// ZHOU HOUSE //


Cedric had paid one more visit to the Zhou family since the birth of his kittens. Today, his heart was not in it.

SEVEN

CAN YOU FIGURE ANY REASON WHY YOU’RE ABLE TO GO OUT DURING THE DAY?

CEDRIC

EXCUSE ME?

NEXT QUESTION PLEASE.

SEVEN

JUST, IT SEEMS YOU SPECCED INTO IMPROVED SUN RESIST.

CEDRIC

WHAT MAKES YOU SAY THAT?

SEVEN

YOU DON’T SQUINT.

CEDRIC

I DON’T SQUINT.

SEVEN

YEAH, YOU DON’T SQUINT. YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE.

CEDRIC

I USE A PROPRIETARY HIGH SPF SUNSCREEN.

SEVEN

OH, SOUNDS NICE.

CEDRIC

I WOULDN’T RECOMMEND IT; IT’S NOT JUST STUFF YOU CAN BUY OFF THE SHELF.

I HAVE A SPECIAL SOURCE.

SEVEN

OH. OKAY.

I GUESS THAT MAKES SENSE.


She looks at her hands anxiously and then decides to apologize for her previous indiscretion.

SEVEN

SORRY ABOUT THE TERMINOLOGY. I’VE BEEN PLAYING TOO MANY VIDEO GAMES LATELY.

CEDRIC

I JUST DON’T WANT YOU THINKING YOU CAN SLATHER UP IN SOME COPPERTONE AND TAKE A DUNK IN THE POOL.

SEVEN

OH, I WON’T.


There is a heavy pause in the conversation.

SEVEN

SO, IT’S A SPECIAL CREAM?

CEDRIC

I WOULDN’T MENTION IT TO YOUR SISTERS THOUGH.

I DON’T REALLY KNOW IF MY GUY CAN MAKE ENOUGH FOR YOU AND THEM TOO.

SEVEN

GOT IT.

SOUNDS NICE THOUGH.

CEDRIC

I MEAN, I’LL LOOK INTO IT.

BUT NO GUARANTEES.

SEVEN

DO YOU THINK IT WAS TRUE, THAT DRACULA COULD GO OUTSIDE DURING THE DAY?

I THINK THE BOOK MAKES IT A BIT AMBIGUOUS.

ALTHOUGH ANNE RICE MAKES IT A HARD AND FAST RULE.

CEDRIC

ISN’T IT TRUE THAT THE SUNRISE WILL KILL HIM?

SEVEN

NOW, THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN IN BRAM STOKER. IT DOES HAPPEN IN FILMS THOUGH. LIKE THE 1922 AND 1979 NOSFERATU.

BUT I FEEL LIKE EVEN THAT ONE IS AMBIGUOUS ABOUT IF HE CAN GO OUT AT DAY, JUST SPECIFICALLY IF HE’S EXPOSED TO THE SUNBEAMS AT SUNRISE.

OR MAYBE MORE RESTRICTIVELY, HE MUST BE SLEEPING AT THE SUNRISE.

CEDRIC

IT’S A CURSE OF SLEEPLESSNESS.

SEVEN

WHAT?

CEDRIC

YOU EVER HEARD OF TORTURE CHAMBERS WHERE IT’S AN ENDLESS ROOM OF LIGHT? THAT THEY NEVER TURN OFF THE LIGHTS FOR SIMULATION OF A DIURNAL SLEEP SCHEDULE. IT’S A TORTURE TACTIC.

SEVEN

I…UH…DIDN’T KNOW THAT.

CEDRIC

THE VAMPIRE’S DEPENDENCE ON SLEEP IS ONE OF THE FEW THINGS THAT REMINDS HIM OF HIS MORTALITY.

IT’S THE LOSS OF SLEEP THAT ACCOMPANIES THE DESCENT THAT IS PART OF WHAT DRIVES THE VAMPIRE INSANE.

THAT FINAL FALL IS NEVER TRULY SURVIVED.

THE DAMNED ARE JUST THAT. MIGHT AS WELL SETTLE IN FOR THE FINAL NIGHT.

SEVEN

IT ALSO MAKES HIS CONTINUED EXISTENCE OPT-IN, SO THAT HE NEEDS TO FOLLOW A VERY SPECIFIC RULE IN ORDER FOR HIM TO CONTINUE TO EXIST TIMELESS IN A TIMED SPHERE.

IT MAKES YOU WONDER, WHY RISK IT?

THIS ISN’T SOME MARIE CURIE THING.

OR MAYBE IT KIND OF IS.

