November 15, 1886

England, November 15, 1886.

It is early morning, I sit in the bay window with a steaming cup of coffee in my hands. Watching the snow fall from the sky through the window, covering the empty streets in south London, Wandsworth in a layer of pure white snow. It is peaceful outside, the only thing that could be heard is the wind howling through the trees, most of the people are still asleep at this hour.

There is something calming about it, about the empty streets, when they are slowly covering up in snow. It reminds me of happy moments, I had with my family, many many years ago when I was still a child and there were no worries for us or the world.

I frown and let out a small chuckle, thinking back, my younger siblings, exited for the first snow of the year to fall down on us. Mother would make us some delicious green pea soup, she would go out to get the green peas, milk, butter and flour, luckily we always had a little bit of salt and pepper at home. The soup always was a nice thing to warm us up after spending hours outside, enjoying the cold harsh weather. We would play outside the whole day, after we ate our breakfast rather quickly. There were snowmen build in front of our family home, I would chase my younger brother with snowballs, at the end of our time outside we would make, big snow angels. Giggles and laughter could be heard inside the house. Once inside, we were wrapped in blankets, sat down in front of the fire place, waiting for mother to bring the green pea soup.

Suddenly I am rudely woken out of my thoughts, screams, intense painful screams could be heard outside. I sat there frozen for a moment, the screams coming closer and louder. I shudder, stand up and rush upstairs to the bedroom to change my clothes, once upstairs, I could smell burning flesh and wood. The smell made me sick to my stomach, without giving the terrible smell more attention than I already had, grabbing a duffel bag, putting in some clothes, not to much, it will only slow me down. I rushed back downstairs to put on my coat, shoes, scarf and put my gloves in the pockets of my coat. I quickly grabbed the only the last few important things to me, my wallet, the heart pendant of my mother, within a picture of her and our family, before all hell broke loose and my mothers wedding ring.

The smell of burning wood and straw became stronger now and I could see the flames coming closer in the window’s from the neighbors on the other side of the street.

I had to get far away from here. I threw open the door and the sight, was one, no one should ever witness.

The peaceful streets, with its pure white snow, were now covered in blood, dead bodies, burning wood and ashes. “Help me, please, someone, Oh God, no, noo, please!“, I heard someone yelling, before I even found out where it came from, it became dead silent. Cold shivers came down my spine, poor thing is all I could think. No one deserves this, no matter what is going on at this moment. We all have lived here peacefully, everyone knew everyone, never was there spoken bad about someone. Nothing made sense, absolutely not.

Footsteps could be heard, there are at least seven people. I looked left and right, before I started to run, after some time I took a sharp turn to the right, into an alley that leads behind the baker. The footsteps came closer, the only thing I could hear was the snow getting crushed under their feet, the chanting in an foreign language and the beating of my own heart.

Diavolul este aici

Vom arde toate pentru a găsi adevărul

Nu se poate ascunde

căci el va fi găsit

Alături de el sau parte cu noi

Ochii sunt roșii cu un zâmbet scârbos

Pielea la fel de palidă ca zăpada

colții suficient de ascuțiți ca să străpungă pielea

Aruncați pentru farmecele lui

căci vei păcătui și vei fi trimis în iad

The devil is here

We shall burn all to find the truth

He can not hide

for he will be found

Side with him or side with us

Eyes are red with a devious smile

Skin as pale as snow

fangs sharp enough to pierce the skin

Shall you fall for his charms

for you will sin and be sent to hell

The closer they come, the more I understand what they say. The Transylvania Vampire Hunters are here, it is just a matter of time before they- no I can not think like that.

There was a moment of silence, they stopped walking, I held my breath, taking a quick peak around the corner. There they stood, the Vampire hunters in all their glory, the ropes over their religious clothing, the silent shoes, a hood sewed to their ropes, everything hold together by a thick rope and you can not miss the necklaces with a shiny silver cross hanging from it. They all carry a small case, I can only presume what is inside of it, a crucifix, a mallet, to punch the wooden stake further into the Devil’s heart, a small gun, filled with silver or lead bullets, a knife, a rosary and different herbs like wild rose and hawthorn. Not that I’ve seen what is inside, it is just the rumors you hear about these monsters.

They are exceptionally prepared for their trip here and their hunting on “Devil’s”, rumors have been that they have burned a thousand of cities and small villages, where they think these Devil’s hide. They show no mercy, to none, not a single life is safe, they kill and burn all man, woman and child. Because such Devil could be anyone, especially if they are really pretty, the Vampire Hunters do strongly believe, that these Devils are disguised as pretty man or woman, to seduce people, so they can feed on them. Which is really ridiculous, absolutely and utmost ridiculous.

I have met plenty of pretty woman and very good looking men, but they had no red eyes nor did they seemed blood thirsty, except for one person. Her eyes, never would nor could I forget those, they sometimes still haunt me in my darkest nightmares.

Ai auzit asta?

Did you hear that?

Nu am auzit nimic

I heard nothing

Credeam că aud pe cineva mișcându-se

I thought I heard someone moving

O să văd dacă e cineva acolo

I’ll see if anyone’s there

Vom continua, nu-ți trebuie prea mult să te întorci

We will continue, do not take too much time to come back

Avem mai multe case de ars și oameni de ucis

We have several houses to burn and people to kill

oke

oke

I could hear them talk, did they hear me move?

Now the footsteps came closer to me, I need to hide quick, otherwise they will not hesitate to kill me too. Looking around quickly I had no other choice than to jump up, there was no other hiding place for me. So I jumped up to catch the edge of the roof of the baker, I had to hold tight to the roof and drag myself up. If I am not careful I slip down and they will find me for sure, I mumbled lowly to myself, putting my duffel bag next to me once I am up the small roof top. Laying down on the roof of the baker, I peeked down and saw one of the Hunters looking around.

Before he looked up, I laid down again, holding my breath in the hope he would go back to the others.

aici sunt urme pe zăpadă

unde a plecat?

Here are traces on the snow

Where did he go?

Trebuie să-i informez pe ceilalți

cineva nu poate doar să dispară

I need to inform the others

someone can’t just disappear

He walked away and I took my chance to get away from here, this is getting really dangerous. The wish to die, I do not have it yet. Slowly I got up, grabbed my duffel bag and got further up the roof. From there I can easily move forward, all I have to do is to stay low. Not a problem, when I reach the woods, just at the end of the streets, I will be able to go to a place, that I know for sure is safe. But I do not know for how long, these Hunters do not seem to give up easy or to go down without a fight. I need a plan, a damn good plan, if I want to stay alive.

Matthew Schofield

“Vampires occur everywhere, but in busy cities no one notices.”