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heyitsmetonid · 9 hours ago

Text

Word Count: 2,555

Reading Time: ~10m

Warning: Abduction. Suspense.

“Morning, Toni!”

“Morning, Uncle Eli,” I said sleepily.

“I’ve made some bacon and pancakes, and freshly squeezed orange juice is on the table.” He looks at his watch. “I have to run. I’ll pick you up after school, okay?”

“Alright.”

“I love you,” Uncle Eli said before kissing me on the forehead. “Have a good day at school, and please, learn something.” He laughed.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Love you, too,” I said, waving him off.

Uncle Eli grabbed his satchel and blazer and rushed out the door as I sat at the kitchen table. I put a few pancakes on my plate and reached for the bacon when I noticed the newspaper on the table.

“Ah, Uncle Eli!” I groaned, picking up the newspaper and running to the front door. By the time I reached the front yard, he had already pulled off and was on his way to work.

Uncle Eli worked at Wise University as an English professor, and every morning before he started his day, he’d drink a cup of coffee and read the newspaper. However, he’d have to find new reading material to go with his coffee this morning since he forgot all about it.

I trudged back inside, flinging the newspaper on the kitchen table, and flopped onto my seat. Then, I grabbed a nice helping of bacon, poured myself a glass of orange juice, and chowed down.

“Why does he always read the paper when he could just watch the news? Uncle Eli is so old,” I chuckled. “What’s in here anyway?”

Curiosity got the best of me, and I picked up the Wise Gazette newspaper. I flipped through the pages as I shoveled mouthfuls of pancakes and bacon into my mouth. I landed on the last page of the local news section.

“Ms. Mrytle’s dog is missing,” I mumbled. “Hmm! Snickers has been missing for a while, too. Hope no one’s snatched him up. Otherwise, he’s got himself a new -“

As I flipped to the next page, I found another newspaper stuffed between the pages of the Wise Gazette, the Richmond Dispatch.

“The Richmond Dispatch? I haven’t seen one of these since … since I was last there,” I uttered as memories flooded my memory. “What is this doing in here? Mmm ... what is Uncle Eli doing with a Richmond paper?”

I wasn’t sure why Uncle Eli had a newspaper from Richmond. Yes, we were from Richmond, but we hadn’t been there in ages. We no longer had family there, so we never visited. I thought maybe he just missed home like I did at times and felt nostalgic. So, I began flipping the pages of the Richmond Dispatch.

As I flipped through the local news, nothing sounded or looked familiar. It wasn’t a surprise. So many years passed, but for some reason, I was hoping that something would pop out at me. Anything to jog my memory and make me go, “Oh, I remember this!” or “Oh, wow! That’s still there!” But nothing like that happened.

I finally got to the last page of the local news, and as I scanned the section, my heart stopped. I dropped my fork on the table and harshly swallowed the bacon down. Just after missing pets were missing persons. There was only one person listed. The listing read as follows:

Antonia Clare Duff

Missing since June 9, 2004

Age: 14

Sex: Female

Height: unknown

Weight: unknown

Hair: Black

Eyes: Brown

Missing from: St. Paul’s Daycare

Report #: 20-621117

Circumstances: Antonia was last seen on June 9, 2004. She was waiting for her grandmother in front of the daycare in the parent pickup section when she suddenly disappeared. She was 4 years old then (see picture above). She is now 14 years old. Below is a picture of what she may look like now. If you have information about the whereabouts of this missing person, please contact the Richmond Police Department's Missing Persons Unit.

Special Message from Parents: Antonia, we love you. We hope you are okay, and if you see this, please know we’ve never stopped looking for you. Please come home! We miss you dearly.

“I … I’ve been missing? My parents are alive? What the fuck!”

I clutched the newspaper in my hands, and the tears began building up in my eyes when I heard a familiar sound coming from the driveway.

“Uncle Eli!”

I took the page of the missing persons, shoved it in my backpack, and folded the newspapers the way I found it. I shoveled a large piece of pancake into my mouth and pretended that I was scrolling through my social media just before Uncle Eli – or whoever he was – walked in.

“Ah! I was about halfway to the university when I realized I left this behind,” Uncle Eli said, grabbing the newspaper. “I wasn’t too far, so I decided to turn around.”

I nodded.

He studied my face for a moment. “Have you been crying?” he asked.

