Wishful Thinking
After a brief consideration, Spike decides his clothes are fine as they are for going to the Bronze. It's not as if I'm out to have fun or something, he thinks. I'll probably end up sitting at a table alone, watching everybody dance away on romantic music. Love... who needs it anyway? Not this bugger.
One final look around his room, that's filled with half open and unopened boxes, makes him decide to take his special backpack with him. Who knows? That looney librarian could be right after all.
Without knocking on the open door, his father comes in.
"Hello, son."
"Oh, hey dad," Spike says half-heartedly, and gets his backpack.
"Are you, uh, going out tonight?" John asks hesitantly.
"Yeah, I'm going to a club. I think it's called the Bronze. Some kids at school asked me to come to get into the town, y'know."
"Oh. I see. Well, in that case, don't get drunk or eh... play with fire, okay?"
Although the question is not accusing in itself, Spike knows what his father means besides the figure of speach.
"Thanks for the warning, DAD," the sarcastic emphasis on the word hits John in the face like a brick, "but I'll manage. That was a big, a very big mistake I made once, get it? I will not happen again!"
John's face turns pale as he realizes that the boy in front of him is not the son he knew a few years ago. Before him stands a semi-adult, still in need of guidance, but with a personality to reckon with. He reminds me of me at that age. And that was not a comforting thought at all. But... I have to let go once. It might as well be now.
"Just... just be careful, William. I... I wouldn't know what to do if something happened to you. Please, be home on time, okay? I..."
His father's stuttering blows away the angry cloud hovering over his head, and Spike smiles at him, forgetting all about the fact that his father called him by his given name.
"Alright, dad. I will be careful. And I'll be home before one, okay?"
He checks to see if he's got everything, and starts to leave his room. When he passes his father, he pats the old man on the shoulder, and leaves.
John hears the door shut with a worried face, folds his hands and prays to whichever god may hear him: "Please, let me be a good parent. And please, let William not get into trouble again."
&&&&&&
In the dark street Spike walks carelessly along, knowing that the dangers the night might have for regular people do not concern him that much. Besides, what could happen in SUNNDALE? The second he finishes the thought, he senses someone is following him. Note to self: never think that again in a town where the librarian knows about demons. Spike continues down the street as if he doesn't know about the stalker, but as soon as he passes a dark alley he ducks away and looks around for a place to hide. In doing so, he disturbs a few cats that yowl like he's murdering them and make a lot of noise trying to get away from the stranger in their alley. A second glance around, and he spots something above him.
A lonely silhouette walks into the alley, and is clearly confused when it doesn't see the person it was stalking. The figure sneaks along, not paying attention to a steel bar that hangs above the alley. On which Spike is making a perfect handstand until the stalker has walked by. As soon as the figure passes beneath him, he swings down, kicks the stalker in the back, and makes a perfect landing. The force of the blow knocks the stalker to the ground. Spike positions himself above the figure, with his right foot on the stalker's chest.
"Ah, heh. Is there a problem, sir?" a girl's voice with a strange yet familiar accent asks.
"Yeah, there's a bloody problem. Why are you following me?"
Spike's voice trembles with barely hidden anger, and he has to restrain himself from moving more than his jaw muscles.
"I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, I don't bite."
Gracious as a predator Spike backs off and lets the girl get up, but keeps his fighting stance.
"You know, the truth is that I thought you'd be taller, or bigger muscles and all that. You're pretty normal-looking, though," she says, while massaging her neck.
"What do you want?" Spike asks through gritted teeth, still ready to attack at the faintest sign of danger.
"Do you have to ask? The same thing you do!" the girl answers, and looks at him with a spark of danger flaming in her eyes.
"Okay," Spike says, while still keeping his guard up, "so what do I want, then?"
"You want to kill them. To kill them all."
The answer startles Spike, and a faint echo resonates within his mind. Kill them. To kill them. Kill them all. They must be killed. Kill them. Kill them all… They die away as he, again, relaxes and he gives the girl his answer. But the words dig into his brain, and will not let him go as easily as he let down his guard.
"Sorry, but that's not correct. But you do get this lovely necklace and a year's supply of Turtle Wax," he says in a semi-cheerful voice before he lets out angrily: "All I want is to-be-left-alone! Understand? Alone!"
