A Night without Stars

by Sabrina Albis

“Yes. We both believe in bad spirits. Even if the tales are partially fabricated, I think there is some grain of truth to them. That is enough to keep me away.”

  Autumn moved from the stairs to the kitchen. It was warm from cooking and smelt of vanilla candles and freshly fried bacon.

  “Good morning all,” she said and Aunt Katherine turned, smiling her familiar, kind smile.

  “Good morning sweetheart. Are you hungry? I made up a plate for you when I heard you in the shower.”

  Autumn hadn’t realized it, but she was actually quite ravenous.

  “Thanks Aunt Katherine,” she said gratefully as she moved towards Rick, who sat at the table.

  Autumn took a seat beside him, and they exchanged greetings as her aunt placed a full plate in front of her.

  “Rick, why are you asking about those caves?” her aunt picked up the conversation where it had left off. “You haven’t been there have you?”

  Rick, who as per usual, was inhaling his breakfast, blinked at his mother, surprised.

  Autumn began eating her eggs, silently hoping Rick wouldn’t spill the beans.

  Much like herself, Rick was a terrible liar, so for him to blurt out that they had been there and were going back tonight to get monster blood, wouldn’t be that far-fetched.

  “Nathaniel and I went there once as a goof but we never went inside,” Rick said carefully.

  Aunt Katherine crossed her arms over her chest disapprovingly.

  “Listen, Rick. I don’t want you going back there ever. You or Autumn,” she glanced at Autumn.

  Autumn felt the guilt wash over her. She hoped she wasn’t next in line for interrogation.

  “It isn’t safe. The kids who go there are just looking for trouble,” Aunt Katherine admonished.

  Autumn nodded and continued eating as the phone rang, deterring her aunt’s attention.

  Autumn sighed deeply and Rick and she exchanged relieved looks.

  It was perfect timing.

  “Hello? Oh hello there,” she said jovially, heading off into the other room.

  Autumn looked at Rick, who was reaching across the table for more bacon.

  “That was close,” she whispered. Far too close.

  It was exactly nine at night when everyone was finally gathered in Eric’s large living room. They were getting ready to head to the caves. Autumn sat on the couch next to Rick, her dark hair pulled back into a ponytail, tapping her foot nervously.

  She wondered if she would ever get used to this. Going out to the caves and hunting monsters. Being a vigilante and hiding it from her family? Would this ever become trite and ordinary? Her nerves sparked as Nathaniel, who was sitting beside Eric and Mandy, stood up.

  He cleared his throat, garnering everyone’s attention.

  “I would just like to say a few words,” he began, and he clasped his hands together.

  “I just wanted to say, before we head out into the unknown, that we have just cause to be doing what we are doing tonight,” Nathaniel began. “We are fighting for this town, our town. We are fighting for our families and the families who have lost loved ones because of those demons. We are fighting for the greater good.”

  “A pep talk?” Autumn whispered to Mandy.

  Mandy nodded, looking bored. “Go team go.”

  “I understand that what we are doing, to most, would be considered foolish, stupid, even careless,” he said, his face grim. “Let me say, we are not like those other weak people. We are not afraid. We will not be overthrown by a bunch of hideous, vile, spitting creatures! We are better, stronger and faster, and we will fight until the bloody end!” he bellowed, his fist pumping into the air.

  Rick pumped his fist too, showing his support. “Here here!”

  Eric looked at Autumn, amused.

  Mandy rolled her eyes. “Thanks coach.”

  Nathaniel shot Mandy a glare and walked towards her, placing his face inches from hers.

  “You see this Jensen?”

  “See what?” she asked, narrowing her eyes. “The giant idiot who’s in my face?”

  “Do you see how negative you can be? That negativity will drag us down!” Nathaniel barked.

  “You just spat on me Abrams!” Mandy said as she wiped her face, eyes squinted in disgust.

  “You better get used to it Jensen!” he said, shouting now.

