Сумерки

           Icouldn’tputitoffanylonger.Iwenttomydeskandswitchedonmyoldcomputer.

           IhatedusingtheInternethere.Mymodemwassadlyoutdated,myfreeservicesubstandard;justdialinguptooksolongthatIdecidedtogogetmyselfabowlofcerealwhileIwaited.

           Iateslowly,chewingeachbitewithcare.WhenIwasdone,Iwashedthebowlandspoon,driedthem,andputthemaway.MyfeetdraggedasIclimbedthestairs.IwenttomyCDplayerfirst,pickingitupoffthefloorandplacingitpreciselyinthecenterofthetable.Ipulledouttheheadphones,andputthemawayinthedeskdrawer.ThenIturnedthesameCDon,turningitdowntothepointwhereitwasbackgroundnoise.

           Withanothersigh,Iturnedtomycomputer.Naturally,thescreenwascoveredinpop-upads.Isatinmyhardfoldingchairandbeganclosingallthelittlewindows.EventuallyImadeittomyfavoritesearchengine.Ishotdownafewmorepop-upsandthentypedinoneword.

           Vampire.

           Ittookaninfuriatinglylongtime,ofcourse.Whentheresultscameup,therewasalottosiftthrough-everythingfrommoviesandTVshowstorole-playinggames,undergroundmetal,andgothiccosmeticcompanies.

           ThenIfoundapromisingsite-VampiresA-Z.Iwaitedimpatientlyforittoload,quicklyclickingclosedeachadthatflashedacrossthescreen.Finallythescreenwasfinished-simplewhitebackgroundwithblacktext,academic-looking.