Vampires were not demon lovers or snarling aliens in the early nineteenth century, but singular friends. In those days it was a privilege to walk with a vampire. They were not yet the specialized creatures we know today, recognizable by distinguishing characteristics–fangs, fruity accents, eccentric clothes–and killable by experts on their many limitations. In those early days, few vampires were defined enough to die; not all of them sucked blood to stay alive. They were indeterminate creatures who flourished, not in their difference from their human prey, but through their intimate intercourse with mortals, to whom they were dangerously close.

Nina Auerbach, Our Vampires, Ourselves

(via vampyrae)

cavehome:

the reason were all so crazy now is bc in this modern world we dont get a chance to experience true pitch black darkness and silence very often

fun fact if you’re actually in a totally silent room (like the kind padded with soundproofing and muffled) your brain will start to invent auditory hallucinations bc it knows it should be hearing things but isn’t, and tries to correct it. total darkness will do the same thing, you’ll “see” impressions you can’t possibly be seeing bc you’re in a cave system that hasn’t seen natural light in eons