Vampire Python: Part 3

Eric gulped...

"Journal? What journal?" he said unconvincingly.

He watched as Mike cocked his head and raised one eyebrow...

"Don't try to bullshit me, Idle. I know you have my journal." Mike said impatiently. "It was in the stack of journals by the couch last night and now it's missing, since you've been the only one at my flat lately...I'd say that you're the reason it's missing.

Mike held out his hand...

"I'd like it back if it's all the same to you...please!"

Eric decided to go ahead and ask the questions that had been in his mind since Mike knew he had the journal...

"Whatever happened to Rebecca?" He asked

He watched as Mike dropped his hand and his face went white...

"How far did you read?" He asked quietly

"I stopped after Rebecca left you in your car." Eric said.

He watched as Mike's face went even whiter. He decided to pull out all the stops now...

"Are you really a vampire?" He asked him.

Mike fell against the doorframe. Dropping his head, he sighed deeply and looked back up at Eric...

"Yes...yes I am." he said simply.

Now it was Eric's face that went white...

"There's no such thing!" He said half trying to convince himself.

Mike snorted softly...

"I used to think that too, but thanks to Rebecca, I'm a firm believer now." Mike said sarcastically.

"But...sunlight. I've seen you out in the daytime. How come you can stand the sunlight if you're a vampire?" Eric asked confused.

Mike looked out in the hall and looked back at Eric...

"Can I come in before I tell you? I'd rather the whole building not hear it." Mike said.

Eric nodded and ushered Mike through the door before closing it. Mike walked to the couch and sat down as Eric walked to his bed and grabbed the journal. He handed it back to Mike with a smile...

"I'm sorry, Mike. I was bored at the apartment and you've never told me about your life at Oxford. I was just curious." Eric said apologetically.

Mike nodded and grinned.

"Well .. now you know why I didn't want to tell you guys about Oxford." He said as he put the journal in his lap.

Eric nodded and grabbed his teakettle. He ran some water into it...

"I would offer but I guess you don't drink tea?" Eric said.

"Actually I do...and I'd like some tea if that's okay." Mike said

Eric peeked around the corner, confused. Mike held up a hand...

"First off, let me start by saying Bram Stoker got many, many things wrong when he wrote Dracula."

Eric nodded as he walked out into the living room...

"I'm beginning to see that." He said as he sat in a chair by the side of the couch.

Contrary to the legends, I can drink things other than blood. I can also eat solid food but it does give me a bit of gas, so I usually have to take some Rolaids after I do because becoming a vampire played havoc with my system. I can be out in the daytime, but direct sunlight can burn my skin severly so I have to be careful. But you know England doesn't have too many totally sunny days, so I'm safe."

Eric nodded as Mike laughed.

"What about crosses, garlic, holy water?" Eric asked.

"Don't do anything to me. Bram got that part totally wrong. I also cast a reflection, thank God. If I didn't, you guys would have suspected something was wrong right off the bat!"

"Do you have to sleep in a coffin?"

Mike shook his head.

"Nope, I sleep in my own bed. I also don't have to sleep all day either. Which is good, because you know how full our schedules are...being pythons."

Eric nodded. He swallowed as he asked the question he feared the most...

"What about drinking blood?"

Mike sighed deeply...

"Unfortunately, that part of the legend is true. I do need blood because since I'm undead, my own blood cells need fresh blood or they'll die."

He watched as Eric unconsciously bought his hand up to his jugular vein and snorted...

"I am able to control my urges, Eric. I'm not gonna jump off the couch and attack you, so quit worrying."

Eric put his hand down, embarrassed....

"I'm sorry, Mike. I didn't realize I did that." He said sheepishly.

Mike laughed...

"It's okay, I know why you did it. Most of the vampire movies depict vampires as heartless bloodsucking beasts. It was a perfectly normal reaction. Believe me, if I were in your place, I would have done the same..."

"I guess I shouldn't have to worry in the first place." Eric chuckled. "After all, you are the nicest python."

Mike giggled...

"Yup, it's too bad I really don't act like the vampires in the movies. With my charm, I'd be able to get beautiful women with no problem."

His eyes gleamed mischieviously.

"Can you turn into a bat, by the way?" Eric asked suddenly curious.

"Nope, why? did you want to see a demonstration?"

"Actually, yes. I wanted to know what you would look like as a teeny bat." Eric said.

Mike laughed...

"Sorry to disappoint you then. Nope, can't change into a bat or a wolf or a rat or anything. I'm just little ol' me!"

"How boring..." Eric commented with a wink as he heard the whistle on the kettle go off.

He walked into the kitchen. As Mike relaxed, he emerged a few minutes later carrying two cups of tea. Mike smiled and thanked Eric as he handed him his cup.

"Yes, very boring." Mike continued the conversation as he sipped his tea. "I always wondered what Cleese's reaction would be if he woke up in his bed and found a bloody great wolf staring down at him."

Eric sniggered and covered his face as tea flew out his nose. He wiped his hand as Mike grinned apologetically.

After Eric had calmed down..He suddenly turned serious...

"So what happened to Rebecca, then?" He asked.

Mike's expression darkened as he sipped his tea...

"After that night, I went back to my room. I just hurried past Basil as he tried to ask me a million questions. I went into the bathroom and cleaned up the dried blood. Then I went to my bed and just lay there and cried softly. Basil kept trying to ask me what was wrong, but after awhile, he gave up. I guess he figured I had had a bad sexual experience and it was best not to ask."

Eric nodded sadly. Mike was his best friend and he hated to think that someone had treated him so terribly...especially since he was one of the nicest people he had ever met. Of all the people in the world, Mike was the one who didn't deserve something like this...

"Monday morning, Rebecca tried to talk to me but I wanted nothing to do with her. That just made her even more angry and after class, she cornered me in the hallway and told me that I was hers and I better get used to it. After that day, I went and changed my major...just to get away from her. That's how I got into theater. I just wanted to go through a day without seeing her smirking face staring at me. It pissed her off though that I was no longer in history class and she used to lay in wait for me outside my dorm room just so she could 'walk with me' as she put it. I finally complained about her harrassment and they got her expelled.

She ambushed me the day she was to leave and told me it was not the end by any means. I just ignored her and went on and I can remember her behind me, screaming about how I would never get away from her. And that's the last I heard of her. I kept expecting her to come back and hurt me. But so far, there hasn't been any sign of her. I think she was just trying to scare me into staying with her. She figured since I was so shy, I could be bullied into submission. I showed her though..." Mike said proudly.

Eric nodded. He glanced at the clock and pointed it out to Mike. It was almost 5 AM now....

"Whoa, I better get going. We have to go out to Jersey to film that Salad Days segment." Mike said as he stood up. "You won't tell the others will you?" He asked nervously.

Eric shook his head...

"Nah, I don't think they'd believe it...even if I did tell them."

He put his hand on Mike's shoulder.

" Your secrets safe with me."

Mike grinned at him as he walked to the door. As Eric opened it, he passed through and turned to look at him...

"See ya later then?..."

Eric nodded and waved. As he shut the door, Eric leaned against it and smiled as he thought over the events of the past 12 hours. Sighing, he walked back into the bedroom and turned off the light...