Lee The Vampire Slayer: Meet Lee
by adraztea
Sometimes, I hate the kids. When it’s late, and raining, and I have to make them dinner, and all they do is whine – that’s when I wish I was someplace else. Or that I was someone else. Someone who doesn’t have to wipe their runny noses, or get them dressed for kindergarten in the morning, or cook the same food over and over again because all she eats is sausage and mashed potatoes, and all he eats is macaroni and cheese. Of course, they’re adorable. At least when they are in a good mood. When they ask me to read them a story, and then sit perfectly still with their eyes on me, listening. Or at night, when I have put them to bed, and they’re just about to fall asleep. “Stay with me,” she says, and hugs me until she has fallen asleep. “Tell me one more story,” he says, and falls asleep even before I have finished saying “once upon a time.” Unfortunately, those moments are few and far between. Every day, all I hear is “no, I don’t want to take a bath,” and “no, I want to play a bit more,” or “no, I hate spaghettis!” Then I wish I was someone who didn’t have to spend so much time with them. Sometimes, I even wish I was their mother. Then I could love them just as much as I already do, but I could get someone else to clean their dirty clothes. I could get someone who wasn’t me.

I might come across as bitter; I’m not. I’m grateful, really, that they took me in. They didn’t have to. They weren’t close to me or my dad. They could’ve just as well said “good bye”, not caring about what happened to me. They could’ve let the social services take care of me, shipping me off to some foster care somewhere. Pam doesn’t like foster care, she says so all the time, and sometimes, when she thinks I don’t notice, she’ll look at me with that sad look in her eyes. When I meet her stare, she smiles. “I’m just thinking about what could’ve happened to you,” she said one time, “if you hadn’t come to stay with us. Those foster home kids, they never end up well, you know.” So I am grateful. I have nowhere else to go.

My mom died when she had me. She popped a blood vessel in her brain when she gave that last push. Dad used to tell me I looked just like her, and that he remembered her every day just by looking at me. He didn’t need any pictures of her. “It’s you and me, kiddo,” he’d say when he hugged me good-night, or when he threw me up in the air only to catch me again. “It’s you and me, kiddo,” he said when he leaned heavily on my arm when we walked up the stairs to our apartment, his lungs wheezing from the effort. “I’m sorry it’s only you and me, kiddo,” he said when he was lying in the hospital bed, the oxygen helping him to breath. I wasn’t, though; he was the best father in the world. After he died, I found a picture of him and mom in his bedroom. They were young and happy, and he had lifted her up on his back. They both looked into the camera, laughing. I framed it and put it on my drawer in my bedroom. My dad was right; I was the spitting image of my mom.

I was fifteen when he died. Mark was one of his co-workers, and he had been to our apartment for dinner a couple of times, together with his wife, Pam. When dad got really sick, Pam would show up a couple of times a week, bringing casseroles. When dad couldn’t stay at home anymore, they both showed up and packed up all of my stuff, taking me in. “I promised your dad once, that I’d look after you if anything ever happened to him,” Mark said, “and I won’t back down on that promise.” Dad was satisfied with the arrangement, and if he was happy; so was I. I spent most of my time in my dad’s room at the hospital, making jokes with him, or reading to him, or just sitting there, doing my homework while he slept. He slept a lot. I was studying for my French-exam, repeating “je suis, vous suis, il est, elle est,” when dad stopped being.

Mark and Pam had a beautiful house, with a beautiful au pair to take care of things. She was the one who had cooked the things Pam had brought to me and dad. She was quiet, and had a smile that was beautiful but rarely seen, and eyes that would follow Mark around when he was home. I could understand her a bit, because he did look good, but he was so old. She wasn’t. When her year was up, instead of getting a new au pair, Pam asked me if I could help out a bit. If I wanted, I could even move into the apartment over the garage, “now that you’re almost an adult, maybe you want some privacy.” I accepted. I didn’t really need the privacy, but they did. The least I could do, now that they had taken me in, was to go along with their plan. Hence, I ended up spending most of my time with a fireball of a five-year-old, Madison, and a three-year-old, Matt, who wanted everything done his way. Things could’ve been worse. I might have ended up in a foster home, miles from everyone I knew. Still, sometimes, I hated them.

