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.
Iain Kelly 
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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