HPAVC/HPAVC CD-ROM.iso/VAMPANAT.ZIP/VAMPANAT.TXT

Text File | 1994-10-04 | 20KB | 347 lines

                      -=>  The Anatomy of a Vampire  <=-

                            Written by J. David Watson
                                 Copyright 1993


     A Vampire has been described as many things, ranging from
the fantastic to the ludicrous.  One thing that nearly all
Vampire descriptions share in common is that the Vampire is an
animated corpse.  This is true, to a large degree.  The
Vampire DOES, in fact, live, though the body that is the host
to the Vampiric syndrome does not possess any of the standard
items by which we describe life.
     What exactly is it that can take an otherwise normal
human and turn him or her into a Vampire?  This is what we
will examine here.  First of all, however, we must look into
exactly what a Vampire is.  There have been many studies
conducted to determine if Vampirism is more than simple
fiction.  Nothing conclusive has ever been documented, but
nothing remains conclusive that a Vampire cannot otherwise
exist, either.
     Is Vampirism a condition of the mind?  Is Vampirism a
disease?  The answer to both of these is yes ... and no.  No
to the fact that Vampirism is not simply a disease or a
condition of the mind.  Nor can it be said that Vampirism is
both of these, for such limits one to common reason and asks
the question in regards to both of, "can it be cured?"  And
yet, to a degree, Vampirism CAN be cured, but we shall discuss
this later.
     As for Vampirism being a condition of the mind, it goes
far beyond that, for it encompasses the entire body.
Significant changes are noticed in those so afflicted.  First
of all, those claiming to be Vampires have a noted sensitivity
to sunlight that surpasses even albinos.  Skin burns easily,
eyes become blinded, and all possess a markedly paler shade of
skin than in their previous state.  There is also a craving
for blood.  This is not to say that such individuals are
bloodthirsty maniacs ... it simply imposes the fact that food
and drink cannot be retained in the body, but are expelled and
rejected by the body.  Intravenous feeding brings about a
weakened state and, in some instances, sickness that continues
to worsen.  Plasma does not provide the nourishment that is
carried within the blood.  Vitae (blood), however, passes
easily into the body and carries with it the nutrients and
oxygen that the body needs.
     But such does not a Vampire make.  Such individuals may
well believe that they are Vampires, but the chances of them
being such is remote.  In all actuality, such persons may
either have a severe disorder with their bodies, or have
become ghouls - those persons that have fed upon the blood of
a Vampire while the body was still alive.
     Now we get to the root of the discussion - Vampirism
itself.  This will help to further explain the sketchiness of
the above paragraphs as well.  One that has become a Vampire
was once a mortal, and has become a Vampire through the
interaction of another Vampire.  Only another Vampire can
create one of its own.  As to who began all of this, that is,
who the original Vampire was, that is still left to debate.
Many theorise that it was the fabled Caine from the Old
Testament of the Bible, still others feel that it was random
mutation.  Whomever the original Vampire was (or is),
continued research and debates drag on - albeit underground -
and we may never uncover the truth of the matter.
     Typically, a Vampire is created through the willingness
of the mortal subject.  This is not always the case, however.
A Vampire may attack someone and, out of spite, revenge,
jealousy, or guilt feelings at having taken a life, pass on
the "curse" to the victim, rather than leaving him or her to
the ravages of death.
     The process of transformation takes place when the
Vampire drains all (or nearly all) of the victim's blood.
Simply biting someone does not make another Vampire, despite
all of the fiction and cinematic footage to the contrary.  If
such were the case, there would likely be more Vampires than
mortals in this world.
     At the brink of death, when the body ceases to function
but the brain is still alive, the Vampire gives to the victim
some of his or her own blood.  The blood of a Vampire is quite
unique.  It is possessing of some kind of virus or mutation
that thins it and allows it to pass through tissue via
osmosis, rather than circulation through the veins and
arteries.  As the blood ages and deteriorates, it gives off
oxygen and releases its nutrients into the tissues.
