While I was on a school trip, my friends and I went exploring everywhere. We learned of an abandoned castle from a tour guide and were instantly drawn in. A classmate pulled me aside and asked if I wanted to come to the castle with him. I was reluctant at first, but I finally gave in and agreed to go. We snuck out of our rooms and set off to explore the castle. The thought of being there alone at night was repugnant to me, but I didn't show it. However, I felt relieved when we arrived because nothing seemed too unusual. The ceilings were high, the massive doors creaked, and it smelled of dew. The gorgeous architecture sent me into a reverie as I was imagining what the space must’ve looked like centuries ago. However, the unmistakable scent of blood filled the room, and I grew skeptical. My suspicions were confirmed as we held up our lights to reveal walls painted with blood. Dylan, trying to scare me, made up one of his foolish stories about how this had to have been the work of vampires. He continued, trying to convince me that a huge conflagration had burned all nearby garlic plants, which is why there were vampires there. Annoyed, I scolded Dylan for speaking too loud since we weren’t even supposed to be in the castle. Ironically, my imperious demands shook the frail glass windows. At this point, I thought it would be a good idea to start making our way back to our hotel, but as I was walking towards the exit, the doors slammed shut. This is when I started worrying that this whole situation was portending something dangerous. Dylan seemed languid, and this worried me even more. I knew he could be indolent at times, but this was not a time to be relaxed. As I turned around, I saw that the doors had opened again, but this time with a figure between them. It was a man in a long black cloak with pale white skin and bulging red eyes. I turned back around to see that Dylan disappeared. When I looked back to face the man, his augmented body had grown three feet. He started approaching me but stopped when I asked him who he was. He explained that he was immortal and had supernatural powers, and all the blood had come from his victims. He had already put Dylan in a trance, and was about to do the same to me. Not wanting to become his next meal, I struck the side of his head with my flashlight and made a run for it. I’m still here today, but Dylan was never found. To this day, I long for that scoundrel's blood and justice for my friend.
