28: What Goes Up… – Pt. 1

Victoria sat aimlessly watching the neighborhood kids running up and down the street playing games. Everything seemed so innocent and carefree yet beneath their outward appearance, she began to wonder if any of them had ties to the supernatural. It could be anyone, Loretta’s words echoed in her head. A crying child drew her eyes towards a tiny, orange house on the corner. 

A little girl had fallen off her bicycle and skinned her knee and her brother was helping to carry her home. The scene was like something out of a made-for-TV movie that depicted life as a serene and peaceful existence. But recent events were her stark reality of just the opposite. Work carried on as usual although the crime rate was higher than normal and she had seven opened homicide cases sitting on her desk demanding her attention. The precinct had been recently flooded with calls concerning bizarre deaths and unusual events; many of which the force refused to take seriously.

Still Victoria found the time to work on her magic. Here she found herself trying her best to relax and enjoy her weekend away at her Grandmother’s in Danbury. Since discovering her whereabouts Victoria kept in contact either by phone or visits and was learning quite a bit about magic and her family’s history from her matriarch. Derrick, who often insisted on accompanying her on visits, continued his lessons with her as well but in a more physical nature. 

“I think I got all of the blood out of my shirt finally,” she heard his voice before he turned the corner joining her in the den. “Although the gigantic hole in the center might lead people to think I’m starting a new fashion trend; piranha wear. In my humble opinion, I don’t think you need any more lessons with the sword; you seem to have a vast understanding of which is the dangerous end.”

“Sorry about that,” Victoria smiled sheepishly as he dropped the crumpled material into the wastebasket and took a seat beside her. “You told me to give it all I had. It was like calling me chicken so I let you have it.”

“I guess it’s a good thing I heal quickly. I’m not so sure I like being your punching bag though. And that was my favorite shirt by the way.”

“I’ll buy you a new one,” she beamed and turned her attention back outside the window.

“Nah don’t worry about it. I’ll think of it as a casualty of war. It really won’t seem important once we start looking for those talismans.”

“When is that by the way? I mean hearing you and Nana talk about those things it seems like it’s dire crisis world ending kind of stuff and yet we don’t really appear to be making strides in the direction towards prevention.”

“What are you talking about? All of this IS progress towards prevention. You are the one that will have to be out there hunting the underworld tracking these things down. And as you’ve witnessed, these creatures can be scary, deadly and merciless. Neither myself nor your grandmother want to send you in there unprepared Victoria. So see it all depends on when you’re ready; when your magic and physical strength are at their peak. I want us to survive these expeditions and I can’t do that if I have to worry about your safety on top of killing whatever opposition we may run into.”

“I’m a cop Derrick. I’m very capable of handling myself.”

“As I’ve learned,” he groaned and rubbed his belly with a slight grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “But there is a difference between stabbing a sword through a vampire and killing one Victoria. Trust me when you’re ready, we will go hunting.”

“Lunch is ready,” Loretta exclaimed from the dining room as she set places for her company. Derrick and Victoria joined her, taking seats across from one another. Loretta bowed her head in blessing and whispered a small prayer over their meal before the three quietly sat eating. Derrick’s eyes played over the glass of blood in front of him and up to Victoria who guardedly pretended as if she wasn’t watching him drinking.

He smiled down into his cup as he took another sip and dramatically licked his lips for her. “Mmm mmm! This is delicious Loretta, Otter is it?” he asked, trying to get a rise out of the detective as he inhaled and gulped a large mouthful between his lips. A trickle of crimson spilled down his chin and he used his index finger to wipe it away, licking the tip obnoxiously. “It’s better than some of the blood banks I’ve raided in Avondale.”

“You know, it’s very rude to play with your food Derrick,” Victoria sighed and dropped her fork to her plate with a clank. “Some of us would rather enjoy our meal in peace.”

“Oh I’m sorry Victoria, is the slurping too loud for you? Besides, playing with food is a vampire pastime. Do you have any idea how delicious blood tastes with a little bit of adrenaline? You can have a sip if you’d like.” Victoria’s nose scrunched at the idea and Derrick smirked before taking another swig and dropping the glass to the table.

“This looks delicious Nana thank you but I’m not that hungry.”

“I’m sorry,” Derrick chuckled as he waved his white flag. “I’ll stop teasing Victoria so you can eat.”

“It’s not you Derrick; I’m kind of used to the whole blood thing. I’m just feeling a little…”

“Anxious,” he finished her sentence and eyed the bracelet on her wrist. It had a bright yellow shimmer to it and he rested his hand on top of hers with a comforting smile. Gently his fingers rubbed the back of her hand before Victoria pulled away and toyed with the bindings on her arm.

“Something’s coming, I can feel it. And even with the warnings in my dreams, this endless research and all of this preparation won’t be enough to stop it.”

