The Unholy Night

Chapter VI

"You're too mean, I don't like you, fuck you anyway, you make me wanna scream at the top of my lungs, it hurts but I won't fight you, you suck anyway, you make me wanna die right when I -when I wake up I'm afraid that somebody else might take my place" 

- Afraid by the Neighborhood

The night of August 7 was really the worst of the storm. No one could sleep. Lucy was being especially restless, and I'm nearly positive Mina may have stowed out of their room for a brandy at some point just so she would have something to do other than watch Lucy wander around in their room. 

In their defense, as well as mine, since I couldn't sleep either, the storm was very loud. And a bit scary, I'll admit to that. Yeah, I drink human blood (or did, once upon a time, I'm reformed now), but storms do tend to frighten me. 

"You woke up twice in the night," Mina reported at breakfast the next morning. "Well, you didn't wake up, but you got out of bed and you got dressed, and I had to make sure you didn't escape and get yourself killed in the storm."

"As if," Lucy snorted. "I plan to live forever." 

"That's a bit insensitive," Addy replied. 

Soon after, the paper arrived, and Mina immediately snatched it up and began reading about the storm. "More dull than one would think," she said with a sigh. "It goes on about how the weather really wasn't very out of the ordinary and that such a large storm would not have been expected. And now it's discussing last night's sunset."

"It was very beautiful," I mused. "I've never seen so many colors in one sky."

"Whoever wrote this appears to agree."

"Give me that," Addy said, taking the paper from Mina's hands, tearing it a bit. "It talks about art, and - why do we need a description of the storm? We were there!" 

"I believe this particular paper has a wider distribution range than Whitby alone," Mina replied, glaring at Addy. Clearly, she was not very pleased that the paper had been stolen from her. 

"And now it's quoting 'Rime of the Ancient Mariner'!" Addy exclaimed, smacking the paper on the table. "What business does a newspaper have quoting a poem?" 

Bess took the news next. "Now it gets interesting. 'The waves rose in growing fury, each overtopping its fellow, till in a very few minutes the lately glassy sea was like a roaring and devouring monster.'"

"Bone-chilling," Lucy agreed. 

"Horrible wind, horrible fog," Bess said lightly, paging through. "Lightning, thunder. It looks like a few fishing boats sunk, but it doesn't list any casualties. The new searchlight over on the East Cliff worked a few times, and most of the boats made it to port. Oh, and the searchlights caught sight of a schooner in the distance!"

"That must be the boat we saw," I said, turning to Mina.

"You didn't tell me about any boat!" Lucy exclaimed. "All you had to say was that the sea looked very interesting!"

"Oh dear," Bess continued, her brow furrowing. "The ship appears to have run into some trouble... but no, it made it to the harbor fine!" A minute later she clapped a hand over her mouth. "Dear god."