awakeblackwell

[awakeblackwell]

She tilted her head thoughtfully and nodded. "That's okay Obie, we all have personal demons we have to fight with. Some of us more than others; I'm a vampire, so I have a lot of experience with personal demons. And don't worry, I won't let my demon hurt you either," she reassured him, smiling kindly again.

LITERATE LONGING | CLAUDIA & ZEVI

"O..okay ma….I mean Claudia. My name is Obadiah, but you can just call me Obie."  He looks down at the book and realizes that he need to be honest with this kind girl. "But, um, you gotta know that I’m not so smart. My daddy said is was on account of the…" he looks around and then drops his voice to a whisper, "demon possessin’ me." He chances a look in her eyes and quickly adds, "But don’ be scared. I never hurt no one in my whole life. I promise I won’t ever let that old demon hurt you."

[awakeblackwell]

She smiled and shook her head, absentmindedly tapping the spine of  the book nearest her, which was, ironically, Dracula. "You don't have to pay me or anything. I've got enough money, believe me. And you don't have to call me ma'am, you'll make me feel old," she laughed. "Call me Claudia. What's your name anyway? I'll need to know it if I'll be teaching you."

LITERATE LONGING | CLAUDIA & ZEVI

"Y..you wouldn’t mind teachin’ me? I don’t wanna be any trouble ma’am." He want’s it so so much, but he’s not supposed to want it. "I don’t even know if’n I can learn. An’ my daddy said…" for the first time in his life he doesn’t want to think about what his father said. He wants to learn how to read. He wants to be like other people. He wants to settle down in his broken down church, work at the Whirling Disc, take Chase out for pizza, and be like a real person, not a demon vessel. "Can you please, ma’am. It’d mean the whole world to me. I got a job and I can pay you money or I can do work for you. I’m a real good worker."

[awakeblackwell]

"I know how you feel. I wasn't allowed to learn either, I didn't know how to read until I was almost twenty years old." She chuckled a little. When she was learning to read, it had seemed impossible, but she'd had Amelia to help her. An idea started to form in her head.

"I could help, if you want. I've got plenty of free time around here." She waved her hands at the books.

LITERATE LONGING | CLAUDIA & ZEVI

He couldn’t believe that she just smiled. He didn’t quit know what he expected. Laughter, disbelief, disgust, but not a smile and gentle hand on his shoulder. “I just…I wanna, but I just don’t know nothin’. Wasn’t allowed before.” He looks back at all the books, rows and rows, hundreds and hundreds of them. There is so much that he doesn’t know. He wants to, but what if his daddy was right and he’ll be givin’ the demon just what it wants. “Maybe I shouldn’t.” He looks back at the woman and wants so much to ask for help.

[awakeblackwell]

"Is that all?" She smiled wider and put her hand on his shoulder. "If that's the case you've come to the perfect place. It's nothing to be embarrassed about, and a library is the best place to start."

Growing up, Claudia had never had much of a chance at an education either, so she knew the struggle; t wasn't until after she was turned that her Maker taught her to read and write.

LITERATE LONGING | CLAUDIA & ZEVI

Obie can’t help but return her smile, but it quickly fades. “I shouldn’t be here. I’m sorry ma’am, but I can’t….I can’t..” He takes a deep breath and plunges on, “Ican’treadsoIshould’tbeinhere.” He gets it all out in one breath and then ducks his head, feeling his cheeks flame hot.

[awakeblackwell]

Claudia smiled at him reassuringly to show him she didn't mean any harm. She supposed she probably shouldn't have startled him like that, she did that a lot.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have scared you like that. I'm Claudia, I work here. You looked confused, and it's kind of a habit of mine to just walk up and help people who look like they need it," she said, leaning against the shelf beside her, still smiling a little.

LITERATE LONGING | CLAUDIA & ZEVI

Obie looked up, startled, when the voice broke through the silence. A young girl with kind eyes was looking at him offering help. He looked down at the book still in his hands and wondered if he had broken some rule. 

