I know of night-walkers....of Emotional Vampires if you will. I've roamed the earth and have had to face these demons; sometimes only narrowly escaping with my life.

I hope you read all of that in a dramatic Gothic British accent. If you didn't, please go back and do so, it really opens up the post :P

These EVs are some thirsty mofos! You can't tell who they are right away, they know how to blend in and look like the rest of us. But if you've ever seen the movie, "They Live" you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. If you haven't seen "They Live", you need to Netflix, Hulu or Blockbuster yourself to it immediately. Not only is Rowdy Roddy Piper (R.I.P) starring in it (that should be enough to get you to see this!), its basically a documentary on what's going on today. Watch it and tell me your thoughts below.

Get your shades! See them for what they are!

Anyway, these people come into your life, seemingly normal. They dazzle you with their personality and before you know it: BAM! you're in a friendship, relationship any type of "ship" and they've got you! You start feeling that knot in your stomach every time you're around them or hang up the phone after speaking to them. You feel terrible about yourself. You don't measure up. Maybe you were having a great day and the energy has been sapped away. That's the EV. But you don't have to be trapped! If you start noticing that you don't feel good around one of your friends they may be an EV. Especially if they feel great after the same conversation.

They can look like...one of us! one of us! one of us!

I had a girlfriend who would call me when she was having guy trouble. A sister in need? I'm there! I would talk her through the latest episode and we would make a plan and then we'd move on to me and my life and that was that. Then slowly, each and every call became about her and her drama. I would be appalled, livid about the things she was telling. How could he?! I would get so worked up and she would say: "You're right! Imagine how I feel?" this happened for a while and every time I got off the phone I would be so drained over a situation I wasn't even in!

But she'd call again the next week and here we go again. Until I noticed, wait? You LIKE the drama. When I realized that, it was like I put on the shades Roddy did in the film. I saw her for exactly what she was: an Emotional Vampire, sucking the life right out of me so she could get hers.

It would be a vicious cycle; until I realized what was up. I took less calls and made myself less available. When I would pick up and I found the conversation veering towards the wacked out drama I would just say "Well you like it, you're gonna do what you wanna do" and then would say my goodbyes and hang up.

It's easier said than done. I know. If someone tells you: "You would be so hot if you did________"<---insert change there. That's emotional vampirism. If you feel, less than, subpar or not enough after a conversation with someone, It's time to vanquish them.