Dead eyes never wavering from Annabelle, Noël picked up the shovel…and threw it over the fence.

“Ya’ do know that I can just run out there and get it?” The girl quipped as she stared at the forested world beyond the confines of Noël’s home.

“Yes. Think of it as your incentive to leave.”

“Rude!!”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m a demon and this is your dream! I was supposed to claim someone’s soul, but……all I found was you,” the girl meekly mumbled, rosy eyes now downcast.

Eyes narrowing in suspicion, Noël could only retort in a completely deadpan tone belying the peculiar declaration of this strange girl. “I apologize for being such a disappointment.”

“You…you should be!! Brother’s not gonna let me hear the end of this!” Annabelle exclaimed in a comical display of horror.

“Is your brother strict?”

“No, he’s even worse. Brother is going to say, ‘Don’t worry, Annabelle. I’m sure things will turn out better next time!’ Just thinking of those words makes me sick,” the unhinged girl wailed as she stared daggers at Noël. “Just because I’m not perfect like him

doesn’t mean he can talk down on me!”

“Wow…your life must be so difficult,” Noël responded, gazing up at the autumn leaves slowly making their descent towards the ground. Upon catching a stray maple leaf, it immediately deteriorated in his hands. “I would absolutely hate to be you.”

“I’m glad you understand, friend! This is why I keep you around,” Annabelle beamed, arms moving animatedly and nearly smacking a loose pile of crimson leaves in the process.

“Once again, I am not your friend.”

“Ahaha, you’re so funny!” the baffling girl responded, grin never quite leaving her face. “While I’d hate to cut things so soon, it’s about time for you to wake up.”

“I do not wish to be rude, Miss, but I am wide awake,” Noël drawled in absolute disdain and contempt. “Now, if you’re done, I really need to finish my morning chores.”

“Boooooooooooring!”

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“I’m sorry if you find chores boring, Miss.” Shooting the strange girl one last look, Noël nonchalantly made his way back to his front doorstep. “You are free to leave…I implore you.”

“It’s not that at all! I’ve been trying to tell you; I can’t leave until you wake up!!” Annabelle screeched, small pile of leaves now knocked aside. “Oops…I’ll clean that up.”

“Don’t bother, Miss.” Sighing, Noël mentally added that to an ever-growing list of chores.

“It’s just…is that all you ever do?” Annabelle questioned, sidling up to the front steps of Noël’s home. “I mean, it’s so dull here! Everything’s covered in dust, there’s no one for miles, and don’t you feel lonely?”

Noël was at a loss. Gazing down at a collection of cobwebs plastered upon the stone and mortar bricks of the cottage, he realized there was nothing more he could say. Is he lonely? Happy? What has he been doing these last few….few what? How long has it been since he’d last seen his Aunt? Days…weeks…months? Could it have been years since he’d last seen the gentle, smiling face of his kindly Aunt Delia?

Turning away from Annabelle, Noël gazed up at the solemn exterior of what could only be described as the only home he could remember in recent memory. Delving any further into ancient memories would only produce heartbreak. “I am safe. Is that not enough?”

“You may be safe, but are you alive?

“Alive……? I…am a vampire, Miss. I died a long time ago.” Noël did not know what he should do. Thinking any further…oh dear. Livid screams emanating from a concealed crypt...and a phantom pain shooting through his chest. What was that?

“Silly goose! If you’re dead, how can we be talking?” Annabelle hummed, spinning around as gentle orange and crimson leaves continued to cascade down from the sky.

“Miss, I am afraid you are mistaken. I am dead. Why, I possess no pulse!” Noël responded, frown deepening. “How could you possibly believe I’m still alive?”

“Don’t over think this. You’re alive, but dead…almost like a doll.” Sadistically, Annabelle grinned as she turned her rosy eyes back towards Noël. Within the dark haze of the orange woods, they almost appeared to be glowing. “You really are pretty, like a corpse set out for burial.”

“But…what if I don’t want to be?”

“Blame your parents for that!” the perpetually cheerful girl exclaimed. “I’d love to have eyes as red as yours!”

Hands grappling at the hem of his coat, Noël looked everywhere just to avoid making eye contact with the odd, bewildering girl. “No, I mean…what if I don’t want to be alive?”

“That’s easy! If you want to die, all you have to do is wake up!” Annabelle beamed in an impetuous tone befitting her increasingly erratic declarations. “Of course, you’ll have to wake up so that I can leave, anyway. Those are the rules!”

“I keep telling you, I am awake.”

“Then…why is it that you cannot die?” Annabelle responded cheerily. “You’ll always be safe here. If you want a shot at dying, you’ll have to leave!”

Softly, Noël briefly contemplated Annabelle’s words before truly considering her proclamations. “Let me just ask…if what you’re saying is true, what will happen when I wake up?”

“Simple as pie. You wake up, and I get to go home!”

“That…is not the issue, I’m afraid. As I have already died once, a second death will forever elude me.”

“If I were you, I’d just throw myself into a bonfire!” Annabelle responded, eyes lighting up as if they too were filled with fire. “I’ve always wanted a Viking funeral. If you want, I can toss you into one!”

“No thank you. Death is all that I desire, but I want a quick, easy, and painless demise,” Noël exclaimed, slight panic etched upon his face. “As I said, death truly is all that I desire, but there must be a better way.”

“Then I don’t know how to help you. Most vampires wouldn’t mind being set on fire,” Annabelle mumbled.

“Well, maybe I’m not like most vampires…”

“What sorta death are you looking for? From what I’ve heard, vampires can’t die from drowning, stabbing, getting limbs chopped off...really, you’re practically immortal!” Annabelle cheerfully remarked, as if jealous of Noël’s near impossible ability to attain death. “As far as I know, only fire can kill ya’!”

“I don’t know, but…I should not exist.”

“Don’t be stupid! If you were bad enough, I’d have to set you on fire,” Annabelle happily stated in a half-hearted attempt at comfort. “You’re pretty okay in my book.”

“If that is the case, you are mistaken. Monsters…aren’t meant to exist, but why am I still here?” Dead, dead eyes gazing blankly at the girl’s terribly bright expression, Noël’s frown only deepened.

“I want…to die.”