     Now, at this point, the body is no longer living, nor
capable of regaining life due to the massive trauma created by
such a great deal of blood being lost.  The brain is starving
for oxygen, and is perilously close to deterioration due to
the lack of such as well as the lack of heat that is generated
during circulation and oxygen/nutrient transfer to it.  Once
the Vampire "feeds" the intended some of its own blood, the
blood passes through the tissues and into the body, mutating
what blood is left within the body within seconds.  Very
shortly, the brain is fed oxygen and nutrients due to the
Vampiric blood's deterioration.
     The transformation from mortal to Vampire is not complete
at this point, however.  And as for what the fledgling Vampire
experiences upon returning from death depends upon the
individual.  It may be intense pain, a sense of euphoria,
whatever.  There is no way to describe what is felt without
actually going through the procedure, and many would say that
words alone cannot express what it is like.
     There is one thing that is common, though, and that is
extreme hunger.  Hunger for more of what the host Vampire is
giving to the chosen ... hunger for blood.  The burning that
encompasses the body, blocking out reason, releasing the
predatory instincts of the hunter ... yet the host cannot
appease the intended or weaken him/herself and place him or
her in the position of danger, for if the intended seeks to do
the Vampire harm, or even to destroy him or her, there would
be no way to defend against such if the "feeding" that takes
place during the becoming were to continue until the new
Vampire's thirst were slaked.
     The interesting thing about Vampiric blood is that it
does, in fact, deteriorate and must be replenished.  Animal
blood is usually chosen by those who do not wish humanity
harm, or that find such repulsive.  The blood is mutated by
the blood of the Vampire, even though deterioration may be
complete, changing it into Vampiric blood as well.  However,
after such infusions of animal blood for countless feedings
that may well encompass decades, the blood begins thinning so
much that it requires something stronger ... something to feed
the Vampire and keep him or her functioning normally.
Eventually human blood is sought ... though this, too, begins
to wane in its effects.  There are tales of Vampires that feed
only upon one another's blood, for all else does nothing for
them but bring about a further hunger ... sort of like
starving and given a bowl of rice, then being told that you
can only have one-quarter of the bowl and nothing more.
     When a Vampire beds down for the day, he or she enters
into a recuperative stage.  In essence, the Vampire is "dead"
as the body does not function at all, except for the brain.
It is said that a Vampire is still capable of dreams, however,
but the dreams of a Vampire would be far more vivid due to the
heightened state of awareness and the fact that the senses are
that of a predator.  Upon rising, the Vampire is refreshed ...
this rising, though, may be the following night, or years down
the line, depending upon the condition of the Vampire when he
or she enters sleep, for healing takes time, and if the blood
is weak (i.e. the Vampire has not fed recently), this may take
a great deal of time.
     The Vampire is not incapable of awakening, though.  The
slightest sound will rouse the Vampire through the keen sense
of hearing and smell, plus the ability to sense another's
presence.  This may prove detrimental, especially during the
daylight hours, for the Vampire is not fully refreshed and
will be weaker and, thus, at a disadvantage.
     This healing process is that which gives the Vampire his
or her immortality, for the blood of the Vampire enables him
or her to regenerate ... even to the point of regenerating a
lost limb - though this is extreme, and not always successful.
The bones can be strengthened, wounds can be closed, but the
brain cannot be completely healed.  A Vampire may, through the
course of its life, suffer a head wound of some sort.  This
will not kill a Vampire, but could give him or her brain
damage that cannot be completely healed.  The brain itself can
be healed, but if the damage is sufficient enough, memories
can be lost, motor-neural pathways can be severed or limited
... such do the tales of Vampires as monsters arise.
     The blood of a Vampire, when given to a mortal that has
not been first "killed", will create what is called a ghoul.
A ghoul is a person that has nearly all of the aspects of a
Vampire, yet is not a true Vampire.  The differences between
the two lie in the fact that a ghoul can travel about in the
daylight hours, for his or her blood still courses through the
veins, thereby providing protective nutrients to the skin as
well as the tissues, and that a ghoul need not feed solely
upon blood.  A ghoul will also know immortality due to the
fantastic recuperative abilities bestowed by the blood of a
Vampire.  However, a ghoul must continuously feed upon
Vampiric blood regularly, or the body begins to purge the
virus, if indeed it is such, from itself and the body will
begin aging normally once again.  Many Vampires make ghouls of
animals, for a Vampire is able to command that which he or she
has made a ghoul ... to a degree.  This lies in the sense
that, since a Vampire's senses are more acute and refined, he
or she can practically mesmerise due to the empathic abilities
that animals seem to possess, refined due to the intelligence
of the human that the Vampire once was.  Tales of "hell
hounds" can be traced to this, as dogs are loyal and faithful
companions to humans and Vampires alike, and many Vampires
will make a ghoul of a dog for this purpose ... what better
way is there to guard your rest than by having one of your
ability that can withstand the sunlight?
