Chapter 5

"Just… be gentle alright?"

"Of course, of course!" He says, a little bit too eager for my tastes, but he still resembles a puppy enough for me to brush part of my discomfort off even then, naive as such.

But even if I knew he meant me no harm, and that it is a standard necessary procedure, I cannot help but feel anxious and have my heart racing once he pulls my arm in his direction and sits down on my bed, moments away from poking a hole on my finger.

"Uhm… care to explain once more what is this for?" And if is really necessary, not that I'm trying to stall or anything, of course.

"Oh, of course!" He says as I sigh in relief once his grip around my wrist relaxes. "It is for two major reasons, first is to test if there are any poisons or silver in your blood, the city has strict control over such items to avoid mass poisoning of its citizens since most drink blood regularly." It makes sense but does not mean that I approve or enjoy the following necessary procedures.

"And is also to check on your blood quality you see, here blood donation is almost mandatory for most, the sick and very young being the few exceptions here and there of course, for the government gives some discounts for those who contribute to keep the blood market afloat, and we are here to assert if you can participate and in what category at that."

So he is asserting the quality of the meat before putting it in a package and selling it off? How… charming of the city to welcome newcomers like this, very… welcoming.

But I guess half the people who come here are searching for some sort of thrilling adventure in this regard so… this system should not surprise me.

I remember something at that point, not that I'm still trying to stall or anything, but out of nowhere I take my phone off and put the camera mode on, and with a smile turn to him and ask:

"Uhm… Mister Ragid?"

"Uhm? Oh, please, just call me Ragid!"

"Oh, sure, uhm, Ragid, can I take a picture of you?"

"Picture? What's that?" Oh, right, he is basically a new born, he does not know what half the things around here are for.

"Here, let me show you, is a way to, uhm… take your image to posterity?" How does one explain what a photo is anyway? Even I don't know for sure, I just use it around alright.

"Is for my blog, you see is like a… a book, and I want to post about my experiences here and about the beings that live here so that those outside can stop fearing you all so much and perhaps we can came to understand each other a little better and all…" Oh good I'm blabbering again, it happens sometimes when I get too excited talking about the supernatural and my work.

"…Uhm, I don't understand half the things you are saying but ok!"

"Really?" I ask, already fearing that such odd beings would be elusive and hate to be exposed like freaks in my blog, but to my surprise the first one I came in contact with is actually very open about it, so lucky! "Say cheese then!"

"…Cheese?" He asks, crooking his head to the side with a small frown on his forehead, giving a very curious and harmless look, and that innocent image is captured inside the blue bright small screen of my phone, just perfect!

I'm so excited at that point that I furiously start typing on the screen, forgetting the procedure completely, writing half a paragraph before he cleans his throat to call my attention back to him, making me shamefully laugh it off and pocket my phone back down.

And although I'm still shocked and with lots of things to think about since I came to this city, the gargoyle does not take his time anymore and goes down towards my hand and with a talon for a nail curves the sharp dark tool at the tip of my finger, touching ever so slightly and putting a little bit of pressure on the tip of my finger, barely enough to break the skin and bring forth a red drop of blood that rests on top like a little red soap bubble.

It is not as painful and invasive as I thought at first, I think, anticipating that now he would just take his sample and be gone, my mind already racing towards the words that were still left to be typed, only that something abruptly changes.

And even if it happens very quickly the changes are visible to the naked eye, and the adrenaline shot makes me see it all, on how the gentle childish gargoyle tenses up as his nose flares up when my blood is exposed and how instantaneously, my hair stands on edge as my body is drenched in ice cold water as I feel by bones freeze and my muscles shudder, and yet in a state of surprise and fear I freeze in place, not that could have done anything in that split second that things turn upside down, especially when his gentle grip tightens enough to bruise.

And the so far gentle creature snarls and, with bright shining red eyes, bites down my arm!

I cannot help but scream when throbbing pain shots up my arm and makes flashing lights obscure my vision, and as I lose the strength of my limbs makes us end up on the floor, his grip does not loosen up as his bloody mouth finally puts some distance from my arm, not before taking a chunk of meat in between his teeth in the process, barely giving space only to chew on it.

And I remember thinking, at that exact moment, when the excitement of coming to live in such unique intriguing city, to finally encounter the misunderstood being that always habituated the back of my mind, memories and logging from a place that was out of reach, literally out of this world, that I've not considerate that this could have been a really, really bad idea.

And not think that it could be so dangerous as to put me in a situation like this first night in.

And part of my naive self understood that I had been too quick in trusting this strange creature who imposed himself in my home.

At that point I can barely remember when I lost consciousness, much less recognize that, moments before I pass out, the red blood soaked eyesight from the gargoyle clears up and, with a shocked expression he looks down at his bloody hands, then at my laying self in front of him with a big wound in the arm, and curses:

"Oh fuck, he is going to kill me…"

At that sirens sound, and my newly rented apartment is forced open by man in uniforms, but at that point I was far gone into darkness and, the next moment I came to be, it would be in a completely different place, after many important things happen beyond my knowledge, things that would change my life forever.

Even though I know now what happened back then now, I remember that the only thing in my mind the next time I awoke was… What the actual fuck just happened!

And of course, it was followed closely by a long screaming full of fear single set of words that wanted me to rush out of the city that instance!

Thought I guess that last scream has never left me until this day… though now it only makes me a little numb… and guarded, all the time.