[_____V_____]

VampiricClown slowly gets back in, shaking and shivering...eyes wide, open-mouthed. Hammerfan takes one look at him and pales.



Hammerfan (gulping): What is it, VampiricClown?

VampiricClown (shaking): Alky...I-hh-he's gone!

Hammerfan: gone? where?

VampiricClown (yelling wildly): Gone! As in gone!! Poof!! Like the horns of a donkey!

Hammerfan: H-how can that be?! He was out there just now...I heard him!!

___V___ (calmly): He's back.

VampiricClown (with disbelief): WHAT?!?!

___V___: Look for yourself.


VampiricClown looks outside the window again, and sees a cloaked figure seated where alkytrio was, whipping the horses furiously in the drenching rain. VampiricClown yells out at him, and the figure turns back at him. A huge flash of lightning reveals two eyes under the cloak which burn bright green for a second, then disappear. VampiricClown has no time to react, because just then unseen claws grip him firmly and he is yanked out from the stagecoach into the darkness.


Hammerfan: AIEEEEEEEEEEEE!! Th-they g-g-got...

___V___ (watching VampiricClown's legs disappear into the darkness): Wait here.

Hammerfan: Wh-Where are you go...?


Before Hammerfan could finish her query, ___V___ yanks the door of the shaking stagecoach open, pulls his cowboy hat down firmly, and jumps out into the coal-black night and disappears. Hammerfan shakes uncontrollably, then peers out at the figure which has taken alkytrio's place. A low growl emanates from him, and he glances back. Hammerfan catches a glimpse of protruding, sharp teeth and wild, green eyes in the bolt of lightning which erupts around her...and sinks back into the stagecoach.


Hammerfan: D-d-damnit...ah what the hell?!


Hammerfan kicks the door outwards, and jumps out of it herself. The mysterious driver whips the horses in a furious frenzy again, and with a renewed wild yelp, the horses pull the coach into the dark jungle where it disappears from sight in a second.

Hammerfan gets up slowly...her leg on fire from a deep gash on it. A slow trickle of blood seeps down from her naked wound, and she peers forward from where she stands, hobbling.

Just then, another huge bolt of lightning lights up the entire area, and Hammerfan sees a huge mansion some way off to the right from where she is standing, behind a huge gate which creaks slowly in the gusty rain. A sign on it flies wildly from side to side.

Hammerfan tries to watch the sign closely by taking a step forward, but just then someone grabs her from behind and closes a hand on her mouth!!