milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Tonight, Shufti has taken her vampire hunting outside. There's been no new reports that she knows of, but she wonders whether the culprit feeds in bursts, like a python, then bides its time.

At least one victim was attacked out here, which means two things. Firstly, the vampire has been through the back door at least once or is a teleporter. Secondly, it could strike out here again.

She's well wrapped up, in a proper winter coat, hat and gloves, sitting up in a tree. She has a good view of the surrounding area, and is difficult to see in the early evening night, except for the occasional glint of light off her Security badge.

[tinytag: A Gothic Winters Tale]

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Somewhere off in the distance, there's an odd sort of noise. Almost like a whimper, but not quite.

It's not continuous, but stops all together after some particularly loud crashing happens in a nearby shrubbery.

Shufti jumps down and runs over, crossbow ready.

"Who's there?" she asks. "Are you okay?"

What she finds, cowering on the ground in an over-sized leather jacket, is a young lad in his mid-20s.

"No, it's scary!" he says, on the verge of tears.

"What is?" Shufti asks, looking around for werewolves, demonic bunnies or the dreaded vampire itself.

"It's okay, I'm from Security."

"The dark..." He squeaks.

The dark?!

Shufti stares at him for a moment, wondering if this is a trap. Her three-year-old son makes less fuss in the dark than this.

"Then why are you out here?" she asks suspiciously.

Her three-year-old son would probably give Jools a run for his money on several fronts.

"I was trying to find the loo," he explains, still on the ground. "I just thought the lights were out."

Shufti subtly dips her hand into her pocket, to give it a light dust of garlic powder. Just in case. Then offers it to him.

"Come on, I'll take you in."

He sniffles slightly before taking her hand. "I didn't know it was outside," he insists. "Not until that animal hissed at me."

Shufti notes that he manages to touch the garlic, but he's still suspicious. Is this guy for real?

"And the cool air, trees, grass and snow weren't a clue? What's your name?"

"Thought the AC was off."

He sniffles again, though it's not all together clear if it's from the cold, or from crying.

"Jools," he says after a few moments.

"Do you have trouble with your eyes?" Shufti asks.

"No..."

To be fair, he did come outside from a well-lit bar.

"Why?"

"Did you see anything suspicious out here?" Shufti asks, leading him back towards the bar. "Or scary? Apart from the dark."

It feels odd, given she's only about five foot four, to be protecting a man several years older and quite a bit bigger. But she supposes that if this isn't a trap, he can't help having a nervous temprament.

"No, I had my eyes closed," he says. "I hid over there after the animal hissed at me."

World's most useless witness. Ever.

Shufti looks him up and down.

"No offence, but... you don't have much survival instinct, do you?"

"I'm very good at running," Jools insists.

Just... not when it's dark. Obviously.

"With your eyes closed?" Shufti asks, dubiously.

"You should be more careful, these woods aren't safe."

"No, I only closed 'em cause the animal made me scared," he says. "And the dark."

"But if you can't see the animal, how are you going to get away from it? What animal was it anyway? Was it big or small?"

"I don't know," he says honestly. "But it was definitely an animal."

"Maybe."

"Well, we're back at the bar now." Shufti says. "You should stay out of trouble."

She's torn between amusement, irritation and pity.

"Do you want a hot drink? I could use a break anyway."

"Kay," he says. "But I can't have chocolate any more. Everyone keeps trying to give me some, and I keep getting in trouble."

"In trouble how? What about tea?"

"Mum says I'm not allowed to have it."

Chocolate, that is.