New Haven
New Haven was falling apart. Contrary to popular belief the New York cities state, was hardly in the manageable state, that whatever rich smug politicians were paid to say, was doing any justice in really upholding the truth about it. Had she shared her opinions with just about anyone else, Holleign Hanes would have no doubt that people would just think, she was one of those desensitized odd-balls, that just had the poor liberty of growing up experiencing all the worst parts of what New Haven had to offer. The funny thing was that despite the rather judgmental assumptions of others, miss Hanes had anything but displeasuring liberties, while growing up in New Haven. New Haven was a quite the interesting place, when people knew how to open their eyes..
Had she said that to just about anyone on street, they might cork a brow or shed a shiver from the near sight of the outwardly dressed dark young woman, who did anything but hide her rather unique sense of expression, or opinions. One might even consider it perfectly rational for someone of her manifest to be babbling about things that sounded like great selling novel idea's, to litter the works of some deprived writer, seeking to make more then a quick buck off a good horror-fiction seller. See none of this was ever about that. Holleigh never gave a damn about being that one chick who'd blow open the mundane secrecy of her own 'simple' society wide open. This wasn't about attention or popularity, this was simply about achieving discovery of things, that just otherwise made 'normal' people cringe or chill at the very thought of the phenomenal co-existing among the living.
For months now Holleigh had been looking for clues. Ever since she had been little she had this weird feeling. This sixth sense, that just allowed her to feel and see things that everyone else just couldn't see. The interesting thing was that Holleigh wasn't exactly looking for ghosts, or ghouls creeping under the bed, or even next door. No, her outlook was much bigger then that, given that ghosts and ghoulies were hardly the sorts of creepy crawlies they had been depicted as, in popular literature or media. Hence why finding entire societies and understanding them, felt a great deal harder. Not to mention almost entirely maddening within the ravaging of her rather consolidated inspiration. Even if she did prove the existence of the paranormal, living among humans, what was to say her almighty discovery wouldn't reach much beyond the rather revelating circumstances of those short few moments, before whatever it was she discovered made damn sure she didn't give word to anyone else. That was the one part Holleigh just hadn't quite figured out yet.
No matter. It wasn't like fear kept this young woman refrained from the rationalities of norms that other blind mortal folk of society, so easily walked on ignoring, or otherwise remaining entirely oblivious too. Where danger lurked, Holleigh often found herself heading two steps closer then she probably knew was better for her to risk. Sub conscious humanity kept her intact, while aspiration kicked harder then she could possibly imagine. Sometimes she wondered if her own instincts may very well get her killed one day. A thought that never left her, especially whenever she found herself doing something that felt oddly guilty of pestering her conscience. Yeah, breaking into old houses owned by 'vampires' was certainly going to do the trick there.
Honestly she didn't get it. Where as everyone else seemed quite happy living within the falsified norms of the reality around them, Holleigh just always got this weird sort of thrill of causing mischief around things, that most people would otherwise denounce right off, as bat-shit crazy superstition. Where as superstition caused many to reject the idea of dwelling in things that weren't meant to involve the intrusion of feeble mortal presence, Holleigh always found herself wondering why everyone just chose to remain ignorant instead. Humanity was an inevitability. Mortality a curse, in so many more ways then immortality could ever be. Or so the young mind of a naive witch thought, while she mused around the possibility of vampires living in old mansions, off the near waterfront of the city. That outta get people to believe you. What a cliche. Then again, maybe it was a start?
As cliche as it was, suspecting and adding up clues to pin point a vampiric being living no more then several blocks away from her own home, made perfect sense. Who else would want to spend time living in an old creepy mansion off the coast of the waterfront? It wasn't like the old 'Amorem' estate was winning any battles with the city. In a year the place was going to be leveled into the ground, replaced by some fancy condo's full of rich fools living over the mounds of what was potentially an elder vampires home. Then people went missing. Reports were claimed. The city made an excuse and- nothing got solved. The worst part about equating to the inevitable only reminded Holleigh that she wasn't sneaking into the 'Amorem' estate, for upholding some principle of defending man. Nope. She was just here to get the facts straight for herself, because it wasn't like anyone else around her was going to listen anyway.
Then again, she'd be lying if she warded her intentions of saving someone. Although it wasn't the future residence of condo's she felt much pity, nor even concern for. Instead, it was the fascinating creature of night that had lived in this estate, of however long it had. In some ways, she wished to be doing it a favor. If only the logic behind that made much sense, given doing a favor and basically sacrificing herself up to the potential beast inside the creature, just seemed far more likely..
"Holleigh Hanes"
Stepping lightly had the bases of her boots gently tapping against the dusty flooring of an abysmal window. Despite the perpetual void of darkness outlining her entry into the sunken basement window of the estate, Holleigh only saw an entrance. Being afraid of the dark was, well, it was just silly. Besides, it wasn't the dark, nor the rather aged gothic stature of the mansion that served to cause her nerves to stand on end. Instead it was only the simple fact that trespassing into the house of the dead, just seemed like a sure way to account for some kind of trouble at some point or another. Regardless Holleigh knew no restraint.
