We are the ghouls of London // PHAN

•CHAPTER FIVE•

The bandstand.

It was located in the middle of West Park. A park not really well known but well enough to once upon a time have had bands playing music there, hence the bandstand.

Dan tightened his hoodie strings, desperate to keep the cold out. The nights air whipped around him sending shivers down his spine.

It was easy to get past his mom and brother. His brother was too busy watching cartoons on TV and Dan just lied to his mom saying he was going out for a walk. He couldn't say he was going out to "Kill innocent people because he needed the flesh and blood to keep him alive". His mom would freak out, and probably have him kicked out.

The bandstand was in view. And he saw Termika dancing on the wooden platform inside whilst Connor sat on the metal railings, watching her, smiling. Dan carried on to walk over and soon the pair noticed him as he pulled the eye patch off his already formed ghoulish eye.

They smiled nicely at him, "Hey Dan."

"Hi..." he wasn't too familiar with people being nice to him like this. He found it made him feel weirdly and made him smile.

"You ready to go hunting for your first time?" Connor asked.

Dan shrugged, "I guess I have to be if I want to be alive."

"That's the spirit!" Termika smiled. She then pointed in the distance, "And there is todays meal."

It was a runner in a neon yellow top, black sports shorts, white nike trainers and headphones in his ears.

"He's perfect for your first meal as a ghoul," Termika smiled, "Won't expect a thing with music blaring in his ears."

Dan nodded as the three of them began to make a move towards the person. They began to run after him. Connor began to run even faster to gain on him before pouncing onto the runner.

The runner screamed. They struggled to get Connor off their back before Dan watched Connor bite at the victims neck. They buckled there knees, and fell to the ground.

"Nice kill," Termika stated at Connor who just smiled.

Dan walked over to the iPhone, looking at the screen, "He died listening to Heathens by Twenty One Pilots... good song. Probably not the best to have died to-"

Termika rolled her eyes, "Alright Dan, pick a limb."

"What?"

"I said Pick a limb... to eat?" she said.

"Err... l-r- l- left... arm...?" Dan stuttered.

She nodded and nodded towards the mans left arm. Dan picked it up and inspected it. He watched as Termika went for the right leg and Connor stayed put where he was on the neck as he downed what seemed gallons and gallons of blood.

"Pace yourself Connor, geez!" Termika said but there was a glint in her eye, "they'll be no blood for the rest of us at this rate."

As Dan downed all the blood and flesh he could, he scanned the body. They had brown hair which was now messy and ruffled from being attacked. His clothes were now ripped too and coverer in blood.

"Stop looking at him Dan," Termika said sternly.

"Why?" Dan questioned.

"Because," Termika says as she looks up at Dan after have her share of feed off of the dead mans body (Connor was still desperately drinking at the body which lay limp and pale on the concrete path), "it's dangerous to. You attack them, you feast on them, and then you leave them. Nothing more, nothing less. You never look. You could realise you know them and the guilt can haunt you..." she shuddered.

It was as if she knew what would happen if you did that, Dan thought to himself as he took up the task of finishing off devouring the mans left arm, all the blood and most flesh.

Dan looked at her questioningly, "And you've had it happen to you?"

"Every ghoul has once in their life," Connor says as he lifts his head after finishing off and wiping his mouth to riddance of any blood from around his mouth, "For me it was my grandads best friend's cousin I killed. I only realised it was him when I had to attend his funeral and I then recognised his face... I have never felt so guilty ever."

"Well at least you didn't kill your step-brother," Termika snapped angrily.

"Sorry-" Connor muttered, lowering his head.

Termika rolled her eyes, "It was dark and I remember the urges and-"

"You don't have to tell me the story if it makes you feel uncomfortable," Dan blurted out.

Termika looked at Dan, her ghoulish eyes narrowing, "I do have to tell you, Dan, because then I will terrify you and you won't be stupid enough to do it yourself."

Dan muttered out the word sorry before Termika continued.

"I was hungry. The urges were strong. I escaped my room by the window and because I was so desperate for food, I didn't go far. I went to the alley way in between the Tesco Express and that hair dressers no one goes to which is located in a row of shops in my town. It is always quite busy there because of the Tesco so when I saw one man come out, I pounced. I remember he struggled to break free... and then he started yelling my name, telling me to stop and wait for someone else. I was desperate though. I sunk my teeth into his flesh in his neck and then he was dead in my arms as I drank at his blood from his neck, arms, draining every drop of blood from him, filling up my urges. I ate at his flesh, ripping it off and enjoying its pungent and unique flavour. Once I was done, I stood up to admire my work when I saw his face. And then I realised who this guy was..."

"You're step brother," Dan finished off and he watched as Termika nodded slowly.

Connor stood up, "We better take you home Dan. As much as the nighttime is a good place for us, it's also dangerous."

"Why?" Dan questioned.

"Haven't you seen the news Dan? The police, they're after every single one of us ghouls. Hunt us down and kill us to protect everyone else." Connor states as everyone gives one more glance at the midnight runner before the three of them set off.

They suddenly heard a twig snap behind them. The three of them spun there heads in the direction the noise came from... but saw nothing.

"Maybe it was a squirrel?" Connor suggested.

"A squirrel?" Termika questioned, "Really?"

"Could be a possibility..." Connor murmured before the three of them headed towards the exit of the park.