Fresh Ink 2022
The Vampire’s Tragedy 3rd Place - Short Fiction Niamh Gannuscio*
I was in my mid-twenties in the 1980s and lived in London at the time in a tiny flat. My job was to take photographs for music acts and their promotional material. I loved that job; going to clubs, taking pictures backstage, and meeting the acts. One of my favorite club nights I’d go to was The Batcave; its Halloween theme made it truly unique since it wasn’t celebrated in England. Some would say it was the birthplace of all things goth, though, for me, The Batcave will always be the place that changed me; it made me what I am today. It was a place that I fell in love with, not only the goth scene but also my lost love Daniel. He was what I think I loved most about The Batcave. He was this shy bloke who always wore a vampire cloak that swooshed around him as he danced. He had this strangeness about him, being so quiet and awkwardly elegant as though he wasn’t quite sure of himself while still holding his dignity. I recall the first time I saw the strange boy, his cape fluttering about, catching the light as he danced to The Cure’s “Funeral Party.” What was weird was that he never took his eyes off the band. I assumed this got the lead singer’s attention since he knelt down to sing directly at the fan. Of course, I couldn’t miss a shot like that and quickly snapped a picture - immediately getting the stranger’s attention. The band continued with their set as the boy came over to me, at which point I learned his name: Daniel Evans. He was an American bloke who was a big Cure fan, following the band after their first show in America. Despite only knowing Daniel for twenty minutes, I invited him to ‘be my assistant’ as he had mentioned he had never met the band. After the star-struck evening of meeting the band, asking questions, and the like, they had to retire early, leaving Daniel and me alone. After the interaction, with Daniel’s shy exterior now faded, we began to talk about music and our lives. It was a wonderful evening sitting at a booth, talking to someone from a faraway land. Daniel enchanted me with stories of America. In return, I told him of growing up in London, going to uni, and my photography business. He listened 42
