Arnold and Igor

     As Arnold returns back to his cave, he looks back and he didn't see Rebecca behind him. He is glad that she didn't follow him. Arnold looked at his right hand and saw a bite mark still visible on it. Back when his body is walking towards the spilled blood, Igor bit his hand and tries to pull him away. It snaps Arnold from getting trance by the blood and turns his back to no longer see it. 

    "Thank you, Igor. Thank you for saving my humanity inside me."

     Arnold hugged Igor and cried. He cried very hard as he is suffering and could only find comfort with the dog's company. Igor licks Arnold face and rubs its head on his shoulder. That night, Arnold was not able to prepare food for Igor and went straight to sleep. 

     A month has past and winter is just around the corner. Rebecca never bothered Arnold again as she said. Arnold and Igor started to prepare for the winter. They gather woods and giant leaves to make a bed for them for keeping Igor's body warm. The cold temperature has no issue with Arnold, but he is worried about Igor. 

    Arnold also created small wooden cages to gather food for Igor. He uses woods, rocks, and vines to create them. Arnold gathers nuts and plants for the animals he captured to also keep them alive while in the cage. He catches birds, squirrels, and rabbits. He also stocked with woods for making fire. He also created a basin to store water and also catch water dripping from the cave's stalagmite for Igor. Soon, there's a lot of animals inside the cave. It was noisy for Arnold at first, but it is for the sake of helping Igor survive the winter. He got used to it and were able to sleep soundly.

   But that peaceful sleep was disturbed when Arnold heard the animals started to shriek in fear. Igor immediately went to the entrance of the cave and barks fiercely. When Arnold went to check it out, he was stunned to see that they have a big visitor. An adult black bear. It was so big that it nearly blocks the entrance of the cave. 

    The bear roars upon seeing Arnold and charges at him. Despite being a vampire, Arnold can feel fear inside him. He is weak right now and can't fight a bear of that size. The bear lunge at him and Arnold prepared his nails that already partly damage from using them too much in making the cages.
     
    Arnold greeted the attack with stabbing his nails on the bear's face to make it run away. But the bear became more agitated and hold Arnold in bear hug. It was so tight that Arnold feels that his ribs were already crushed. Igor proceeded to bite on the bear's legs, but it didn't make the bear flinch. The bear then bites on Arnold's shoulder which made the vampire yell in pain.  Arnold can feel that his already weak body is getting weaker. 

    "Run Igor."

    But Igor didn't listen on Arnold plead and it climbed on the bears back. Igor went straight to its head and bit off the bear's ear sending the bear in pain. It threw away Arnold and immediately swatted Igor with its claws. The attack sent the dog to the cave's wall with three long wounds on Igor's body.

    "No!!!"

    Arnold feels the rage is pumping his body, and he immediately jumped to the back of the bear. He quickly bites on its neck and started to drink its blood. Because his body is thin, the bear couldn't get Arnold from its back using its claw. It even slams its back in the wall to remove Arnold, but the vampire still holds on his bite on its neck. Soon, the bear got weaken from too much blood loss and fall in the floor. When the bear no longer moves an inch, Arnold let it go and runs to Igor. 

   "Igor! Igor!"

   The dog gives a faint yelp in response. Arnold removes his clothes to cover the dog's wounds. He knows that unlike the last time Igor got injured, the dog's wound's this time is larger and deeper. It couldn't just be fixed with a simple stitch. The dog will need medicine from a professional.

   It was still daytime. There might be a chance to encounter a carriage outside the forest. However, sunlight is a vampire's worst weakness. But nevertheless, the fear of losing Igor made Arnold runs outside the cave. Arnold tries his best to run along the shade of the forest trees, but the sunlight is still unescapable. Arnold feels the burns on his skin, but he still continues running until he reaches the road pavement.  

   Like his prayer was answered, a carriage is travelling and Arnold immediately call out to it while still staying under the shade. The driver of the carriage almost gets his eye pop out as he saw a vampire waving at him in broad daylight. He immediately stops the carriage and pulled out a crossbow from under his seat.

