I swiveled side to side on my stool at the cash register, chewing old gum and scrolling through my phone. It was the dead hour of the day and one of those moments where I wished I had taken on a fast-food job rather than retail. At least I’d be busy during the lunch rush. I mean, who would want to shop for clothes in the middle of a workday?

Ultimately, I wished I was rich and didn’t have to contemplate any of it.

The closest to entertainment I’d had so far today was two women bickering over who stepped in line first. Since I was looking at my phone before they approached, I wasn’t able to be their mediator. They argued for five minutes before one of them threw her clothes on the counter and stormed out of the store. I tuned out during the other woman’s incessant ranting as I processed her transaction.

Shortly after those women left, a group of three high school girls walked in.

“Welcome to Katie’s Kloset,” I yawned. One of them was glued to their phone and the other two sounded like they were talking about some sort of beach party later in the afternoon.

“Do you think this would catch Jeremy’s attention?” The girl with bright, wheat-blonde hair held the cropped shirt up to her chest for her friend’s judgment.

“Oh, for sure, Stacey. Without a doubt!” The mousy, brown-haired friend beamed.

I wanted to cut in and say the yellow color of the fabric made her complexion appear sallow, but I didn’t want to deal with them. They perused a little longer, piling up outfits in their arms.

“Hey, worker girl, I’d like to use one of your fitting rooms,” the blonde called. I looked up from my phone and my eyebrow twitched.

“Of course.” I forced a tight smile as I grabbed the keys from under the register. I pursed my lips tightly to keep the snide remarks at bay as I led them to the back. The brown-haired friend tossed a bunch of her clothes at me, and I caught them out of reflex.

“I changed my mind about those,” she said. I huffed in disbelief.

“Hey, how about you actually use some manners? My name is Briar, if you can read name tags. Also, it only takes two seconds to show basic human decency and ask me questions nicely,” I reprimanded. The blonde girl scoffed and stepped in front of her friend.

“What are you, like forty and working in a place like this? If you want manners maybe you should’ve done something with your life,” she sneered.

I laughed. “You know what? I forgot that the fitting rooms are closed for cleaning.” I relocked the door. “Maybe you three should go back to whatever summer camp you crawled from.”

The blonde took a threatening step toward me, but her friend put a hand on her shoulder.

“Let’s just get out of here. There’s a store with cuter clothes, anyway,” she said. Then they dragged the third clueless friend away. I mentally replayed the exchange to figure out where it went wrong as I cleaned their mess for the next hour. Once I finished, I returned to the register and went through my phone to try to take my mind off of it.

My boss, Emilio Stevenson, limped with his cane to the register, his lips drawn in as if tasting something sour.

“Get back to work, Briar! All you good-for-nothing kids do these days is stay on those phones,” he snapped, briefly raising his cane to point at me. My shoulders jolted as I stifled a laugh.

“I already did everything,” I said as I lifted my gaze from my phone and swiveled in his direction.

“You put away the returns?”

“Yeah.”

“You refolded the clothes on the displays?”

“Yes.”

“Updated the mannequins?”

“Obviously.”

Emilio narrowed his eyes at me and started to walk around the store. His cane thumped slowly—almost maliciously—from section to section as he tried to find something I could’ve slipped up on.

I was always a good worker when I had a ton of tasks. Whenever I finished them, I’d do whatever to pass the time until a customer would bother me for the fitting rooms or to check out. With the amount of rudeness I had to deal with day in and day out, and the number of times I bit my tongue no matter what in the name of “customer service,” I figured it was a fair trade as long as I did my part right. Not only that, but I always managed to do the job of three people in a matter of three hours. Emilio would’ve never given me the credit, despite being unable to carry a box of t-shirts himself.

It took him about twenty minutes to inspect everything. I watched him the whole time, and merely smirked when all he did was grunt and walk back into his office. It wasn’t a surprise that he wouldn’t apologize. Managers could never be wrong, after all. I returned to my phone, then paused for a moment.

Why was I taking any of the unnecessary attitude from him or customers? It was never an issue for me to get a job and I could easily move on elsewhere.

I didn’t realize I was picking at my black nail polish while I lived in my head. I glanced up at the clock over the exit leading to the mall. I still had four more hours left. I pursed my lips with a nod and stood, squaring my shoulders. I snatched my name tag off my shirt and left it on the counter. I closed my till and grabbed my miniature book bag. I walked out without warning. The weight melted off my shoulders as I crossed through the metal detectors. A rush of euphoria hit me so hard that I didn’t know if I wanted to start skipping or crying. I reached up and pulled my hair tie, letting my wavy, cotton-candy-pink hair pour over my shoulders. Nothing could’ve made this day better.

* * *

I tied my hoodie around my waist and slung my bag over my shoulders as I neared the mall’s exit. I scanned the parking lot for my motorcycle and waved a hand over my phone to unlock the bike. I grinned as the chrome edges of the motorcycle’s curves came to life with lines of glowing pink LED lights, fading in and out as if the machine breathed. It took me three years to save for that motorcycle and add turbo boosters, all because a dagger-wielding human thug in a ski mask had stolen my car in broad daylight.

I glanced up at the sky with a heavy sigh. The sun beamed with aggression as it hovered at its zenith. With four hours to spare, I decided I would be somewhat productive and get my monthly blood donation over with. It was mandatory for every human to donate for the Vampyres’ sake, and I’d procrastinated long enough. I once forgot to go back in high school, and I was escorted out in the middle of class by an officer for involuntary donation. I’d never truly experienced embarrassment until that moment.

I drove to the medical district. The traffic was heavy because of the lunch rush, and once I arrived, I had to circle the parking lot twice before I found a spot. The line stretched outside the doors and slinked around the building. I spit out my gum in a nearby trash can, then walked briskly to the line as I saw another car pull up. One less body between me and the front.

The line slowly crept forward. I flipped through apps on my phone until my neck started to hurt, then leaned against the brick wall. I dragged the back of my hand across my sweaty forehead. I thought about coming back another day when it was less crowded. I could also risk forgetting again. I occasionally pulled out my phone to check the time. I forced myself to stop when I realized I was checking every two to three minutes.

Two hours passed, and I was finally inside the building. After another half hour, I was able to sit in the lobby. Then, for another three hours, I waited. I would’ve gone home, but after all the waiting I did outside, I felt too invested to give up. Once my name was called, I showed them my ID, went through the millionth medical questionnaire I had to fill out each visit, then was brought to the back.

I was out well past the time I planned. I examined the gaudy, neon gauze wrapped around my elbow. The cotton ball covering the needle puncture constantly rubbed against my jacket’s sleeve. The sun was weighed down from the day’s exhaustion and the moon was already appearing next to a few jet streams that streaked the sky.

The clouds were swirls of ruby, amethyst, and topaz. I wanted to watch the full sunset, but I had to hurry home before the police started their patrols to enforce the Check-In. I huffed a quick sigh before putting on my cat-ear helmet.

I mounted my motorcycle and slowly drove out of the parking lot before speeding into the mildly busy street. I weaved in and out of lanes to pass cars driving exactly the speed limit or ten under. They were more than likely Vampyres already getting an early start to their night.

The roads were gradually emptying as most people were deathly afraid of the monsters that came out after sunset. I’m not talking about the freaks like pedophiles and traffickers, but rather the evolved human population that had become immortal. The type that survived off of blood, bones, and brutality because their bodies stopped processing normal food like the rest of us. Old movies and books from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries called them vampires. Some were beautiful, others were diabolical. Back then, they were a myth. Today, as of 2120, Vampyres were the reason why we were legally chained to the sun, and they were chained to the moon.

I’d never actually seen a Vampyre in person. I knew they were real of course, otherwise the laws wouldn’t exist. Yet I couldn’t help but feel a gnawing curiosity nag at me like gnats. Do they still look human when they bite someone’s neck or do they turn into total monstrosities? Since it was illegal to hunt humans, and they used our donated blood, did it taste different, like how a turkey burger differed from beef?

I came to a screeching halt at a red light. I was so deep in thought that I almost ran it. Red and blue lights flickered over the end of the street. Yellow tape squared off the perimeter of a grocery store parking lot next to the neighborhood I needed to pass. I cursed under my breath and made a U-turn. A roadblock like that could get me arrested or executed if I was a few minutes late to Check-In.

As the sky sank into a deeper saturation of jewels, I could see the city’s neon lights gradually cut on in my rearview. It always seemed like the city slept during the day and came alive at night. There were vibrant hues of pink, blue, and purple emitting from the skyscrapers for all the nightlife. The far northwest side was illuminated by malevolent neon red lights—that region was known as the Nocturne District, where the most dangerous Vampyres lived.