Walking home from school was always one of the best times during the day. I loved it, that time that was only mine. I walked fast, stretching out my legs, at times almost running. I loved how it made me feel strong. Lately, I had a urge to move, to walk, to run, to jump. I even considered sneaking out Friday night, going with my friend Gemma to a club she knew about, and dancing all through the night. It wasn’t as if Mark and Pam would notice. If I could get Saturday free, I would. Maybe even if I didn’t. I ran up the stairs outside the garage and went inside my apartment. I threw my bag on the bed, and then I changed clothes before walking over to the house. Didn’t want to get food and drool all over my school clothes.
“Hey,” I shouted as I walked through the door. The kids came running over, screaming loudly, and threw themselves around my legs. Pam was right behind them, putting on a pair of earrings.
“Thank God you’re here. The editor called, emergency staff meeting. I have to go.”
“Sure, I got it,” I said and pushed the kids away in the direction of the TV-room. “Do you want me to save you some dinner?”
“That’s sweet, Lee, but no, I’ll grab something on my way over there. Have you seen my green coat?”
I ran to the laundry room to get it, Pam putting it on while she walked out to her car. I followed her, and she reminded me of all the little things regarding the kids that I already knew about. I barely listened. She got into the car, closing the door but opening the window. She used to smoke in the car, thinking no-one knew if she kept the window open. Everyone knew.
“Lee, I’m sorry about this, I knew you have that maths test tomorrow. Mark will be home soon, so you will have at least a little time to study.”
“Yeah,” I said, not really thinking about that maths test. “I hope I will do okay. Listen, Pam, can I get Saturday off instead?”
She had already started the engine and begun backing out of the garage. She looked at me quickly, then returned her eyes to the rear view mirror.
“I don’t know, Lee, I have this thing Saturday. Can we talk about it tomorrow?”
“Sure,” I said, giving her a wave as she drove away. She was way overdressed for a simple staff meeting.

“…the princess opened her eyes and looked at the beautiful prince.” I looked down at Madison. She was sleeping, and had a vague resemblance to the princess I had just been reading about. I closed the book carefully, and put it down at her bedside table. I untangled myself from her small hug, and shut the door behind me. Matt was asleep in his room, and I looked in on him before I went down the stairs. After dinner I had went over to my apartment to get my math book, and since Mark wasn’t home yet, I sat down at the floor in the living room, using the low table to put my math book on. I really should study a bit. When I heard him coming in through the front door, humming something to himself, I felt my shoulders tense up.
“Hey Sweetheart,” he said when he saw me. “What have you done to my wife?”
“Staff meeting,” I mumbled. “There’s food in the fridge, if you want some.”
Mark went out to the kitchen, the humming turning into a song. He had a good voice, and he knew it. When he came back, he had a plate in his hand.
“This is good,” he said and sat down in the couch behind me. “You’re practising magic in the kitchen. Where’s the rascals?”
“Asleep. Madison has a bit of a growing pain, so she might wake up later.”
“Oh, I have a fun night ahead of me then. Last week, she kept me up three whole nights.”
I tried doing a bit of math, but then Mark put his plate down right on my books, leaning past me when he did so.
“Good day at school?”
“Yes, as usual. I have a test tomorrow…” I said, indicating my books.
“You’ll do well, just as you always do. Wow, you’re tense.”
He had put his hands on my shoulders, squeezing them hard. It didn’t hurt, but I didn’t like it either.
“Yeah, well,” I said, squirming away, “It’s probably because I haven’t studied enough. I was supposed to study tonight, but then Pam’s staff meeting got in the way. Now that you’re here, I have to go.”
“Hey, hey, hey,” he protested, pushing me down on the floor again. “What’s the rush? Let me give you a good neck rub. It will relax you, prepare you for all that studying.”
I sat down. He wasn’t that strong, I could’ve left, but I might as well stay. Keep on his good side.
“Listen,” I said after a while. “I talked to Pam a little before she left, about getting Saturday off. Maybe you could talk to her too?”
“Why do you need Saturday off?”
“ It’s Tina’s birthday. Gemma and I was planning a surprise for her. I would have to stay at Gemmas’ Friday night, so that we can leave early Saturday.”
“Alright, I’ll talk to her. Say, Lee, have you changed shampoo? You smell really nice.”
“No, it’s the same,” I answered, barely high enough for him to hear. He didn’t care anyway, what my answer was. It was just an excuse for him to get a little bit closer. I stayed a little longer, trying to relax, but then I pushed his hands away and got my books.
“Thanks, Mike, it helped. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I didn’t look at him as I walked out the back door.

