findings

         Cold. The harsh wind blew across the frozen waste land. Icicles formed in the air, like small diamonds. It hurt to breathe. Every in take of breath froze his body. Sharp spikes formed in his lungs piercing him, impaling him form the inside out. He wanted to close his eyes to block out the world around him. He knew that darkness would bring him the comfort he seeks. If only to sleep and never wake up....wake up...wake up.
         "Wake up! Arch!"
         Arch woke with a start nearly falling from the chair he fell asleep on, he quickly gained his balance while grabbing hold of the chair. Looking to his left a cute little girl stood next to him. Her small hands grabbing hold his arm and shaking him hard. Her huge brown eyes held worry in them with a hint of tears about to spill. Her curly red hair was put into a lopsided bun, the child’s last hope to tame the unruly hair. Her face overly flushed, the girl was the daughter of his landlord Mr. Cunningham who had lost his wife when the girl was born and has been raising her by himself. He was used to seeing her pop up at odd times, she had the key to all the apartments and went where she wanted. The building was her playground.
         "What's wrong Kara? Why you here? Your papa want me?
          " no arch there was a flood downstairs. You left the bath tub on. Dad sent me up to see what was wrong. I cleaned everything so you don't have to worry but I got so scared when I couldn't wake you. I shook you forever." Looking at the girl he had no choice but to smile. Patting her and tilting her face up to wipe away her tears he said
          " no need to worry about me. I am made of strong stuff like bull. Though at time I get so tired I do not move. Time here is different from Russia. So I go sleep at odd time to you da?" Kara nodded her head. Patting his arm she said." That's right Arch you are from Russia. Dad said its very cold there. It must be hard to live there. I like the snow and when its cold but I like spring and summer better."
          "That is right. Americans like warm weather. It get so hot I feel like I am in oven. It make me wonder how you stay so cool. But winter here feels nice." Far off in the distance echoing through the hallway karas father called for her. The girls eyes went slightly bigger then their already doe like size, with a smile and a wave to arch she raced off through the door to her father without a second glance back. Arch stood up stretching to his full 6'2. He walked towards the door and locked it.
          He couldn't believe he did it again. Falling into the deep sleep that seemed to take control over the past few years. Earlier in his life he had trained his body to enter into the sleep stage at will. It helped him slow his body functions down. When in this state he did not age as fast. But now he had no control, his mind seemed to shut down at random times. Maybe he was finally getting old. Nearing the age 100 was hard on him. Sure he still looked the age of 27. Could do things that the most men his age could not do. But mentally he was ageing. To much information over years weighing him down, or maybe his heart had taken to much ache. But he couldn't end everything now. Not when he searched this long. Somewhere out there he knew his sister was still alive. Not as an old women but young like him except cursed forever.
          He remembered that night long ago. He was on the balcony of their two story home in Russia, he was sitting there with a cup of hot milk in his hand to keep him warm. He enjoyed the night life, liked watching the stars, listening to the bugs. Down below playing in the snow was his younger sister. Born only 5 minutes behind but he saw her like a child and not a women that she truly was. There she was her hair black like the seas at night in a storm, swaying about as she turned and twirled through the falling snow. Her laugh rung in the air like a bell a pleasant sound to the ears. She stopped twirling and faced the woods, he looked that way to see why she had stopped playing, but he saw nothing. Looking down back to Sasha he saw a fog beginning to lift around her. It curled and swayed around her, he could swear that he saw hangs in the fog touching her, caressing her face, her hands and hair. But Sasha did not seem to notice, she stood frozen like a statue looking out towards the woods, waiting. The hairs on the back of his neck began to stand. Something was not right.
         Suddenly a knock sounded at the door bringing him back to the present. He didn't like people, found them to be nothing but a distraction. Kara was a sweet child but at times her company was to much and it seemed to suffocate him, that's how he felt with everyone. He didn't want to open the door, he tried to ignore it. Arch wanted to go back to memories of good times. Like his childhood when Sasha was there. The knock at the door came louder. He walked over to it his hand on the knob he asked who was it.
          "It is me arch, its Freddy." Relief spread through him his only comrade in the world had come to visit him. Arch opened the door and let Freddy in. The man was not as big as he was Freddy was actually very lanky and frail looking, but the man had a presence about him that surged power and command.
          "My friend what brings you here" a chill went down arch’s back as Freddy place his cold yellow eyes on him.
         "Has there been a lead on your sister arch? Since you got to live in this building, you have sat and place yourself in a far away land. I thought we were going after her. I don't have time to sit here and diddle." The words stung like a slap to the face. Arch was being accused of not caring for his sister, for not looking for her. Was it true? He did not remember the last time he left the small room, didn't remember what he did or where he went. In his mind he went every where, went over everything. But that was the past, this was the future. Freddy was right to accuse him.
         "I am sorry my friend, I do not know what has gotten into me. You are right. Come let us leave now and search this small village and then be gone of this place. For it hangs on me like a heavy coat of guilt"
         Freddy inclined towards the door, letting the human go first. Having met the man years ago while he was looking for sabre he decided to join the Russian. Being with arch showed him what would have become of him should he had continued to look for sabre alone. The Russians eyes seemed to be always in the past. Freddy wondered if he too had the look at times. He sometimes looked back when he saw sabre leaving. He had looked up from a kill of a vampire when he saw her trough the fire, her skin glowed and her black hair shun in the light of the fire. Their eyes locked and he knew something was wrong. One of the vampire came behind her. He had seen him before but at the moment he couldn't remember. But his heart shattered as the vampire placed him hand on Sabre shoulder, breaking the eye contact with him sabre turned and walked away with the vampire not even looking back. Even now as he look at arch’s back and remember when he lost the girl he loved, he couldn't see himself being stuck in that world. He grabbed arch shoulder.
          "My friend I do not mean to be harsh. I know how much you care for your sister. But remember there is someone out there who is not your sister and needs you. Someone who will love you and spend the rest of their days with you. You must always think of that women too arch." Arch could not understand what Freddy could mean by that. If there was a women out there waiting for him she had died long ago. 100 years is a long time.
          Outside the building the air was light and the sun glowed with great radiance. It hurt arch’s eyes. As they walked the block he heard gasping. Women stopped in their tracks to stare at him. He was happy his black hair covered his eyes, the ice blue color gave him too much attention. But it didn't seem to matter, with his new shaven look women flocked towards him. His olive skin seemed to glow with less hair to cover it up and his long hair enticed them to come closer. Muscles that rippled beneath his clothes showed strength and prime hood, this attention made his cheeks burn. Freddy ignored this easily walking through the crowds like a king, no one touched him.
          Arch saw this as strange, not even the clumsy children bumped into Freddy while he had to dodge and turn to avoid harm. At this moment arch wondered about the truth behind Freddy's power, the reason why he walked with such refinement. He wondered if his comrade was human. Arch paused at the thought wondering where it had came from, nothing about Freddy was non-human.True the man was distant and a bit off, yes his eyes seemed to look into a person soul leaving no secrets. A trait that reminded him of his old cat Nala, yes that was it Freddy reminded Arch of a cat.He did not know normal people to be so composed, so aware of themselves and those around them.
          Not many people had so much knowledge, he wondered if he had that look too. living on the earth for 100 years had to have left some kind of "knowing" in him. Arch looked deep into himself racking his brain, but there was nothing in him that could go over what ever Freddy had hidden in his mind, even if he was older.