  “I am here to give you all confidence! That is what battle is about!” Nathaniel said, a huge smile on his freckled face. “We will be victorious!”

  Rick let out another holler as Nathaniel stood in front of them all, shoulders back and chest puffed out.

  “I would like to share my story of battle with you all,” he began. “It took place when my father, Buck and I went hunting together.”

  Mandy raised a hand. He pointed at her, like a teacher addressing a student in class.

  “Yes you, the stumpy girl who I spit on.”

  Mandy sneered at him. “Buck the hunter? Really?”

  “And I thought elves were something out of fairy tales but yet here you are,” Nathaniel quipped.

  “As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, when we hunt together my dad always makes sure that we have all the proper equipment. So, the important thing tonight is that we are totally prepared.”

  Nathaniel reached into a duffel bag he had at his feet. He rummaged through it for a moment before pulling out folded garb. He shook it out, revealing a slim black bodysuit, reminiscent of something Autumn had seen in comic books.

  He held it up proudly.

  “These suits are specially designed by someone my dad knows. They are made of durable yet light Kevlar. They are basically armor. Bulletproof vests are made of this material.”

  After Nathaniel had successfully handed out a black suit to everyone, Rick looked at Eric, who seemed to be hunting through his potions satchel for something.

  “Dude you forgot Eric!” he said.

  “No I didn’t. He’s staying in the van, safe and sound,” Nathaniel said. “That way, he can heal us if we need it. If we lose our medic, we are screwed.”

  “And if he needs to come out onto the field and heal us, then what?” Rick went on looking panicked. “He’s going to run onto the battleground without armour and get attacked while trying to save one of us?”

  Nathaniel looked stumped. “Good point.”

  “I’ll field this one Nate,” Eric chimed in.

  Nathaniel blew out a breath of relief. “Good because I wasn’t sure how to answer that.”

  “First off, I appreciate the concern Rick.” Eric smiled. “But I don’t need to be physically close to you guys to heal you. In fact, I don’t even need to touch you.”

  Autumn arched an eyebrow curiously. She had spent enough time with Eric to know he was gifted.

  Magic was where he exceled. He studied every facet of it and read any spell book he could get his hands on.

  She wondered what tricks were up his sleeve tonight.

  “Remember I mentioned Arabella was scrying the night my parents died?”

  Everyone nodded as Eric disappeared for a brief moment into the adjacent room. Eventually, he returned, holding what looked like a giant bowl. It looked to be empty, deep and made of wood. Etched on the bowls surface were many foreign symbols.

  Eric, wearing the arrogant grin he often wore when he was about to dazzle everyone, sat on the floor, placing the bowl in front of him.

  “Gather round,” he instructed and they all sat near Eric as he began shuffling through vials in his satchel. Finally, he appeared to find what he was looking for. He poured it into the empty bowl and began to chant.

  “Sit portae capit, magia per oculos videamus!” he called out.

  They watched as Eric took his finger and dipped it in the bowl, swirling it around. The liquid began moving and
rippling until an image formed in it.

  Autumn leaned over the bowl and gaped wondrously at the sight.

  It was an exact mirror image of her and her friends, in Eric’s living sitting around the bowl.

  “Whoa,” Rick said, his eyes wide. “I can see us in there!”

  “Who is that handsome ginger?” Nathaniel remarked.

  Mandy rolled her eyes. Autumn watched as the reflected Mandy in the bowl rolled her eyes too.

  “It is an exact reflection,” Eric said. “But it isn’t just that.”

  “So you can watch us wherever we are?” Autumn asked. The reflected Autumn’s lips moved, but no sound came out. It was like watching an old, silent movie. The sight was ghoulish, almost haunting.

  Eric nodded. “Better than that,” he said, and he grabbed another vial out of his satchel, adding it to the mix. He swirled his finger in the liquid again and chanted as everyone watched the bowl in anticipation. Finally, after nothing happened, Rick piped up.

  “What are we looking for?” Eric held up his hand and a second later Rick’s voice came through the bowl loud and clear like an echo.