“Well according to my events planner, something has come. The Festival of Lights is in the fairgrounds downtown. Why don’t you take Victoria, Derrick, and you try and relax. I’m sure you’re just anxious like Derrick said sweetheart and just need a night to wind down. We’ve been practicing magic without a break for weeks now not to mention you and Derrick are training really hard in the basement. I think you just need a break.”

“Nana I don’t…”

“Ah come on Victoria, it sounds like fun. I want to go and you don’t want to be a Debbie Downer and spoil my evening too do you?” He looked at her with puppy eyes but all she noticed was the stain of red around his lips.

Grabbing the napkin from in front of him, she dabbed his mouth a few times and dropped the cloth to the table. “Fine, but you’re buying me an ice cream.”

The night was chilly and immediately Victoria regretted not grabbing her jacket before leaving the house. “I could always run back and grab it for you,” Derrick offered noticing the way she hugged her arms close to her chest as they perused the various booths and displays. “I’m pretty fast.”

“Naw it’s ok. I think more than anything it was the ice cream. Maybe I should have just said no.”

“But that wasn’t part of the deal. You asked for it, you got it. Plus I’d have hated to miss out on the constant moaning you were doing as you ate it.”

“I was not!”

“Oh no? So I just imagined you saying ‘God I could just live in this chocolate dream. Mmm mmm so good.’?”

“Whatever,” Victoria smiled as they came to rest in front of one of the lighted booths. The moon was full tonight, a perfect night for the festival she thought when they’d first arrived. There was an early evening fireworks display that set off the event with another scheduled at the end of the lantern show. Derrick made it a point to tell her they would be staying until the end of the event, he didn’t want to miss it. “You think those places are really haunted?” she asked motioning towards the haunted house behind them.

“Very doubtful. But if you’d like I could always make things interesting. Hide in a dark corner somewhere and give an unsuspecting patron the scare of their lives.”

“Derrick!”

“What? Could be fun,” he shrugged and watched as Victoria’s expression quickly changed as she spotted the Skeeball machines near arcade row.

“Oh I LOVE this game!” she enthused and pushed a few coins into the slot and waited for the balls to slide down the chute. “I used to play this endlessly when my parents took me and my sisters to the mall. And I got the high score for three summers in a row when the fair came to town.”

“Well let’s see if your aim is better than mine,” Derrick grinned and slid into the game beside her. The moment his round started up, he hit the 100 point slot in the top left corner. Victoria growled at him as he doubled up on the right side, never once missing a shot.

“You’re cheating!”

“I am not! I just have an eye for these things!”

“Cheater,” she stomped her foot as the game came to an end and Derrick’s score was nearly perfect while hers was three hundred behind his. He shrugged and turned to check out the other machines in the area. And like a kid in a candy store, his eyes lit up with excitement and he rushed towards the Whack-a-Mole game. 

“Check this out!” he nearly shouted as he noticed the game was updated with a scarier theme for the season. “Whack-a-Vampire!”

“Huh! It’s like they read my mind,” Victoria laughed when he frowned in her direction and stepped beside him as he slipped a coin into the slot. “I wonder would this be considered genocide, Derrick?”

“Ha you wish we were this easy to take out but I’m stuck on you like those jeans to your ass and I look just as nice might I add.” 

“Are you saying you look like an ass? I guess that’s another thing we can agree on.”

She smiled as he glowered towards her and nearly missed as another vampire popped up. “DIE BLOOD SUCKERS!” he hooted and slammed the mallet down hard on the head of another vampire figurine.

“Hey, how about you use those super powers of yours and win me a stuffed animal?” She asked watching him as he continued pounding the slots until the end of the game. Following her gaze, she motioned towards the basketball display in the center of the main walk and he took her hand in his and started forward.

“What do I get if I win you what you want?”

“Well now there’s a loaded question if ever I’ve heard one. What do you want?” Derrick smirked and Victoria shook her head disapprovingly. “I don’t like the way you’re looking at me.”

“What? I wouldn’t make you do something you didn’t want to,” he grinned again and Victoria nibbled her bottom lip as they continued walking passed a few rows of other game booths. “Come on Victoria, don’t you trust me?”

“Debatable.” Derrick grabbed his heart as if she’d wounded him fatally and she laughed before finally agreeing to his terms. “Alright, alright whatever you want, within reason Derrick. I trust you.”

“Step right up and win the lady a prize,” the barker yelled as Derrick paid a few tokens and smiled over his shoulder at Victoria.

“Fifty baskets wins a prize; think I can do it?”

“Unless you want to be responsible for me having a terrible night, I have every confidence you’ll get the job done.”

“Wow, no pressure huh?” Derrick gripped the first ball in his hand, turning it a few times before releasing it and watching as it hugged the hoop on its descent. “One down, forty-nine to go.”

