The Dracula Index - Vampire Epoch//01

33 - Mell

MELL'S NOTES BOOK
November 2, 2245
Entry #8 - Handwritten

I think I'm ready to write.

It's been a few days and I guess I was waiting for suitable conditions before making the choice to put our plan down where anyone could read it. But enough of the plan is in motion now. Since Bryne skipped to the end of the Chronoscope, we need to find more. We are sure it can't be stopped.

I'm getting ahead of myself.

The best place to start is last night, and the dinner that was hosted for the recent graduates at the Bunkhouse of Elder Hemaris.

I had been sitting on those final words from Ezzelin von Klatka, as if they were much more immediate than from a letter written eight hundred years ago. Beyond all the death he had witnessed, and the secrets discovered by the Prince of Wallachia, Vlad Tepes, nothing impacted me more than hearing the name Kumpan, and how he was the High Gypsy of so long ago.

I had been waiting for the right moment to reach Bryne, so we could attempt to comprehend the message behind the letters, and how it could be possible that Kumpan was still alive. There was something deeper for us to understand, and more present than we had expected, but I've been unable to get him away from his work because the weather had turned. As they normally did this time of year, the clouds have blanketed the valley in shade. The winds are getting bitter, and General Ireath is nervous about continuing the expansion plan under such conditions. Which means that, until the storm passes, Bryne and I are back to performing our life-jobs inside the encampment.

I could've kept reading, but I felt incapable of deciphering the nuances of the Chrono-content without discussing each passage with him. Every night during dinner-hour, Bryne would meet my eyes as we passed plates across the darkened table. He interpreted from my subtle glance that I had read about Kumpan, and that I understood, to at least some degree, why he had looked concerned the night we stood high above R-13 and I off-handedly mentioned Kumpan bringing more crystals to Luther and the Priests. I knew we would talk soon, but I never thought our discussion would need to wait until we were in front of our former classmates. It started with Edie and the High Elder.

During the afternoon yesterday, as I assisted Edie in cleaning out her first room at Hospital House and moving her on to the second, we were met by Elder Hemaris. He was waiting casually in the entryway.

"Good day, young ladies."

We noticed him and reacted in the customary manner. When alone in a room with an Elder, Encampers are required to bow and join the thumbs of both hands with any two fingers. He approved of our obedience and motioned for us to rise.

"I have seen that my graduates are all taking well to their life-jobs...with one exception, of course. Edie, are you feeling better?" She nodded nervously as he looked her over. "See after your health, dear girl. A Bearer's job is a vital one."

At this, Edie was no longer able to stand, and I got her a chair so she could rest while the High Elder continued.

"My reason for visiting you and each of your classmates today is in an effort to respect a truly important activity. While I barred you, as punishment, from the revelries of Commencement Day, I will not keep you from one of our most illustrious and humbling traditions. This evening, you are invited to my personal bunkhouse, where I will prepare a meal and we may discuss the progress of your life-jobs. There, I will relay a summary of the evaluation I received from your job-heads. Shall I count on you?"

"Undoubtedly, Elder Hemaris," I said with boldness, answering for the two of us. I always did well speaking to the authority of the camp.

After breaking his mouth open in a reproachful grin, he left Edie's room, and we were thankful to return our fingers back to their normal positions.

"Not like we have a choice," she murmured.

"Stop it," I urged. "Talk like that can get you exiled!"

"Anything is better than this."

I feel so terribly bad for Edie. This life is too much of a strain on her weak heart. I see a lot of Ezzelin in her. Edie is just as strong, though Ezzelin's traits were more evident. I hope she can find those assets hidden within. I must suggest that she start using her Notes Book.