Grimy Apartment

Park Place wasn't the exorbitant Monopoly property I had anticipated. Instead, it turned out to be a neighborhood marginally more upscale than slums, adorned with the same shattered windows and derelict buildings I had encountered during my desperate escape from the factories. You know, that delightful location where I had narrowly escaped a sexual assault. Victor abruptly halted our high-speed journey in front of an exceptionally run-down apartment building. Placing me on the ground, he proceeded up the steps, leaving me to trail behind him.

The entrance hall was an artistic depiction of devastation and decay. The wooden floor planks lay shattered and scattered in disarray, cobwebs adorned unimaginable corners, and the rats appeared to have formed a gang, defecating and urinating on every available inch of walking space. It was truly charming.

Although I was still numb from my recent blood transfusion, I retained enough sensation to perceive my surroundings and maintain a healthy dose of sarcasm. "Excuse me for not wanting to appear unappreciative, but couldn't we find a, well, less contaminated place to reside?" I inquired of him.

He remained silent, ascending the flight of stairs that appeared to be composed of splinters rather than planks. I cautiously followed, mindful of the potential danger of my foot plunging through a step, leaving me alone and defenseless against the rats. We ascended the Stairs of Peril until we reached the fifth floor out of seven. This place didn't seem very fortunate, as Victor guided me down the corridor past doors in disrepair or entirely missing. He paused at a solitary door that appeared sturdier than the rest, opened it, and entered the apartment. Curiosity getting the better of me, I peered inside.

Comparing it to the rest of the dilapidated apartment building, it was significantly better, but it felt akin to comparing a mobile home before and after a devastating tornado. The floors consisted of fresh, uncleaned vinyl, the walls were painted to conceal water stains, and the grimy windows, if visible through, would have provided a view of an alley. Even during daylight hours, this place received minimal sunlight. "Intimate," I sarcastically remarked as I slipped inside.

The meager furnishings consisted of a couch that had witnessed better days several decades ago, a lengthy rectangular container in front of it bearing cup stains on the lid, and a handful of fractured wooden chairs. On the right, the kitchen stood devoid of any items except for cobwebs, while the two rooms on the left served as the bedroom and bathroom. The bathroom epitomized the squalor of a bachelor's dwelling, adorned with stains of dubious age and origin, and the bedroom hosted a bed cloaked in dusty sheets.

Victor traversed the room with purpose, reaching the windows opposite the entrance, and displaced what appeared to be a tattered curtain rather than torn garments. His actions aroused my curiosity, prompting me to join him by his side. "Any werewolves lurking out there?" I half-heartedly quipped.

"We were not pursued," he reassured me. Lowering the remnants that once resembled curtains, he shifted his focus to the container. Brushing past me, he approached the stained wood. "I shall rest for the day. Do not venture outside the apartment."

I trailed after him, observing as he displaced the cover to unveil the interior. No cushioning, no pillow, not even a plush toy with fangs. "What if there's a fire outbreak here??" I inquired.

"Transport me to the lower level. He said, slipping into the container, "It is fire-resistant.

You clearly instructed me not to leave the apartment, and I have no idea where the basement is, I countered.

Victor momentarily halted in an upright position, his lips tightly pressed together. "Avoid leaving the apartment." he clarified. Then he reclined and closed the lid above him.

That granted me greater freedom to explore, yet I encountered a predicament within the dwelling itself. In truth, the predicament lay with the apartment itself. While I was not the epitome of cleanliness, not even in my former abode, this place proved uninhabitable for anyone other than a bachelor or the undead. It seemed that destiny had decided I would engage in apartment cleaning duties this weekend after all, albeit in a distinct neighborhood with an alternative roommate.

I searched through the bedroom wardrobe and one located in the living area, managing to scrounge up an antiquated vacuum that appeared untouched throughout its few years of existence. I also seized the tattered remnants that previously resembled curtains and transformed them into dusting cloths. The tap yielded seemingly clean water, and a supply of dish soap lay beneath the sink. Equipped with these formidable tools, I initiated my battle against the disorder.

All proceeded smoothly until I activated the vacuum. Startled, I leaped, inadvertently tapping my head against the ceiling when the lid of the casket flung wide open and Victor abruptly sat upright.

"What on earth are you doing?" he snarled in my direction.

Clutching the vacuum tightly against my chest, I hoped it would serve as a deterrent against the unclean vampire. I retorted, I shot back, "Well...I thought vampires were intended to sleep like the dead during the day".

He responded, "If that were the case, my race would have been exterminated long ago.

"A valid point, but I have no intention of ceasing my vacuuming simply because you possess a light sleeping pattern," I argued. "Moreover, a little sleep loss won't hurt you.

