The sun was up in the sky, and the villagers were clearly going about their business. All that could be seen were clearly humans, since the vampires that lived among them only dared to roam at night and late in the evenings.
During the day was a time that was very particular for the villagers, since not only did they have no reason to be scared, but they could also go around without fear of being bitten or killed by a Vampire Lord either for fun or for food.
In the left part of the village, close to the war boundary that surrounded it from the high vegetation beyond, was a medium-sized house that looked old. But looking closely, one could see that parts of it had been newly fixed.
Although it looked just as poor as the ones that surrounded it, it was obvious that extra care had been taken to beautify and make it stand apart.
Inside, childish screams could be heard as the voice of a young boy echoed out through the walls.
"When is sister Harriet coming back? You promised last week but she isn’t here yet!" a young boy with black curly hair and brown eyes, who couldn’t have been more than four years old, loudly cried as he clung to his sister’s leg.
His sister was much older than him, but from her face, it was obvious that she was still in her early teens. She glared at him without pity and with all the frustration she could muster, as she tried to pull him off her legs while screaming for help from someone else.
"Mother! Get him off me! How am I supposed to know why she changed her mind!" she harshly snapped at him, which only made the boy slowly start to wail.
The mother, who seemed clearly busy in the kitchen, hands covered in soap, was still trying to wash it off when two voices could be heard, followed by footsteps.
"Don’t worry, Mother... Mariana will get Danny!" Maria sighed, even as she glared at her directly younger sister Mari, who glared at the still-wailing Danny who clung tightly to her.
’It’s always the ones we want that don’t want us!’ Maria thought to herself, even as she watched Mariana, who was older than her, try to pick up Danny and console him—only for him to refuse, as he continued to cling on to Mari like he was holding on for dear life.
Finally, she was able to pull him away, but it wasn’t until Mother stuffed dried bun rolls in his mouth before the wailing finally stopped, mellowing into loud sniffs, even as Maria also consoled with a huge grin on her face, watching his red face.
He was clearly spoilt, yet none of them complained about it—especially Harriet, who made sure to give him everything he wanted. It didn’t help that he looked every bit like their sick father, even with how young and small he was.
"Relax, Danny! Harriet sent a message. She was held up. She should be here in a few days!" Maria promised, even as Danny nodded his head, his attention having completely shifted to the sweet buns in his hands—so much so that it almost seemed like he had forgotten the reason why he had been crying in the first instance, as he was enclosed in Mariana’s embrace.
Maria was going to say more only to hear her name being called by her mother, which she instantly responded to with a huge smile on her face and a spring in her step.
While Mari was the grumpy one, Mariana being extremely responsible and caring, Maria was simply the jovial and playful one among the sisters who clung to their mother. Harriet refused to stay home, preferring to stick to their father’s brother, their uncle, who knew how to hunt animals and fight, since he had once been a noble man’s guard.
"Yes, Mother!" Maria responded the second she got back to her mother’s side with a huge smile on her face, only to be handed a covered plate along with somber words that made her expression become more severe.
"Careful! This is the only one I made. It’s your father’s medicine!" her mother told her, muttering the other words she said under her breath as she gestured for Maria to leave—almost like she didn’t want her to hear and was simply mumbling to herself.
"A few herbs were missing, but I can’t afford any more. Not until Harriet gets here!" she mumbled to herself, even as Maria nodded severely and instantly turned to walk to her father’s room. The smell of medicine and rotting flesh hit her the second she stepped in the room.
A learned healer would have been able to sniff out the smell of a dying man—even one without a nose.
"Father!" Maria whispered as she got closer, doing her best not to stare at his midsection, which was covered and where the rotting smell was strongest.
"Father!" she called out again louder, as she placed the bowl closer to him along with the spoon, opening it in preparation to feed him.
Satisfied to see her father wake up, even if he didn’t seem pleased. "Your mother shouldn’t bother..." he croaked out, but Maria simply focused on feeding it to him with a straight expression on her face, trying to hide the panic she felt as she began to speak while feeding the herb broth that had been made into his mouth.
"Relax, Father! We heard news that Harriet now lives in the castle! She sent some money and soon I’m sure she would be able to find a healer that can treat your wounds!" Maria spoke, speaking more to herself—aware that her father was probably too tired to focus on her.
Glad that he at least seemed to be swallowing, compared to the last time when he refused to take a single spoon and would simply throw it up even if he did.
Maria was about to continue speaking when suddenly the sound of the door being crashed into and broken echoed through the house, followed by loud screams that could only belong to her sisters and mother.
The sound was horrifying enough for the spoon Maria held to fall out of her hands. Her father also shook, but his eyes barely fluttered as he settled on the bed, barely able to move.
Maria could do nothing but spring up and dash—not the least bit concerned for her life—only to freeze as she stepped out and got to the living room, where she saw nothing but blood.
That and pieces of her mother strewn on the ground at the kitchen pathway, which led to the main living room. The screams that continued to echo in her ears only made it worse.