Lily Child (Vampin Character Edition)

By Jamie Ott

Life was a daily worry of where her next meal would come from. Lily often resorted to stealing and hoarding in order to avoid starvation. When she's caught stealing on camera, and gets her mom's boyfriend fired, Lily's forced to make a premature leap into adulthood.

Lily Child is a character edition of the vampire series, Vampin. Before her untimely death, she was like a sister to Starr. Together, they forged fateful friendships, and saved the kids from terrible dangers. Lily kept Starr from becoming more ‘animal’.
For more information about the series, please see Vampin Box Sets

Genre: Tween/Teen

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jamie Ott
• Release date: Aug 6, 2013

Book preview

Lily Child

Vampin Character Edition

Jamie Ott

Copyright © 2012 Jamie Ott. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used without written permission from Vampin Official Syndicate.

For more information, visit http://vampinofficialsite.com

Vampin Official Syndicate

Lily Child

Chapter 1

Lily didn’t expect anything for Christmas. Mom spent the rest of her welfare money on whiskey and cigarettes, so she didn’t even bother asking for a tree. Jimmy, the guy who owned the small corner grocer, rang purchases on her EBT card as milk and bread.

We’ll be back in a moment. If anyone comes in, tell ‘em to wait, Mom said.

Lily watched them disappear through the back door. Hurriedly, she stuffed three Snickers bars in her right pocket and half a dozen Airheads in her left. She lifted her shirt and pushed several bags of teriyaki beef jerky down the front of her pants; then several bags of mixed fruits and nuts into the back.

The funny noises started, which was how she knew they were about to come back. She straightened out and tried to look normal.

They reappeared from the back door.

Lily, get a liter of soda and a pack of hot dogs and some bread.

The ripped up soles of her shoes flopped against the floor and echoed off the walls.

She picked up the hotdogs and bread like Mom told her. Then she hid a small bag of apples under her arm inside her jacket. More than likely Mom would eat all the hot dogs by morning, leaving her with absolutely nothing. Go to church, if you’re hungry, she’d say. I have to pay for my food, but you don’t. But church only gave out free meals on Sunday afternoons, after services. Mom knew this but didn’t care. She just wanted Lily out of her face.

Just as she turned to go back to the front of the store, Mom and Jimmy were locked in a loud, disgusting kiss. His hand was down her shirt. Lily took the extra moment to stuff a couple cans of ravioli into the sleeves of her jacket. As she walked back to the front of market, she swiped a packet of the large U shaped needles and slipped it up her sleeve.

She walked up to the counter and waited. Mom told her never to interrupt her when she was doing something with Jimmy.

The bell sounded out as a customer walked in.

You should go, said Jimmy.

Okay, Mom said. Come by later, if you’re not busy. Bring some beer, too.

Jimmy didn’t say anything. He ran his hand through his hair, several times, and looked away.

Mom sighed. Lily, let’s go.

They exited into the cold Christmas air. Snow had already layered the block. People tried to bury themselves in jackets and shawls.

I don’t know why I keep you around, Lily. You’re bad luck. Jimmy is really good, really into me, but because I got you, he’ll never come around. He thinks I’m trash is what, and it’s all because of you. You’re trash that I have to lug around until I’m dead.

She shivered loudly.

See this? she asked, indicating her dirty sweater. I don’t ‘got’ a warm coat, but you do. You got that for free. Well, you know what? Nothing in this world is free. Look what I gotta do just to get you dinner?

At the corner she pressed the light and shivered. Lily did her best not to look at her; it made her especially angry when she was in a mood.

All up and down the block, stragglers hurried off to who knows where. Lily wished she was one of them, going off to visit real family or friends, or even to her own apartment where she’d be alone.

Mom walked across the street as though she were trying to get away from Lily. She did her best not to fall far behind and not to walk by her side, because both could land her sleeping in the stairwell.

Lily sighed with relief when she made it up the sewage smelling hall without Mom pushing her down the stairs again. Maybe tonight she’d shut up in her room, and Lily would sleep on the couch while watching Christmas movies.

To her relief, Mom did just that: she went to her room and shut the door without another word.

The apartment was dim and smelly, with one bulb that stuck out of the ceiling. And the bug ridden carpet had a layer of air between it and the floor. There was only fifteen feet between the door and the single window opposite. On the right side of the wall nearest the door was a sink, stove and refrigerator, followed by the door to the single room which had the only bathroom. Lily sometimes peed in the sink rather than disturb Mom. On the other side of the door was an ancient television; on the left side of the apartment was a moldy couch that she’d sprayed numerous times for bugs. That’s why the apartment always smelled like pesticide.

Lily turned on the television. The movie looked