Old wives’ tales said that the Soul Trader walked the rails late at night, offering wealth and fame to greedy and unfaithful men. Many who became rich soon vanished into thin air, never to be seen again. How truthful these myths were, I have no idea. I am only bent on finding Thomas.
The rails are rusty, and most have been removed over the years. Stores, homes, and even a school disrupted the railway track, leaving only those too costly to unearth. Two nights ago, I followed a beautiful lady here, a femme fatale, just shy of the Mona Lisa. I failed again.
Thomas said she was expecting him. How much was a Kiss worth? At times, you can sit in your Horror HQ and wonder just how the times will change. Will a single kiss return life, cure death? How much was a kiss worth?
Soul Trader I – The Quest for Thomas
Tonight, I am walking where they found the cigars. Old Mutiny Cuban cigars, half chewed, half-smoked. I knew the sign. The cold autumn wind lifted leaves and waste around my feet, and my flashlight beam became music for fireflies and bugs. The creature at my side is quiet; it knows what we do and waits for its moment.
We crossed the playground, the grass wet from the after-game cleaning. Far south, about 300 feet, the rails would continue for a kilometer into the Thamen Forrest. The police report found no evidence beyond it. The tracks led to the edge of the playground and then died. Nothing more. No blood, no body, no clue.
There is a light flickering ahead. The hound raised its ears but stayed steady. Two, maybe three people emerging from the forest. They chattered, laughed, then turned north down the incline. Far from the playground.
There’s a subtle wind caressing my face and tugging at my raincoat. I cherished it for a moment, lifting my head to the skies. Allowing the fresh breeze to roam freely as it is in nature. It is times like these when one hopes for solitude and time. Endless time to share precious moments.
Suddenly, they came running back. Long screams disrupted the night. They rushed towards the same path from which they came. The light had died. The animal pulled against the leash, and I lowered my hand and comforted its head. It stood firm. Waiting beside me.
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