A Tale of the Unnatural

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Chapter Three Part Six

It was a plan only a vampire could be successful with. Window shopping until finding the set he liked. Mesmerizing the apartment’s owners into oblivion and calmly floating out with a 55” HDTV was the plan. It took Tyrol a couple of trips to get the complete Home Theater and all. The female looked scrumptiously tempting but Tyrol was very careful not to leave a drop of evidence. The robbery was not reported until late the next morning when the robbed couple woke out of their stupor.

By the time Reginald got to the apartment, the preliminary search for evidence and interviews of the victim had concluded. His deputies and investigators had nothing. Nothing at all! The victims fell asleep watching TV and when they woke up in the morning it was missing, all of it. No sign of a break and entry. Front and back entrances were still locked from the inside. The crooks left no marks outside any of the windows or doors. Baffling!

“I guess they live up to their reputation,” thought Reginald. “Let’s go see the gypsies!” The deputy he called Oscar left with him.

(To Be Continued.)

Monday, March 10, 2014

Chapter Three Part Five

Reginald’s description of the gypsy encampment led everyone to call it The Gypsy Fair. People started to trickle in, for the most part retirement age women. They always had some deceased loved one they wanted to speak to or they wanted to know the future. Dante knew Saturday and Sunday would peak. The early clientele would pay for services; magical, mystical or otherwise, but would buy very little. The trinkets moved better with younger generations, specially the kids. They couldn’t sit down for a full Tarot reading but they’d go for the short-cut of a magically powered charm.

Kalina organized her table by usage. All the love amulets were together same as the good luck charms. The assortment included almost every variable of love interests and potential economic success. Kalina would swear that they worked. The peerage lent credibility to her claim even though Kalina was much older than any of them. Dante continued his walk hoping to bump into Remus.

Remus was kind of missing-in-action. He’d be there and then he’d be gone. “Strange,” thought Dante, “but in a wrong way...”

(To Be Continued.)

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Chapter Three Part Four

A spear of sunlight stabbed the darkness of Tyrol’s space. Vampires don’t really sleep, like mortals do, with dreams and the like. A Buddhist would say they became invisible to themselves. But Tyrol couldn’t just lay there for hours. He wanted to live eternity not slumber through it. So, he got up went to the window and pulled the curtain aside. The sun was much too bright. The window wasn’t fit to filter out the ultra violet that hurt his skin. He shut the curtain. “What do we do now, that is the question!” Tyrol paraphrased the Bard.

The TV set popped back into his mind. Like most people that want something they shouldn’t have, Tyrol tried to rationalize his sudden interest in television. “I don’t need cable or Wi-Fi anymore, just a regular TV.” “I can put the antenna outside the window.” “It wouldn’t bother anyone.” “I’ll keep the volume low.” “I don’t think Agros would mind, he wouldn’t have to pay a thing.” “If he doesn’t like it then..., we’ll worry about that, when...” “Damn it!” “I can’t just go to the mall and buy one. I don’t have any money!” “Where can I get money? How?” Tyrol seemed to be stumped.

There are two types of epiphanies, major and minor. Tyrol’s was a minor one: “I know! I’ll just steal it!”

(To Be Continued.)

Friday, February 28, 2014

Chapter Three Part Three

Tyrol returned home early, before the others. His mom had taught him to ‘eat your fill and no more’. “Those guys are just gorging!” Tyrol thought, “Blood is delicious but how much can you drink before the body starts to expel it? Waste of blood.” he concluded. His mother would probably have agreed. She had passed unto death before he was turned immortal. If not for that, he’d probably have her by his side right now.

Tyrol retreated to the upper floor. He liked to see the outside, have a view. “These other guys, they’re just... assholes... maybe that’s what happens after a few decades? We all become assholes...” He put the thought aside, pulled the curtain open and looked out. It was still dark. Nothing to do... No one on the street... Tyrol sensed the others arriving. He closed the curtain and turned to lie on his bedding.

“A TV set would be kind of cool!” he thought.

(To Be Continued.)

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Chapter Three Part Two

Reginald parked by the side of the road and comfortably stepped down from his 4x4. This ‘whatever-it-is’ he stared at was nothing like he expected. The flimsy stalls, roofed in brightly colored sheets, looked more like a County Fair than some gypsy thing. “This is not like in the movies...” he thought.

“I’m the Investigative Magistrate here in Bruël,” Reginald said, extending his hand towards Dante. “I know you don’t need a permit in these parts of town but I like to get acquainted when someone new comes around to visit.” he continued. They shake hands. “I’m glad you’ve come by. Please, take a look around, it may dispel the terrible rumors that follow our gypsy tribes.” Dante leads him to the stalls.

It was busy time for the gypsies, setting up tables, setting up cloth dividers that create private spaces for consultations. Signs were hung on tiny nails that appeared to have rusted in place. “How long do you expect to stay Mr. Dante?” he asked without looking at Dante. “Our clientele is like a wave that peaks very quickly and soon peters out. Sometimes we’re lucky and stay around for a while.” Dante answered. Reginald wasn’t listening. The sign read: Good Luck Amulets and the young lady who stood beneath, is preciously beautiful.

“That’s my grand niece on my wife’s side, Kalina.” Dante explained.

(To Be Continued.)

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Chapter Three Part One

Bruël is a large town. It could soon become a city; it has schools, churches, sport stadium, a mayor, a magistrate and low taxes. All that was needed to grow. One of the best things about Bruël is also its best kept secret. A vampire nest lived right in their midst. You see, if the vampires kept to the Code, it was the safest of towns. Reginald, Morrison’s counterpart in Bruël, is one of the very, very few who knew about the nest. Once in a while he’d run into a vampire or two taking a walk, mostly at night. They didn’t know him as a Keeper but he kept an eye on their whereabouts and comings and goings. Reginald never felt he could truly trust a vampire.

Today, something new, gypsies! Reginald drove his fully loaded Ford Expedition to the outskirts of town, down by the wooded area that later became forest. That’s where he was told the gypsies had set up a tent. He had to take a look. Crime always went up when gypsies were around. At least that’s what’s always said.

(To Be Continued.)

Friday, January 31, 2014

Chapter Two Part Thirteen

It was a recitation. The Keepers went on and on in that growling deep voice. Most of what they said no one cared about and some of it just couldn’t be figured out. When the recitation changed wolf, close attention was required again. Reconciliation was the word repeated and understood by most.

Kalina couldn’t keep her eyes off the young vampire. He looked alive. She was thankful he never looked towards her. She wouldn’t want him to see her like that with such putrid skin. Kalina had been taken beyond death as a teenager. Her heart and mind were still there. She never made much of her ancestry, witchcraft and all that; it kind of didn’t matter anymore. Maybe when she got older, they’d say... But she won’t get older, ever.

Agros is very comfortable by now, so he cockily hopped on the largest rock on his side of the glade and sat with his legs crossed. Remus, who had stayed in the shadows until now, appeared to feel the need to show off; especially in front of Argos. So he also skipped and hopped agile onto the opposing rock.

The Keepers, the zombies and the vampires all turned their heads. Remus, with a strange smile on his face, also sat crossing his legs. Zombies can’t be able to do that. Remus was so full of himself that he didn’t notice a thing.

And all that were looking noticed that Remus’ skin was not rotten anymore.

End of Chapter Two

(To Be Continued.)