Dark Side

1. Old Friends

Dan
I was traveling to London to see my Old friend PJ Liguori again. I hadn't seen him for two years now, but we always had been very good friends. I couldn't let an old friendship fade away that easily, I suppose...

The train slowed down as I packed up my bags. I wondered how PJ was doing. Our conversation on the phone last week had been short; he had to study for an exam so we didn't really have time to talk.

As I walked on the train platform, I realized it was completely dark outside. I checked the time on my phone. It was 10PM, thanks to two hours of delay. I followed the stream of people, with my backpack hanging over my right shoulder and my suitcase in my left hand, walking to the exit of the platform.

Just as I waited for a cab, I saw PJ standing on the other side of the road. I walked towards him and he smiled when he saw me too.
"Hey mate," he said.

"Hey PJ, I didn't know you were going to pick me up at the station," I said, a bit surprised and hugged him brief.

He smiled again. "I thought you might get a little lost in the big city."

We walked for a while and I asked him how he was doing. His study in college was going well and he lived in an apartment somewhere near, where I would be staying as well this week.

"Thanks again," I said, "for letting me stay in your apartment."

"No problem, mate," he replied as he turned right and walked down a dark alley.

"Uhm... Peej?" I asked, a little hesitant. I've never liked dark alleys, especially not at night time.

"Don't worry," he said and turned to face me, "It's just a shortcut."

Still hesitant, I followed him, but I didn't like it at all. I couldn't help but think what creatures might be hiding in the dark. I suppose I've watched too many horror movies.

"Don't tell me you live here," I joked, but my nervous laugh betrayed how scared I was. I suddenly noticed that PJ wasn't walking beside me anymore and I turned around.

"PJ, what's going on?" I asked.

PJ just stood there, looking at me with a weird look in his green eyes that I had never seen before.

"Things have changed, Dan," he said, walking towards me. I immediately backed away.

"What do you mean?" I asked. I was quite terrified by him. He had always been my friend, so what was this all about?

"Do you believe in the supernatural, Dan?" he asked.

"What?" I asked confused. Why did he suddenly ask this? I definitely considered to run away, but I didn't know where to go.

"Do you believe in the supernatural?" He repeated.

I shook my head and backed away from him as he kept walking towards me.

"I can show you that you're wrong," he said. He suddenly grabbed my wrists and pinned me to the brick wall on my left.

"What kind of joke is this? Just take me to your apartment!" I screamed.

PJ shrugged his shoulders, acting like he didn't care. "I could," he said, "but you would find out eventually, so I guess it's better to tell you now... Or show you." He grinned and I tried with all my might to escape his grip, but he was unbelievably strong. He stood so close to me that our noses almost touched.

"Don't worry, Dan," he said, "This will only hurt a little." He tilted my head back and I felt two sharp stabs in my neck. I screamed; the pain was agonising.

I saw PJ pulling away, and he bit in his own wrist. He pressed his bleeding wrist against my mouth, but I resisted.

"Dan, you'll die if you don't drink it," he said. I opened my mouth and drank PJ's blood. Then I blacked out.

First chapter of Dark Side! 🤗 Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. I'll try to update as soon as possible!