NIGHTS OF HALLOW

The night was dark with a thick black cloud hovering above the village of Woodbridge. The damp air didn’t help at all as the wind blew very cold air in the empire of Vamlone. Even the ground was wet from the little snow that fell some hours ago.

Perdita’s feet glided down the wet ground of the village not bothered by the cold that could freeze the bones of anyone. But she wasn’t just anyone, she was a vampire now. Suddenly she stopped walking when the dark alley came into view and the man she was looking for slowly emerged from the shadows.

He was the red-eyed man who stole her buns and caused her trouble and damage. Now was the time to get even with him. Perdita’s hands balled into fists as she stood in a poised manner as if she couldn’t wait to devour him.

Sthena approached Perdita with a small smile on his face. He stopped a few meters away from where she stood and he said, ”Enjoying being a human? Or enjoying acting human?”

Perdita’s eyes changed from green to red. She walked towards him and glared directly at his red eyes ”What do you want from me?” Her voice was firm with her red eyes that blazed with anger.

Sthena was barely fazed by the vampire girl in front of him. The cold air blew his long red hair which fell over his face as he tilted his head to the side ”What do I want? You ask silly questions. Of course, I want to expose you” A dry chuckle escaped his lips before he turned away from Perdita and walked into the darkness disappearing from her view.

Perdita’s eyes grew wild like saucers as she watched in horror what was about to happen. Shortly, she heard the voice of the villagers and the scene suddenly changed to where the villagers carried fire and stakes in their hands as they all marched angrily into their house.

They destroyed and burnt everything inside the house. Black smoke rose in the air, and she saw her brother trying to save some of their properties until one of the villagers went behind him with a stake in his hand. The villager raised the stake high in the air and it came down with a swishing sound on Marco’s back.

”Arrgh!!!”

Perdita woke up with a loud shriek as beads of sweat dripped from her hair down to her face.

”Bad dream?” Asked Marco who was busy preparing for work when he heard his sister scream from her room. He wore his black shirt and turned his head to the side, enough to look at Perdita from the open door of his room.

Perdita nodded her head taking a deep breath to calm her nerves ”I saw the villagers burn our house after we were exposed by that vampire.” She stood up from the bed and went to the small window in their house. She pushed it open and the morning air blew at her face which made her black hair dance around her face.

A smile appeared on her face as she basked in the freshness of the air and a small fog escaped from her mouth when she exhaled. It was morning and she could hear the sound of the early morning carriage across the street.

The activities of the day before were passed to the new day as it announced its arrival with the sound of the village bell that rang in the distance waking some villagers on the first ring while some stayed in bed till the day was fully born anew.

Marco came out of his room fully dressed for work. He appeared to be in haste with the way he was getting his work tools ready. He walked past Perdita and said,

”You worry too much, that’s why you’re having such dreams”

Perdita closed the window and turned to look at her brother ”What if it happens someday?”

Marco walked around the room while combing his thick brown hair ”The someday is not now sis. Quit worrying before you grow old with wrinkles all over your face”

”I warmed the leftover portage and don’t forget to drink the blood in the cup. I’ll see if I can catch more cats on my way home.”

Perdita nodded her head at Marco’s every word. This felt like when her parents laid out work for both of them. She watched as every muscle in Marco’s tapered body move with every stride he took. His sharp features were prominent and beautifully carved to perfection against his fair skin.

Marco’s handsomeness was undeniable since they were little and it all enhanced since they turned into vampires. But she didn’t know if it was the labor that made him look older than 19 or if it was because they were now vampires.

Marco walked up to Perdita and hugged her ”I have to go now. Could you buy more pills on your way back? I think we drank the last one remaining.”

”Be careful and be safe too. I’m rushing because the king is coming to inspect the site” Marco half whispered and half shouted as he open the door and left.

”Take care of yourself too, Marco” Perdita waved and watched him disappear at the end of the street.

