The moon was hidden behind the thick clouds, and the entire village was plunged into an eerie silence. It seemed as if even the air had solidified, suffocating everyone. Three days had passed since the incident at the clock tower. Kalle hadn't slept a wink. He sat in the corner of the tavern, staring blankly at the candle on the table. The flame flickered slightly, unable to dispel the darkness in his heart.
Darlene sat across from him, holding half a glass of cold wine in her hand. Her eyes fell from time to time on the faintly visible black pattern on the back of Kalle's hand.
"Are you going to keep this up?" She finally broke the silence, her voice tinged with concern.
Kalle didn't look up. He simply snuffed out the flame of the candle. "What else can I do?"
Darlene sighed and moved closer to him, lowering her voice. "Ivan's disappearance isn't your fault. You know what his choice meant. He sacrificed his existence for the temporary peace of the village. But we can't stay here."
Kalle's eyes flickered slightly, and then he said coldly, "Peace? It's just an illusion."
He looked up and out the window at the gloomy night. The streets of the village were deserted, with only the occasional barking of dogs echoing in the distance.
Just then, there was a rush of footsteps at the door. Lucas pushed the door open, his face solemn. He walked up to their table and said in a hushed voice, "Something's wrong."
Kalle looked up. "What happened?"
"The livestock at the Kruses' place..." Lucas paused, his tone somber. "Three of them are dead. Their throats were torn open, and their bodies are shriveled. It's as if all the blood has been drained."
Darlene's face darkened immediately. "Another werewolf attack?"
"No." There was a hint of unease in Lucas's eyes. "It's something else. I examined the marks on the bodies. It doesn't seem to be the work of an ordinary wild animal."
Kalle stood up and put on his cloak. "Take me there."
——
In the moonlight, the Kruses' livestock shed was in a dilapidated state. The air was thick with the smell of blood. It seemed as if countless eyes were watching from the dark corners. Three emaciated livestock lay on the ground, their fur in disarray. Blood flowed slowly along the ground, and the soil had already been dyed dark brown.
Kalle crouched down and carefully examined the wounds on the bodies. His fingertips brushed over the neat and deep incisions, and his brow furrowed. "These aren't wolf bites. They're... fingernail marks?"
Lucas was taken aback. "Fingernail marks? You mean, this was done by a human?"
"Not exactly." Kalle stood up and looked towards the end of the livestock shed. There, he saw a row of deep footprints that extended from outside the shed into the forest in the distance.
Darlene followed his gaze, her expression complicated. "These are... human footprints?"
Kalle didn't answer. He slowly walked towards the forest along the footprints. The night wind blew, and he could clearly sense the remaining aura in the air. It was a familiar smell, tinged with a hint of decay and death.
Not far away, there was a slight rustling among the tree shadows, as if something was spying on them in the dark.
Lucas tightened his grip on the silver blade in his hand. "Who's there?"
In the darkness, a gaunt figure slowly emerged from behind a tree.
It was Huck, the old tailor in the village.
His face was deathly pale, his eyes were dull, and his steps were unsteady. He made no sound as he walked. The most eerie thing was that his eyes were pitch-black, without pupils, like a walking corpse.
Darlene took a step back and asked in a low voice, "Huck? What are you doing here?"
Huck didn't answer. Instead, he slowly opened his mouth, revealing blood - stained fangs. Thick black liquid oozed from the corners of his mouth, and he murmured, "Blood... I need more
blood..."
Lucas's expression changed. "He's been cursed!"
Hardly had he finished speaking when Huck lunged at Kalle. His speed is beyond normal, and his fingernails were like sharp blades, clawing towards Kalle's throat!
Kalle sidestepped to avoid the attack. The short blade in his hand stabbed back into Huck's shoulder. Strangely, Huck showed no sign of pain. Instead, he struggled even more violently, emitting low growls like a wild animal.
Darlene drew her crossbow and quickly aimed at Huck's back. The arrow pierced through his heart in an instant. Huck froze and slowly fell to the ground. However, a strange smile still hung on his lips. "This... is just the beginning..."
Kalle looked at the fallen Huck, a sense of unease welling up in his heart. "There's something else inside him."
Lucas gritted his teeth. "We can't let the villagers know about this. Otherwise, panic will spread quickly."
Darlene said gravely, "But if we don't find the source of the curse soon, more people will end up like Huck..."
The three of them exchanged glances. The night wind blew, and the shadows in the forest loomed large, as if countless lurking eyes were coldly watching them.
Kalle withdrew his short blade, his gaze as calm as water. "Early tomorrow morning, we'll go to the cellar beneath the clock tower."
Lucas was taken aback. "Beneath the clock tower? Do you suspect there's something wrong there?"
"Ivan once said that the curse couldn't be completely sealed. The clock tower only sealed most of its power." Kalle said slowly. "The remaining part may be hidden somewhere in the village."
Darlene added in a low voice, "And Huck is just the first pawn."
The moonlight pierced through the clouds again and shone on the three of them, stretching their shadows extremely long and overlapping them in the empty forest.
This night was destined to be a sleepless one.