Sometimes I envied the Vampyres for the freedom they must have. Of course, they weren’t allowed to go out during the daylight either, but it was safer for them to blend in with humans than for us to try to walk among them. They also didn’t have to deal with Check-Ins, which were mainly implemented for humans’ protection. Police officers would go door to door with an electronic tablet and check off every resident within the home that was present. Whoever wasn’t home in time or missing at the time of Check-In would be flagged, and whenever found, could be arrested or shot on sight. Human police officers generally had more patience for human civilians than Vampyres. We could explain ourselves before they pulled out their guns, but I didn’t want to risk being at the end of a barrel in any circumstance.

The road sloped into a steep hill, heading toward the more rural area of Neoterra. The hill blocked the view of the city and the moon was my only guide until the ground eventually flattened into endless farmland. In the distance, the warm honey windows of my home flickered in the middle of the sleeping fields. It was the only yellow house for miles, the closest I could get to the vibrant colors of the city.

I pulled into the driveway seconds after an officer did and removed my helmet. The officer began to step out of his car, wearing the mandatory dark blue mask that covered the top half of his face. They were all required to wear Columbina-styled navy blue masks to protect their identities while in uniform. Their masks were always matte with antiquated Venetian carvings, but lacked any jewels or feathers like typical masquerade masks. He narrowed his eyes as I ran to the porch and waited by the door.

The second I noticed the officer’s head barely clearing the roof of the vehicle, I knew he wasn’t my brother. This particular officer was small-framed and brown-haired. Even behind the mask, he looked too young to wear the uniform. My brother was tall and muscular because for the past two years, his second home was the gym when he wasn’t working overtime.

The officer stalked down the driveway and stopped at the bottom of the porch stairs.

“State your name,” he demanded. He’d already pulled the electronic tablet out. His voice was light and young, but it sounded like he tried to put bass in it to be more authoritative.

“Briar Shaw.” I pursed my lips to hold back a laugh. He scrolled through and glanced at me sharply before sweeping his gaze across the porch. My younger, nineteen-year-old sister, Astoria, was already sitting in the white swinging bench on the porch. She waited until he approached before standing and stating her name too. I kept a wide distance between myself and the officer.

“There’s one more that’s supposed to be at this residence. Sterling Shaw. Where is he?” He asked curtly.

“Working with you guys, I guess. He’s probably doing overtime again.” I stood in front of Astoria and crossed my arms. His tone no longer amused me; I certainly didn’t like that he questioned my brother’s presence.

“Explain.” The officer spoke with such a flat yet demanding tone. He flicked his eyes up at me before turning them back to the tablet.

“He’s an officer. He’s essential personnel and he’s cleared to work after hours. You must be from a different department or a rookie.” I waved at Astoria to follow me inside.

“Briar,” she chastised and shook her head, planting her feet firmly in place.

“When is his shift over?”

“I don’t know. Like I said,” I spoke slowly, drawing out the words he seemed to have missed, “he works overtime. Why don’t you just call the precinct and verify?” I rolled my eyes. I waved my hand dismissively. The officer’s dark brown eyes narrowed behind the mask. A corded vein in his neck seemed to pulse as if he’d explode at any moment. He rested his hand on his belt, near his gun. I could hear my own blood rush through my ears, my body tensing as I prepared to dodge an oncoming bullet, no matter how impossible it might be.

“Have a nice night, ladies. Lock your doors and windows.” He turned away in a quick jolt, stomping back to his vehicle. I watched him drive off before going inside, only to hear my sister lecture me.

“You know, maybe if you weren’t so rude, he would’ve been easy on us,” she said, throwing a hand up. I pressed my tongue against the side labret piercing on my bottom lip and shrugged.

“Any other officer we had for Check-In didn’t question us when Sterling was out late.”

“Yeah, well, you were a minute late... he could’ve technically drawn his gun on you and—” Astoria choked on her words and shook her head. “Sometimes it’s best to just shut up, okay?”

“But he didn’t, so don’t worry.” I smiled at her as I slung my book bag and helmet on the couch, shortly plopping myself next to them. “Anyways, guess what I did today?”

“Ugh, what, Briar?” She grunted as she settled into Sterling’s favorite recliner.

“I quit my job. Just walked out without saying anything while Emilio was in his office.”

“You… what?” Astoria’s jaw dropped.

“Yeah, customers were giving me crap all day and Emilio was the last straw.” I continued to pick at my nail polish.

“Well... as long as you’re happy,” Astoria said as she leaned back in the recliner. I glanced past the sheer white curtains that blew gently against the living room windows.

“You know you’re not supposed to have those cracked, right?” I gave Astoria a small smirk, somewhat surprised that she’d break a rule. Astoria’s cheeks flushed and she leaped to quickly shut and lock the windows.

