NIGHTS OF HALLOW

”Do you know or have you seen vampires in the village recently?” Donovan asked.

Oh yes, there are vampires in this village and you are standing with one of them, Headchurch Donovan. Perdita answered in her head while making sure it did not slip from her mouth and to the hearing of the church members.

”Vampires? In the village?” Perdita repeated the question and Donovan nodded his head in affirmation of what he had asked Perdita.

Perdita negatively shook her head and answered, ”No, I haven’t. Except for that one vampire I encountered that helped to release Mrs. Perkin. I haven’t come across any vampire in this village.”

”Are you sure?” Donovan skeptically asked again.

Perdita vigorously nodded her head and replied, ”I’m very sure, Headchurch Donovan. There are no vampires in this village. This village is free.”

Well, there are no vampires in this village with the exception of me and my brother. Perdita thought. She had two reasons for saying that there were no vampires in Woodbridge village. One because — she wanted the church members to believe that there were no vampires so they wouldn’t proceed with the exorcism they were planning to carry out in the village.

The second reason was because of the vampire church member who was still looking at her. She was familiar and knew the type of look it was. The look of suspicion. It was the same look Sthena was staring at her with when they first met. The man must be suspicious of her because vampires were easy to be recognized by their fellow vampires. That was the reason she stressed that there were no vampires in the village.

Perdita tried as much as she could to make the beating of her heart calm and normal like that of the humans. If not, she knew the vampire church member will hear the loud thumping of her heart and hence confirm his suspicions.

”Hmm,” Donovan rubbed his chin in thought. His gaze went from Perdita and swept past the street they were standing in. He could see some curious villagers who had hidden behind their houses so they could see and probably hear what was going on. He smiled when his eyes landed on one of the women they had spoken to some minutes ago, who had followed them. She was none other than Mrs. Williams.

Mrs. Williams after the church members left the market quickly followed behind them so she could see and know what they were asking Perdita and probably make it her newest gossip in the village. She had hidden so well behind one of the houses thinking she won’t be seen. Not until Donovan’s eyes looked her way and he said to Perdita and Mr. Humphrey,

”You do have some inquisitive and detective villagers here,”

When he said this, Perdita, Mr. Humphrey, and Theodore looked in the direction where he was staring at. And there behind the house was Mrs. Williams.

Seeing that they had seen her, she silently squealed in shock at being discovered by them. She quickly turned around and hurriedly left there in fear she might be called by the church members.

Perdita narrowed her eyes and shook her head disapprovingly. This stupid woman. I bet she is looking for more gossip to spread. She turned her face away from the running Mrs. Williams and commented,

”They are rather snoopy than being inquisitive.”

”Why do you say so? I thought you are same villagers and must know what each person does?” Donovan asked in curiosity.

”No reason for saying that actually,” Perdita shrugged, ”It’s just that they don’t mind their business sometimes. Well, that’s by the way. Do you have more questions for me, Headchurch Donovan? I have customers and some mixed flour I haven’t baked that is waiting for me in the market.” Perdita quickly changed the topic and subtly reminded them that they have wasted her time and would like to get back to her shop.

”There are more questions, Ms. Kartar.” This came from Theodore who took the job of questioning Perdita from Donovan.

”Please go on, churchman...” Again, Perdita left her words hanging and waited for the vampire church member to give his name which he refused to give. He ignored her question and went on with his.

Perdita squinted her eyes and subtly glared at Theodore. She was asking their names so she would know what to call them when the need for her to use it arose, and because she knew this matter of missing Mr. Perkin and Mrs. Perkin was not going to end anytime soon.

”Are you aware that Mr...” Theodore began and was cut off by Donovan.

”You can call him churchman Theodore,” Donovan said, answering the question of Perdita and she saw Theodore glare at Headchurch Donovan which he returned with a small smile.

”Am I aware of what, churchman Theodore?” Perdita asked making sure she said the name of Theodore a little loud to irk the man. As she expected, he glared at her and Perdita internally smiled.

All the while this went on between Perdita and the church members, Mr. Humphrey kept quiet and stood like a statue in the cold weather watching their interactions. He didn’t want to add more to the problem already waiting for him.

Theodore began with his question again, ”Ms. Kartar,” He called with an edge to it. ”Are you aware that Mr. Perkin one of the villagers in this village was abducted by a vampire?”

Of course, I am aware, churchman Theodore, that Mr. Perkin was abducted by a vampire. In fact, you are standing with the culprit because I am that vampire. And also, did you know that not only did I abduct Mr. Perkin, I also abducted Mrs. Perkin who is in my house right now?

