I've completely redone the Transylvania theme story. I've kept the same two characters but I had them do something completely different and I cut out most the monsters. Somehow I ended up with more to write.

I cut out all mention of the vampire and changed some dialogue. I added another scene and did some work on the narration.

Shade in the Dark

You want me to go out and get you something. Well there is no way in hell I'm going to do that. Going outside is like asking for a death wish. With all the shades and running around it's impossible to go anywhere. There was no problem up until a few months ago. They came in an instant, people had their shadows stolen, and some went missing.

Those shades are horrible, the only way to keep them out of you house is to paint your doorway and your windows red. One night, someone tried to get in my home. I wouldn't let them, it was a woman and her child. I could hear their screams, "oh please just let us in, my husband has gone crazy and threw us out." I almost broke down and cried, I was too scared to just let them in.

The next morning I opened the door and saw two sets of clothes covered in dust. One belonged to a little girl. I picked up their clothing and buried them in the back. Two blank headstones sat in my garden. I think the reason I buried them was because I had my wife and daughter taken away by those shades. I wish I knew there was a way to get rid of them. Some spell, some ritual, even a sacrifice. These foul beast, I want to rid the world of them.

I went to bed. I could still hear the screams of the woman and child as their humanity was taken away. If only they were not in the sun, then I could have taken them in before it got to them.

The following morning I decided that I was going to drown out all my bad thoughts with beer. Bars are now open in the day since no one can go out at night. I ordered a pint and stared at my mug. I overheard a conversation.

"Man, those shades are getting to become a real nuisance on my business."

"How come?"

"People are too afraid to even leave their homes during the day, they no longer like to buy luxury items."

"It's tough, I wish I knew where it all started."

"I heard that they came from a church in Brasov. I believe they were summoned by some twisted priest. Who knew that the book of the Occult actually contained something that worked?"

"I'll believe anything after what has happened."

Their conversation went on. After a few more drinks I paid the barkeep and went home. I was tired for some reason. In the middle of the night I heard a knock on my door. I didn't want another life taken because of my fear. I opened the door and pulled her in and shut it tight.

"You know it's dangerous to go out at night." I told her.

"I arrived in town recently and couldn't find anywhere to sleep. This wasn't the first house I tried to get into. I'm just glad you let me in."

"What are you doing traveling around?"

"I know a way to stop those beast."

"You what?"

"It's true, I was there when it all started." I got some tea ready before she could explain. "Thank you, now about two months ago. It's all my fault, only if I hadn't fallen for him and gave him the book."

"Aren't you going to explain?" I took a sip of tea.

"Yes, the shades we summoned them with a human sacrifice and an incantation. 'Beings who reside in the shadows, come to life and rid the land of vermin. Take their souls and make them yours so that you may grow stronger and increase in numbers. Write the wrongs that the human race has brought about this land.' When he said those words all of the fire in the room went out. I was scared, I got out of there. The moon was full that night so I was safe in it's light. The next morning I went back to the chamber and they were all lifeless and unresponsive. They just stood there with a blank stare. Those shades really did steal their souls."

She paused and took a drink of her tea.

"Well is there anything more I must know?" I asked.

"Yes, the sun came in through the a window and cast a ray onto one of the men, he turned to dust. I was terrified and left, but I did grab the book. How could I be seduced by such a man who would bring this living hell upon us?"

"Some men are manipulative. Now is there a way to reverse the spell?"

"Yes, it will require us to go back to the temple where it all started. We will also need the skull of a priest, and we will have to recite another incantation. I got it commited to memory. The only thing is the spell requires two people, and they need to stand at opposite ends of the spell zone and recite the spell. One more thing, it must be preformed during the full moon and when it's highest in the sky, which is in two days."

"That doesn't give you much time, if you don't do it then you'll have to wait 4 more weeks."

"Will you help me."

"I got nothing else to live for, so why not."

At the crack of dawn the next day I went to a candle store and bought as much as I could carry, and I made a trip to the cemetery where I spent an hour digging up a priest casket. It smelled horrible, but if it would stop these beast then I'll risk the damnation for it. I just realized something, I'm going to risk my life for this woman yet I don't even know her name.

I went back home and saw that she prepared a knapsack for of supplies for our venture. We left town on foot, there were no horses in town, and went toward Brasov. No one stopped us from leaving, why would they?

We mostly stuck to the open road, the shades were in the forest. We could hear them calling out to us, 'come on in, the sun must be burning you, it's nice and cool in here'. It could just be my imagination causing me to hear them but if they could talk that is what they would say.

The road was empty, not very many people travel around these days. There were very few hoof prints and carriage tracks in the ground, generally there is more. We met no one the whole way there.

We made it to Brasov before nightfall. No one would let us inside so we went to the abandoned temple. I found the chamber where the ritual was performed, it started to get dark so I went back to where she was. She got a fire started and I surrounded ourselves with candles. The light was faint but boosted with the one she started it should be enough to keep them away.

"So here I am, helping out a woman whose name I don't even know, and now we are eating and going to sleep together."

"Rachael."

"Huh?"

"My name is Rachael, yours."

"Simon."

She prepared some meat and potatoes. After supper I was exhausted, all that travelling got to me.. I went to sleep almost instantly. The next day I went out around town to see how things were. No one was talking, it was completely quiet. People would only go outside if they had to buy something and they were all hostile toward each other.

I saw a sign that peaked my interest 'House of the Dammed' it read. I went inside to see what it was all about. What I saw in there horrified me, it was all the soulless victims of the shades. They were gathered up by the townspeople, stripped of their clothing and belongings, and thrown in a cage. They didn't move or do anything, just stare into blank space. I had to get out of there before I threw up.

Nightfall finally came and Rachael and I had everything set up. We waited in the moonlight for it to be at its highest.

"This is it. I can finally atone for my sin." Rachael said.

"I won't have to live in fear anymore. When this is over want to go out and do something?"

"What?"

"Nothing."

We were silent, the moon had finally neared it's peak. We went inside and began the ritual.

In unison,"Spirits of the dark who reside in this world." All the lights went out. "You have been brought into this world now I command you to return." I felt a tugging at my heart. It was as if I was leaving my own body. "The world of the living is not your home and you are not welcome here." I can now see my own body, I'm almost completely out of it. "Now spirits of the dark BEGONE." I fell back into my body and I collapsed and passed out.

I awoke to see that Rachael was sitting above me, she placed my head in her lap but she was asleep. I picked up her hand and grabbed a sheet and put it over her. I walked back to the House of the Dammed. When I went inside everyone was freaking out. They were wondering why they were locked up, where their clothes went, and why there were so many of them.

I found the keys and opened their cages, they came out and some of them even attacked me. I explained that I wasn't the one who put them there and they were there because they had their souls stolen by the shades. They calmed down and I found the store room where all their stuff was. I guess the owner of this building didn't care since the front door was unlocked. I left afterward and went back to the temple.

I found Rachael still asleep, I put my head against hers and I went to sleep. We both woke up when a sunbeam greeted us.

"It's over." She said. "We did it Simon."

"Yeah it is, I guess this is where we part ways huh?"

"No one says we have to just leave each other."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"My life here is over, there is no where left for me to go."

"I have room at my house, you can stay as long as you like."

"Thank you, I accept your invitation."

Rachael and I went back to my home and we started our lives together. At first we were just friends, but she helped me get over my loss and we grew closer. Next thing you know I got engaged to her. We're getting married this fall.

I think less and less of that time, but I think it's a good thing, it means I'm over it. We have a whole new life ahead of us, for better or for worse.