a sort of homecoming A Vampire Chronicles story by _Twi_ (mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]) , December 1995. Rated PG. Lestat here. I just wanted to tell you a small tale, as I usually do, only this one is shorter and much more anonymous than any of my others. It begins with the last time I went to visit my "ghost," my mortal writer, but understand that this is not about her. This story is about one of her, or rather, my, fans, and the strange proof that love can overcome death. I hadn't seen Anne in a while. I was still somewhat annoyed at her for writing all those lies about me in her latest book. I had had no part in that one, but she felt "an obligation to her fans" and thought she needed to have another of my books out, whether I had written it or not. But I did want to see her again, even if it was just standing in the shadows smirking at her. She was having a book signing in Portland, Oregon tonight, which was where I was, coincidentally enough. It had already started at 6:00, and now it was 9:37, but she was still there signing, as I had known she would be. I got past the guards watching the line easily and snuck up behind her. "Boo." "Wha--oh Lestat, you're back!" she said, hugging me. "Hold up." She turned to a man, twenty-something, in line, smiling and signing his book. "Is that a great costume or what?" she said, pointing at me. I grinned at him, displaying my fangs. Of course, I was mentally making sure no one recognized me for who I really was. "Wow, those are great!" he exclaimed. "I bet they cost a lot, huh?" "Oh, they most certainly did," I said seriously. He looked at the signature in his book, thanked Anne profusely, and left. Anne stayed and signed autographs for a few more hours after that, and I stayed and waved and joked with the fans. They thought I was an assisstant. It happened at about 11:30. I was snickering over a man in the line who was supposedly dressed like me. Most ridiculous costume I'd ever seen. Then...I felt the most peculiar thing. Someone projecting an image into my mind. A blond haired little girl, staring in wonder at the colors in the room. A familiar voice - "This is Louis, and I am Lestat." I gasped and turned. A mortal girl was sitting in the corner, with her knees under her chin and her blond hair falling in her face. She stared into my eyes, and I realised she had been watching me for quite a while. Her eyes were ancient pools of sky blue. She kept staring into my eyes unflinchingly and I saw in my mind: The little girl innocent no longer Sitting in a chair by the fire reading The lonliness of having no one as her equal Futility in knowing that she would never have control Hating her weakness The knife sinking into me I didn't mean to do it, Lestat! I had to be free, couldn't you see it? And it didn't work She was still not free And never would be Traveling with Louis Meeting other vampires Suspicion....always outcast Madeleine, her new mother Louis screaming The sun, beautiful as it shone on her face Blackness. The girl smiled wistfully at me and I realised that I had crushed a brand-new copy of my book into little shreds of paper. Who was she? Then I saw more in my mind. She was showing me her life now: A little girl, crying in the sand as her father drove away Her mother, hitting.... Her mom's first new boyfriend Why won't he leave me alone? Stop touching me! And the pain The pain of two centuries Watching the sun rise But it's not worth it! It's not worth this! The futility, always being blamed Starting to remember her past Will it always be like it was then? And wanting to find me, to tell me the truth. I blinked out of my reverie. She stood up, stepped hesitantly toward me, and stopped. "I don't hate you, Lestat." She turned as if to leave, but decided against it and came and held me tight. I was sobbing a little. "Shhh....Lestat, I forgive you, I forgave you long ago...." And we were together again, Father and Daughter. (http://star.less.as/) ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour
