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CARLOS EMANUEL CAINE
TWENTY-FIVE-YEARS-OLD
A UNDEADMAN WALKING

The tale begins with Ernesto "Earl" Caine, a Spanish cattle baron whose cunning and ruthlessness knew no bounds. Born into a family of conquerors, Earl continued the legacy of his forebears, using his considerable wealth and influence to carve out vast swaths of land and brand them with the mark of Caine.

But Earl's gentlemanly facade masked a darker truth. His empire was built not on honest toil, but on the backs of other folks' suffering. Through criminal activities and brutal tactics, he expanded his holdings, crushing anyone who stood in his way—including his own family.

Carlos Emanuel Caine was Earl's only son and reluctant heir. His mother, Isabella de la Rocha, was a vision of beauty and grace. The daughter of a Spanish merchant who had settled in Brandsville, Isabella came from a family known for their thriving jewelry business.

From the moment Carlos took his first steps, Earl began grooming him for the family business. His methods were harsh, bordering on cruel. "You carry the blood of a Caine, boy," he would say, his hand heavy on Carlos' shoulder. "The blood that flows through your veins is of noble Spanish lineage, setting us Caines apart from ordinary men."

Despite Earl's best efforts, Carlos showed little interest in the brutal affairs that had made the Caine family infamous. Instead, the boy found solace in music, a passion carefully nurtured by his mother. On Carlos' fifth birthday, Isabella presented him with a small guitar, her eyes shining with pride, love, and a deep-seated fear she tried desperately to hide.

It was on a warm summer evening, when Carlos was five, that his world shattered. He overheard a violent confrontation between his parents, where Earl raged against Isabella for "coddling" the boy. The aftermath was horrific—Isabella, bruised and bloodied, urging her son to run and hide, reminding him that music would save him.

In the days that followed, driven by desperation and a mother's fierce love, Isabella attempted to flee with young Carlos. But Earl, with his vast network of spies and informants, was always one step ahead. Isabella's fate was too horrific to recount in full, serving as a stark warning to anyone who might dare to defy Earl Caine.

In the years that followed, Earl redoubled his efforts to mold Carlos into the heir he envisioned. His methods grew harsher, meaner, as he sought to stamp out any trace of gentleness or creativity in his son. But the boy retreated further into himself, finding solace only in the gentle strumming of his guitar and the fading memory of his mother's voice.

A year after Isabella's death, Earl married Camilla-Mae Chamberlain, a Southern Belle from a prominent South Carolina family. Their union was more a business negotiation than a romance, designed to further Earl's interests and complete his picture of respectability.

It was in 1750, when Carlos was seven, that his half-sister Ethel Constance Evelyn Caine was born. From the moment she took her first breath, a shift occurred within Carlos. He doted on Ethel, becoming fiercely protective of her.

While Ethel was raised in luxury, attending lavish balls and tea parties, she was little more than a pawn in her father's grand schemes. These social events were merely a stage upon which Earl could parade his daughter around like a prize show cow, hoping to secure an advantageous marriage that would further increase his wealth and power. Ethel was nonetheless taught to shoot as well as she could smile. Earl, in his twisted way, ensured she was "as well-versed in the womanly arts and female duties as playing the part of a man," often remarking, "Lord knows one of you has to."

Carlos, ever protective of his half-sister, despised the way Ethel was treated like chattel. This protective instinct only intensified after Camilla-Mae met the same "mysterious" end as his own mother, leaving the siblings to face their father's machinations alone.

A gentle soul in a harsh world, Carlos was everything his father despised: sensitive, artistic, and more interested in his guitar and his sister's company than in learning the family's brutal business. Earl saw his son as weak and unmanly, subjecting him to emotional and physical abuse in a misguided attempt to mold him into a worthy successor.

This cruelty, as it turned out, was also as inescapable for Ethel as it was her brother. Earl frequently threatened to "cut out that sharp tongue," reducing Ethel to silence out of fear. The physical abuse Ethel endured was particularly horrific. Earl's weapon of choice was often a bullwhip, leaving Ethel's back a canvas of scars. These lashings were Earl's favored brand of "discipline," meted out whenever Ethel failed to meet his arbitrary standards of behavior or appearance, whereas on Carlos would frequently find himself faced with their father's fists.

As the abuse continued year after year, Ethel's thoughts turned increasingly dark. She found herself fantasizing about patricide more and more, imagining scenarios where she could end her father's reign of terror once and for all. Carlos, aware of his sister's struggle and fearing for her soul, took it upon himself to shield Ethel as much as possible.

It should therefore come as no surprise to learn the siblings found solace in each other, with Ethel viewing Carlos as the epitome of what a man should be: kind, chivalrous, and protective—everything their father was not. This bond would prove to be both their strength and their eventual undoing.

