Lucian Morningstar

DRACULA'S MYSTIC!

"It's not like that, it's just how we greet each other here" the secretary could tell that the workers liked Lilith a lot and that they were glaring at her for talking to Lilith like that. She rolled her eyes unbothered by their glares and said;

"Mister Marlo, calls for your attention in his office right now." She folded her hands and walked out of the office casually, Lilith followed after her in slow precise steps. When they got to his office on the third floor of the building, his secretary Ruth went into his office first to inform him that Lilith was outside. Lilith made herself comfortable in the waiting room where Ruth's office was situated. She moved around reading the charts on the wall and soliloquizing to herself somethings. When Ruth came out of the Boss's office and said to her;

"You may go inside"

Lilith hurriedly entered the office and greeted the Boss first;

"Good morning sir, you called for me?" Lilith greeted the man with a gentle smile on her face. while standing in a corner looking at him.

Lilith sees Mister Marlo smith as a nice middle aged man who is always kind to all his workers. So she wasn't at all frightened of him like the others in fact she sees him as a father figure.

To her, he's never partial and he has a way of getting things done accordingly, it's just that at that moment Lilith had no idea why he called her. So, she was slightly tensed and she was hoping in her heart that it would be for a good reason.

"Morning Miss Lilith I called for you indeed, please make yourself comfortable."  She sat down on the chair offered to her and raised her eyes in anticipation for what he called her for.

"Have you ever heard of a novel titled; Dracula's mystic!" Lilith's face brightened up with a wide smile,"

"oh yes I have and oh what a magnificent uncompleted novel it's, one of Valliant's best if I may say so myself!" She replied her boss excitedly but with a hint of concern on her face.

"Indeed, it's one of Valliant's best ever published novel, you must have heard about the author of the book, Mister Bart Dion, it was mysterious that after the submission of the book he went missing, the police are still looking into the case.

Although we have since tried to send other writers to the Town to study their myths and history in order to complete the book, but none have agreed because of the false rumours that are being spread around about his missing case. It's quite unfortunate that the novel will have to be completed by a different author. And that's why I called you here.

 Miss Lilith you have been chosen to go to Hems Ville in Louisiana to study the history and myths of the people and hopefully with the inspiration you get, you'll write a mind blowing novel that will wow everyone and stop the rumours making rounds in Valliant's Publishing house." He explained to her intelligently.

"Me? sir! Are you sure?" he smiled and nodded, then he continued talking;

"Your stay and other expenses will be sponsored by Valliant's Publishing house, so you have nothing to worry about, your every need will be taken care of." He assured her, Lilith smiled at him and answered;

"It's indeed a good opportunity but what about the rumours making rounds in the office? Should I not be concerned about them? The rumours about how Hems Ville is home to dangerous creatures!" Mister Marlo smiled at her and said;

"I thought you will be more sensible, compared to your colleagues because all that you have heard is nothing more than just rumours. Hems-Ville is in fact a tourist site for tourist, and many people go there often for their vacations." Mister Marlo explained to her casually with a confident and caring look on his face. Seeing that the man looked honest and there was no hidden agenda written on his face. Lilith answered him saying;

"It will be my pleasure mister Marlo" they shook hands and she exited the office only to meet with Ruth's contemptible eyes glaring at her with a mischievous smile.

Lilith was unfazed by her, which made her all the more annoyed with her. Ruth’s thoughts of her at the moment when she saw her was like;

'Fool! let's see how it's going to work out for you in Hems Ville.' Ruth mocked her, in her mind as she watched Lilith leaving without being bothered about her.

When Lilith returned to the office, all her colleagues had their eyes on her, they were worry stricken for her because of the news about her travel had already spread everywhere in the office. Her friend Ava approached her and peered at her;

"What where thinking Lilith?" she asked curiously as she was shocked that her friend accepted such an offer.

"What?" Lilith was confused, she creased her browse and peered into her friend's eyes trying to understand what she was talking about.

"You accepted that man's offer? That mister goody two shoes!" Ava face palmed herself in frustration. She was confused and annoyed at her friend’s decision.

"Yeah! Don't say that, he is a good man and an amazing human being. Honestly I don't know why you guys over react a lot... in fact I see him as a father figure" Ava rolled her eyes at Lilith and answered her angrily;

"Why are you so naïve, can't you see? That nobody here agreed to go, shouldn't that have send a message to your brain that, hello danger! danger! don't go there?" Lilith was still confused looking at her stressed out friend. She couldn't understand why her friend is frustrated about her decision. as she was still looking puzzled one of the other workers yelled at her;

"All this was a plan between that b***h Ruth and the Boss himself, they are trying to get rid of you, for a reason even I don't understand and no gossips ever pass by me without my notice." The man was talking with his hands tucked in his pockets. While browsing at her with his eyes like she was a fool. One other man stood up to stand in front of her and he said;

"That place called Hems Ville is actually filled with real-life monsters.  You know, it's not just rumours, people say that place is actually spooky. I personally don't think mister Bart Dion went missing. I know for a fact he's being held there as a captive, unfortunately." the man slammed his hands on her desk and went away annoyed by Lilith's decision

Lilith couldn't say anything after all that her colleagues had said, she was stupefied and in disbelief. She forced a smile at them. After realizing her foolishness and that it was already too late to turn back. She said to them;

"Don't worry, I am sure everything will be alright" she went back to her partitioned desk and sat there, thinking about everything that had transpired due to her artless ways in utter silence.

****                                                ****

Lilith arrived home late in the night, it was a Friday and her trip to Louisiana was set for the next day. She had a lot of things to do, but her heart was heavy and she was very sad for the fact that her boss was taking advantage of her.

Growing up as an orphan Lilith had nobody, and at that time she was home she wished she had somebody to hug her and to tell the person of the injustice done to her. After turning on the music in her room, she slumped to the floor in her room devastated, she cried her heart out. While she was crying.

 Later on, she heard a loud knock on her door. She wiped her eyes and walked to the door to opened it, only to find Karan her neighbor standing there with two bowls, one of ice-cream and the other of popcorn. She lets him in and he quickly took note of her puffy eyes, he dropped the ice cream and the popcorn on the center table and hurriedly drew her into a tight embrace.

"It's okay dear! Don't cry it's going to be alright" she bursts in tears in Karan's embrace. Karan is Lilith's close friend, they practically grew up together, in the same neighborhood back in California, And, even after she left the neighborhood she grew up in to Texas, they somehow met again in the quarters she's renting an apartment in. She sees him as a friend and a brother and she trusts him completely.

"I just hate betrayers, liars and users!" she confided in him in tears about all her troubles at work. He patted her back and ushered her to seat beside him on the couch. He wrapped his hands around her back and continued patting her to calm her nerves down.

"I know what will make you feel better" he smiled and then went to put on her favorite TV show. She smiled at his kind gesture as she grabbed the bowl of popcorn and began munching on it. When the show started playing she yelled excitedly;

"The Simpsons!"