File #1 Ending 9 - A future for the living

The elite vampire hunters were deployed but they found no more trace of vampires since the nest has been destroyed before sunset due to the brave, selfless act of the local police **** and the teachers from the church. The priest from the local church confirmed that the master vampire has been killed.

The hunters ran all their way here for nothing, and they were quite happy about it. Vatican declared that the mission was successful. Owl city was saved.

You went to the church early in the morning on a sunny day.

"You said there was a red mist rising from the master vampire's remains?" Brandon frowned at you in disbelief when he was packing his stuff in his room, "I didn't see it. And no one has reported similar things in our past operations."

The event in Owl city brought tremendous fame to Brandon. He became one of the few priests that have fended off a vampire infestation under his jurisdiction before the elite vampire hunters arrived. He was required to go back to Vatican for consultation, and a new priest would take his place in the city.

"You're the only one who saw it, James. And you told me that the master vampire heard voices before she deliberately drank the vampire blood. If it wasn't you hallucinating, then it's something that even we don't understand." Brandon talked to you calmly, "I afraid that it was a bad omen."

"What do you mean?" You stood by the door and asked curiously.

"You remember I told you about the veil of corruption, right? We believe that the veil hasn't completely lifted yet, otherwise the world would be crawling with all kinds of monsters now." Brandon sighed, "Something is behind the veil, James. It's trying to cross it, and I think this is one of its attempts."

"Then what are we supposed to do?"

"We don't know. Nobody does. I'll tell you in private, James." Brandon came closer and almost whispered to you, "Some of us believe it to be unstoppable. Everything we do merely postpone the inevitable. Humanity is too easy to be corrupted, don't you think?"

"Perhaps." Deep down you agreed with Brandon, "But I'm not gonna just sit back and watch the world burn."

"Well, I'm too old for that kind of life." Brandon smiled and touched his shoulder where he was shot in the bar, "I wish you luck, James."

You went to the cemetery after you left the church.

The tragic event that happened at the end of last year, including the animal attacks and all the deaths of police officers and civilians, was covered with a story of cult activities, as Vatican and most governments around the globe weren't ready to reveal the existence of vampires to the people. Night Crawler's Bar was burnt to the ground so that the families of the deceased were convinced that no corpses could be recovered.

Here lies Neil and Olivia Brown, husband and wife. May their love forever shine like the stars in the night. You stopped by the gravestone. Nobody knew that the one who was responsible for the event had a grave here. You had mixed feelings but still you paid your respect.

You saw Melissa mourning her father not far away from you, and you decided to walk towards her. In memory of Ian Ashton, a dedicated husband and a kind father, as the gravestone in front of her said.

"Sergeant." You stood next to her and paid your respect, too.

"James? Why are you... Oh." She looked to the direction you came from and understood, "I heard that you were college friends."

"Yeah." You lowered your head as you didn't know what you should think about Olivia. She was a victim, but also an unforgivable perpetrator. The best you could do was to remember the time when she was a mortal being, a young girl who wished to pursue her dream.

"How are you?" You gently asked.

"I'm quitting the police ****." Melissa breathed a sigh of relief and replied.

"What? Why?" You're confused.

"Losing four good police officers in an operation against some 'cult activities' is bad for one's career, especially when it was due to one's personal 'over-confident judgment' and the truth can't be told." Melissa smiled helplessly, "The department won't hold me responsible for their deaths, thanks to Brandon and Vatican behind him, but the their families, and the people, think otherwise."

"I'm sorry... I dragged you into this..." You felt guilty.

"Don't be. I tend to believe that we did the right thing, and Jack, Ernest, Hugo and Peter would agree with us if they were still around." Melissa slowly looked upwards and stared at the blue sky, "May they rest in peace."

"So, what are you going to do next?"

"I don't know. Leona is very capable, and I'm sure she'll do fine in the ****. As for me... Well, I haven't thought that far, really." Melissa turned to you with a smile, "Perhaps you have room for an assistant in your private investigation agency?"

"In that case, I'm honored." You were pleasantly surprised.

You went to central hospital that afternoon.

Fran has been recovering from the physical and mental trauma she went through during the event, and she was doing well. Doctors said that she would be fine to leave the hospital today.

After going through all the discharge formalities, you walked into her room with a bouquet of flowers in your hand. She was sitting on the bed, reading a book. She looked much better than the last time you saw her. She was wearing her normal clothes instead of the patient ones, and you noticed that all her stuff has been packed up in the bag. She was waiting for you already.

"Hi, Fran." You greeted her with a smile.

"Oh, James! You're finally here! I can't wait to get out of here." Fran jumped up and walked towards you. The scratch wounds on her leg have healed up and she could barely feel the pain.

"Right." You handed her the flowers and she took them gratefully.

"Thanks. They're beautiful." she said and sniffed them.

The city around you was humming with life when you and Fran walked arm in arm down the street. You were about to hail a cab and bring her home but Fran insisted that she wanted to feel her legs more often after resting for weeks in bed. You didn't remember the last time you did this. Walking side by side? Often. Arm in arm? Not so much.

"Are you gonna say something?" Fran smiled at you.

"What are you going to do after... You know." You hesitated for a moment, then spoke softly.

"I like to open a bar myself. I haven't thought it through, though." Fran said as the smile on her face slowly faded, "But, there's no point in escaping, in denying what's real, right?"

Vampires are real, along with so many other monsters. That's the world you're in now.

"I know you're not gonna just sit back and watch, do you? You will try to find a way to stop them." Fran walked in front of you and looked into your eyes, "No matter what you do, I'll be with you."

"Thank you, Fran." You gently hugged her in your arms.

This corrupting world was a fucked up place, but the future for Fran, for all those living in it, was still worth fighting for.

Author's note:

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