Chapter One.
I ’ll introduce you to my country and its individuals.
Kaltos will never be seen again, nor will its like. It was beautiful, delightful, peaceful, and most of all enlightened, and I stress enlightened. My people were not barbarians who scrabbled in the mud, nor were we cavemen who ran from fire.
Kaltons were most certainly not like the ancient Egyptians, who thought themselves a superior people. The Egyptians were humans who mastered the art of enslavement. Kaltons had developed beyond that, fought a war or two, decided we were not fond of the practice, and grew into the race I’m about to acquaint you with.
Kaltos was roughly twice the size of today’s Great Britain, only we were squarer in shape. Around nine hundred thousand people lived in Kaltos. We didn’t have towns or cities; we had four provinces. Quite simply, they were called North, South, East, and West. I said we were enlightened, not imaginative!
Each family owned acres—from the peak of a high hill, the vast expanse of land visible in all directions belonged to you.
The land was used for different things, for example meat or fruit farming. Most individuals would specialise in a subject. Some had theatres on theirs, or others would have huge great swimming pools, where the community would meet up late on a hot summer night.
No hunger, crime, or temptation existed; we all had equal access to everything. There was certainly no jealously which had led the wars in our history. Now, everyone could have the same. Whether they desired it or not was a different story.
For example, my parent’s home was lavishly decorated and extremely comfortable, and yet one of our neighbours was spartan. It simply depended on a person’s taste.
This life sounds idyllic, but I hear you thinking it was boring. I can ensure you it was not. We hunted or swam in the sea, although we did have to be careful, as there were several dangerous creatures that dwelled in the depths.
There were no different religions. We all believed in God, called the Creator. We didn’t believe in the Devil. Kaltons wouldn’t be sent to any underworld for being evil.
When we died, we went to a different level of existence. The bottom rung was called Hell. Our Hell was nothing like the modern one. People believed it was our temporary home before being reborn.
Each time we were reborn, we managed to climb to a higher plane until we reached the top where the Creator was. Once there, we stayed and weren’t reincarnated again. The reason we kept returning was so we could learn the lessons that needed learning. It was an easy religion to believe in.
Kaltos didn’t have a currency. We traded with each other. Meat ranchers bartered their wares for fruit. Fruit farmers exchanged theirs for vegetables, and so on. Potters swapped with gold or silversmiths. Builder with jewellers, for example, and we all spoke one language.
No ruler existed; instead, a ten-member publicly elected council governed free from power struggles. Land disputes, or crime, or jealous fights… simply didn’t exist.
Indeed, I often wondered what the council was there for. I’d often suppose they were there to keep life wonderful, which they had… until I turned twenty-five. But I’ll come to that later.
Our clothing resembled Roman garb. In fact, it was Kaltons who influenced Rome’s fashion sense. The men dressed in a tunic that fell to mid-thigh. There was no set colour, but most chose white or another bright shade. The tunics were sleeveless and fastened on our shoulders with buttons.
If we wished, we could undo these and allow the top part to fall (showing off well-defined chests). Those tunics appeared similar to a double-tiered skirt. We wore leather boots that came to about the middle of our calf. Everyone had a strong belt, which held a knife, that was called a ‘Carma’. The blade was kept well-honed because you never knew when you would need it to defend yourself.
Dangerous creatures roamed the land, not too many, but enough that you needed to carry a weapon. We all learned how to protect ourselves from an early age. Many children were taken and eaten in the past. Lessons were learned quickly around defence.
On our right bicep, we wore a coloured leather strap to show who we were. Blue for a fisherman, green for a fruit farmer, etcetera. When a band specialised a trade such as potato farming, then the band would often have a badge of the product on. If someone grew several items, then they would all be on it.
We knew almost everyone in our immediate area. When we went travelling, our bands would identify us to a stranger.
The women wore tunics similar to ours, although they were of varying length. It depended on what the woman wished to wear. Again, there was no set colour.
