Canticles of the Prophet Zachariah:

Happy New Year

Notes by Anthony

“I awoke with blood on my lips and Birthday still motionless in my arms. Faraway songs echoed in the quiet graveyard. Club and rock & roll, metal and country. I could even hear a fiddle playing live Irish music. Manassas was a small backwater, sure, but it was alive. Alive with dancing and – and drunken laughter and cars honking and babies crying and people clinking glasses and the whizz and pop of a firework as someone started celebrating far too early. I wanted to be with them. I’ve been a vampire for a month, and it feels like a lifetime. There is so much responsibility on me, listeners. So many people I have to care for and protect. Who need me to be The Prophet and The Gateway of Gehenna and Malkav’s Voice and DJ and a Sire and – and I needed a break. I couldn’t be like the Giovanni, so focused on duty that I forgot how to be human.

“I looked up and into the worried expressions of Ben, Rose, and Asa. I tried to smile. It worked, I think. I told them I wanted to celebrate New Years. We were in Manassas. We needed to feed. George was likely far away, and Prentiss could warn us if Four got too close. And we’d been on the run and fighting for so long – didn’t we deserve a night to be ourselves and party?

“Rose laughed and said she wanted to “get drunk and high and waste away the hours.” Asa and Ben looked nervous, but I think they needed time away from the Temple, too. Cedric said that people would be unruly tonight, but he could stay in Manassas until we were ready to leave. Comet was eager to get out of the graveyard and do something exciting. Gwen shrugged and left in a car with her ghouls. She was determined to interrogate Walter as soon as possible.

“But first, our uninvited party crasher. Rose pulled the stake from Birthday’s chest and apologized for hurting him. This was his domain, and we hadn’t known. We were in the wrong, and none of us were going to hurt him now. Birthday reached a long, trembling arm out to shake, and she did. Asa introduced himself and apologized for mistaking him for someone else. We were just trying to survive, and we’d thought he was an agent of the man we met in the graveyard. 

“My turn to introduce myself. It felt good to do so, listeners. Like turning the frequency dial from static to an old, familiar channel. I helped Birthday to his feet and smiled. “Hello! I’m Zachary aka DJ Zachariah aka DJ the Prophet, fledgling Malkavian and former host on WRXL 102.1 FM, home of the hottest alternative this side of the Potomac.” Birthday looked astonished and grinned. Turns out, dear listeners, Birthday is one of you! He’s a fan of the show, and he even wanted my autograph! Listeners, when I tell you I was walking on cloud nine to hear those words.

“You see, so far everyone I’ve met has been all “Prophet this” and “Gateway of Gehenna that” and “eww no Malkavians allowed,” but Birthday knew me! He’d even heard my last broadcast, the one where I shared my vision of the Antediluvians and Caine, not that I had any clue who they were then. Birthday told me he’d always thought the visions were just a fun gimmick for late-night entertainment. And honestly, until my visions literally came to bite me in the neck, I also thought they were just my crazy brain spewing nonsense. But the Malkavians had heard the truth in my dreams and Embraced me, and now we were on a mission to stop the apocalypse.

“After realizing that the scary group of invading vampires were just a schlubby nighttime radio host and his long-suffering friends, Birthday relaxed a little. He told us of his Manassas coterie, including a Clanless one I hadn’t seen in his dreams named Breyed. I also learned that the Toreador’s name was Letitia. We arranged for our coteries to meet in a week. We were going to be new neighbors and stay a while, but we’d try to minimize our…footprint on the city. Rose offered to bring something shiny for Katrina, since Birthday said she liked sparkly things. 

“Rose told Birthday that we were looking to celebrate New Years Eve in Manassas. Not cause a scene or a fuss – just have a night out on the town. I got the feeling this wasn’t necessarily a request he could say “no” too. Despite our friendliness, we were much, much more powerful than anyone else in town. Birthday offered a few places – an old Irish bar, a biker bar, a fancy country club, a New Orleans-style restaurant, and a dance club called “The Crossroads Tavern.” Birthday almost winced as he said the name, but he seemed too proud of it to leave it off the list. It was Alexander and Letitia’s new club, just opened late last year. 

