Nighttime Frights - A not so romantic nighttime walk

It was a night like any other in Burrowgatory; though perhaps it was this way because Wenju had not noticed a single difference from usual, as his nose was buried deep into the latest novel “My vampire coworker cannot be this hot!”. This was the latest release in the series by his favourite steamy danmei author, Moth Fluffballs, from their most popular latest series about a coworker situationship, from friends to with benefits, every single reader was on the edge of their seat at the will they won’t they. This recent installment had added fantastical elements, as vampires were the main feature of this recent book. The protagonist, Aiyu, had just met up with his beloved Lu at his house, only to find that Lu had seemed quite out of it. Aiyu approached his (soon to be official) lover, embracing him by the waist. Upon closer inspection, Lu had grown fangs overnight, the sharp edges were enough to cut his finger. Lu jerked upright at the cut and lunged straight for Aiyu’s neck-

The street lighting was not enough for Wenju to make out the rest of the passage. Frustrated, Wenju finally looks up from the novel in a huff, glancing around to find the nearest street lamp. Instead his gaze is drawn to the television screen mounted inside the store not more than a few steps away. Cocking his head, Wenju walked closer and saw the screen was of a Burrowgatory police officer was giving an announcement:

“Due to this vampire outbreak, all citizens must stay indoors as much as possible. If you are venturing outside your home, be sure to bring a weapon, or some company. There is safety in numbers. Now, onto addressing the matter on the Church of Sulphur priest, Oleander-”

No way,  thought Wenju. Vampires were real? That’s crazy.

He comes to the sinking realisation that he was in fact alone. In the empty street. With the brightest light coming from this lone store’s television screen. The blinking street lamps were NOT giving Wenju any sense of comfort at the moment.

Wenju clutches his novel close to his chest, with a hoof still within the pages to keep his progress without giving the page a dogear. Its contents were usually the main source of comfort to the bun, but now the weight of the novel quickly became a source of comfort as well. 

It would be just fine. There was no one here. And that was a good thing, better there to be no one than someone.

With quickened steps, Wenju darted through the shadows unlit by street lamps, as if playing a strange game of the floor is on lava; stepping quickly through darkened spots of the street and slowly his pace when stepping into areas lit by the street lamps in a rhythm like the waves of the tide. 

If only he had finished reading this novel at home. This novel specifically featured vampires. He once again felt a wave of admiration and respect wash over him for the author. Could they have predicted this recent vampire outbreak as a trend and the perfect way to hook readers in? As expected of the most masterful creator, Moth Fluffballs! They were an admiration to Wenju as soon as he had picked up their first debut novel, “The Boss can’t be this hot!”. Office romances were strange to Wenju, as someone who worked at a hot spring and didn’t understand the concept of office dynamics and respecting higher ups, so this concept was fascinating to him. He immediately fell in love with the writer’s keen use of metaphors and characterisation, they just had a way of bringing a story to life-

A life he would soon not have if Wenju wasn’t careful enough to not get sidetracked out here in the pitch of night. Shoot. If only he had read this novel in full back at home. This novel had vampires. If he had read it all, he would have known the exact ways to deal with a vampire. Experience from a novel was experience nonetheless, he stood by that fact no matter how his peers would laugh at him sometimes for being so serious about it. 

He should have been home today, like all other evenings after his shift at the hotsprings was over. But instead he had been craving a snack before he settled down to read the novel, like a dango perhaps, or just some veggies from the grocery store. Feeling far too engrossed to take his eyes away from the pages of the novel, Wenju had opted to take the novel with him outside. After all, what’s a little detour if he did manage to get lost somehow. 

Unfortunately, today was a bad day to get lost. The bun squinted, he was sure this was the right way, but with the flickering street lights he wasn’t too sure all of a sudden.

His heart racing, and with his thoughts racing faster, Wenju was out of breath by the time he approached the hustle and bustle of a main street. Finally back to a well lit area, with more people around, Wenju let out a sigh of relief and glanced back to the novel safely in his arms. Well…. It wouldn’t hurt to read one more chapter before heading home. This was a busier street after all. What could go wrong?