The late afternoon sunlight filtered through the cracks in the buildings as Adrian stepped out of the news station. He adjusted the strap of his bag, his mind preoccupied with the unsettling story from earlier. Dr. Blake's vivid description of the crime scene refused to leave him bodies drained of blood, claw marks in the dirt. It sounded like something from a horror novel. He straddled his motorcycle and revved the engine, weaving through the chaotic traffic of Sidan. The city was alive, its streets buzzing with people rushing to their evening routines. But Adrian was lost in thought. "Vampires, huh?" he muttered under his breath, scoffing. The concept was absurd. Monsters like that didn't exist, and they never had. Still, he couldn't shake the gnawing feeling that something about the case wasn't adding up. It had to be a cult, he reasoned. Maybe a particularly violent one. That made far more sense. But the unsettling details the puncture wounds, the blood drained to dangerous levels kept creeping back into his mind. As the sun dipped lower in the sky, Adrian reached his apartment. The building was modest, one of many in an aging neighborhood. He climbed the stairs quickly, his boots clunking against the creaking wooden steps. Inside, his apartment was cluttered but familiar, a safe haven after long days on the job. He rummaged through a pile of belongings on his desk, searching for his camera. "Where are you?" he muttered, tossing aside old notebooks and crumpled papers. Finally, he found them his reliable DSLR cameras that had been his constant companion since college. "Gotcha." Adrian inspected the camera, checking the lens and battery. Everything seemed to be in working order.
He slipped the strap over his shoulder and headed back to his motorcycle. The sun was sinking fast, painting the horizon in hues of gold and crimson. Adrian knew he didn't have much time before darkness fell. The outskirts of Sidan were a stark contrast to the city's bustling heart. The roads became quieter, the buildings sparse. Eventually, the forest came into view a dense expanse of trees that seemed to swallow the light.
Adrian parked his motorcycle a safe distance from the forest's edge, unpacking his camera and tripod. He scanned the area, noting how eerily still everything seemed. The air was thick with a strange tension, as if the forest itself was holding its breath. After setting up his equipment, Adrian stepped back to survey the scene. He had heard rumors at the office about a supposed "cult gathering" taking place here tonight. If it turned out to be true, it could be the break he needed to disprove the absurd claims about vampires. "This has to be it," Adrian muttered, adjusting the focus on his camera. But something about the forest unsettled him. The towering trees cast long shadows, their branches clawing at the sky like skeletal fingers. Adrian felt a chill creep up his spine.
Deciding to wait until nightfall, Adrian left one of his cameras hidden in the brush and drove to a nearby motel.The motel was a small, rundown establishment on the edge of the city. Its flickering neon sign buzzed faintly in the growing darkness. Adrian checked in quickly, exchanging pleasantries with the tired receptionist before heading to his room.
The room was cramped and smelled faintly of mildew, but Adrian didn't care. He tossed his bag onto the bed and sat down, pulling out his laptop to kill time. The clock on the wall ticked loudly, each second dragging into the next. Adrian couldn't focus. His thoughts kept circling back to the case.
What if he was wrong?
He shook his head, leaning back against the headboard. Vampires were myths, creatures born from folklore and superstition. There had to be a rational explanation for the crime scene. Yet the unease lingered. Adrian stared at the clock, watching the hands creep toward nightfall. The forest was waiting, and with it, the truth.