The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

In 2723, the world is divided into five countries: North, East, West, South, and Central. On the other side lies a land infested with zombies and rabies victims, who are far worse than zombies. The rabies victims remain conscious but are unable to stop attacking. Those bitten by zombies become undead and can only be killed through incineration.

The North is home to the notorious Red Mansion Hotel, once owned by a family of three infamous serial killers who are now deceased. It has been taken over by a psychopathic tycoon who has converted it into a prison, offering its most depraved inmates amnesties such as cinema, supermarket, bars, restaurants, sleeping quarters with personal bathrooms, and a mini hospital to keep them in line. Sasha Vitkoff has managed the Red Mansion Hotel prison with a firm hand, adopting a policy of never underestimating the inmates. Those who attempt to escape will be incinerated on the spot.

The islands are a hotbed of mercenaries and pirates, each driven by their own motivations. Mercenaries will take on any job for the right price or promise of fame, while pirates roam the seas in search of treasure to trade for essentials like food, water, and repairs, or to curry favour with those in power.

The people are unaware that the Central country, a first-world nation, holds authority over all five countries, and each is expected to answer to them. Disobedience is met with abandonment and subsequent destruction. Those who have discovered this truth have never lived to reveal it. The Central country has a system in place to deal with perceived threats: individuals with long-term illnesses are sent to the Badlands, while those deemed a direct threat to the Central's authority are sent to the notorious Red Mansion.


Chapter 1

A 9-year-old girl, Lycia, has been battling Ewing's sarcoma since she was 7. Despite two previous remissions, the cancer has returned, this time in her spinal cord, and it's aggressive. The diagnosis is stage four, with no chance of recovery. Though her spirit remains unbroken, Lycia's greatest concern is her mother, Sarah, who's fragile when it comes to her daughter's well-being. In front of her parents, Lycia puts on a brave face, smiling and offering words of encouragement. But when alone, she breaks down, silently crying out in pain and deep sadness. It's as if solitude allows her to momentarily shed the burden she never should have had to bear.

Sarah checked on Lycia to see if she was awake or not. If she was, she would bathe her, and if not, she would wake her up. To her surprise, Lycia was already up and had showered too. "My little responsible girl," she thought to herself, only that little girl wouldn't stay with her more than a year. Sarah knocked on the door and waited for Lycia's response. "Come in." "Good morning, little joy. How are you? Feeling alright today?" "Yes, Mum, I feel good today too." Her mum pursed her lips, kissed her cheek, and hugged her lightly. "Come on, get ready for breakfast. Did you take all your medications?" "Yes, Mum. All the vitamins and Monday's pills are taken."

Alright, Sarah went to her own bedroom, tired but happy that her daughter was feeling well today. However, she couldn't say the same for her marriage with Mike. He had been strange and cold lately. She knew he had grown cold since Lycia's diagnosis, but back then, he was cold yet not that distant. Now, he was totally distant from her, except in front of Lycia.


Sarah entered her bedroom to find Michael giving her his back, a familiar sight these days. The familiarity didn't dull the sadness she felt. He used to hug her, kiss her, and compliment her, but now he seemed to have lost interest. His excuses came easily, all for the sake of maintaining a facade in front of Lycia.

"She's awake," Sarah said, trying to break the silence. "Good, it's time to bathe her." But Lycia had already showered, and Sarah couldn't help but think, "That child sometimes makes me feel like we're the children and she's already grown up. Did we mess up her childhood, Mike?"

"Don't call me Mike. I'm Michael," he said in a stern tone, not looking back at her. Sarah felt taken aback but tried not to let it get to her. "You used to like it," she reminded him. "People change, Sarah. And how about you go to the gym? You've gotten fat."

"Wow, Michael. Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed today?" Sarah retorted, her tone rising. Michael glanced at her before looking away, his expression softening slightly as he apologized for his harsh words.

Then, he pulled out baseball tickets for two people. "I've got tickets for the game," he said, his tone neutral. Sarah's response was immediate. "I can't come with you; I've got to take care of Lycia." But Michael's response was unexpected. "No, you go and take up a new hobby. Lycia will come with me this Friday after her test."

Sarah's head whipped around, and she hurt her neck in the process. "What?" she exclaimed, standing up from her chair. "She's coming with me to the Green Monster," Michael said, his tone firm.

Sarah was strongly opposed to anything that threatened Lycia's health and safety. "No," she said firmly. "Yes, she will," Michael countered. "Stop being a helicopter mom. She's got only one year to live, Sarah. One year. And you're suffocating her, keeping her by your hip all the time. She needs to live, not just exist under your constant care."

Sarah felt a pang of anger and hurt. "She can watch it on TV," she argued. "It's not the same," Michael insisted. "What kind of mother would ruin all the fun from her terminally ill child just to keep her safe?" Michael asked, his voice laced with frustration. Sarah replied, "A mother that loves her and protects her." Michael responded, "Too much of that is toxic. Just this once, for God's sake."

After an hour of yelling at each other, they finally took a moment to breathe. Sarah's voice was strained as she said, "Only for try-outs. Not more than that."

Lycia's education takes place in the comfort of her own home, with her young aunt Michelle serving as her private tutor. Unbeknownst to Lycia's mother, Michelle, 24, is having an affair with Lycia's father, Michael. Though Lycia is aware of the secret, she chooses to keep it hidden in order to protect her mother's feelings. Instead, she confides in her trusted friends: Bobby, her beloved bunny plush toy, and Thomas, the town's notorious bully who has a soft spot for Lycia. To her, Thomas is a gentle giant and a loyal protector, shielding her from the cruel taunts of other kids.

Thomas, just 10 years old, has known unimaginable pain. Having lost his sister CeCe to pancreatic cancer at 16, and his mother Mary to advanced breast cancer a year later, he's all too familiar with the weight of silent suffering. His father, a janitor, struggles to make ends meet, driven by a desperate desire to secure a better future for Thomas. In a misguided attempt to provide for his son's college education, he's turned to gambling, hoping to win big. But the debt collectors keep calling, and the weight of his financial burden grows heavier by the day. As Thomas's father's desperation deepens, he becomes increasingly withdrawn, hiding his struggles from his son

Lycia has one year to live. The government, considering her case hopeless, sent officials who killed Sarah and took Lycia away to the Badlands. Before being taken, Lycia was allowed to kiss her mother's dead body goodbye, which she did with tears in her eyes. As she was dragged away, Lycia left a secret message hidden in the collar of her bunny near the window, a desperate plea for help addressed to Thomas.

Thomas approached Lycia's door, hoping to catch up with her, but something felt off. The door was closed, and a single drop of blood stained the pavement. The house was always spotless, but this seemed out of place. As he peered through the window, he saw Lycia's mother lying lifeless on the floor. Panicked, Thomas broke the window and entered the house. He rushed to call for help, only to find the phones were dead. Lycia's mother was cold, stiff, and her eyes had a glassy stare. Thomas frantically called out Lycia's name and searched the house, but she was nowhere to be found. However, he noticed her beloved bunny, Bob, was sitting by the window, which seemed strange since Lycia would never leave without it. Thomas picked up the bunny, took it home, and hid it. Later, he anonymously called for an ambulance, took steps to cover his tracks by burning his sneakers and cleaning any surfaces he might have touched.

End of chapter 1