Dahlia's Apartment. Evening. India carefully carried the bicycle back inside the apartment, she pushed the button of the lift and reached floor four.
As the door was open, India saw a girl her age sitting at the balcony window at the end of the hall, her eyes staring out the window. India with her bicycle met the girl with a smile.
"Hi? (the girl turned to her) are you staying on this floor? if you did I never saw you around".
The girl smiled. "Yes I am. I'm staying at 0421 (she pointed out where her room was). I know you. You're India right? medical student, we went to the same university".
"Really? What courses are you taking?"
"Art. With Norman Smith teacher and you with Professor Van Helsing".
The girls smile. India snickering. "I'm sorry that I didn't see you there. Kind of busy I think".
"It's okay. Medical students are always busy with scalpel, telescope, surgeon.. to save people's lives you should learn that kind of stuff. I admire that".
The girl outstretched her arm to India. "Tanya Balderton. What with the bike?"
"India Greene. Nothing. Jonathan says I have to keep my treasure back inside the apartment. He studies art too".
"Ah Harker. Yes he is. Well, three rows from me. His talents are amazing as he draws into the canvas. Passionate he was, the roof is the place he is doing his research if you realized that".
"Yeah, he showed me before. My mum is also a researcher too. Kim Destler".
Tanya Balderton nods. "I know. Harker says how crushed he was to your mum about her researcher. I also believe and hear about Garret' Town where your hometown was stood are searching for a midnight mass murdered. The killer drains the victim's blood".
"So you heard that. Yes, they still talked about it. Some say the killer was a Vampire, a Dracula (Tanya Balderton smile) I know you don't believe me this is ridiculous".
"Nah, I believe you. I believe what they say, no animal or human will drain their victims blood unless it was a cult doing. But I don't think the cult will do that. If it was human doing they slashed their throat or any part of the body. The thing is.. it is just two dots mark on the victims neck where the examiner found".
India is eyeing her. "So you believe all these Vampire things?"
"Of course I do. Even though we live in the 21st century, do you think vampires won't exist among us? they (smiling) wish I could see one of it".
India snorted. There a door creaks open, another student shows up between them. She looked around and found India and Tanya at the end of the hall. Smirking, she said.
"What are you guys doing?"
"Alice, India (Tanya eyes the girl then back to India) India this is Alice. She goes to the same university as us".
The girl gave the two a fake smile as she spoke. "This hall is off limits because that is where I try to focus on my study".
"You can't rule this place Alice. We can do whatever we want on this floor or I will kill you".
"Whatever!" the girl slammed the door shut.
India snickering, said. "Is she alright? she almost fainted, she was pale".
"Yeah Alice. She took computer science courses, she had to create a new software for the systems and she never failed to test the software. Her professor was impressed by her".
"Interesting (jingle the keys) I should get inside now. Is nice to meet you here".
Tanya nods and smiles. "I'll see you around then". India walked to her door then shut it behind, but there was a knock on the door. It was Tanya again. "Hi. I forgot to tell you today is my birthday and my friends brought me a cake if you don't mind.. can I celebrate my birthday with you inside".
"Sure. Come in (she let her pass) not much as I say".
"I think it's brilliant". Tanya laid the cake on the counter in the kitchen. "I was born in Nevada. No parents. I was raised in an orphanage home. I don't know my parents, not even to try to look for them".
India takes a seat next to her. "Why not?"
"They abandoned me in India! They don't want me. Why should I look for them? There is no sight of them either, not even a picture, just a letter they give. It says they are sorry. Just like that (sighs) I keep that letter with me and I try to burn it but I can't, the memory I had with my real parents is just a letter".
Tanya began to cut the cake, and the girls ate the cake silently. "What about you India?"
"Just my mum. I've never seen my dad since I was eight, he remarried and he moved to Italy with three kids and wife".
"He's cheating aren't he? (India shrug) Of course he is cheating. What else could that be he suddenly moving on with someone else. Your mum is pretty, you know that, men are never satisfied with one woman in their life".
