The Halford Colony

It would be a few hours until she met with John, but right now she knew she needed rest and it wasn’t going to be easy. Lisa was exiting her bedroom and keeping preoccupied between tying the string to her pajama bottoms and trying to slip into her slippers. She was having a fit trying to clean up the place and was near frantic over it. She juggled between dressing for sleep and cleaning ever since Giada finished telling her story and she felt bad about that. No need to clean for her, she felt, she was imposing after all. Giada, now changed into some of Lisa’s sleepwear as well, was finally warming up with aid from the tea. The air outside was absolutely frigid, but it was warm in this room. After finishing her tea, she looked up and gave Lisa an exhausted smile realizing that she was talking to her and she had been so zoned out thinking about John and Kenny that she didn’t here a word she said.

“W-what?” She asked in a stupor.

“Sleep? Maybe you need a nap; maybe even a day’s worth!  It looks like you really need a pill or something, Gia!” Lisa said.

“Sleep? Yeah, that’s not even a possibility.”

“Now, THAT doesn’t sound like you at all!” She grabbed one of her books and placed it under her arm. She then began flipping more pages in another book almost looking for something and not looking at Giada, “I hate to bring this up yet again, Gia, but what did this tall man look like?”

She was surprised by the question, but she answered quickly, “Uh, grayish, pug nose, sharp ears and a little more teeth than I’m accustomed to seeing. He was hunched over slightly too. Like his shoulders were too heavy or his arms weren’t strong enough to keep good posture. He stunk like rotted meat or maybe even vomit.”

“That is scary,” she answered back flatly while she read, “did he speak at all?”

“No, not a word,” Giada snapped, “that much I remember well!”

“I kinda didn’t mean the gross looking guy Gia,” she said ominously and was still not looking at her, “I meant the tall man you met outside the bar.”

Puzzled, she answered, “There were a few of them, actually. The tallest one was named Logan. Well, not TALLER, just a really big guy; like a weight lifter. The other guy wore a gray long coat. He had a gray hat on too. It was an old style, I forget the kind.”

She raised an eyebrow, “ A Fedora? Like Indiana Jones?”

“Yeah, and he wore dark glasses. Actually, everyone he was with did.”

Lisa nodded as if she knew that already.

Giada continued, “When he took them off, he had the most gorgeous eyes. Steel green and they were like liquid. His hair was long in the back and brown. It may have been a mullet, I dunno. He was skinny, not much of a build. You know, just kind of long and straight. He was pale, but aren’t we all in the winter?”

“No!” Lisa jolted.

“Sorry!” Giada said quietly.

“I was kidding, I have thicker skin than that. I knew what ya’ meant!” Lisa assured her, “So he was tall, thin, pale, long brown hair, green eyes, and wore a gray hat and long coat.”

“Yep.” Giada said in agreement.

Lisa nodded her head slowly and furrowed her brow. She rose up from her crouch near the sofa and walked to get a beer while placing her books on an ottoman. Giada sat back and leaned into the near arm of the sofa. “I’m sorry to be such a bother. I feel like I’ve lost my mind. I’m talking about Vampires for God’s sake!

“I think strange things which I dare not confess to my own soul!” Lisa remarked from the kitchen.

“Excuse me?” Giada yelled out.

She slinked back into the room, “That is a line from Harker’s Journal in Dracula the novel.”

“I see. It’s fitting.” Giada remarked.

“Yes it is, Gia. Tonight I think you met Joshua Halford. Not many people can say that. Usually, it’s because they’re dead.”