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As the smoke dived into the sky, I looked up stumbling back on my feet. In front of us, the cottage I saw before was nothing like the one in front of me now. Crumbling down totally, the burnt wood fell down and crushed on the floor. Heat emanated from the burning leftovers.

When I took a deep breath, I started walking towards the burning cottage. "Stop. It might be a trap," Max warned but I had to move over. When I almost got to the edge, my eyes traced a white paper hanging behind the burning wood.

After looking around, I realized that that was the only thing that survived the fire. With a gasp, I lowered my body over the burning wood and plucked the paper from it. Raising it to my eye level, my eyes felt pricked from the words on it. As I turned to Max, I forced myself to hold back my trembling hands.

He quickly marched to me and took the paper from me to read the entails. The atmosphere entertained cold breeze from the river which gradually fed off the heat from the burning cottage.

I folded my arms to keep warm but I was still shaking, not from the heat but with the threat I just read. Dropping my other hand beside me, Max crumpled the paper and dumped it on the floor. When he saw me trembling, he took off his jacket and covered me with it.

"Thanks." He checked the state of the cottage again and rubbed the ashes of the burnt wood over his fingertips. Standing up, he let out a sigh. "It's petrol. There's a lighter over there. Also, there are footsteps from mud leading to the back."

Although he was deducing information from the house, I couldn't help but to look elsewhere. Fear had totally gripped me as I thought about his demand from me

"Clara?" I looked up in surprise while glaring at him in confusion. Heaving a sigh, he moved closer to me after studying the footsteps. "It looks like it belongs to a five feet man. I'm sure it was the man that attacked you days ago. It was probably done this morning. I was here yesterday and it was perfectly fine," he answered.

I responded with a sharp nod while looking around us. I couldn't talk much because I was still processing the intensity of the situation at hand. Releasing my arms, I turned to him silently.

"Do you know what items the person was referring to?" I shook my head and stared down rubbing my shoes over the floor playfully. This was my way of calming my nerves whenever I got scared. Pursing his lips, he sighed heavily.

"As I said before, he can't do anything to you until he gets those items. Where you able to inquire about the City Mall?"

As I dropped my hands, I shook my head again and stared into his eyes. "I met only the caretaker yesterday. He denied knowing any detective. But he was acting weirdly. I'll get more information once I start working there today."

His eyes widened when I finished talking. "Working? Aren't you in school?" I bit my lips and crossed my arms with a sigh. "My mom's investment is almost through. I need to work anyway."

Nodding, he stepped back while I stood by the burning cottage with a sigh. "What attacked me in the woods? How are you connected to him?" He remained silent although he heard my question quite clearly. As he looked away, I walked up to him and grabbed his hand. Shoving him towards me, I glared at him demandingly.

"Why aren't you answering me?" After what seemed a minute, he took a step back and stared into the skies. "One of his puppets. I separated myself from him due to his demanding nature. That was probably fifteen years ago. I haven't been in touch with him."

I furrowed my eyebrows at thought of puppets. "What are you trying to say? Were you also his puppet once?" He left me speechless and run around when he heard rustling noises from the bushes. He stepped back when a wild rabbit rushed off into another bush behind us. He closed his eyes from relief realizing there was no threat.

I shook my head anxiously putting a my hands behind me. I stood still waiting for him to answer me. "No. I worked under him in a hospital," he replied. His answer made me look up to him in surprise.

"What hospital was that?" He sighed and moved closer to me. "Medicare Health Center around the vicinity police station. It has been shut down for ten years now." Widening my jaw, my eyes closed while taking a deep breath.

Remembering correctly, I knew that hospital. In fact, my mother worked there too. She stopped for no apparent reason seven years back and moved on with becoming a salesperson.

I heard quite a lot of stories of the hospital being a haunted place due to the numerous people that had died there. Many people say the patients were killed during surgeries. A doctor went on the run when he was caught in the act.

"When did you stop working for him?" He swallowed a gulp and retorted, "A year after the incident. I was one of those working under that department. We were expelled so I permanently moved here to live peacefully from the gossips."

As I folded my lips, he let out a scoff. "That was years ago. I don't mind the rumors any longer. You don't have to out up that face." I rolled my eyes and hit him on the shoulder with a chuckle.

"Who said I was sorry for you? I'm sorry for your patients because you have a low sense of humor!" He shook his head and exposed a short laughter.

"I'll do more research on the City Mall. Could you check out the hospital for his information?" He nodded and smiled at me. "I still have contacts from there. You should be careful when you're there."