I shook my head and pointed to my phone. It was a clip of a bride walking down the aisle.

“So beautiful!” I said with my mouth full.

“Oh, boy! Haha! You get so emotional over the smallest things.” He petted my head, and it took everything in me not to jump away from his touch. “Try not to get yourself worked up before first period.”

“Will do!” I smiled.

The man who claimed to be my uncle gave me another kiss on the forehead and walked out the front door. I swallowed the pancake with some difficulty. My hands shook as I pushed my plate away. I ran over to the window to make sure Uncle Eli was gone again, and once he was, I whipped out the newspaper article. I read it over and over again.

“They survived. They didn’t die.” The tears welled up in my eyes. “He … he lied to me!” This time, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling.

For over 10 years, I believed that my parents had drowned when their cruise ship capsized after a smaller boat hit them head-on. They were celebrating their 6th year anniversary. The morning before they boarded the cruise, they dropped me off at my grandma’s house.

“Behave for Grandma, okay?” my mom told me.

“Okay!”

“We love you!”

They kissed and hugged me goodbye; that was the last time I saw them.

Two days later, at daycare, I was waiting on a bench in the pickup circle for my grandma to get me. The teachers were talking to a few of the parents who were there picking up their kids. Everything was normal. I just happened to look over toward the playground and saw Uncle Eli standing there by the fence. I waved at him, and he waved back. He put his finger to his lips and waved me over. I looked to see what my teachers were doing. They were still yapping with the parents. So, I jumped off the bench and quietly ran to the playground fence.

“Hi, Uncle Eli!”

“Hi, puddin’! How was daycare?”

“It was good. I’ve been learning to count and write my name,” I told him.

“Oh, that’s good. Real good,” he stated, his expression turning gloomy.

“What’s wrong, Uncle Eli?”

“Puddin’, I’ve got some awful news, but I can’t tell you here.”

“Why not?”

“Because I need to show you something. You’ll come with me? It’s important. I promise!”

“Mm! Grandma is supposed to pick me up, though,” I state with concern.

“I know, but she’s a little tied up right now, so she tasked me with picking you up today because of what’s happened.”

What happened? I thought it must be serious if Grandma sent Uncle Eli to get me. He only came to pick me up occasionally with my father.

“Okay. Let’s go,” I conceded.

“Alright, Puddin’,” Uncle Eli said with his hand extended.

I grabbed his hand, and we walked to his car. He put me in the child’s seat he already had in the backseat and buckled me in. We pulled off seconds later. Sometime later, we arrived at his house, and he turned on the news and showed me that the cruise ship my parents were on had sank. The reporter kept saying that many were dead and missing, and they were still looking for the bodies. I cried my eyes out. Uncle Eli comforted me and said that Grandma was too old to look after me long-term, so I was going to stay with him. Then, he told me that staying in Richmond was too painful because it reminded him of his brother and my mom. That’s when he told me he’d already packed my bags and we were moving to Wise, which I discovered much later was on the other side of Virginia.

Then, about three weeks after moving to Wise and asking about my grandma a billion times, he told me that she had died of natural causes. I cried even more. What family did I have left besides Uncle Eli? My heart was unbelievably shattered at the age of four.

However, now sitting at my abductor’s kitchen table, catching him in a lie about my parents, I wasn’t so sure my grandma died of natural causes. My brain was overwhelmed with questions. What happened on that ship? How did they make it out? When did they find out I was missing? Was Uncle Eli really related to my dad? Did they suspect him or someone else? What really happened to my grandma? I wanted all of these questions answered, but I knew I couldn’t get the answers here. So, I folded the newspaper neatly this time, put it back in my backpack, and headed towards the front door.

Out of instinct, I grabbed my keys from the key holder on the wall. I stopped myself and glanced at the keys. My house key, garage key, and spare key to my uncle’s cabin in Washington were attached to a glittery pride flag keychain he got for me shortly after I came out of the closet to him. He said it symbolized his undying love and that he'd always love me no matter who or what I was. I cringed at the thought.

I put the keys back on the hook and opened the door, but something stopped me from leaving. I looked back at the keys.

“Actually,” I snatched the keys, “I may need these later. I don’t need him suspecting me either if things don’t pan out. Uh! Where do I even begin?”

After a moment, I thought of my friend, who also happened to be my neighbor, and wondered if she had left for school yet. I locked the door behind me and sprinted two doors down to her house.