“Ben said he hadn’t been to a dance club aside from Desirée’s Euphonia, and that sealed the deal. I wanted to give him something new. Something good. A joyful memory, so Ben can see that life after death is more than just pain and struggle and loss. Ben has carried me through the darkness these past few weeks, listeners. I need to do the same for him.

“We said our goodbyes and drove under Cedric’s Obfuscation to the Crossroads Tavern, where Cedric and Comet excused themselves to the quieter Irish bar next door. The rest of us: Ben, Rose, Asa, and myself got in line for the Tavern. Rose and Asa got in easily, but the bouncer gave Ben and me the stink eye. Apparently, band t-shirts and jeans jackets aren’t going to be the fashion in 1995. Fortunately, Rose convinced him to let us in. She didn’t use her powers, as far as I could see. Just a case of a strong man listening to a very tall and attractive lady tell him what to do.

“Back at the ranch, Gwen summoned Walter. Or Wally, as everyone had called him. Much, much later, Gwen told us what she learned. George had approached Wally on the street and told him to wear a necklace. Wally knew it was strange, but at the time it seemed the most rational thing in the world to obey. George then cut Wally’s neck and then blew mist into his face. Wally followed George to a fancy apartment in Downtown Manassas. There, Wally had stood against the wall for days, unable to move or speak. He hadn’t been given anything to eat and he’d…George made him stand in his own waste for days. 

“All Wally could do was watch and listen. There was lots of “security shit” in the apartment: cameras, motion detectors, and locks on the doors and windows. George was scribbling “weird shit on the walls” and brought people to the apartment to “eat them.” George would speak into a large bowl of blood on the dining room table, using different voices and faces. Gwen asked Wally if George had referred to any “Numbers.” Turns out, George had been telling the people in the blood bowl that they “didn’t need to send Number Four. Number Three is doing just fine” with the biggest shit-eating grin on his face. Well, listeners, it didn’t take much for Gwen to put together than George might have diablerized one of his own Numbers, especially if they’d tried to take over his case. The “case” being yours truly, of course.

“Speaking of, Gwen learned one more thing from Wally. Something that sent her speeding from the Temple and back to Manassas with a truck full of armed ghouls. You see, Manassas isn’t that big. Downtown is a few square blocks. And George’s fancy apartment was right across from a large, newly renovated three-story building with shiny white paint. One that played dance music and had the words “The Crossroads Tavern” emblazoned in black across the front. And all of George’s targets had just paraded themselves right in front of his haven and into a club full of happy, drunk, and utterly helpless humans. Just like little vampire lambs to the slaughter.”

“But of course, none of us knew that at the time. It was New Year’s Eve! Time to party! Rose spotted Letitia at the bar. We walked up to her. I could see why Birthday had fallen in love with her. She was beautiful, as all Toreador are, with very dark skin and an afro standing about six inches around her head. But it was her large eyes that had made Birthday weak at the knees and an involuntary smile creep into his raspy voice. They were luminous in the dim club. Rainbows from the strobe lights danced in those soft, brown depths. I could feel myself falling into them.

“I shook my head. Rose called her “angel” and apologized for intruding. I could tell Letitia was scared of us. I wanted to protect her from us. But those were Birthday’s feelings, not mine. He had left an impression on my brain. Was drinking his blood like a milder version of diablerie? A sharing of our souls?

“Asa and Rose said we were just passing through, but I could tell Letitia didn’t believe us. She didn’t protest, though. We were too powerful. Letitia welcomed us to her club and asked after Birthday. Rose admitted we had found him watching us, but it was a “catch and release.” There were some dangerous people out there, and we had to make sure Birthday wasn’t one of them. Letitia said Alexander heard some Justicars were on the way. She hoped they wouldn’t come. 

“Rose asked if Letitia had seen anyone with the Pyramid or who had “taken the Amaranth.” This was quickly turning from an apologetic “hello” into an interrogation. Letitia said she’d felt a few moving through Manassas. A flashy Toreador like her saw a lot of things from her porch. But she hadn’t seen anyone fitting that description. Rose stepped back and Letitia stood to go. We had her club for the night, but we couldn’t make her stay. Given what came later, I’m glad she ran.