Determined he starts to walk away, hoping the girl won't follow him.
"Do you really think that's an option anymore?" the girl says after him in a low voice, faint enough to only be caught by a Slayer's hearing. "You are standing at the Mouth of Hell… And it's about to open."
For some reason that Spike doesn't understand, he stops, turns to the girl and gives her a calculating look. While he's looking, she reaches in her jacket and pulls out a small box. Spike opens his mouth to say something, but the girl beats him to it.
"Don't turn your back on this one."
With a gesture faster than a normal eye can see, she throws the box to Spike. A quick swoop of his right arm, and the box is in his hands.
"You have to be ready."
"For what?" he asks, his anger slowly but steadily beginning to fade away. If she's gonna give me the whole 'because you are the Chosen One' crap, I will have to beat the living daylights out of someone tonight!
"For the Harvest," the girl whispers, and in her eyes Spike suddenly sees a faint glare of something he knows all about: determination. It disappears as swift as it came as she turns away her head, and he realizes the girl is leaving.
"Who the Hell are you, anyway?" he blurts out. I can't take this much longer. What the fuck is going in this sleepy town?
The anger in his voice makes her stand still and face him again.
"Let's just say…" she starts, hesitates a moment, then goes on, "let's just say I'm a friend."
The girl looks at him as if it wasn't her intention to reveal anything other than the upcoming danger to him, quickly turns away and resumes her walking.
"And what if I don't want a friend?"
Again she speaks as soft as the breeze of the wind in the willows: "Who said I was yours?"
Then the shadows swallow her. The Slayer doesn't even hear footsteps anymore. A bit confused by the strange experience, Spike doesn't remember the box until it almost slips out of his fingers. Curious he opens it. To his awe and surprise it contains a silver cross and chain. He takes it out, holds it in his hand and takes another glance at the direction where the girl disappeared.
&&&&&&
Outside the Bronze life goes on. Teens of all ages arrive, meet, talk, gossip, and leave. It looks like an ant hill, disorganized at first, but when looking closer the complex social interactions become clear to those who know what to look for.
Spike sees it, and his old wish - to be one of those unknowing, uncaring people - gently touches his thoughts, begging him to let it come true, to forget about the Slaying, the vampires, the demons… just for this one night, just to relax, enjoy… To be normal.
He walks up to the entrance, gives the doorman some cash and enters. An unknown band is playing some song - they probably wrote it themselves - a bit too loudly. The dance floor is crowded with people. Without any effort Spike catches the lines they're singing, and stops for a moment to listen.
"Seeking for purpose
thinking about life
lone souls, just wandering
waiting for the right
Wrongs are done every day
evil lurks among us
but is there any one who dares
to stand up and confront them?
Born alone we die alone
but always we are searching
reaching out to find the truth
just to find it's nothing"
The lyrics mingle with his thoughts, and leave him behind with an uneasy feeling. Yeah, just my luck. I came here to relax, and instead this stupid song only makes me feel worse. Damn those demons!
All of a sudden a girl waves in his direction, and he waves back, only to notice the guy standing behind him waving enthusiatically, and Spike pulls his hand down, feeling more than a bit embarrassed.
Just once to know how it was meant to be
is for no one to discover
All we can is search for love,
for meaning, for each other
Some way or another he manages to gently squeeze his way to the bar without hurting someone with his Slayer strength in the process, and notices Oz sitting there.
"Hey!" he says, while slapping him on the back.
"Oh, hi!" is the not very excited response.
Spike walks around him and takes a seat on the stool next to him. Oz turns his head to face him.
"Hi!" he says again.
"You just said that," Spike remarks. "Are you here with someone or what?"
"No, I'm just breathing here. Hoping I don't accidentally breathe someone else's air. And I was kinda hoping Cordelia would show up."
"Oh. Are you guys like going out or something?"
"No, no, we're just friends. We used to go out, but we broke up."
"What'd you do?"
"Me? Nothing. But she… she stole my He-Man."
Totally baffled, Spike gives Oz his imitation of a fish. Oz notices, and quickly adds: "We were just five years old."
Relieved, Spike takes a deep breath and lets out a well-meant "Oh."
"I… well, I don't actually date… a lot… lately… this decade," Oz shyly confesses.