“Toni!” Sophia greeted me with a hug. “I thought you would’ve left by now. I was just about to leave myself.”

“Actually, Sophie, I thought I could talk to you for a second. I’ve got a really big problem, and I don’t want to be alone right now.”

Sophia nodded. “Oh, okay. Well, let’s walk and talk.”

She tried to walk through the door past me, but I held my arm out. She stopped and gave me a puzzled look.

“Sophie, we can’t talk about this out in the open,” I explained. “We have to talk about this inside. I can’t risk the wrong person overhearing us. This is serious.”

“What is going on?” Sophia questioned, pulling me inside and sitting on the living room sofa.

I pulled out the newspaper article and showed it to Sophia. Her eyes widened once they landed on the missing persons section. She looked at me and then back at the picture of 4-year-old me.

“Oh my god! That’s you! Well, your last name is different,” she mentioned, "but that's definitely you!"

I rubbed my temple. “Yeah, my uncle wanted us to have a fresh start, so we changed our last names once we got here.”

“Whoa! This is insane!” Sophia exclaimed, reading through the rest of the article. “Oh my – have you tried calling them?”

“No, I haven’t called anyone,” I answered. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“You don’t know what to say?!” Sophia looked dumbfounded. “Just say, ‘Hey! I’m the girl everyone is looking for.’ That’s what you say. Look! Your parents even have their number listed. Don’t you want to talk to them after all this time?”

I followed Sophia’s finger on the page, and sure enough, my parents�� number was listed beneath the police department’s number.

Growing up in a completely different setting from Richmond gave me a physical disconnect from what I once knew. The house I once lived in. The daycare I attended. My grandmother. My parents. It all seemed nonexistent and out of reach once Uncle Eli and I started fresh in a new town, but now that all changed. Right in front of me in ink was a sure way to reconnect with the parents I missed dearly.

“Toni,” Sophia gently called my name. “Hey, earth to Toni.”

“Wha-?” The shock was finally getting to me.

“Hey! You’re zoning out on me. Listen to the sound of my voice. That’s right. Take some deep breaths. In,” Sophia inhaled, “and out,” she exhaled.

Together, we did this simple breathing exercise until she felt I was cognizant enough to follow the conversation again.

“Good now?” Sophia asked.

“Yeah, for now anyway,” I said.

“So … what do you want to do?”

Honestly, I knew I had to reach out to the authorities and let them know who I was and what had happened. I knew I had to get away from Uncle Eli and snitch on the guy who had been taking care of me for ten years. I knew what I had to do but hadn’t thought about what I wanted to do. Yet, as soon as the question was posed, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

“I want to hear my mom and dad’s voice,” I whispered.

Sophia nodded. “Okay, let’s give them a call.”

I reached for my phone and started dialing the number, but Sophia snatched the phone from me halfway through.

“What the hell!” I yelled.

“Not on your phone!” she advised. “Use mine instead. Just in case Uncle Whatever-the-fuck-his-real-name-is checks your logs. Weirdos like him usually have crazy habits, you know.”

“Oh,” I said. “Good thinking.”

I nervously pushed the numbers on the keypad, and my hands shook as I stared at the number on the screen. “I’m so nervous. What if they don’t think it’s me? What if they don’t answer? What if ….”

Sophia looked at me while she considered my concerns. Then, she said, “If someone I loved was missing, and I was looking for them for a very long time, I’d try my best not to miss a single phone call because one of those phone calls could lead me back to them. So, yeah, they may not believe you, or they may not answer, but I highly doubt that. Someone’s bound to answer.”

I was thanking the universe that I had such a great friend in Sophia. So, with her encouragement, I pressed dial. The phone rang forever.

Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!

“Hello?”

Author's Note: When I saw this prompt, I knew I just had to write this. It took me a while to actually get it done, but voila! Thank you for taking the time to read this, and as always, comments, likes, and reblogs are welcome.

Toni D

Visit my bookshelf to read more!

Credit for dividers to @cafekitsune 💜🖤🩷

You, 14 years old, wake up and head to the kitchen for breakfast before school. While you're eating you see the newspaper and glance at the missing kids section. It’s you. Date missing: 10 years ago.

#hey Toni #the bookshelf #suspense #prompt #writeblr #black writer #black blogger #writing community #spilled ink #writing prompt #creative writing

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heyitsmetonid · 8 days ago

Text

Word Count: ~4,376

Reading Time: 17.5m

Warning: Foul language. Mention of attempted r&pe. Slavery.

