*A Hollywood Romance

Intro: I am behind on my NaNoWriMo so I am posting a revision of a story I wrote last year. Hopefully you can see an improvement and hopefully you still enjoy it.

Kirkpatrick turned off the television in disgust and threw the remote onto the couch next to him. Once again, Hollywood had taken a perfectly good monster and made it loveable. Werewolves, aliens, mutants, vampires, what was next? Two headed monsters with three arms? Nope. Never mind. That had been done too.

“If you’re bored why don’t you take a walk?” Gladys said leaning over the back of the couch and picking up the remote. She turned the television back on. “I’m going to finish the show.”

“You already know how it’s going to end.” Kirkpatrick said as he stood up and brushed at an impeccable shirt sleeve. “The tragic but amazing man will beat all possible odds against his own character and choose true love over nature.”

“But I can always hope,” she replied sitting in the recently vacated seat her eyes already glued to the flickering screen. They had been together for quite some time and he still didn’t get her.

He left the mansion and the blasted television. It was a misty evening and he could hear drops pattering against the dark leaves. Even though the house was located in the middle of the forest there were no animal noises of any kind. Just how he liked it.

The walk into town was uneventful. He would just stop in, take a quick bite and then head back home. At Main Street two women approached him. Though neither of them was completely sober, they could still walk in a fairly straight line and knew the alphabet.

“Hello, hot stuff,” one purred. “What are you up to tonight?”

He pursed his lips and regarded the women. The one who was more sober stared at him with wide eyes.

“Red eyes, white skin. What are you?” The bottle fell loosely from her hands a she scrambled away.

“Vampire?” The other one breathed, ignoring her friend’s hasty retreat. “Even hotter.”

Really?

Kirkpatrick waited for the next line which was always “But your hair is red.” He took great pride as a Scotsman. No one ever appreciated his ginger hair though because it wasn’t Hollywood.

“Will you please go on a date with me?” She clutched his arm tightly and looked up at him through her lashes. “Pluh-ease?”

No one had ever asked him out on a date before. He pulled out of her grasp and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “A chance at true love?” He asked.

“It would be epic,” she replied. “I’m—Faith.”

“And I’m Charles,” he replied flatly. A quick look at her driver’s license would reveal her true name but he didn’t care enough to even try.

“What a grand name.” She latched onto his arm again and tried to pull him towards a building. Her efforts were futile.

He slowly walked towards the building and paused at the door as she threw it open. He remained where he was as she dashed in. After a moment she came back.

“Aren’t you coming?”

Blast Hollywood. They make real vampires seem so drab.

“I don’t really feel invited,” he replied.

“Of course you’re invited, silly. Come in and have a drink.”

After twenty minutes he thought about vanishing into the night. This wasn’t nearly as fun as he hoped it would be. His date kept switching vocabulary. Some words came straight out of an eighteenth-century romance novel, no, probably not the books but the Hollywood knockoffs. Other times she spoke the meaningless jabber with her friends that mimicked their own written abilities. It gave him a headache. Despite her pathetic ability to keep him entertained, he kept his outlook bright. It would be worth it, in the end.

For the next four hours she paraded him around the town inviting him in to all the local hangouts. She offered him drinks but he always politely declined and ushered her on to the next place when she looked like she was getting too friendly with the beverages. At his urging they visited some dozen buildings Kirkpatrick had never set foot in before. Though he reeked of alcohol and cheap perfume, he was in a good mood. He rubbed his teeth with his tongue gauging the girl as they walked down the sidewalk.

“Wow, it’s nearly four and I’m not smashed. That’s a first.” She pulled away from him for a moment and spun in a circle on the sidewalk looking up at the few twinkling stars.

“Faith,” Kirkpatrick called. She didn’t respond. “Faith.”

“What? Who — oh. Yes,” she replied skipping back towards him.

“How about a walk in the park?”

“Will you protect me, Charles?” she asked, fluttering her eyelashes again.

“From all but the scariest of monsters,” he replied taking her arm and patting her hand.

They walked into the forest, away from the lights and noise of the city. He led her to a large tree and which stood at the edge of a still pond. Smoothly, with a smile playing across his lips, he pushed her back against the tree and could hear her heart beating rapidly.

“I owe you my thanks,” he said leaning closer, his cold breath in her ear.

“Why?” She nearly collapsed into him.

“Because you’ve invited me so many places I couldn’t go before.” His sharp teeth sunk into her soft neck. His mouth filled with the iron liquid, the only beverage he’d been craving all night. She struggled for a moment but it was simple to pin her back against the tree as he continued to feast.

“Let me go —” she faltered her eyes wide. Her life drained out.

Good, she was sober enough to realize what a fool she was. Her flesh flushed from the evenings activities now lay skeletal on the ground as he wiped his mouth. The night remained devoid of sounds as he smiled and crouched down next to her head.

“Was that epic enough?” He chuckled.

Her body made no splash as it slid into the pond. He whistled to himself as he strolled home still relishing the taste of her terror at his betrayal. The stars faded slowly in the sky, foretelling dawn.

Gladys looked up briefly as he sat down on the couch next to her. She’d put in another movie, but this one didn’t appear any different than the hundreds of others. It was late but in the basement, they didn’t have to worry about the sun reaching them.

“You know,” he said, moving closer to her. “Hollywood may not be completely daft.”