Kaltons didn’t need winter clothes, as there was no winter. Kaltos had spring, summer, and autumn, but not a winter like you know. Winter was a mild autumn, colder than spring, but never falling below ten degrees.
The women wore a gold or silver belt and a headband too. Actually, now that I think back, so did the men, as our hair would fall to our shoulders. A woman could have her hair whatever length she chose, and it was fairly common to see it reach a woman’s waist. Hair this long would usually be tied back in a ponytail, great for grabbing on to or pulling when a girl upset your boyish pride.
The women would also carry Carma’s and were just as skilled as using them as the men. Kaltons did have weapons like modern guns, but they were mainly used for shooting creatures at sea. Huge mammals would attack our ships. They were the size of today’s blue whales, but boy, did they have a mouthful of teeth. We never hunted those; it was too dangerous.
We called them the Kraken; oh yes, that Greek legend was based on truth. Although, when Greece stole the myth, the Kraken had been extinct for two thousand years.
My childhood was idyllic. I’d a brother and three sisters. I was the youngest and always the one getting into trouble. My parents were both goldsmiths. I was very proud of them; they were incredibly talented. Naturally, I would never have dreamed of telling them that at the time.
Our home was a huge, sprawling villa. Each child had our own sleeping quarters, and, in addition, there were four extra rooms for guests. The bedrooms had their own bathroom with a deep sunken bath to one side, the toilet to another, and there was also a shower for quickness. Eons ago, my people had learned to plumb water from the great lakes and the sea. The piping was all underground, so it didn’t spoil our beautiful countryside.
There was a large kitchen that contained its own oven for baking bread. A separate stove for cooking meat and an extra on behalf of vegetables for meals like stews and soups. It had two tables, one for meat and the second was for preparing other foods. There was also a huge refrigerator and freezer. Y es, we had electricity, you have just rediscovered it, solar power!
Kaltos was technically advanced. We had things you’ve never heard of and have yet to discover. For example, our medical library and instruments were far superior to today’s. We did not need to cut through a person’s skin to cure them. Kaltons had equipment that would scan an individual’s body to pick up what was wrong with them and then correct the tumour, cancer, or whatever. (Although cancer was extremely rare, we’d nearly wiped it out.)
Kaltos did not have television. We didn’t need it; we had plenty to do. Kaltos did have radio, and it played music like today’s pop and classical. Occasionally, we had broadcasts of plays and acts, even concerts.
There wasn’t any needless jabbering on it like the D.J.s that pollute today’s airwaves.
Sometimes, late in the night, when I have fed, I to listen to music and find myself rapidly growing annoyed with those who love the sound of their voices.
Father’s villa had stables, and in these, we kept our horses. Now, these were very special. They were similar to the Arabian Stallions, so hugely prized in recent years, but they were larger and definitely faster. These ran as fast as the wind, and indeed, that was what we called them. The Wind. Their fur was glossy black or silky white, there weren’t any with mixed coats, and although they were common on Kaltos, their like has never been seen again.
I sighed.
The fall of Kaltos doomed our animals. A few were saved, but they didn’t survive on the new land, it wasn’t rich enough.
Kaltos had near-perfect weather. It was sunny during the day and rained at night. Artificial means did this (I must admit). We used a device called an atmospheric satellite. This regulated the climate only over Kaltos, not the rest of the world.
That didn’t matter to us, which sounds very arrogant, and it was. Kaltos did not concern itself with outside civilisations. Fog was very rare; I can only recall seeing this twice during my human years. Storms happened two or three times a year. The massive event brought out most of the population. The tempests resembled the great ones seen over the Americas.
Snow was non-existent. If you wanted to see snow, then you had to travel North, which was a nice long trip. Upon arrival, the vast snow and ice fields extended for miles. How far these stretched, I don’t know, but they must have been ten times the size of Kaltos.
Solar power also powered our ships. Indeed, there was nothing that wasn’t powered by the sun. Because there was no pollution, our lakes and rivers were crystal clear.