     Now we come to the common misconceptions of Vampires, due
largely to religious trappings, cinematic entertainment and
works of fiction.  Let us start with the cross (or crucifix).
A cross will no more sway a Vampire than will holding up a
pencil.  The power that lies in turning away a Vampire comes
from the faith of the person holding the religious article,
and not from the article itself.  Not just Vampires can be
turned in this manner, but the faith of the individual must
indeed be strong.  Imagine standing in front of an enraged
wolf.  Suddenly, you grasp your crucifix and say, "begone!"
The wolf will look at you strangely for a split second before
proceeding to attack and devour you!  Now, take the same
situation and have such an individual that is so possessed of
self-awareness and spiritual upbringings that he or she looks
calmly at the wolf, showing to the wolf that there is no
reason to harm him or her as he or she means no ill will to
the wolf.  Cross or no cross, the wolf is going to leave said
person alone.  The same with a Vampire.  If you attempt to
sway a Vampire using the strength of your beliefs, the Vampire
will leave you alone, for the Vampire, though intelligent, is
a predator nonetheless.
     The same holds true for crossed candlesticks, windmill's
sails and the like ... worthless, unless faith, STRONG faith,
is behind them ... in the case of the windmill's sails,
however, such may actually aid a Vampire as it removes more of
the ultraviolet death that comes from the sun and, to a
degree, the moon's reflection of the sun's light.
     Another one is garlic.  Garlic is said to thwart
Vampires, though no one really understood why unless you look
back to the purposes of garlic, which is being uncovered today
as well.  Garlic is an herb that helps the body to purge
impurities from the blood.  As Vampires were looked upon as
"unholy" and "impure", it was said that garlic would turn a
Vampire away.  One method described was that you rub garlic
into the eyes of a Vampire and it would blind him or her.
Interesting thought ... that would blind ANYONE!  Garlic is no
more offensive to Vampires as to mortals.
     Some would have it that the touch of silver would harm a
Vampire.  This is actually borrowing from the legend of
lycanthropes, that silver causes them harm because of the
particles transmitting into their blood stream, and because
silver is a pure metal that is held sacred in many religious
backgrounds.  Again, religion comes into play, though silver
will no more harm a Vampire than a mortal ... unless you hit a
Vampire over the head with a silver candlestick or something!
     Mirrors ... a Vampire is said to be denied a reflection
in a mirror.  Such is preposterous!  A mirror reflects all
that pass in front of its face.  The origins of this are
unclear, but probably lie in the fact that the mirror
supposedly only reflects that which is good.  If such were the
case, many mortals would be forever having "bad hair days!"
     Running water.  This stems from an ancient belief that no
evil may cross running water, and has been modified through
retellings of the legend that a Vampire within running water
will be destroyed.  How would travel be possible, then?
Airplanes frequently travel across the oceans, the largest
source of running water available, and many Vampires have
travelled upon them or upon ships, yet nothing terrible
occurred to them!  Again, perhaps this one has to do with
faith ... the faith of the person that may feel threatened or
followed by something which he or she has labelled evil ...
then crosses over a stream and firmly believes that this will
stop the evil from following.  Such evil may be a coyote, a
wolf, a tiger ... crossing the water will disguise the smell
and such a tracking creature may lose the person ... it is
still left to debate.
     As for running water destroying a Vampire, however, this
would hold true only if the Vampire wished to remain in the
water for years while the water worked its deteriorating
effects upon the body.  As a Vampire has no need to breathe,
he or she cannot drown, and there has not been a Vampire yet
who would willingly remain in water while his or her skin
became wrinkled to the point of deterioration ... by choice,
that is ... but, then again, the Vampire can always enter
torpor (recuperative sleep) and regenerate as best as possible
the damage caused by the water.
