The bats told me someone was coming up the road.
They always sound the first alarm, with their little chits and clicks. From my position atop the border wall, looking out on a green living world, it always makes me smile.
Because it means someone’s trying to brave Haunt.
We built the city as a safe place. A gathering place where the dead, the undead, and the monstrous could take refuge. Where we didn’t have to bother the living…and where they didn’t have to bother with us.
(A few adventurous sorts dare the greater world now and then. Sultan Arihman takes an old-world grand tour of the Middle East and Orient every year. But most of us, we just live here full-time. It’s peaceful. Mostly.)
When I glance back at the shadowed streets behind me, the night-drenched buildings with specters casually floating past them, it makes me chuckle.
The living won’t give it a rest.
Happens at least once a month now. Some zealot, some nutbag, they get it in their head that they’re going to ‘set things right.’ Get rid of that ‘eeevil!’ place. They come with priests, with destruction crews…one time they even sent an army battalion.
It was fun scaring them back down the road. One even dropped a Smithfield pistol. I have it in my crypt, next to the coffin. Just in case my neighbor goes too feral again.
Photo by Karly Jones on Unsplash
Oh, I can see them coming now. One car. Strong headlights to get through the mist surrounding the border wall.
(It never goes away. Nor does the dark blanket of clouds overhead, so it stays nice and spooky here in Haunt. A few of the local witches keep them up.)
What in the Holy Hell? They’re stopping right on the bridge. That’s just rude. Four, okay five people getting out.
Ah, I see. This one’s a Holy-Roller crowd. Bibles and crosses. Oh, and someone even brought some silver. Points for covering what you think are all the bases.
They’re almost close enough…heh. There we go. Get within five feet of the big doors and the spells kick off.
Silver melts. Crosses crack. Sometimes the Bibles—oops, there’s one. Better toss it in the moat, buddy, or your hand’s going to burn up too.
Yes, I’m waving at you guys from up here. It’s fun to see the living realize Haunt has defenses too. We do love our spooky city, but we’re not stupid about it either.
Now the girl in the back’s screaming. I’m not THAT bad-looking lady. Twilight may have lied to you – on a lot of things – but some of us still look kind-of-human.
Maybe I should call Carl up here. They’d think he’s some kind of demon. Hey Carl! Yeah, we’ve got visitors. Come up here and do your ooga-booga thing.
Hah! That did it. Look at that, the car still works. Sometimes they don’t start when they’re this close. Whoa, ease up on the pedal buddy, I don’t want to call the weres out to pull another car off another tree.
There. Bye folks. Don’t come back. Thanks for not leaving a mess…I need the road clear for our pork shipment later. Tomorrow’s the big Hog Chase/Feed down Main Street.
(Inspired by: Metropolis of Midnight)