Lowell sits in his office reflecting on his actions with Nadia. He hadn’t meant to be so harsh, but he never imagined she’d have done something like that or said such words. “She used to be much more compliant. Have I been too soft on her? Or is it simply adolescent defiance?” He ponders.
He recalls the day she arrived at the convent. She was timid and nervous, clinging to her father desperately. He could tell she was a daddy’s girl at her core, so it was no surprise when she broke down spectacularly the moment she realized he was leaving. “The poor girl, she never saw it coming.” He doesn’t take pride in ripping children away from their family, but that’s precisely why he had to do it. “One day you will understand, my dear Nadia, why things must be this way. This is all for a higher purpose. A higher purpose that will lead us to a new era of existence.”
His office phone rings, and he answers it as he continues to view paperwork. “Oh Al, funny you should call. I was just reflecting on the day you brought little Nadia to us. It’s been many years now, hasn’t it? She’s certainly grown, a little too fast for my liking, I admit. How troublesome.”
“Well, I imagine that day should weigh heavily on your mind, Josef. It was the day we both sold our souls to a twisted reality. How can either of us sleep in peace? Knowing that girl will be-.”
“Don’t tell me you’re getting cold feet now, Al? Surely not when this was your idea, if I recall?”
“It may have been my idea, but it was you who made false promises and spouted grandiose ideas to push me to that point. I was naïve then, but I’m wiser now. You manipulated me, and her.”
“I did no such thing, Al. The future I envision will be realized and our efforts will pay off. I just need more time. It seems both father and daughter are running out of patience. Oh bother.”
“You’ve been saying that for seven years now, Josef! I’m starting to think your great lord has forsaken you. Or maybe you haven’t spoken to him at all, and this is just your grandiose hoax!”
Josef slams his fists on the desk. “What is it with the father and daughter who continue to speak such blasphemy against our lord?! How is it you two are so alike even though she’s not your-.”
“I raised Nadia! So naturally we’d share certain values. To that point, I want her home. I’ve given you enough time, but we have seen no results. So, give her back. I want her beside me!”
“I’m sure you do and she desperately wants that too, I’ll have you know. But it’s not time.”
“Damnit Josef! Let me bring her home! If she’s going to suffer regardless, then she should do it with her family. They want to know her, and she deserves to have a proper childhood.”
“I can’t allow that Al, she’s still in far too delicate a state. She suffers from fits quite often and requires constant supervision. Things can turn dire at any moment. What will you do should the evil take her? Will you risk your new family and yourself? I’d hate for you to lose that precious wife of yours and darling boy. A holy environment such as this is her best chance, believe me.”
“A father will sacrifice any and everything for his child. I guess that’s not something you’d understand Josef, huh? You gave up that opportunity. Such a precious gift. I won’t do the same!”
“Judge me all you like, Al, cast your stones; they won’t hurt me. You saw the same vision as I back then, but your resolve was clearly weaker than mine. I warned you not to attach yourself too deeply, but you didn’t heed it. You have no one to blame but yourself for your grievances.”
“How could you possibly look at that precious girl and not fall in love with her? She’s so sweet and pure, I don’t want to see that get snuffed out by you demons! If having a heart makes me weak, then I suppose I am. That weakness separates us from the true monsters of this world.”
“And that, Albert, has always been your vice. You believe that for us vampires, there’s a difference. There’s not. We are monsters.” There’s silence on the other end for several seconds.
“I pray that one day you can return to your righteousness, Josef. I believed in you then because you had never led me astray. It was always us against the madness, and we achieved our dreams because we could depend on each other. I considered you to be like a brother before. How have we reached this point? How has your soul been consumed by such cruelty and spite?”
“I haven’t changed, Al, you have. You became blinded by the devil’s dream and began to believe in foolish ideals. You became soft and catered too kindly to the humans. Such deplorable creatures, yet you’ve gotten into bed with them. Those who were our oppressors for centuries, are now our most trusted allies. However, you should know that this alliance will not last long, and the fragile balance between our worlds will be tipped in their favor. When that day comes, you’ll be thanking me for having the will to protect us at any cost. I’m not afraid to do what I must. If that makes me a villain, if you would call me evil, then so be it. I’m going to still rise.”
“I’m betting on them, Josef. You may think me foolish, but you’ll see that these deplorable humans, as you call them, are more tolerant and compassionate than we have ever been. They fear what they don’t understand, indeed. But when given the chance to learn and grow, they open the door to impossible circumstances. Gods cannot save us from everything. Sometimes we need to save ourselves. They understand that better than anyone. If we stop looking down on them, we can learn much from their experiences. You’d be wise to not underestimate them.”
“Well, then I suppose this is a challenge between your vision and mine. We will see who will reign in the end. I look forward to seeing the result. Until then, please take care, old friend.” He hangs up and returns to his paperwork, his mind focused on his ideal future.