“Ben and I headed upstairs. We could see the entire dance floor from there. I asked him what he saw. Ben studied the crowd. His mouth pursed the way it does when he’s concentrating hard on something. Then his pupils dilated and his lips parted in a soft gasp: “there are so many colors. Smells. The world has changed. It’s so beautiful.” Joy and wonder radiated from him. Ben had used Auspex for the first time. And he loved it. I looked up at him and said: “yeah. Beautiful, isn’t it?” I felt that same involuntary smile slip into my voice as Birthday had with Letitia. 

“Ben’s eyes opened wider and he started to shake. Overstimulation, I think. He had no idea how to process this. I took his arm and guided him to the bathroom. It smelled of piss and bleach, but at least it was dark and quiet. I asked if he was alright. Ben laughed. He was happy. Having fun. This was so cool. I asked what he wanted to do, and he said: “whatever you want to do.” There were a lot of things I wanted, dear listeners, but those could wait. For now, I just wanted to celebrate New Year’s Eve with my best friend.

“I led Ben back to the railing. The crowd was electric. It was almost midnight. They chanted. “Ten! Nine! Eight!” Ben grabbed my hand. His face was ghostly pale. “Do you see this?” I looked up and saw a glowing orb shining straight onto Ben. “Seven!” It swung to me. I let go of Ben’s hand and turned to the back of the club. “Six! Five!” The strobe lights swung away from me, and I let the shadows take me. I had to hide. Obfuscate. George was looking for me. I couldn’t lead him to Ben. “Four! Three! Two!” Someone tugged at the Cobweb nestled in the back of my mind. Was it Joan? Had the Tremere found her? Ruth? I let it take me as the crowd cried out “One!”

“The lights were bright yellow and unmoving. Stage lights. I was slumped onstage at the Kennedy Center Opera House. A spotlight blazed to life and landed on Damien’s elegant form. He stood across from me in an immaculate tuxedo. A beautiful violin rested in his long arms. 

“Damien said he wanted to get me alone without the rest of my “cult.” I couldn’t tell if he sounded disgusted or jealous. Maybe both. “It wasn’t your fault,” he said. “We were made to be perfect vessels. Made to hold. Another moves inside me. It moves against what needs to be done.” I realized I was trying to look past Damien’s eyes. Who was watching me from behind them? Whatever Abraham had done to at Fairfax Hospital had placed Malkav inside me. What had filled the hole he left in Damien? 

“I asked what Damien wanted. He laughed. I’d given him the perfect opening to the next stanza of his monologue. I’d known it even as I said it. Is this what we are, dear listeners? The hero and the villain, each reading from a script? “I want justice,” Damien said. “Humanity is a symptom of the larger issue. There is so much pain in the world. They deserve so much horror. This is why there must be nothing. I will stop them from doing terrible things to one another. I will give them the greatest gift. Humanity never will have lived. All of this will have never happened.”

“I could see it, listeners. Damien had deemed humanity and kindred unworthy and incapable of change. They had inflicted suffering on one another since the beginning of time and would until the end. The only way to stop it was to erase it. Make it so humanity and vampires never existed. And with all of time and space at his fingertips in the Temple, he could do it.

“I walked up to him. I knew some of this was bullshit. The pain of the whole world is too big for anyone to take personally. Our brains aren’t built for that. The suffering we care the most about is our own and that of our friends. I didn’t need to convince Damien that the world deserved to live. I needed to convince him that we did. I remembered how Immanuel had told Damien he was the Prophet until he’d found me. Had I been the catalyst of Damien’s break with reality?

“I told Damien this wasn’t his fault, either. It wasn’t any of our faults. Jinx and Comet, Damien and I. We were the same. Abraham and Immanuel and Prentiss had made us to be things. To be controlled. To be used and tossed aside when we’d fulfilled our purpose. But we didn’t have to fulfill the roles they laid for us. We could change. We could choose to be different and break the cycle. Instead of fighting their wars, we could help each other. I reached out to hug him, and to my surprise, Damien hugged back. Then he let go and smiled. He looked a bit guilty. 

“Turns out, dear listeners, Damien had just been stalling me. He’d wanted to distract me while his people invaded the Temple. Something moved in the darkened auditorium. The real world was creeping in. I could hear rain. Gunshots. Screaming. The Temple was under attack. And we’d abandoned our friends to be slaughtered.”