Bullet of Justice (Town of Salem #1) ✔

Night 5 - The Vampire

NIGHT 5 - THE VAMPIRE

"Xang, I'm so sorry..." Hayley knelt in front of him and hugged his shaking knees. "This is all my fault!" She was hyperventilating, pacing back and forth, and biting her nails.

Xang's face looked peaceful as his eyes stared at something far away.

"No, this is my fault. My anger pushed me to the limits." He said. "But promise me one thing, okay? Take care of yourselves. Think twice before you trust. Save the Town." The tone of his words were very comforting, it sounded like he was bidding farewell already.

The twilight was visible in the sky and before the night became official, the three of us shared a lengthy group hug.

"The two of you... you have the power to kill. Use it wisely. Hayley, if your captive remains silent, execute that person right away. Evan, save your bullets for the suspicious people. If shooting them would be the only defense you can do to protect yourself, just do it." He marked his last words. "Good luck to the both of you."

We all proceeded back to our homes. As the door shut behind me, the night began.

--

The sound of rattling leaves caused by the wind was the only thing I could hear in the place. I grabbed my pistol gun and checked the presence of the two remaining bullets before I lunged it in my pocket. I opened the door of my shack and in a swift move, the cold breeze outside gave me instant goosebumps. I put my palms together right side up, feeling the drizzle sprinkle on my skin.

One heavy step and the wooden floor beneath my feet made an old, creaking sound. A small piece of paper which is about the size of my hand minus the fingers stuck under my sandals.

I opened it, unleashing the words before my eyes, I read the words.

Save your life. I want you to be part of us.

I looked around, looking for the shadow who left this note. In the first place, I wasn't sure if this was really addressed to me. Maybe this is just a stray piece of paper.

I crumpled the paper but kept it inside my pocket just beside the gun. I left the house and wandered around the woods, knowing that this was the safest place I could stay. Anyway, I have the bullets with me.

From the distance, a blurry fragment was approaching my direction. Its indefinite form resembled the smog surrounding the mountains at midnight. I took a blink and before I knew it, the fragment was closer.

It wasn't just any ordinary fragment blending with smog... the figure was human like I am. It was a tall, slender, fair skinned girl with dark brooding eyes that was the same color of the night sky. I took a step back and I was glad she didn't move any closer.

"Don't go away..." she said. "I'm completely harmless, you see." She raised both of her hands up declaring an innocent move.

"Are you... one of us?" I asked.

Her eyebrows raised in a confused manner. "What do you mean by that?"

No. I wouldn't tell her anything about me. Risking my trust would make me risk my life too. I shook my head and acted like I said nothing.

Without a word, I turned my back and ambled away from the dark woods back to my shack. The rustling of leaves made the night colder than it seems. Any second now, Xang will breathe his last. We lost another one of us.

I shut the door close. I felt my hands dripping with sweat as I lost my grip around the knob. A pair of hands rested heavily on my shoulder. With all courage, I grabbed my gun and faced whoever was giving me the creeps.

"Easy, easy, I am not going to hurt you." She closed the distance between us and pinned me to the wall. She was the girl I saw at the woods.

I didn't move an inch. Instead I positioned my gun and focused it on her temple. In a pull of a trigger, she will drop dead any second.

"Listen to me. I will save you from this misery. We can get out of this place alive, trust me." She said. I could feel her cold breath against the skin below my earlobe.

"Just one sweet bite, dear. Just one sweet bite." She continued.

The hair behind my neck arose as I felt her soft thumb caress the tingling part of my neck. She opened her mouth and out came her white, sharp fangs.

"No! I won't leave my people. I will never betray the ones who trust me. I'd rather die saving my people than join you." I grunted.

"Well, it's your loss. Once this night ends, we will save ourselves from the lynch. And before you know it, we'll send you and your friends to the grave." She answered convincingly.

No. I won't let them hurt me or my people. I have this weapon of defense with me, and I will justly use it in any way that I can.

A life of eternity. I can't afford to lose this body and totally transform into an immortal creature, thirsting itself by staring at human blood. I'll happily face the sunlight every morning as I wake up without burning this layer of skin. I will make it out of this place alive without turning into someone I'm not.

My hands grabbed her throat just below where her chin rests and choked her there. I could see her face turning pale while trying to release my grip on her.

I almost pulled the trigger, not until I saw her body deform and return into fragments.

In a glimpse, she was gone. I never got the chance to kill her.

And as I glanced outside the window, it was already sunrise.