Monsters by Nature
Eric sat on his couch consumed by guilt. He told himself he would never give in again but broke his word, for the thousandth time. He was waiting for Kathrine and Andrea to return from the store.
“You can never change! You will never be a good person,” he sighed. “Why try?”
The warm, October sunset cast sharp rays across the living room. Kathrine’s black car rolled through the cul-de-sac and up the driveway. Arms overloaded with groceries, the gingers stumbled through the door. They were sister to be sure, matter of fact all three siblings had a strong family resemblance; Fair complexion, defined features, and tall and slender builds.
Katie observed Eric and her smile faded. “What’s the matter?”
“Failure… as usual.”
She sighed and put the bags down. Andrea, the youngest, shrugged and took her load to the kitchen.
“I’m done with excuses: excuses to each other, excuses to myself… I’m done with apologies too! Bloody good that-” They grimaced at the word as it rolled off his tongue.
She sat down beside him and stared at her intertwined fingers. “I know your struggle. Everyday it pounds at my door. I just keep hoping if I ignore it, it will just go away.”
Eric scoffed at the concept. “But it never does, does it?”
She frowned, “No… Just earlier as Angie and I passed the meat aisle, it came pounding. So we left.”
Andrea, after putting away all the groceries single handed, took a seat opposite them and smirked.
“Don’t act like it’s something only you grown-ups feel. I’m a vampire too, you know. I get cravings as much as the next girl.”
“Grown-ups?” Kathrine huffed. “You’re seventeen!”
“Thing is, tomorrow is Sunday. How are we supposed to go to the Good People’s Church, and play music in front of all the congregants when we are hiding our true identities? What would they say if they knew three blood-suckers… We will never be normal or good. Why try?”
“Not to mention tomorrow is Halloween.” Andrea said with a loathing in her voice.
“That’s had me on edge all day.” Kathrine admitted.
“Why don’t we just lock ourselves in. Leastwise until the evil is gone.” Eric suggested.
“When will that be? When ‘H’ freezes over?”
“Andrea Nordman!” Kathrine said firmly. Andrea slumped in her chair with a grin.
She continued, “maybe we should. We’ll just lock our doors and… enjoy each others company.”
“Binge watch TV and eat potato chips,” Andrea chimed in.
Eric managed a smile. “It’s settled. That’s what we’ll do.”
And that is what they did. Doors locked and curtains drawn; that evening to the next. The preacher of Good People’s Church called to inquire if they were well and told them that they were missed at morning service. Eric made a very poor excuse, which sounded more like a lie, and the preacher wished them well and hung up.
Oh, Halloween! Once known to the pagan’s as Samhain, the day when the veil between Hell and Earth was drawn back. The veil between Earth and Hell or the veil of Man’s inherently wicked hearts? Eric pondered this question and knew it had to be the latter, as he peer through the slit in the curtains.
In the world outside, the celebration of all things evil and depraved began to intensify as the sun set. Werewolves openly transitioned in the streets and devoured what they pleased. Vampires fell upon the throats of animals and humans. Changelings, witches, ghosts, spirits and monsters of every sort did what was right in their own eyes. But to their relief, the neighborhood was as still as the… grave?
Kathrine, amid dinner preparations, realized she left a can of food in the trunk where it rolled out of the bag. “If I’m not back in five minutes call in the marines.”
“Wait, let me go.” Eric said.
“No. I’ve got the keys anyway. You peel the potatoes.”
Andrea slipped up beside her holding the large knife she was using to dice the onions. “Just in case, take this!”
Kathrine rolled her eyes and ran, sock-footed out to the car. She squinted in the chilly breeze as it swept over her and stirred the colorful leaves.
“Don’t make a sound!” Hissed a haggard hobo as he slunk from behind the car.
Every muscle locked up tight, she could neither run nor cry out.
“Gimme the keys!” He stepped forward, his filthy hand greedily outstretched.
A thought struck her like lightning and she shivered from the bitter chill. She could easily out-maneuver and over-power him in a Vampirical-rage, but such a rage is what makes vampires what they are and always ends in fang-sinking.
No one would blame me, she rationalized. All vampires are doing it tonight. Plus it is self-defense!
But neither she nor her siblings had ever attacked a human or animal, they had only ever drained the blood from store bought meats, when they did it at all that is. True modern vampires with a sense of dignity and civility.
It seemed like a decade passed as her mind struggled with her desire. The man flexed his hand impatiently. Her body relaxed and she handed over the keys.
“May I have the can of tomatoes? I need it for dinner,” she calmly asked.
He gave her a long and suspicious look, then opened the trunk. To his surprise there was a can in the shadows. He tossed it to her, and climbed into the driver seat.