     Sunlight, yes, will destroy a Vampire.  This has to do
with only the fact that the sun emits ultraviolet rays ... the
same invisible light that causes sunburns and skin cancer
among mortals, nothing about the "holy light of the sun " or
any such thing.  As the blood does not course through the
capillaries of the skin to provide them with nutrients, oils
and the like to protect it from the harmful rays, the skin is
more susceptible to sunlight than in people with no pigment in
their skin.  Add to that the fact that the Vampiric blood
begins to deteriorate very rapidly when the ultraviolet rays
begin burning the skin, and you can see that a Vampire will be
destroyed rather rapidly, as if death were recounting a debt
owed.  Those Vampires that are newly created, however, can
exist in the sunlight for brief periods ... say, about ten to
fifteen minutes before they begin to take significant damage.
The eyes of a Vampire, however, being more sensitive to the
light due to the structure of them (more rods than cones) will
burn quickly in even a newly created Vampire.
     Fire will likewise cause significant damage ... but such
damage can be healed, if the Vampire is fortunate enough to
escape the inferno.  Sunlight damage can be healed, but very
slowly due to the blood's damage as well as the skin's.
     Removal of the heart ... as Vampires do not need their
blood to circulate, this proves false immediately.
     Decapitation ... this will kill a Vampire as easily as it
will kill a mortal!  Nothing mystical about it.
     The wooden stake through the heart.  Though it will not
kill a Vampire, as depicted in several novels and several
movies, it will incapacitate a Vampire.  Why this is not
certain, as the Vampire's heart does not function.  Perhaps it
has to do with the immense shock of having something foreign
lodged through your being, through your thoracic cavity ...
nothing is known as to why this occurs.  Several Vampires have
likely made others believe that they have been killed in this
fashion by feigning death, but it will not kill a Vampire.
These are the common misconceptions, and have been explained
away.  Why do people still hold to them?  Possibly out of
habit, or out of a need to placate their minds of a way to
destroy that which they do not understand, for such is the way
of humans, which is why the Witch hunts began in the first
place.  That religion is something different than the religion
of the Christians, and so following the age-old path of
humanity, what is different from your view of God must
therefore be of the devil, in the current line of thinking.
It is different, so it is evil.  What is evil is to be feared,
and what is feared is to be destroyed.  With Vampires, they
are looked upon as killers, for they feast upon blood (even
though killing is not needed to satisfy the hunger), something
that most humans see as evil, repulsive ... blood is life,
they are stealing that life, and the like.  Hence the need to
find a method by which a Vampire may be destroyed, even though
humans kill each and every time they must eat, be it a plant
or an animal ... a Vampire, by contrast, is a merciful feeder,
for killing is not needed at all, and the animal or human (or
Vampire) lives still.
     But, as they are not understood, they are labelled evil,
and so many Vampires when they have been made one hold fast to
this notion and do perform acts of atrocity, following the
path of their former schoolings.  They believe themselves to
be evil, and may even be thwarted by crosses or running water,
so in this it can be seen that Vampirism is indeed a condition
of the mind.
     To be locked into that frame of existence for an
eternity!  This is where we see that Vampires, though
immortal, can die as well.  Their spirit dies, whether through
this mind-set or through loneliness, at having seen so many
friends grow old and die, or simply a continued longing to
live again as a mortal - a longing that eats away at the very
fabric of a Vampire far greater than it would with a mortal,
for a mortal is granted a release from this through death ...
something a Vampire has not.  Death creeps up upon a Vampire
in this fashion ... death of the Self.  Where the Self dies,
the desire to continue existing dies as well.  Through lack of
caring, of feeding, of being around others, the Vampire does,
though terribly slowly, die.
     Not all Vampires will die in this fashion, however; some
may die due to an extreme loss of their "humanity" due to acts
that eat away at the conscience, whereby they become raving
monsters.  Still others, the majority perhaps, will never see
death in any form, and continue to exist, to live throughout
the ages ... but always is there the loneliness.  Loneliness
that can never be repressed, even through the making of
another Vampire in the hopes of having a continued companion
so much like yourself, as immortal as yourself ... such plans
end in failure, ultimately, as the Vampire that is made must
move on, for no one can control another's destiny, even should
this be the destiny of a Vampire.