Moon’s Creek, Wyoming, 1871

Moon’s Creek is your typical western town.  You got your saloon in the center.  That’s where all the toughs hang out and beat each other up.  Cowboys trying to best each other.  Every week there seems to be a new duel.  Sheriff Red Hutchins has to deal with these troublemakers.  Red was a man in his mid fifties.  A well built man with gray hair and a beard of stubble.  Everyday he kicks someone out of his town.  No one messes with old Red.  He once stopped an entire gang from taking over once.  At least that’s what the locals heard.  They only saw a caravan of horses ride up to the town.  They saw Red get on his horse ride up to them a couple miles from the town entrance.  The townsfolk heard two shots and saw Red ride back.  He acted like nothing happened.  He prided himself as the law and order of this town.  

The town wasn’t too big.  Typical small western township.  The mayor of these parts was as corrupt as they come.  His name was Jerome Biggs.  He was a small portly man with balding hair.  He let any crook do whatever as long as they paid him handsomely.  He lived in a big house up in the mountains over Moon’s Creek so he wouldn’t have to interact with his constituents.  Old Red didn’t like him one bit.  Of course he couldn’t do anything about him.  The politicians of higher standing liked him.  He was their patsy.  And they liked Red.  They needed someone to control the thugs.  Make sure things don’t get too rowdy.  Red was forced to suck it up and let them go on with their crooked ways.  He swore an oath to protect and serve.  That was his job.  The innocent poor defenseless townspeople needed him.  Especially when the vampires came.

It was a cool September night.  The sun was down.  Folks were getting into bed.  Red didn't sleep until late.  He had to make sure no thugs were up past sundown.  That’s when the sneaky ones struck.  He caught his fair share of them after dark. Well after a while of waiting and patrolling, Red called it quits.  He went back to his little shack and hunkered down.  About an hour later, a man came hobbling into the town line.  He was a thin man.  Pale skin.  Paper white.  Balding hair, hanging off his head in strands.  His eyes were red and he had sharp teeth.  He had the appearance of a sick man in his late 60s.  He was limping and coughing.  A dancer from the saloon exited the back door right as he came around the corner.

“You don’t look so good,” she said.  She unwrapped a piece of bread she was holding.  “Need a bite?” she asked.  

The man looked at her and smiled.  He lunged at her and sunk his teeth into her neck.  His hand covered her mouth before she could even eek out a scream.  His long, pale, bony, fingers covered her mouth.  He had long sickly looking nails protruding from his fingertips.  The more blood he sucked from her the more youthful he appeared.  By the time she was drained he was now a thirty something year old with a full head of hair and a healthy look.  He then took his teeth out from her neck, licked his lips, and threw her to the ground.  Her limp body fell against the ground.  He then walked over to an abandoned shack and made himself a little home.  By the time he was situated it was sun up and time for him to sleep.

Red woke up to a frightening sight.  He was awoken by screams.  “Oh my god she turned into a raisin,” one woman yelled.  “She’s not a raisin you idiot!” her husband scolded.  “She’s a prune,”.  This started nervous chatter from the crowd.  Red jumped out of his bed, put on his uniform, and ran out to see what it was. “Out of the way!” he yelled as he pushed his way through the crowd of people gathered around a woman’s corpse.  Red looked at her long and hard.  She was completely drained of blood.  She did have the resemblance of a raisin or a prune depending on who you asked.  “Red what is that?” they asked.  Red looked around confused.  He didn’t like the looks of what he had seen.  Someone or something did this.  And he had to find out what it was.  “Give me some time.  I’ll let you know.” Red said as he pushed his way through the crowd.  They called for answers, but he ignored them and kept moving.  He walked to the sheriff’s station.  His deputy Andy Wilks was waiting for him.

 “Oh geez Red,” he said.  “What’s going on here?”

“I’m not sure,” Red replied honestly.  

