It was the end of June when Michelle and her family were adventuring in the forests in Acadia, Maine. In her father's guide book, there was an account of a man whom found caves buried deep in the forest. Curious, persistant and stubborn, they bushwhacked their way through the underbrush and up the shadow side of Day Mountain on Mount Desert island.
It took them a good tiring hike before their persistence payed off when the shaddowey holes in the bedrock stood out from the brown and bright green of the forest. Excited, they took pictures and went up for a closer look. The climb was hard and tretorous. One false move, one slip and your efforts were in vain as the overburden slid you back.
Curious and excited the family stood at the base of the cliffs, but never went too near the caves. After a short break, the family started their descent to the forest floor. But one remained. "I'll catch up soon, ok?" said the eldest child. They parted ways, expecting Michelle back before long, but then she never thought she'd come across someone else that was there.
She had noticed, through their excitement, that one of the smaller caves had a particular path to it, unlike all the others. She looked up and knew that this would be hazardous, but she was strong and determined to see what it was her iagination tugged at.
Digging her nails into the dirt and using roots and rocks, Michelle ascended to the mouth of the cave where in and ragged older man withdrew. "P...please…" he begged feebily.
Her eyes focused and adjusted to the darkness within and saw this retch dressed in colonial clothes.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Please…I have nowhere else to go…"
"Who are you?"
"Desier Belmount, miss…" he extended a boney, gnarled hand, toped with black claws. Against better judgement, she took his hand to shake it. Nothing more came of it and he seemed to be a decent person.
"My name is michelle. What are you doing hiding in here?"
"The sun, miss…it burns like acid on skin,"
"Ah, I know how that is… Are you…a night hunter?"
"Yes, miss… alas the curse of the vampire. I've been starving, feeding on nothing but the creatures that pass my home."
"huh. Yeah, tourists come only during the day…"
"Pardon?"
"The year is 2003, Desier. You're living in a Nation Park."
"Oh dear sweet heavens…" he said dismayed, betraying the location of his fangs.
"You'll starve out here, like this if it be much longer! Come with me. I'll take you where you can be amount friends and be well fed."
"Y, you are too kind…but I must know…what of my home?"
"Your home?"
"Yes. It is far to walk, but is on the island."
"At dusk, can you show me?"
"Of course…"
"Alright. See you in afew hours. Sleep well."
"Thank you,"
Michelle left him to sleep the rest of the day away and she joined her family and told that that she just remembered that she was going to meet a friend after dinner. The outgoing person that she was, this was understood and accepted.
That evening, Desier awaited Michelle on the carriage path on Day Mountain. No wonder the poor dear thought it was still the days of horse and carriage. There were equines on the trailes for tourists, cars not allowed.
He led her down off the mountain and oriented himself and took her to a familiar trail. "Oh. I know this trail!"
"Trail? My dear, this is my home…"
"Desier…I'd hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the fire of 1947 destroyed this part of the island…" so she showed him the hidden foundation they were standing on, thought to be the path through the thick forest. Desier dropped to his knees and cried. Michelle kneeled down and hugged him. "I'm sorry, Desier. But the future can hold more splenders…"
"I know. Thank you,"
she helped him up and after walking around the old guardens that he used to walk, now rememissing, he went to feed. After he was satisfied he followed Michelle into Bar Harbor, again, a familiar place now changed with time and technology, and they went to sit at the park in town to talk.
"I never thought my home could change so."
"it's been this way longer than I have been alive." She looked at his face as he gazed out onto Frenchmen's Bay and saw the youth return to his face. He had a stoic, handsome face.
He looked down at her as she reached up to brush his loose hair back. They looked into each other's eyes and a long moment passed between them. Just looking through that lamp light at each other, the shadows passing as car headlights passed highlighted their features. The wind hit them, their hair obeying and Desier reached with his thin boney hands to brush her hair behind her ear, then caressed her face. He inhaled deeply and admitted as he sat closer, "I've never met anyone quite like you."
She ignored the smell of blood n his breath as he took her face gentley in his hands and leaned closer. It was then that Michelle asked, "do you fancy yourself the Casanova?"
"do you want me to?"
the close moment was added when she laid her hands on his shoulders. She whispered, "Desier. Please."
"I wont hurt you." He whispered back. He edged ever closer, nuzzeling his nose to the side of her nose as he tilted back to graze his lips to hers.
It was then that the horn of the departing fishing boat sounded and scared them both apart. Their gazes snapped to the bay and saw that it was nothing to worry about. They looked back to each other and chuckled embarrassedly. Michelle then asked, "would you like to go somewhere and get cleaned up?"
"oh. Yes. please."
They headed to a motel on the outskirts of town and got a room for him, leaving instructions that he slept during the day and not for anyone to disturb him. he took her up to his room where she helped him out of his coat.
"well it looks like we have out work cut out for us, Desier." She said as she examined the tatters and tears and filth on his clothes.
"I am sorry…"
"you had no way of knowing… but…how ever did you survive the fire?"
"I was in that cave. I thought I was founded and retreated further back to hide from the flames."
"good thing they were there…"
"indeed…"
she held into the collar of his coat and looked to the side at the floor as he looked at her from beyond his shoulder. He then retreated into the bathroom to set the temperature for the water in the tub. The sound retrieved Michelle from her thoughts and she went in search of needles and thread.
From her seat on the lampside chair Michelle asked, over the roar of the running water, "Are there any more like you here?"
"I know not." He called back. He turned the water off then held onto the doorway molding as he swung into view to see Michelle. His shirt was loose around his shoulders as his hair. She looked up from her work to see this dashing young gentleman tempting her.
"do you need anything?" she asked
"can you help me wash my back?" he asked a little embarrassed.
"okay…" she put down his jacket on the table and went up to him as he waited for her in the doorway. Once she reached it he was so close as they were both in the doorway. He reached to caress her face with his warming hands and he leaned down. Michelle backed into the other molding as he kissed her.
She pushed him away and looked up at him through her bangs as he looked down at her. He sighed and gave her an apologetic look. Michelle then entered the bathroom and fetched the bubble bath from the sink counter and used it all for the tub.
Meanwhile Desier undressed and the snuggled up to her back as she stood up. "please Desier! Behave yourself! We hardly know each other!"
"but I've been so lonely up on that mountain…"
"regardless!" she reprimanded as she turned around, thus behonding he very bareness. She sighed. "get in the tub."
He obeyed and sank into the hot water, enjoying every minute of it. Michelle walked to the doorway and said, "let me know if you need me." and walked out.
"eh!" he then gave up the fight and submerged to mope without air.
It was some many minutres later when Michelle called out to Desier, whom still under the water didn't hear. She got up and took a peek to see how he was only to see a full tub and many suds on top.
"Desier!?" she walked up to the tub and saw nothing but bubbles to the rim. She tapped her foot and looked towards the doorway. Now hearing her foot Desier poked his head out of the water. The sound of dripping hair and popping bubbles took Michelle's attention to the tub and she jumped to see the silent creature suddenly there. With a hand to her chest she calmed herself.
"Oh… did I scare you? I'm sorry if I did."
"no prob… Come on you're going to turn into a prune if you stay in much longer… Look at you! You're not even clean yet! What have you been doing all this time?!"
"I was submerged."
"Arg. Some men just cannot take care of themselves!" she fetched a scrub brush and started scrubbing the caked layers of filth of him. Enjoying every second of this womanly pampering