CHASE

Chapter 26

     Orsmund knew how risky he was in teaching them the methods of exterminating their kind. And, as he had thought before, he was willing to pay whatever price was necessary. Everyone conditioned themselves to deathly silence. The vampire was certain this was his cue to explain. And not everyone showed the necessary patience. He could elude them and treat them like puppets like those who protected Aurora. What stopped him was the desire of his primal instincts. The challenge, of course, preceded the pursuit and capture of food. Hunting was not always for food. He liked to incite situations that gave him fun and strong emotions. In other words, a cat that entertained itself by chasing and playing with its own food.

     "Then? Start! We don't have all night!"  Admonished Guilherme.

     From the top of the table, the Viking dazzled with a beaming smile. Eerily, focused on Duarte. The two faced each other in a duel of obvious contempt. Guilherme's audacity in reprimanding Orsmund was since Duarte had encouraged him with a touch of the stick. A short, disguised maneuver that didn't go unnoticed by the vampire's eyes. The dark smile gave him a signal to be careful.

     "Alright!"  He relaxed in the chair after the confrontation. He placed both elbows on the surface and laced his fingers together.  "It's a terrifying creature! It is millions of years old and has adapted over time. If we saw him, we would never suspect what a monster he is because he is as similar as we are. He looks like an innocent man too!"  He chose to start with exaggerations in a provocative way, making them look at each other.  "He..."

     "Hang on!"  Raimundo raised his hand.  "A man? Seemingly normal? No more limbs or something in particular?"  Orsmund waved.  "So, it could be any of us?"

     "There is such a possibility."  He said softly.  "I'm sure he's not here among us."

     "Prove it!"  Tarcísio spat.

     "With pleasure!"  Orsmund rose. He was preparing for another ruse.  "That's why I asked you for garlic, Raimundo!"  He presented a smiling posture because, before, the tavern owner did not understand the importance of 2 pounds of garlic present at the meeting.  "The creature has a peculiar allergy to these little bulbs."  He continued to distribute them to each one until he returned to his place.  "Take it!"  And everyone obeyed him.  "In direct contact with garlic, the reaction is so drastic that the monster will suffer immediate physical damage. His skin breaks open in painful sores! And, as we can see, here, none of us is that devil!"

     "I don't know if it will be a very valid test!"  Tarcísio spoke to the others, ignoring the interlocutor.

     "Well, it's the most solid proof I have!"  Retorted Orsmund.  "Yes! I've been before him! I've been chasing him for years! He ran away when I attacked him with garlic..."

     "Just look for the scar!"  Hector interrupted, about to get up to order his men.

     "Unfortunately, no!"  Orsmund played a false crest.  "He has extraordinary healing powers! For that reason, we will have to be effective and be prepared to kill him. Because he's going to retaliate and he's much more powerful than all of us put together!"

     "So how to find him?"  Hector leaned back in his chair.

     "It can't stand daylight. In fact, he doesn't survive..."

     "Just a moment!"  Benjamim exclaimed.  "I've never seen you during the day and I can say that no one else is as attentive to the streets as I am! Let Mauro and Hector say so!"  He accused him with an erect index finger.

     "I confirm that Orsmund was present during daylight!"  With his gaze he warned his son, making him recoil from his accusation. Well, he remembered the day they left the battered body. The imposed compulsion.

     "Precisely, I declare that I don't sleep at night. After the discovery of this monster, I adapted to its habits while tracking it. Let's go on!"  Orsmund inclined his head to Raimundo.  "When the sun rises, he sleeps with the dead! Always underground. And for that, we must discard land that is too compact. He's looking for a good... bed within easy reach. No compressions or dry spaces."  With this information he would lie down far enough away from Fragqua. Where not some individual venturing out. He could have withheld this detail from them, but the risk tasted great.

     "It isn't complicated to look for these variants in our fields."  Arthur shot.  "And I don't think he was in the cemetery, otherwise the gravedigger would have communicated!"

     "So, if he's that strong, we attacked him during his sleep and threw garlic at him..."  Uberto also wanted to participate.

     "No!"  Orsmund raised his voice a little.  "When the sun goes down..."

     "When the sun goes down? Shouldn't I have heard right?!"  Benjamim was in disbelief.  "Isn't that when it wakes up?"

     "Yes, it is!"  It was certain that the best opportunity would be while the sun was high. The reason Orsmund claimed the opposite was the intention to witness the true essence of his revenge.  "He will be completely drained of energy. Hopefully, a little disoriented, initially."  Which was no lie for a vampire who still needed to quench his thirst.  "I'm not kidding!"  With a savage punch he punched the table as he rose and bent over to frighten them. However, the half-closed look at Duarte had other causes.  "I don't have time for this! I'll hunt him down even if you don't want to collaborate!"

     "Wait!"  Raimundo grabbed his shoulder when he turned his back on them.  "Tell us what we must do!"

     "Ok!"  He sighed as he returned to the empty chair.  "Avoid looking him straight in the eye! He will try to immobilize you!"

     "Like Medusa?"  Asked Raimundo.

     "No one will turn to stone! It will only remain motionless if he wants to. So, to make sure he's dead, we'll have to rip out his heart and head. And finally, set fire to it to make sure it won't be able to regenerate!"  Mauro wrinkled his face in disgust.  "I advise you to prepare wooden stakes or extremely sharp silver utensils. To stab him in the chest so he doesn't have a chance to get away. Deepen your aim!"

     "Sickles and pitchforks."  Raimundo continued.

     "Yes."  Orsmund nodded.  "They help if they were, effectively, very sharp!"

     There was a pause in which there were countless murmurs of indecision and certainty. However, Arthur glanced at the late hour progress and politely mentioned it.

     "Sure!"  Raimundo quoted as if he were the spokesperson for the group.  "Nothing more to apply, we will close this meeting! Later we will meet again. Right?"  Inquired.

     All members agreed in unison. Orsmund waited for them to leave to confront Duarte. The latter gestured to Guilherme, who was watching and protecting him, to go ahead. Elegant, he leaned on his stick with an expression of irony aimed exclusively at his opponent.