More works here!

As a host of a top-rated talk show, “I Was There,” I often rehearsed my lines and reviewed my note cards. Preparedness is crucial in this line of work. You never know what will happen or what someone will say, which may steer the direction of the show. Sometimes, I let the topic veer off just to address what happened or was said. Other times, I have to reel it in. Regardless of what occurs, I always get back on track to keep things organized and timely.

This particular night was like any other night. I was in my office reviewing my notes when a knock came to the door.

“Hey, Toni! Our guest is here,” my assistant Eddie said.

“Great! I’ll be there in a moment. Offer them a nice … refreshment,” I instructed.

I always felt weird saying that. “Offer them a nice refreshment.” The fact that the company kept fresh blood on hand for guests was surprising and disturbing. I tried not to think of it too much and instead stood from my desk and walked over to the full-length mirror, giving myself a once over.

“Alright, chick,” I began giving myself a pep talk, “you’ve got this. Another vampire, another story. No pressure. Let’s see what this one has to say.”

I walked out of my office and towards the guest dressing room with a pep in my step and determination in my heart. I always wanted to improve and make the next show better than the last. This show, I thought, would be legendary. I could feel it in my bones.

I arrived at the dressing room and knocked. “Hello? It’s me -”

“Yes, come in,” said a voice within. “I’ve been expecting you.”

I opened the door and found an attractive, tall man sitting in the makeup chair, wearing a makeup cape and a bright smile on his face. His beard and hair were neatly trimmed. He wore a black leather jacket, black pants, and a nice blue shirt with a sparkly dark-colored scarf. A silver necklace adorned his neck with what looked like two ruby crystals. Despite the makeup artist putting whatever amount of makeup on his ethereal face, I could tell that his skin was flawless. Actually, I’ve never met a vampire who didn’t have flawless skin, so I didn’t understand why there was a makeup budget for guests.

“Mr. Jackson! I’m Toni D. It’s very nice to meet you,” I greeted him with my hand extended.

He took my warm hand into his cold one and gently squeezed it as if not to break me. His touch was inviting and almost magnetic, like a bond was being made through this handshake. For some odd reason, being near him nearly felt natural.

“Please, call me Silas,” he insisted, placing his other hand over mine, thus encapsulating my hand between his giant ones. “There’s no need to be so formal.”

The way he looked at me made my face catch fire. I had a hard time staring this beautiful man in the face, but I held onto the little professionalism I could find to not fluster and break eye contact.

“Alright. Silas, it is. How are you feeling tonight?”

“Like I’ve hit the jackpot,” he said, smiling and caressing my hand. “Tonight is undoubtedly one of the best nights of my life.”

“Oh! Is being on my show that important to you?” I asked, glancing at my hand momentarily, then back into his mesmerizing brown eyes.

Silas grinned. “Not the show but someone.”

I couldn't help but blush, feeling slightly embarrassed. I tried to recover as quickly as possible by smiling brightly again.

“Ah, okay!” I responded and looked down at my hand, which was still in both of his. “Is my hand keeping yours warm?”

He chuckled and let go of my hand. “Ah, I’m sorry about that! I am just thrilled to have finally met you.”

“No worries! I’ll step out and let Celeste finish your makeup, and I’ll see you on stage,” I said with a wink.

Silas stared at me, tilting his head slightly, and smirked. “See you then.”

I said farewell to Celeste and stepped out of the room gently shutting the door behind me. Then, I ran to the bathroom and rushed over to the sink. I splashed some water on my face and studied myself in the mirror. Since I’d washed some of the makeup off my face, I could see my face was flushed. I could feel the blood rushing through my veins, and my heartbeat was so loud I was afraid he could hear it.

“Calm yourself,” I panted. “What’s gotten into you? He’s not the first vampire - or handsome guy - you’ve interviewed. Get it together.”

I snatched a few paper towels from the dispenser to dry my face. Then, I headed to my makeup artist’s station so she could reapply my makeup.

“Alright, Mr. Jackson,” Celeste said, looking over his face, “I think we are done here. Just allow me to put my makeup away and I’ll take you to the director backstage.”

“Thank you, Celeste! Marvelous job!”

Celeste grinned from ear to ear. “Oh, you’re most welcome!”

