Chapter 1

Darkness, there was nothing but darkness, conveying the empty void that was the recently unoccupied stage. Suddenly a bright spotlight shown directly in the middle of the void revealing a figure dressed in black from head to toe. The figure was male, with deep blue eyes and short black hair tucked under a black beanie. Tonight, he was about to reveal something very personal to his audience, something that he has had to deal with ever since he was a teen. The melancholy 23-year-old held a sheet of white paper in his hand and began to read in a quiet and calm manner his poem:

Red by Edward Vincent

Red is all I saw of her

Red my favorite color

Red splashed all over the place

Red which framed his face

Red which adorned his hair

Red staining his skin so fair

Red all over that room

Red which sealed her doom

Red as far as the eye could see

Red which to this day haunts me

Red marks the deceased

Red has fed the beast

.

.

.

.

.

Nothing will stop the beast

From his never-ending red feast

Thank you.

The male takes a bow and waits for the stage lights to turn on. The lights illuminated the entire auditorium revealing the other students of his university's drama class. The other students just sat there and stared at the male before slowly applauding his effort. The male smiles at everyone nervously while fiddling with the loose buttons of his white shirt, he tended to do that whenever he was anxious.

The teacher stood up and walked over to the stage with a look of concern on his face, "Thank you Mr. Vincent, that was…..interesting, I would actually like to have a word with you in regards to your choice of content".

Edd gives him a small smile, "of course Mr. smith".

"As for the rest of you that is all we have time for today. See you tomorrow, remember to work on your final scripts for next week. The best one will be used in this year's drama festival", said Mr. Smith. As the room emptied, he addressed Edward, "how's the therapy going kiddo?"

Edd sighed, "ok so far, I no longer have nightmares and I am learning to accept that I may never be rid of my personal demon".

"You mean personal demons", said Mr. Smith quirking an eyebrow.

"Yes of course", said Edd in a somewhat emotionless manner, "personal demons…...plural…" He was about to say something else when an alarm sounded from his back pocket. He instantly reached for his smartphone and turned off the alarm function. He immediately rushed off the stage and towards his bag which was sitting in the front row.

"I'm just asking because your poem seemed a bit…..." said Mr Smith following the younger male with his eyes.

"Dark?" said Edd placing the smartphone back into his pants pocket and slung his backpack onto his back. He then faced his teacher fully and frowned, "I'm not trying to be dark or whatever the kids are calling it these days, goth? I simply have a lot to get off my mind, it's part of my therapy after all".

"I completely understand that, however", said Mr. Smith, feeling an overwhelming need to press a bit further, "you talked about the beast a few times since your arrival in my class. You said red framed his face, red stained his skin and red adorning his hair. I'm sorry but I just have to ask, are you referring to a…..."

"My apologizes", said Edd in a rushed tone while taking out his phone again to check the time, "I must go, I have another class to attend and I am already running late". He heads towards the door but turns briefly to wave at his teacher, "I am sure we can discuss the meaning of my poem some other time, have a great day".

"Edward I must insist that you stay and clarify…..." said Mr. Smith in a calm yet stern tone.

Edd sighed and snapped his fingers, the older male behind him froze in place. Edd then turned around and looked at him sympathetically, "Mr. Smith, you're a truly good person. Thank you for trying to get involved in my life and trying to help me. To show my appreciation for your efforts, I hereby command you to forget. Forget what you know about me, forget how much you care, starting tomorrow I am just another student in your classroom". He walked up to the teacher and gently grabbed his chin forcing him to look him in the eye, "what will you do?"

Mr smith looks at him blankly completely enthralled, "forget, forget what I know about you, forget about how much I care, tomorrow you will be nothing more than just another student to me".

Edd smiles and hugs him, "excellent". He separated from his mentor and turned towards the door. As he retreated, he snapped his fingers again," have a great day Mr. Smith".

"oh…. uh, you too", said Mr. Smith, he glanced in Edd's direction slightly confused but decided it was nothing and went over to his desk to go through the student's papers.

