Two Bats in the Night

Burned

"Can't you hurry up," Van Helsing shouted at the zombies who were fetching a herse-mobile to give him a ride into town, "I'm old and don't have all day, you know?"

The zombies grunted and nodded, and, soon, his hearse pulled up. Van Helsing rubbed his hands together and chuckled under his breath as he was lifted into the vehicle, knowing that his plan had just begun.

"Take me to Transylvania," he ordered the driver. He closed his eyes picturing what should have happened over twenty years ago. Picturing a stake going straight through Emma's heart without his precious Ericka knowing that he'd killed her. 

His plan was simple, really. Transylvania was obsessed with the monster-era, including the weapons used then. He would go into a nearby weaponry and buy a wooden stake shooter. At the same time, he would use Ericka's phone to message Emma telling her to meet in a meadow outside of town. He'd provide her with the exact location and hide behind the border of the trees until she appeared. Yet, once she did, he would finally finish the job.

He'd take Emma's phone from her lifeless body and message Ericka that she couldn't live in the same place as Van Helsing. He would message her as if Emma had left on her own and didn't want to see Ericka ever again. Hopefully, he'd even be able to put Ericka's phone back without her realizing that it'd ever gone missing.

- Emma's POV -

Excitedly writing away, Emma was nearly complete with the first instrumental song for when her sister would be walking down the aisle. It was a simple and elegant piano number with light accents of flute and chimes. A large smile filled her face as she imagined playing the song for Ericka on her wedding day.

However, a not so elegant sound interrupted her work. The rumbling of her stomach surely wouldn't add to the romantic atmosphere of the day, Emma laughed to herself. She grabbed her phone to check the time - which was 3:00 pm - and saw a message from Ericka's phone!

"Hi, Emma! I was hoping to meet you for a tour of Transylvania before dinner. I'm at the meadow on the south side of town. Please let me know when you get this message and what time you'll be here. Love you lots, sis!" 

Emma zoomed in the air with excitement. What perfect timing! She chuckled to herself, saying they must have a psychic-twin connection. If she flew fast, she should be able to make it to the south side of town in fifteen minutes. After replying to Ericka's phone, Emma shifted into bat form and darted out the window.

Flying was one of her favorite activities, but not when her body started to smoke. She zoomed quickly back in and grabbed her flying hat - a large white sunhat with gold ribbon. Handcrafted to cover just a little over her wingspan once she turned to bat form. She also downed a matching robe - for extra precaution. Satisfied with her style and protection, she once again darted out with the expectation to meet her loving sister.

Yet, fate would be much crueler.

- Van Helsing POV -

She is late, he muttered to himself as he checked the phone to confirm that Emma said she'd arrive five minutes ago. If there's anything I hate more than monsters, he continued, it's those who don't respect other people's time. Bemused, he once again congratulated himself for having devised the perfect plan to do away with this tardy monstrosity. 

And, as he looked up from the phone, there she stood. She wore a long, white lace robe that covered all her skin and a hat that provided a shadow which covered to her toes. Oh, Van Helsing remembered, vampires burn in the sun. How could it get any more perfect than this?

Which gave him an even better idea of how to dispose of her. When she was a toddler, he wanted her to burn in the flames of the house; yet, firemen came to save her. This time, he would let her burn to death in the sun, with no chance of rescue.

Van Helsing readied his weapon and aimed right for her torso. "Ericka? Ericka?" The vampire cried out looking here and there. But, if it was up to Van Helsing, Emma would only see Ericka of his - or her - dead body.

Knowing that the timing had to be precise, Van Helsing waited until Emma was looked in the opposite direction. He laughed at her concern, she must be wondering if Ericka is in trouble. But, Van Helsing would make sure that Ericka - his legacy - was safe. Even if it meant killing one monster at a time.

There it was. The perfect shot. Still crying out for her sister, Van Helsing pulled the trigger. And down the vampire fell, the small stake protruding from her ribs. So long as he had aimed right, which as a skilled hunter he should have, neither the spine nor lungs had been damaged. Yet, the wound would have shocked her nerves and caused her enough distress to be unable to move.

Victoriously, he rolled to the barely conscious Emma. Removing her hat then robe, he delighted in her painful shrieks. A sound he hadn't heard in such a long time. A sound that he had certainly missed. He left her in the A-line dress she'd been wearing underneath the robe, over fifty percent of her body exposed to the direct sunlight. Emma's eyes cinched in pain as Van Helsing rolled away, her clothes and phone in his gangly hands.

"You won't get away with this," she managed to scream through shrieks of pain, "you won't."

Oh, but I already have, he chuckled, I already have.