"Why not?" Spike asks, not entirely surprised by this revelation.
"Well, it's like this: when I see a girl I like, and I walk up to her, and try to say hello, the only thing I can say is: 'Uhm, bye.' At least, when it's not a situation in which I can only utter some baby talk like 'goo goo, ga ga'. And mostly there is someplace else I'd rather be at that moment, so I just have to… go away."
"Oh please, it can't be that bad!" Spike utters. And I thought my life was going nowhere!
"Actually… it is. Frankly, I have this theory that girls like boys they can actually have a conversation with."
"You really haven't been dating lately, have you? Oh man…"
"It's probably easy for you," Oz says, and gives Spike a very, very sad look.
"Yeah, really easy… What makes you say that? It's not like I'm already surrounded by tons of girls at the moment… or actually, I am, but not for the reason I'd like to."
"Huh? Oh, yeah… well, I meant… you don't seem too shy or something."
"You have no idea…" Spike whispers, and continues out loud, "well, anyway, d'you wanna hear my philosophy on all this?"
Oz looks at him with a strange, and for a moment Spike thinks an almost knowing look, and says: "Yes… please."
"Life sucks and then you die," Spike states with a straight face.
For some reason the manner in which the boy says this gives Oz a very uneasy feeling. Who are you? What skeletons are hiding in that dark closet of yours?
"Not a very comforting one," Oz manages to say before he blurts out one of his questions.
"Never said it was gonna be. But that's all there is to it. Maybe you'll find good friends, maybe not, maybe you'll have a great job, maybe not, but eventually it will turn out life has been playing tricks on you, stabbed you in the back, and then death comes to collect you. That's life."
While saying this the words that the strange girl spoke in the alley return and hit him like a jackhammer. To kill them. To kill them all.
&&&&&&
Four months after the incident, which Spike had all but forgotten about, it happened again. He was out in the streets, and had met his first vampire. Out of the blue a man had appeared and claimed that Spike was the Chosen One, the Slayer. Spike said he had no idea what the man was talking about. The man laughed, and his face changed into a hideous parody of a normal human face. The man's irisses turned yellow, and - for crying out loud! - he grew fangs! The creature had growled at Spike and, without warning, lunged at him. Before he even knew what to do his Slayer reflexes took over. He sidestepped and, as the creature flew by, hit him hard on the back, smashing him into the ground. The loud crack of the creature's breaking spine echoed through the empty streets, and the creature howled with an unearthly voice. Again, without thinking, Spike lept towards a tree with incredible agility, broke off a branch, turned around and threw it with all his might towards the creature that was just trying to scramble to its feet, thus exposing his chest. The piece of wood hit it, penetrated its chest and… vanished in a swirl of air, along with the body of the creature. There was not time to think this over, because another one of those creatures jumped at him from the shadows, and Spike could hear that others were nearby, watching to see if he could stand up to them. His body was getting pumped with adrenaline, not only because his very life was in danger, but also because these things were getting on his already tense nerves. Spike realized the anger inside in was waiting for a chance to get out, to do damage, to kill. It spoke to him, sang to him to kill them, to kill them all. And he couldn't resist any longer. With a howl of blind rage Spike let the anger go, and his Slayer reflexes made his body dance the dance of death.
When he awakened from his rage, only the dust that was whisked away by the wind told Spike he had killed the strange creatures. He knew there were more, watching from the shadows. But even as his eyes tried to pierce the darkness to find them and hunt them down, he felt they were moving away from him. One presence lingered behind, and Spike felt the deep and dark evil of the creature that was watching him. Strangely enough it seemed to watch him with interest. Just as Spike was about to speak out to the evil presence, his ears caught a faint sound, coming from behind him. Swiftly he turned around… and saw a man and a woman lying on the street, moaning, bleeding, dying… The wind carried a faint whisper, filled with prophecy and promises, something only Spike could hear. "The anger will never be satisfied… never go away… I can wait… you will be mine…" The voice still haunts him in his darkest nightmares. For what seemed like an eternity Spike stood there, unable to do anything, and watched the life drain away from the two people on the ground. He so much wanted to help, but he couldn't. He wouldn't have known how. They died in silence, the eyes of the woman fixed on him, cursing him forever, until the anger and sorrow flowed from them on her last breath. That night the nightmares began, or 'the dreams' as his Watcher would call them, prophesizing of a time, soon to come, when he would meet his deepest fear, the evil presence that made the promise that Spike would one day be his…
&&&&&&
"Wow. That's… nice."