He retorted, "Diminished vigor weakens us against our enemies".

"If both you and Ben hadn't accumulated so many foes, you wouldn't require such excessive energy," I argued.

"It was inevitable," he insisted.

"It was poor diplomacy," I asserted.

Victor growled, his teeth clenched tightly together, then reclined and forcefully shut the lid of the container. I resumed my vacuuming, only to be abruptly interrupted once more when he cast aside the lid and rose to his feet. "Is it your intention to annoy me all day long? he asked.

It will surely take that long to make this place clean again, I remarked.

Victor emerged from his resting place and attempted to seize the vacuum from my grasp, unintentionally pulling me along with it. "Hand that over to me right now," he commanded.

"Well...That's only if you're willing to meet a tragic end," I retorted. Victor hoisted the vacuum above his head, but I clung steadfastly to its handle, ascending along with it. Suspended in the air, my face aligned with his. "How about we establish a ceasefire?" I proposed.

"No," he responded.

"Once again, your inclination towards poor diplomacy surfaces. You ought to learn the art of compromise," I urged.

"I gave you my energy," he replied

"That was done unwillingly. I'm referring to a mutually beneficial agreement," I clarified.

He said, "I still want the vacuum in my custody.

"No deal," I asserted.

"In that case, we find ourselves at an impasse."

"No, we find ourselves within a grimy apartment building, occupying a marginally less grimy apartment. I am attempting to rectify the situation, but you're hindering my efforts," I admonished.

"It requires no rectification," he asserted.

"I anticipated you'd respond in such a manner," I retorted.

"Release your grip on the vacuum," he demanded.

"How about I refrain from vacuuming until sunset? Is that a deal?" I proposed.

Victor's gaze narrowed, scrutinizing my expression carefully. "On what do you pledge your word?" he questioned.

"An American flag?" I suggested. The thin lines of his lips grew even thinner, prompting me to roll my eyes. "Fine, fine, I swear upon... um, my life?" I paused, furrowing my brow. "Which, I suppose, is somewhat intertwined with your life due to our bond. It's akin to marriage, but without the enjoyable honeymoon. Or perhaps this could be a fun honeymoon…"

"I will accept that," he conceded, placing the vacuum onto the floor along with me.

I said, "Well, I guess I'll just put it back in the closet and let you get back to sleep." Anticipating his retreat back into the casket, I deposited the vacuum in the closet and pivoted, only to discover him still standing there. "In need of a bedtime story, perhaps?" I inquired.

"Have you experienced any changes?" he inquired of me.

"Indeed, every time I venture into a predominantly black or Asian neighborhood," I retorted.

If it were within his power, he would have ended me in that very moment. "I meant within the past hour," he clarified his statement.

"Nope, feeling a bit fatigued, but nothing out of the ordinary," I responded. I anticipated further inquiries from him. That was my initial misjudgment. Victor quietly made his way back to his resting place and settled within the box. "Hold on a moment, why were you curious about that?" I inquired. My subsequent mistake was assuming he would actually provide an answer. He reclined and closed the lid over himself. I scowled and stomped over to the makeshift bed. I attempted a dramatic removal of the lid, only to be rewarded with deep cuts from the rough, unfinished wood filled with splinters. Despite the throbbing pain in my fingers, I persisted and rapped on the lid. "Why did you ask me that question?" I called out to him. No response. I knocked again, but still nothing transpired. However, I noticed that the box emitted a pleasant resonance.

That sparked an idea within me. While I possessed minimal musical talent, I did know the theme song of the Lone Ranger. Using the lid as my drum and my fingers as the drumsticks, I produced a passable rendition until the lid was abruptly flung aside, revealing a highly irritated Victor. "Leave me be," he demanded.

"Not until you enlighten me about the reason behind your question," I insisted.

"I really just wanted to know if your abilities had shown any signs yet" he answered.

"What kind of abilities are we talking about?"

"The vampiric abilities bestowed by the ring"

"Ah, right. Do they suddenly manifest or do they develop gradually?"

"Yes."

"I hate you."

"I don't care."

"Is there some sort of guidebook for these abilities when they do manifest?"

"No."

"Not even a Fool's Handbook?"

"No, even though that would be appropriate for you".

"You're an ass."

"I don't care."

"And quite taciturn"

"I don't care."

I raised my hands in exasperation. "Seriously! There must be some manner in which you can assist me with these abilities! Can you at least disclose what I can anticipate receiving?"

"Flight."

My eyes expanded and my mouth stretched into a thrilled grin. "Seriously?"

"No."