She clutched the can tightly to her breast and walked shakily back to the door. Her heart pounded against her rib cage; never had she felt such uncontrollable desire and it scared her worse than the thief. The door clicked closed and she laid the can on the console table.
“Katie?” Eric came from the kitchen. “Kathrine, what’s wrong? You’re as white as a sheet.”
“A man is stealing the car,” she whispered without feeling.
Eric rushed to the door, but Kathrine intercepted the knob. “Eric don’! Let him go, Please. The car isn’t worth your life or his for that fact.”
He wrapped his arms around her. “So long as you are safe. Did he harm you?”
She shook her head. “I’m fine”
Andrea still holding the knife peered out the window. “He’s still there.”
The man just sat there staring forward then suddenly, as if bitten by a bug, he tossed the keys into the seat and walked away, shaking his head. Perplexed and overjoyed, they returned to the kitchen. They made Kathrine sit at the table while they finished the meal. And a grand meal it was; fine foods and lavish settings. The three of them stood at their places holding wine glasses toward the ceiling.
“Though we can never be good people we swear in our own way to be as good as possible,” Eric said.
“A little weak. But, here! Here!” Kathrine agreed.
“Let me try again. We will try to satiate our wicked appetites with this make believe blood.”
“Here, here!” They said again
As they pressed the glassed to their lips, a gentle knock came from the door. Eric dubiously opened to find Pastor Wolfe.
“I know, it’s none of my business but I couldn’t help feel something was wrong.” Eric showed him into the dining room.
“Now that you bring it up; there is. We have tried for two years to fit in, but no more. No more pretending to be something we’re not.”
“And what are you?”
“Vampires.” They stiffened and waited for his reaction.
“I see. And you feel you can never overcome what you are.”
“Essentially. The core of what we are is wicked. How can God want… hellions?” Kathrine said.
He nodded. “I won’t challenge your decision, but I would like you to join us tonight. As a request from a friend.”
Eric looked at his sisters. Andrea shrugged and looked to Kathrine, who nodded. “Fine by me.”
Wind-driven clouds raced across the surface of the moon and stars. The air became colder still. Eric rode with Pastor Wolfe, and the girls followed in Kathrine’s car. The streets were a sight to behold; where the celebrations and parades had been, there was extreme litter and trash strewn about. And where the festivities were still going on was lawless riot that Pastor Wolfe had to detour around. Going through would be like driving a Rolls-Royce through a mob of vandals and car-thieves.
They turned into the parking lot of the Good People’s Church; their panning lights illuminating several worthless men lurking in the shadows on the sidewalk. Wolfe and Eric parked near the sanctuary, but walked back to where Kathrine parked.
“Pay them no mind. Let’s just get in side,” Pastor Wolfe said.
“Creeps,” muttered Kathrine.
Though the four of them walked leisurely to the doors, they each kept a weather eye on the hoodlums. They were greeted by a deacon and a few congregants in the lobby. The warm atmosphere and lighting, though aesthetically pleasing, could not thaw the chill from their veins.
The service started with the music, which the Nordmans declined to join, then afterward Pastor Wolfe began:
“I know this is not practiced in our denomination, but it’s high time we had a confession period.”
He grinned. “Wait a minute, don’t look so distressed. This is a general confession. I am aware that some of the congregants are burdened by their fleshly hearts and laboring under the thought that they are alone in this struggle. So to get started: Raise your hand if you are a vampire.”
Eric straightened up in disbelief, Kathrine’s mouth hung open, and Andrea said under her breath, “Judas!”
Suddenly, the man in the row in front of them raised his hand, then a woman did too across the sanctuary, then another and another.
“If your are a hateful werewolf, raise your hand.” The preacher said raising his own hand. “If you are a two-faced changeling, a nagging harpy, witch, or any of the other wicked beings we are born into, raise your hand!”
Everyone in the room was holding a hand in the air. Eric, Kathrine, and Andrea startled by the realization, raised their hands.
“Put your hands down, all of you!” Wolfe said loudly. “Don’t you know that you were bought by the blood of the Lamb? Your undead natures have been replaced by the living Spirit of God. You no longer have the wicked hearts that you inherited from your ancestors.”
Wolfe’s gaze passed across the congregation and fell on the Nordmans. “Second Corinthians 5:17 says, ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.’ Our hateful, blood-thirsty, two faced natures will still rear their ugly heads. But by the power of the spirit we can put them down! We are called ‘good people’. We are not good because of what we do or don’t do, we are ‘good’ because of what Christ did in us.”
As the sermon continued, the burden was lifted from Eric, Kathrine, and Andrea, and a peace like a refreshing spring dew settled in its place. They could not wash their dirty souls, nor climb out of the sinners’ pit, nor cross the void between Heaven and Hell. They had faith that Jesus had washed their soul, He reached into the pit and took their hands, and He laid down His life as a bridge to span the chasm.
