I'm starting to think that I'm going out of my mind.

Its been two days since my wife was taken, and I've barely ate, barely slept. That night started out so normally, so mundane. We had a bite to eat, and then we decided to take in a movie. After that, the night was still young, so we decided to go get some drinks. After all, we figured it would be hard to get nights out alone after we decide to have kids, so enjoy it while it lasts, right?

Laughing, we left the club after midnight and tried to hail a cab. It was a warm, clear night, and we decided to take a walk while looking for that taxi. That's where we made our mistake.

It all happened so fast. Before either of us could react, something that wore the shape of a man slouched around the corner and knocked me aside. I woozily thought we were being mugged, and when I turned to look at my attacker my throat went dry and my blood ran cold. Its eyes shone orange in the darkness, almost like a cat or an owl that's been caught in a flashlight beam. Its teeth were long and sharp, and its skin was rough and gray. It chuckled as it grabbed my wife by the wrist, a low, inhuman rumbling that sounded more like the crunch of gravel than anything else.

And then, in a flash, they were both gone, and I was left screaming my wife's name as I clambered to my feet. A few seconds later, a group of people arrived and one of them called the police. The officer who took my statement told me to try to keep calm and to stay by the phone, and he also told me to stop by the station the next morning and speak to a Detective Williams.

So, I did as I was told. I stayed by the phone all night since I couldn't sleep anyway, and the next morning I paid Detective Williams a visit. He's a young guy, but his eyes look a bit odd. I don't know, I guess they seem a little...haunted? Anyway, he told me that he had several of his men on the case and that they'd do everything they could to find my wife. He also took me aside and suggested that I go talk to a guy named David Sullivan who runs the Emporium rare book-shop downtown in the Frederick Building.

By this point I, the shock of it all was wearing off, and I was starting to feel frustreated and angry. I wondered how a guy who runs a downtown shop could possibly help me, and headed home instead. That night, last night, I decided to hit the streets myself.

Yeah, that was really stupid. I suspected that then, but I sure as hell know that now.

I started asking passers-by if they had seen my wife, and got zero results. I also started asking vagrants and panhandlers too, but still got nothing. After that, I started walking down the alleyways, hoping to catch a glimpse of the thing that snatched her, and I'd brought along a stun-gun just in case I found it.

Like I said, really stupid.

I ended up finding something else that wore the shape of a man, but wasn't really human. It hauled me off my feet, and its face changed into something right from a a scene from Fright Night: Feral, yellow eyes, deeply furrowed brows, and long, deadly fangs. I knew from the power in its limbs that my stun gun wouldn't have done a damn thing, even if it hadn't slapped it aside. It went for my throat, and I knew I had met a sad end.

That's when the thing yelped in pain, and dropped me to the concrete. As I rubbed my sore neck, I watched as someone fought that Vampire-thing blow-for-blow, and got the better of it. Within seconds, a sharp shaft of wood thudded into its heart, and it turned to dust right before my eyes. My savior turned and asked me if I was all-right, and the sound of that voice confirmed what I was seeing. I'd just been saved by an attractive young woman. Fast and strong, yeah, but a normal, college-aged girl.

A man with curly hair and a 5 O'clock shadow strode up to her and they exchanged words and then moved to help me to my feet. Unfortunately, the stress and fatigue caught up with me, and the world faded away into nothingness.

When I woke up, it was morning, and I was laying on a couch In a back room there at that Emporium place. The girl who had saved me brought me some coffee, and I noticed that she hid model-perfect looks behind baggy jeans and a plain, blue tee-shirt. She introduced herself as Natalie, and told me that her friend was David Sullivan. Guess I ended up meeting with the proprietor after all, like the Detective had suggested.

I related my tale of woe to the two of them, and they listened and nodded and didn't bat an eye. While they were genuinely concerned for my plight, it seemed absolutely routine to them. They drove me home and told me they'd get right to work. As I sat on my couch and waited by the phone, I briefly felt a rush of regret at the fact that I wouldn't get to watch that pretty girl twist the monster that took my wife into a pretzel.

But the regret passed and was again replaced by worry, and I sit here still, hoping and praying to hold my wife again. If anyone can find her alive, Natalie and David will do it, of that I'm sure.

Next Game-Session
Sunday, April 29th at 5:30 PM at Emily's Place.
The game will start no later than 6:00 PM.