Being Human by Patricia Lynne Page B

human you put down, mocked and hurt doesn't want me to.”
    Justin gasped, the air whooshing out of his lungs as I slammed him against the wall again. The girl screamed when I appeared in front of her. I pinched her chin, brushing my lips against hers. “Let's see what the humans at school will think of you now,” I whispered and disappeared.
    I watched from the roof as the humans flew from the cabin, feet thudding as they ran to their cars. The one I kissed sobbed as she was half-carried, half-dragged to the cars. Justin appeared last, grumbling as he climbed into a car.
    “Gonna come back when the sun's up with shovels and chains, dig it up and watch it burn to ash.”
    “You wish,” I quietly hissed as the cars drove away.
    Another home tainted.
     
    ****
     
     
    Bright lights illuminated the streets in a sun-like glow. Where the lights didn't reach, darkness gathered like pools. A group of humans ventured down the streets, staying in the light. Their voices echoed, bouncing loudly off the brick walls. Their strides were slow and casual – in no hurry.
    “Hey, I got an idea,” one blurted out, his greasy hair hanging over his thin, pimple-covered face, obscuring his eyes. “Why don't we break into the principal's office? I bet he has all the confiscated drugs and porno mags stashed in there.”
    “No,” the one in the middle sighed. “I don't want to get in trouble with my aunt and uncle.”
    A tall and thin human gave the one in the middle a shove, propelling himself backwards in the process. “Come on, Dan, you're always using that excuse. Be adventurous for once.”
    “It's the truth, Aunt Dee will crap kittens if I get in trouble again.”
    “Again?” a short, stocky human asked.
    He seemed uneasy, shifting at the attention that hadn't bothered him before, eyes quickly looking around for a distraction. “We should do something, though.”
    The thin human stretched his limbs and yawned. “No, you're right. I need to get home before Mom throws a hissy fit. She needs to chill.”
    “I should probably head home too,” the pimple-covered human sighed, wiping the hair out of his eyes.
    “Yeah,” the short, stocky human agreed in a sad voice. He looked over, pausing. “Whatcha staring at, Dan?”
    He didn’t answer and all eyes followed his, their whispers filling the air.
    “Dude, is that a?”
    “No, it can't be.”
    “It's gotta be a costume.”
    “It's not.”
    Their eyes turned back to him. He smiled, a knowing look in his eyes.
    It had taken two months of searching, fanning out and scouring the nearby towns. Each night I searched, putting off hunting as long as possible. I even procrastinated finding a safe place to rest, opting to bury myself wherever when the sun rose. I knew that one night I'd find him or he'd find me.
    I smiled back.
    “It's smiling,” the short, stocky human whispered.
    “Dude, it's gonna kill us,” the thin human replied.
    “I doubt that,” my brother snorted and their eyes turned back to him.
    “Is it just me or does it look–” the pimple-covered human started.
    “It's gone!” The thin human pointed to the spot I had been standing.
    “I can't believe it, a real vampire! What’s it doing here? People know to stay inside after dark,” the short, stocky human gasped.
    The pimple-covered human cast a nervous glance at the others. “Except us. I don’t know about you guys, but I forgot my torch at home.”
    “You guys are paranoid, vampires don’t attack crowds.” My brother stretched and yawned as he walked away from my hiding spot. I felt his relief as he left me, mirroring my own. Like a whisper in the back of my mind, I swore I heard his voice, It's about time .
    I silently agreed.
     
     

Part Two: Friendship

    My brother held out the brown bottle, his arm wavering. “Take a drink.”
    I shook my head, lips pressed together.
    “Come on, take a drink.”
    “Why?”
    “Because I want to know if you can,” he sighed.
    I leaned away from the