Vampire-Walkers

Sania got up from her bed. The bedside clock read 4 pm. She walked like a zombie to the hallway. Her eyes were closed. She was sleep walking.

She went down the stairs to the kitchen. The backdoor was unlocked. She walked outside. The moon was beautiful with its grey shade covering its sides.

The silvery moonlight pounced on Sania as she made her way through the backyard. And to Hannah street. She walked down the footpath. Her arms raised straight in front of her.

A tall man was walking on the same footpath some inches in front of her. He wore a beige colored coat and a small hat.

He sensed someone following him so he turned around.

''Sania Ashraf is that you?'' He asked with a pleasant smile. Round shaped spectacles slid down on his nose. He had dark brown hair and a same colored mustache.

Sania's eyes stared blankly at him.

''Remember me. I'm Mr. Andrew. I used to teach you at high school.'' He said.

Sania didn't bother who he was as she sank her fangs into his neck. She pushed him to the ground and drank the blood out of his veins. His screams slowly faded away as his last drop of blood entered Sania's throat. She stood up. The red liquid covered her mouth. She licked her lips and grinned.

Sania sat up on the bed, shivering with fear. It was just a silly nightmare. Hassan was still sleeping. She shook him.

''What time is it?'' Hassan asked yawning.

''8 pm. Listen did you check on me when I was sleeping?'' Sania asked.

''Two times.'' Hassan replied rubbing his eyes.

''When exactly?''

''At 2 then at 4. Relax, you were sleeping like a baby.''

Sania leaned back in her office chair reading an old magazine. She felt so sleepy. I must've been sleep walking.

A young woman wearing a lab coat appeared at the doorway. ''Sorry I'm late Dr. Ashraf.'' Nayyab apologized.

''Okay.'' Sania was so tired. She couldn't even tell Nayyab to stop calling her Dr. Ashraf again.

''Did you hear today's news?'' Nayyab asked.

''Let me guess. New Twilight novel announced?'' Sania asked still flipping the magazine's pages. She felt creepy mentioning Twilight as she was a vampire herself.

''No, about a vampire killing a high school teacher.'' Nayyab explained.

Sania nearly fell from her seat. She slammed the magazine down on her desk.

''I don't understand.'' Sania said.

Nayyab grabbed the remote off the computer table and turned on the TV.

The headlines read High School Teacher Killed on Daryl Street.

A handsome man with wavy black hair was standing in front of the camera. Nayyab turned up the volume.

''So detective Mirza. Clive Andrew was attacked by an animal?'' The reporter asked him.

''Yes the forensics believe so. The same kind of attacks occurred in Raven City a few weeks ago.'' The detective replied.

Sania put her hands on the sides of her face. I killed my own biology teacher.

''People are saying that vampires have entered Martyr Town.'' The reporter said.

Detective Mirza smiled. ''People say a lot of things. Look I've seen animals so I know they exist. Vampires don't. There was a bite mark on the victim's neck. Could be a bat for all I care.''

''But bats are related to vampires.''

''No further questions.''

Nayyab turned to Sania. ''See vampires do exist.''

Sania didn't reply. She grabbed her car keys from the computer table and proceeded to the door.

''Dr. Ashraf where are you going?'' Nayyab called.

''I have some flowers to buy.'''Sania said and left the door.

Fancy Flower-Shop was packed with customers when Sania arrived. She saw Mrs. Tahir by the cash counter.

''How was your night?'' Mrs. Tahir asked.

''A bit weird. Listen, can I ask you some questions in private?'' Sania said.

''I'm busy right now dear. You can chat with Usman at the bacl. He's playing cards with some friends.'' Mrs. Tahir told her.

Sania thanked her and went to the back of the shop.

''I got 5 A's.'' Mr. Tahir told his three companions and slammed his cards on the rusty wooden table.

He saw Sania standing in the doorway. He motioned for his friends to leave the two in private.

''Were they also vampires?'' Sania asked curiously.

''Nope. I don't play with vampires. They cheat.'' Mr. Tahir said extending a hand for Sania to sit down.

''Look I came to ask you-''

''Some questions, I know. I heard you from the counter.'' Mr. Tahir interrupted her.

''But it's so noisy in there.'' Sania said taking a seat.

Mr. Tahir raised a sarcastic eyebrow.

''Wow. We have supersonic hearing!''

''Yes and there are a lot of things vampires can do. Don't you watch Twilight?'' Mr. Tahir said shaking his head in disapproval.

''There's something I haven't told you. I'm a sleepwalker.'' Sania explained.

Mr. Tahir collected all the cards on the table and shuffled them. ''Look lady. Go see a doctor.''