Oz' comment brings Spike back to reality. He blinks a few times with his eyes, and suddenly his eyes catch the sight of the librarian, Summers, standing on the upper level.
"Uhm, I'll be back shortly after this commercial break," Spike says and gets up.
"Oh. Well, that's okay, you don't have to come back."
Something in the way this sentence is spoken makes Spike put a hand on Oz' shoulder and he emphasizes: "I'll be back in a minute." And he gives his new friend a shy smile.
Oz' face lights up upon hearing those reassuring words, and he watches Spike fight his way through the crowds and up the stairs.
"Life sucks and then you die. I'd rather go with something like 'seize the moment'. Yeah, that's a good one. Seize the moment."
Sense of Duty
Spike makes his way up the stairs and spots Summers standing near the railing, while the band keeps playing. Some lyrics still mirror his inner turmoils.
The past is something we conceive
as nothing more but trouble
we do not think, do not see
that from past is born our future
To forget is oh so easy
it's so easy to say no
to erase it from your memory
and be blind for where you go
"I didn't know this was also a hangout for the elderly."
The sudden sound of someone speaking to her startles the librarian, but she is able to withhold herself from jumping up like a scared child. Only Spike's keen Slayer senses notice the short tensing of her muscles.
Man, I wonder where she came from.
She turns around and says: "Oh yes. Can't you see I'm having a jolly good time? Watching ignorant adolescents prance about with how full of life they are is my idea of a party. I'd rather be at home, sitting in a comfortable chair with a cup of Darjeeling tea in one hand and a good book in the other."
"You're in dire need of a personality."
"This," Summers points to the crowd below, "this is a perfect hunting ground for vampires. It's dark, it's crowded, and most of the people here already had more drinks than are legally permitted. It's a miracle there are still teenagers around here. Besides, I had this… hunch you were going to show up here, and I have to make you see…"
"… that the Harvest is coming," Spike finishes the sentence. "I know. Your friend told me."
"What did you say?" the Watcher asks surprised.
"The Harvest. Does it mean anything to you? 'Cause it means absolutely nothing to me."
Summers' eyes turn away and she mumbles: "I'm not entirely sure… Tell me again: who told you this?"
"Well, I was walking on the street when I felt I was being followed. So I hid, and saw this… girl. Blonde, but stunningly gorgeous. In an annoying way. I just assumed you two knew each other, because she knew stuff normal people wouldn't know about. Like this Harvest-thing."
"Never seen her in my life. But what did she say about the Harvest?"
Although she tries to conceal it, Spike notices that the Watcher is becoming increasingly nervous. He decides to ignore it, and figures that he'll find out soon enough why the mention of this girl gives the woman the creeps.
"She said something about me standing at the mouth of hell. She was not very talkative. I really didn't like her that much."
In the meanwhile, the band finishes its song, and everybody in the Bronze applauds loudly. They soon start their next song, called "Swirl". Summers moves to Spike's, lays a hand on his shoulder and looks down at the crowd.
"Just look at them, dancing, laughing, enjoying their life. But completely unaware of the unknown danger that surrounds them in Sunnydale."
The voice of the woman sounds a bit sad, as if by saying this she herself realizes that she lost something. Spike knows what it is. It's something he wants more than anything else in his life. Ignorance.
"Yeah, lucky bastards," he mumbles.
"But maybe your right. Perhaps there is no danger lurking, the signs could be wrong. You still don't have the nightmares."
For a second Spike's eyes widen, but he keeps his lips sealed. I didn't ask for this! This is just a stupid town, with stupid people, who go to their stupid school every stupid day! There are no vampires! But although he really wants to believe this, he knows he's wrong. There are. And there will be more.
&&&&&&
Darla walks into the Bronze, in search of Angel. She spots him near a table, surrounded by his faithful bunch.
"Yeah, well, I have to train a lot to keep in shape. My dad constantly reminds me of how much he used to work out when he was young. But then I say: hey, dad, we live in another time now, you cannot expect me to live the same as you," Angel explains to his trusty followers.
