The Blackwoods left after dinner. Since they had come in Henry's car, Henry would drop them off at home. After Henry and John got into the front seats, the young vampires got into the back.
Since it was night, it was already dark.
After Henry turned on the headlights, he started to drive. "If you had stayed a little longer, Axel would have walked out of there a married man." Henry chuckled as he spoke.
"What do you mean?" Maxwell hadn't realized what was going on.
"Betty wants to make her niece and Axel a match." Henry explained to Maxwell.
"That's absurd." Maxwell wrinkled his face.
"We almost lost you, Axel." Felix spoke as if Axel had narrowly escaped death.
"You don't appreciate the value of marriage. If one day you meet the right woman and fall in love, I'll remind you of your words." Henry argued as they drove.
"Axel, let me be honest with you. John is like my brother and you're like my nephew. I can't lie to you. Olivia is a good girl and her family is good too." Henry took a deep breath. Axel didn't interrupt him.
Henry's seriousness hung in the air. Axel listened quietly, seemingly lost in thought. There was a moment of silence in the car, just the low hum of the engine.
Axel thought about Henry's words and then said, "Henry, I appreciate your concern. But I don't think I'm ready for a woman in my life. Maybe this isn't the right time for me. Regardless of Betty's intentions, she can't control my feelings.
Henry accepted Axel's words with understanding. "I understand. Everyone has to find their own way. But remember, family will always be there for you."
Axel smiled slightly at Henry's words. "Thank you, Henry. I'm lucky to have an uncle like you."
The tension in the car eased. John broke the silence and said, "Let's go home now, a new day starts tomorrow."
As Henry brought the car home, everyone quietly got out of the car and went to their homes. Axel was still thinking about Henry's words as he walked in, but he felt a mix of emotions. The house was silent.
As Axel retired to his room, Henry's words continued to swirl in his mind. Without a clear vision of the future, he was uncertain. But of one thing he was sure: he wanted to make his own way.
_______________ Skip ahead _______________
It was dawn when Axel left his room. The sun was about to rise. Axel had been reading the new books he had bought for a few hours. He was reading about ancient myths similar to the Wendigo. If the Wendigo was real, he didn't rule out the possibility that other myths were real as well.
When he finished the books, he gave them to Maxwell. Maxwell took notes on every monster mentioned in the books. Felix, on the other hand, would draw pictures of the monsters found in the books and give the drawings to Maxwell. Maxwell would then place the drawings next to his notes.
Axel had a problem to deal with today. It had been a long time, so there was no more blood in the house. Axel would go to a special hospital in Seattle today. He would pick up bags of blood at the hospital. Since the hospital was his own, there would be no problem.
After putting the RV key in his jacket pocket, Axel left the house. Although it was summer, it was cold because of the early hour. Axel cleaned his shoes after entering the RV because the ground was muddy from the night's rain. They wore socks instead of shoes inside the RV. After checking the inside of the RV, Axel decided to get going.
After putting the guns in a box inside the RV, he took them home. When he walked in, no one was there. John was probably asleep. Felix and Maxwell were working. Axel put the box on the table and spoke. "I'm putting this box here. The guns are in the box."
After saying his words, Axel went outside and started walking toward the RV. Since it had rained that night, the ground had turned to mud. After entering the RV, Axel took off his shoes and cleaned them. They wore socks inside the RV, so they didn't wear shoes. After checking the RV, Axel got in the driver's seat.
He put the key in the ignition and started the engine. As Axel started to move, he turned the steering wheel to get onto the road. The RV swayed a little as it moved down the dirt road. When it reached the paved road, Axel pulled onto it smoothly as the road was empty. He drove at a steady speed. It would take about 3 hours to get to the hospital.
He tuned in to a radio station that was broadcasting news. He heard the news he had heard on the radio station yesterday. Except for a few messages, there was nothing new.
As Axel turned a corner, he heard a new message. The female announcer gave the news.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new report to start your day. We are faced with a long-standing mystery. People have been mysteriously disappearing, and no one has any idea where they are. While most of the missing have been recovered, some are still unaccounted for. According to the information shared, the testimonies of the survivors all bear striking similarities.
The announcer went on to describe the details of the event:
"These strange events, which began about a week ago, have caused concern in the region. The description given by the missing of this long entity has puzzled many. Despite thorough investigations by the police and search and rescue teams, no concrete clues have yet been found. The descriptions given by people resemble scenarios straight out of horror movies. But the evidence of their reality makes this event even more terrifying. As our teams continue to investigate, society is eagerly awaiting the unraveling of this mystery. For now, however, the veil of these mysterious events remains largely unraveled."
As Axel listened to the news, he was relieved that he hadn't left any evidence behind. The anchorwoman began to speak again.
"Listeners, we have received some new information. Police officers have discovered a cave in the area. However, although the cave was filled with the belongings of the missing people, no trace of the abductees or the abductors could be found. These belongings bear traces of the lives of the missing, adding to the mystery of the incident. Search and rescue teams continue to scour the area.
However, the community is eagerly awaiting the revelation of what lies behind this mysterious event. Experts have come up with various theories behind such mysterious events, but a final conclusion has yet to be reached. The people of the area hope that such events will come to an end, but fear and anxiety continue to prevail.
Axel pulled the RV to the side of the road. As he entered the RV, he could still hear the voice of the radio announcer. She had begun another newscast.
"Dear Listeners, Exposure to the sun's harmful UV rays during the summer months can increase the risk of skin cancer and adversely affect skin health.
Sun exposure can cause skin aging and pigmentation. In addition, prolonged exposure to the sun can increase the risk of skin cancer. Therefore, it is important to use appropriate sun protection when out in the sun during the summer months.
Sunscreen creams, lotions, and sprays are an effective way to protect the skin from the sun's harmful effects. Choosing a sunscreen with a high SPF will provide more effective protection for your skin. Take the necessary precautions to protect your health by using Coppertone's new sunscreen products".
The host had started his commercial.
To keep his attention from drifting, Axel turned off the radio. He tried to think calmly. While checking the inside of the RV, he found the mask he wore that day. His shoes from that day were also in the RV. After putting them away, Axel returned to the driver's seat.
He started the engine and drove off. He didn't turn on the radio on the way. Something was bothering Axel. The RV they had used the day they had rescued the people had been caught on the security camera.
The FBI had to have reviewed the camera footage. What made them suspicious was that while the trip between the two towns usually took about 2 hours, they had been wandering in the woods for hours. The FBI would have wondered what they were doing during that time.
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