Victoria cheered him on as he continued effortlessly tossing the ball into the hoops one after the other. Game point, Derrick turned to face her and without looking, tossed the ball over his head and shot her an arrogant smirk as he heard it touch net and drop into the bin. “Name your prize young lady!”

“The vampire,” Derrick answered before Victoria had a chance to. She looked at him as the attendant headed towards the display and plucked a teddy bear off the shelf. “What?” he shrugged as she kindly retrieved her prize. “It’s something to remember me by. Plus, you get to see firsthand how great snugglers we can be!”

She laughed and squeezed the stuffed bear against her chest. “Mmm yeah you’re right. With toys like these what girl needs the real thing?” She chortled as she was once again met with his pouting face and he tapped his finger against his cheek awaiting his reward. “This is awesome, Derrick, thank you,” she grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck in appreciation before gently giving him a peck.

“It was my pleasure Victoria.” They started walking the grounds again, several children scurried about the many rides and games, leaving their parents in a trail of dust as they scattered through the hordes of people. It made Victoria smile as she remembered times where her mom and dad had a hard time wrangling her and the other five siblings she grew up with. A family with just two kids must have been much easier to control than one with twice as many though. “Penny for your thought.” Derrick remarked as they reached the end of the first walkway.

“Ah I was just thinking about my parents. With the holidays coming, I just know Mom is gonna try and gather everyone for Thanksgiving. It gets really crazy around this time of year.”

“Sounds like fun. Am I invited?”

“To my parents house where no one knows about the existence of magic except a woman who denies her heritage? I don’t think that will go over too well Derrick. But I’ll bring you back a doggy bag!”

“Does he really love you? Will you get that promotion at work? Do you actually have a chance at winning the lottery? Get ya fortunes told right here folks and find out!”

“Oh that sounds fun!” Victoria grinned and started in the direction of the barker.

“No it sounds like a scam and trust me, 99% of the time it is.”

“Oh come on Derrick, who’s the Debbie Downer now?”

“Victoria if you really want your fortune told I know real seers who could do that for you for free. Why waste your money on something you KNOW isn’t real?”

“Because I work for a living and it’s my money to waste now come on!” She smirked and trotted over to the booth.

“We have a taker! Greetings and salutations! I am Dan the Magnificent and welcome to my humble abode. What is your name Doll?”

“If you’re really a psychic, then you should know what she’s going to say,” Derrick interrupted before Victoria had a chance to speak.

“Ah, a skeptic. You’re never alone in a crowd like this young man, let me tell ya. But alright, you want proof of my ‘otherworldly’ powers I can play your game.” Closing his eyes a moment, Dan rubbed his temples in a circle three times counterclockwise before glancing in Victoria’s direction with a smirk. “I see a name starting with a V.” Her brows rose slightly in surprise and the man’s smile grew wider. “Victoria.”

“That’s right!” She exclaimed and elbowed her companion. “See, this might be fun after all.”

“Well step inside, Little lady, and we’ll see what the future holds for you!” Derrick groaned as he followed behind Victoria and took a seat beside her, never once taking his eyes off the man in the cheesy genie getup. “Place your ten dollars into the jar and we’ll get started.”

Victoria did as instructed and the man held out his hands for her to take. Once they connected, his eyes again shut and Victoria shifted in her seat as his body started shaking. He began humming and the grip on her hands tightened as he thrashed violently around the table. 

“Oh my God.” Dan exclaimed without opening his eyes and before another forceful jerk dropped his head back. When it was finally all over he looked up at Victoria with a very scared expression on his face. His skin had become completely white as if drained of all blood. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead and he struggled to catch his breath. “You have to go,” he stood abruptly.

“Go? But you haven’t told me my fortune yet!”

“And I’m not going to. I’m sorry but I must shut down for the night.”

“Wait! What?” Victoria asked confused as he began shoving her towards the exit forcefully. Derrick pushed him away and growled at the man’s contact.

“Get out now!” Dan snarled, backing away from Derrick who stood defensively in front of Victoria.

“Wait what did you see?”

“I said I was closed. I’m sorry.”

“Fine then give her back her money,” Derrick growled once more, growing angrier and angrier at the man’s insistence that they leave.

“Here,” the fortune teller spoke in a shaky tone as he shoved Victoria’s ten at Derrick. “Please, take it and go!”

“But…”

“LEAVE!”

“Alright, we’re going,” Victoria snapped and stepped out of his tent. The man zipped it up quickly and turned off the light inside before the two could make it five feet away from him. “What the hell was that all about?”

“I told you this thing was a scam.”

“But he gave me my money back.”

Derrick shrugged and handed her the ten dollar bill as he looked over her shoulder once more towards the tent. “Come on, the light show is about to start.”