“It can’t be a vampire can it?” asked Andy, terrified.  Andy was a small man. Thick glasses and curly hair.  He had a heart of gold, but was easily frightened.  

“No, that’s kid’s tales,” Red said dismissively as he spit in a bucket. 

“But sir don’t you see,” said Andy shakily.  “This is a classic sign of one.”

“Don’t you see that deputy, that fairy tales aren’t real.” Red said angrily.  “What we have here is some sick cowboy thug who wants to be a tough guy and scare people.  We can’t let him scare us.  We are what separates him from the people.  You need to be brave, son, and leave this childish nonsense behind.”

“Yes sir.” Andy said defeated.

“Here’s what we’ll do.  Round a posey of some good honest men.  Get them to move the body into Doctor Warren’s office.  I’ll meet you there later. In the meantime I need to figure some stuff out.”

“Yes sir,” said Andy as he left.  Red then walked to the holding cell.  Here sat Bart Martin.  The bane of Moon’s Creek.  

“What do you know about this?” asked Red.

Bart looked up at him smiling.  He had overgrown long greasy black hair that stuck out of his cowboy hat.  He wore a cowboy outfit with the holster removed.  He had his wrists and ankles bound by handcuffs.  This was a dangerous man.  Killed Red’s last deputy and killed all the bank tellers the previous year.  Worst of all he stole the bank's money.  Now that was inexcusable.  Red kept him alive.  Thought death would be too much of a relief for him.  He wanted him to stay alive and bound.  

“Well Red, how would I know anything?” asked Bart.  “I’ve been in chains all year.  All I know is what I’ve overheard.”

Red looked at him upset.  He knew he was right.  Bart was many things but a liar was not one of them.  He knew this couldn’t be an associate of his.  Bart was a lone wolf.  He killed all those he worked with previously.  Too unstable for a partnership.

Andy went out and gathered a crew.  He got a fella by the name of Big Jim to help.  Big Jim was the owner of the ranch.  He brought some of his cowhands over to help Andy move the body.  The cowhands picked it up and were surprised at how light the body was.  Big Jim looked at Andy confused.

“Well what in tarnation did that?” he asked inquisitively.

“Not sure yet,” Andy replied.  “My bet is a vampire.”  The cowhands looked at Andy spooked.

“There’s no such thing as that is there?” asked Big Jim.  Big Jim was a large burly man.  With long blond hair and a big beard.  He wasn’t one to get scared.  Yet this spooked him.  

“Well I’ve never seen one.  Not yet anyways…” said Andy.  He looked around nervously.  “I feel like dark times are upon us,”.

The men then quietly got up on the wagon and rode to the doctor’s office.  He stood there on his porch listening to the crowds that gathered around.  The doctor was an older man with long gray hair and spectacles.  He had been practicing medicine for well over 60 years.  Got started in his youth helping out his father who was the previous doctor.  He looked at the approaching wagon with a look of concern on his face.  When the wagon pulled up, the guys got out and grabbed the body.  Doctor Warren held the door open.  They were hounded by people asking what happened.  Andy just brushed them off and went in.

“So deputy, Red tells me you got a body drained of blood?” asked the doctor.

“Yes sir doc,” replied Andy.  “Look two bite marks right there,”.  Andy pointed to the neck.

“Interesting,” said the doctor.  “Well let me perform an autopsy.  I’ll let you know the results.”

“Thank you sir,” said Andy.  Andy said goodbye to Big Jim and his men and decided to walk back to the sheriff station.  He was constantly stopped by people asking what was happening.  All he said was that he didn’t know right now and that they’d keep trying.  He bumped into Red as he was walking.

“Red, was it Bart?” asked Andy.

“No,” remarked Red.  “I don’t know who it was,”

“Doc Warren is performing an autopsy now,” said Andy.

“Good,” replied Red.  “Let’s head to the town square.  I have an announcement to make.”  The two men headed to the town square.  There was already a crowd gathered there.  Red walked and stood up on a podium.

