We brought a newbie to the game last night. She never played a role-playing game before, let alone a Vampire LARP. I made her a Solemn Vow to entertain her if she got bored. Things went wrong, I got pulled into a monster plot line, and when it was all done, I think we said one or two words to each other. I broke a promise. Bad luck.
On Monday night, Emily awoke from a nightmare, a vision. A little girl, chased by monster. She fell back asleep, oblivious of the vision, but Walker made her a promise. A quiet little promise over her sleeping head.
Friday night. The little girl is a Sabbat in the body of a 6 year old. “Are you going to hurt me?” she asks him. “Of course not,” he answers.
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
Less than two hours later, he’s standing with her, his hand inches from his gun, trying to force himself to put the barrel against the back of her head and pull the trigger. He can’t do it. He can’t do it.
And when he gets home, little Emily sleeping in her bed, he wonders if she remembers that vision. “Is she safe?” she’ll ask him. “Yes,” he’ll answer. “She’s safe.” And he’ll hold her tight, his heart breaking, hoping she won’t ask him anything else.
Three ladies. Three promises. All broken in one fell swoop.
Might as well smash seven mirrors while I’m at it.