~FLASHBACK~
LouisianaThe darkness was full upon the still land. A silent figure stands alone, hidden among the overgrown willow trees, a faint glow emanating from him, picking up the moonlight.
William has been wandering for weeks now, exalting in his newfound freedom yet with this new change in circumstance, his sense of prior loss is weighing more heavily upon his dark heart. Without the constant presence of Lorena, who seemed to always keep him feeling a perpetual state of loathing and hostility, he now has had time to think about the past……….to much time.
He spent these last weeks in an aimless wander, not bound to anyone, not answering to anyone, sleeping where he could, feeding without harming. Quenching his thirst, but only taking what was necessary to survive, and being abstinent, hoping that this change may help his inner turmoil. It seems to have only intensified it.
That was the most difficult part. Sex has always been a release for him; he took his pleasure and gave back full measure. But for now he must contemplate where he is going and what he needs. He has taken this time to look into the future. His eternity is now what he can make of it. He needs to think things through, to plan.
It is amazing to him that after all these years he still feels the pull of the past. His long lost family and this land will always hold a special kind of magic for him. Lorena did her best to erase that from his heart and soul but failed miserably.
He had stopped in the cemetery on his way here. He found the gravestones for his wife and children. Kneeling on each of their graves, he tried to remember a prayer, one suitable for the moment. None would come to mind. He had cleared the overgrown brush off of Caroline’s grave and in doing so uncovered another right next to it, his own grave. He sat back in shock, looking at the finality of it.
It read:
He looked slowly around and saw no other graves but his children, and their families, nearby. Caroline had never remarried. He fell to his knees and hung his head in despair, his heart heavy.
In a fit of rage, he lifted his arm up high and then brought his powerful fist down upon his own gravestone, cracking it, as he howeled into the night. The wind as if in answer whipped up and fiercely blew the trees wild.
William let it all out. All the frustration, all the buried pain, all the years wasted. His voice echoed through the trees, picked up by the blowing wind. A frightening sound.
When he was finally drained he looked down at Caroline’s grave and whispered softly,
“I failed you my love, forgive me”.
After a long pause, he stood up and continued on his way to his former home, leaving them all behind.
He has not been here for almost 65 years, yet he felt the pull to come, the need to see his home again, one more time. He moved closer, the warmth of the brightly lit windows beckoned him, his home. He mentally shook himself out of such ridiculous reverie. It WAS his home, it is no longer. But still he walked on.
The porch was as he remembered it, framed by the tall majestic columns. The paint is peeling and there is need for repair here and there but basically it is as he left it. William took pride in the fact that he and his father built this house well. It has stood the test of time and hopefully will continue to do so.
He slowly walked up the steps, taking his time, drinking it all in, running his hand along the rough wooden railing, and then coming to rest on an old rocking chair, near the front door. He let his fingers brush across it, lingering on it. Was this the same old rocking chair?
He closed his eyes and vividly saw Caroline rocking the children in it, or doing the mending. She loved sitting there. How often he would join her in the evening hours, watching the setting sun, sitting at her feet with his back against her knees, as she sat in this chair.
He opened his eyes, allowing the past to fade away, and continued on towards the front window. There were voices inside going about their business this evening as if all was well in the world and no monsters were lurking outside their door.
He had to look, needed to see. He brought his face close to the window; saw a crackling fire roaring in the fireplace. The living room looked so warm and inviting, it brought back many happy memories of him sitting there with his Caroline, Sarah and Will. He closed his eyes and leaned his cheek more full against the glass as if hoping to absorb the warmth from inside.
He was all of a sudden jolted back to reality, when he heard the scurry of little feet. A boy, no more than 4 years old, ran into the living room, followed by a strident feminine yell,
“Jessie Compton you get yourself back in here right now or I am going to get the switch and tan your hide. You need a bath in the worst way; playing out in the pig pen is fine for the pigs but you just had to get yourself in there and make mud pies, didn’t ya.”
William laughed out loud without thinking; a huge smile filled his handsome face. Didn’t Willy get in to a similar state all those years ago? They had to refill the brass tub 3 times before they could declare him fit to be among the rest of the humans. Sarah would wrinkle her cute little nose at him for days after that.
While William was still smiling and lost in the happy past, he didn’t even notice little Jessie hurtle himself out the front door and almost run into him.
“H’dy Ganfr, can you play!” said the little imp. William was startled out of his musings. He took in the sorry state of Jessie’s clothes as well as the dirt smudged hands and smiling trusting face. His own face lit up with a lighthearted amusement that he has not felt in a long while.
William smiled and said, “Sorry son but I must be on my way”.
“You had better get yourself inside before your mama gets the switch, that might hurt something bad, but I tell you what, you can have this.”
