Mesmerized | ✓

10

Stonetown News Express, May the 4th

Stonetown vampire?

Throughout the past week three suspicion deaths have been reported. Saturday morning a local fisherman was found dead on the beach, close to his boat. Two days later a body of a twenty-one year old woman was found in an alley behind the nightclub Chrysanthemum, and on Thursday a homeless man whose identity is still being confirmed. All those deaths seem to be somehow connected as each of the victims has been at least partially drained of their blood and had fangs-like marks on their necks. We asked the police whether it's possible if some dangerous animal is on the loose or if Stonetown could be dealing with the first serial killer in its history. "Don't spread the panic, please." One of the officers said but otherwise the police are silent for the time being.

In any case, we ask our readers to be careful and avoid solitary escapades late in the night. More info to come soon.

Mark Webber

*****

The day at the bait shop was a slow one, as per usual. But this time Carl had the company of a very bored Yuli who kept complaining that he had much more important things to do. "But if I don't work we won't have money for food, or your clothes or the rent." Carl continued to remind him.

Yuli only grimaced, probably knowing full well that Carl was right but still unwilling to leave him there alone and go do his thing.

Carl tried to use it as an extra opportunity to study a little for the upcoming tests because at this point he was miles behind what they were doing in classes. It was hard to focus but ha managed to make it work by pushing Yuli to the very back of his mind. Yet each time a new customer came Carl would look cautiously at Yuli, worrying that the boy could do something stupid. But he only watched them all curiously, examining them with his eyes but apparently not spreading his charm over them.

Carl was getting a bit worried as Yuli hadn't fed on anyone in a few days, at least as far as he knew. Who knew what he did when Carl was asleep? So maybe that was for the better because in the shop at least Carl could keep an eye on him even if there was nothing he could do to stop Yuli if he picked a target.

"How long have you known Candace?" Yuli asked at some point while Carl was cleaning the counter.

"We met two years ago." Carl replied simply even though he didn't like it when Yuli talked about her.

"Then you must know her pretty well." Yuli pointed out playing with one of the rods, trying to balance it on his open palm. "How do I make her fall in love with me then?"

Carl rolled his eyes hating that it was the kind of question he had to answer. "Why do you even need to know?" He asked. "Can't you just do your magic or spell or whatever it is like you did on..." He trailed off not wanting to say out loud what he had been aware of for the couple of days now.

Yuli smirked. "Like I did on you?"

Carl looked down, his cheeks flushing. "Yeah..."

The boy continued to smirk. "As flattered as I am, it doesn't work that way with Candace." He said. "I need to do this the old-fashioned way."

"Why do you need her to fall in love with you anyway? You want to lay the eggs or what?" He wondered, only half-joking.

Yuli chuckled. "Now that is something you don't need to worry your pretty head about." Carl hated when he talked to him that way, like he was mentally-challenged and wouldn't understand anything more complex. It was actually on the contrary, those days Carl felt more clear-headed than when Yuli had first got him captivated. Yet, he still couldn't say no to him and he sought the boy's attention. But at least Carl wasn't oblivious to it anymore.