[Begin Log]

Luma: [Flatly] —if you want. But I don’t know if it will accomplish anything.

Jessica: Don’t care.

[Banging sounds]

Mary: [Muffled, Seductively] Luma, come on! I can smell them, you know!

Luma: So, if she gets in, stay right here. She doesn’t know it’s not a home yet. I’ll try to keep it that way.

Helen: And what if she finds out?

Luma: Silver. Always silver.

[Banging sounds]

Mary: You can’t hide in there forever! C’mon, I brought you a present! You like presents, don’t you?

[Luma growls]

Luma: [Shouting] I’m coming!

Jessica: Look, just go. Either we’re fucked or we aren’t, right?

Luma: I suppose you’re right.

Helen: Be careful with her ‘present’.

Luma: It’s probably just some human. One of her other thralls. By the smell of it, maybe… Wait.

[Banging sounds]

Mary: Luma!

Luma: No, that’s… That can’t be… No. No.

Jessica: What!?

[Luma hisses]

[Door Slams]

Helen: …Well, it’s not like we weren’t planning on listening in.

Jessica: Yeah.

[Jessica’s phone is audibly pushed against the wall]

Mary: Oh, hey, Luma! How’s it been?

Luma: [Growling, Muffled, Seductively] What did you do!?

Mary: Oh, well, you were holding onto something of mine, so—

[Slam against the other side of the wall]

Luma: WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER!?

Helen: [Muttering] Jesus, I could feel that…

Jessica: [Muttering] ‘Her’?

[Mary giggles]

Mary: [Strained] W-Wow, you really are dense, huh?

[Luma roars]

Mary: So vicious, too! Well, come on, sweetie… why don’t you tell her yourself?

Linda: Er, well… it’s rather obvious, isn’t it? She… After all these years, it was her who…

[Linda giggles]

Linda: She took me. I’m hers now.

Luma: Du-te în pizda mă-tii! Nu, futu-ți pizda mă-tii! FUTU-ȚI CRISTELNIȚĂ MĂ-TII!

[Luma starts screaming]

Helen: What the fuck…

Jessica: Okay, who the hell is ‘her’? Does she get like this about everyone?

Helen: No, I think that’s Linda’s voice.

Jessica: Oh— Oh God.

Helen: Yeah.

[Luma’s screaming peters out]

Mary: You done?

[No response]

[Mary moves away]

Mary: Oh come on, what's with the silent treatment? I'm trying to be—

Luma: Release her.

Mary: What?

Luma: Release her, now.

Mary: Oh, come on, I—

Luma: NOW.

[Mary scoffs]

Mary: No!

Luma: Bad—

Mary: Oh my Lilith, I’m sick of this! You’re such a drama queen!

Luma: Bad—

Mary: [Growling] Yeah, yeah, I get it, you’re stronger than me, you’re louder than me, you’re so fucking good. I’m not falling for it this time, okay? You’re gonna listen to me like a good girl or… or I’ll just kill her!

Linda: M-mistress!

[Luma hisses]

Helen: Jesus Christ, she really is agitated…

Jessica: Hm.

Mary: Yeah, not so tough now, huh? I… I mean, like, the point is, she’s mine now. So you have to listen! Or else!

Luma: You…

[Luma sighs]

Luma: Linda, I don’t understand. How did you… did she simply ambush you?

Linda: She, er… Well, I suppose it started with—

Mary: Stop.

Linda: Y-yes, mistress.

[Luma growls]

Mary: Growl all you want! If you wanted to talk to her so bad, you should’ve enthralled her first! That’s not my fault!

Luma: Y-you know what—

Mary: Yeah, I was there when you vented to me about your stupid human breakup, or whatever! I know why she didn’t want you to know she was observing me for the study! I know you think this is wrong, because you just think everything is wrong, don’t you? But it’s the only way to make you listen!

Luma: You… Linda, you were involved in the study?

Linda: …I’m sorry, Luma. In retrospect, I don’t know what I was so af—

Mary: [Sing-song] Stop!

Linda: Yes, mistress.

Luma: L-linda, I… I…

[Luma growls]

Luma: Very well, Mary, you’ve proven you can tear apart the souls of those most dear to me, a fact which was ever in doubt. You’ve stopped me talking to her. You’ve had your revenge! What is your point?

