Born without an expiration date

Eleven

ETNA

I wasn't sure how I felt about Demitri. He had a very happy go lucky attitude, it was hard not to like him. On the other hand there was something about him - was knocking me out really that necessary!

We spent the next 3 nights walking and talking, slowly getting more comfortable with each other. We stopped during the day at different hideouts, for food and rest. He was always polite, and kind. He made sure I was comfortable, no more sleeping on tables.

On the fourth night we stopped earlier than usual.

"We will be there soon, so lets stop and rest. We will head over at night fall". Demitri led me inside a larger house than the rest of the hideouts. This one was clean and tidy, well stocked and comfortable.

He gave me a quick tour, before stopping outside a door on the third floor. "You can have this room, there is a on suite you can make use of and clothes in the closet that should be about your size. I will meet you in the dinning room in an hour".

The room was a good size, a four poster bed took up most of it. A large old fashioned closet stood in one corner, a desk and chair in another. A little door off to the side, led me into a bathroom, towels laid out ready, as well as toiletries.

First thing first, I brushed my teeth!! Then I took a nice hot shower. Wrapping myself in one of the large, fluffy towels, I did my teeth again. I went to the closet to find clothes, ironically feeling more human than I had in days!

There were quite a few dresses in the cupboard to choose from, I settled for a deep purple that looked about the right size. I looked in the mirror and hardly recognised the girl staring back at me. Less than a week ago, I barely stepped outside of my daily routine - now I was in the middle of god knows where, wearing a beautiful dress, about to have dinner with a man that that I had just spent several nights travelling with. If only my parents could see me now..

Once ready, I headed down to dinner, unable to tell if it had been an hour without a watch or clock.

The dinning room was huge, the sort of room that you could hold a ball in. Big portraits lined the walls and at the far end was a table big enough for thirty. I walked slowly round the room, looking at all the portraits.

I'd stopped in front of one of a young woman with jet black curls and a happy grin, there was something familiar about her.

"My Mother" said Demitri behind me. I jumped, not realising he had entered the room.

"She's beautiful" I commented, focusing back on the portrait.

"She was" he said sadly. "She was human, died not long before I began to change. Inspirational woman, much loved in her community - despite my.. Differences".

"I'm sorry", I didn't know what else to say.

"It was such a long time ago, and human memories fade. Anyways, dinner time"

We went to the table and sat next to each other, tucking into a full roast. We'd eaten on the road but nothing like this. We ate until we could eat no more, and chatted until the sun began to rise. This meal was so polar opposite to our first, I went to bed, again thinking about the differences between myself in the last week.