"Hey Angel!" Darla says enthusiastically while she's walking over.
"Oh man, it's her again," sighs Angel and makes a face.
His followers chuckle.
"Hello. Ehm, you look eh... nice. What are you doing?" Darla asks cheerful, hoping that he will at least say something nice to her tonight.
I've been in love with him for so long now... Why doesn't he act normal for a change?
"Something I don't need girls around for," he sarcastically replies, "especially not you."
"Oh!" she blurts out, and feels tears forming in her eyes.
Why is so mean? Doesn't he know I love him? He can't really be this way, he just can't be! He's so good looking, and so popular, just like... just like Drusilla. And she's a bitch. Oh God, what am I doing here? All beautiful people are mean. I have to get out of here!
"Yeah, it's not like you need to hear who he has his eyes on this time," one of Angel's companions says.
"Sure, it's not that you're totally ugly, but you wouldn't stand a chance," another one adds.
"But... I... I..."
Tears begin to well up in her eyes. I'm not ugly. I'm not! I hate them! I hate them! And I'll get even. Just you wait! Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!
"Oh look, little girlie is starting to cry," someone else says teasingly.
"You, you, I hate you! I hate all of you gutless slimeballs that don't have anything better to do than to hang out with a popular guy and make fun of people who actually have a life. And I especially hate YOU!" she yells, and points at Angel. "I thought you were different, kinder. But through the past years I saw you becoming an even greater loser than the so-called friends that you hung out with! I felt for you, I hoped you would stand above these stupid teenager rules. But you didn't! And I hate you for it! Just you wait..."
Without saying another word, Darla turns around and walks away, her head held high, and she radiates a strange aura of decisiveness. It hurts... It hurts so much. I still love him... But I hate him for what he is, and I'll make him pay! For all those years that I secretly admired and adored him. I love him, but it's time to make a stand.
The other teens in the Bronze all get out of her way when they see her coming, and a strange silence follows her where she walks.
&&&&&&
When Darla has left the Bronze, everything returns to normal. But the scene caught the attention of someone who's sitting in a darkened corner. He stands up, puts out his cigarette, and makes his way through the crowd. Outside he shortly sniffs the air to find out which direction she took, and when he finds her scent, he starts down one of the many alleys surrounding the building.
&&&&&&
As a boy passes by the Bronze, he sees a man who comes out into the light before starting a determined walk which indicates he's looking for something. No, it's as if he's… hunting for something, the boy corrects himself. The man walks past the boy and, just for a second, looks in his direction. But that's enough for the boy to give him nightmares for the rest of his life, because the man... has one totally white eye. This so utterly frightens him, that he is nailed to the ground for a few seconds, and when the man is gone, he runs home as fast as his legs can carry him. He swears never to go out alone at night ever again.
&&&&&&
Spike stands next to Summers on the upper level, and ponders if he has to confess he did have the nightmares and apologize for his behavior. No, he decides, even though I can accept that I'm here for a reason, I'm not about to fall to my knees and admit I've been a bad Slayer. Instead he starts to talk to his the woman who is his new Watcher, a fact which he, although reluctantly, slowly starts to accept.
"You know, it's not like I don't know vampires are evil. I know, trust me, I've had my share of dealin' with them. But it's just, well, sure I'll stake the bastards if someone's..."
The Watcher interrupts him by asking: "Will you be ready?"
Spike stops talking, and is a little bit confused by this sudden question. Before he can even formulate an answer, Summers continues.
"Look, I know it's hard for you to accept everything that has happened to you from the moment you arrived in Sunnydale, but it's time you realize how serious the situation is. And there is just so much you don't know about these evil beings, or about your own powers and weaknesses. I've heard about you, you know. I know about some of the terrible things you've faced before, and after, you became a Slayer. But you have to let go, and focus on the task ahead, or Sunnydale is the last place you will ever call home."
She stops briefly, to let her words sink in. Then she continues, but her voice is softer, so only Spike's Slayer hearing can make out the words.
"There have been... cases of Slayers who, well, suffice it to say that they did not do what they were meant to do. And those Slayers either had to be shown the errors of their mistakes, or they had to be... stopped. Don't become one of those, Spike."