“I’m so sorry, I completely forgot!” She covered her mouth, her other hand at her throat. “What if that officer saw it? We could’ve been arrested!”

I shrugged.

“Good thing he didn’t, I guess. He was too busy trying to figure out if Sterling was allowed to be out this late.” I pushed myself up from the couch and dragged my feet to the wooden staircase. “I’m gonna go shower.”

My heart sank. Was it… disappointment? I didn’t want to be the only one in the family who lacked respect for the government and its arbitrary rules. I was hoping she was starting to cross over. Then again, our mother didn’t have respect for the government either… and that wasn’t exactly the role model I wanted to emulate.

Ah, our beloved mother. Vivian Shaw. A woman with a big heart full of alcohol. A woman who loved her needles more than her children. A woman who I, for one, referred to by her first name rather than the term of endearment, whenever I had to speak to her. Depending on my mood for the day, whenever someone asked me where she was in my life, I’d either say dead or in jail. The real story was that she was in prison, and Astoria was the only one who bothered to visit her and still called her Mom despite her scars. I couldn’t spite Astoria for it, though. Her heart—unlike Vivian’s—was too big to fit in this world. She’d probably forgive a serial killer if she knew one.

I quickly showered, washed my hair, wrapped it in a towel, and plopped on my bed with my phone. I glanced at the window, feeling a small itch at the back of my mind to open it. The Check-In was completed… no one would really come back around in the countryside for the rest of the night—and there was a nice balanced, humid breeze. I paced a few times in my room before I cracked the window ever so slightly. I sat on the windowsill bench, listening to the bristling tree branches and the owls.

While I yearned to roam the streets at night in the city, I did enjoy the serenity of the country. There was something about the lack of any activity that seemed… freeing.

I raised the blinds and peered up at the sky, occasionally glancing at the road whenever a car rolled by. None of them was my brother’s unmarked car. I always felt a rush of relief whenever he walked in the door, and crushing despair when he left. My phone’s screen lit up with a needless advertisement notification, revealing the time to be a quarter past midnight.

I yawned, then picked up the remote to turn on my television. It was already on the news, which ordinarily I’d ignore but... there were bold letters stating there were four missing people—two women and two men in their twenties—with their pictures posted. Before I could even process the fact that they were abducted in broad daylight, the news cut to another issue that lit the screen with vivid red, orange, and smoke.

Flames engulfed a house as fire trucks and two ambulances nearly blocked the footage. Several cops were sweeping the area and—

Sterling.

I saw a mess of copper hair behind another mask... the only officer I knew of with that natural blazing shade of red. I snatched my phone off my nightstand.

I checked my brother’s location, which I’d secretly activated the second he announced his promotion as a detective six months ago. It looked like he was exactly where I feared. I pushed my bangs back as a sting started to build behind my forehead. I stared at the screen until the GPS map grew blurry and thoughts had raced hundreds of laps through my mind.

I stood up quickly and put on a pair of black leggings and a baggy black rock band t-shirt with sneakers. I put on a hoodie and my helmet, then climbed out of my window, onto the balcony, and down the column. On the way down, I caught a glimpse of Astoria in her room reading a book in bed. Of course, if I took my motorcycle, she’d immediately know I’d snuck out. So instead, I put the gear in neutral and rolled the bike into the grass to avoid the crunching gravel in the driveway. I walked it down the street until I was comfortable with the distance, then rode the rest of the way into town, following my brother’s location.

The closer I got to the city, the more I saw electronic billboards and neon storefronts. They were even brighter in person. It was so much to take in at once that I wasn’t sure if I could drive straight. Police patrolled a lot more frequently during the night. People were walking around the streets as if it was the lunch rush at high noon, going in and out of bars, stores, and restaurants.

Not people—Vampyres. Many of them held their heads high and shoulders back, and walked as if they owned the streets. Few held their heads low under hoods, and some wore sunglasses despite the sunless sky with a confident swagger in their gaits. Others had the grace of prowling lions and the poise of models.

My mouth went dry as I slowed my speed. I pulled over in an alley and concealed my bike behind a dumpster. I was only a block away from Sterling’s location. As I crouched next to my bike, my chest tightened. It was finally hitting me how much I risked my life being here after hours. Being on foot was both the smartest and dumbest idea I had. Not to mention that some police officers during the night shift were also Vampyres—they could all see and smell humans a mile away. At the very least, I had to keep my helmet on.

There was no way I wouldn’t get caught. I was running out of chances to turn around and go home, but since the camera wasn’t angled on any of the first responders, I had to see what the media wasn’t showing.