It was 4 pm, and Edd had a lot to do before nightfall. He was running short on supplies and it was imperative that he get them before nightfall. He quickly made it out of the building and onto the campus parking lot where his moped was waiting for him. He hopped on it and in one swift motion started the vehicle. He took off towards the small town off campus and stopped in front of a local supermarket. After parking his bike, he rushed inside and made a beeline for the vegetable section. After finding what he needed there he made his purchased and was off to his moped. He drove to his next destination, a church. After getting what he needed there he checked his smartphone again, 5:30 pm, the church seemed a lot farther than he expected. He learned a long time ago to not freak out whenever he notices the evening fast approaching. It would take about 30 minutes to get back to the university and another 5 minutes to get to the dorms, he still had time. He got onto his moped and took off for the University. When he got home it was 6:05 pm, dawn was approaching, and a sudden twinge of nervousness hit his stomach. He calmed himself down a bit and began to prepare for the night ahead.

When he first enrolled into Peach Creek University, he requested that he get a dorm to himself. Thanks to the scholarship he received as part of the young writer's guild of America he was able to not only pay for college but also a bigger dorm. It was like a studio apartment with a small bedroom, a kitchen and a full bathroom. He took the items he purchased and entered his room. He went over to the windows beside his bed where dried up garlic hung from the curtain rods. He took them down and threw them away, he then went to an old cereal bowl he kept on his nightstand. He reached into his backpack and produced a large bottle of water, he was lucky enough to find the grotto behind the church occupied by the priest who baptized him as a baby, he helped him by blessing the water. He poured the water into the bowl, afterwards he opened the window and soaked a small towel into it. He wiped the outside of the window with it as well as the window frame, he then did the same to the inside of the window. He closed the windows and reached into his backpack again producing 4 small netted bags of garlic.

It was 6:20pm, so far so good, he didn't have much left to do anyway. He hung the garlic off the same hooks that held the previous ones and stepped back to check his own handy work. The four small bags hung across the window curtain and the sun could be seen slowly setting over the horizon outside. Once upon a time he imagined himself being able to meet his friends at the local nightclub, having a drink or two and maybe being driven home completely plastered from a night of fun. Truth be told he was not into the club scene, was not a heavy drinker and often preferred an early sleep schedule but he would have liked to have the freedom to choose not to go instead of being held hostage in his own apartment. He looked over at the windowsill and grinned. He went over to his drawer and produced a plastic bag full of silverware. It was mostly knives, forks and spoons but they were 100% silver, he snagged them from his parents' house before he left for college, he knew he was going to need them. After placing the silverware on the windowsill, he was finally free to shower for bed. After showering he changed into his pajamas and retreated to bed with his diary. As the sun finally sets and the world outside dims to night, he found himself suddenly inspired. His latest diary entry wouldn't be an actual poem but at least he could get his thoughts out in a way so he could probably turn it into a poem someday. He relaxed and propped up his pillows against the headboard and rested his back against them. He started to write while not so eagerly anticipating his silent visitor.

7 years, I have been at this for 7 years, the hiding, the constant smell of garlic, the weekly visits to the church, the silver crosses and the early morning classes to avoid staying out later than 6 pm. It's all because of the beast who haunts my nightmares and fills my days with dread. I can never understand why I'm so interesting to it. Why am I the target of his obsession?

The sound of taping came from the window causing Edd to freeze in place. He refused to acknowledge it, choosing to concentrate on his diary.

I met the beast when I was 15 years old, it committed a murder so horrifying that I dreamed of it every night since. It confessed its love for me recently and I am still confused as to why. I don't believe for a second that it is even capable of love. For some odd and somewhat alarming reason, I have been able to gather that he simply wants what all beasts crave, blood.

The tapping grew louder and a bit more impatient. Edd wouldn't dare to look up, he knew who was waiting for him on the other side of the window. He continued writing as the gentle taps turned to impatient banging.

I wish Eddy was here, he's supposed to be here with me to help protect me from this creature. It was the whole reason why we decided to live together. He kept disappearing from time to time, I think he might be seeing someone. Still I could really use his help. It waits for me, out there in the night. It stares at me with golden eyes, peering at me with a never-ending thirst. No matter where I go, it will soon follow, it will always follow, I can't seem to rid myself of it.