CEDRIC

SHE DIED IN THE NAME OF SCIENCE, NOT RISKING A KEY TENANT OF THE FAITH.

SEVEN

FAITH IN THE CULT OF DRACULA?

CEDRIC

YEAH, I GUESS.

SEVEN

BUT IN THE 1931, HE DIES DUE TO A STAKE IN THE HEART.

THE SUNRISE IS THE WEAKNESS OF THE NOSFERATU.

CEDRIC

THEN HE DIES IN THE MOST HUMAN WAY POSSIBLE, NOT DUE TO MAGIC, BUT AN ORDINARY DEATH THAT WOULD KILL ORDINARY MEN.

CURSE OF SLEEPLESSNESS, CURSE OF SLEEPFULNESS…BOTH ARE CURSES AND CAUSE SOME KIND OF NEGATIVE EFFECT ON YOUR CHARACTER.

AND REALLY THE CURSE OF SLEEPLESSNESS IS JUST A SUBSET OF SLEEPFULNESS BECAUSE ALL LIVING THINGS NEED REST.

EVEN IF IT’S NOT LAY STILL IN A BED UNCONSCIOUS FOR EIGHT HOURS AT TWILIGHT.

ALL LIVING THINGS NEED REST.

SEVEN

AND MY SISTERS CHIDE ME FOR GETTING MY Z’S WHEN I CAN.

BUT IT STILL DOESN’T ANSWER THE QUESTION, WHY ARE WE DIFFERENT?

CEDRIC

MYTH BECOMES LEGEND.

IT WAS NEVER TRUE IN THE FIRST PLACE BUT NO ONE HAD YET RISKED IT.

OR TIMES, THEY BE A CHANGING.

SEVEN

YOU THINK WE LIVE IN THE BEST POSSIBLE OF AGES?

CEDRIC

I WOULDN’T GO THAT FAR.



STRAUD//

How was your visit with the Zhou family?

CEDRIC//

Well enough.

What do you think about getting them on the wIntraNet?

STRAUD//

It's too early. They aren't ready for it.

CEDRIC//

What are you talking about? There's hardly anything up anymore.

STRAUD//

I'll think about it.

CEDRIC//

She's always got her nose in a book of false lore.

STRAUD//

If he really was a member of Oborovsky's book club then they --

CEDRIC//

What do you mean "if"; who else would have that as their alibi?

STRAUD//

I stand corrected.

CEDRIC//

She was asking after the suncreme today.

STRAUD//

Observant little tot.

CEDRIC//

I couldn't help but imagine she could smell that my skin wasn't being burnt to a crisp.

STRAUD//

It's certainly possible, her parentage being as unknown as it is.

CEDRIC//

If we're going to be responsible for fielding her questions about the Dark Lord then maybe I ought to send you over there.

It's a little closer to your field of expertise.

STRAUD//

Perhaps I will make my presence known.

I had just wanted to give you the first chance at mentoring them.

CEDRIC//

I haven't been dreaming lately.

STRAUD//

I had suspected as much.

Something's up with Jack.

CEDRIC//

Like a snowflake in a fiery grip.

STRAUD//

I'll help you but you have to help me.

CEDRIC//

I think I'm already on it, sir.

STRAUD//

Are you truly?

We will need to be on the same side in the end.

CEDRIC//

Vincent has gone silent in the recent days.

STRAUD//

For longer than is --

CEDRIC//

favorably foretold.

STRAUD//

I don't have any idea if they're connected to the Dream but I thought their presence would help bolster your spirits. If that is not the case, please merely enlighten me.

CEDRIC//

It's just exhausting to me, fielding her questions all the time.

STRAUD//

The girl Norah.

CEDRIC//

Seven.

STRAUD//

Yes, that is her chosen moniker but her family, in particular her father, has difficulty telling her by her adopted name.

They try to respect her choices but there is the occasional slipup. It's a cute choice though.

CEDRIC//

'Star Trek', right?

STRAUD//

Yes, and the conventional set of recordings, I'm sure.

I can't imagine they've had access to the special features.

CEDRIC//

I'll just stay away, thank you.

STRAUD//

It is perfectly acceptable for her to choose a hero that shares certain key aspects of identity.

CEDRIC//

I'll take your word for it.

I was half wondering if it was a reference to that horror-adrenaline junkie flick that came out a few years back.

STRAUD//

I am not sure of the reference.

CEDRIC//

Eh, I'll look it up later.

'Se7en', it might have been.

STRAUD//

It's a quiet space in my memory. But somehow. I doubt that is the reference she's trying to invoke.