When I pricked the tip of my index finger with a needle, a sharp sting ran through it, and a bead of blood began to well up.
Slowly, gradually, it swelled until it was finally large enough to be called a proper drop.
āLiz, what do you think? Can you take it?ā
I held my finger close to Lizās mouth.
Liz gently licked the blood from my fingertip, making sure not to leave even the smallest trace behind.
āYeah. It looks like I can.ā
āI see. Thatās good.ā
Her answer brought me a little relief.
A loud rumble came from Lizās stomach.
āSorry... I was already starving, but tasting your blood seems to have made me even hungrier... Ugh...ā
With a pained expression, Liz rubbed her stomach.
āThen letās get you fed as soon as possible. I think Iām reaching my limit too.ā
I placed a hand over my own stomach. The hollow sensation in the center of my body had grown stronger, as though something were slowly gnawing away at me from the inside.
I started walking, eager to begin Lizās āmealā as soon as possible.
Then I heard her voice behind me.
āIām really sorry...ā
There were tears in Lizās eyes as she apologized. I could not bring myself to look directly at her face.
After all, this was my fault in the first place.
Liz and I had been best friends ever since we were little.
We were always together, and that alone had been more than enough to make us happy.
Even after we grew old enough to be called young women rather than children, even as our relationships with other people began to change, the bond between us remained exactly the same.
I had believed it always would.
If only I had never suggested exploring the old mansion in the nearby forest for the stupidest of reasons: because I wanted to see the normally calm and gentle Liz panic for once.
If only I had noticed the suspicious magic circle on the floor.
If only I had not crept up behind Liz and startled her, just to frighten her a little.
None of this would have happened.
The instant I accidentally knocked Liz into the magic circle, she was enveloped in light.
By the time I realized what had happened, she had become what people would call a vampire.
To make matters worse, perhaps because of some strange quirk in the spell, she could only drink the blood of someone who was starving.
Before we discovered that condition, Liz had been unable to feed at all. The hunger she had suffered during those days must have been unbearable.
Both of Lizās parents were overseas. We could not rely on any of our other friends.
Most people could not simply go without food for several days for the sake of someone elseās meal.
I was the only one who could give Liz her āmeal.ā
I was the one who had to give it to her.
I was the one who had turned Liz into this.
We took off our clothes and stepped into the bathroom together. Liz always had her āmealsā there.
Being naked in front of each other was a little embarrassing, but I did not want blood staining our clothes.
āLiz... Youāve gotten thinner again.ā
The words slipped out when I looked at her stomach.
Liz had always had a lovely figure, but her already slender waist had become even narrower since she turned into a vampire. The faint outlines of her ribs and hip bones were beginning to show beneath her skin. It was painful to look at.
Her last āmealā had been ten days ago.
Human standards did not seem to apply perfectly to her anymore, but she had still gone hungry for a very long time.
āYouāre one to talk, Erika. Your stomach is completely flat.ā
As she spoke, Liz gently touched my belly.
āYouāre hungry, arenāt you?ā Liz asked. āHow many days has it been since you last ate?ā
āHmm... Three days, I think. You canāt drink my blood unless I fast for at least that long, right?ā
Unless I went without food for a minimum of three days, Lizās body rejected my blood.
āYeah... Thatās true. Erika, Iām so sorry...ā
āNo, donāt worry about it.ā
I was about to add, This is the least I can do, whenā
Grrrgggllllle... grrrrrrrrowl...
Lizās stomach let out another desperate rumble.
āUgh... I donāt think I can hold back anymore... Iām so hungry...ā
Clutching her stomach, Liz crouched down.
Grrrgggllllle... grrrowl... grrrrrrrrrooooaaar...
Her empty stomach cried out again, even more fiercely than before.
I hurriedly held out my arm toward her mouth.
Grrrrrr... gurr-gurr-gurrrrgle... grrrrrrroooowl...
āGo ahead. Hurry and eat. I canāt have my own dinner until youāve had your meal.ā
Then she sank her teeth into my arm.
As soon as I saw her drinking the blood from my wrist, I began to feel sick.
I had eaten nothing for three days, and now she was taking my blood as well.
Little by little, I felt the warmth drain from my body.
āErika! Erika! Stay with me!ā
The sound of someone calling my name brought me back to my senses.
āErika!? Youāre awake? Thank goodness...ā
At some point, I had been placed in a bed. I was wearing the pajamas Liz usually slept in.
The sound of Lizās voice, trembling as though she were about to cry, somehow made me feel a little safer.
āIām sorry,ā she said.
āI was so terribly hungry that I couldnāt stop myself from drinking... By the time I realized what I was doing, you had already passed out. I thought... I thought you might have died...ā
āLiz... Donāt worry about it.ā
At my words, Liz gave me a tearful smile.
āBy the way, Liz... Has your stomach settled down?ā
āYeah. I finally feel full for the first time in ages.ā
As she spoke, Liz rubbed her stomach.
It was true. Her belly looked slightly fuller now.
āI see. Thatās good.ā
I let out a relieved sigh.
Grrrrrrrowl... gurrrrgggllle... grrrrrrroooowl...
My stomach rumbled loudly.
āUgh... Iām starving...ā
The hunger was so intense that a groan escaped my lips.
Liz looked at me and spoke gently.
āErika, now itās my turn to fill your stomach. I made some food for you ahead of time. Iāll go bring it from the kitchen.ā
With that, Liz headed toward the kitchen.
As I watched her leave, my stomach let out another enormous growl, as if it could no longer bear the wait.
GRRRRRGGGLLLLLE... GURR-GURR-GURRRRRRRROWL...
I'm posting a story I previously wrote in Japanese, translated by AI.
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titsay
gummygunk
blakekathryn
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