We Are Hunters

Boulder, Colorado
October 14th, 2011
11: 46 P. M.

November 10, 1866
I believe my time is nearly up. All the signs I have found and clues discovered point to this. 11/11/11 shall be the end of the last free man and the beginning of the first. To anyone who finds this, my descendants or not, the hanging was false and the claims a lie. Do not believe the Fox and be wary the full moon that rises red. Godspeed.

--- William Helsing

“That’s all it says.”
“What do you mean that’s all it says?”
“I mean,” He said motioning to the yellowed parchment clutched in his hand, “that’s all there is.”
“Fantastic.” He scratched his head absentmindedly and sighed. “Well. Let’s get out of here. I don’t fancy being here when they get back.”
The other man chuckled softly as he tucked the letter into his pocket. “You don’t ‘fancy’ being here.” He mocked. “You’re such a yank.”
“Forgive me for my lack of southern drawl, ‘partner’.” He retaliated as he opened the door. “Now let’s get the hell out of here.”
They stepped out of the abandoned homestead and braced for the cold, lowering their heads to the howling wind and tucking their hands into their pockets. Rain blew in sheets toward them and plastered their jackets flat against their skin, chilling them within their own clothes. Shivering they looked back and forth as they made their way across the yard, boots slopping in the mud and splashing through the sodden grass.
“Wait a minute. Hold up.” They both froze mid-stride and crouched low. “Headlights.”
Two beams of light flashed across the house, illuminating every insignificant detail of the ramshackle cabin. Broken windows letting the storm in, spaces between the wooden boards creating that eerie whistle as the wind passes through, and the sunken porch that looked like a U instead of an A hanging so low it blocked the top of the doorway.
A few seconds later the rattling roar of an old motor followed and a beat up, old Chevy pulled around the line of trees and into the driveway. The lights illuminated the two patches of muddy grass where they had been standing just seconds before.
“Stay low. Don’t move, and wait for my signal.”
“Wait, what’re you—“He turned to where his partner had been to find no sign of him. “Collin? Damn it.”
One by one the inhabitants of the truck clambered out and shivered.
“Gah, I hate the cold!” He muttered as he scratched the scruff on his neck. “Why the devil did we choose this bloody state to set up shop?”
“Stop complaining, Garth. Doesn’t matter.”
“Well I mean, “Garth continued as they made their way inside. “It’s not like we would’ve found any less folks in Texas. Or Arizona.” They stooped under the low porch and shook the rain from their jackets and hats. “You know what I mean, Rob?”
“Honestly, I don’t give a crap where they come from. They all taste the same to me. In fact, what say we check in on our supper?” Rob replied with a vicious grin, revealing two rows of thin incisors.
“You know.” A third voice called from the shadows. “Those chompers are alright.. But what do you think of mine?”
The two men looked up to the dark section of ceiling across the room and inhaled a gasp. A blur streaked across the room and struck out at both of them, slashing viciously in precise cuts, slitting their throats before any oxygen reached their lungs to scream.
Both men staggered and collapsed as they struggled with fumbling fingers to stop the bleeding.
“Sorry about that chaps, but I couldn’t have you feasting on innocent people now could I?” Their only reply was to thrash about on the floor gurgling. “Well this conversation has been very enlightening, and I feel like I learned a lot today and will be a better man because of it. Thanks guys.” He walked to the door then turned on his heel. “Of course I am curious as to how you gits managed to find a page of Helsing’s journal..ah well. Too late now.”
He stepped outside back into the rain and inhaled deeply the brisk air. A young woman appeared around the side of the house with the other man beside her.
“Glad you got my signal.” Collin said as he strode over to them. “The girl’s alright I assume?”
“Hardly, there was barely a sound in there. It was the silence that set me off. And yeah, I think so. Aside from nearly being eaten by ghouls.”
“Good work, Jace. Let’s get her out of here.” Collin turned to the young woman and inspected her quickly. She was thin, frighteningly so and pale. Almost as pale as him. But it was her eyes that caught his: so light and sullen, with her face seemingly stretched beneath them; bloodshot and puffy as if crying.
“She says she has a sister in the next town over. I thought we could take—“
“Jace, get away from her. Now.”