JIMMY
Forty years is a lifetime. I didn’t really mean it, you know. It was just a last resort. an attempt to reconnect to something we once had. I loved her. God, I didn’t want to lose her. But that’s what happened, you see. No one to blame but myself with my stupid ideas. We’d been fighting, well, we always seemed to be fighting. I was afraid to ask if she still loved me. I didn’t want to hear the answer, coward that I am. So clever Jimmy here thought “trial separation” that should do it. Give her a scare, force her hand, she’ll cry, we’ll hug and Hey Presto love conquers all. Jesus, what soppy movies had I been watching. My thoughts were unclear, the bottle does that to you. I know. I know drink is no solution. But I could forget when I drank. Forget the fights, the withering looks, the disdain in her eyes. Disgust even of my drunken self but unable to control it. I was losing her, slowly, surely, she was slipping away abd this pathetic lump couldn’t or wouldn’t see it. She’s gone now. the solicitor’s letter did the trick alright but not in the way I had imagined it. Eileen was stronger than I gave her credit for. I’d given her the way out, you see, with that stupid letter. Separation and reconciliation, that’s what my addled brain pictured. I have nothing left now. Nothing except the craving for the next drink. Oh God, she was my world. I miss her. Forty years is a lifetime.

EILEEN
Forty years is a lifetime. I was so shocked when the letter came. I didn’t know Jimmy was thinking like that. Couldn’t believe I was actually holding a solicitor’s letter in my shaking hands. I didn’t know what to do. There was no point talking to him. Those days were long gone, buried under the bust ups and booze. The ever present or well hidden bottle. Oh God, we were so young, young and inexperienced. Too young for marriage and settling down. Did I ever really love Jimmy? Did I even know what love was at that tender age? I thought he loved me. In fact, I know he did. Too much. That was part of the problem, you see. I was put on a pedestal, worshipped, and I retaliated by pushing to see just how far I could go with him. But I’m not taking the blame here. The drink appeared much earlier than I knew. I was too naive to notice, too unused to alcohol to recognise the signs. I’d say right from the beginning there was a problem, maybe before. You know those lines ” When we were good we were very, very good but when we were bad we were horrid.” That was us. Things could have been good perhaps if I had tried harder. If he had sought help. Forty years is a lifetime.

MARIE
Forty years is a lifetime. I refused to believe the news when I heard it. Just gossip, couldn’t happen to Eileen and Jimmy. Devoted to each other they were. I had lost touch with my good friends for a while and now I was hearing they weren’t together anymore. Separated. No. there must be some mistake. I got in touch with Eileen right away and heard the resignation in her voice over the phone. I watched as the men loaded the furniture van. I watched as the drop leaf table went one way and the sideboard the other. Things shared now separated, like my two friends. I have known Eileen and Jimmy for years, a loving couple. There was no doubt he loved her, worshipped the ground she walked on, he did. You could see it in his eyes every time he looked at her. Hear it in his voice when he spoke her name. He touched and hugged her all the time. Oh God I’m going to cry. Such a shame. It shouldn’t have happened. There was no doubt he loved her. He drank her in but unfortunately she was not all he drank in. I wasn’t behind closed doors with them but I knew. Had gone through it myself, you see, with my own husband. Eileen didn’t twig on, not for a long time but then it got worse and couldn’t be missed. She couldn’t take it anymore. No violence or anything like that. Jimmy wasn’t like that. But the slurred speech, the falls and the empty bottles hidden everywhere got her down badly. She keeps telling me it was Jimmy who sent the solicitor’s letter. What the Hell was he thinking? If he thought at all after the fourth or fifth vodka. He unknowingly gave Eileen the way out, she needed the push. I met Jimmy one day, some time after the separation. A broken man, he sat with me and cried, sobbed sorely more like.
“Marie,” he said. “I miss her so much. I love her and always will. I have nothing now. What have I done?”
Oh Jesus, I’m sobbing now, A lovely couple, broken by life and circumstance. Forty years is a lifetime.

He yawned. stretched writhing wantonly, feeling the softness of the satin enveloping his nubile, masculine body. His pale, flawless skin shone red under the crimson lining. His mane of raven black tresses cascaded down his muscled back like raw ebony silk. His leanness belied the strength and suppleness of his limbs. With lips as red as a virgin’s blood and handsome aristocratic features he was the epitome of superb manhood. He was a Prince amongst his peers. He lacked only one thing. But that one exception did not bother him. He loved his life and had saved many a one from a dreary, dismal existence. They worshipped him and he accepted this as his due.