As Perdita answered the question in her head again making sure she didn’t spill anything, her expression outwardly was that of fear and surprise.

She used her hand to cover her mouth as if in shock. Her eyes widened fearfully. ”V...vampires?! Abducted Mr. Perkin?! In this village?! Oh my!” Perdita shrieked in shock and shook her head in negatively.

All the while Perdita was displaying her act of being shocked, Donovan and Theodore silently watched her, especially Theodore who narrowed his eyes at her.

”Is this true, churchman Theodore?” Perdita further questioned Theodore.

”Do I look like I’m asking you some false questions?” Came the curt reply from Theodore.

Perdita released her mouth from her hand and continued shaking her head. Shock was clearly written on her face. ”I didn’t know vampires were in this village, and not to add, they are abducting humans! That was an unfortunate thing that happened to Mr. Perkin. I can’t still believe this happened here in Woodbridge.”

Theodore looked as if he could barely stand there for the next minute. His bloodred lazy eyes shut themselves and he let out a sigh. When he opened his eyes again, he said to Perdita, ”Do you understand why I’m asking you this question, Ms. Kartar?”

Perdita stopped her shock act and stayed quiet. She regarded Theodore for a while also wondering why he was asking and telling her this. Was he suspecting her?

She opened her mouth and carefully asked, ”Why do you ask me this, churchman Theodore?”

”Good,” Theodore nodded approvingly. He walked forward and slipped his hand into his pants pocket and continued, ”I am asking you this because of what you said.”

What I said? Did I perhaps give out any information that might give me away? Perdita asked herself and waited for Theodore to continue speaking.

Theodore went on, ”You said that with the help of a vampire, you got Mrs. Perkin released, isn’t that right?”

”You’re right, churchman Theodore,” Perdita confirmed.

”Good. What I’m trying to say is that, after you helped Mrs. Perkin to get released with the help of that vampire who showed Mr. Humphrey his mysterious evidence, Mrs. Perkin went missing.”

”What are you trying to insinuate, churchman Theodore?”

Theodore tilted his head to the side with his bloodred eyes peering down at Perdita, ”Should I say that with your help the vampire got the opportunity to abduct Mrs. Perkin when she was released? Do not forget, Mr. Perkin was also abducted by maybe the same vampire.” Theodore paused and sighed deeply.

”Are you implying I with that vampire abducted Mrs. Perkin and Mr. Perkin?” Perdita questioned with narrowed eyes.

”No, don’t get me wrong, Ms. Kartar. I was only stating the possibility that maybe that vampire was looking for an opportunity to abduct Mrs. Perkin after he must have taken Mr. Perkin with him. And he could only do this after the release of Mrs. Perkin.” This was the analysis Theodore formed. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

In his thoughts, he was thinking that maybe the vampire was after Mr. Perkin and Mrs. Perkin because of the blood pills in their possession. There was no way they would be the only ones out of the people living in Woodbridge to be abducted. What he didn’t know was how the blood pills came about and why Mr. Perkin got them, and this was the reason why he wanted to question his wife only to find out his wife too went missing.

He had to get to the root of this blood pill before Donovan or other church members knew what it was because blood pills were something that was not yet in the open and some of the church members who were humans didn’t know about it, and he wanted to keep it that way.

Some minutes passed before Perdita spoke up, ”You may be right and at the same time might be wrong, churchman Theodore. But asking me about this is of no use because I believe it is the work of the church to investigate and know what actually happened. Am l not correct?”

”You’re correct, Ms. Kartar. But don’t misunderstand my reason for asking you all these questions. It is the investigation we are doing that required me to ask you those questions. Also, can you remember the face of that vampire?”

”No. I only saw him once, so I can’t remember.” Perdita replied to Theodore’s question.

”Okay,” Theodore nodded his head knowingly. ”Thank you for sparing us your time to answer our questions. If there are more, we would let you know as what we are doing is to keep the village and kingdom calm and peaceful.”

”There’s no problem, churchman Theodore. I’ll be here if you have other questions. I’ll be heading back to the market. Excuse me,” Perdita gave a small bow and turn to leave followed by the church members and Mr. Humphrey who started walking back to where their carriage was parked.

Perdita walked a short distance away from the church members with different thoughts in her head. She stopped and turned to look at them and met the bloodred eyes of Theodore that were equally looking at her. She knew he was suspicious of her from the beginning.

Another headache to take care of! Perdita lamented in her head.