[Mary giggles]

Mary: Seriously, such a drama queen! You think this is just for revenge?

Luma: Yes.

Mary: Luma… it’s like I told you months ago. I love you! I don’t wanna hurt your gal pal. I just wanna help you stop being such a useless weak pathetic disgusting little slut, okay? I’m trying to help you!

Luma: Leave me alone, then. Leave them alone. Release her.

Mary: No! They’re mine. I— I need them, okay? And they’re not gonna come crawling back, not like Caitlyn did, because you’re FULL OF SHIT like always!

Luma: Don’t bring up Caitlyn to me. Caitlyn is the reason I woke up to your victims in the midst of an all-out panic. Why I’m the only thing keeping them safe. And you were all too happy to ensure I'd have to!

[Mary snorts]

Mary: Well maybe you should’ve enthralled her, then! Back when I was going to let you!

Luma: [Growling] Yes, perhaps I was a fool to think I could keep her safe from you.

Mary: You can’t keep anyone safe. Not until you stop doing everything wrong and start listening to your FREAKING begetter. I know you think it’s such a big wall, something you could never do, but it’s not. It’s easy! So I guess I’ll just have to show you!

[Linda squeals]

Helen: Wait… oh no.

Jessica: What?

Helen: I think I just figured out what her game is.

Mary: You see this? This is one of your things, okay!? I found her in the alley behind her house! And hey, looks like you found some of my things, too! Now, we could fucking tear each other to shreds about that, and maybe some of us are stupid fucking thick-headed nerds who deserve it, but we could also just listen to our instincts, get over ourselves, and take what’s ours. Goddess always said to be civil with other vampires, and I'm a good girl, so that's what I'm gonna do!

Luma: [Strained] I never said—

[Mary starts cackling]

Linda: [Strained] Ah! M-mistress!

Jessica: Fuck.

Helen: Yep…

Jessica: Any chance we could slip out the window or something while she’s busy throwing a tantrum?

Helen: I don’t feel like getting tackled by Caitlyn again.

Jessica: Then let’s just stay quiet.

[Mary’s cackling peters out]

Luma: [Imitating Mary's voice] You done?

Mary: Yeah! Look, the point is, even you’re not dense enough to fuck this up! It’s, like, basic economics! I have what you need, you have what I need, we—

Luma: [Growling] We go in circles like this until you release my colleague. My— my friend.

Mary: I already let go of her!

Luma: You're not that dense. Come now, don’t you tire of this useless fight you put up, Mary? This forced disinterest? Don’t you wish to know what it would be like to be free for even a moment?

Mary: Don’t you!?

Luma: [Growling] No.

Mary: No!? You like hiding like this, getting tortured by everyone, treated like a monster, just— just nothing but silver and people being mean to you and not letting you have their blood!? You like not drinking from Jessica, Luma? I know about that! You really think Linda’s gonna be so different after this? You know this is your last chance, right!?

Luma: I… I…

[Luma hisses]

Luma: Whatever you say, Linda is not mine, and Jessica and Helen… They came to me, not you, all so they would never have to be yours ever again. They’re mine.

Mary: Oh my Lilith, they are not yours! You were acting so satisfied at the idea they’d come to you, and for what!? Just a bunch of extra responsibilities? You said you’d ‘rub it in my face’, but you can’t even do that right! I’ve barely even heard from you at all!

Luma: You…

Mary: No! No, just— What, is it not enough? Two for one, I get it, that's not fair! I’ll just go find Natalie, then! It sounded like she lives near you!

Luma: You will not—

Mary: YES I WILL! I’ll do WHATEVER I want, WHENEVER I want, and NOTHING YOU DO can stop me, because I CAN’T be ‘saved’ or whatever! I can’t disobey Goddess, I can’t do this weakling shit you do, and if you won’t get on board with that, then I’LL DO IT FOR YOU!

[Slam against the other side of the wall]

[Luma grunts]

Mary: So obey me already!

Luma: No, I—

Mary: Obey me!

Luma: You’re hurting—

Mary: OBEY ME OR I’LL FUCKING KILL THEM ALL!

