N Y C T O P H I L E
(The beginning of a short story!)
P R O L O G U E
At first glance, the moon is hardly an object of significance. Sure, it’s pretty — why else would millions of people gaze at it nightly? — but for the most part, it just sits there, basking in the glory of all the attention it receives. But if you look closer, you can spot it bristling with jealousy every time a human’s eyes are diverted to a bright star. The moon hates sharing the sky with these dwarfs; it’s bad enough that it has to deal with the sun half the time.
The moon has feelings. It has opinions — about the stars, the sun, the universe itself. And you.
Vampires aren’t real. That’s a simple fact — but one that is shrouded in mystery. What do we make, then, of all the stories of attractive young folk being bitten by a tall creature dressed in a dark cloak, of the tales passed on by our ancestors about the searing pain one feels when venom is injected into the bloodstream, if vampires aren’t real? Are we supposed to believe that these are all lies, or simply words spoken around a campfire at midnight, told by someone with a kink for instilling fear?
The answers lie in the distinction between fact and fiction. And it’s a simple one, when it comes down to it: humans are gullible creatures. Now, this isn’t to say that they pass on lie after lie. No, what they say isn’t true, but they believe it to be so — because they saw the events unfold with their own eyes. Or so they think.
The creatures are sly, cunning, even. They have centuries upon centuries of experience with creating illusions. It’s not a complicated process — it can arguably be compared to a card trick a child gets off the internet — but the confidence by which they carry it out leads humans to believe absolutely in the illusion. There’s a lot more to it, blood boiling, seduction, et cetera, et cetera, but that’s the gist of it. Don’t ask for details — we’re strictly on a need-to-know basis.
“Blood boiling? I thought vampires didn’t exist!” They don’t. Weren’t you listening? These creatures are something else entirely. They only make you think you interacted with a vampire. The pain brought on by the “venom” is just a side effect of the blood boiling.
“But what about the dark cloaks?” Again, part of the illusion. Some of them find it easier to wear capes — less time-consuming — but usually it’s just their minds playing tricks on you. Human eyes are surprisingly weak, you see.
Anyway, that’s enough for now. I’m sure I’ll be explaining things in further detail, with time, but that should be sufficient for the moment.
After all, you’re just a beginner.