Only then does the full impact of her words hit him, and Spike has to maintain his balance by quickly grabbing the railing as tight as he can, thus deforming the steel bar with his awesome strength. By all the demons in Hell, they know! They've know all along! They know about my inner struggles, my fits of rage... Do they also know about the... victims I made? Do they? What must I do? Who can possibly help me?
Spike shuts his eyes, and tries to force back the tears he feels burning behind his eyelids. He fights to stay in control, and slowly, but steadily, and with the friendly hands of the Watcher that support and comfort him, he regains his focus while watching the crowd below. Just when he's about to say he wants to go home and think everything over, his vision centers on a familiar figure standing by the bar, talking to a girl who, he knows thanks to his Slayer instincts, is a vampire.
"Oh no," he whispers, terrified by the sight.
Because the figure the vampire girl is talking to, is Oz.
"What is it?" Summers asks, sensing the building tension in his muscles.
"A vampire," the Slayer hisses, and points to the girl.
"Ah, I see. It's good to know that your Slayer instincts are... wait, isn't that...?"
"Yeah," Spike interrupts, and turns around to follow the duo that's starting to walk to the exit, "that's Oz."
"Wait, wait!" the Watcher yells, uncertain what to do as Spike starts to head towards the exit.
But Spike doesn't hear the worried cries of his Watcher as he follows his new-found friend, determined to rescue him from the bloodsucking fiend. Oz, why of all moments, did you pick this one to start acting like a regular teenager! Damn it!
&&&&&&
Oz follows the girl he just met outside. I can't believe she actually takes interest in me! I definitely think that my newly found life motto is better than Spike's.
The girl leads him outside, and continues to hold his right hand as they walk farther and farther away from the Bronze.
I just hope I won't wake up and find out it's all been a dream! I can't wait to tell Spike!
&&&&&&
Frantically Spike searches for his friend, trying to determine where he went, but he knows he's lost him in the crowd. In a last effort to try and catch up with Oz and the vampire he hurries to the back entrance. While making his way through the crowd, he takes off his backpack, opens it and searches for a certain item without even looking. His fingers dig through the various objects in his bag, and instinctively find one of the wooden stakes he carries with him for just such an occasion. Quickly he closes the bag, swings it on his back, and continues running.
Bloody Hell, were did they go? I'm never, ever gonna forgive myself if that bloodsucker kills Oz... or worse.
When he skids around the corner he crashes into Angel, who is followed by his faithful pack. The stake flies from his hand and glides through the air, only to end its brief flight when it hits the wall with such power that it gets stuck just inches away from one of Angel's followers.
Angel's first reaction is to grab the person who foolishly bumped into him, but when he sees it's Spike, he holds back. He can clearly see the message in the boy's angry eyes: Don't mess with me, or you'll be sorry.
Instead he says: "Jeez, couldn't you watch where you were going, Spike?"
Then he sees the pointed piece of wood in the wall, still slightly trembling from the enormous force which drove it into it. Just as he's about to ask what that is, Spike marches over to it, and plucks it from the wall as if the thing wasn't more than a toothpick. Why is he walking around with a pointed stick? Angel thinks, and wonders if the boy is maybe not as cool as his looks suggest. Maybe I'd be better of classifying him as a nerd. Yeah, that's probably the right thing to do.
"And what's with the wooden stick? Planning on killing someone? Or just afraid someone might doubt your manhood?"
These questions are the sign for Angel's pack to start laughing. But Spike doesn't think they're funny. Instead, they make him angry. Very angry. Too angry. Before Spike can even protest, the rage is screaming, and pounces on the barriers that the Slayer tried so hard to keep intact for the past months. Please, no. Not here, not now. Stop... Stop! Rage pounces on his soul, and gets the adrenaline running. It kicks, tears and... breaks through.
"Nooooo!"
The long wail from Spike's mouth sounds inhuman, and gives all who hear it a severe attack of the shivers.
"Angel... please... run... Now! Get away from me before I do something I might regret!"
The Slayer's voice is filled with rage, with the lust to kill, to maim, to destroy. Angel is terrified by the sight of a person who's ready to snap at the first thing he doesn't like. The quarterback is just smart enough to know when he's gone too far, and this is one of those times. Maybe Darla was right... is his last thought before his instincts take over and he starts to run like crazy, followed by his so called friends.