I couldn’t stand still. It felt as if my skin was crawling. I hated when Mark did that, when he got too close. A quick shower helped a bit, but it didn’t help my restlessness. I couldn’t sit down to study. I grabbed my jacket, and walked out.

It was completely dark outside. My dad used to warn me about walking alone at night, and I had never done it when he was alive. Now, there was no one to stop me. Besides, I was old enough to take care of myself. My eighteenth birthday was long gone. Well, a month gone at least. I walked fast through the streets, letting my legs stretch again. I needed a run, a good fast run to clear my head. There’s was a good path in the woods, almost straight through it. I would be able to see it even without lights. I jogged towards it, breaking into a fast run as soon as my feet hit the soft ground.

I screamed when I hit the ground. What the hell was that? I pushed away my attacker, quickly jumping up. My heart was beating fast in my chest. Never go out alone in the dark, that’s what my dad had said. Guess he was right. I looked at the shape in the dark. A man, definitely, and a large one. He growled at me, jumping forward. Without thinking, I slid to one side, and he went straight past me. He seemed surprised, and he wasn’t the only one. “Nice to go with the reflexes,” I thought to myself. “Now run!” But as I was attacked again, running wasn’t in the cards. Adrenaline rushed trough my veins. This guy was so easy to avoid! It almost felt like dancing. I kept my eyes on him, avoiding him as he charged at me, again and again. Moving through the woods, leaving the dark path behind us, out into a moonlit clearing. I let my body guide me, the power surging through me making me smile. The guy looked strange, though, ridges all over his face. “Can’t get a girl the normal way?” I taunted him. “Have to attack them in the middle of the night? What’s the matter, afraid of a little sunshine ruining your dates?” He screamed, and lounged himself at me. All air went out of me as I hit the ground. “Smart, Lee,” I thought to myself. “Make the crazy guy angry. That will help!” As I pushed myself off the ground, I gave him a punch that sent him flying across the clearing. My eyes widened. How the hell did I do that? There was no time to think though, because he came right back, opening his mouth in a growl. Oh my god, what was that in his mouth? Was it fangs? I backed away, almost falling, but I grabbed a hold of an old tree and got up again, the dry branch coming off in my hand. Instinctively, I pushed the branch up when the man attacked again, the piece of wood easily sinking into his chest. “Oh my God!” I screamed, pulling it back. “I-I-I’m sorry!” He stared at me, yellow eyes glowing. He almost looked a bit surprised. Then, poof, he dissolved. I screamed. Staring at the empty space where the man had been mere seconds ago, and then at the branch, I threw it to the ground.
”What the hell was that!?” I screamed, feeling a bit as if I would pass out any second.
“That,” I heard a voice behind me saying, and I spun around, staring at a man coming out of the woods behind me, his bright hair shining in the moonlight. “Was a vampire, and you just slayed it.”



This story archived at: The Slayer\'s Fanfic Archive
The Slayer\\\\\\\\'s FanFic Archive - http://www.slayerfanfic.com/viewstory.php?sid=15452