''What I mean to say is that I had a nightmare last night of killing my high school teacher.'' Sania told him. ''They showed his dead body in the news today. They said it was some kind of animal attack.''

''But it wasn't you who killed him.''

''I drank that liquid you gave me. Wasn't I supposed to not feel hungry?''

Mr. Tahir sighed. He rubbed his almost completely bald head. ''I told you that a strong burst of emotions can cause you to feel hungry. Even sleepwalking puts you in that condition.''

Sania grabbed her forehead and rested her head on the table. She felt guilty and ashamed. I'm a murderer. Worse, I'm a vampire.

The day at the veterinary clinic passed away quickly. Sania waved goodbye to her old high school friend classmate who had brought in her injured cat for treatment.

Wiping her forehead with a handkerchief, her mind drifted back to the conversation with Mr. Tahir that morning.

He told her that it was not her fault she killed someone. But the guilty feeling was still dragging her to her knees.

''Dr. Ashraf.'' Nayyab said from the doorway.

''Yes?'' She said misty-eyed.

''There's a detective here to see you.

Sania stared at Nayyab with a frightened expression. A detective. Did someone see me murdering Mr. Andrew?

''So...'' Nayyab waited for a reply.

''Tell him I'll be there in 5 minutes.'' Sania said.

''That won't be necessary.'' A man's voice was heard near Sania's office. A detective wearing a long black coat entered the offive. Sania had seen him before on TV.

''Hello Dr. Ashraf I'm Inspector Ahsan Mirza from the Martyr Police Department.'' He introduced himself. They shook hands.

''So where's your pet?'' Sania asked. Nayyab giggled from the doorway. Inspector Mirza told her politely to leave them alone and shut the door. She did as he said.

''I'm afraid I haven't brought one.'' The detective said with a handsome grin. ''Have you heard about an animal attack happening in the town lately?''

''Yes. What does it have to do with me?''

''Well I heard you know a lot about of animals. You're the best vet in town Dr. Ashraf.'' Inspector Mirza said trying to get something out of her.

Great. You're talking to the animal yourself, Sania thought.

''Do you want me to help you with the investigation detective?'' Sania asked.

Inspector Mirza walked over to the wall covered with different framed certificates and animal photos with descriptions.

''I just came here to ask you one question.'' Inspector Mirza said. ''What kind of animal do you think it could be?''

Sania thought about a decent reply. ''I'm not sure. Maybe a bat.''

Sania was sleepwalking again that night. She arrived at Mrs. Haider's doorstep. She had travelled two blocks to reach there.

An elderly woman answered the door. ''Sania, it's over 4 o' clock. What are you doing here this late at night?''

Mrs. Haider saw her reflection in Sania's fangs as she opened her mouth. The old lady wanted to scream but her vocal cords were all dried out. Blood was all over the entrance to the house.

Sania tasted the blood on her lips. It was delicious. Truly worth KILLING for.

The next day was a weekend. Sania decided to pay a visit to the Tahir family.

''Are you feeling okay Sania?'' Mrs. Tahir asked with concern. ''You haven't touched your tea.''

Sania couldn't help it. She started crying. She raised her hands over her face.

Mr. Tahir moved his chair closer to hers. ''You know you can trust us.'' He said putting a hand on her shoulder.

''She's dead!'' Sania cried.

''Who's dead?'' Mrs. Tahir asked.

''Mrs. Haider. SHe was my Mom's best friend and I sucked her dry.'' Sania explained.

''You have to take sleeping pills at night.'' Mr. Tahir said.

''No, I have to tell Hassan.'' Sania announced getting up.

Mr. Tahir suddenly clutched her wrist. ''Us vampires look out for each other. Don't bring a human in between.''

Sania hated to admit it but the old man was right. She had to keep her vampirism a secret.

Sania didn't sleep the whole night. She dressed up without waking up hassan who was drooling all over his pillow.

She drover her blue BMW down an empty street. She was heading to Cafe Coffee. As she neared the cafe's parking lot, she saw a group of police officer and reporters together. They were right next to the cafe's entrance.

Sania quickly got out of her car and ran to the scene. She saw someone's body lying motionless on the ground. Inspector Mirza stepped in her way.

''It's better if you don't see this Dr. Ashraf.'' He told her.

She tried to look at the person's face over his shoulder.

''Who is it?'' Sania asked.

''Let me get you a cup of coffee.''

''Who is it?'' Sania pushed him aside and ran to the corpse.

Two officers blocked her path but she was able to see who it was. She turned around and started weeping on Inspector Mirza's shoulder.