Predator Within

Chapter 4 - Rescue Mission

"Bringing back any memories, Drac?"

Dracula groaned at Murray, who had asked the question. "I'd rather not remember," he said, sliding the hood over his head more.

Drac, Murray, Wayne, Griffin, and Frank had all boarded the train and were disguised with flower-patterned shawls to try and pass as elderly ladies. It was a trick they had pulled almost a century ago whenever they needed to ride the train across Transylvania inconspicuously. No one else was on board thankfully - well, no one else beside the excitable redhead who was seated a few benches away in the train car. He held up a strange rectangular object up to his face and spoke into it.

"Video Journal, Day 10. I'm on my way to the airport to meet up with some of my family from Cali..."

Drac watched him for a minute, and then turned to the others. "Who is he talking to?"

Murray shrugged. "Maybe there's a trapped spirit in there!"

Griffin groaned. "Yeah, leave it to the humans to find some way to imprison our kind," he said with a roll of his eyes.

Drac shrugged it off and sat back, trying to calm himself. He had barely had a chance to gather his thoughts when the redhead's voice suddenly rang out right next to his ear.

"Hey, guys! Where are you all headed?"

Drac yelped and recoiled, backing up next to Frank who was also startled. The redhead noticed and raised his hands up.

"Oops, my bad, I didn't mean to scare you," he quickly apologized.

"Yes, yes, it's all right, just don't do that again," Drac responded, making his voice sound higher pitched like a woman's.

The redhead let out a little laugh. "Hey, look," he began to say. "I dig the shawls on you all, but you don't have to hide your totally awesome costumes! I mean, the events don't start until tomorrow, but I admire the fact that you guys wanted to get a head start!"

"Uh, 'events'?" Murray asked. "What are you talking about?"

The redhead turned his attention to the mummy. "Well, I'm guessing you all are here for the Monster Festival that's happening tomorrow, am I right?"

"Monster Festival?" Frank echoed with interest. "What's that?"

"Only the coolest set of events ever!" the redhead responded enthusiastically. "Every year here in Transylvania. That's why I'm heading off to the airport, gonna pick up some of my family that's there so we can all attend together."

Wayne's eyes lit up. "Did you say you were heading to the airport?"

The redhead nodded. "Sure did! You guys heading there too? I could help you get there."

The monsters began to nod in agreement, but Dracula quickly cut in before more could be said.

"Oh, no, no, no that's okay," he said, rising up from the seat and guiding the redhead away. "We can get there ourselves, thank you." As soon as he returned the redhead to his seat, he saw that the train had pulled into the station and the doors opened for them to depart. Drac climbed off, hastily tugging his friends along and keeping to the shadows.

"Guys, what the heck were you thinking?" he scolded, flailing his arms in exasperation. "We don't ask help from the humans!"

"He actually seemed kind of nice!" Griffin argued. "For once, no pitchforks."

"Or torches," Wayne added.

"Or fire," Frank put in.

"Who cares!" Drac yelled. "Human equals BAD. And my poor Mavy has been traveling around with them crawling all over the place!" He ran his hands through his hair in great concern and began to pace around as he thought of all the horrible things that he could do to her. "They could strangle her... or stake her... or cut open her head and put candy in it! Or - "