Spring 2007 Volume One Issue Two
Meeting By Moonlight - B.A. Tyler
"Look for me by moonlight, he says. Like there is any other time we would meet." Curtis muttered to the farmer through gritted teeth. "Matthias is always the dramatic one. The really old ones usually are."
The farmer made no answer, just held the pitchfork poised over Curtis's neck.
"Dramatic," Curtis continued, "but punctual? I think not."
The full moon shone overhead. The rusty tines of the pitchfork pricked at Curtis's neck.
He stared at the farmer and wondered what to do next. If Matthias had been on time, none of this would have happened.
Could Curtis help it that he had been hungry? He didn't even like cow's blood. Now, with the cow's cooling carcass pinning him to the ground, he liked it even less.
Matthias had said Curtis would gain more control with time. Matthias had promised Curtis would become more accomplished with practice.
"You will become one with the moonlight," Matthias said. "A creature of stealth. A hunter who thrives on darkness."
Matthias had promised that Curtis would learn to mesmerize humans, and that it was possible that he could _eventually_ master transforming from a mist and back to corporeal form without misplacing an ear or half of his left leg.
Promises, promises.
Twenty years and Curtis couldn't even turn himself into a bat.
Transforming into a mist, well that would be handy right about now. But all Curtis had managed to do was make his left arm go all tingly.
Maybe the farmer could help.
Curtis bared his fangs in what he hoped was a mesmerizing grin. The farmer took a step backward.
Curtis focused. If he could hypnotize the farmer into helping him move the cow, he could get free before Matthias found him like this. Curtis cranked up the kilowatts on his hypnotic stare.
"Bwaak!" Said the farmer as he began to scratch at the ground and flap his elbows.
Well, at least the pitchfork was out of the picture.
- END -