A small crowd had gathered off the main stage and Derrick took Victoria’s hand in his as he navigated through the sea of people to get to the lamp booth. Purchasing a paper lantern for himself and one for her he motioned towards the row of people wandering off to the lake and nodded for her to follow with a smile. “Do you know how to operate one of these things?” she asked, taking a seat in the small rowboat that he’d also rented to get them into the middle of the lake.

“Uh, well…”

“Don’t tell me, you took lessons with Captain Jack Sparrow and Blackbeard themselves and they taught you all there is to know about life on the water.”

“Haha, something like that. Let’s just say, I know my way around a lot of things Victoria.” She settled onto the bench and he began rowing them out, meeting up with a small group of others who had the same idea. “This looks like a good enough spot.” Taking the lantern at her feet, he lit the tealight inside and handed it to her before doing the same for his. “There’s a chime that will sound to let us know it’s time to release them. It shouldn’t be too much longer now.”

And just as he’d said, a windchime echoed over a loud speaker. Dozens of people in boats around them and many more standing on the shore began letting their paper lanterns float off into the sky high above them. “Make a wish, Victoria who knows on a night like tonight, it just might come true.” She closed her eyes and imagined a happy thought that brought a smile to her face. Derrick looked on, a similar expression taking shape on his lips as her eyes opened. “Ready?” he asked and she nodded.

Opening her hands, she let the small lantern go and watched as it drifted high above her beside Derrick’s, swirling and blowing in the uptake of wind that blew over the water. “Wow,” she exclaimed watching the multicolored orbs fly away. “There are so many, it’s so beautiful!”

They headed back to the shore as the crowd began dispersing around them. The hour was growing late but there was still the last fireworks display that Derrick said they had to see. Finding a spot near the back by a tree, Derrick waited for Victoria to get comfortable before joining her on the lawn. “Well now, this wasn’t such a bad idea after all,” Victoria smiled as she leaned back with her eyes on the sky, waiting for the show to begin.

“Well I’m glad I could get you out of the house. It’s nice to wind down every now and again Victoria.”

“I guess.” A countdown started from the viewers around them and it reminded her of New Year’s and waiting on the ball to drop. She leaned up on her legs and joined in the count as the number reached five, preparing herself for the first loud pop of the rockets.

And when the number hit one, an explosion rocked the skies as the pyrotechnics began and everyone got to their feet to better view the rainbow colored display. Many children rushed around where they sat with sparklers in hand, flying them like airplanes and laughing with excitement. It all seemed rather playful and fun and Victoria laughed along with them amusedly. But halfway into the show, someone screamed nearby and drew the attention of many attendees.

Something was falling out of the sky and soaring towards the crowds at top speed. “What is that?” Victoria exclaimed as she hopped to her feet with the others around her. Seconds after the object appeared, it was over the festival and moving with unimaginable precision. A spine chilling growl tore through the sound of the explosions and a mob of people scattered, fleeing for their lives as the winged monster came around once again.

A large fireball was hurled from the fiend’s mouth and Victoria dove to avoid being hit. The hordes of onlookers swarmed the many booths and tents looking for shelter or a place to hide. Victoria and Derrick took off with them, running in separate directions as the massive host of frightened people broke through them. “Derrick?” Victoria shouted trying to locate him but not having any luck cutting through the ocean of other voices.

The monster came out near the stage, the direction Victoria was running, and another large fireball landed just inches behind her as she again jumped away quickly. “What is that thing? Oh my God!” she heard a woman shout as a blaze roared behind her, consuming the face painting booth.

“Victoria!” Derrick shouted as he finally caught sight of her and rushed forward. People were running and screaming around her as she ducked beneath a refreshments table near the apple bobbing pool. There was utter chaos in the moments leading up to Derrick’s timely rescue of the detective. Just as the beast came back around with its claws ready to strike, he reached beneath the table and pulled Victoria away. 

“What the hell is going on?”

“Run now, ask questions later,” Derrick remarked as he nearly dragged her behind him, his sprinting reaching a full jog by the time they made it to the parking lot. Victoria tossed her keys at him and he quickly unlocked her door before hopping in behind the wheel and peeling from the lot.

The festival grounds had grown dark as the vendors and merchants closed up shop and began tearing down their tents. It was much quieter now considering the scary events that took place just a few hours earlier. Dan went about collecting his things and boxing up his belongings to store on the truck preparing to head off to the new location in the morning.

The front of his tent shook as someone approached from outside and he sighed heavily at the idea of entertaining a stray attendee to the park. “We’re closed,” he replied without turning around to address his visitor. Another sound at the front of the tent drew an even angrier sound from the man’s throat but this time he turned around. “I said we’re…you!? Wait, please, I didn’t tell her anything! No, no, don’t do this, I have a wife! No, no, nooooooo!”

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