Preliminary interview with “M”
Recorded by: Dr. Luminita Stoica

[Begin Log]

Dr. Stoica: Alright, we’re recording. Please do not state your name, address, phone number, or any other identifying information unless you want them on record. To protect your identity, I will refer to you as “M” for the duration of this call, and your voice will be masked. Do you understand?

M: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Why are you talking so much, anyway? You wanna hear my voice, don’t you?

Dr. Stoica: I want to hear what you have to say. That’s not the same thing.

M: But it’s hard to listen to what I’m saying when my voice is just so pretty, isn’t it?

Dr. Stoica: Then we’re lucky I’m such a good listener. Now, I have some questions for you.

M: Oh yeah, right.

Dr. Stoica: Yes. Right.

[Brief pause]

Dr. Stoica: Well, let’s start there… What would you consider your most significant reason for agreeing to join me today?

M: Oh, don’t be silly! You know why.

Dr. Stoica: And I want it on the record. It’s good for us all to be on the same page.

[M’s audio grows loud and distorted, presumably leaning into her microphone]

M: You’d love to be on the same page as me, wouldn’t you…

[Dr. Stoica laughs in a strained voice]

Dr. Stoica: Mm… I’d like you to tell me what I asked.

M: Ugh, fine! Look, I saw that flyer you left out asking for vampires to interview, and like… I looked up a picture of you, and…

Dr. Stoica: Go on.

M: You can hear it, can’t you? Isn’t my voice just so nice to listen to? Don’t you just wanna give in to it?

Dr. Stoica: Not particularly, not yet.

M: But just think about it. I know you’re probably scared of my kind, but… well, my thralls aren’t scared anymore! They just love me so much, and they love staring into my eyes, and letting themselves go blank, and belonging to me… You can imagine it, can’t you?

Dr. Stoica: Yes, rather vividly. I’ve been enthralled before.

M: Oh! I see… who’s your mistress, then?

Dr. Stoica: A corpse, buried long ago. Sometimes I visit her grave, so I can spit on it. I’d rather not talk about it.

[M laughs giddily. Dr. Stoica mumbles something unintelligible.]

M: Well, we’re not talking about her, are we? I don’t know what she did to hurt you, but I’d—

Dr. Stoica: You’d treat me better and I’d never grow to hate you, yes. I don’t care.

M: But—

Dr. Stoica: Please, just listen. I need you to understand that I do this for a living. I have spoken with many others of your kind before, I'm familiar with all the tricks, and I want you to act like this is the case and show me some basic respect. I'm not treating you like an irredeemable monster, so I'd appreciate not being treated like fresh meat.

M: Well I wouldn’t say irredeemable, but… I mean, you know I’m your natural predator, right? I am a monster, and I am evil. It’s just in my nature.

Dr. Stoica: By this logic, I am obliged to submit to you or run away. And yet, I see no reason to.

M: I know, it didn’t make sense to me at first either? But my Goddess made me understand, even if it took a while. I could help you, too.

Dr. Stoica: Hm.

M: What?

Dr. Stoica: Nothing. It’s just surprising you presented any resistance at all. When was this?

M: I didn’t! Not really! I just… I just didn’t know I was worshipping her yet!

Dr. Stoica: I sense I’ve touched a nerve. Could we revisit this in a future interview?

M: …Sure, I guess.

Dr. Stoica: Wonderful. Alright then, next question. What is it like, being a vampire?

[End of Preview]