The banging became louder, causing Edd to finally look up in confusion. He coated the windows with holy water, how is that thing able to bang on them? He observed the windows closely and realized the banging was being done by a large tree stump being slammed against the window. Edd immediately panicked as the stump shattered the glass of the window and busted through it. Edd shouted and climbed across his bed to the other side to hide from his eternal stalker. The window was completely shattered at this point and the beast quickly discarded the stump. A pair of golden eyes peered into the room and sat on a large tree branch. He made no motion to move from his spot, he just sat there, leaned his head against the tree and stared into the room directly at the bed where his beloved was hiding. His deceptively handsome features were shrouded by the darkness outside, so one really could not tell what he was thinking.

The beast stayed that way for a while before eventually breaking the silence, "I know you're there Edward, come on out". It stared at the windowsill and noticed the silverware, a soft chuckle slipped out of him, "this again? The silver is unneeded, I haven't been invited to your home, so I can't come in. All I can do is watch you from out here. You've denied me your body countless times, so the least you can do is let me look at you".

Edward weighed his options, the blood thirsty beast outside his window really couldn't get in no matter what he tried. Even if he tried to get into the apartment through the kitchen window (which he has) it still wouldn't be a problem. The doorknob to his room was made of pure silver and the door itself was adorned with crucifixes, that room was the safest place for him to be. Edd decided to reveal himself by slowly standing up from his bed and staring back at the beast with fear in his eyes.

The beast smiles and lifts his head from the tree to lean forward and get a closer look, "ahhhh, there you are my sweet Hyacinthus".

"I still don't know why you insist on calling me that" said Edward not moving from his spot, he can't relax until the beast was fully gone.

This comment has suddenly triggered the beasts rage and he retort in a lower more animalistic voice, "that is your name".

Edd slowly back up, he wanted to be closer to his weapon of choice just in case this conversation went south. After another moment of silence, Edd decides to speak again, "I…I would appreciate it if you didn't call me that".

Suddenly the beast stands straight up on the branch he was sitting on and leaps to the windowsill. He stands there blocking the gaping hole he created and stares down at the other male in anger, his voice laced with frustration, "THAT IS YOUR NAME, I call you Edward merely because it pleases you, but don't think for a second that it's an obligation. I WILL CALL YOU WHATEVER I LIKE".

Edd pressed himself to his closet door away from the frightening scene and opened it. He then produced a super soaker water gun and in one swift motion he sprayed more holy water onto the beast. In an instant the beast jumped away from the window screaming in pain and fell completely to the ground below. The sound of his pain filled rage was heard as he landed hard on the concrete sidewalk 3 stories from Edd's dorm. His howls sounded like a mixture of a lion's roar and a dragon's shriek. Edd placed the super soaker back into the closet and closed the door. He then sank down to the ground and sat there putting his hands to his ears to block out the demonic sound.

"MOTHERFUCKER" screamed the beast nursing the burning hole in his chest, "SHIT, WAS THAT EVEN NECESSARY YOU LITTLE PSYCHO". The room he just came from was quiet for a while, Edward refused to look out the window, he didn't care that he hurt the beast he just wanted it to go away. The beast cringed as the skin and muscle tissue in his chest began to regenerate and he slowly stood up straight. He looked at the window with a mixture of longing and utter fury, "YOU CAN'T KEEP THIS UP FOR LONG. WE BOTH KNOW THE TRUTH, YOU ARE MINE HYACINTHUS. YOU ALWAYS HAVE BEEN AND YOU ALWAYS WILL BE".

Edd ignored the screams of indignant rage and got up to clean the bits of glass from his bed. He was also angry, because this thing just won't leave him be, he now has to change his sheets and sweep up the glass from the bedroom floor, "what a nuisance". He survived yet another night against the beast but also realized that the creature had a point. He wasn't sure how long he would be able to hold down the fort. I decided that he may have to killed it someday, but for now, he needed to clean up and get to bed. He will have to cover the hole in his window with plastic in the morning, thank god it was summer, he'd probably freeze to death otherwise. He walked around the bed and began the long arduous task of cleaning his room.