Every building used stone, as it kept cool in summer and was easily warmed in the autumn. The buildings varied in scale and design. Most of our homes that we lived in daily tended to be similar to my father’s villa.
There were four huge pyramids in the four provinces, and these were for worship of the Creator (you didn’t have to attend weekly services).
The pyramids were kind of symbolic, as if the steps were a stairway to the different planes of existence that we believed in. The temples were there if you wished to pray collectively. Similar to churches today, but they weren’t mandatory. Carrying the Creator in your heart was what counted.
Several priests staffed the pyramids, and their job was to keep the temple clean. If someone wanted private prayer, then they would escort that person to a secluded place. They were more caretakers than spiritual leaders. They didn’t preach about what the Creator thought, said, or did. We had nothing like the Bible or Koran of today.
As for the Bible, I admit Vam’pirs influenced its reading. Shocking to consider that, isn’t it? The Bible is not pure after all. I could tell you what parts the Vam’pirs helped write, but out of sheer devilment, I won’t.
Read it. Tell me what sections we shaped. You’ll find me, never fear. And if you can’t and you’re delicious enough, then maybe I’ll come looking for you to educate you.
But, I digress.
This blissful existence was what I grew up knowing. Complete and absolute safety. Confident nothing could go awry, I envisioned living this way forever. Not a thing would disturb my innocent and happy little life, so I thought in my arrogance. What a fool I was, so na?ve, so cocksure.
I wasn’t the only one. We were all fools. That was a lesson I learned painfully.
Nothing lasts eternally. Someday it all ends.
“Why?” you ask. “Why must it end?”
It ended because we became complacent idiots and were slow to adapt to new circumstances. You think you are flexible, but you’re not. In reality, you’re so rigidly set in your ways that adapting can be hard to deal with. Sure, minor changes are not so bad, but when a lifechanging event happens, you resist with all your might, and that is where everyone is foolish.
You should run with change, whether minor or major. Learn from Kaltos’s mistakes.
We didn’t, and it was our fault.
I’ll come to that later. I keep saying that, but I must continue to tell you of my background, of my ‘ideal’ life. The importance of understanding Kaltos shall become clear.
When I was fifteen years of age, I fell totally and irrevocably in love. The lucky girl’s name was Inka, and she was beautiful. Her hair was blue-black in colour and landed on her waist. It was straight, without a single curl or wave in it. Inka’s eyes, you could drown in a deep cobalt blue that would turn grey when she was worried or angry. Long curling lashes framed those expressive orbs. Inka’s mouth was full and always laughing, and her face was heart-shaped.
Inka would easily rival any beauty of today. My girl was around five feet eight inches tall. At the age of fourteen, she’d a body most women would kill for. A man would resort to committing murder to spend a night with Inka.
One year later, Inka was mine, and the great thing was she loved as deeply as I did. Inka remains alive, somewhere in the world, maybe even reading this. Who knows where, though?
Inka left me after a disagreement several thousand years ago.
My wife has long since closed her mind to me. That was a trait Vam’pirs had. The ability to speak telepathically to each other. Others tell me of her when they see her. But apparently, Inka’s become a loner, and when she seeks company, it is that of the Vam’pirs, not the newer vampires. Inka doesn’t seek my presence anymore, possibly because I remain immature after all these years.
Why shouldn’t I? I am the Vam’pir Jacques . I will do as I damn well please, and anyone, including others of my kind, can go to hell if they don’t like it. That’s a fighting statement if there ever was one. Note how my chest puffs out and my shoulders pull back, and my chin lifts in pride. Aren’t I a contradictory creature?
Come closer, reader, and I’ll show you my pearly whites!
Excuse me while I roar with laughter. Sadly, I often amuse myself.
Back to my tale.
