Paris, Place des Ternes, March 23th 2008

4PM. In a rocking chair, an old man reads a newspaper. The sun makes his white hair sparkle. The phone rings. He answers it, cursing internally as his fingers joints ache.

"Hello, it's me."

"Me who ?"

"Your grand daughter... Happy birthday gramps."

"You're late."

"Only one day. I'm sorry I've been so busy those days."

"Oh I know you are, you never call me. Except for my birthday. You don't even have the decency to ask for money directly, you ask your mother to call me. So that makes 3 calls a year."

"Gramps please don't start..."

"I'm old enough to do what I want you spoiled brat !"

"I'm 35, I'm not a brat anymore, your memory..."

"Oh you'd like that ! To put me in a resting home ! To manage my money !"

"Just go to hell you and your..."

The old man has already hung down the phone. He remembers the cute little girl who wanted him to tell her stories. She grew up and used to insult him each time they met. Teen age, her mother said. It will get better. But a definitive gap was created. He was too reactionary for her, too resistant to change, too much in the past. The stories she used to love were like a coffin she had abandoned him into. His daughter slowly began to share her daughter's opinion. Until that point of no return, when he never talked to them anymore. Life could be worse, but he sometimes wondered if it was worth it. Before family mutual aid was natural. Now it seems to him the notion of family ceased to exist. That his heart is dead, that he is like one of the living dead, waiting for death as the final relief, but still fearing it.

8PM. In his bed, the old man tries to sleep. Those stupid youngsters are making far too much noise outside. He finally falls asleep.

9:00PM. One of "those stupid youngsters" is ringing the bell. The old man curses while opening the door. He pulls a face at the young man, smelling alcohol, smoke, and something else he can't identify.

"I hope we aren't disturbing you ? We are having a little party."

"I don't care as long as you turn down the volume !"

"Oh certainly, certainly... Can I borrow a corkscrew ?"

"Drink water ! answers the old man, shutting the door."

After a sigh, he goes back to bed, but his sleep gets interrupted, again. A youngster asks him for a plate, another for his rocking-chair, another for condoms. They are so irritating. He is thinking of calling the police. When he hears again that irritating noise. It's a young man, again. With a serious face, distinguished clothes and a good posture. He doesn't smell alcohol, nor smoke, but that strange smell... The man shows him his arm, there is blood on it.

"Please excuse me for ringing so late, but my other neighbours are too busy partying to answer the bell. May I ask for a bandage, please ? "

"Oh these youngsters, they're only interested in binge-drinking. When I was young, it wasn't like this."

"I can only agree with such a wise statement."

"Please come in, I don't want you to put blood on my doormat, even if you're the most polite young man I've met in this building !"

"Thank you sir", the man says with a smile.

"Follow me !"

"You seemed preoccupied when I rang. Can I do something for you ?"

"These youngsters kept on asking me stupid things. There's something fishy about them. "

"Oh certainly. But it was a mere bet."

"A bet ?"

"To see who would be able to get invited in your flat. We can't enter if you don't invite us."

"What ?"

The old man tries to turn back, but it's too late. He's bleeding. He feels life is leaving him. The other man laughs and wipes his lips. It was so easy, that old grumpy man was younger than him but he was so easy to understand. The vampire's thoughts are a bit messy. Is it possible to get drunk with blood ? Maybe drinking old blood is like drinking old wine for a human after all... Still laughing, without really realising what he is doing, he feeds the old man with his blood and falls asleep near him.

March 24th 2008, 9AM

The old man wakes up feeling uneasy. Certainly because he never wakes up so late. He is lying on the kitchen's floor and doesn't understand why. Near him is a sleeping young man, basking in the morning light. He is sparkling like the man in that stupid vampire movie his great-grand-daughter forced him to watch. Before vampires were really scary. Hammer's black and white movies used to be a good way to get a scared girl in one's arms... Wait a minute. They are both naked. What happened last night ? His heart is aching. Oh no, not now...

9:02 AM

The old man wakes up. His heart isn't aching any more. That's why he always says nowadays doctors aren't competent. He just had a heart failure but he feels OK now. No need to take all these pills with breakfast. He puts on a dressing gown and proceeds to wake up the young man. He will hear what he has to say, and call the police later. He grumbles about "those useless young drug addicts" while tapping the boy's chest with the leg of a wooden chair. Unfortunately, the vampire rises too quickly due to his vampire reflexes and thus gets impaled by the chair's foot.

"What have you done ?"

"Nothing at all, I just tried to wake you up. Youngsters are always in a hurry nowadays..."

"Stupid old man, I'm older than you!"

"First my name is Gauthier, you were much more polite yesterday, second..."

"I was DRUNK yesterday. And we made this stupid bet about who would drink your blood. Geez I missed the end of the party."

"Are you Satanists or something ? I'll call the police !"

"You're stupid aren't you ? I'm a vampire ! And I fed you with my blood because I was drunk. And as a reward you impaled me with a chair ?"

"Drug addict, that's worse. Well if you're a vampire like in this Twilight movie, I can let you there you will just continue sparkling."

"No, not the sun idiot ! If we sparkle in the sun it's simply because we're burning aaaaaaargh."

A puzzled Gauthier turns back, the phone in his hand. He watches as the guy burns, until only ashes remain. Vampires are complicated beings really, they never die the same way according to the writers. Such a bother. Now he has to vacuum it up.

April 24th 2008, 9AM

Gauthier is now very annoyed that he has to live forever with his arthritis. He keeps the appearance of an 80-year-old man, and even with the famous vampire charm, he can't find young women interested in him. Worse, they often seem to be scared of seeing that gramps trying to seduce them. That's for virgins. As for blood, it's disgusting. On a positive side, he has teeth again and he is healthier than ever. But what's the use if he can't go out any more during the day ? He has always hated those irresponsible people who live at night and is used to waking up at 6AM. This is the kind of questions he wonders about. In fact he is very concerned by his new life. He has seen big changes and always felt he was late for his time, his family telling him he is just an old reactionary. And now he has to start anew. He is as lonely as ever and it doesn't seem like he will make new encounters soon. At least he doesn't sparkle. Maybe even for that he is too old...

Proofreading by mousy.

Trivia :

• Birth : March 22nd 1928
• Nationality : French
• Job : Banker
• Favorite animal : bird
• Marital status : widow
• Likes : N/A
• Hates : youngsters, politicians, animals, holidays, noise, neighbours, radio, ...

Art reference

Album, in a rocking chairGauthier by Akku

To do :

• ❍ Story
• ❍ Treasure chest : vampire things, old things
• ❍ No overlay ^^
• ❍ Layout/coding
• ❍ Art : ref to come soon