"What about the puppet thing?" He lifted his head and pursed his lips. "Just like me. Owned him a favor. But I don't know much about them. I only worked with him in the hospital," he replied.

"By burning down your mom's house, I'm sure they are connected somehow. Did your parents ever mention someone like that?"

I shook my head and retorted, "No. I have practically never see my dad. He died before I was born. About fourteen years ago, my mom told me he was a policeman who died under duty. But I don't believe her. I checked all the registering batch under the police in our first house but his name wasn't there."

His expression changed totally after I said this. Nodding in silence, he explained further.

"He's trained numerous puppets so you must be extremely careful around."

He may be right, but I can't get rid of the horrible images of a vampire killing a girl in my dream. Did they still exist in our world? Why did I dream of something like that?

My gut instincts were insisting that my dream might be connected. After all, most of the girls who died on that street had bite marks. My mom died a mysterious death too. There was be something to this mystery. In all, I must find out who's been killing those girls. I smiled at him one last time after looking around

"It's getting late. I'll get going now," snapped. He nodded after a thought and walked me to the end of the streets. His lips parted when he got to the end with me. But he changed his mind and remained silent.

"Do you have something else to tell me?" He shook his head and glared at me with a mixture of emotions. I smiled again before waving at him. He stared at me quietly while I marched to my house.

"Sorry. But I can't tell you that you were attacked by a vampire just like that. But why is he making vampires out of humans now?" Max complained in thoughts before he waved seeing me turn around.

Morning came very quickly. After all, I didn't sleep early. Dragging myself from the bed, I walked into the bathroom and hurriedly hot ready for school.

I rushed to class hoping to hear any good news today. I had to leave early and prepare for my night shift at the City Mall too. Picking my books from my locker into my bag, I suddenly felt a pull on my shoulders.

"Clara. Cathy's been suspended for a week. Can you believe no one came to the meeting with the principal for her? I hear she's an orphan," Tricia exclaimed while Kate and Jess smiled at me. As I looked down, I couldn't help but sympathize with her even after what she did the other day.

"I wonder how she pays her fees for this school too? How sad," Kate commented. Tricia took her dragging hands off my shoulders when she remembered something.

"That was to be expected. Dud you already know about her being an orphan?" They shook their heads and looked down.

"See you guys after class," I snapped while taking my other books from the locker. "Wait! Nathan was looking for you yesterday," Tricia yelled drawing me back from the locker.

Furrowing my eyebrows, I questioned, "Me? Why would he be looking for me?" Rescinding, I walked to class alone thinking about whatever she just said. The hall was overcrowded and noisy but I heard my name amongst the noise as I approached my class.

What was overwhelming was the fact that whenever I turned I found no one familiar to know my name at least. Walking, someone suddenly held my hand and drew me in front of him, allowing those behind me to walk forward.

"You?" I demanded while frowning. "I need to talk to you," Nathan pleaded while I took out a few books which were hanging loose over my bag. I banged the locker angrily waiting for his answer.

"Look here. I know I was selfish and I get that. But why are you wasting my time trying to repeat that today?" I commenced.

"I'm sorry. I was hurt at that time," he explained but I lowered my head not willing to listen any further.

"So you mean anytime you're hurt, you'll dump your anger on me when I need you the most? If that's what you're trying to say, then I don't want a friend like that. Please leave me alone," I snapped. But he wasn't giving up from his glare at me.

I adjusted my bag well and left him at the hall to meet Tricia and Kate on the way.

"What happened?" Tricia asked putting on her bag. "Nothing, let's leave," I dictated. I marched to class with my friends who walked behind me making me the leader. Staring at me, I looked away and brushed past him.

"Gosh. I wish I could emulate you one day. You're always early. You still have something to explain though. Don't run away like before," I warned with a smirk. "You should take care of yourself first," he joked with a chuckle.

I realized what he meant after he turned to my bandaged arm.

"Were you the one who carried me for treatment?" I alluded. His stare indicated yes. He shook his pen to start scribbling something on a paper. As I stretched to look, I saw he had finished sketching a portrait of a snow globe.

He covered the sketch immediately he realized I was looking at it.

"You're so mysterious," I commented wondering why he'd be drawing that.
"Okay I have a deal. You're pretty good at b-ball. If you teach me to perfection, I'll provide more designing sheets."

He chuckled lightly and replied with a sneer, "And if I don't want to?" My eyes sparkled with mischief, "Then I'll tell the professor about your sketches during class hours."

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