of my hand I gave her a cool look before going back into my shack. The sun's rays hurt, but not as much as her sudden cry.
"You bastard!"
And she was gone.
There were plenty of other people for me to partake of, and I did so gratefully. But I couldn't forget her taste, or the smell of her hair. Weeks passed, and I saw no sign of her. Oftentimes I wished that she would simply walk past my dwelling just so I sneak a glimpse of her, but it never happened.
"You know," started the blonde I had just released my fangs from, "if you're interested, I could move in with you. We could be roommates, you would get free blood and I could get...other things." The way she slanted her eyes and bit her lips made it obvious what she wanted from me.
Had I not met that annoying little rosette I might have considered it, but her bright eyes and easy laughter were still too close. And when I looked into the blue eyes of the woman in front of me, I suddenly wished, more than anything, that they were the warm chocolate eyes I had become so familiar with.
"I'm afraid I have to decline," I deadpanned, leaving her on the sidewalk.
I buried myself in research once again. And after months of living in this tin-can I had finally found what I had been looking for. A lead.
An article in the newspaper really wasn't the best source, since most media outlets were heavily censored and hugely false on top of that. But there was a name, Bart McConolly, that was familiar. I vaguely remember the Madame that had turned me speaking of him. He was one of her favorite clients.
"He's a big-wig. Likes to drop some big money too," she bragged, running her pointed nails through my hair. "Runs the 'Shadow FBI' if you know what I mean. Spies on the spies and whatnot, he was the one that had suggested to the mayor to have the one-child rule. That's why that blasted army is so large, all those extra kids had to go somewhere."
I hadn't thought much of it at the time, but it did explain why the parks were so empty. All the families I had seen had only one child present. Many parents, even the young ones, had deep lines etched in their faces. How many had to sacrifice a child?
This had to stop!
My heart pounding, I realized what I had to do. I sent an e-mail to Madame Rochelle, hoping she wasn't too angry with his sudden departure. Biting my nails, a habit I thought had stopped along with my heart, I waited on bated breath.
~Ping~
A smile crossed my face. Finally. Finally I had a direction. I immediately sent another e-mail, this time to an employer. My undercover mission would start soon. And though I would start low, I would climb the ladder, and cut off the head of snake. Once I had control of one element, it would make taking over the rest that much easier. But I would need help. I needed a partner.
Putting my head in my hands I admitted it softly to myself, "I need her."
As soon as those words left my lips I looked out the window and saw a flash of pink.
"Is it possible?" I raced outside.
It was her! Without thinking I wrapped her up and planted a rather messy kiss on her lips. Eyes wide with shock she tensed. When I felt that she wasn't responding I let her go, intending to back away and apologize, but she pulled me to her again and just as aggressively kissed me back.
I didn't need air, but she eventually did and we broke apart. Her face as red as a tomato she began laughing nervously. "Well, wasn't expecting that."
I held her tight and looked into those warm eyes. "I'm sorry. For..before." I couldn't seem to get the right words out, but she simply smiled at me and pushed the hair out of my eyes. Our foreheads touched and I knew that of all the choices I'd made thus far, this was the best one.
The future was still uncertain, but the ground work was laid out. I held her warm, little body close and I knew we were going to change the world.
My name is Samuel Lamb, and we are going to come back from this Apocalypse.
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On the off chance it was hard to tell, this is an Apocalypse challenge. I decided to spread my creative wings with this challenge and throw in a heavy bit of writing. I will be following the rules and keeping score throughout this challenge. Below is the current score.
P.S: I apologize for all of the dark pictures, I don't have a lighting mod and the main character is a vampire. What can you do?
Hopelessness: Not Completed
Career Restrictions:
Astronaut- Smuggler: Not Completed
Astronaut- Space Ranger: Not Completed
Athlete- Professional Athlete: Not Completed
Athlete- Body Builder: Not Completed
Business- Management: Not Completed
Business- Investor: Not Completed
Criminal- Boss: Not Completed
Criminal- Oracle: Not Completed
Culinary- Chef: Not Completed
Culinary- Mixologist: Not Completed
Entertainer- Musician: Not Completed
Entertainer- Comedian: Not Completed
Painter- Master of the Real: Not Completed
Painter- Patron of the Arts: Not Completed
(CL)Politician- Charity Organizer: Not Completed
(CL)Politician- Politician: Not Completed
Secret Agent- Diamond Agent: Not Completed
Secret Agent- Villain: Not Completed
(CL)Social Media- Internet Personality: Not Completed
(CL)Social Media- Public Relations: Not Completed
Tech Guru- eSport Gamer: Not Completed
Tech Guru- Start-Up Entrepreneur: Not Completed
Writer- Author: Not Completed
Writer- Journalist: Not Completed
Profession Restrictions:
(G2W)Detective: Not Completed
(G2W)Doctor: Not Completed
(G2W)Scientist: Not Completed
Business Restrictions:
(DO)Restaurant Owner: Not Completed
(C&D) Veterinary Clinic Owner: Not Completed
Weeks Passed (In-Game): 1
Score: 0
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