Flecks of meat and blood spray cross the bathroom tile as a harrowed corpse of a vampire flosses between his sharp teeth, squinting into the mirror before him. There is no reflection, save for a floating strip of floss and the splattered crumbs of his victims. He curses, “I tells ya, the one thing I didn’t expect to get worse with eternal damnation was flossing. Joshua, do I gots anything in my teeth?”
A sunken mess of skin, bone, and teeth leaps across the room at him. He screams, but too late. Tooth cuts flesh and slurps up the second-hand plasma inside. Slowly, faintly, a ghostly image appears in the mirror. The transparent reflection of a second vampire feeding from his own kin grows clearer with every drink. Joshua pulls his bloodied lips away, looks into the mirror, and meets his own eyes for the first time in eight centuries. “What have I done?”
A sign that reads ‘Closed for Special Event’ adorns the doorway of the 24-hour fast-food chain. Inside, the lights are dim and the ovens are clean. A half-dozen people circle the room with Joshua at its center, dressed in his work outfit. “So, do I still get paid for tonight?”
“No, Joshua. You know why you’re here,” warns Dr. Fingers; a man armored in tweed, coke-bottle glasses, and a bowtie. The others in the room watch as he fumbles through his duffle bag. Joshua snorts, his fangs at the ready. Dr. Fingers shrugs, “There’s no need for aggression, Joshua. We’re just here to help.”
“So, you all think I’ve got a problem. Is that it?” Joshua barks at the surrounding circle. The faces familiar, eyes filled with judgment. The first to speak is Albert, who tends to a nasty neck wound. He snarls, “I’ll say, you tooks a chunk outta my necks like I was a freakin’ ripe tomato!”
“Pfft, I was just sick of hearing you talk.” Joshua looks to the floor and kicks his feet like a punished child. “Anyways, I’ve bitten you plenty of times. Why’s this time any different?”
“Because you fed, Joshua,” says Dr. Fingers. “You fed on another vampire. Vicariously tasting their last victim in concert with the cold blood of your own kind. A crimson cocktail that makes for quite the potent poison.”
“Tell us, Joshua,” Fingers continues. “Have you experienced any strange side-effects?” Joshua looks away from the Doctor. Fingers prods further, “Visions of white light, feelings of redemption, temporary reflection of the soul? Stop me if this sounds familiar.”
“Enough. I get it. I’m playing with fire. It’s not healthy. Yes, yes…” Joshua trails, looking at everything but a pair of eyes. “But it’s just once in a while. What’s the big fuss? It’s not like it’s hurting anyone.”
“Um, hello?” chimes Albert.
“It’s hurting you, Joshee,” comes the lilting voice of Violet. She is a bosomy vampress with long, twisty, glue-on nails that she uses to brush her hair clean of spiders. “You’re not the monster we’ve come to know anymore. You’ve got a spring in your step. Color in your cheeks!”
“Why are you even here Violet? We haven’t dated for like, two-hundred years,” snaps Joshua. He glares at Violet as she grabs the hand of a small child. “And did you bring your new shiny boyfriend just to rub it in my face? How many halves your age is he anyway? You should be ashamed!”
“Watch your mouth boy, I’ve been around since the dark ages,” speaks the child. The boy is Pavlis, an ancient vampire bitten at the age of nine. “I’ve seen this kind of behavior before, Joshua. The vampire feeding is just a part of the puzzle. Your bloodlust is through the roof. Drinking more humans, dogs, cats, whatever you can get your fangs on. Pretty soon you’ll start biting yourself.”
Joshua absent-mindedly scratches his forearm. He scoffs, “And how would you know, Small Fry?”
Pavlis pushes Violet’s hand away and pulls back his sleeve. His frail child’s arm is ravaged with scars of fang punctures. “I’ve been there.”
“Can I say something?” All eyes turn to Mike Sevinski, a burly, mustachioed man with permanent pit stains. “Are you guys going to kill me?”
“Of course not, Mike. That would be grounds for dismissal, and Joshua needs this job,” explains Dr. Fingers. “Now why don’t you go on and tell Joshua how you feel.”
“Well, gee, Josh. I don’t know where to start,” fumbles Mike. “I guess I’m sorry for scheduling you to all those morning shifts.”
Joshua bolts up from his chair, “This is ridiculous! I’m not gonna sit here and take advice from you circus freaks. I don’t need this intervention! Find something else to intervene!” He stomps toward the doorway.
“I can’t let you leave yet, Joshua,” says Fingers, with a disapproving digit waggling in Joshua’s face. “First you have to admit you have a problem.”
Joshua fumes, “I admit it! I’ve got a problem. I’ve got a problem with your dirty finger in my face, doc! Now will you get out of my way?”
“Nope. That’s just step one.” Dr. Fingers lifts a cross to Joshua’s face. The vampire reels, his skin sizzles as he lurches backward. “Step two is admitting there is a higher power.”
“Put it away! Put it away!” cries Joshua. The Doctor sheathes his weapon as the vampire returns to his seat. “So you’re going to torture me, huh? Why don’t you just kill me then?”
“Because we’re trying to save your life. Or, death, rather,” muses Fingers. “These people care for you. It’s time to make a choice, Joshua. You can check yourself into rehab and get the help you need. Or you can walk away, and further pursue your path of personal destruction.”
“Why are you doing this to me? I’m not worth this fuss!” Joshua fights back tears as he listens to the encouraging words of his friends; ‘We love you,’ ‘Take control of yourself,’ and ‘please don’t eat me.’
Bloodstained tears seep from Joshua’s dry eyes. He covers his face in shame. Violet gets up and moves toward him, her arms outstretched. “Oh, Joshee!”
“No!” Joshua smacks her away, his face ravenous with teeth. She hits the floor as Joshua backs himself into a corner. “Leave me alone! Don’t look at me!”
Gasps fill the room as Joshua rips the sleeve from his uniform; his exposed flesh covered in fresh puncture wounds. He takes his arm in his jaws and feeds on his own blood. Gurgling he shouts, “Don’t look at me!”
All take cover as Joshua slurps the life out of his pickled arm. Only Dr. Fingers approaches with an eerie calm. He waits for Joshua to take notice of him. He gestures above the door to the round security mirror. “Joshua. Look at yourself.”
Joshua’s image faintly reflects in the security mirror. The vampire stares at himself, his self-inflicted wounds, and the people he loves huddled in fear. He takes the arm out of his mouth. “I’m sorry.”
Joshua turns to all of them, pure tears in his eyes now. “I’m sorry. I just can’t stop on my own. I need your help. I want your help.” Joshua is met with the embrace of the entire circle. “I want to be better. For you guys. For me.”
A loud knocking comes from the door. Outside, a sullied man with a feverish neck beard raps on the glass. He squints inside with a smoky gaze and asks, “Dude are you guys open? I’m starving.”
“You can say that again,” Joshua says to the man with a devilish smirk. He turns to his support group and is met with approving nods. He looks to Dr. Fingers for approval.
Dr. Fingers thinks it over before nodding slowly, “I suppose it would be good to get some natural food in your system.”
Joshua smiles as he makes his way to the door. Everyone watches as he rips the man’s esophagus from his throat. Albert grins. Violet and Pavlis hold hands. Mike stands in a puddle of his own urine.
“I think our boy’s going to be all right,” chimes Dr. Fingers, as he packs his bag. “My work here is done.”