William pulled out his pocket watch, bent down on one knee, and handed it to the little boy.
Jessie was ecstatic, putting out his grimy hands, taking the watch and putting it to his ear.
“How about this be our little secret” said William, still smiling, caught up in the moment. Jessie bobbed his head up and down, stuffed the watch in to his pocket, and gave William a big grin.
“Ok Ganfr, bye now”. And as fast as Jessie had ran out to him, he now ran inside.
William took this as his cue to leave. He was feeling melancholy when he came here, but thanks to little Jessie, his heart felt a bit lighter and energized anew. It was time to go. His future and the world await.
The loud voices from within became strident again and his steps faltered. He stopped and listened.
“Jessie, where you been hiding? I been a hollerin’ for you to get yourself in that tub before’n this whole house smells like that pig pen you been a rollin’ in”, said the robust woman who came into the foyer.
“Mama I was outside talkin’ to Ganfr”, said Jessie indignantly. Jessie’s mama took a good look at her son, misunderstanding his words, and with a frown said,
“What do you mean Jessie, you were outside talkin’ to a stranger? You know you aint never to talk to strangers.”
“But mama”, said Jessie “weren’t no stranger, was Ganfr.”
“Ganfr”, said mama scratching her head, “Who is Ganfr?” Jessie pulled mama in to the reading room and over to a side table. He pointed to a small metal tintype picture frame resting there. It held the photo of a man, his wife and two children. Mama picked up the photo of her husband’s great, Grandfather William Compton and his family.
“Ganfr” said Jessie smiling. Mama laughed out loud and said, “This who you seen outside? Well now Jessie, you tellin’ me another one of your whoppers?” She swatted him on his behind and said, “You better hightail it in that tub before’n I tell your papa you telling tall ones again.
William hearing this last, smiled again as he ran like the wind into the night.
~END OF FLASHBACK~
It seemed that Bill was feeling the Thanksgiving this year, he never really paid attention to it before. He had found that being a vampire, the holidays never really meant anything unless it was Halloween. But after everything that he had put all the ones that he held dear too him through pain, that he felt that he should embrace the giving of Thanks. And so yes, Bill Compton was thankful, thankful for the memories that he held dear too him, and to the human family that he had met over the years leading down to the Bellefleurs. He was thankful for family.
LouisianaThe darkness was full upon the still land. A silent figure stands alone, hidden among the overgrown willow trees, a faint glow emanating from him, picking up the moonlight.
William has been wandering for weeks now, exalting in his newfound freedom yet with this new change in circumstance, his sense of prior loss is weighing more heavily upon his dark heart. Without the constant presence of Lorena, who seemed to always keep him feeling a perpetual state of loathing and hostility, he now has had time to think about the past……….to much time.
He spent these last weeks in an aimless wander, not bound to anyone, not answering to anyone, sleeping where he could, feeding without harming. Quenching his thirst, but only taking what was necessary to survive, and being abstinent, hoping that this change may help his inner turmoil. It seems to have only intensified it.
That was the most difficult part. Sex has always been a release for him; he took his pleasure and gave back full measure. But for now he must contemplate where he is going and what he needs. He has taken this time to look into the future. His eternity is now what he can make of it. He needs to think things through, to plan.
It is amazing to him that after all these years he still feels the pull of the past. His long lost family and this land will always hold a special kind of magic for him. Lorena did her best to erase that from his heart and soul but failed miserably.
He had stopped in the cemetery on his way here. He found the gravestones for his wife and children. Kneeling on each of their graves, he tried to remember a prayer, one suitable for the moment. None would come to mind. He had cleared the overgrown brush off of Caroline’s grave and in doing so uncovered another right next to it, his own grave. He sat back in shock, looking at the finality of it.
It read:
William Thomas Compton
Beloved Husband
Brave Soldier
Beloved Husband
Brave Soldier
He looked slowly around and saw no other graves but his children, and their families, nearby. Caroline had never remarried. He fell to his knees and hung his head in despair, his heart heavy.
In a fit of rage, he lifted his arm up high and then brought his powerful fist down upon his own gravestone, cracking it, as he howeled into the night. The wind as if in answer whipped up and fiercely blew the trees wild.
William let it all out. All the frustration, all the buried pain, all the years wasted. His voice echoed through the trees, picked up by the blowing wind. A frightening sound.
When he was finally drained he looked down at Caroline’s grave and whispered softly,
“I failed you my love, forgive me”.
After a long pause, he stood up and continued on his way to his former home, leaving them all behind.
He has not been here for almost 65 years, yet he felt the pull to come, the need to see his home again, one more time. He moved closer, the warmth of the brightly lit windows beckoned him, his home. He mentally shook himself out of such ridiculous reverie. It WAS his home, it is no longer. But still he walked on.