“Red, what's going on here?”

“Are we safe?”

“Is it a vampire?”

“What are you doing to stop this”.  The crows kept screaming questions.

Red looked around.  He put his hand up to quiet them.  “Ladies and gentlemen control yourselves.  Do not let fear consume you.  That is how we lose.  We need to stay calm and ready.  There is no such thing as vampires.  This was the work of a sick individual.  Probably some sick outlaw who wants to scare some folks.  Now tonight I’m holding a meeting at the town hall.  Meet me there at sundown.  There we will all be together and talk over what has happened.” Red said to the crowd.

“Are we safe at night?” yelled someone in the crowd.

“We’ll be together.  If someone tries something they got a mob on their hands,” Red said reassuringly to the crowd.  He walked down the steps of the podium and back towards the sheriff station.  Andy followed suit.  The people mingled for a while and spoke nervously and slowly disappeared to their homes.  No one was easter to venture out after sundown.  

The townspeople met up that night.  They were all sitting there terrified.  Children clung to their mothers, burly cowboys clung to each other shaking.  Finally Red stood in front of them all.  The people got quiet when he arrived.  His eyes observed the room.  He was scanning for any sign of an unfamiliar face.  He finally spotted him.  A man he had never seen before.  A man in his thirties with a full head of wild hair (the man would have liked to fix his hair but vampires and mirrors have a bad relationship).

“There is an imposter among us,” Red proclaimed. The room erupted in gasps. 

 “Who are you?” he asked the man. 

“Me?  Just a lonesome cowboy stopping by,” the man said.  “Is that a crime?”

“Don’t be smart with me.  We get a gruesome death in this town and all of a sudden a stranger rolls up.  I don’t think so, partner.” replied Red.

“Well talk to me when evidence arrives,” said the man.  He got up and slowly walked by red smiling.  He stopped in front of Andy, gazed intently on his neck, and licked his lips.  Andy let out a whimper.  It sounded like a frightened puppy.  Red regretted picking him as his deputy at that moment.  The man then looked into Andy’s eyes and then left.  Andy promptly fainted.  The townspeople screamed and ran out of there.  You hear the shutting and locking of doors for miles on end.  Everyone thought Andy was put under some curse.  Red thought he was a wuss.  The only ones left were Red, the unconscious Andy, and Doc Warren.  The doctor approached the men.  He examined Andy.  Ruled it to be fainting from nerves.

“While I have you here Sheriff, there's something troubling I must tell you,” Doc Warren shared.  

“Lay it on me,” replied Red.

“Well the body you see is drained of all its blood.  There is simply no trace of blood in this body.  No blood cells of any kind remain.  I’ve never seen anything like it.  The puncture wounds are too small for this.  We have a big problem on our hands.”

Red looked troubled.  He was a man of reality.  A man of the real world.  He didn’t have time for fairy tales.  But it seemed fairy tales had time for him.

“Maybe Andy was right,” Doc Warren said quietly.  “Maybe this is an undead creature of the night.”

This upset Red greatly.  Doc Warren was a smart man.  Way smarter than Red.  How could he believe this?   

“I’m done playing games,” Red said.  “Now I am a skeptic of the unknown.  But this murder is making my skepticism shake.  I will stake out this mystery man.  I need to know what happened.  And clear all this up.”

In the nighttime our mystery man stalked the streets.  He was looking for prey.  However the people of Moon’s Creek weren't the bravest.  They were all inside with everything locked.  And one rule of being a vampire was no entry into a home unless invited too.  He thought that rule sucked (no pun intended).  He was looking for any straggler outside.  Not to kill.  But to turn.  He needed an army.  He turns a corner and runs into Big Jim.

“Howdy partner,” the vampire proclaimed.

“You’re that demon man,” replied Big Jim.