India scoop the cake inside her mouth then nodded. "This cake is so delicious (trying to change the topic) oh and urmm.. happy birthday Tanya".
India's mum at the dining room, she trying to break the mystery murdered case of Keen Gallowhall and Brandon S. Miller.
She got the copy files secretly from her secret partner information. Glasses on her crooked nose as her finger fast typing on the keyboard laptop with the information she gathered and with these articles they will believe what she had found out by herself.
She then leaned back and drank the coffee. "The door is open!" as she hears the door creak open and close behind. "What did you get from the morgue? tell me everything".
"We need to stop Kim. Bourbon's know you up for something including this case. I hate to say this but.. Bourbon will get you arrested if you post your articles online about the Vampires existence among us".
"What do the Bourbon's know about Vampires you tell me Slick? He doesn't know anything. Because he's afraid I'll take over his job as I find the killer and the truth".
Slick shook his head. "Will they believe your story Kim?"
"They will Slick! I am the top journalist in America who beat the famous journalist Anthony J. Bree. My article wasn't just an article, if you want an article do research and prove its existence".
She cracked her neck. "Remember Igor Konstantine the craniodiaphyseal dysplasia russian boy who was chained up by his parents deep inside the wood? the one who was left behind?"
"Yes, that boy. You were the first who arrived at the scene and his parents died before you could meet them in New Orleans. They left the boy in our town and moved out without our notice".
"Exactly (she smiles) hurt isn't it? wasn't fair for Igor with no food, no drink. How scared he was. No one knows Igor was there all the time (dialing the number) I am gonna call my daughter".
Slick went to the kitchen. "Oh India went to N.Y.C right? send my regards to her".
Night. India and Tanya went for groceries after celebrating Tanya's birthday. They arrive at the floor with groceries bags and find Alice standing right in front of India's apartment door.
Tanya shouted. "Alice! (the girl shocked backing off) what the hell you're doing, did you try to steal?"
"No. I wasn't. I've been standing here because your apartment was so loud that you forget to turn off the tv before you go out!"
India turned to Tanya, then she walked where Alice was standing. "I didn't turn on the tv, how's that possible!"
"You think! well turn it off will ya!"
Alice slammed her door shut, quickly India unlocking the door reveals the tv is off and nowhere seems it turning on by itself.
She dropped the grocery bags on the counter, curious. "Doesn't seem like it's turning on by itself. How she claims it was".
Tanya looked behind the tv, the switch on the wall was off. "Looks like nothing to be touched back on this tv, not even the switch..."
"What's wrong?" Jonathan Harker stood at the frame door. "What happened? Do you two need help?"
Sigh. "Alice claims India left the tv on by itself. And it's so loud. I swear before we left the room we didn't turn on tv. Me and India are celebrating my birthday today".
"Oh. Happy birthday then Tanya. You know Alice sort of.. crazy you know that. She claims everything she hears or sees is delusion because of the stress she's been through".
"What kind of stress?" ask India.
"You know. Study, Creating new software wasn't a good idea for your brain to work. It explodes your brain if you think about it so hard, it could kill you faster than you think".
India bite her lips, Harker smiles at her. "I don't think being a doctor was a stressful thing. Just tired I guess like you are now".
"I'm sorry just.. I don't know if something is bothering me lately. I feel I've been followed by someone".
Tanya patted her arm, said. "There's nothing to follow you up here in India. You need to rest that all. So, I see you tomorrow (as she grabs Harker's arm) we both see you tomorrow".
"Yeah. Thanks to the company for groceries".
She shakes her head. "I should thank you for your kindness. Okay. We both see you tomorrow. Goodnight doctor".
India blushed and watched Tanya and Harker walking back to their room. They pushed each other and laughed before everything went silent in the hall.
The thing is.. did someone just break into her apartment? turning on the tv? why? or this is just Alice who has her own delusion like Harker claimed earlier about her.