Sunset Rising (Sunset Vampire Series, Book 5) (13 page)

“
Where are you headed to?”
I asked as she picked up her helmet and a small book
bag.

“
Some stupid English
test,” she said. “My instructor won’t let us take exams online.
Something about student identity verification issues or some such
crap.”

“
Yeah, some instructors
don’t like giving online exams,” I said. “There’s a big uproar in
the teaching community about the inability to verify a student’s
identity online. They want to make sure that the actual student is
taking an exam and not somebody standing in for them.”

“
Whatever, McLawyer,” she
said. “Most of my other teachers don’t seem in an uproar over
it.”

“
It’s typically at the
instructor’s discretion,” I said.

She stared at me with a flat look. “Again,
whatever.”

“
Caleb, we’d better get
started,” Roman prompted.

Paige gave me a knowing look. “Looks like
somebody’s late for their workout time.”

I gave her a dirty look as she slipped her
helmet on.

Following training and exercises was an
all-too-quick breakfast. Then I walked alongside Roman on our trek
to the campus.

Our walk was relatively brief, but it was
more than enough time to contemplate my circumstances.

As the office building relegated to the
history department loomed before us, a crossroads loomed in my
mind.

Did I really want to live this daily
drudgery for the next few years? Could Kat and I survive our
growing distance from each other?

The thought of living like I was for two or
three more years turned my stomach. I felt as if I wanted to throw
up into the nearest bushes.

“
Hey, you okay?” Roman
asked.

“
What? Yeah, it’s
nothing,” I said. “Just tired.”

“
Up too late playing video
games last night?” he teased.

“
If, by video games, you
mean writing an essay on the economic conditions in nineteenth
century Europe and their influence on scientific advancements, then
yeah, maybe I was up too late,” I snapped.

“
Research and writing is
why you’re here, right?”

It annoyed me that my response didn’t even
faze him. That lack of recognition only further aggravated me and
heightened the sense of unfairness about my situation.

We entered the building and I headed
straight for the elevator.

“
Hey, let’s take the
stairs. We’ll get some extra leg work that way.”

“
Always looking out for
me, aren’t you?”

“
That’s
what I’m here for.”

He followed me upstairs to just outside
Professor Gowan’s office to discreetly ensure that everything
appeared safe and then he reversed course to head back
downstairs.

“
Meet me in the lobby when
you’re done,” he said.

Before I entered the professor’s office, I
hesitated.

My life felt like some macabre
connect-the-dots game, and the doorknob before me was the next dot
in my day, followed by a host of other linear dots afterward, all
leading to…

Monotony.

I felt an immediate urge to turn and
run.

To escape.

But then, escape to where?

With a heavy sigh of resignation, I turned
the knob and entered.

* * *

Upon the conclusion of my meeting with Dr.
Gowan, I was left with a list of further research reading and a
lengthy essay assignment.

While I had mostly enjoyed the graduate work
for my master’s program, the process of pursuing my PhD seemed like
a master’s program on steroids. I contemplated my busy schedule
designated for the remainder of the week as I descended the stairs
toward where Roman waited for me.

I wanted to chuck it all by the time I
reached the first floor landing.

As I reached for the door handle that would
take me into the lobby, I once again hesitated, wishing I could do
anything but continue my grueling timetable.

Instead, I longingly eyed the door to my
right that led directly outside the building.

Fed up with everything, including my
seemingly endless routine and obligations, I exited to outside.

As the sunshine hit my face, I felt as if
I’d just walked into another world. A veritable wave of infinite
possibilities washed over me.

I quickly proceeded toward the parking lot,
away from the front of the building and the windows that might give
my position away to Roman.

I knew it was the wrong thing to do, but my
desire to avoid my grueling fate won out over my sense of
obligation or duty.

What duty? I was an overwrought graduate
student who also trained as if he was heading either to the
Olympics or into the army.

I just needed a break, that’s all. Maybe all
I would need was just an hour or so off to myself.

As I walked toward the student union
building, a forbidden notion taunted my imagination.

I didn’t just need an hour away; I needed a
few days off.

Of course, I knew that probably wouldn’t fly
with either Roman or Paige.

I took out my smartphone and texted Kat.

How about an impromptu visit? Maybe a couple
of days together?

As I sipped at a hot cup of coffee from one
of the café vendors, it took nearly half an hour before Kat
replied.

So sorry, Caleb. Important activities to
address. Maybe in a few weeks?

I closed my eyes and cursed under my
breath.

Sure
, I texted.

Sorry to disappoint you. Love you.

I texted,
Love you, too.

It appeared that there would be no respite
for me—for us—after all.

To be honest, it made me angry.

Once again, I wondered if I wanted to keep
this up for weeks or months on end.

Despite the obvious luxuries of my
accommodations—including no worries for expenses such as room and
board or tuition, coupled with the opportunity that going to Yale
afforded me—it certainly didn’t feel like I was living a lifestyle
of enviable quality.

Or at least the expected sacrifices felt
like too much of a price to pay.

Somehow, being poorer but happier sounded
better to me. I’d lived a modest lifestyle for most of my life, and
yet it had been some of the most satisfying occasions in my life.
Before Kat, I had lived a relatively fulfilling life devoid of
vampire politics, hectic schedules, or people trying to kill
me.

Granted, it had also been a life without Kat
in it.

Although she didn’t exactly feel like part
of my life, either recently or at that moment.

What if this was as good as things would be
between us for a while? Was it enough for me?

I took a sip of what had turned into very
tepid coffee.