“No partner's name's Jebediah.  New here.  That’s just baseless gossip,”

“Mhm,” grumbled Big Jim as he turned his abc on the man.

Then Jebediah lunged.  He sunk his teeth into Big Jim’s neck for a second and pulled out.  Big Jim passed out instantly.  Jebadiah then looked at the cattle Big Jim was wrangling.  He licked his lips.  “Looks like hamburgers on the menu tonight,”.

Red had waited until sunup for Andy to regain consciousness.  He sent Doc Warren home.  Finally Andy awoke.  However he awoke to screams.  The screams made Red bolt upright in his chair, waking him as well.  They ran outside and followed the screams.  It led all the way to Big Jim’s ranch.  There all the cows were dead.  Drained of blood too.  

“Oh my god the cows are raisins!” a woman screamed.

“How many times do I have to tell you those are prunes?” her husband angrily yelled back.  “Why did I ever marry you?” 

Red knocked on Big Jim’s door.  No answer.  “Jim!” he yelled.  “Open up now!”.  Red then kicked the door in.  Him and Andy ran in, guns drawn.  There they found Jim.  Sleeping.  He had all the shades closed and was laying in his bed.  Snoring loudly.  The two lawmen looked at each other confused.  “What do we do?” Andy asked.  “Not sure,” replied Red.  Red then went and opened the blinds.  The sun's rays shone down on Jim’s left side and started burning him.  Smoke poured from him.  The room smelt like bacon weirdly.  Red didn’t like that it made him hungry.  Jim woke up screaming in pain.  “VAMPIRE!!!!!!” Andy yelled.  He started firing wildly with his gun.  Shots hitting everywhere but Jim.  Red ducked down to avoid the barrage of bullets.  Andy kept firing even after he was out of bullets.

“What in tarnation is wrong with you?” Red yelled.  “Control yourself!”

“HE’S A VAMPIRE!!” Andy yelled again.

“LEAVE NOW!” Red yelled.  Andy left muttering.  Red then rushed to Jim.  

“No lights!  No lights!” Jim screeched.  His eyes turned dark red and his teeth grew into fangs.  Red looked at him perplexed.  Jim let out an ear piercing screech causing Red to run outside while covering his ears.  He ran into the crows outside.

“EVERYONE LEAVE NOW!!” he screamed.  “No one goes near this ranch.  I think we found our vampire.”  

Red stood there perplexed.  What was going on here?, he wondered.  His eyes had never led him astray before.  But maybe the cataracts had finally caught up with him.  The people had mainly cleared out.  It was just him and Andy left.  Andy kept muttering to himself.  He looked like he’d gone mad with fear.

“Andy,” said Red cautiously.  “How are you feeling?”

“THAT WAS A DARN TOOTIN VAMPIRE!!” screamed Andy.  “WHY DIDN’T YOU LISTEN TO ME!!  I WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG!! JIM’S BLOOD IS ON YOUR HANDS!!”

    “Andy!” yelled Red.  “Don’t you ever speak to me like that again! You understand me?”

“He needs to be killed,” said Andy quilty between tears.  “I’m going in,”.  Andy then pulled out a wooden stake, which he had somehow hidden in his shirt sleeve.   He started marching to the ranch door.

“ANDY NO!!” Red  yelled.  He ran at him to stop him.  Andy pushed him aside.  Red was taken aback by how he pushed him off.  This was the first time he had seen any sort of machismo come out of Andy.  He watched helplessly as Andy walked into the ranch, he was a man on a mission and Red knew he couldn’t stop him.

From outside Red heard screaming.  He heard hissing.  He heard cursing.  He heard crying.  Really any noise you can imagine he heard.  Pots and pans banging.  Things falling.  The ranch sounded as if it would collapse in on itself.  Then through the front window came a large shattering noise.  He saw Andy’s body fly out the window.  He looked like a child’s rag doll that had been thrown by an angry father.  Andy crash landed into a pile of manure head first.  Red ran over to him.  He looked (and smelt) like crap.  