  What are we looking for? The reflected Rick spoke.

  “It talk’s too!” Rick said, looking utterly bewildered.

  It talk’s too! The voice piped in again.

  Eric said something in Latin and waved his hand, looking up at his friends, proudly.

  “I made it stop for now. Mostly having a constant echo is rather abrasive.”

  “Especially if it’s Nathaniel’s voice we are hearing,” Mandy grinned, nudging Nathaniel in the side playfully.

  “So, I can see and hear you guys. If you get wounded, I take the appropriate healing potion and pour it into the bowl, and you will be good as new in no time. No physical contact necessary.”

  “That is amazing,” Autumn said, looking at Eric admiringly. “You certainly have a knack.”

  Eric’s dark eyes met her green ones, and he winked. She could tell he reveled in the praise, but he was playing it cool.

  “That was nothing compared to what my parents could do with magics,” he said modestly. “They were truly marvelous. Both were prodigies. The stories my family has told me.”

  After Eric’s astounding demonstration, they went over their plan for the evening. Autumn, Rick, Nathaniel and Mandy would wander around the cave area and hope to find more demons. When they had a dead specimen, they would extract its blood, using a magical dagger Eric provided them, and put it into the vial for safekeeping. Eric would wait in the van in the parking lot, keeping an eye on them, ready to heal them if need be.

  As time ticked by, Autumn felt herself getting more excited. She could feel the adrenaline propelling through her, as they spoke of the night ahead of them. Her fears were replaced, washed away by the thrill and power of the hunt.

  The clock struck eleven o’clock and everyone, dressed in their armour, piled into Nathaniel’s van.

  They drove to the caves, in no rush, as light droplets of rain trickled on the windows and roof. Autumn watched the mostly darkened scenery, trying to pick out landmarks.

  The silhouette of a barn and a silo on acres of deserted land, houses with long, winding gravel driveways and lights glowing in their windows. Trees swaying carelessly in the wind, miles upon miles of wires, telephone poles and streetlights, some burnt out and others flickering, close to it.

  Autumn wasn’t surprised. When they pulled into the parking lot near the caves, it was empty.

  The wind was chilly, being late into fall, and it was dark and dreary out.

  The only light came from a few streetlights in the parking lot and Nathaniel’s headlights.

  “Wow, this place is jumping tonight,” Mandy said sarcastically as she unbuckled her belt.

  “The less people out here the better,” Eric replied.

  Everyone began piling out of the van, preparing to gear up, but before Autumn could join them, she felt Eric reach out and grab her hand.

  He said nothing for a split second, only staring into her eyes intensely. Her heart skipped a beat, and for a moment she thought he was going to lean over and kiss her.

  “I know things aren’t like they were in the beginning between us,” he began quietly. “But my feelings for you haven’t changed. I want you to know that. Please, be careful out there tonight.”

  “Eric, I am always careful,” she began, and he touched her mouth gently with his fingertip.

  “Just promise me, you will,” he said his voice barely a whisper. “Because if I ever lost you, I wouldn’t be able to take it.”

  Autumn’s stomach fluttered, and she felt a rush of affection for Eric overcoming her.

  She leaned into him, allowing him to embrace her. He squeezed her tightly in his arms.

  “I will be careful,” she murmured into his shoulder. “I promise.”

  He kissed her gently atop her forehead. “I will be watching over you like a hawk Autumn. That’s my promise to you.”

  Autumn went to join the others, who were huddled around Nathaniel, who was looking through a large duffel bag. She already knew what it contained.

  Nathaniel, with the help of his brother Conrad and his gang of outlaw buddies, managed to snag them more weapons.

  The more Autumn found out about Nathaniel’s brother, the more she felt like an accomplice to something illegal. Nathaniel had made a valid point that they couldn’t be expected to fight empty handed against the creatures. It wasn’t safe. They needed provisions.