Silas smiled back. At that moment, he quickly turned his attention toward the door, then toward what he understood to be panting. She was panting, and her heart was racing. He started to rise from his seat to check on her, but he thought it was best not to, fearing he’d expose himself.

So, he held onto the armrests of his chair tightly, metal collapsing under his grip, and he closed his eyes and focused on the sound of her heart. After about a minute, her heart rate slowed and her breathing started evening out.

“That a girl,” he whispered as he loosened his grip on the chair.

“What was that?” Celeste asked giddily.

Silas glanced at Celeste and rubbed his hands together. “Oh, nothing! I was just thinking of Toni. She is quite charming.”

“Oh.” Celeste’s smile faltered a bit with the realization that Silas’s attention was on someone else. “Yes, she’s something else,” she said dryly, putting away the last of her tools.

Silas gave Celeste a sympathetic smile and clasped his hands together as he waited for her to finish cleaning her area.

Yes, more than you’ll ever know. So charming with that little wink of hers. He used to do the same, too.

The bright lights shined onto the stage and illuminated us as we sat across from each other in our comfy armchairs. The director stood behind the cinematographer as he did his countdown. Then, the red light lit up on the camera, and that’s when I knew it was time.

“Hey! It’s me, Toni D, and thank you for tuning into yet another episode of “I Was There”. Tonight, I have a very special guest with me. One who has been in the Richmond area for a very long time and has witnessed many things that I certainly could never fathom. Please, help me give a big welcome to Mr. Silas Jackson!”

The audience applauded and cheered. Silas waved at them and nodded towards me.

“Thank you for having me, Toni,” he said, expressing his gratitude. “I absolutely love the show and what you’ve done with it.”

“Ah, thank you so much! You are so kind, Mr. - I mean – Silas! Hehe!” I blushed, almost totally forgetting the fact that he preferred I refer to him by his first name. “So, let’s get into it, shall we?”

“Let’s,” he nodded.

“How long have you been in Richmond?”

“Since birth.”

“Since birth,” I repeated. “And when were you born?”

“March 3, 1750.”

“Wow! That’s almost 275 years ago,” I stated. “Tell me, what was life like back then? Any childhood memories that stand out?”

Silas hummed as he thought of a response. “Well, life was certainly much more drab then. Quite honestly, it was horrendous. I was born a slave, and as soon as I was able to stand steadily on my own two feet and walk properly, I was put to work. While most people today spent their childhoods on playgrounds or in school, I spent mine in the tobacco fields, and it was laborious. Clearing the land for the crop took a long time. After that was done, I prepared the seedbeds in January. It was freezing! I barely had enough clothes on my back to keep me warm. The only thing that probably kept me from freezing to death then was the work that kept me moving.”

“That’s awful,” I muttered.

“Yes, it was. That’s why I was determined to get away, and I did. I escaped when I was 20 years old.”

I was surprised to hear this. “Really? How?”

“In the dead of night. I saw an opportunity and took it. One of the slavers had come to my quarters to … claim me …,” he said with a wrinkle on his brow, “but I was stronger than him. Working in the fields did grace me with that gift. I was able to pin him down and snap his neck. He carried a pistol on him. I took it along with his boots and coat and ran north. I knew I had to head in that direction. After what seemed to be weeks, I found myself in Philadelphia. There, I found the Quakers, promoters of abolition before the first radical society of abolition was created in 1784. They hid me. Helped me.”

I released a breath that I didn’t even realize I was holding. His account of events thus far had me overwhelmingly absorbed. It was always tough to hear Black and Brown people’s accounts of the past, but by the end of the interviews, I was always glad that they were willing to share it. Their stories needed to be told, just like Silas Jackson’s.

“Once you were in Philadelphia, what did you do?” I asked.

“I survived,” he simply put with a resolute gaze, “and I lived one day at a time.”

The audience applauded him and spoke many words of encouragement. I followed suit.

“Such bravery! I don’t know if I could’ve done it myself.”

“Of course you could,” he told me. “When your life and freedom are at stake, you will do what is necessary.”

I gave him a warm smile. “Yes, I suppose you are right. How long did you stay in Philadelphia?”

“I was only there six months before I had to leave,” he answered.

“You had to leave? For what reason?”

“My mother died. I wanted to bury her body and give her a proper funeral. I wanted to say my final goodbye.”