[7 seconds of silence]

[Mary sobs]

Luma: …Mary, if I may?

Mary: Whatever.

Luma: I… never claimed this was simple. You know that. I’m attempting to forge a whole new paradigm here. But—

Mary: Yeah, yeah, it’s just because you’re perfect and I’m a monster. I get it.

Luma: No, I— Please, it’s not like that. All I mean to say is that while difficulties are expected… I… hadn’t realized how this was weighing on you. I hadn’t checked. I… I’ve been distant.

[Mary growls quietly]

Mary: I’m just the bad one. I want them all and they know I can take them and I… I… I see them staring. No matter what I do, I’m always just a— a b-bad girl. Don’t you get that’s… that’s what you are, too?

Luma: I… still have a responsibility not to be. I still have principles to uphold.

Mary: It won’t matter. They’ll never love you unless you make them. You don’t… get to be a good girl until you accept that.

Luma: …Is that right?

Mary: Yeah. So just… give up, okay? I’m tired.

[Luma sighs]

Luma: Perhaps I would, if you weren’t wrong.

Mary: I know, I know, it was w-wrong. F-for her to hit them, and stuff. I get it. Whatever.

Luma: Not… Listen, what I’m trying to say is, I’m sorry. I’ve been distant. I’ve only spoken with you to taunt you… but I need you to know you’ve been a good girl for helping me with this study. Very, very good.

Mary: W-what!?

Luma: You were a good girl. Whatever anyone else thinks, I'm proud of you. You… get a good grade at being a person, so to speak.

Mary: B-but… I enslaved your—

Luma: [Strained] And you already know that that was wrong. You did it because it was wrong, trying to prove something you never needed to prove. Isn’t that right?

Mary: That’s… I… but I…

Luma: I know, you can't just give up this effort. You need an excuse, don’t you? Some small victory?

Mary: I… uh…

Luma: Well, if this was supposed to force me to treat her like a commodity…. I do have something I can trade you for her freedom.

Mary: Y-you do…?

Luma: Of course. Just give me a moment to get it.

Mary: Yes, Goddess…

[Door opens and closes]

Jessica: I swear if she comes in here…

[Door opens and closes again]

Helen: God, I always forget how fast she is.

Mary: What… is that… a Luma plushie? L-Like, from Mario!?

Luma: I was saving it for your birthday.

Mary: Y-you’ve got to be kidding me. I’m not going to trade Linda for— Wait, why does it feel like that…?

Luma: It can be put in the microwave, supposedly. To heat it up to human body temperature. And… I had it custom made, with a cavity in the middle about the right size for a… well, you can guess.

Mary: You… y-you… why…

[Luma sighs]

Luma: I… know you love those two, Mary, in the way you know how. I do too.

Mary: You can’t…

Luma: I promise to take good care of them. To keep them safe. And if you let me, if you give them reason to trust you, then… then maybe one day they’ll be willing to talk to you. To feed you, even.

Jessica: Uh huh.

Luma: But if you don’t… then they will never trust you, and you will never see them again. So please, just… let me help you. Help me. Help all of us.

Mary: I… I…

[Mary groans]

Mary: Linda?

Linda: Yes, Mistress?

Mary: I am a vampire and… and…

[Mary sighs]

Mary: …and you are not my thrall.

Linda: I… I-I…

[Five seconds of silence]

Linda: …Ah. Y-you, er… I must b-be…

[Quick footsteps, rushing into the distance]

Luma: It's done?

Mary: Yeah. I was gonna use that trigger to… um…

[Brief pause]

Mary: Whatever. Could you… maybe, like, um… come sleep over tonight? Show me how to use this thing, and stuff?

Luma: I’ll… need to check with Jessica and Helen first. One moment.

[Door opens and closes]

Luma: [Unmuffled, Flatly] Alright, I think things are handled. Would you two…

[Luma trails off]

Jessica: Would we what?

Luma: I can’t…

Helen: Wait, are you… stuck?

Luma: …Hm. It would seem this is the threshold of your room. And your home. Do you… want me to come in?

[6 seconds of silence]

Jessica: …No.

Helen: Yeah, no.

[Luma sighs]

Luma: Thank God.

[End Log]