Time to rise now, take his place among the living and hunt down guests for this evening. He chose wisely. Only the finest and best would enable him to live and perhaps, if he pleases, they would become faithful servants to their Master. He sat and surveyed his domain, his lair. A cavernous mausoleum fit for a member of Royalty. Thick, slime encrusted walls, periodically broken by solid, ancient patinaed doors adorned with rusted fleur de lis and splattered with identifable stains. His safety and well being depended on the secrecy of the location. Deep in the Transylvanian mountains, well hidden from curiosity seekers. But few would venture this far, stories and fables of lost travellers prevented infiltration by undesirables. He smiled. Boris, his faithful retainer would have his garments ready. Cold and iced to drape on his perfect body. As cold as possible to maintain his well being and preserve his perfect body

Suddenly he tensed, sensing danger, sensing all was not as it should be in his home. He caught a scent so familiar that he questioned his own sanity. The enemy within. Old, old adversary who has hunted him down relentlessly for aeons. This parasite should be gone now, to his own resting place. What keeps him here? But the Nightstalker knows only too well the answer. His arch enemy exists only to destroy him, to break him apart and scatter his pieces to the wind. And now he is here. If he lay still perhaps he would survive. Evening was the Prince’s time. They had again left it too late. Hope sprang eternal in the regal, fearless breast. If he had possessed the organ that pulsed the red liquid, so vital to his survival, around the human bodies, it would now be beating so fast that his predators would surely have heard its staccato beat. But he didn’t. His stillness, swiftness and agility were to be his only weapons. He waited.

Possessing the hearing of the lofty vampire bat, he was attuned to every slight sound, aware of any slight movement. The swish of cloth, the fearful, intense breathing of his nemesis. He even picked up the silent beat of his treacherous heart.

Movement. running footsteps. Hesitant halting. They knew they were tardy and took extra care. The Dark King rose majestically from his abode and faced them. They drew back immediately, retreating as one until there was only the two figures left, assessing each other.

Van Helsing and Count Dracula.

“What took you so long, My Friend? I have been waiting. Come to me.”

The Dark, velvet eyes of the Prince took on a hellish, hypnotic glow. Van Helsing was powerless to resist. Old and frail with a sickly countenance, a man on the cusp of eternity. His last earthly wish was being thwarted. The destruction of the Vampire Race. The obliteration of the Darkness. The extinction of it’s Master. Pale, translucent hands were placed on the hunter’s shoulders. Dracula inched towards Helsing’s exposed neck.

“I can help you, My Friend.” The whispered words caressed the skin of the pursuer who was unable to react. “But I won’t.

You have made it your life’s work to consistently hunt me down. To pierce my still heart with your sanctified stake. It will not be so. You have so little breaths left and I will not offer you the gift of everlasting life. You would not thank me for it, I am sure. So rest now. Sleep. When you awake I shall be gone. You have failed again, miserable old man. But before I go, I must administer a punishment for the destruction of my revered manservant. For that atrocity I remove your tongue. No more will you assassinate my character with libellous tales. No more recruit feeble-minded followers to assist in your abomination.”

And so, when the deed was done, Dracul transformed himself into a creature of the night, a magnificent specimen, and with the speed of light transported himself to a far off country and a more secure home.

“Enter freely, go safely and leave some of the happiness you bring.”

 

Nigel was so mad. It happened all the time. He had to do most of the running. Well, not anymore. He climbed out, banged the lid and set off. He arrived there in a blink of an eye, of course with his prowess.But he was still angry, and you wouldn’t want to see Nigel on an angry day or any other day for that matter. He stood over six feet tall in his stocking feet, as broad as the prow of a ship. With his long black unruly locks tinged with silver and a face that could seduce a harem of females. He was Hot (in more ways than one, actually). But Nigel wasn’t interested. Well, in a manner of speaking he was but for his purposes any sex would do. Male or female. But the fairer sex were always that little bit sweeter.  Apart from James. He was so beautiful, should have been a woman, and he was heading that way with the operations and all, until he was stopped mid-change. Tragic, really.

Anyway, that was Nigel and he was livid. As he approached his friend Dermot’s front door he slowed down dramatically and landed a few feet away. Wow! Dermot had a new door and what a door! Shaped like a church window, Dermot always liked his wee jokes, it was a wonderful dilapidated sight. All black, decaying paintwork, rusted, gothic hinges, huge decrepit cast iron knocker and decorative Fleur de Lis. Two crumbling, slippery, moss covered steps led up to this artefact and all were liberally splashed with red. Dermot was always a sloppy feeder. The steps were treacherous but they had to be. Method in his old friend’s madness. Oh yes. They were cleverly boobytrapped  for unsuspecting delicious tourists who were not supposed to be there. They weren’t supposed to be anywhere near this castle, idiots. The residents of the village knew only too well to stay away although Dermot did do one of them a favour long ago. Petra Slogaviche had a philandering husband who took his latest filly into the forest for a bit of Bumpetey! Bumpetey! That soon ended with Johann separated from his manhood and the lady now a part of Dermot’s harem.

But crazy, unread people risked their lives to find this place. How they found it was down to modern times and modern damn equipment. Mobile phones, ipads but especially those cursed inventions, Sat. Nav. The castle was buried deep, deep in the mountainous region of the country but all they had to do was key in location and destination and voila! They died!! Wanted to get their names in the papers, they did. Become famous they did. Earn vast amounts of money. Well, two out of three ain’t bad. They became famous alright and got their names in the tabloids after being found pale and drained dumped on the outskirts of the town. WARNING! They sometimes carried ridiculous pieces of things. A wooden stake, a cross and some edible plant!Morons! They sure must have read something. Our two friends blame that Stoker fellow, never did get his facts straight.  That lady, Anne Rice, seemed to be more in tune with the subject. Sure, didn’t the friends have mouth watering Irish stew one night laced with garlic. His name was Paddy O’ Grady who ventured too close to Dermot’s home. But waste not, want not. Boris, we shall meet him later, made a gourmet dish for His Master. Some still stocked in the freezer actually. If a nice Italian should chance this way, spaghetti bolognese.

If Dermot was in a pleasant frame of mind he would offer adoption to the hapless person.  No breath or no Breath. Live and die or die and live. Not much of a choice really when you think about it. So the inhabitants of Dermot’s castle grew. He had more subjects than The Shah of Persia and all in tune to his every need. Nigel was one of his protegees but refused to be intimidated by the man.  Still he admired him for his prowess and his well filled fridge.

Nigel lifted the heavy, iron knocker and rapped thrice, hard. The signal for Boris to open the door without his trusty, rusty sword. The sound reverberated through the castle. Boom! Boom! Boom! Dermot was so egotistical. Why not just an ordinary bell sound or even a scream. But no. He had to have the best. A sound to burst the eardrums. An unmistakable sign of his wealth and stature.

“Yeah,” thought Nigel, “about that stature. It was increasing with every passing year.”

If it kept on like this Dermot could apply to be one of those Santa people or Satan people, if you like. His girth was enormous although funny enough it didn’t affect his speed. But soon they wouldn’t be able to find a receptacle to hold him at night.

The door creaked open to reveal the face and figure of Boris, the English butler who had strayed too near to Dermot’s lair. He had chosen the second option, die and live, and was now the faithful servant of his Master. He stood well over six feet as well with very long arms dangling almost to his ankles. His blond hair, grey streaked, framed a face no mother could love. It was once a normal visage with a healthy English blush, straight, aristocratic nose and piercing blue eyes. He was called Hot at one time by the ladies of his country and pursued mercilessly by the same. But they would recoil in horror now. Boris had changed dramatically. Those English rosy cheeks were sunken and scaly. An unidentifiable shade of greenish grey. The eyes shrivelled, no longer blue but fiery red with a smidgen of black. His hands were long and thin, practically translucent, with nails , the length of which would make a Diva jealous. But sharp. like a razor. His dedication to his Master was legendary not like Percival, the peeling Zombie. Nigel’s unfaithful retainer. Never mind the fact that he left parts of himself all round the house for Nigel to trip over, his shedding skin was disgusting. And he was so slow. The dead flies were falling off him. Well, they actually were. It took him half a night to shuffle to the fridge for some AB negative or Rhesus. It was bloody warm by the time he got it, That was alright in the Winter but in Summer Nigel liked nothing better than lying back in his wooden recliner with the satin cushions, a nice cool glass of red nectar by his side.

Ah Well!! Shouldn’t be long now. At the rate Percival was going there wouldn’t be anything left of him soon. Nigel thought he would try a werewolf next. At least they were fast but the hairs in his food? But then it was better than an eye or a bit of thumb from Peeling Percival.

He addressed the waiting Boris: “Good evening, Boris. Where is he? ”

“The master will be with you shortly,” replied Boris, in a voice that would have cracked corn. Deep and dark and so very, very scary.

“Boris, drop the accent, For Hell’s Sake. you’re a British butler and drop the attitude. Is he not up yet?”

“Oh. Nigel, I have tried to revive him. he got stuck coming out of his sleeping place. Scattered his night dirt all over the floor. I had to follow him around and shovel it up. You know he needs that. It’s crucial to his well being. Home turf. He’s on his way up now.”

“What he needs is a six week boot camp to get that weight off. Boris, no more tasty meals from foreigners. They’re too delicious and he can’t resist them. Get us two snifters of the Ordinary, vintage 2017. That’ll get him going for the night ahead. It’s a cheeky wee blend. A little dusty, old with hints of fear and confusion. Am I right , Boris?”

“You are indeed, sir. A solitary visitor to our humble home. Plucked from the forest before he reached our door. Please be careful going down the steps. There is a body there. Not yet drained and bottled. My work is never done.

“You’re a good ‘un, Boris!”

And off Nigel went in search of his inflating friend, yelling: “Dermot Dracula, get out of your lazy coffin right now. We have hours to fill with fun and and fear and stocks for the fridge.