The porch was as he remembered it, framed by the tall majestic columns. The paint is peeling and there is need for repair here and there but basically it is as he left it. William took pride in the fact that he and his father built this house well. It has stood the test of time and hopefully will continue to do so.
He slowly walked up the steps, taking his time, drinking it all in, running his hand along the rough wooden railing, and then coming to rest on an old rocking chair, near the front door. He let his fingers brush across it, lingering on it. Was this the same old rocking chair?
He closed his eyes and vividly saw Caroline rocking the children in it, or doing the mending. She loved sitting there. How often he would join her in the evening hours, watching the setting sun, sitting at her feet with his back against her knees, as she sat in this chair.
He opened his eyes, allowing the past to fade away, and continued on towards the front window. There were voices inside going about their business this evening as if all was well in the world and no monsters were lurking outside their door.
He had to look, needed to see. He brought his face close to the window; saw a crackling fire roaring in the fireplace. The living room looked so warm and inviting, it brought back many happy memories of him sitting there with his Caroline, Sarah and Will. He closed his eyes and leaned his cheek more full against the glass as if hoping to absorb the warmth from inside.
He was all of a sudden jolted back to reality, when he heard the scurry of little feet. A boy, no more than 4 years old, ran into the living room, followed by a strident feminine yell,
“Jessie Compton you get yourself back in here right now or I am going to get the switch and tan your hide. You need a bath in the worst way; playing out in the pig pen is fine for the pigs but you just had to get yourself in there and make mud pies, didn’t ya.”
William laughed out loud without thinking; a huge smile filled his handsome face. Didn’t Willy get in to a similar state all those years ago? They had to refill the brass tub 3 times before they could declare him fit to be among the rest of the humans. Sarah would wrinkle her cute little nose at him for days after that.
While William was still smiling and lost in the happy past, he didn’t even notice little Jessie hurtle himself out the front door and almost run into him.
“H’dy Ganfr, can you play!” said the little imp. William was startled out of his musings. He took in the sorry state of Jessie’s clothes as well as the dirt smudged hands and smiling trusting face. His own face lit up with a lighthearted amusement that he has not felt in a long while.
William smiled and said, “Sorry son but I must be on my way”.
“You had better get yourself inside before your mama gets the switch, that might hurt something bad, but I tell you what, you can have this.”
William pulled out his pocket watch, bent down on one knee, and handed it to the little boy.
Jessie was ecstatic, putting out his grimy hands, taking the watch and putting it to his ear.
“How about this be our little secret” said William, still smiling, caught up in the moment. Jessie bobbed his head up and down, stuffed the watch in to his pocket, and gave William a big grin.
“Ok Ganfr, bye now”. And as fast as Jessie had ran out to him, he now ran inside.
William took this as his cue to leave. He was feeling melancholy when he came here, but thanks to little Jessie, his heart felt a bit lighter and energized anew. It was time to go. His future and the world await.
The loud voices from within became strident again and his steps faltered. He stopped and listened.
“Jessie, where you been hiding? I been a hollerin’ for you to get yourself in that tub before’n this whole house smells like that pig pen you been a rollin’ in”, said the robust woman who came into the foyer.
“Mama I was outside talkin’ to Ganfr”, said Jessie indignantly. Jessie’s mama took a good look at her son, misunderstanding his words, and with a frown said,
“What do you mean Jessie, you were outside talkin’ to a stranger? You know you aint never to talk to strangers.”
“But mama”, said Jessie “weren’t no stranger, was Ganfr.”
“Ganfr”, said mama scratching her head, “Who is Ganfr?” Jessie pulled mama in to the reading room and over to a side table. He pointed to a small metal tintype picture frame resting there. It held the photo of a man, his wife and two children. Mama picked up the photo of her husband’s great, Grandfather William Compton and his family.
“Ganfr” said Jessie smiling. Mama laughed out loud and said, “This who you seen outside? Well now Jessie, you tellin’ me another one of your whoppers?” She swatted him on his behind and said, “You better hightail it in that tub before’n I tell your papa you telling tall ones again.
William hearing this last, smiled again as he ran like the wind into the night.
~END OF FLASHBACK~
It seemed that Bill was feeling the Thanksgiving this year, he never really paid attention to it before. He had found that being a vampire, the holidays never really meant anything unless it was Halloween. But after everything that he had put all the ones that he held dear too him through pain, that he felt that he should embrace the giving of Thanks. And so yes, Bill Compton was thankful, thankful for the memories that he held dear too him, and to the human family that he had met over the years leading down to the Bellefleurs. He was thankful for family.
