Jose stood in the dimly lit cabin, scratching at his left arm with a restless intensity. His shirt was tattered and stained, a faint smear of blood trailing down the collar. A dark streak of dried blood marred his jawline, which he wiped absentmindedly with the back of his hand.
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"You got any raw or fresh meat?" Jose asked, his voice calm yet unsettling.
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Charlie froze, leaning slightly against the counter. "Raw meat? You want...raw meat?"
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"Yeah," Jose said with a faint grin. "I love raw meat."
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Charlie scoffed, his hand instinctively brushing against the holster at his hip. "Well, even if I did have it, I wouldn't give it to you."
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Jose's grin didn't waver. Instead, his eyes gleamed with something cold, almost predatory. "When I walked in this house, you tried to pull your gun, didn't you?"
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Charlie's blood ran cold. His fingers twitched near the holster. What the hell? he thought, his heart racing. How could he know? I barely even moved my hand toward it.
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Jose chuckled softly, the sound low and mocking. "Relax. I'm not here to rob you... yet." He turned on his heel and started walking toward a closet near the corner of the room.
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"What are you doing?" Charlie asked sharply, his voice edged with suspicion.
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Jose ignored him, pushing open the closet door. Charlie's mind was spinning. What's going on with this guy? He's creeping me out.
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In a few moments, Jose emerged from the closet. His appearance was strikingly transformed:
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Breton Cap: Crimson red and angled slightly over his forehead.
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Jacket: A fitted long coat in a deep, rich crimson with exaggerated lapels and intricate black embroidery.
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Shirt: A high-collared, lighter red shirt with billowing sleeves.
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Trousers: Deep red tailored pants with an asymmetrical cut and decorative stitching.
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Footwear: Knee-high leather boots in red with black accents.
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Accessories: A red leather utility belt and a loosely tied red scarf.
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Jose adjusted the scarf with an air of satisfaction. "How do I look?"
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Charlie stared at him, his mouth slightly agape. "What the hell...? There were clothes like that in there?"
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Jose smirked. "Guess you found the man who built this place's wardrobe. Fancy taste, huh?"
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Charlie pointed a finger at him. "Wait a minute. When you walked in here, you had blood on your shirt—and your jaw! What's wrong with your arm?"
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Jose raised an eyebrow, rolling up his sleeve to reveal a grotesque bite mark. The wound was unnatural, its edges blackened, veins of rot creeping outward.
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"You see this?" he said, his tone almost triumphant. "Got bit by some monster. At first, I thought it'd kill me. But now? It's like it's awakened something inside me. I feel...incredible."
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Charlie grimaced, backing away slightly. "Incredible? Jose, your skin's turning pale. And your eyes…"
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"What about them?" Jose asked, his voice laced with amusement.
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"They're... purple." Charlie's voice was barely a whisper now. "And glowing."
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Jose sniffed the air and tilted his head. "You hiding from me, Charlie?"
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"What?" Charlie snapped. "I'm right here, dumbass. Are you going blind too?"
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But Jose wasn't listening. His movements were jerky now, less controlled. He stumbled forward, clutching his stomach, groaning. The stench emanating from him was unbearable—like rotting meat and something unearthly.
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"Jose, what's going on with you?" Charlie asked, his voice rising in panic.
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Jose dropped to the floor with a thud, holding his stomach and head. The groans deepened into guttural growls before he went completely still.
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"Jose?" Charlie called out, his hand gripping the handle of his revolver.
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For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then Jose's head snapped up with a grotesque crack. His sclera had turned pitch black, his irises glowing a vivid, menacing purple. Saliva dripped in thick streams from his mouth, and a primal hunger gleamed in his eyes.
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"Sangreeeeeeeeee!" Jose roared, his voice guttural and monstrous.
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Before Charlie could react, Jose lunged at him with terrifying speed, sinking his teeth into Charlie's arm.
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"Argh!" Charlie screamed, the pain searing through him as he fought to pull Jose off. Jed's boots scuffed against the cobblestones as he trudged through the desolate street, his nose wrinkling against the stench hanging in the air. He muttered under his breath, his revolver resting loosely in his grip.
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"Smells like death had a party and forgot to clean up," he said, his gravelly voice tinged with irritation. He'd already checked five houses, each one empty but with the same foul odor clinging to the walls. His patience was wearing thin.
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He stopped at the corner, scanning the street ahead. That's when he saw them—three figures huddled together, crouched low to the ground like feral animals. Their heads bobbed as they moved, and their hands tore into something Jed couldn't make out at first.
