They call me a freak.
I live in the old church surrounded by crosses and hang garlic cloves from every stained-glass window and revel in the sunshine that pours through the coloured panes.
They call me a freak because I’m not like them.
They’ve stopped visiting now. I never invite them across the threshold. I know they only came seeking answers. I was a science experiment, a mutation. I could have been their future, instead they see me as a threat.
They call me a freak.
The humans still come though, and when they do, I take my feed and savour the sweet taste of blood, just like them.

Written for Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above).
To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
There once was an ugly vampire … Nice one, Iain
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It’s about time we stopped grouping all vampires together – they can’t all dislike garlic.
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Cannae whack a good vampire tale.
Neat twist, Iain.
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Thanks CE
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Well done, Iain, you intrigued and confused me …
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Not a bad place for a writer to be 🙂 Thanks
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Well, this is indeed freaky! Are you sure s/he is not already the future come true?
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They could be walking among us as we write Reena!
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Dangerous mutation!
Scary one 🙂 Well told.
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Thanks Anita
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Freaky indeed. Scientists should leave somethings alone.
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Who knows, we may need them to come up with another vaccine….
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Oh damn, might be waiting a while…
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A vampire, huh? Sounds like my take on it. Well done!
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A few garlic-ky vampire tales this week, as I would have expected!
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Terrific take on the prompt, with just the right dusting of irony.
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Thanks Sandra, much appreciated.
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A vampire tale worth reading, for sure!
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Thanks Dale
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Dear Iain,
You’ve given new life to the vampire tale. You made me feel for him. Bella Lugosi would be proud. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Ha, thank you Rochelle 🙂
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The irony got me right from the start! Loved it
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Thank you 🙂
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I thought they avoided garlic and crosses… Good one (In my story, they avoid garlic 😉 )
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They do, but this one’s a little different, which could mean a lot of trouble.
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Some serious goosebumps here
Good job working up tension until the ending.
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Thank you Eugenia 🙂
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Love the vampire tale. I imagine that communion would be a good time for him.
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Oh yes, plenty of fresh meat 😉
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You must let me know where this church is lest I inadvertently wander into it next time I’m up your way!
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Give it a go Keith, you’ll have fun, honest.
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Maybe our vamps could be friends 😉
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Cool, let’s hook them up 🙂
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👍🏽😉
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Ooh, chilling little tale, Iain. Like it!
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Thanks Susan
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A Frankensteinish vampire: now there’s a twist and no mistake! No wonder he freaks the old-timers out. 😂 Enjoyed this, Iain.
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Thanks Dora 🙂
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Such wonderful bait for humans, who would never suspect a vampire lives in a church, in sunlight, surrounded by garlic. Good story!
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Lambs to the slaughter 😉
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🙂 The scariest Hammer film I saw was when VanHelsing (played by Cushing) threw holy water on Dracula (played by Lee) and it had no effect.
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Vampires are not my thing, but garlic certainly is.
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Thanks Mike
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Interesting story. I really like the idea of the vampire experiment/mutation.
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Thanks!
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Iain, we followed a similar path today. I promise I didn’t read any stories before writing my own 🙂
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A lot of vampires kicking about this week 😉
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Great last line. This reminds me of “I Am Legend.” I’m not into vampires, but that’s a great book. It’s so much better than the horrible, terrible, awful movie. I don’t remember the details, but Richard Matheson breaks down the science of vampires. How they became vampires. Why they’re “allergic” to certain things. It’s set in a cool post-apocalyptic story. Like your story, it takes out the ghoulish horrors and replaces them with scientific horrors.
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I’ve seen the film, but not read the book. Perhaps I should give it a go.
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The book is much better, but I obviously didn’t like the movie.
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Enjoyed this story 😊 Seems modern Vampires are immune to garlic🧛🏻
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Yeah, I was never convinced it did them much harm anyway!
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Thanks for reading, Iain 🙂
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Immunity to garlic, well thats natural selection surely. Great tale Iain.
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Thank you
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Yikes. But with garlic? 😉
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Oh! Excellent take on the prompt!!!
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Thanks Alicia
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it’s nature’s way. if humans can evolve and mutate, vampires can too.
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Absolutely.
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I bet he enjoys a nice bit of stake-whittling of an evening too. That’s evolution for you!
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Oh yes, very handy with a stake in fact.
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I do believe you are subverting the genre, Iain! Lovely, imaginative take on the prompt.
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Thanks Penny 🙂
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This is like Frankstein’s monster and Dracula rolled into one. Very imaginative take on the prompt, Iain 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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You’re welcome 🙂
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Sorry, I hit send before changing Frankstein to Frankenstein.
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Extremely intriguing story of an evolved vampire. He’s different but the same. Very creative. I wanted more!
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Thanks Brenda 🙂
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Ooooooo creepy… from the vampire’ s POV
He sounds angry and lonely. (For a bit there I thought of the hunchback or of Frankinstein’s monster) a good horror story !
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Thanks Laurie, would be interesting to make him a bit like Frankenstein’s Monster.
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Creepy!
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Thanks Rob
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I bet he flavour his blood soup with garlic!
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Everyone loves a hint of garlic 😉
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Wow, very dark and the repetition of “They call me a freak” adds a tone to it that is eery and mysterious.
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Thank you 🙂
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Creepy. A truly whinge-worthy tale! I love the last phrase “just like them”. Nice.
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Thank you 🙂
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Didn’t expect that ending.👏👌
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🙂
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How are you doing
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Great, you?
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Killer ending, Iain. (Pun intended). 🙂
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Thanks Russell
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Well, an intriguing take on vampire activities, like the twist at the end.
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Thank you 🙂
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Mutated to like, crosses, garlic and sunshine, like our local neighbourhood virus might mutate.
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Who knows where it will end up – or how it affects vampires.
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How sad and chilling.
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Thank you
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Excellent take. Chilling and scary. Imagine some people eat them.
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Thank you
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