Inka loved only me. Free love was not frowned upon. You might have as many lovers as you wished, and no one batted an eyelid. There were no sexual diseases to consider. We’d cured them aeons ago. However, many Kaltons preferred a committed relationship.
Inka and I didn’t desire another lover. We had each other and needed nobody else. Luckily, our parents were neighbours, so we could see each other daily. Inka’s mother and father were fruit farmers, and we used to court each other under her father’s apple trees.
Honestly, kissing was not the only activity in the orchards that I engaged in, but it is too personal for me to disclose to you. This is not a sex or romance book! Well, there might be some intercourse later. Depends on if I’m in a sharing mood.
Only Inka and one other made me feel like that, and few individuals have even brought me close.
In matters of love, I could be classed as fickle. But when I can count on one hand the people who have moved me to strong emotion, I wouldn’t say I am capricious. Present-day fellows don’t have the same values we did. And sadly, most men are simply male whores, yet they judge women for being loose! Honestly, I will admit that, throughout my life, I’ve not had a high number of lovers.
I’ve enjoyed many attractions, but few merit the term ‘loved.’ I’m talking about the female of your species, not the males.
Over time, I have adored both sexes. Love for a man differs from that of a woman. A man’s love is darker, rougher, and certainly passionate. However, once more, I digress.
Inka and I had several close friends.
Maurick was a staid young fella who rarely got excited about anything in life. He was one year younger than me and was tall, dark, and definitely handsome. Maurick had women throwing themselves at his feet and honestly never noticed. However, wave a test tube under his nose, and he would perk up immediately. Maurick was a child genius, and he became the youngest scientist ever.
He was part of a team called the Core, and these were the best brains in their fields. They were the leaders of our science community, and it was a distinct honour for Maurick to be part of them. All of us in our little group were so proud of him. Even when he rattled off things, we didn’t have a hope in hell of understanding. Maurick was the reason I became involved in the Great Experiment.
“What’s that?” you ask. That is what made us Vam’pirs , I answer.
The revelation will come soon!
There was Tobais, my best friend. He was tall like me, I was six feet three inches, and Tobais was about an inch or two taller than me. He was blond, where I am dark. Tobias had blue eyes where mine are green, and he owned a mischievous smile. However, I’d say Tobias had more depth than me.
Tobias remains sensitive and reflective and is always analysing something. Not as in experimentation, but overthinking.
Tobias likes to have thoughts and ideas clarified. He doesn’t like confusion, whereas I revel in it. The more mayhem and havoc I can cause, the better. I tend to go off the rails and often take stuff at face value. Tobais was the one everyone wished to emulate. He was gorgeous, in personality and looks. Despite millennia passing, Tobias still wears a constant smile and never grows weary of life. Tobias finds fresh things to study and enjoy, even though he has witnessed countless new nights. I myself grow tired, and as you read on, my effort to alleviate that boredom will show itself.
I must ask, though… Tobais, will it be you the Elders’ send to chastise and punish me? Will you be able to eliminate me like they’ll demand? I do hope it’s not you, because that’ll surely destroy your merry nature.
Beware, whoever comes, I’m one of the most powerful beings you’ll ever come across. Taking me down won’t be an easy prospect.
You shall not kill me because I will, in all likelihood, slay you first. You have my warning. If it is somebody that I love, be warned, I’ll spare you no mercy. But in kindness, I will guarantee you a quick death. Then again, if it’s a person I hate, I award you an ending that even a horror writer would cringe at.
Before I fall into melancholy, which I can be prone to do when remembering, let me tell you about Mera. A bubbly tiny girl with short, blond curly hair. Mera’s blue eyes sparkled with her endless laughter.
I believe Mera was the thinker out of us, although she could cause just as much trouble as anyone. But Mera pondered a lot. She reckoned the past still had lessons we could learn from.
Now, I guess we should have listened to her.
Mera often contemplated what was ahead of us. We all lived day to day, but Mera tried to plan ahead. She may not have been able to plan far into the future because I admit we upset her plans, but she did try.