As Ethel turned seventeen, she began to push against the confines of her gilded cage. With Carlos at her side, now twenty-two, she convinced him to accompany her on unchaperoned trips into Brandsville. The bustling city, with its 250 buildings and lively inhabitants of 10,000 souls, offered a tantalizing taste of freedom that they had never known. These trips soon evolved into clandestine evening escapades, fueled by the thrill of secrecy and rebellion.

Dressed in plain clothes and disguised beyond recognition, Ethel and Carlos would slip away from the hacienda and immerse themselves in the vibrant nightlife of Brandsville. It was always Ethel who urged these adventures forward, her spirit craving experiences beyond the stifling walls of their family home.

One fateful evening, three years later, the siblings found themselves in the Cowpoke Cantina. The lively establishment was filled with the sounds of laughter and clinking glasses, providing the perfect setting for Ethel and Carlos to let loose. With his gentle soul and musical talent, Carlos took to the stage with his guitar, mesmerizing the audience with his skill. Emboldened by the anonymity of their disguises and the welcoming atmosphere, Ethel improvised a bawdy song on the spot, mercilessly mocking her own family.

The crowd roared with laughter and applause, completely unaware of the true identities of the performers before them.

However, their joy was short-lived. Unbeknownst to them, among the patrons was one of Earl's informants, who immediately reported back to his employer. Earl's reaction was swift and merciless.

The following day, news spread of a terrible accident at the Cowpoke Cantina. A fire had broken out, claiming the lives of everyone present the previous night. The town mourned, unaware that this tragedy was no accident, but a calculated move by Earl Caine to protect his family's reputation.

Earl's fury knew no bounds. He unleashed his wrath upon his children, Ethel in particular bearing the brunt of his anger. The bullwhip sang a terrible song that day, leaving Ethel's back a canvas of fresh wounds atop old scars. Earl raged about their recklessness, accusing them of risking the family's reputation and daring to tarnish the Caine legacy.

In the aftermath of this brutal punishment, Earl made a chilling proclamation. Ethel was to be wed to Damian Leverton one month hence—the very man she had openly spurned on multiple occasions. Carlos, too, was not spared from Earl's machinations. He was to marry Abigail Brewster, daughter of County Judge Byron Brewster, in hopes of producing an heir worthy of carrying on the prestigious Caine name.

The siblings, battered and broken, found their brief taste of freedom had come at a terrible cost. The walls of their gilded cage now seemed to close in tighter than ever, their futures sealed by their father's iron will.

As Ethel's twenty-first birthday neared, the Caine estate buzzed with preparations for a grand ball to celebrate her engagement to Damian Leverton. The event was less a romantic affair and more a calculated display of Earl Caine's wealth and influence.

Ethel, resplendent in a gown of midnight blue silk that accentuated her pale skin and raven hair, played her part to perfection. She smiled graciously, laughed at appropriate moments, and danced with mechanical precision. But beneath the façade, a storm of emotions raged. Her eyes, to those who knew her well, betrayed a mixture of desperation and barely contained fury.

As the night wore on and the champagne flowed freely, Ethel seized a moment of respite. She slipped away from the suffocating atmosphere, seeking solace in the quiet of the estate's extensive grounds. The cool night air was a balm to her flushed skin, and for a brief moment, she allowed herself to imagine a life free from her father's tyranny and her impending loveless marriage.

However, her reverie was cruelly shattered as an inebriated Damian accosted her in a secluded corner, his intentions vile and forceful. A fierce struggle ensued, with Ethel drawing on reserves of strength she never knew she possessed, managing to hold Damian at bay until Carlos fortuitously discovered them and intervened. Incensed by the sight before him, Carlos unleashed a flurry of blows upon Damian, leaving him battered and blinded in one eye.

Earl remained resolute in his decision, refusing to dissolve the engagement despite the violent altercation. "The affair is settled. Ethel's fate as Damian's wife is sealed, for the agreement bears my signature, and the necessary preparations have been finalized. I refuse to allow a mere inebriated miscommunication to undermine this precious opportunity," he pronounced, his focus solely fixated on the wealth and power that this union would bring. His words fell like a death sentence upon Ethel's ears. She stared at her father in disbelief, realizing in that moment that she truly meant nothing to him beyond her value as a bargaining chip.

In the days that followed, as Damian recuperated and plans for the wedding continued unabated, Ethel's desperation grew. She knew she had to find a way out, or risk being trapped in a life of misery and abuse.

On the eve of Ethel's twenty-first birthday, with her looming nuptials hanging heavy in the air, an unexpected calamity would befall the Caines of Caine County.

As night fell, an eerie stillness settled over the estate. Without warning, a group of black-clad assailants then descended upon the Caine estate, murdering every member of the family—including Ethel. In a scene of despicable violence, Ethel was beaten to death before Carlos' eyes. Unable to save his beloved sister, Carlos could only watch in agony before meeting his own brutal end, dying beside Ethel in a pool of their mingled blood.

