The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

It was a normal day in the city, around 8 o' clock in the morning. Cabs and buses pulled off to the sides of the four lane streets to allow the slow moving traffic passage around them. Stop lights issued commands to pedestrians who huddled on the sidewalks ready to continue their march forward. The sounds echoed off the metal and stone, reaching up to even the highest levels of the buildings towering above. The scent, a mixture of exhaust, trash, food vendors and human sweat clung together in a way only one can find in an American metropolis. And the sights? Well...



A man of Indian descent stood by a trash can, slowly drinking from a small styrofoam cup. He was young looking, perhaps in his mid twenties. Clean shaven and very short chopped hair revealed the slightest of a widow's peak at his forehead. He had on the most casual of attire, a white cotton shirt, the top few buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up, with khaki pants. If anyone noticed that he was barefoot in the middle of the city, however, no one said a word to the young man.



He stood there, staring off into the bustle of the city, paying attention to nothing in particular. He was, however, fully aware of the young man who walked up next to him, also holding a small steaming cup in his hand.



"Morning," said the new comer after taking a swig of his beverage.



"Did you bring any?"



The new comer sighed and handed the young Indian his cup so he could tie his long hair back in a pony tail.



"I'll take that as a 'no'," said the Indian.



The other man reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of Camel Lights. He retrieved two of them and lit them up and the same time. They traded the cup for the cigarette.



"Kris, you forgot your shoes again."



"I didn't forget, I just didn't care," said the Indian.



Kris looked over his companion as he drew in another puff. He looked to be in his thirties, caucasian with long brown hair and a goatee. Today he had on a red polo shirt with blue jeans. And, as he would be sure to point out later, nice new Nike tennis shoes.



"Did you watch the news this morning?" asked Kris.



"Yeah, Moe's gonna be pissed."



"Speaking of..."



An Arab in a maroon windbreaker strolled up to them with cup in hand. He did not look happy. The other two nodded in greeting.



"Jesus, give me a cigarette," said Moe.



Soon all three were smoking and staring out into the city. None of them said a word.



Two Asian men walked up to the small group. One had on a plain black tee shirt, the other a soccer jersey. They each had a cup in their hand, and the one in the tee shirt pulled out his own pack of Newports.



"When did you switch to menthol, Sid?" asked Kris.



"Figured I'd change it up a bit."



The five men stood on the sidewalk, smoking and drinking tea or coffee.



Around them, things continued. People walked past them talking on cell phones to clients half way around the globe next to couples holding hands. Cab drivers born in other countries drove passengers who had never been out of the city. Business men who dined on lobster and caviar stood on the street corner next to students who could barely afford ramen noodles. A street dealer who had sold his little sister into prostitution brushed shoulders with a nun who had never experienced so much as a kiss from a man. Yes, around them, things continued.



"So," said Lao Tzu, "I was checking the news on the internet before I came..."



"Here we go," mumbled Jesus.



"And?" asked Moe angrily.



"And?" said Lao Tzu, tossing his cup in the trash. "And your kids blew up another building in England! Muhammad, this is getting out of control!"



"Moe, no one is saying this is your fault, but..." tried Kris.



"No Krishna, that's exactly what Lao Tzu is implying! He and Siddhartha are always quick to look sideways at any of the Western deities when violence is committed in our name. As I recall, Jesus was practically ostracized during the Crusades and the Inquisition by the rest of the Pantheon. I guess now it's my turn."



Siddhartha rubbed his temples. "Look, I'm sorry that no one has ever committed mass murder in the name of Buddha."



"Now, that's not fair!" said Jesus.



"Gentlemen! What are we fighting about?"



The five gods turned to see two more walking up to them, both looking to hail from the Fertile Crescent region. The smaller of the two lapsed back a few steps and mouthed "I'm sorry" to the assembled group.



"Bloody Hell," sighed Krishna, "Ohrmazd let Marduk tag along."



The ancient Babylonian God-King wrapped his massive arms around both Muhammad and Lao Tzu, grinning broadly. Ohrmazd stepped in line beside Krishna and Jesus. The King of the Jews rolled his eyes at the Zororastian god. Ohrmazd grumbled.



"We are all friends, brothers in fact!" laughed Marduk. "We should not fight amongst ourselves. We have a true enemy to wage war against, evil itself, with mankind as the prize! Why, I remember when..."



"Yes, yes... when you slayed Tiamat. Glorious day, vanquished evil," said Muhammad struggling to get out of Marduk's grasp.



"Yes!" cried Marduk, his eyes going wide. "Exactly!"



Various dirty looks were cast in Ohrmazd's direction.



"Eh, right," coughed the beloved of Zarathustra. "I assume this argument has something to do with that incident in England?"



"Of course," said Muhammad, now actively elbowing the Babylonian God-King in the ribs to no avail.



"And let me guess," continued Ohrmazd, "Lao Tzu started it?"



"What's that suppose to mean?" squealed Lao Tzu from underneath Marduk's arm.



"Um," said Jesus raising his hand, "Because you always start it?"



Ohrmazd sighed heavily. "Don't you guys think we should do more than meet every mornings for coffee and cigarettes to talk about random world events? Shouldn't we be, like, doing something?"



Marduk let go of the other two gods and frowned. "The rest of you meet every morning?"



"Like what?" asked Krishna, ignoring Marduk's question. "The humans must move on their faith alone now. Their technology has advanced too far to attempt any kind divine act."



"I don't know Kris. But it just feels like we've... we've given up on them."



"No," said Lao Tzu quietly. "No, I know what you mean."



The Buddha looked at his friend quizzically, but the master of Taoism continued without glancing up.



"I'm sorry Moe. Don't take it personally. Recently, I've just felt so... disappointed in humanity. I'm not even sure what to do."



"Yeah," said Jesus, "I know what you mean."



"Well, this has been a downer morning," said Buddha lighting up another Newport as he walked off.



"Lao Tzu, if you need to talk..." said Krishna.



"Thanks man," replied Lao Tzu heading down the side walk.



"Moe, you still want to go to that hockey game tonight?" asked Jesus.



"Definitely. I need to take my mind off of things," said Muhammad while he drifted across the street with Ohrmazd.



"Give me a cigarette for the road," said Krishna to Jesus.



Jesus shook his head and tossed him the half empty pack then disappeared down the sidewalk with the other pedestrians.



"Wait!" yelled Marduk. "Do you guys really meet here every morning?"



Krishna lit up the Camel Light, waived goodbye at the Babylonian God-King and vanished.