“Oh my! I’m sorry! I completely understand, but tell me,” I sat up straight, “how did you hear of your mother’s death?”

“One of the Quakers, Mr. Mott, was keeping tabs on any news coming out of Richmond and the surrounding areas. He wanted to make sure no one was hot on my trail or knew of my whereabouts. He also had someone close to Mr. Jackson, my old enslaver, who would report back to him. That’s how I found out, and with that news, I headed back.”

“With help, of course, from this informant?” I questioned.

“Yes, and a few others. He got me in and out of Richmond safely. He orchestrated everything perfectly. I almost felt like a free man walking about as I did. After laying my mother to rest, I returned to Philadelphia, but only stayed for a few days. I was ready to go.”

At this point, I didn’t know whether to ask him about the man who assisted him or why he left Philadelphia. Both questions needed to be asked, but as if he could read my mind, he answered one of the questions for me.

With a smile, he said, “I left Philadelphia because I got a taste of what it was like being a free man, and I wanted to actually live as a free man.”

“Were you not a free man in Philadelphia?”

“Not looking over my shoulder every five minutes, no.”

“And you weren’t afraid of being captured and killed?”

“Of course, but determination got the best of me, so I went back to get my freedom and help others get theirs, too.”

Needless to say, I was enthralled. Never had I met anyone who escaped slavery and was willing to go back to where they escaped to live openly. It was a bold move, and I needed to know how he did it.

“How did you do that?”

He stared at me for a moment. I could see the wheels turning in his head trying to figure out what to say and how to say it. He smirked at me, and I could see he was having fun with this.

“My newfound friend helped me,” he finally said.

“Mmm!” I nodded. “Care to share this friend’s name?”

“Duff. Lord William Duff.”

I froze.

William Duff? No, no way! He can’t be talking about -

Yes, that is precisely who I’m talking about, a voice not my own echoed in my head.

I looked around at the audience, the director, and the cameraman before my gaze landed on Silas, who had been staring at me now with a grin on his face. Out of nervousness, I licked my lips and bit my bottom lip.

Cat caught your pretty little tongue, Miss Duff? he asked telepathically.

“W-what?”

“You asked my friend’s name, and I said Lord William Duff,” he answered.

The cat indeed caught my tongue. I wasn’t sure how to follow up. Was he messing with me? Lying to me? Or was he really telling the truth? Because even though it seemed like he was toying with me, William Duff was alive and living in Richmond during the time he described.

“Psst! Psst! Toni!” a hushed voice called from backstage.

I turned to the curtain and saw my producer and my assistant trying to egg me on. So, I cleared my throat in an attempt to regain my composure and asked another question.

“So, this friend of yours,” it was hard for me to say my distant relative’s name, “how exactly did you meet him, and how did he help you?”

Silas smirked as his eyes sparkled and grew slightly redder, the tint swirling in his irises like glitter. “I met him through another Quaker, John Woolman. He lived in New Jersey but traveled through Virginia, Maryland, and Philadelphia, often seeing firsthand the devastation my - our - people were going through.” He pointed between us. “During one of his travels, he met a man named William Duff, a freed Black man, roaming Richmond ‘without a care in the world’ were his words. Haha! He told me he had to meet him and know just how he was able to do that and find out he did indeed. The power that man wielded was extraordinary, and I wanted a piece of it.”

I was starting to see where things were headed, and as much as I didn’t like it, I had to keep the show moving. I certainly didn’t want to cause mass panic among the audience or start panicking outwardly until everything was in the clear, and I got my Black ass out of there.

“Power? William Duff?” I asked breathily, barely able to form sentences at this point.

“Oh, yes! My maker was one of the first to take a stake in Virginia and overseas. Solidified his lordship in England and came back to the States to live lavishly and fight the antiabolitionists. And I fought alongside him, of course. Even fought together during the American Civil War about 100 years later. He gave me everything I needed to become the man that I am today. I am so grateful to him.”

I slowly nodded. “Uh-huh.”

Yes, I am grateful for what your 11th-generation great-grandfather did for me.

I shuddered. Fucking hell! But then, a question came to mind.

“Is he still around?”

Silas frowned. “No.”

“Where did he go? Did something happen to him?”

“Something did happen to him, but …” he looked away from me to the audience and back into my eyes, “perhaps I shouldn’t talk about it. It is all in the past after all.”