I don't know what triggered my outburst. Actually, that's a falsehood. Victor was the catalyst behind my impulsive action. It was entirely his fault that my hand instinctively lashed out, connecting with a resounding smack against his countenance. He was caught off guard, and truth be told, so was I. Nevertheless, a crimson mark adorned his pallid cheek, accompanied by a wrathful glimmer in his eyes. Nervously, I retreated with my palms extended in a feeble attempt to defend myself from the indefensible. "I deeply apologize for that. I'm not usually prone to physical aggression, but I suppose you're not exactly human," I justified my actions. Victor emerged from his resting place with deliberate strides, advancing towards me. I stumbled backward, pressing against the wall adjacent to the apartment door. "Y-you can't kill me, remember? The ring that binds us and all of that," I reminded him.

Victor reached me and his hand swiftly seized my throat, hoisting me off the ground. My legs flailed in the air, and my hands desperately clung to him in a futile effort to pry him away. My feeble attempts proved fruitless, but I had to at least make the effort. He brought his face perilously close to mine, and a single whiff of his breath sent my head spinning. "Never dare to strike me in a fit of anger," he commanded.

I despised being dictated to, particularly by a wretched undead individual. "Then you have to stop your obnoxious conduct and give me some answers!" I retaliated sharply. "I didn't ask for any of this! I wish Ben were here so you could unleash your tyrannical commands on him, but he's not! We're trapped together in this predicament, so we might as well attempt to coexist until I find a way to remove this cursed ring from my finger!" Victor clenched his lips together tightly, but he released his grip on me, causing me to plummet to the ground like a sack of potatoes. I stood up, massaging my tender neck as I glared at him. "Does this mean you're willing to assist me with these alleged abilities I'm destined to acquire?" I inquired.

"Yes." A wave of relief washed over me, only to be abruptly halted by his subsequent words. "However, I won't be a forgiving tutor". I didn't think I could handle having him as a mentor.

I quickly replied, "I'll probably only need a few guidelines, but I appreciate the offer," I hastily expressed. "Just enlighten me on how to, well, what exactly am I supposed to be capable of again? And please, I implore you to be earnest this time."

"Your swiftness has been enhanced," he responded.

I furrowed my brow and cast him a skeptical sidelong glance. "You understand that I've already given you permission to be sincere."

He remarked, "If your swiftness hadn't improved, you wouldn't have been able to strike me".

My eyebrows were raised. "So...If I hadn't been successful in landing a punch, what would you have done exactly?"

"I would have grabbed your hand and broke it", he said.

"That seems a tad extreme."

"But it would be efficient."

"You actually think in such a perverse way" I said. Victor abruptly redirected his attention towards the box and proceeded towards it. "Hey, wait! You promised to assist me with these abilities! What am I supposed to do with this newfound speed? How can I harness and control it?" I lunged towards him in an attempt to halt his progress, but I misjudged my enhanced agility. I soared across the room and would have collided with him if he hadn't sidestepped. I sailed past him and crashed onto the couch on the opposite side of the box, entangled in a jumble of limbs. The entire world seemed topsy-turvy, or perhaps it was just me, and I observed the inverted figure of Victor approaching me. A malevolent grin adorned his face. "You find this amusing, don't you?" I inquired of him.

"Amusing," he retorted with a monotone voice.

I collected myself and gave him a stern look. I reprimanded him, "You had the capacity to capture me".

"Indeed, I possessed the capability."

"You derive no remorse from failing to apprehend me, do you?"

"No."

"I hate you."

"You have reiterated that already."

"Yes, and you constantly remind me of the exact reason why I hate you."

"Your concentration is remarkably inadequate."

"I'm primarily focused on not killing you at the moment," I retorted.

"Do you really wish for me to instruct you or not?" he countered.

"I'm not sure. You're doing such an excellent job already," I responded while massaging my contorted limbs.

"Your training lacks concentration. Ben was much the same."

His remark caught my attention. "So he wasn't skilled when he started training? "

"He had inherent talent, which is something you are utterly lacking", Victor said to me.

My face and shoulders drooped. "Thanks," I grumbled.

"Do not mention it."

"I won't, but could we at least begin with training and see what I might be able to accomplish? Propelling across the room hardly counts as a starting point, although striking you was quite satisfying," I remarked.

"We shall commence when the sun sets. During daylight, my abilities are weaker than yours, and if you were to cause trouble, I wouldn't be able to impede you," he replied.

I raised an eyebrow. "What kind of trouble can a mere increase in speed bring about?"

He gestured behind me. "Look behind you."

I glanced over my shoulder and noticed the grimy windows. My face turned pale as I realized that the only thing preventing me from testing my aviation skills had been the presence of the couch. "Oh," I murmured.

"I wouldn't have been able to save you if the sun were out in the sky", he continued.

"Um, maybe we'll wait until nightfall."