Spike watches them go, and is able to produce two clear thoughts before the rage takes over. I won't kill a living being. But I'll slay every vampire I lay eyes on! His legs start to move, and take his body outside. Faster and faster they run, towards the only place the vampire could've taken Oz. His Slayer instincts take over. Spike is ready. Ready to do some serious Slaying.
&&&&&&
Joyce Summers tries to catch up with Spike, but the Slayer is just too fast for her. She loses sight of him when she's on the main floor, and looks around, not entirely sure what she should do now. Why did he of all Slayers had to end up in Sunnydale? It's not as if this town needs yet another problem besides the overflow of demons and other Underworld scum. The Council did not prepare me for such an unguided missile. He doesn't listen, doesn't want to slay and is quite obnoxious. But there's something... he may not be as lost a cause as the Council thinks. I should-
A long wail, which sounds like the word no, makes the Watcher come back to reality with a shock. Immediately she's on her guard, when she realizes who has made the sound.
"Spike...," she whispers, and as if on cue a group of teenagers comes running around the corner, every face a mask of fear.
She just has time to jump to the side before they rush by, almost trampling a young girl that doesn't get out of their way soon enough. What could have done this? she thinks, but immediately after that she knows she doesn't have to ask herself that question. Spike… Slowly and carefully the Watcher makes her way through the dazed crowd, and tiptoes around the corner…
&&&&&&
Just before Spike succumbs to his rage, Drusilla is having a conversation with someone she would normally never speak to, if it weren't for her connection to Angel.
"Are you saying that Angel still hasn't got a date for the upcoming dance?" Drusilla inquires, while trying to sound bored.
In fact, Drusilla is trembling with hungry anticipation for the answer she's about to receive from Cordelia.
"That's what I'm saying, Drusilla," Cordelia says, and tries not to laugh.
She's having a great time seeing the girl that she dislikes so much actually trying to get on her good side just to get any piece of information about Angel she can get her hands on. Oh girl, she thinks, it's so obvious that you have a crush on him, it couldn't be more clear than when you'd have shaven your hair off and tattoed "I love Angel" all over your bald head. But this thought doesn't amuse her for long, because she suddenly hears a tortured cry coming from somewhere near one of the Bronze's exits.
"Look, I'm very sorry that I can't tell you more, but I really have to be going now, okay?" she blurts out quickly, before Drusilla can ask more questions.
"Why? What is it?" Drusilla manages to ask still.
"It's just that… Oh, never mind, will ya? Just… let me pass!" Cordelia says, suddenly frustrated by the obnoxious girl.
It's only when she's running in the streets, trying to catch up with the figure she sees running before her, that she realizes that only she heard the cry, and that Drusilla didn't hear a thing. Oh man, I sure hope that this is not what I think it is, Cordelia prays. I just can't use a family curse at this time in my life!
&&&&&&
Somewhere underneath the almost quiet town of Sunnydale, a large group of vampires stands near a pool of blood which lies in a cavern-like structure. Luke walks up to it when it starts to bubble, and kneels down besides it. Out of the pool then rises a figure, wearing a strange, tight, blue-leathered suit, and the face is twisted in a parody of human facial features. It more resembles a bat-like monster, than the human it once was, so many centuries ago. The bloodsucking creature which rises from the pool of blood, is known only as the Master. To his vampire servants, that is enough.
The old and mighty vampire steps out of the pool, walks over to Luke, and offers the vampire his hand. With something that approaches adoration on the demonic face, Luke takes it.
"Master!" he whispers loudly, and this one word echoes around the lair. It is accompanied by a cold breeze of wind, which forecasts the horror that is about to be set loose upon an unsuspecting world, and the candles that are lit throughout the cave flicker when the breeze passes by.
All the other vampires whisper the word in both fear and admiration, all but one. The face of the evil and feared vampiress known as Willow looks eerie in the changing light, while she stands in the back of the cave and waits for her dark love to come back with something for her to play with. Oh, I do so hope it's something that won't break too soon. The last few ones I had were so… fragile. And after I've played, we'll think of something to get rid of that pesky Master. He's gonna spoil all the fun that Xander and I had here. Something that ugly shouldn't be allowed to rule anyway.
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