"You clearly aren't human, but
you desperately want to appear so,” the Ifrit surmised. “You have
gifts
that make you better, stronger, and faster, but you spend your entire existences trying to fit in with these creatures that are your food source. You don't see people trying to act like cows, do you?" "Only celebrities.” I laughed.
The Ifrit studied me for a moment, not amused by my joke. “You weren't given the choice, were you?" I felt a dark shadow cross my face. “No. I was forced." His expression remained unchanged. “By whom?" "I don't know,” I answered honestly. I didn't like where this was going. “A brood in San Francisco abducted and raped me. They decided I was fun as I struggled and screamed, so they turned me to ensure they could keep doing it over and over again.” Venom was heavy in my voice. “I never found out who they were."
"How terrible,” the Ifrit commented, but I don't think he really felt any grief for me. “But through the pain, and anguish, did you not receive gifts most mortals spend their entire lives dreaming about?" I shook my head. “They took everything from me. I don't see—" "But they gave you a new life,” Chithula countered. “A life without disease, without sickness, without death. You have lived on this plane for one hundred and forty years now. Didn't that make the pain and suffering worth it?"
"One hundred and thirty-nine,” I corrected, adding my human and my vampiric years.He was testing me, playing devil's advocate, but why? “Yes, I'm immortal now, but that simply gives me the rest of
eternity to grieve for those I lost and relive the pain of that event." "Why don't you let it go?"
"Let it go?” I asked, almost insulted. “How can you even consider that an option? I lost those I loved. I lost my family.” My voice became small. “I lost my daughter." "Humans define themselves through suffering,” Chithula offered. “They build complex social and economic systems with no other purpose than to bring more pain into their lives. Everything they do, every choice they make is measured against how much anguish it will cause. If a human being isn't suffering, they don't feel alive for some reason. You are not a human, Rose Webb.” He paused letting the statement sink in. “You don't have to suffer." "I need it,” I whispered.
"Why?” Chithula's question was stark and raw. I almost recoiled from it as if it were a punch. I felt my face flush. “It makes me who I am." "Interesting.” Chithula stared at me for a moment. He adjusted his body slightly and rested his palms on his folded knees. “Why are you here?"
that make you better, stronger, and faster, but you spend your entire existences trying to fit in with these creatures that are your food source. You don't see people trying to act like cows, do you?" "Only celebrities.” I laughed.
The Ifrit studied me for a moment, not amused by my joke. “You weren't given the choice, were you?" I felt a dark shadow cross my face. “No. I was forced." His expression remained unchanged. “By whom?" "I don't know,” I answered honestly. I didn't like where this was going. “A brood in San Francisco abducted and raped me. They decided I was fun as I struggled and screamed, so they turned me to ensure they could keep doing it over and over again.” Venom was heavy in my voice. “I never found out who they were."
"How terrible,” the Ifrit commented, but I don't think he really felt any grief for me. “But through the pain, and anguish, did you not receive gifts most mortals spend their entire lives dreaming about?" I shook my head. “They took everything from me. I don't see—" "But they gave you a new life,” Chithula countered. “A life without disease, without sickness, without death. You have lived on this plane for one hundred and forty years now. Didn't that make the pain and suffering worth it?"
"One hundred and thirty-nine,” I corrected, adding my human and my vampiric years.He was testing me, playing devil's advocate, but why? “Yes, I'm immortal now, but that simply gives me the rest of
eternity to grieve for those I lost and relive the pain of that event." "Why don't you let it go?"
"Let it go?” I asked, almost insulted. “How can you even consider that an option? I lost those I loved. I lost my family.” My voice became small. “I lost my daughter." "Humans define themselves through suffering,” Chithula offered. “They build complex social and economic systems with no other purpose than to bring more pain into their lives. Everything they do, every choice they make is measured against how much anguish it will cause. If a human being isn't suffering, they don't feel alive for some reason. You are not a human, Rose Webb.” He paused letting the statement sink in. “You don't have to suffer." "I need it,” I whispered.
"Why?” Chithula's question was stark and raw. I almost recoiled from it as if it were a punch. I felt my face flush. “It makes me who I am." "Interesting.” Chithula stared at me for a moment. He adjusted his body slightly and rested his palms on his folded knees. “Why are you here?"