Dear Editor,
After careful consideration, I have decided to express my views on the recent articles printed in this paper, speaking out for and against those of my kind. My name is Bill Compton and I am Vampire.
I am a resident here in Bon Temps, having lived here before I was turned at the end of the Civil War. My human family has lived here for generations and I have returned to reclaim our homestead as a rightful heir. I have become acquainted with many in this town, having seen my share of positive and negative receptions to my existence. My goal here is to set the record straight.
Though it has only been a few years since the “Great Revelation”, where those of my kind were able to “Come out of the coffin” and live openly amongst Humans, there are still many prejudices that surround us. First and foremost, I would like for your readers to understand is that all vampires, no matter how old they are, started off as human. Yes, there are many differences between our species, but there are also similarities. We all seek comfort, stability, security, and companionship in our quest for existence, though our appetites and drives to achieve such things are very different. While humans have free will to make decisions for themselves on how they accomplish the successes of their lives, vampires are driven by impulse and instinct. We are not allowed, by our nature, to defy our Elders nor our Makers and must obey their laws and direct orders or pay dire consequences. There is a involuntary reaction within us to follow the decisions made by those ranked higher than us. This concept is difficult to describe, but lets just say that if a human parent tells their child that they are not allowed to have a cookie, that child makes a decision whether or not to listen to their parent’s law.
As vampire, we are physically stopped within ourselves from doing such deviance’s as we are held to that law or order as a bond. Why am I sharing this important information with you? It is because I want your readers to understand the basic concepts of how the nature of a vampire works.
With that said, there are some things that we have control over as far as how we exist. Before the “Great Revelation”, it was decided by a majority of my kind to reveal ourselves and our existence in order to live freely amongst Humans all thanks to the invention of synthetic blood by the Japanese. While there are a few brands out there for us to choose from, True Blood seems to be a favorite amongst my kind. Though it doesn’t provide us with all of the satisfaction of drinking fresh blood, it does contain all the essentials we need to survive. It’s kind of like living strictly on Slim-Fast shakes—it subdues our hunger until the next time we drink, though there are many temptations out there. It does take a lot of determination to go against our nature in this way, but it is one that many choose as a sacrifice to exist openly and freely. Those of us who have chosen to live this bottled lifestyle are called main-streamers. Yes, there are still some of my kind that choose to live by traditional methods, but I can assure your readers that you will not find these vampires living right next door.
Through human “free will”, many have decided to open themselves up to my kind for the pleasure of being fed from. This consensual agreement between vampire and human adults should not be privy to laws, just as consensual sexual relations between adults should not be judged. To my kind, they are one in the same. With the discovery of willing humans, we are free to form personal and emotional relationships with those of your kind, that has developed far beyond the exchange of blood. As I have said before, we all seek comfort, stability, security, and companionship’s—for some of us, it is difficult and almost impossible to find within our own species. I, for one, am honored and proud to date a human woman and there is no court in this land that will make me change my mind on that. She has been my salvation in my world of eternal darkness and I am very grateful to her— more than she will ever know. I have grown to love and respect her for who she is and she returns the same to me.
To address the public debate being held between my ward, Jessica Hamby; her beau, Hoyt Fortenberry; and his mother, Maxine Fortenberry, I would like to express my views as I am responsible for Miss Hamby. Though I did not agree with Jessica’s approach in this matter, she does make several valid points. I agree with her theory that the creation of this anti-vampire group (MADV) by Mrs. Fortenberry is out of denial that her son is now a grown man who can make decisions for himself. Might I remind your readers that organizations such as this breed hate and misinformation, not to mention discrimination, which is unconstitutional.
I can not say that I am not in support of Jessica dating a human since I do so myself, but I do wish that she would have waited until she matured a bit. Being a new vampire is tough enough to experience without adding the pressures and emotions of dating for the first time as well. I wish to assure Mrs. Fortenberry that I am trying my best to raise Jessica in the ways of the main-streaming vampire. She was not exposed to existence before the “Great Revelation” where hunting and feeding was our only option of survival, so this modern way is all she will have to go by.
I must admit that I am not experienced in raising a teenager, having last seen my own children when they were still so young. Also, it has been well over a century since I have been that age, so it is difficult for me to relate to what Jessica is going through, but with the help from my intended, Miss Sookie Stackhouse, I hope to explore that education. It is unfortunate for Jessica that at the time of her turning, she was still a virgin, so she will forever remain that way physically, just as she will remain forever young. From what I read of Hoyt’s submission, Mrs. Fortenberry should be proud of her son and the fact that she raised him with the right knowledge of how to treat a lady—-a value that has gone by the wayside in this day and age, but I can only hope that he shows patience and restraint for Jessica’s situation. It is not her choice for what she became and therefore cannot bear the blame for it. That fault lies with me as I was ordered to turn her for my actions in defending the life of a human. I do not regret what I did to receive this sentence, but I will do my best to do right by Jessica and to teach her properly.
Perhaps, if she is willing to discuss things amicably, I would invite Mrs. Fortenberry to sit down with me to discuss the relationship between her son and my ward, just as any parents would normally do. There is nothing to fear in having an open discussion and might I remind Mrs. Fortenberry who took care of her during her “illness” a few weeks ago. I believe she will recall what I am referring to and by the way, Mrs. Fortenberry, I have yet to beat your high score on Dead Space: Extraction for the Nintendo Wii. Perhaps you can share with me your successful gaming secrets once we have reached an agreement on this other personal matter. I look forward to your reply.
Cordially Yours,
William T. Compton