  “Alright,” Nathaniel said getting everyone’s attention. “I have your weapons here,” he said, and he reached into the duffel bag. First, he pulled out a scythe with a long steel handle. The blade glinted menacingly in the moonlight.

  “Autumn, this one is for you.”

  Autumn took it carefully, studying it. “Great. So now I’m the grim reaper?”

  Nathaniel shrugged. “Considering the circumstances, I think that sounds promising.”

  “Mandy your nunchucks,” he went on, handing them to her cautiously. “And don’t use them on me, no matter how angry I make you.”

  “I can’t promise anything,” Mandy said, running her fingers along them deviously.

  “For me, I have my rifle complete with scope, so I can hide in the trees and play sniper,” he said. “And Rick brought his own item from home.” He gestured to Rick.

  Rick grinned and unsheathed a double-edged sword. Autumn remembered it as soon as saw it. Rick had quite the collection of swords, but this one was special. His father won it for him, for an undisclosed amount of money, at an auction in New York City. Rick had told her in an email when he got it, that his father had to outbid at least ten other wealthy businessmen for it. Rick often practiced his sword fighting with that sword, in particular, calling it his “lucky blade.”

  Despite having zero knowledge of swords, Autumn could see the sword was obviously well-crafted, with its glimmering dense steel blade. The hilt was adorned with beautiful ruby gems and bared an etching of a wolf on it.

  “That is so cool looking,” Mandy said enviously, touching the blade with her fingers gently. “I love swords, even though I’m not trained to fight with one.”

  “My dad won it for me at an auction,” Rick held it up proudly. “It means more than anything to me,” he paused before glancing at Autumn ruefully.

  “Well, almost anything.”

  The last few minutes in the parking lot were spent adjusting armor, prepping gear and stretching muscles. The ominous hooting of an owl, in the distance, rang out like a warning. Telling them of secrets it knew, secrets they dare not uncover.

  Eric popped his head out one last time to wish them all luck as Nathaniel looked at his watch, clearly getting impatient. Autumn could relate. She was raring to go and damn near tempted to run across the field and leave everyone in her dus
t, as she raced into the dark depths.

  “Alright guys, its time,” Rick said finally and everyone clicked on their flashlights and began their trek towards the caves.

  19

  The night was quiet and eerie as they trudged along, looking for signs of anything evil. The owl didn’t hoot. The rain subsided. All Autumn heard was the sound of breaking branches under feet and the wind howling its refrain.

  Ahead of her, her breath was coming out in puffs.

  Winter was just around the corner, waiting for the right moment to snatch Whitan in its icy grasp.

  The moon hid stealthily behind sheets of thick clouds creating nothing but darkness ahead. The only light came from their flashlights as they moved along, listening for any wild, savage cries.

  Nathaniel went ahead of them to take point, positioning himself to play sniper. Eric was in the van, safe and sound.

  Autumn wasn’t relying on her ears. She knew her body would tell her if trouble was afoot. Like an alarm system, it would warn her.

  They were only minutes from the caves when the hairs on the back of Autumn’s neck stood on end.

  “Don’t move,” Autumn said, stopping dead in her tracks.

  Mandy and Rick, who were on either side of her, came to a halt.

  “What is it?” Rick asked, looking at Autumn through the darkness.

  “I don’t know what it is,” Autumn said, her voice low. “Just that it’s here.”

  She looked around, moving her flashlight slowly across the landscape.

  At first, she saw nothing.

  Just grass wafting in the wind, set against a black night sky.

  She blinked, letting her eyes adjust and that is when she noticed it.

  A few feet away, a shadowy figure perched, unmistakable.

  She didn’t dare shine her flashlight directly on it. Instead, she tapped Rick’s shoulder, her finger touching her lips, indicating silence. Rick and Mandy followed her line of vision.

  Autumn already knew what the plan was.

  They attacked it together and they took its blood, easy as pie.

  Slowly, they began moving in harmony.

  They walked cautiously closer to it, not wanting to make any sharp, sudden movements.