THE VAMPIRE EPIDEMIC

Have you ever interviewed a vampire, invited them into your home, befriended or experienced intimacy with one? Of course you have...NOT!!! But most of us have had that certain someone who got us all under their spell, walked into our dreams or nightmares while we slept. We swore we could see them standing in the corner of the room while we watched TV, ate dinner or were reading a book. Only to say, 'I must be losin' it.' We could just feel them beside us, even though they weren't there. Persuassion, enticement and seduction. Only to find, that they have sucked the living daylights out of us mentally and emotionally. Drained of all of our good emotions and rational thought.

The presentation of the vampire has greatly transformed through the course of the years. Some of us remember 'Bela Lugosi' as Dracula. We sat spellbound awaiting his silent, yet, spellbound forboding appearance. We watched as he, usually strictly quiet and slowly, crept upon his prey to drink their blood.

No longer do they wait for dark of night to walk around. They're high school and college students, planning and making preparations for school events and having friends over for dinner. Some are even doctors.

They no longer coil away from the sight of the crucifix or the sprinkling on of holy water. You have to practically baptize them in the heavenly liquid for it to have any effect on them and then it does not last. Within a matter of minutes, they're up and about again. That bit of knowledge is a part of their history that has recently become more known to viewers of the vampiric epidemic. Not even does a stake through the heart make the undead, dead. Not even when it is done with a lamp-post. They may turn ashen for a few secs, then it's back to business as usual.

There are lots of vampire books, tv shows and movies out there to choose from. Current ones usually focus on the younger generation; such as 'The Twilight Saga, and The Vampire Diaries (of which the station announcer said, 'It is the most watched tv show in the history of the tv station'). When serious in nature (as some are comedic), they can have some intense, tantalizing and epic effects on the viewer. Including, but not limited to, some very bloodied, gross and action packed scenes. All may not appeal to you, but they're definitely there.  It's a good epidemic.