Midnight Creek Tales

Prologue

Raindrops fell like the tears of a widow and lightning thundered so loudly it'd make Zeus himself proud. The Midnight Creek Library stood tall like a behemoth in front of the town hall. One of the most popular libraries known to man - yet not every book was read and not every shelf was turned. Down in the desolate, hidden, and old basement of this library stories still lived on. Tales of triumph, misfortune, horror, and adventure. Stories that brought you to another world to make you think about more than what was in front of you. And while you might think an empty basement is nothing but pure darkness, you are sadly mistaken when you find out that there is always something lurking in the shadows...

 As the sun set on the Midnight Creek Library The Count began to awake from his daily slumber.

Count Sacrificiu yawned and opened his eyes as he ascended from his coffin. He looked out at the small window in the top corner of the hidden library and nodded in agreement as the moon shined on him.

The Count stood like a deformed tower with his skeleton-like body moving in harmony with the whispers of the wind. His pale milky-white face glowed against the moonlight, and his blood shut eyes burned deep into his immortal soul. He wore a tight and ancient old renaissance suit over a black, red cape. His teeth were like sharp knives and his claws acted as crooked daggers! For years this library served as his home, and the Count loved it. No disturbances, all the books to himself, and a safe and sheltered home away from society. Rarely did he ever get bothered, and when he did he'd make sure to take care of business.

Count Sacrificiu walked over to his large armchair where he saw his food from the other night on a high-table... An old tepid mug of blood and a rotting raven carcass to devour.

However... something seemed out of place. The fire was starting to die out and surely without a lovely burning fireplace The Count would freeze to death in the winter and have no light to read his books!

As he threw some of his last firewood into the pit, it lit up like the depths of hell and illuminated the room in a blaze! But from the corner of his eye he could see a small figure moving in the distance...

In a flash Count Sacrificiu turned his body to the creature and stuck out his fangs in delight!

He could see a small mouse surrounded against the wall in fear, and as he went in for the kill the mouse spoke to him,

"STOP! Please whatever you do, let me live!"

Count Sacrificiu smiled with a fiendish delight, "Oh my poor pathetic meal, you should've known not to play in the lion's den..."

"I know I should've known better, but these books are all so fascinating! You can read them?"

"Of course I can read them! Can't you?"

"No one ever taught me to..."

"Well no one will ever have to teach you now I suppose..." The Count bent down with his drooling jaw as he was halted again by the mouse, "WAIT!"

"If you let me live, I-I-I..."

"You'll what?"

"While you sleep I'll prepare your seat, meals, and firewood for you! I can even get supplies, so you don't have to go out as much!"

"A mouse for a slave?" Count Sacrificiu questioned laughing hysterically.

"Yes! But under one condition."

"WHO ARE YOU TO BE GIVING ME CONDITIONS! You don't ask your executioner for accommodations!" The Count took a deep breath and continued with a sigh, "But what is your request?"

"Well for every day I'm forced to prepare for you, all you have to do in return is read me a story every night!"

"That's it?"

"That's all I ask. For days I've been captivated by you just sitting on that chair. You read for hours at a time when all you're doing is nothing but staring at a paper with words and every so often flipping a page or two! How can that be?"

"Well for one my beastly little friend, books take you to another world... these stories are tales of heroism, love, tragedy, and bloody horror," The Count grinned.

"Sounds like a joy!"

"Well who said I agreed to your little bargain?"

"Oh please, sir!"

"Don't call me sir that's for stupid humans! I'm Count Sacrificiu... and you are?"

"Maurice." He squeaked.

As Maurice was pleading for him to say yes the Count felt a little sense of sympathy, "Fine, I will accept your bargain! BUT... under one grave stipulation."

"Which is?"

"You must correctly answer this riddle... 'With pointed fangs I sit and wait; with piercing force I crunch out fate; grabbing victims, proclaiming might; physically joining with a single bite... What am I?'"

Maurice seemed a bit uneasy, "Don't I get some time? This one's difficult!"

Count Sacrificiu contemplated to himself how much time he should give Maurice...

"I'll give you the length of five stories. If you manage to give a wrong answer or don't come up with one by the end of the last tale, your insides are mine... is it a deal?"

Maurice took a big gulp... "Yes, you have my solemn word."

Count Sacrificiu nodded his head as he grabbed his mug of congealing blood. As the fermenting taste of type AB ran down his throat, his senses began to relax.

"Nice decor," Maurice complimented as he eyed the area. On the mantle above the fireplace was a man's head standing in place of a deer's, and the rug was a skinned human corpse.

"You like it?"

"Well it sure does put me in another world I'll tell you that!"

The Count for the first time in centuries felt a rush of excitement run through his vampiric body, and walked towards Maurice eager to read the stories, "I know just the book..."

Count Sacrificiu dastardly laughed and walked towards a peeking manuscript.

As he pulled it out, his eyes lit up with anticipation.

"Doesn't that book seem a bit boring?"

The Count turned around in shock, "Why would you be foolish enough to say that?"

"It's just that it's dusty and oddly shaped. The stories in there probably don't seem all that appealing."

Count Sacrificiu gave a serpent-like smile, "Want to bet on that statement?"

"Well no..."

"Then don't judge a book by its cover."

"I guess... so what's it about?" Maurice asked now curious.

"Well, the first tale is about a con man who has a knack for cheating in poker..."

"Poker?"

"It's a stupid card game humans play!"

"Oh ok, go on." Maurice nodded apologetically.

"As I was saying, most can say they've had their fair share of luck in their lives, but with this man he has cheated his way out through everything! And during one crucial night, his luck might've just run out..."

"What is it called?"

Count Sacrificiu sat down in his armchair and took another soothing gulp of his blood, bit off the head of the raven, and as the fire crackled loudly he hissed,

"This one's called, 'Cut The Deck...'"