NIGHTS OF HALLOW

The sound of the moving carriages and the loud chattering of the villagers woke Perdita and her brother who slept late the night before.

They heard jingling sounds and drumbeats coupled with the chants of several voices that sounded like a song that echoed across the village. The siblings immediately stood up and rushed outside to see what was happening.

Outside, the snow was rapidly falling in gentle drops and everywhere was already bustling with activities. The jingling sound, drumbeats, and chants they heard were coming from four carriages carrying so many decorative materials and costumes. The chants that sounded like a song came from the people surrounding the carriages. They were dressed in different colorful attires as they danced to their song.

Their song sounded strange in the ear but it was enjoyable. Some villagers joined in the dance even though they did not understand the language being spoken.

Perdita smiled at the beautiful scene as she and Marco watched the carriage drive deeper into their village. They must be sent by the king. She thought.

Every year, when the time of hallow approaches, the king always decorated every town and village with costly and beautiful costumes for Halloween. It was a ritual that was always practiced every year. It was festive season again, and as it had always been, each village and town in Vamlone kingdom held event after event to entertain themselves and this year own was not going to be an exception.

Perdita and Marco went inside their house after the little show was over. They did their morning chores while keeping each other company with little talks that were not about the problems they had. It was then Perdita noticed that Marco was leisurely doing things as if he had no work to go to. If it was before, Marco usually woke up before Perdita to prepare for work, but today, he was rather lazing around.

Perdita regarded Marco for a moment before spilling what had been bothering her.

”Marco,” She called and Marco answered with a hum that vibrated in his chest to bring a deep masculine sound that sounded rich and at the same, it had a tinge feeling of a young teenager.

”Are you not going to work?”

Marco finished washing the plates in the basin. He used a clean hand towel to dry the water on the plate. He then wrung the towel to remove the water that it soaked from the plates. When he did this, his muscle will make a big bulge under his sleeves. Sometimes, Perdita wondered if Marco was really seventeen years old or if they miscalculated his age. He was more mature than boys the same age as him.

”No,” He answered while turning to briefly look at his sister. He saw her raise her brows in question, so he explained ”A message came from the king yesterday saying we should take a break. After the new year, we will continue. He gave us long holidays. He also gave us year-end bonuses for our hard work.”

”Oh,” Perdita nodded in understanding ”The king must be a thoughtful and generous man,”

Marco slightly frowned before it was replaced with a smile ”Yes, I think so too.”

He suddenly remembered that red-haired vampire her sister told her about, the man who helped her. He couldn’t shake off the feeling that he had seen him somewhere. If his brain remembered correctly, it was the time when the king visited the construction site where he worked. Though he didn’t clearly see him because he arrived late that day, he remembered seeing the red tips of his hair before he entered his carriage.

Were they the same person or were they two different people? Marco questioned himself as he thought about it. Marco shook his head, maybe he was wrong. Two people can have the same color of hair.

”Have you bought the dress for the hallow ball?” Marco inquired. Done washing the plates, he went over to help his sister to prepare their breakfast.

”No,” Perdita’s answer was short as if she was unhappy.

”Why? Is just about two days to the hallow ball and you haven’t bought a dress? What if all the beautiful dresses have been bought and you only get to buy an ugly one or even nothing at all?”

Perdita shrugged her shoulders ”Then it is better that way if I don’t see any dress because I don’t want to go. Also, young man, I don’t remember you buying any clothes. Did you?”

”Oh, come on sis. I’m a man and you’re a lady. You come first” Marco stressed and gave her a knowingly look. ”Can you tell me why you don’t want to go? Don’t tell me it’s because of the issue with people from high society. Is it?”

”Is not it” She denied.

Marco suspiciously looked at her ”Then tell me what it is. People are happy to be invited to the grand hallow ball which we might witness once in our lifetime. You should be happy and enjoy it. Take whatever life gives you and enjoy it to the fullest, sister” And also find a reputable man you can spend your life with. Marco added in his mind.

Perdita sighed with a grumpy look ”Is it compulsory for one to attend the so-called grand hallow ball held by the king?”

”You dare not refuse to attend if you wish to see another day. It’s considered treason. So, my dear sister, we are going to buy you a dress for the hallow ball”

”Buying a dress is costly, Marco. We are wasting money unnecessarily” Perdita pouted her lips with a disapproving look.

”Who said buying my sister a costly dress is a waste of money? We are going and that’s final” Marco asserted in his deep voice that left Perdita speechless. Her brother always won in things like this. She can never win against him when he decides to do or buy something for her. Her sweet little brother. Perdita smiled and ruffled Marco’s hair who was quick to swat her hand away.

~°•°~•°~•°~°•~°•~°•~

Away from the village of Woodbridge and in one of the towns of Vamlone kingdom called Cuckooland, a vampire town. The clean environment and the dresses of the people living there will make one know that this was no ordinary place.

It was one of the oldest towns created in the history of the Vamlone kingdom. This town was specifically built to suit the rich taste of the vampires living there.

From the neat concrete floor of the town, the beautiful and well-kept market that sold everything one will need without going to another town, the carriages that were made of fine and costly wood down to the intricate and eye-catching mansions made the town a place where a low-class person would never think of going.

It is in this town and in one of the mansions that a man was seen in a dark room. The room was painted black and the floor-to-ceiling curtains were also black restricting any light from entering the room. The only thing in the room was a single chair on which the man sat.

He wore a long black robe with a hood he used to cover his head and at the same time, it concealed parts of his face. Because of the dark decor of the room, only his jaw was seen. Every other part of his body was covered with his thick black clothes.

Aside from that, three other men had their heads down in deep bows. On a closer look, their body was slightly shivering in fear. These men were none other than colleagues of Clayton.

One of the men went forward and knelt on the ground with his head still bowed ”M...master. I...we couldn’t find h...” He couldn’t finish his sentence when he felt a sharp pain that struck his back.

The hooded man they called master had used his long walking stick made of steel to brutally hit the man’s back. The forceful impact of the walking stick caused the man to hit his head on the hard floor making his forehead crack open.

”That is not what I sent you to do” The hooded spoke in a deep tone that was rough at the edges.

He continued to speak in his hoarse voice, ”My only instruction was for you to find them. I don’t want to hear anything except the news that you have found them.

I gave a simple order yet you fools couldn’t do it right. Do you know the importance of those pills? One of your colleagues went missing and now you’re telling me Old Malphus can’t be found?”

”Master, we searched the entire village but we didn’t find them. Even the family members of Mr. Malphus in the north have fled.” One of the men tried to be brave and spoke up.

”Then you search harder!” The hooded bellowed as he stomped his walking stick on the marble floor. ”He’s a damn old man! How could he slip from your eyes?! I won’t go easy on the three of you if Clayton and Malphus are not brought to me. Flip and turn the kingdom upside down if you have to”

”Yes, Master!” The three men chorused at the same time before scurrying away from the room.

The jaw and the hand of the hooded man tightened in anger directed at his lifetime enemy. He knew who his rival was. The man who has been on his nerve for a long time, and now he is messing with his people and business, he will make sure he turned the kingdom into a living hell for both of them.