At Dawn They Sleep

Before the Storm

Early October

Roland's Log

I almost felt it before I looked down. The amulet's colorful hues exploded like a disco strobe light as soon as I entered the lecture hall. As I filed in with the other students, I grabbed a seat in one of the middle rows, curious about what triggered the Alatyr's occult power to react so vibrantly. Could it be the silly fact that everybody in this class held a copy of Bram Stoker's Dracula? Naw, it had to be something more. Maybe one of the Uninvited was all about adult continuing education and decided to take this particular night lecture course. Gotta be an easy A for them. I scanned the faces of the other students seated in attendance, taking off jackets, opening laptops and notebooks, and looking for that distinct deathly pallor along with those hypnotic, ethereal eyes that pierce the mind and soul. Suddenly, the lights went out. A few students let out a scream of fright while others just laughed. Was this a stunt perpetrated by the professor to set the tone of macabre subject matter? Or did CUNY owe ConEd some back payments?

The lights went back on, and I looked around at the other students. No one was making a sound; it was like everybody went still all at once, frozen in time. Walking up the lecture hall steps towards me was the Uninvited black woman (a sister) who had thrown Betty out the mansion window. To say she looked displeased by my presence in her class would be a gross understatement. I could do one of three things: 1) Run, which I probably wouldn't get far. 2) Fight the bitch, which would probably result in my ass gettin' chomped, or 3) play it cool and hopefully get out of this situation alive. I opted for the latter.

She sat in the empty seat next to me. Her demeanor quickly shifted from hostile to alluring... "Why were you outside my house the other night?"

I wasn't going to lie to her, but I suddenly felt compelled to tell her everything she wanted to know. Even though every flight and fight instinct jumped wildly under my skin, I felt a strange sense of ease. "I was sent there for recon."

"By whom?"

"A Gram operative."

"A thief? What's their name?"

"Fiona."

"Well, you tell Ms. Fiona she got some bad intel. And that house belongs to me, not the Uninvited. What's your name?"

"Roland."

"You've been dropped from my class."

"You're Professor Hill?"

"The one and only."

"Why was I dropped?"

"I'm guessing because you've missed four out of my eight lecture classes, but you can take that up with the registrar's office on your own damn time."

I struggled to ask her a question; she definitely had me under her spell. "Who is Betty?"

"I assume you're talking about Betty Bar? The vamp bitch I threw out of my house the other night. Her stage name was Betty 'Butter' Bar; she was the lead singer of the psychobilly band the Tunnel Ratz from 1971 to 1973 before the Uninvited turned her. I'd stay clear of that bitch, greenhorn. She'll peel your skin off like you were a banana before gobbling you whole."

"What are you if you're not one of the Uninvited?"

"Daywalker. Rare, but not unheard of. I'd love to chit-chat more, but I have a lecture class to teach. Stick around if you want to talk more."

*

I took Professor Hill up on her offer and joined her at Moonrock Diner in Hell's Kitchen. She had tea; I had a non-vegan chocolate milkshake. I showed her the Alatyr amulet.