“Andy, oh my God, are you alright?” Red asked.   Andy was fading in and out of consciousness.  He looked up at Red confused.  He was so out of it he couldn't tell if he was staring at Red or John Wayne. His eyes rolled back in his head and everything went black.  The last he heard was Red shouting for a doctor.  

Luckily Doc Warren heard the commotion from earlier and was on his way to check it out.  He was walking nearby when he heard Red’s screams.  He ran on over.  

“What in tarnation happened here?” he asked after viewing the unconscious Andy.

“Well Doc,” began Red.  “I think this vampire may be real after all,”

“Red?”  This ain’t like you,” said the doctor.  He put his hand up to feel Red’s forehead.  “You look red.  Are you feeling warm?”

Red swatted his hand away.  “I’m fine you nincompoop,” he said angrily.  “I know what I saw.  Then I saw his face and I’m a believer.”

Doc Warren looked at him afraid.  He knew Red for many years.  Red was many things.  But a liar was not one of them.  He’s the type of guy to tell his kid he didn’t like his rendition of Beethoven at his piano recital.  Red’s an honest to a fault guy.  

“Well then,” started Doc Warren.  “How do we kill it?”

Meanwhile in a small shack behind where Red and Doc Warren are conversing.  Our vampire sits hiding in the shadows.  His shack is covered in shadows.  The roof extends out far stopping all sun from nearing the walls.  The inside is darker than midnight on an oil rig.  Perfect living conditions for a vampire.  This allows him to be up in the daytime and not get burned to death.  

He sat in the window, opening the blinds a tiny crack.  He was watching the conversation between our two protagonists.  He had superhuman hearing and could hear everything they were saying.  He was enthralled.  He had successfully plunged this little township into chaos.   He had led them right into his fight.  His plan was to turn more that night and have an army.  This town was his.  Remote enough where the vampires could have free reign, but close enough to civilization where enough people would pass through.  A constant supply of food for the eternally hungry.  This was all he wanted.  The last town he’d been in had learned his way and killed his group.  He barely escaped.  He’d been on the road for two weeks by the time he arrived in Moon’s Creek.  The journey almost killed him, but he made it.  He was tired of the nomadic lifestyle.  He just wanted a place to call home. 

“Silver bullets?” Red said, confused.  

“Wasn’t that for werewolves?” asked Doc Warren.

“I don’t know.  This fairy tale nonsense all blends in,” said Red frustrated. 

“Well we’ll discuss it more when our expert wakes up,” said the doctor looking down at Andy.  “We should get him back to my office.”

The two men put Andy on the nearby wagon.  They then got on and started riding to Doctor Warren’s office.  They both however neglected to see two bite marks right near Andy’s neck and loosely covered by his shirt.

After a little while they finally got to Doc Warren’s office.  The two rushed to pick up Andy and carried him inside.  They just put him down on the table when they heard a scream.  The two men turned around concerned.  

“Take care of him, I need to take care of this,” yelled Red.  Doc Warren nodded and Red raced out the door.  He saw people running every which way.  Everyone was screaming.  By god was this town full of wusses, he thought.  

“What in tarnation is going on here?” Red yelled out.  At that moment Red saw through a clearing in the crowd, Big Jim and his cowhands.  They were biting everyone in sight.  Big Jim must have turned all of them.  Smart move, thought Red, get the biggest guys first.  He then realized how they weren't killing anyone.  They were turning them.  The bodies would fall and then get back up a minute later.  Upon getting back up their eyes had a reddish hue and their skin was extremely pale.  Well you could say Red was no longer a skeptic.  

“Citizens of Moon’s Creek!” proclaimed a voice.  “I am your savior.  Your town is now a part of something bigger.  Much bigger.  My people have been persecuted and killed relentlessly.  This is their home now.  Your sacrifice means the world to me.”   The voice was coming from on top of the church.  There stood the stranger.  The first vampire to come to this town.  “Moon’s Creek is the vampire’s home now.  Those who have not been turned, are our food.  You will be kept alive for us to drink from.”