I do know one thing she didn’t plan, and that was to fall in love with Pal.
Pal (short for Palin) was not like any of us, and yet he fit. Pal was not that tall, most Kalton men were above six feet, Pal was five foot nine. Which was fine for Mera, who was small herself at five foot six. (Most Kalton women were over five foot eight). Pal’s hair was dark brown, and it had what we called a ‘warriors lock’ of pure white hair that flapped over his eyes.
That had gotten its name from one of our last wars. A great general had worried so much that the front section of his hair turned white, and so it became known as the warrior’s lock.
Pal’s eyes were a brooding brown, and his mouth appeared evil and yet sensuous. I must admit to wondering if there was a cruel, sensual streak in him, although I never witnessed it in those early days.
Later on, I did, but to us, he never changed. Pal was the epitome of kindness to our people. He’d help anyone. The elderly, who needed support, would often rely on him. Pregnant women and young parents knew where to turn for help. During the Great Experiment, Pal was twenty-six. I believe that what happened made Pal more responsible than he was previously.
Pal became even more sensitive to criticism. Sadly, I’m aware I hurt Pal, for which I carry a significant deal of guilt that I can never rid myself of.
Generally, I don’t allow things to get under my skin, but how I behaved towards Pal and Mera certainly does give me nightmares now and then. They’d said they forgave me, but my acts were so unspeakably savage I shudder whenever I recall them.
At the time of the Great Experiment, Pal was twenty-six, Tobais, Mera, and I were twenty-five, and Maurick and Inka were twenty-four. The twins, Kait and Pari, were twenty-one.
Can you remember how adult you felt at twenty-one, and yet when you recall, you weren’t, really? You were still a child, you hadn’t matured.
We all go through that stage. It was the same with the twins.
They were both hysterically funny, Pari more so than Kait. They had black hair and green eyes and were identical. The only difference was that Pari had a scar on his right wrist. Despite living farthest, they arrived earliest and departed last.
Pari was desperately in love with an eighteen-year-old girl called Emil, who looked a lot like my Inka. So, I couldn’t blame them when they had a baby daughter whom they named Cleo. They were totally devoted to each other.
Kait, on the other hand, was steadily working his way through all available girls in our province. His ready smile and easy manner, added with his good looks, made him attractive to the opposite sex.
Almost everyone knew Kait, and most fathers hoped their daughter would be the one Kait fell in love with. Kait was the person who coined the saying ‘love them and leave them’. Because he certainly did. When he left them, there was never any animosity, although I suppose there had been quite a few broken hearts.
Talking of fathers, Inka and I had a son. My beautiful boy, Mihal. At the time of the Great Experiment, Mihal was one. My entire life centred around him. He was such a happy baby.
Mihal had a round cherub face with sparkling blue eyes that, like his mother’s, would turn grey when he was angry. He also had light brown hair and rosy cheeks.
Although Inka and I didn’t live together, my father had given us a huge parcel of land to build a home on—and our friends were helping. My trade was the same as my fathers, but I wasn’t properly skilled or trained enough to run my own business yet. A young person of my people was not expected to settle down until their fifties, as my community had an extended life cycle.
Needless to say, my friends and I had bucked traditional ideas.
“Wait, what?” you cry. “An extended life?”
Yes, Kaltons lived up to about six hundred years.
I can hear your mind whirling with possibilities. Sadly, the only prolonged life now comes at the end of my pearly whites and almost dying.
Inka was a painter, and she had real talent. People came from all four provinces to see Inka’s paintings, and they would be highly praised. Inka only ever bargained a few away a year, so you can imagine the competition for them. Every day, our friends would make their way with us to where we had started building our home.
◆◆◆
I need to take a break.
These recollections sadden me, and I dislike that feeling. I prefer to be merry and happy. Go rest if you wish. My memories threaten to overwhelm me, and I want to walk, smoke a cigar, and pull myself together.
Let’s meet again soon.