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"Hey there," Jed called cautiously, stepping closer. "You folks, uh... know what's makin' that awful smell?"
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The three figures froze mid-motion. Slowly, they turned their heads toward him, and Jed's stomach dropped. Their faces were gaunt, their skin pale and stretched tight over their bones. Blood smeared their mouths as they chewed on raw flesh—human flesh.
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"Aw, hell…" Jed muttered, instinctively stepping back.
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With a guttural snarl, the three lunged at him, their movements jerky but terrifyingly fast.
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Jed dove to the side, rolling across the dirt. He came up on one knee, his revolver already in hand, and fired a shot square into the forehead of the nearest creature. The bullet hit with a sickening crack, but the thing barely flinched, stumbling only slightly before continuing its charge.
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"What the—?!" Jed barked, firing again and again to no effect.
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He heard the crunch of movement behind him just as searing pain shot up his leg. Jed cried out, twisting to see a fourth monster latched onto his calf, its teeth sunk deep into the muscle.
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"Get off me!" he roared, aiming down and firing repeatedly. The creature's grip loosened after the third shot, collapsing with a wet thud. Jed staggered to his feet, blood soaking through his pant leg. The other three were closing in fast.
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Gritting his teeth, Jed turned and bolted, limping heavily as he sprinted back toward Charlie's house. The monsters snarled and howled behind him, their footsteps scraping across the ground like nails on a chalkboard.
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Jed reached the house, slamming the door shut behind him and throwing the bolt across. His chest heaved as he leaned against the wood, the pounding of his heart nearly drowning out the sound of snarling from the other side.
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"Uncle Jed!"
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Jed's eyes snapped up, his blood running cold. Across the room, Jose had Charlie pinned, his teeth buried in Charile arm. Charlie was struggling, his face contorted in pain.
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"Get off him!" Jed bellowed, kicking at Jose's side.
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Jose moved faster than Jed could anticipate, dodging the kick and lunging forward, his teeth snapping dangerously close to Jed's shoulder. Jed twisted out of the way just in time, his leg nearly buckling under him.
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"Kid, do somethin'!" Jed barked.
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Charlie, clutching his arm, grimaced and raised his trembling left hand, placing it over his right. A faint glow built at his fingertip, and a beam of light shot toward Jose.
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Jose dodged, the beam missing him by a hair and nearly grazing Jed.
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"Watch where you're aiming, kid!" Jed growled.
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"Sorry!" Charlie said, panting. His face was pale, and sweat dripped down his forehead. "What the hell's happening? Did Jose get the Holy Crystal?"
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"I don't know," Jed said, his voice grim. "But whatever this is... it ain't normal. They remind me of something outta old stories. You ever hear about vrykolakas?"
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"Vryko-what?"
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"Undead monsters from Greece. Leo Allatius wrote about 'em back in the 1600s. Supposedly harmful spirits that feed on the living." Jed reloaded his gun with quick, practiced movements. "Could be somethin' like that."
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"You think they're undead?" Charlie asked, his voice trembling.
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"Either that or really, really angry cannibals," Jed replied, his tone dry.
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Charlie looked down at his arm, noticing six faint, glowing marks etched into his skin. "Uncle Jed… why do I have six on my arm?"
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Jed's eyes narrowed. "Looks like... a count, maybe? Like bullets. Means you might only get so many shots with that light trick of yours."
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"Oh, great," Charlie muttered. "Limited ammo. Just my luck."
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Jose growled low in his throat, the sound vibrating through the air. His movements became erratic as he glanced around the room, his glowing purple eyes scanning every corner.
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"Don't move," Charlie whispered suddenly, his voice tense.
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"What?" Jed hissed, confused.
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"Don't move," Charlie repeated, locking eyes with Jed. "After Jose changed his clothes earlier, he asked where I went when I stood still. I think... I think he can't see us if we don't move."
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Jed froze, his breath caught in his throat. Slowly, he nodded, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Smart thinkin', kid. Real smart."
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For a moment, the room was eerily silent except for Jose's low growl. He paced back and forth, sniffing and snarling, but didn't seem to locate them.
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"Good news is, we got a trick to keep alive," Jed murmured.
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"What's the bad news?" Charlie whispered back.
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Jed tilted his head toward the door, where the sound of snarling and clawing had grown louder.
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"There's more of 'em," Jed said grimly.
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Charlie swallowed hard, his trembling hand brushing against his glowing arm. "What do we do?"
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Jed's eyes didn't leave Jose, who was still pacing, his movements becoming more aggressive.
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"We survive," Jed said.
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