Despite my circumstances, the fact remained
that I needed a break.

I need to contemplate things…my life…my
future.

That’s when a decision settled in my mind,
and I rose from my seat with a renewed sense of purpose.

I practically jogged back to the house,
entering through the front door and hearing complete silence.

It was a soothing sound.

As I closed the front door behind me and
looked toward the nearby staircase, much to my surprise, my sense
of determination hadn’t waned.

I took the stairs two at a time, almost
giddy with a mix of apprehension and excitement. As I entered my
bedroom, I dropped my backpack onto the bed and unloaded most
everything from it.

I had a plan.

However, how I proceeded during the ensuing
minutes would determine my hasty plan’s success or failure.

I realized that I couldn’t use my credit
cards or other electronic payment methods; they’d track me down in
no time. Instead, I retrieved a stash of cash that I had stored in
my chest of drawers and hastily crammed three pairs of jeans, some
trendy t-shirts, a spare pair of sneakers, and a few days’ worth of
underclothes into my backpack.

Scanning my belongings, I realized I’d have
to leave my electronic devices behind or they’d track their usage.
It was already bad enough I had a locator chip implanted in my
shoulder. I felt a little bit like a tagged animal.

But I only had to exceed range of the
detection equipment to drop off that particular radar.

The problem was staying ahead of it.

Granted, they’d probably still locate me in
a matter of days, but that’s all I needed; just a few precious days
to clear my head and gather my thoughts.

I glanced forlornly at my iPad on the
table.

I’d miss it.

Nevertheless, I grabbed my Kindle and two
iPods that were loaded with movies and music. As long as I kept
their wireless functionality turned off, they couldn’t be tracked.
Like my smartphone, my iPad had built-in cellular functionality,
presenting the risk of being tracked.

There was little doubt that I was addicted
to consumer electronics and their contributions to daily escapism
in my life.

Hell, the entire human race was
addicted.

It dawned on me that technology served as
both the ultimate babysitter and an emotional pacifier.

I hurried into the bathroom to toss
additional necessities into my backpack. I glanced up into the
mirror at my reflection, noting the haunted look in my eyes.

The renewed urge to leave welled up inside
me; though a wave of guilt washed over me over how upset the people
who loved and cared about me were going to feel.

Then I almost lost my nerve.

But I knew deep down inside that getting
away was exactly what I needed at that moment.

Just a few days of contemplation and
solitude.

God, Kat’s going kill me for this.

Hopefully not literally.

I swallowed hard and steeled my resolve.

It’s not like it was forever.

Was it?

While I felt unnerved, I also felt
liberated.

I’ve gotta clear my head. I’m no good to
anyone like this.

Zipping my backpack shut, I hurried
downstairs.

I left a hastily written note on the
countertop:

Paige and Roman,

I’m taking a few days to clear my head and
gain perspective on my life. I hope you’ll forgive me for leaving
so abruptly, but I doubt you would approve what I need to do. Even
though I can’t expect you to understand what I’m going through, I
hope you’ll respect my decision.

I’ll message you periodically so that you
won’t worry about me.

Caleb

I figured that it was a pretty lame note,
but it was the best I felt I could do on short notice.

Before I lost nerve, I exited through the
front door, locking the door behind me.

Despite my reservations about continuing, I
had scarcely reached the curb before an aura of satisfaction took
root within me.

I smiled, feeling a pervasive sense of
freedom and the hunger for possibilities like none I had ever felt
before.

* * *

PART II

THE OPEN ROAD

* * *

Chapter 11

Caleb

Unfortunately, I couldn’t contemplate
anything with any hope of peace of mind until I left New Haven,
well before Paige had an opportunity to track me down via the
microchip nestled beneath the skin of my shoulder.

I hastily purchased a bus ticket for the
earliest, farthest away destination, which was the
twenty-something-mile trek to Bridgeport.

At the bus station, I grabbed a printed map
and another bus schedule for the surrounding region.

I already missed my mobile devices.

During the shuttle to Bridgeport, I devised
a series of routes to follow that might throw Paige and Roman off
while economically conserving my limited financial resources.

I went from Bridgeport to White Plains, and
then on to Yonkers before ending up in Jersey City.

By then I felt tired and my butt was sore
from sitting.

Honestly, I was surprised that I’d made it
this far without being intercepted. I was convinced that by now
they were already diligently searching for me.

I momentarily imagined Paige discovering me
missing and then saying, “Aw, screw him. He’s more trouble than
he’s worth…”

It made me smile, but also made me feel a
little bit sad.

Did it make me feel better to think they
were going out of their minds trying to find me?

Once I had mulled that over, it made me feel
guilty. However, I was also appreciating the freedom of the open
road.

Having had enough of buses for the time
being, I made my way to the nearest train station, though it was a
bit of a walk.

As I boarded the train destined for Newark,
my mind wandered further and I began to contemplate where I
actually wanted to go. Traversing endless bus and train routes
didn’t entice me in the least.

It was evening by the time the train arrived
at Newark, so I looked for a place to spend the night that was
within walking distance to the station. I ended up in a cheap hotel
that was so run down in such a cliché style that it reminded me of
something out of a bad Hollywood film. Suffice to say, I checked
beneath the sheets and mattress for pests before attempting to go
to sleep.

The next morning began with a breakfast
burrito and coffee from the nearest fast food restaurant. I boarded
a train for a quick ride to Elizabeth, New Jersey. Once I exited
the train, I located an Internet café to send a quick email Kat,
Alton, and Paige to let them know that I was in no danger.