The door closed, and Erik was left alone in the room. He looked down at the food tray Herbert had brought in. It held a bowl of what he assumed was soup, and he wasn't even sure what was in the cup. But he couldn't remember when exactly the last time was he had had a proper meal, so he forced himself to each as much of it as he could stomach.

 He set the tray and looked out the window. It was still nighttime, and his hosts had left him alone. Perhaps no one would mind if he just slept for a little while.

 He laid his head against the pillow, and was asleep almost immediately.

~~~~~~

 Erik woke up again to the sunlight hitting his face. It had to be getting near sunset, since the sun seemed to be lowering in the sky. How long had be been asleep for, then?

 Erik sat up and looked around the room. Because the curtains were partly open and the sun could hit the room, he could see it better than he had the night before. The walls were gray, the furniture was dusty. This was a room no one had used in a long time.

 Erik wondered what he ought to do now. He was still hungry, he didn't know where his host had gone, and he had no idea where for his host or the kitchen. But in the end, he simply got up and slowly opened the door, which creaked as he pulled it.

 He walked down the hallway, looking around him. The castle was absolutely silent. There no one to be seen, no noise to be heard. It was as if the place had been abandoned.

 What if he had hallucinated seeing the man and his son the night before? Perhaps they hadn't been real.

 But that could not be. Silent as it was, this castle looked as if someone took care of it. It couldn't be abandoned.

 Erik went down the stairs and began to walk around along the ground floor. The more he walked around, the more he realized someone was taking care of this place, judging by the state of things. But the silence and the sense of abandonment also gave him a eerie sort of feeling.

 He found himself going down a flight of stairs which led to what looked like a family crypt. It was dark and damp, and he had to light one of the torches which hung on the wall so he could see. He waved it around, looking at the coffins which lay neatly in rows.

 Closest to the entranceway were two coffins which looked rather new. Recently deceased relatives, perhaps. But one of them was slightly ajar, and when holding the torch to it, Erik could see the profile of a young man.

 Being careful not to make too much noise, Erik pushed the lid open a little further. Lying on the inside was indeed  a young man, dressed neatly and with a sweet, gentle face. His skin was very pale, but he did not look dead.

 He then opened the coffin next to it. In there was a beautiful young woman, with a mass of brown curls and dressed in red. She also had that same pale skin, and looked like she was merely sleeping. Erik had seen many dead people in his life, and this was not what they looked like.

 Another pair of coffins on the other end of the crypt caught his eye. He went over to them and gently shoved one of them open. He gasped when he saw that the body inside was that of Herbert von Krolock, who had brought him food and drink the night before. He looked exactly as he had then.

 With some hesitation, Erik cautiously opened the other coffin, fearing he already knew who it was.

 Sure enough, inside the coffin was the Count von Krolock himself.

 Erik stood staring down at the body. What did any of this mean? He had just seen the Count the night before. How could he be dead?

 Or perhaps he wasn't. While travelling, Erik had heard stories of creatures with pale skin who slept in coffins like the dead. But he couldn't remember the name.

 So deep in thought was he that he was spooked when the Count's eyes suddenly snapped open, and looked straight up at him.

 Before Erik had a chance to move, the Count leapt up and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

 "Kudol!" he called. "I am very sorry you found me down here," he said to Erik. "I didn't want to kill you just yet, but I fear I may have to sooner than I thought. Kudol!"

 A weird little hunchbacked man came bounding into the crypt, and von Krolock ordered, "Take our guest back to his room and lock him in. I will decide what to do with him tonight."

 Without a word, Kudol took Erik by the arm and began to pull him back up the stairs. Erik didn't know what to do besides follow him. He had half a mind to run, but what if got lost in the halls? What if there were others waiting to catch him if he did?

 Kudol shoved him into the room and locked the door from the outside. Erik knew it probably hopeless to even try to get it open. He was trapped, forced to wait until nighttime, when Count von Krolock would apparently decide if he was going to kill him.