"I…I wasn’t gonna…" he hurriedly put the book back on the shelf and moved to escape, but she was standing between and the exit. "I just was…I wanted to…" No matter how hard he tried he simply couldn’t get the words to come out. It had been like this is whole life. So much inside and no way to communicate it. He supposed it was the demon’s fault. 

[awakeblackwell]

Claudia glanced up from the computer she was making entries in at the front desk and noticed a man standing by one of the shelves, looking incredibly lost. People didn't usually wander into the library and look confused, so she had an idea why, especially after he opened on of the books near him and his look of longing increased before tears welled up in his eyes.

She felt a small surge of sympathy. It was an unavoidable factor for her. Centuries of life had taught her that some people just need to be cared for in some way of another. After a moment she slipped out from behind the desk and walked over to the man, a look of concern on her face.

"Hi, do you need any help with something?" She asked.

LITERATE LONGING | CLAUDIA & ZEVI

Participants: Claudia, Obie

Time Frame: Morning

Setting: Missing Mile Library

Notes:  Obie ventures into the library

Read More

[awakeblackwell]

Don't forget the decorations on sale! I never pass up a good bat or skull when they're cheap! *chuckles*

I think the best thing about the beginning of November is the left over candy and costumes. 

[awakeblackwell]

I'll definitely be searching for it online.

So Bram Stoker's Dracula...

[awakeblackwell]

I should get around to watching it. I definitely have enough free time on my hands at home.

So Bram Stoker's Dracula...

[awakeblackwell]

I prefer the book, even if it is a little cliche.

So Bram Stoker's Dracula...

That’s an interesting film.

[awakeblackwell]

After she finished her glass of blood Claudia sat and watched TV for a little while before turning it off and going back into the kitchen. She rinsed the glass in the sink and left it on a towel on the counter to dry. She dried her hands on a different towel and grabbed her keys before heading back through the living room and out the front door.

She locked the door and walked down the porch steps and to her car, a black '78 New Yorker. She climbed in and started it after putting in a pair of headphones and pressing play on her iPod. "Crawl" by Breaking Benjamin blared from the headphones as she pulled out of her driveway.

Her trip across town was uneventful, she had to make a small detour because of a house fire that forced the fire department to block off the road, but she arrived at the library without incident. She parked and got out, her music still blaring, and walked into the building. The library had gotten a shipment of new releases a few days earlier and Claudia got right to work with them. She chatted pleasantly with the librarian as the cut open the box. The librarian was fascinated by Claudia's past and their day usually consisted of conversations about famous author's Claudia had met and the like. Claudia didn't mind, human curiosity amused her sometimes.

[awakeblackwell]

Morning

Claudia opened her eyes and sat up in bed, glancing around her room. It was decorated like you would think a rebellious teenager would decorate her room: Dark grey walls, deep purple curtains over the windows, a couple of suspiciously realistic looking human skulls sitting on a bookcase against the wall, clothes scattered on the floor and the grey chair in front of the TV, and CDs in stacks around the laptop on the desk in the corner.

She climbed out of her bed, leaving it unmade and walked over to her closet. She picked out the first things her eyes fell on, black skinny jeans and a grey t-shirt, before walking into the bathroom. After her morning ritual of makeup, brushing her hair, and getting dressed, she left the bathroom, put on her Converse high tops, and started downstairs.

The rest of the house was in the same style as her bedroom, but with a more formal style, especially the artifacts sitting on tables or on shelves along the crimson painted hallway. In the kitchen, Claudia opened the fridge and pulled out a couple of blood bags, then took a glass from the cabinet, cut the bags open and dumped them into it. She took a long drink from the glass and walked into the living room. The red velvet curtains over the windows were open and bright morning sunlight was streaming into the room, warming the black leather furniture.

Claudia liked living alone, especially since everyone knew about vampires, so a seventeen year old living by herself was never questioned. Not that she ever had a problem with nosy neighbors before, but not having to glamour the little old lady across the street into believing she'd seen adults coming and going from the house was a welcome relief. Claudia smiled at the thought and sank onto the couch, flipping the TV on.

[awakeblackwell]

Sorry for the delay, you are accepted. Will this be the URL you will use?

Yep, thanks for accepting me!