All Winnie had wanted to do after arriving at the campsite was unpack, and relax indoors. After the whole ordeal with Mr.Dev, who seemed to be everywhere, the thought of napping on the bed he’d recently vacated was not a nice one. The room still smelt of him, all musty and oilcloth. So instead, she dumped her bag at the threshold of the door with barely so much of a glance at the rest of the interior, pocketing some food supplies in her small day bag just in case.
Maybe she’d ask Larry if he could get a cleaner in there while she went for a walk to clear her head. Despite the strangeness of the entire trip so far, she had to admit it was a beautiful space. The air was cool, but not too cool, and the sky was cloudless. It was the epitome of a perfect summer, with the lush green grass, birdsong and neighbouring forest that gave the impression of ultimate privacy.
Checking her phone battery, she was pleased to see it was still over 50%. Usually she’d delight in just listening to the sounds of nature, but a band that was admittedly a guilty pleasure of hers had just dropped a new album. Now, when there was no one else around, was the perfect chance to listen. She would have dropped dead with embarrassment if Thea had ever heard her listening to The Love Wizards in their apartment. Jesus, even the name made her cringe almost as much as she fangirled over it.
The Love Wizards were a 3 piece boyband, each one with a pseudonym. No one had ever figured out their real names. Love Machine was the singer, with Sunshine on drums and Starlight on electric guitar. Her personal favourite was Starlight; he had nailed the brooding, mysterious look, and she lived for it.
The first chords of the album began to play as she was fully enveloped inside the treeline. The world was plunged into a darker version of itself as the thick pine blocked out the setting sun. It would be easy to lose track of time.
She clambered easily over fallen branches and wired clumps of bracken, it being a terrain she was utterly familiar with. She could traverse even the densest of woodland with her eyes closed, but even she couldn’t avoid the pungent fox poo she stepped in, camouflaged perfectly against the muddy ground. It would wipe off in time, she thought with a shrug.
She was focused on the lyrics as they blasted through her headphones, not noticing the time ticking past, the sun well past setting now.
Even if i trieeeed to forget you
I wouldn't be able tooo
I can't help but seeee your face on strangers
Every time I tryyyy to tell me we're through
I just feel like a petal falling off a dead flower
And the gleaaaaam in your eyes
The fiiiire in your soul
Won't ever stop burnin'
No it won't ever stop burnin'
Burnin' in my heart
Ugh, why was it so good, when it was also so trash? She clicked repeat, before a flash of movement caught her eye. It was another person, and she instinctively went to turn down the volume so they couldn’t hear what she was listening to. Their hair caught her eye. A silver so deep it seemed to glimmer even in the darkness.
Holy shit, is that Starlight?
Unable to look away, she moved towards the figure heading further into the forest. Briefly, she thought it must be night now, her stomach complaining slightly with hunger. A briar caught her arm, the thorn leaving a jagged slice that wept blood. Still she carried on following the stranger, unable to catch up no matter how fast her legs moved.
He stopped when he reached a small clearing, and turned to look at her as if he knew she had been there all along. She wanted to apologise for intruding, but what she saw stopped her in her tracks. It was Starlight, and with him in the clearing was Sunshine and Love Machine. But their usual tan skin was now wan, so pale it was almost translucent. She could see the blue of veins running close to the surface, a stark contrast with their red eyes and shiny, half moon scars on their necks. One word ran through her mind: vampires.