   "What happened? Why did you stop?" 

   A male voice came from inside the carriage and asked the driver. 

   "A vampire! We're under attack!"

   "A vampire in daytime? Are you drunk?"

   The driver ignores his passenger and aims his crossbow to Arnold. It was loaded with a wooden stake as a vampire pierced with it on its heart will die.

   "Die demon!"

   The driver shoots at Arnold, but the vampire just shielded Igor, and he got struck in the shoulder instead. 

   "Please I'm begging you. I don't mean any harm. Just please save this dog!"

   "A demon like you only spew words to trick humans and prey on us!"

   As the driver reloaded his crossbows, the passenger step outside the carriage revealing an old man wearing a priest garment. He too was surprised that a vampire is in broad daylight. But most of all, he saw the vampire is clinging a wounded dog while shielding it from the driver. As the driver prepares to shoot again, the priest holds on the crossbow and lowers it.

   "Vampire, what is your name?" the priest asked.

   Arnold looks up and saw a priest in front of him. He cries in joy as he believes that the priest would be more understanding.

  "My name is Arnold father. Please save this dog. I will leave him here and I'll disappear. I mean no harm to you and your driver."

  "And why we would believe you and save that? It could have been your familiar or minion." the driver protested.

   However, the priest sees something different. He cannot see or feel hostility from the vampire and the dog's injury appears to be real.

   "Alright. Leave the dog."

   The driver got surprised on the priest decision and look at him confused. Arnold immediately lowered down Igor in the ground. The dog's breath is getting weak.

   "Hold on Igor. Someone is going to save you."

   Arnold kisses Igor and tears from him fall to the dog. Igor looks at Arnold like its pleading to not leave him. 

  "I'm sorry that this happens to you because I still brought you back here. But thank you so much Igor. You made my miserable life more meaningful."

  Arnold stands up and runs away. Igor gives small cries like its calling for Arnold, but the vampire disappears back to the forest. The priest went to Igor and carried the dog back to the carriage.

  "Father, I know you should be merciful but that is a demon." the driver said.

  The priest seriously looks at the driver.  

  "Have you ever had a pet and begged in all fours when it got sick?" the priest asked.

   The driver shakes his head in response.

   "Neither do I. It might be a monster, but it is willing to disregard its own life for an animal. It acted more human than most of us."

    The priest return back inside the carriage with Igor and the driver started to drive the carriage again. 

    Back to the forest, Arnold is trying to return back to the cave. His whole body have already turned black from the burns he got from the sunlight. Even his face was partially burned already. Arnold only has to trace back the steps he had earlier and he will survive. But like the devil is mocking at him, the cloud is clear on that day. It is already near noon, and the sunlight is shining above the forest. The shadow from the trees have gone and they return back to the ground. Arnold was stuck in a small tree with nowhere to go.

  Arnold sits down under the tree as the sunlight is growing closer to him. The shade from the tree is no longer enough to protect him. 

  "I'm sorry Igor. I'm really sorry."

   Arnold holds his legs with his arms and hides his head in curled up position. The only thing that could keep Arnold alive is for the clouds to return and cover the sun. 

   "Arf! Arf! Arf!"

   Arnold immediately looks up upon hearing those barks.

   "Igor?"

  Arnold saw Igor in front of him. It is wagging its tail and calling on him.

  "Are you okay now Igor?"

  Igor walked to Arnold and bite on his pants pulling him to the light.

  "I can't Igor. I will die in the sunlight."

  But Igor continued to pull Arnold. The vampire smiles and pat the dog's head.

  "I'm glad that you are okay now. Let's go and play if that's what you want."

  Arnold stands up and followed Igor. He got surprised that the sunlight no longer hurts him. in fact, his body returns back to normal when he is still a human.

  "Look Igor! I'm human now!"

  Arnold hugged Igor and the dog jumps at him happily. Arnold looks behind him and only saw ashes left in the ground.

  "Let's go! Let's play again!"

  The two run away towards the bright warm light and they were never separated again.