maskormenace

[The boy who appears on camera could be no more than sixteen, if one were to judge by physical appearance alone. At best, the sober expression and conservative haircut might cautiously elevate him to as old as twenty. It’s the eyes that reveal the lie in that assumption. The eyes and perhaps a quality to his presence, something still and weary and aged that he makes no effort to conceal.]

My name is Godric, and I am newly arrived here.

I do not doubt that many of you have heard every possible question that could be asked in regard to our arrival, so I will be brief.

[A faintly wry expression crosses his face as he says it, as if in apology. But it passes as he pauses for a few heartbeats, unhurried, taking the time to consider his words.]

I am not altogether comfortable being proclaimed a hero, nor am I necessarily comfortable with the hand the military has taken in all this. For those of you who chose to register, if you had doubts, what swayed your opinion? For those of you who chose to abstain, or indeed took any other path, what convinced you it was for the best?

[His eyes wander back to the camera then, his gaze steady, focused wholly at whoever he may be addressing on the other end.]

They say the Porter is sentient, but I wonder over the nature of its intelligence. Do you believe our presence here is as deliberate as they imagine? If so, is it punishment or providence? Or is all this merely chance?

[Another pause and he shifts, eyes going distant and unfocused, considering whether to ask more. Deciding against it, he smiles politely. There’s no real happiness in it.]

Thank you for your time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yeah, my world is full of them.I don't know if it guarantees anything-

I mean, you get some benefits, I guess.

[He briefly considers how open people have been here, and how forthcoming Billy is being about himself, and decides to just lay it all on the table.]

My world had mostly perfectly normal humans, but there were others who kept to the shadows. It was the vampires who chose exposure, not long ago.

We saw the way of the world turning, and chose to get ahead of it. We formed alliances with world governments and announced our existence to the public. We called it the Great Revelation. It went more smoothly than I had thought possible, but was not without problems by any means. We gained legitimacy, but lost certain rights, such as the right to marry.

[He shrugs lightly, as if the slight stings a little, but nothing more.]

Here, they already know what I am. My existence is "registered" with them, one way or another. So I feel my choice is down to whether or not I want to risk antagonizing them by rejecting them, or take advantage of their apparent goodwill until I'm given reason to do otherwise. My questions are primarily to help me make an educated decision. Either way they cannot keep me if I want to go.

Oh. Vampires.

[AND A PAUSE.]

Gays...just got the right to marry back home.

[Godric smiles as if to say, "Yeah, people with fangs, what are you gonna do?" Or maybe it's more like, "Well if that's all the conversation I'm going to get out of this, Billy..."]

That is something they were still fighting for in my world, sadly enough. I can't say if our own legal battles complicated the issue or helped expedite matters.

[He says "they" like he's never gone to bed with another dude, but vampires gonna vampire; who over the age of two hundred gives a toss about human laws and labels, amirite?]

Well, good to know that they're willing to let vampires marry but not two dudes. We'd all hate to trample on the civil liberties of the heterosexual undead.

[That's. Just how Billy talks.]

You misunderstand. Vampires still can't marry, especially to a human. I mean to say that perhaps the political establishments have focused their vitriol so squarely on us that allowing human homosexuals to marry will pass that much more easily.

[It's as amusing to him as it is deeply wearying. The more things change...]

Oh.

[Pause.]

Ouch.

[He shrugs]

It will change. All things change. And we are immortal; we can afford to wait.

[So you can go first, Billy, it's all good.]

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