NIGHTS OF HALLOW

Mrs. Perkin raised her hands as if in surrender ”Fine! Since you want to do it this way. I am going to the head warden’s office to report you both. I am sure with my evidence, you two will rot in that cell and die!”

Perdita and Marco glanced at each other in dread and confusion. They both chorused, ”What are you talking about? What evidence?”

Mrs. Perkin laughed sardonically at Perdita and Marco and replied ”Did you both think I was making assumptions and was merely accusing you both without proof or evidence?”

Perdita’s eyes narrowed and she quizzed in a low voice ”What do you mean?”

The mockery smile that was on Mrs. Perkin’s face slowly vanished and was replaced by a hard look on her face ”You shouldn’t be asking me what I mean. You should be on your knees begging for forgiveness for the horrible things you both did. But don’t worry, when the villagers get to know about you two, I won’t be the only one to be shamed. You two will be put to death!”

Marco silently listened to the twisted talk of Mrs. Perkin. He knew there was nothing they could do to change her mind. She was here to expose and bring them to doom which he will never allow.

They had fought bigger waves of problems right from the time they became vampires till now, and nothing and no one will bring the down.

Staying silent for a while, Marco walked up to Mrs. Perkin. ”Mrs. Perkin,” He gently called ”I know we started on the wrong page this morning. And that is because, since you came here, I asked you to come in so we could speak cordially like people with human sense and understanding, but you refused. Instead, all you did was accuse and shout at me and my sister in this terribly cold weather where we all should be resting in our warm homes”

”Don’t you dare say I am accusing you two. I know what I’m saying is the truth. You know it too! You should better tell me where my husband is or else I’ll yell and tell the villagers!” Mrs. Perkin continued to shout not paying heed to what Marco had said.

Marco shook his head disapprovingly ”You are at it again. Why are you always screaming when Perdita and I are speaking in a low voice that is almost a whisper?” Marco’s voice strangely sounded like a warning to Mrs. Perkin that made her aware of the cold weather and she shivered in fright.

Though she was shouting and did as if she was strong, it still played at the back of her mind to be careful with the siblings. Anything can happen. It was one over two and she would likely lose if a fight broke out. Not to forget, they were able to overpower her husband and did God knows what to him.

Even Perdita was surprised at how Marco could speak the way he did. He sounded so mature and so how threatening.

Marco continued, ”You can’t go to one’s house, to be precise our house with those strong accusations of yours and then proclaim you have evidence to put us to death.”

”Are you doing this so we will become scared and accept we did those things you accuse us of? I can report you for harassment and for slandering our names”

Mrs. Perkin gritted her teeth in annoyance ”How many times do I have to say it, I am not accusing you both of something I already have the evidence to. You two cannot run away from the truth. I’ll make sure I expose your secret today!”

”Expose us for what? What secret are you talking about? Is it for your missing husband?” Marco asked with a small mock laugh.

”You should be in the woods searching for the bones of your husband that must have been devoured by wild animals”

”That is not true, you scoundrel!” Mrs. Perkin yelled and shook her head in denial making the snowflakes that fell on her head fly away.

”My husband is not dead! You two know I’m speaking the truth. You know where he is. You are lying to me!”

”How should we know where your husband is? We are not witches or sorcerers who practice voodoo magic to know where your husband is. Don’t you remember he ran away because of you?” Perdita spoke after she stayed quiet listening to Marco exchange words with Mrs. Perkin.

She understood and knew what Marco was doing. He was playing the game of words. He was twisting his and that of Mrs. Perkin’s words so she will spill whatever evidence she had against them.

Once they got their hands on it and wiped it clean, they wouldn’t have a problem dealing with Mrs. Perkin. But the woman had refused to play along. She was adamantly stubborn about what she was saying so they will be killed.

What was the damn evidence she had in her possession that she was using to have the upper hand on them?! Perdita screamed in her head as she glared daggers at the older woman. She had never felt such hatred for anyone in her life except this woman who was foolishly stubborn and annoying.

”I wouldn’t be surprised if you both are also witches or sorcerers. You bloodsucking leeches!” Mrs. Perkin scowled with a disgusted look on her face.

”What did you just say?” Perdita exclaimed in a hushed voice. She marveled at what Mrs. Perkin just said. She couldn’t believe what her ears heard. So Mrs. Perkin knew all this while. She was not here for her missing husband. She was here because she found out they are vampires. How the hell was she able to discover their secret?! Who could have told her?!

As Perdita and Marco continued to exchange hateful words with each other, the weather was slowly changing with a slight appearance of the sun. Snow was still falling but not in heavy drops as it were before and the villagers would soon come out to prepare for work.

This was what they dreaded the most. If the villagers came out and saw them, they would be exposed immediately. Anything they were doing, they had to do it fast. Perdita thought to herself with a determined look on her face.

Mrs. Perkin walked forward with a not-so-good daunting step. She stopped in front of Perdita and spoke slowly to their hearing.

”I said, you both are bloodsucking leeches. You are vampires! Did you think I wouldn’t know?” Mrs. Perkin paused and let out a loud laugh that echoed across the quiet street. She suddenly stopped and glared at Perdita and Marco acting like someone who was suddenly possessed.

She yelled, ”You two are damn bloodsucking leeches! Damn, vampires!”