The king? Perdita thought to herself as she prepared and left for the market in less than an hour. Why was he suddenly coming to inspect the site? Was he no longer afraid that he decided to show his face to the people?

The king was someone people, especially humans of low status couldn’t and haven’t seen before. But it was rumored that he was a creature of the night. A cruel vampire who never cared for the people he ruled.

Perdita lightly scoffed when she entered the market. At least, she was never going to see or even meet the king. That was the last thing she wished to happen. She had enough problems to worry about than to think about the king who only exist in her head and name.

Perdita entered her stall and as usual business started flowing as merchants and foreigners came into the market to buy goods from their village. The faces of the villagers were lit with happiness for making huge sales today and soon it became dusk.

Perdita quietly closed her stall like other villagers and she was happy that no vampire visited her today. Taking the money from the sales she made, she headed to the medicine man to buy more pills as instructed by Marco.

The road to the house of the medicine man lead through a dark alley and humans never went there at night lest they become the meal of some hungry night creatures.

Her feet felt heavy with tiredness washing over her as she dragged herself down to the man’s house unaware that there were three pairs of eyes looking and following her.

One was Mr. Perkin who stayed behind in the market to check if another vampire will visit Perdita and he was disappointed when he saw that no one came today. However, the disappointment quickly disappeared when he saw her walking towards the road that didn’t lead to her house. The first question that came to his mind was ’What and why is she going that way? And who could she be meeting, the vampires?

Then the other people were Sthena and Daemon. The trio silently followed Perdita, each unaware of the other.

Perdita reached the small house of the man. She knocked on the door and entered the house.

”Perdita, what a pleasant surprise!” The voice of the man rang as he came out with his walking stick that tapped lightly on the wooden floor. A wide smile adorned his face wrinkled with time and age.

”Mr. Malphus,” Perdita bowed in greeting ”It’s nice meeting you too. I need more pills. The old one finished today.”

”Aye, child. Hope it’s working perfectly fine. In no time, you two will turn into humans again and it will be the first in history.”

Perdita smiled showing her beautiful white teeth ”I hope so, Mr. Malphus. How are you holding up?” Perdita made small talk with the man.

Mr. Malphus hummed as he went behind a cupboard and rummaged through his things inside his cupboard. He brought out a black plastic bag and placed it on the table. He counted the pills before pouring them into the bag and he answered Perdita,

”Aye, I’m fine, my child. Except for the bones that get weak sometimes, everything is perfect. Sometimes I do wish I’m a vampire like you” He chuckled at the end showing some missing tooth’s from his mouth.

The smile on Perdita’s face fell and she frowned ”Don’t say such things, Mr. Malphus. It’s best you remain human the way you are. Thank you for the pills. Here’s the payment” Perdita dropped a small bag filled with bronze coins and handed it to the man who collected it before hiding it under his desk.

Perdita took the small plastic bag containing the pills. She securely put it inside her bag ”I have to go now Mr. Malphus, it’s getting late. You know how the alley gets dark and dangerous”

Mr. Malphus tapped his stick on the floor as he came out from behind the cupboard and walked to Perdita ”Say, child, do you and brother feel or notice any change in your body?”

Perdita’s eyes narrowed with a small frown on her face before she hid it with a smile ”Not exactly Mr. Malphus, except our eyes that still retain the human eye color, I feel the urge to drink human blood”

Mr. Malphus tipped his chin in thought and cocked his head to the side as his dull black eyes looked back at Perdita ”There’s a more advanced pill that’s in the market now and not everyone knows about it. I wonder if you and your brother will like to buy it.”

”Will it be more effective than this? But I think I’ll have to discuss it with my brother first. I think it’s best we stick to one pill than take another that could maybe cause more harm than good” Perdita responded politely to the old man.

”I’ll be on my way Mr. Malphus. The day is getting late. Take care of yourself till next time we meet” Perdita bowed and walked out of the house unaware that she had three detectives watching her every move with the unknown man.