In the night, under the full moon, a little girl danced on a field with a basket in her hand. Her tiny form made it difficult for anyone to see, but the lavender flowers growing almost everywhere picked up her movements.
Wearing a cream gown which did not leave her knee level, and a big bow of the same color attached on her back.
Her black hair fell neatly, reaching her shoulder, with brown eyes matching her basket.
The little girl danced on the field with no fear of the night, nor of anything which could leap out from the woods.
As she twirled around, her eyes caught a figure standing far away with its head facing the ground.
Curiously, the little girl walked towards the figure as she saw it was a man with sorrow in his eyes.
"Hello," greeted the little girl, "My name is Linda."
The man whom she greeted turned his head towards her direction, and she could describe him to anyone.
His eyes were red as blood and pallid was his skin. He stood taller and stronger than her, with a fit body structure covered by a cloakāDarker than the night.
"Why, I ask, should a child play in the dark?" His thick voice echoed around the quiet surrounding.
"I'm here to pick some flowers until my mother calls," the little girl answered with a smile.
"I see" he again said. "You aren't afraid of the dark?"
"A little bit," honesty were her words, "Mother do tell me not to go into the dark as there are dangers, even the bravest warrior cannot fight or defeat."
The man nodded, dropping a flower she recognized as a Rose on the ground.
The little girl looked closer and saw it was a grave with vines growing around the headstone.
"Lost someone dear to you?" She innocently asked.
"Yes! My wife" He shut his eyes not wanting to say more.
"I am so sorry for your loss, I know how that feels because I lost my grandmother a week ago." The little girl sat down on a stone watching the man go on one knee while facing the old Tomb, tears fell from his eyes and sadness embraced him.
As another tear was about falling from his eyes, a warm hand wiped it off.
The man looked up as he saw the little girl standing in front of him, blocking the view of the tomb.
She wiped off his tears again with her hands and hugged him saying, "Mother told me if someone is crying that their only comfort is something warm. I can see the pains and sorrow in your eyes, please don't cry."
The man stayed in his position, shocked by a sudden warm hug, he never knew someone would ever do that in history.
"You are one brave little girl" he slightly smiled, making the girl giggle.
Breaking from the embrace, she looked into his blood red eyes, "What is your name?"
"Call me Dravil" he got up and motioned a bow.
"Okay! I'll never forget your name"
"Neither would I, Linda."
"Mister Dravil, I think I should be going, I hear my mother calling and she would be so worried if I don't answer her call quickly" the little girl told him, and as she was about to leave, he stopped her.
"For your concern, I give you this," he brought out a necklace from nowhere and wore it around the little girl's neck, "I promise to look for you later."
"Whoa thanks for the gift" she gratefully thanked him as her eyes examined the necklace.
It had a red gem enclosed in a golden orb, and the chains were made from what seemed like silver, yet it wasn't.
"I gave it to my wife before she died and now I'm giving it to you"
"But we just met, how are you sure of me keeping something precious?"
"Oh please Linda, this isn't our first time meeting, not even our second time. I give you this necklace because there won't be any who would keep it. My wife is dead, but everytime I try taking my life it just doesn't work. Death is far from me! Far away from my soul which again, I don't have."
"Then what are you?"
"A sad, lonely vampire who seeks for what death feels like" Dravil screamed out and she could see his fangs; were Vampires not supposed to hide their fangs?. "I try living in happiness, that doesn't work and now I've lost the one I love to the flames of fire. I don't deserve a life as a Vampire, sadness is my morning tea in darkness."
The little girl blinked at his words, he was lonely and life seemed useless. Any more worse than that would be death and still, it skips his door.
"Is that the curse of immortality?"
"You should get going now!" He suddenly said, making the girl blink in confusion. "Your mother is calling."
"How did you know that-" she was about to finish her words when she heard her mother's voice from afar, calling with worry.
"One day," his voice echoed from the darkness as the little girl looked around looking for him, "I'll meet you, one day I'll find you, that's a promise."
That was all she heard before her mother came.
"Linda! I was worried sick about your whereabouts! Didn't I warn you not to go far?" The girl's mother, a woman in her late thirties looking sick and tired said, carrying some vegetables.
"Mother! I saw a Vampire!" The girl happily cried out.
"And I saw Dracula" the mother said this as she was in disbelief.
"Mother I lie not to you" the girl pointed towards the dark woods. "He's there."
"Enough! and let's get going" the woman held her daughter's hand and swiftly walked away from the field despite her child crying out loud that there was a vampire.
As she pulled her daughter, the child's rag doll fell from the basket filled with flowers without her knowledge.
As they both left, the Vampire came out from the dark woods. He picked up the doll, but dropped it and walked away.
The doll remained on the grass, with its hair blown to the direction of the wind when suddenly it was picked up again.