Chapter 2
Immediately after her battle, she stood up and brushed off the remains of the creature she had just killed. Just like all the rest, she sighed. She walked alone down the dark residential street, thinking about this recent attack. She knew this creature was very old since it turned to dust. It was better that way because there were no bodies for the authorities to ponder about for days. Younger ones left half-decayed bodies behind and the authorities made much a commotion about corpses lying around at night. She understood because it always left a mess.
As she passed a large oak tree, she snickered as she thought about the past. The very first time she eliminated one of the undead, she believed she was a killer. However, she began to realize that she could not be a killer since the things she eliminated were already dead. This extermination was like all the rest, except something about tonight was different. There was another presence nearby, which she could clearly sense. She felt someone or thing watching her, motionless in the night. Her intuition told her to be cautious but there was no immediate danger. She was grateful because she now felt the exhaustion from the battle. She didn't want to worry about another attack tonight. While she needed to restore her energy level, she also desired the company of a man. It's been a long time and she hoped she'd find a man she could surrender her unconditional love and trust absolutely.
Back in his hotel room, the clock on the nightstand read 6:05 a.m. He looked around the rented room and remembered the home he had known and loved for so long. This room was so plain; one twin bed, a single nightstand, a plain wood dresser, a lamp and phone, and a single closet. The best thing about the room was the tightly drawn drapes that made it impossible for natural light to come into the room. The room door was made of hard wood with a small space between the floor and door. With a towel placed at the bottom of the door, no light could come through.
It had been such a blessing to discover he no longer needed a coffin to exist. He remembered the nightly routines of being awaken at night, free to roam the earth only to return to the coffin before sunrise. He looked down at his hands and saw the small, embroidered handkerchief he had gotten from the woman who helped and loved him for so many years. He was still very fond of her but missed her deeply. As a gift, she gave him the handkerchief with his initials on it that stood for Barnabas Collins. During this century, she was one of two people who knew his secret and lived. All others never lived long enough to tell his secret, but she became his trusted and cherished friend. Death had always been a fascination with him and her except that day when she left him forever. Oh Julia, he sighed. As he lay back on the bed and closed his eyes, thoughts drifted between the woman from his past and the woman he hoped would be part of his future.
Across the street, in another hotel room, she slept in her bed as the clock ticked past 6:30 a.m. Since she spent most of her nights trying to rid the world of the unscrupulous undead, she found the days very relaxing. After falling asleep, she had a dream.
A man about six feet tall with dark hair stood on top of a cliff, overlooking an ocean. The man glanced over the edge while leaning on his cane. A small child stood next to him, holding his hand. As the sun rose above the horizon and the rays moved over the ocean, the man slowly turned around to face her. She saw his sad eyes, beckoning her. As she started to move towards him, she was horrified to witness the rays from the sun touch his shoulder igniting him and the child into flames.
Quickly awaking, she sat up in bed, soaked in her own sweat and her eyes full of tears. Why was she reacting this way over a dream, the man and child weren't real . . . were they? She decided she had been at her job for too many years and she needed a diversion. She looked at her clock and it read 5:30 p.m. Leaving the bed to shower, she thought of the man and child in her dream. Did she know or would she meet either one?
Barnabas walked around his room and checked the clock repeatedly, this time it read 5:30 p.m. He thought about the dream he had and it frightened him. He hadn't remembered having such a vivid dream before. He was standing on Widow's Hill, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, watching the sunrise. It was an event he longed to view again, one day. He remembered a child next to him but couldn't see her face. Was it Sarah, his sister, or another unknown child? Then a woman approached him, the woman he wanted to meet. The last thing he remembered of his dream was flames engulfing his vision.
Looking out the window at a beautiful sunset, it reminded him of the flames, and then he thought of her. He suspected he would see her, hopefully this time meet her.