A/N: Double update 36-37

"I think the word is 'Hi'." Obie said uncomfortably.

He looked baffled. Whether it was because of her response or the fact she actually responded back was beyond her grasp. "H...I..."

"Not the literal letters 'H' and 'I'" Obie pronounced, fingers jittering against her hips. "Hi."

Obie didn't want to sound ignorant, but he was pronouncing the words like he had a speech delay. What happened to the vampire who could say words as smooth as butter? His advancement separated him from the infected as she witnessed the first day they met. His infamous "I know" permanently stamped its way into her memories as a reminder of developing vampire threats.

The vampire narrowed his eyes. "Ha...I. Hi."

Obie nodded a tiny bit, approving.

He picked up the flashcard, waved it in her face and then gestured towards the rest on the bed. Next, a children's alphabet toy on the nightstand. Then, he pointed at the books. He tried to cross the room, though the light from the window prevented him.

Obie seized the advantage to draw the line between the two. There weren't signs of volatile behavior to deter Obie. The nonexistence of it made Obie aware of the possible menacing presence soon to come. She refused to let her guard down.

But she didn't leave.

Obie stayed, though her trepidation was attempting to progress into paranoia and worry her into an early grave.

Doesn't sound too bad.

Cautiously, Obie strolled to the front of the bed. The creaks under her feet, no more than nails sliding in and out the hoist as a result of ill efficient construction, were sounds that kept Obie mindful of her surroundings.

Her hand extended, caressing the four corners of the cards. They were educational cards with two faces of a word and its represented picture. There were also cards of phrases, symbolizing actions and proper conversations. Some British ones too. That explained his "cheerio" moment.

The vampire was patiently waiting as Obie tangled her webs in his current activities.

She picked up a book from Mrs. Fisher's bed. Diary of Anne Frank. She wanted to say "...want another story? Read Kite Runner. Or To Kill a Mockingbird. Beats this dictionary you have."

However, she couldn't. It was a vampire, not a person.

He used to be a person. Your father took that away, a voice said in her head.

Obie side eyed him.

"You've been teaching yourself?"

He nodded.

"Why?" Obie said curiously. "Can't you talk already?"

He twisted his lips. "Sametimes."

"It's sometimes." She corrected him.

"Some...times."

"Mhmm..." Lookie here. Obie was teaching the vampire how to speak properly. How else was she going to get answers out of him. "I have a couple questions to ask you. A lot more too later, but let's break the ice with these ones first. Do you understand?"

"Bweak ice?" He tilted his head.

"Breaking the ice is a phrase people use. It basically means settle things before continuing to something else. Do you know the phrase 'clearing the air'?"

The vampire nodded again, his luxurious hair flowing with each head movement.

"It's the same." Obie leaned on the wall and crossed her arms. Burrito looked to hop on the bed, but she snapped her fingers at the animal to keep her close. "My first question is the easiest. Have you been following me since the day we met?"

"Yes." He said clear as day.

Okay, he can say the simple words.

"Why?"

The vampire paused and shrugged.

"You don't know?" Obie said in disbelief.

"No." He said softly.

She'll get to the bottom of it.

"Did you break my door?" Obie grimaced as she recalled drinking the blood from the floor.

"Yes." He said simply like he didn't know right from wrong.

"Did you kill all those vampires at the market to save me?"

"Yes."

"Why do you keep saving me?" She had to ask.

The vampire opened his mouth and shrugged.

"You don't know again?"

He shook his head.

The wall carried her weight as she sunk back. "I think you do. You just don't know how to say it."

He didn't respond.

She said lowly. "I've been getting nauseous lately. Right after you saved me the first time, everything has been different. The second time I've been strong. Too strong for my own weight. Do you know what's happening to me?"

He checked her up and down. "No."

"Do you think I'm changing because of you?" The question was inevitably yes, but she needed to grasp if he was oblivious to the obvious.

"Yes." He said honestly.

"Changing into one of you?" She asked him this previously.

"No."

"How do you know? You literally just said you don't know what's happening to me."

He looked down and shrugged one shoulder.

Obie sighed, knowing she would have to pick his brain and mind apart to reveal the truth. He claimed she wouldn't turn, but unaware of the reason behind it.

"I have one more question." Obie pushed the wall with her heel. "Do you want to kill me?"

"No," he said gently.

She clarified her question. "Do you want to drink from me?"

He hesitated. "Yes."

Her breath hitched. He wanted to drink her blood, but not kill her. Did he want her to be his personal blood bag? Jeez.

"Would you try?" She said, worriedly.

"No."

"Why?"

"Can't. P-p-painfool."

"Painful. The word is painful. It would be painful to drink from me?"

"R-reguuula bwood."

"I don't know what that means."

His sun kissed cheeks warmed rosy red. He was embarrassed. When he tried to explain, his words jumbled on top each other and left his mouth the same way.

"Alright stop before you break your tongue," she rubbed her temples.

She wondered did he know he was an experiment?

Did he know her father?

She parted her ruby pink lips to inquire. Next, she rethought her decision and reverted to keep things simple. Simple to the difficult questions wouldn't scare him into a mental breakdown. It was a guarantee any person with a history of forced subject experimentation was traumatized and most likely bound to some form of PTSD.

The guarantee swayed Obie into a decision she was appalled with. Meeting the vampire wasn't a one-second job. There must be a consistency to tear open his walls to retrieve the information she wanted.

Consistency aka sticking around mister vampire.

She groaned inwardly.

Might as well.

Her main goal was to find her dad's and uncle's offices at the CDC. There was little chance her father's data was shelved in his office because his participation in the experiments stopped 2007; assuming uncle George's garbage information was accurate. He would have given his work to the other doctors, especially George.

She had to deal with the vampire to get to the root of these unanswered questions.

Not just once.

She doubted even not twice.

Regretfully, Obie climbed on the bed and hopped onto the creaky wood in front of the window. Her greatest friend, longest ally, and trustworthy comrade was the morning star in the bright blue sky that was sometimes sheltered by the fluffy mixture of ice particles and water vapor. For so long, Obie clung onto the benefit of the light to stay alive and warn off her enemies. To warn off vampires like him.

But not today.

"I hope I don't regret this."

Obie shut the curtains. 

A/N: Double update 36-37. Will be two more chapters updated tomorrow! 

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