The Vampire Skull 2.3 The City Of Dawn

“Is that a vampire skull?” Luke asked Ellie with a monotonous tone to his voice.

“This old thing? No, I mean yes, not a real one of course, it’s a halloween prop, I love halloween, I wish it would last all year…” Ellie responded nervously.

“Old?! Just a prop?!” Skully shouted furiously. Ellie just ignored him as she noticed Luke looking at the skull a bit closer. Almost as if he knew something, he studied the teeth, reaching out his hand to touch them.

Luke mumbled to himself “This skull seems so real, like there’s some kind of aura to it.” Skully felt very strange, as if he was being pulled away.

“Um… Ellie, this guy is touching me, I don’t like it, he’s giving me weird vibes.”

Artemis interrupted cheerfully.

“Luke, stop disturbing poor Ellie, why don’t we help her inside with all her things instead?”

Luke glanced at his sister, and shrugged his shoulders.

“Fine, I’ll take your things inside, Ellie.” He said as he went to pick up her boxes in the hallway.

Artemis seemed very amused as she commented. “It’s so nice that you wanted to move in with us, we have been looking for a new roommate forever now, you seem like a perfect fit. Oh, and I love your Halloween skull, it’s so amusing.” Her words were filled with warmth, Ellie felt right at home as she slowly sat down on the sofa.

“You hear that, she loves me.” Skully sounded thrilled as well. Ellie didn’t realise just how comfy that sofa was, because she fell asleep seconds after sitting down.

“Poor thing she must have been so tired, travelling all the way here from Everwood, experiencing the busyness of Dawn.” Artemis was observing Ellie sleeping, she glanced at Luke. He had his eyes on that skull still, wondering what that feeling was, he couldn’t shake it, like the skull was looking back at him.

“Everwood is just down the road from Dawn. Anyway, let’s hope she lasts, Dawn is not for everyone, she seems nice enough though.” Luke remarked before going off. Artemis just sighed, she put a blanket over Ellie’s legs, and her eyes fell on the skull as well.

“Aren’t you a strange thing?” She said as she gently picked up Skully.

“Strange? I’m not fudging strange. I’m just a skull. Oh wait. I guess that’s a bit strange. Nevermind. I don’t mind you, it’s the guy I don’t like.” Skully grumbled as he was picked up, he felt a sense of familiarity and comfort as Artemis held him.

“Hmmm, I guess it’s just as Ellie said” Artemis put the skull back down, she wondered why it looked so real, vampires don’t leave skulls anyway, they turn to dust when they die, right? For a moment Artemis couldn’t help but wonder.

Ellie and Skully soon enough found themselves doing what they came to do, searching the streets of Dawn for anything that might jog his memories. Through streets and alleyways they searched, illuminated by neon lights in the nights of Dawn, now was their first real chance at finding something. Maybe he was old, from before the world changed, either way, a vampire skull was no ordinary thing.

They went across the bright river to the small narrow streets of old Dawn, it was like a different city, the buildings were not as tall, the roads were cobblestone, everything was a shade of grey. Ellie felt like it was all very dark and looming. Soon they stumbled upon that manor that Skully found so familiar.

Back at The Manor

The vampire they encountered held onto Ellie with his long, slender fingers, his nails almost piercing her skin, his eyes full of hunger and rage, ready to tear into her with his long ghastly fangs.

“Fudge! Get your hands off Ellie! Or else… What can I do even?” He felt furious, but at the same time he needed to help Ellie, she was in dire trouble here.

Skully kept wondering what he could do. Then for a brief moment his eyes glowed a soft gentle green, and it seemed as if the air was filled with this luminous green glow as well. It disappeared with a flash before it appeared in Ellie’s eyes.

Ellie smirked and spoke with Skully’s voice. “Wait. I can do this…”

Her eyes gleaming green, she lifted one hand up, made it into a fist and gave the man a punch.

“Hands of Ellie and fudge you!” She spoke with Skully’s voice again.

Sending the man flying across the hallway with her punch; she stood there, the skull in one hand, staring vengefully at the man.

“Now you better tell me who the fudge you are!” She fumed, still sounding like Skully.

The man fell against the wall, grunting as he was trying to rise to his feet. He glanced over to Ellie, finding the vampire skull with his gaze. His eyes narrowed as he stood up.

“I was not expecting such strength, but it’s not coming from the girl is it?” He asked inquisitively.

“I asked you a question first.” Skully firmly said through Ellie.

The man straightened his scruffy clothes.

“Very well then, I am Bernard Fitz. Butler of the manor. You may call me mr. Fitz.” He spoke with such pride, looking straight at Ellie.

“Ok. Mr. Fitz. I am not Ellie. Even though right now I look like Ellie. I don’t know my name, but I am this skull here.” Skully gestured to the vampire skull he was still holding in one hand. Mr.Fitz stared at the skull.

“May I touch it?” He requested.

“I… ok, sure, but not too much. It’s my head after all.” Skully replied to Mr.Fitz, still visibly upset.

He held the skull up. Mr. Fitz reached his hand out, but stopped before he even laid a finger on the skull. He looked down, sighed deeply before he glanced back up.

“I think it’s best if you leave now.” Mr. Fitz stated, as he turned and gestured to the staircase.

Skully was just about to speak, when he felt an immense pull, and once again, for a brief moment the room gleamed green before Ellie’s body fell to the floor like a rag doll.