Parables of Clippety (13) - Suck My Blood

 

They struggled to keep up with him in their high heels and occasionally water splashed around their ankles but the idea of being left alone down there in the dark and cold was even more terrifying. ‘You must keep up,’ he shouted, ‘this isn’t a Friendly, this is the real thing and you don’t want to be left on the bench, you’ll only freeze to death, the spirits will eat you and absolutely everyone you ever met will forget about you.’

 

‘Oh my god,’ Clare whispered as she clutched Marni’s small white hand, pulling her along like a child.

 

‘It feels like we’ve walked miles,’ Marni said breathlessly, ‘or it could have just been a short distance. I feel like I’ve lost track of myself, I don’t know where we are or….who I am anymore Clare. I don’t know what time it is and I just want all this to end.’

 

As they walked deeper into the tunnel a symphony of strange sounds began to build around them, just a few at first but then increasing until it was impossible to locate the direction from which they came. Some sounded frighteningly close, others a far distance away; voices echoed through the tunnel, wailing, singing and what sounded like an argument but it was impossible to make out any words. 

 

Occasionally music could be heard or rather the irregular notes of people warming up their instruments; guitars, a piano, some drums, perhaps preparing for a gig and all the while a constant drip, drip, drip of water coming from above them and landing in the puddles around their feet.

 

‘This is the worst thing I’ve ever done,’ said Clare. She was just starting to believe that she couldn’t take much more and that she would rather let go of Marni’s hand and just curl up on the cold, damp stone floor and wait for her heart to come to a stop, when the light of Jurgen’s torch became still.

 

‘Hey this is the door to your hotel!’ He said as he removed an impossibly huge set of keys from his pocket and jangled them for several seconds, turning them over in his hands while he searched for the right one. ‘EHL,’ he said.

 

‘What does that mean?’ said Clare.

 

‘It’s just some letters carved into the key,’ Jergun shrugged, he turned the key and pushed open the door.

 

There was a flight of steps, thankfully they led upwards back towards what Marni and Clare hoped to be civilisation, or rather, the 'overworld', the one which they were familiar with. They were half right. The air felt instantly warmer, a rectangular strip of light bordered the door at the top of the stairs like a halo. It was unlocked, Jergun opened it and led them into a lit corridor which, in every way resembled the familiar corridor of their hotel.

 

‘Oh thank god,’ Marni exhaled, her lips shaking as she placed her hand on her chest.

 

 

‘We’ve just got to get rid of him now,’ whispered Clare.

 

They watched him from behind as he walked along the avenue of doors, all numbered. He was still wearing his tracksuit and trainers just as they thought, which made the loud tapping of his feet as he walked in the tunnel all the more perplexing. It was difficult to know what time it was in the real world since there was no visible daylight and not another soul about. The hotel had a gloomy feel to it and a sort of dull, green tinge to the lights on the ceiling. It was the same as they remembered but somehow quite different, the corridor for example appeared to go on forever.

 

‘Which number is your room?’ he asked, curtly.

 

‘It’s okay now Jergun, we can take it from here. You must get back to Anfield, the players will be wondering where you’ve got to.’

 

‘I will, I will, once you ladies have had your nightcap and I’ve tucked you into bed.’

 

‘You know what this reminds me of?’ whispered Clare.

 

Marni shook her head. ‘Don’t tell me.’

 

‘Little Red Riding Hood. There’s me in my red dress, not so little I admit but him, he’s the big bad wolf…..’

 

Suddenly Jergun stopped next to one of the doors and pointed. ‘This is it, this one, this is your room. Do you have your key ladies?’

 

Clare stopped. ‘I thought you had the keys to the city?’ she said.

 

‘I do but there are so many, it’s easier if you just open the door,' he said, shaking his index finger impatiently.

 

Clare rifled through her handbag, removing the card and unclicking the lock. She felt more confident now in familiar surroundings, like she could work on taking back control of the situation. The hotel room looked more or less like she remembered, except it was tidier perhaps. Maybe the maid had been in. Marni stood next to the door clutching her little feral hands together, she smiled nervously, displaying her canines and Clare suddenly had an idea.

 

It was clear that they both wanted Jurgen to leave now. The myth had been busted, the romantic view of him being the perfect man obliterated. Clare remembered how Marni had mentioned something about sucking his blood and thought that perhaps she could use the ferine element of Marni’s character to frighten him away. 

 

They all went into the room. Jurgen immediately sat on the bed and then lay back, placing his hands behind his head. ‘God I’m so tired,’ he said, ‘What a day! We won again. I’m on a fucking winning streak I am,’ he took a deep breath and repeated, shouting this time, ‘a fucking winning streak!’ He exhaled and whispered, ‘And then you two.’

 

‘What, us two?’ said Clare.

 

‘Ambushing me like that, taking me clubbing, leading me to the underworld…’

 

‘You led us to the underworld!’

 

‘I’m just so so tired,’ he whispered and his eyes began to close. 

 

Marni had sat herself on a little chair just next to the hairdryer on the wall, her eyes widened. ‘Don’t let him fall asleep,’ she said, ‘we won’t be able to get rid of him. I can’t move him, he’s too heavy.’

 

Clare stood in front of him and clapped her hands loudly. ‘Wait! Don’t go to sleep, Jurgen!’ Marni wants to do something to you, she’s been dreaming about it for so long.’

 

‘What?’ Marni whispered, her small brown eyes flashing from side to side now.

 

Jurgen removed his glass, rubbed his eyes and sat up on his elbows. ‘What is it?’ he said, ‘What is it she wants to do to me?’ He was smiling now, a sideways grin, displaying his beautiful white teeth.

 

Clare stood up very straight, her voice became dominating, she was taking back control, folding her arms, standing tall on those high heels. ‘She wants to suck your blood,’ she said slowly.

 

Marni got up from the seat and went to the side of the bed. She looked at his neck, smooth, rather tanned, it was a nice neck, aromatic and enticing. She giggled, her mouth watered and her pointed canines seemed to grow longer, sharper. ‘Yes,’ she nodded, ‘I want to suck your blood. I've been dreaming of it, half my life I’ve wanted it.’

 

Jurgen sat up, the bed creaked audibly, he pointed to the side of his neck, tapping it several times over. ‘Go on then,’ he said, ‘I regularly give blood. I’m a fully integrated citizen of the UK. Go on….suck my blood.’

 

Clare looked deflated. It seemed as if he was taking control again, he wasn’t phased by the threat of a small, ferret-like vampire. Marni leant down slowly, her mouth approaching the soft skin on his neck.

 

‘Suck my blood!’ he shouted so loudly that Clare became alarmed that guests in the adjoining rooms might hear.

 

Marni looked up at Clare, she seemed paler than usual, her face looked as white as a ghost. ‘Do it,’ Clare shrugged. ‘I think you need the iron.’

 

‘Oh I’m full of iron. I had schnitzel for lunch with cabbage. Take it, take as much as you like. Suck my blood!’ he bellowed, even louder this time.