𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐒

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖊𝖓

"—and he hates sunlight, always wears his shades inside. At night too."

Sam paced in circles around the rack of comic books at the center of the shop. You were only half-listening to his conversation with Edgar and Alan, who were in the middle of closing up shop for the night when Sam convinced you to join him in his walk down to the boardwalk.

It was so late by the time you got down there that the crazies weren't even still out. Just you, Sam, and the Frogs.

You popped your gum and continued kicking your feet against the front counter. There was a comic open in your lap but you were only interested in the pictures.

Edgar slammed the security gate shut and slid the padlock into place. You'd be surprised at how many attempted break-ins they faced over the summer months. City kids who didn't know the difference between a riptide and a sandbar.

"We've been aware of some suspicious vampire activity in this town for some time," he rasped and you smacked your gum to prevent rolling your eyes. That kid was going to lose his voice if he kept throwing it like that.

Alan smacked down a heavy stack of comic books on the counter beside you. "Santa Carla's become a haven of the undead."

"Well, what am I supposed to do about it?" Sam huffed.

Edgar and Alan spared each other a knowing look. "Kill your brother. You'll feel better."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," you said, jumping down from the counter. "We're not killing anyone."

"(Y/N), I thought the old man taught you better than this," Edgar rolled his eyes and you sincerely thought about smacking him. "Sam's brother is a halfling vampire. The evidence is all there."

Sam jumped in before you could argue. "But the comic book says that if you kill the head vampire, all of the half-vampires return to normal." He waves his comic book around in the air. It's torn up, worn, and has obviously been studied rigorously.

"Well, does he know who the head vampire is?"

"Guys!" you interrupt. Sam turns to you wide-eyed, just like he did that night he swore up and down he saw a vampire outside his window. The other two look mildly bored. You were standing in the middle of some serious vampire-hunting business. "We are not killing anyone, vampire or not. If you're that worried, I can salt your windows or cleanse your spaces or whatever, but I draw the line at murder."

Alan pouts and Edgar gives Sam a look that roughly translates to 'don't listen to her.'

Hypothetical vampire hunting was one thing. Killing Michael because he was a little bit stoned and a little bit hungover lately was a whole new thing.

A voice carried through the air like a gust of soft ocean breeze, suddenly derailing your thoughts.

"(Y/N)......(Y/N)......"

Your head snapped up to the door to the left of the counter. It was the only exit that hadn't been locked up yet. Sam and the boys watched you with concerning wonder. "What's...uh, what's up, (Y/N)?"

"Yeah, I uh–" you gulped. It was like your thoughts weren't your own. You were an RC car on a playground and someone just stole your remote. "I...I think I'll be right back. Don't wait up, Sammy." You ducked out before they could think to stop you.

It wasn't so late that the flickering neon lights had been turned off, but then again you wondered if they ever were ever off at all. They did very little in guiding you down the boardwalk and you could barely see five feet ahead of you, let alone the rest of the ghost town of retail shops.