Chapter 4

IV

The next evening, just after the sun bows behind the distant mountains, Johann’s eyes open wide, staring at the underside of his mattress. He rises from the floor to find William Morrow sitting in a steel chair outside his cell. William is holding a fresh glass and three pouches of crimson liquid. Through a proud smirk he says, “I believe Jake Hollins owes you breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

Johann takes the glass and the bags through the bars and sets them beside the bed.

“It’s okay,” William motions to the fare. “I don’t mind.”

Johann hesitates before using one of his long finger nails to perforate the bag. He foregoes the glass and raises the bag straight to his lips, giving William his first brief glance at the two overlong canine teeth, ivory stalactites that hang from Johann’s upper gums, before he sinks them into the red liquid. The disturbing sucking sound comes not from Johann’s mouth, but from deep within his gut. After emptying the bag of its contents, Johann wipes his mouth clean, and looks up at William. “That will do for now,” he says. Still his eyes frequently shift toward the other two bags as they him.

“Very well. Now, Johann, in order to move forward I need you to tell me about what happened with you and the Goldsmith girl.”

“I needed to feed,” says Johann matter of factly.

“And why were you not able to lee- uh, feed in the normal fashion?”

Johann hesitates and diverts his gaze from William, as if he is talking to the cell wall and says, “I was not expecting to be in need of nourishment while so far from the Stake.”

“And by the Stake you mean?”
“The part of this city where your people have relegated my kind.”

William’s eyes drop toward the floor as if they are too heavy for his head to hold them up. “I see. And why is it that you had to feed so unexpectedly?”

Again Johann pauses and the absence of color in his cheeks becomes even more apparent. “I will not discuss my reasons for leaving the Stake. But while I was in Ravine I lost a great deal of blood and I needed to feed right away. After exhausting every option I had, I moved from house to house until I found somewhere I could get in. I had no idea she was a little girl until I was holding her in my arms, and by then it was too late.”

Although William does not have a daughter of his own he feels his heart tighten in sympathy for the Goldsmith’s, but he presses on, trying to get everything out of his client that he can. “And then what happened?”

“After feeding and realizing what I had done, I ran. I ran as fast as I could to get back home. I heard sirens and tried to hide, but I was discovered.”

“I’m still not putting this all together. Why is it that you lost so much blood?”

Johann visibly hardens. “I have already said I will not discuss my time in Ravine.”

William senses that Johann is shutting down so he swiftly decides to change direction in an effort to keep him talking. “And what about your arrest? Did you say anything to the arresting officers? Did they say anything to you?”

“Say anything?” Johann laughs, steel wool scraping along a rusty car fender. “No they did not say anything.”

“Johann, did the officers who found you assault you before bringing you in?”

Johann’s stare intensifies, and his voice becomes tinged with anger. “Let me ask you this Mr. Morrow, if it were not for these bars separating us would you not want to assault me for what you think I did? You are no different than those men. It is not malice that infects you; it is ignorance. It is ignorance coupled with no desire to be educated. You cannot understand because you do not wish to understand.”

“I’m trying to understand, Johann but how can you expect me to understand when you’re refusing to give me very important details?”

William’s pleading eyes do nothing to soften Johann. “If you will excuse me, I wish to finish feeding and be left alone” he says as he turns away from William and reaches for the remaining bags.

***

That night while Johann sits awake, William lies on his couch unable to rest, mulling over everything his client had said. But finally, as the sun comes up, sleep embraces the both of them.