The Night Caller

Chapter 1

'Wait! I just need to...' Rita stepped through the front door into the warm of her apartment, following her hound, she tugged gently on Toby's lead so she could unclip him. Freed, he trotted off to investigate his bowl, just in case the magic kibble fairies had left anything interesting. Rita smiled, no Kibble fairies today, she heard his disappointed huff from the kitchen. 'Give me a second Tobes, I'll get to it.' She called as she kicked off her shoes and dropped her keys in the glass bowl with a pleasing clang, stripping off the outer layers she wore against the changeable British weather. Toby reappeared to round Rita up. She scratched his head as she drifted to the fridge. 'Hmm, eggs? How about a bit of omelette?' Toby stared back with big brown eyes and hopeful ears. 'Omelette it is then.'

Rita opened the window and set the pan to heat. She grabbed a few bits of veg to make her supper a little healthier, and some nice strong cheese because, well omelette without cheese is just nothing.

'Here, boring kibble to start you off.' Toby glanced at the kibble with disdain, he knew something tastier was on the cards.

'Yes, you're right, soon. You'll have to wait though, it'll be hot.'

Toby's brown eyes tracked her movements, ears sticking out like handlebars, listening to the familiar words.

Rita sighed at the slightly burnt mess on her plate, it'll do and Toby won't mind. She left his portion on the side to cool and headed for her reading nook. Carefully balancing her food, she snuggled under her blanket and picked up her book. The next gripping chapter beckoned. Toby joined her and snuggled in.

Squeak!

Rita jumped.

Squeak, squeak, crash!
Toby was leaping about small the room, throwing his squeaky ball to himself. Long legs flying about yet somehow mostly avoiding the furniture.

'All right! I get it, hang on.' Guiltily Rita put down her book, she might have got a little bit engrossed. Poor Toby. She spread his now very cold bit of omelette over his regular food and Toby set to it with gusto. He didn't seem to mind at all.

The light faded, Rita reached for the lamp, Toby stretched beside her, shifting with her movement. 'Just to the end of this chapter.' she promised him, throwing a corner of her blanket over his butt.

Many chapters later, Rita stretched her limbs. Time she headed for bed. Toby had already settled after his last wee and was breathing steadily. 'Night sweetie.' she whispered to her snoozing companion. Not much of a guard dog she thought as she went through her night time routine. As she settled under her warm duvet, in the dark, she smiled at her sleeping hound. It wasn't long before sleep claimed her.

As she woke, slowly coming to, she listened to the soft night sounds. It was still the dead of night. A sliver of light streaked through a crack in the curtains. Toby was snoring softly nearby. What woke her? Nothing came to mind. What did she need? Hmm, dry mouth, maybe some water?
Rita found her dressing gown in the dark and padded to the kitchen, she filled a glass watching the silver light from the full moon flick over the running water. The slight breeze stirring her dark hair as she watched the silhouette of the park trees waft in the moonlight.

Then it all went black.

"What the..." A figure loomed outside her window.

"Good evening." the figure's voice was male BBC, low and dramatic.

"Aghhh!" Rita replied in a stifled voice.

"I do apologise for startling you. Maybe you could let me in?"

"No!" Rita said, her voice betraying her with a croak. "No!" her voice became stronger as her indignantly rose. "Get off my balcony!"

"I could, but I'd much rather come in and talk to you." Rita recognised a hint of a Scottish accent seeping through.

"Get off my balcony, how on earth did you get up here anyway?"

"Ah good question, wings." The figure's silhouette expanded with two massive wings as way of an explanation.

"Ugg wings!' Rita stepped back, horrified. She shock her head. This was ridiculous, no one had wings. Deep breath.

"Right! Wings, very impressive. And you'd be?"

"Oh! Yes, how rude! Clive.. or Professor Garner, but no, you can call me Clive."

"Well ... what are you meant to be with those ... err ...large wings?"

"Isn't it obvious? The teen crowd get it every time. Some show they're into, I don't know, hard to keep up these days. I'm a Vampire."

"A Vampire!" Rita'a voice had caught up and was now putting on a good performance as a teacher with a child in danger of misbehaving. "Right, well Mr Vampire see here Mr err.'

"Clive."

"Err... Mr Clive."

"Just Clive is fine, but I'm interrupting you. Do continue."

"Well Clive, if you are a Vampire..."

"Well I am!" He declared then remembered himself "Sorry, sorry, please do continue."

"Right, well," Rita was thinking fast, "Vampires can't enter without permission, so I don't give you permission to enter, so now you can't enter and I'm going to bed so you will need to leave." Rita reached over to shut the kitchen window.

Clive caught it. Strong fingers with near, manicured nails held the window fast.

"Actually that's a myth." He replied.

Rita whimpered, fear rising up again. She suddenly felt exposed, vulnerable. Her dressing gown felt insufficient to hide her flimsy tee shirt and shorts. The night-wear was not designed with a Vampire encounter in mind.

"But I get your point," the vampire continued, relenting. "I'll let you go. Thank you for the delightful chat. I will see you again." He flapped his wings and disappeared into the night.

"Well!" Rita could still hear her heart hammering as she continued to stare through the window. "Well that was a crazy encounter! Did I dream all that?" Rita muttered, mentally shaking herself into action, closing the window and locking it firmly.

She rechecked the balcony was actually clear, and still 3 floors up, then checked all the doors and windows were secure. "How am I going to sleep after that? I need to stop reading that silly book!" She sipped her water, allowing her breathing and heart rate time to settle again. The dark silence returned with the steady snore from Toby. Rita slipped back into bed and fell into a fretful sleep. Her dreams filled with reruns of the strange encounter in her head.