Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.
Gunther has dealt with the villagers, at least for now. But he's telling Avram and Dracula to stay put until he returns, and he'll be as quick as possible. Dracula is definitely unhappy. See what's going on in this week's chapter of Dracula. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!
“It’s only
me.” Gunther’s disembodied voice came floating down to them from above. Moments
later, his black-robed body came into view as he plodded down the steps and
joined them, one of the candles from the altar in his hand. He set the candle into a wall sconce that
Avram hadn’t even realized was there until that moment. It wasn’t much, but it
was a definite relief from the previous gloom. Avram searched his friend’s
countenance by the light of the flickering flames, hoping his expression would
reveal the result of his encounter with the villagers, but Gunther’s face
betrayed nothing.
Avram shot
a quick glance at his employer. He noticed
that Nico seemed to be a little less uneasy than he’d been before, which must
be a good thing. So why was he still concerned about him? Maybe because he was
too familiar with his habits to believe all was now well. He knew this slight change in his demeanor had
nothing to do with Gunther’s arrival, as he clearly didn’t care for the man, and
he also knew that the vampire held no fear of the dark, so it wasn’t just the
presence of the light, although he himself found that to be a relief. Not that
he feared anything with Nico by his side. There must be another reason for Dracula’s
anxiety, but what it was he couldn’t begin to imagine. And he didn’t think this
was the time to ask.
“The
villagers? They are gone?” Dracula snapped. Apparently, he still retained a
certain amount of tension.
Avram felt
guilt well up inside of him—guilt that the man was even there with him at all
when he could have easily escaped by himself and been far from here by now.
Instead, he had voluntarily chosen to stay with Avram. He felt like such a
burden. Nonetheless, he was grateful for Nico’s presence as well as his company.
Whether he liked to admit it or not, he worried when Nico strayed too far from
home. Never mind he was a hundred-fifty-year-old vampire with a mind of his
own, Avram cared about what happened to him. And yes, he cared about Dracula…
about the man who had virtually saved his life. That was not something easily
forgotten.
It was a complicated
situation.
“They have
gone,” Gunther confirmed, remaining calm despite the obvious antipathy of the
other man. “They have taken Doina and Bogdan back to their home to prepare them
for burial and to administer the last rites.”
“If you
need to go, we can make our own way,” Avram offered, but Gunther shook his
head.
“No,
that’s not necessary. Their priest shall do so.”
Avram
understood immediately. He should have realized such would be the case, as most
of the village were members of the newer church. Perhaps it was that fact which
was helping to keep them safe in this less-visited place. But for how long?
“But I do
really have to go now. I must insure your safe journey, remember? It’s
imperative that you leave Bistritz as soon as possible.” He glanced sharply at
Dracula and raised his hand, as if to ward off any arguments the other might
make, but the vampire remained silent, so he continued. “I will make those
arrangements and return with food as soon as I can. I’m not sure how long you
must wait here—”
Dracula’s
previously suppressed anger could no longer be contained as his silence came to
its inevitable end, much to Avram’s chagrin.
“And who
are you to tell me what I can and cannot do? You seem to forget whom it is you
are speaking to, priest. You think you have the right to keep us detained in
this… this detestable dungeon?” Dracula started to move toward Gunther and
Avram quickly grabbed his arm, although he knew his strength alone would not
suffice if Dracula did not wish it to be so. Dracula made no move to shake him
off, but his anger was not to be allayed. “It is bad enough that we cannot
return to the castle, perhaps for a long time to come, but you expect we should
skulk beneath the earth like vermin? Trapped at your whim? And what if you do
not come back, what then? Perhaps that is your plan? You wish for us to die,
and this is to be our tomb? This shall be your revenge for the death of the
idiot blacksmith?”
“Verdammte
Arschloch.”
Avram
heard Gunther swear under his breath. If he heard, then of course Dracula did
too.
Gunther
threw up his hands in exasperation. “I have put up with much from you, Dracula.
Mostly for Avram’s sake. He is a good man, and I trust his judgment, even when
it comes to you.”
“What do
you know about me?” Dracula hissed. “You know nothing, that is what you know.”
“I know
that Avram works too hard for too little appreciation. Trying to allow you to
live the fancy life you enjoy. Let me ask this, what do you do to deserve this…
this frippery.” He waved a hand at Dracula’s expensive suit. “There are people
who are grateful to have a roof over their heads and food to eat, while you…
you…” Breathing heavily now, he turned away from the vampire in disgust. “I
have no time for this. Avram, I shall return. Please be safe.” He dashed up the
stairs with surprising speed and the floor closed above them once more.
to be continued
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