But death was not the end for Carlos and Ethel. Through some dark miracle—or perhaps a curse—the siblings rose again, reborn as creatures of the night. Bound by blood for all eternity, they were thrust into an immortal existence they never asked for, forever changed by the violence that had ended their mortal lives.

As for the siblings' reactions to their new existence, well, they could not have been more different.

Carlos, a man of profound sensitivity, fought tenaciously to preserve his humanity in the face of the unimaginable transformation. Meanwhile, Ethel astonished even Carlos with her zealous embrace of her newfound existence. Horrified by the ravenous thirst for blood that now flowed within him, Carlos withdrew into solitude, terrified that he, too, might succumb to the darkness that had so thoroughly claimed his sister.

As Ethel reveled in her altered state, Carlos found himself unable to reconcile the person she had become with the sister he had once known and loved. The fracture in their relationship deepened as Carlos sought to leave behind their sordid past and forge a new life, free from the blood and bones that had characterized their father's legacy. Ethel, however, refused to abandon the power and vitality that their vampiric nature had bestowed upon her.

With a heavy heart, Carlos made the wrenching decision to part ways with Ethel, their once-inseparable bond shattered by the chasm of their divergent paths. As he embarked upon a solitary journey to discover a new identity and purpose, Carlos left behind the sister he had once cherished, their lives now inexorably changed by the weight of their choices and the curse of their undead existence.

IN THE FUTURE...
In the years following his separation from Ethel, Carlos Caine embarked on a solitary journey through the vast expanse of the American Southwest. His existence became a tapestry of shadows and whispers, each step carefully measured to conceal his true nature from the world of the living.

The once-heir to the Caine empire and cattle baron-to-be now wandered like a ghostly tumbleweed, never settling in one place for long. His nights were spent in abandoned barns, forgotten caves, and the occasional dilapidated homestead. By day, he sought refuge from the searing sun in makeshift shelters, his vampiric nature a constant reminder of the curse he bore.

Carlos' hunger, a relentless companion, drove him to feed primarily on the wildlife that roamed the desert landscape. Coyotes, jackrabbits, and the occasional mountain lion sustained him, their blood a pale substitute for human sustenance. Yet, it was a price he willingly paid to maintain what little remained of his humanity.

There were times, however, when the thirst became too great to ignore. In these moments of desperation, Carlos turned his attention to the darker elements of human society. He prowled the fringes of frontier towns, seeking out those who preyed upon the innocent. Cattle rustlers, claim jumpers, and murderous outlaws became his reluctant donors, their tainted blood a bitter nectar that quenched his vampiric hunger while satisfying his need for a twisted form of justice.

With each passing year, the weight of his existence grew heavier. Carlos saw himself as a tragic figure, forever caught between two worlds—too monstrous for the realm of the living, yet clinging desperately to the vestiges of his mortal soul. The guilt of his past sins, both real and imagined, haunted him like specters in the night. He drew parallels between himself and the tortured heroes of ancient myths, forever seeking redemption but never quite believing he deserved it.

And so, Carlos continued his self-imposed exile, a shadowy savior who intervened in moments of dire need but never stayed long enough to be thanked or recognized. He saw himself not as a hero, but as a damned soul serving out a sentence for crimes both committed and imagined. The world of the living beckoned to him, a siren song of warmth and belonging, but Carlos knew there was no place for him among those whose hearts still beat.

In this vast desert of solitude, Carlos found solace in the one constant companion that had never betrayed him—his music. The guitar he carried was more than just an instrument; it was a lifeline to his humanity, a tangible link to the mother who had been torn from him so cruelly. In the dead of night, when the weight of eternity pressed down upon him most heavily, Carlos would coax melodies from the strings that spoke of loss, longing, and a desperate hope for redemption.

These nocturnes, played for an audience of cacti, stars, and cattle, became Carlos' diary, each note a testament to his struggle and his enduring spirit. The music allowed him to express the emotions he dared not voice, to remember the joy and pain of his mortal life, and to dream of a future where he might find peace.

MISCELLANEOUS
— A talented guitarist and singer

— Before parting ways with his sister, the ghost town of Butcher's Creek was his prominent residence and refuge from the sun. The town has since been rechristened Chamberlain and taken over by his half-sister Ethel Constance Evelyn Caine

— Believes in God, but is not so sure God still believes in him...

— Carlos is fluent in Spanish and English

— He is not a violent man by nature, but he does have an untamable temper when provoked

— His only possessions after leaving Ethel are his beloved guitar, a small painting of himself and his sister from their childhood, and his old saddlebags

— Knows how to ride horses and bulls

— The extended Caine family includes his uncles, Cazador and Toro; his cousins, Raoul and Malvado; and his aunt, Cordelia

— Trigger Warning: Carlos attempted to commit suicide after becoming a vampire by throwing himself off a cliff; however, it was in vain

— Wants more than anything in the whole wide world to reconcile with his sister. The question is how?

(no subject)

 

I TRIED TO BE GOOD, AM I NO GOOD?

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