Slipping into the dusty interior of the basement floor was easy enough. Especially because she had done this before, this being her third time. Repaid visits had become somewhat of a norm when you felt you were on to something. The first time she came with hopes. The second time she came with reassurance and a flash light. The third time she came with all those things and a camera. Not just any camera, but one that was quite special. The camera itself could snap photo's of things digital camera's often projected as odd blurs, or eerie spheres of peculiar exposure. With these things, Holleigh intended to leave with more then empty hands, and a few more bruises and scratches that she got for bumping into things in the dark.
As a matter of fact, avoiding things she otherwise had made the mistake of causing a commotion with, the first and second time, had become somewhat of a natural instinct. Being less clumsy was great, especially when you were trying to keep the favors of stealth on your side. The last thing she wanted was to disturb the only true inhibitor of this mansion, in all the wrong ways. It was just a shame she hadn't come across them yet. Or was that a mercy?
Moving steadily along in the dark was easier by flashlight. Steps careful, yet quickened, within their precision through the dusk ahead. The entire first floor had almost reached full collapse. Splinters and gapes of wood existing in the penumbra of a ceiling, only just above head's reach above. The odd thing was that despite the basement being rather crammed, within ceiling height, the floor above seemed only cascading into an entire swarm of shade, that felt almost spectral in nature. For beyond a suspected vampire, Holleigh knew that there was much more danger that existed within these walls. Ghosts, phantoms, banshee's. All the same to the common ignorance of those who only choose to see such things as infernal obscurities, that bore no place within the context of the indolencies of this world.
The Amorem estate had been rumored to be haunted by those who were quick to assume superstition, but never truly understood the reality behind it. A place of unspeakable mystery, only made worse by the subject of increasing popularity, following bizarre murders that were apparently partaking place within. Each of those murders seeming more unusual then the last, despite aggravation remaining a common element of each surreal fatality. The stranger thing was that each victim had apparently been somewhere else at the time, and suddenly ended up here. The whole circumstance behind the murders seemed, expeditional, as much as it did inconsistent by poor attempts to undisclose the matter entirely. There was something much more going on inside the Amorem Estate.
Creakkk...
The soft sound of creaking wood splintered in the near distance of our naive protagonist. Her steps came to a close, attention peaking on the diversion of the sound. A sharp turn of exhilaration had Holleigh spinning on her heels at the simplest groan of aging interior. Lips dark as midnight parting to relinquish a gasp of surprise, suspense expelled from those lips and into a near peep of a gasp. Thus silence returned, only by the hesitation of her steps. At first she stood as she were. Still, ever unmoved, with drawn attention to the silly source of noise. Her flashlight peered beyond, forward into the thicket of shadow surrounding her. Nothing was ahead. No more then the disregard of all furniture dressed in layers of cobwebs and dust, that had entitled the lack of absence of visitation, for quite some time.
Holleigh's breath reconciled in light sign, tension slipping from her as she made another step. Disregarding the sound would have been easy, if only it weren't for the sound of steps, gently clapping away behind her. At the very second she tried to move a step forward from her big black boots. The sound of steps calmly approaching from behind had Holleigh freeze entirely where she stood, only just planting her boot down to the concrete floor beneath, with slow careful and desirably silent precision. As she did, the worst of her fears seemingly came to life on whim of that eerie voice of near sub-zero murmur, that dreaded upon the bareness of her ear.
“The Returnedddd-ddd..-”
A ghastly voice called to her from behind. The tone of that voice near wisping circles of hollow voice in her ear. Terror became reality. Any eager display of curiosity, or delicate attention, decimated by what she heard. “Hello-oo-o?” The nervous peep of a response stumbled over the light tremble of those lips, as Holleigh's eyes slowly diverted to inevitable presence of the vengeful behind her. “I mean no-!” A feeble protest of diplomacy sub came to fear, only moments before a chair resting somewhere in the darkness of the room, was propelled at Holleigh with imperious force. She never finished her sentence, before the sound of relentless phantasmal trashing came to life, and forced her from consciousness, from the assault..
Pain thrived through her skull. Light bruising on the side of her head, where a trickle of blood had been gently spilling down from the side of her ear. Holleigh's reawakening to consciousness was slow and rough. A gentle batting of her darken eyes flushed against the thick of darkness around her. Whispering of ghastly words in her ear, still lingering throughout her conscience like an endless torment of invasion. She could hear- She could their voices- in her head! They were all around her! The desire to scream took over her, as the knowledge of knowing where she was, became entirely unimportant. Though she willed to rile in fear and panic, Holleigh's lips never moved. Instead she only just managed to collect herself with slow and near hollow address, as her still eyes peered into the unimaginable darkness around her. As she rose she heard the sound of old springs squeak beneath her curling form. Where was she- why couldn't she? She hardly felt in control..