Chapter Two: Iowa
(Corey’s view)

She fell asleep. Her life must have been very troubling, for she regretted everything she did. She was so lonely, no one to call her own, no family to live for. How long has she been living like this? She must have wanted to die. I couldn’t help but to feel guilty but as I thought, I felt sorry for her. She couldn’t trust anyone. Maybe she was trying to kill herself. I didn’t know anymore, but I decided not to think about it anymore for it was a very questionable matter that only made me feel piteous towards her. She would like to be alone and I knew that, so I left, but she grabbed my hand. I looked back, but she was asleep... or was she?

“Don’t leave... You’re all I have.”

It must have been someone from her past that betrayed her. I knelt down besides her and held her hand. Her dreams must have been horrifying.

“It doesn’t matter what I am... I love you.”

It must have been someone from the past.

“Corey... please... don’t leave me.”

Corey? She knew another Corey?

“Corey...”

Her head turned away from me as tear glistened and ran down her face. He must have hurt her he must have been the one who made her like this.

“I knew I should never trust any man.”

Those words were said with such hate, such anger, it was as if she was awake. Her grasp on my hand grew tighter.

“I’ll... never... forgive you.”

Who was this Corey she’s dreaming about? Whoever he was, he was heartless.

“And in this pool of blood...”

“You’ll learn what I love.”

It was beautiful but it meant something more than it suggests. It was a story in a sentence. Something cryptic in a sentence, but what could it mean?

“No... no... no!”

She woke up in a cold sweat, breathing heavily, afraid to close her eyes for even the slightest second.

“Corey?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t let me fall asleep again.”

“Alright, but who- never mind.”

“What? Tell me.”

“No, it’s going to bring bad memories up.”

She stayed silent and lay down once more, not closing her eyes, refusing to sleep. Her eyes were full of wisdom and her soul full of sorrow. She was what I wrote in my songs. She was the living hell anthem. Her soul was no longer dwelling within her but it perished in the mist of time. Her hand so soft and smooth, her face so clear and so different from what I have seen in Iowa. She was something new. Her eyes remained open until her body finally surrendered. Her mind was too weak to fight back. She couldn’t fight back any longer and nor could I...

“Corey...? Where are you...? Corey-“

I stopped her in the middle of her nightmare so she can enter a real dream...

“Corey?”

She was still victim to her memories, although she was coming back to reality. Once more, I plunged into her world to save her from her nightmares and I prevailed. Her eyes opened and my eyes met with hers. She withdrew but not with disgust, with satisfaction.

“Corey...”

“Quiet. I haven’t had a moment like this for a long time.”

Once more, I drew her close to me, our eyes met, they closed, and we entered a dream worth dying for.

“Oh yeah, he’s a slave and a master.”

I heard a familiar voice and looked behind me to see James recording us. Oh, he was dead.

“You son of a bitch-“

I went towards him and tried to grab hold of that camera. He was so dead.

“Let go of the damn camera.”

Her voice was cold and sent chills in our souls. We both looked at her she was serious. She stood up and started to walk towards us, though she tripped on her own two feet and almost fell, but James caught her.

“You alright?”

“I’m fine, just let go of that camera.”

“Let go of the damn camera.”

James left it to me, but as soon as he did, Rose threw a punch at him. I grabbed her arm, although I forgot I had cut it for her. The pain rang through my arm, leaving me to try to forget the pain while I was bleeding.

“Corey!”

They put their momentary hatred for each other aside to help me. They led me to the sofa and they did the most they could to try to stop it.

“What the hell is this?”

“It was for-“

“It was for me.”

“What the hell did you do to him?”

“I’ll explain.”

I was in pain, but I didn’t want her to tell her story.

“She’s a vampire.”

“lease, don’t tell anyone, please, I’m begging you.”

His face was amazed but his heart was frightened.

“I won’t, I promise.”

“Thank you, James.”

“Anything for a friend.”

Everything was silent and the only thing on their minds was how I would be by tomorrow morning.

“Stay here, I’ll take care of Corey.”

“Thanks.”

James and I left, leaving Rose alone on the sofa. I turned my back on her and waved goodnight. James turned his head back to see what she had done, but didn’t tell me what she did. The only thing going through my mind was if she would fall asleep again. Her nightmares wouldn’t let her rest. I stopped and asked her something, not turning around to face her.

“How long has it been since you’ve actually slept?”

“It’s been a while, about two hundred years.”

James looked back at me with a worried look on his face while Rose was trying to read my mind, searching for an answer.

“James, could you watch her tonight?”

“Sure.”

I walked further into the bus and to my bed. I knew she wanted me out there, I knew she wanted me holding her hand; I knew she was talking about me in her nightmares, but I couldn’t face her. I just needed peace and tranquility. Even if I were to face her, I couldn’t be more to her than a friend. She was much too young, I was thirty-four, and she looked as if she was eighteen. I didn’t know what to do, she was everything I hated. I had to remember she exiled me from my home, Iowa.