“But, Silas, we’re here to talk about the past,” I reminded him. “You’ve spoken so candidly thus far. What’s stopping you now? What are you hiding?”

He tilted his head, and the corner of his lip curled up. “Hiding? I have no need.”

He was lying, and I could tell, and he knew I could tell he was lying. Whatever happened to my 11th-generation great-grandfather, I wanted to know about it. Before I could press him any further, he spoke to me.

We are due for a break, aren’t we? Let’s get away from prying eyes and ears, and I will tell you what you want to know.

Alright, I agreed.

“I have to admit you’ve piqued my interest. I want to know more right after we take a commercial break.”

The audience clapped, and I motioned for us to go backstage. Silas followed me as I walked toward my office.

“Hey! Where are you going? You can’t go too far from the stage! The commercial break will be over before you know it,” my assistant Eddie called out.

“Don’t worry! We’ll be back in just a moment,” I said, closing my office door behind me.

Being alone in a room with a vampire who was being secretive about my lineage’s past was not the best idea, but I needed privacy. It’s not every day one discovers they’re a descendant of a vampire, and I thought it was best to keep that information off national television. At least until I knew all the facts. I had so many questions.

I faced the handsome fellow standing before me with his hand clasped behind his back, his chest puffed out, and a shit-eating grin on his face. Silas acted like he was playing a game and winning. I was determined to change that.

“I don’t even know where to begin,” I finally spoke.

Silas took in a deep breath and exhaled. “Well, I find that asking the first question that comes to mind usually helps.”

“Why did you come here?” This question had been on my mind ever since he brought up my distant relative.

Silas smiled. “I came here for you.”

“Me?” I started backing away slowly afraid of what he meant by that. “What do you want from me?”

“You and your blood.” He was straightforward.

And I was scared.

However, before I could scream or even think of running, he said, “Not in the way you’re thinking, Toni. No! I’m not here to hurt you.” He waved his hand as if to dismiss the horrific thoughts that had invaded my mind. “I need your help to continue our legacy.”

“Our legacy? We don’t have anything, and I certainly don’t have a legacy - do I?” I was so sure, but then I quickly realized that I didn’t actually know any of the facts. “How do I know what you said out there is true? What are you talking about, Silas?”

“You’re the 11th generation great-grandchild of my maker, Lord William Duff. His blood courses through my veins as well as yours. Although yours is much more pure and genetically bonded than mine.”

“You could be making that up for all I know. 11th-generation great-grandchild of a vampire!” I said animatedly waving my hands around. “Nowhere in my family’s records does it say or even suggest that we are something other than human. Also, Silas, vampires cannot conceive, so I’m having a hard time believing you.”

“Your family wasn’t going to keep records because it was a risk,” Silas said, approaching me and trying to convince me. “Not only does power come with a tremendous amount of prosperity and responsibility, it also comes with enemies, and William had plenty. Keeping his offspring’s true identities a secret was the best way to keep them safe. And you’re right. Vampires cannot conceive, but humans can.”

“Ha! Yeah, right!” I laughed in his face. “The only thing I need protection from are these deceitful half-truths you’re spewing. Yes, I am a descendant of William Duff, his grandchild, but he is nothing more than that. A descendant.”

I started towards the door. “We’ll continue the interview as if nothing happened. Once it’s over, we don’t have to see each other again.”

I placed my hand on the doorknob and turned it but paused when he began asking me a series of questions.

“Have you ever caught a cold? Broken a bone? Perhaps you got a paper cut, and moments later, the skin healed as if you had never cut yourself. Hm? Have you ever wondered why you haven’t suffered from any ailments like your friends and colleagues?”

I let go of the doorknob and looked over my shoulder. “I’ve been real careful my whole life."

“Ah! Now, who’s the one lying?” He laughed.

It was true. Besides the occasional cut, I have never been sick or gotten hurt, but it always healed amazingly fast. I just thought that’s how it was for me and my family. That’s just how things were. Silas got me thinking, and I reluctantly pulled myself away from the door to hear what else he had to say. I turned to face him once more.

“Toni, my dear,” said Silas, tapping his necklace three times. Ting! Ting! Ting! “I would not lie about this. I would not lie to you.”

What I thought was once before rubies or some kind of red stone on his necklace started swirling in the settings of his necklace. I watched in awe. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the sight.

“What I say is true.” Ting! Ting! Ting! “So, please believe me, my dear Antonia Clare Duff -” Ting! Ting! Ting! “- that when I say we must save our legacy, I am telling the truth. Our bond is special. Unbreakable even.” Ting! Ting! Ting! “Isn’t that right, Antonia?”

I nodded mindlessly. It felt as if I was in a daze or a fog of intoxication and ecstasy, and my body felt relaxed and light. I was wholly focused on Silas.

“Look me in the eyes, my sweet baby, and tell me that you believe me,” he instructed.

“I believe you,” I said.

“Good!” His eyes were bloodshot red now, and his claws were protracted. “Come to me. Come to me now,” he beckoned in his deep voice.

Without moving a muscle, I started levitating toward Silas right into his arms. He held me so tenderly and caressed my face.

“I’m so glad I found you. Now, I can finally have the one thing that’s been missing in my life.” Silas kissed my forehead and looked lovingly into my eyes. “You are so beautiful. You will make a fine bride, Antonia Clare Duff.”

Dozens of police cars and unmarked cars surrounded the broadcasting studio. Their strobe lights illuminated the area as police taped off the surrounding area and created a perimeter. A few canines searched the outside as well as indoors for the missing individuals.

“When was the last time you saw Miss Duff?” an officer asked Eddie.

“The last time I saw her she was in her office with that fucking creep,” he said, running his hands through his thinning black hair. “God knows where he’s taken her or what he’s done with her. Fucking hell!”

The officer jotted down what Eddie said. “We’ll do all that we can to find her. She hasn’t been missing for over an hour, so we should be able to track them down.”

Eddie scoffed. “You act like she just strolled out of here arm in arm with Joe Schmo off the street or a member of the audience. She’s been kidnapped by a damn vampire! Not sure if you know this or not, but they have inhuman super abilities. If he doesn’t want to be found, it’s very likely you won’t find them until he’s done with her.”

“I … I was just trying to be positive, sir. I do understand your frustrations,” the officer told Eddie.

“Yeah, I know,” Eddie said defeatedly. “Are we done here?”

“Sure, but don’t go too far,” the officer answered.

Eddie nodded and walked over to the studio entrance to have a semi-quiet moment on the steps. When he reached the entrance, he found a tall man wearing a neat, straightforward, all-black suit and silver jewelry. He looked a little out of place.

“Can I help you?” Eddie asked.

“Yes,” the stranger smiled. “I am looking for Toni D. Last time I checked, she worked here,” he said, looking at the spectacle around him.

“Uh, yeah, but she’s not here right now. If you haven’t noticed, we’re all looking for her.”

“What’s happened?” the stranger asked, concern etched deeply across his face.

Eddie looked the strange man up and down. “She’s missing.”

“What?!”

“I said she’s missing.”

Oh, dear! I'm too late, the man thought. "Was Silas Jackson here around the time of her disappearance, by any chance?”

“Y-yeah! He was the guest tonight. What do you know?”

The stranger cursed under his breath. “I know that she is in danger,” he answered Eddie, turning on his heel to walk away.

“Wait a minute!” Eddie hollered after him. “If you know something, you need to tell the police. Hey! Where are you going? Stop!”

“The police can’t save her,” said the stranger over his shoulder, “but I can.”

“And who the hell do you think you are?” Eddie asked, scoffing at the man.

The stranger stopped and looked back at Eddie, who was waiting for an answer. The stranger gave a small smile and said, “A relative that hasn’t seen Toni in a long time.”

Eddie cocked his head in confusion. He had believed that Toni’s family was small and most of them were dead.

The stranger didn’t want to continue the conversation, so he bid Eddie farewell. “Goodnight,” he said with a wink and walked away.

Author’s Note: My first historical/vampire fic! Wow! Never did I imagine that I’d write a historical fiction, let alone a vampire one. I did some research for this one so that I wasn’t making up everything. Citations are below. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and as always, comments, likes, and reblogs are welcome.

Citations

Google.com

Lots of vampire “facts” and lore

https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/virginia-society-for-promoting-the-abolition-of-slavery-the/

Abolitionists, abolition societies

https://www.nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/tobacco-colonial-cultivation-methods.htm

Tobacco facts

https://genealogyresources.org/Richmond_City_surnames.html

Common last names in VA

https://web.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/speccoll/quakersandslavery/commentary/people/woolman.php

John Woolman, NJ abolitionist

Toni D

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