“Why can’t you just use the cows?” someone yelled out.

“Let’s face it.  Cow blood doesn’t cut it these days,”  The vampire then leapt off the roof.  “SEIZE THEM!” he screamed.  The vampires all started grabbing citizens.  Red couldn't let this slide.  He took his colt and shot Big Jim right through the forehead.  Blood splattered all over the cowhands.  They licked it up.  Big Jim fell to the ground.  Then he got back up again, looked at Red, smiled, and lunged at him.  He glided through the air like a bat.  His knee collided with Red’s chest.  Red was sent back flying.  His body hit the side of a house and then he fell into a large bail of hay.  With Red indisposed the vampires grabbed their hostages.  

“To the barn,” commanded their leader.  They all followed, leaving Red alone, unconscious, and defeated.

Red woke up to a ringing headache.  He was confused as to where he was.  The memories then looked back.  He crawled his way out of the hay.  Nothing.  There was nothing.  It was quiet.  No people,  No movement.  No sounds.  He looked around in shock.  He ran up to the windows checking each house.  All empty.  Finally he ran into Doc Warren’s office.  He saw two feet sticking out from behind the table.  He turned and saw a pruned up Doc Warren.  Before he could even react he was knocked over.  He looked behind him.  It was Andy.  But not his Andy.  This Andy had pale skin and red eyes.  As well as long, sharp nails protruding from his fingertips like blades off a hilt.  

“Andy,” Red pleaded.  “What are you doing?”

Andy hissed at him.  “You didn’t listen to me,” he said.  “Now I am the monster.  This is all on you.  Andy is gone.  There is only the hunger!”  He lunged at Red and sliced him with his nails.  Red cried out as he received three claw marks across his torso.

“I’m sorry Andy.  You’re right.  We were always right.  I should have listened to me.  I failed you.”  Andy licked the blood off of his nails.

“Too little too late.  You mess up and I pay.  You mess up and you’re the hero.  Tell me why that is.

“I’m sorry.  You didn’t deserve this,” cried Red.

“No I didn’t,” he cried while staring Red up and down.  “Looks like Red meat tonight,” he said as he was getting ready to lunge.  Red winced, accepting his fate.  Then he heard Andy choke.  He looked up.  A wooden stake was shoved through Andy’s heart.  The life (or lack thereof) drained from his eyes.  The stake was pulled out and he collapsed on the ground.  A man with long greasy black hair stood over the body.

“Bart?” asked Red, confused.

“Howdy sheriff,” said Red with a smile on his face.  “Miss me?”

“How?

“You see those nasty little creatures came into the jail.  Busted into my cage trying to drink my blood or something like that.  Well anyway, I remembered what your dear old deputy here had said about vampires.  And when no one noticed I snuck out of my handcuffs and turned my bedpost into a little stake.  You sir were too busy to notice so I was able to do this.  This saved my life.  I killed maybe three or four of them.  Then I heard the struggle in here.”

Red looked at him for a long while.  He didn’t know how to take this.  On one hand he saved his life.  On the other hand, this was a career criminal who could not be trusted.

“Why did you save me?” asked Red.

“Cause I hate me some bloodsuckers!” exclaimed Bart.  “They tried to kill me!  Now are you coming with me or not?”

Red jumped up.  He knew he had to take down these blood suckers.  He knew Bart was his only option.

“Made this for you,” Bart handed him a wooden stake.  Red reached for it.  “But!” Bart yelled.  “I will be pardoned of course,”.

Red didn’t really have a choice.  He grumbled yes, without meaning it.  

“Works for me,” replied Bart.  “Let’s go kill some blood suckers.”  The two men walked into the night, ready to fight.  

The vampires were hiding in a large barn.  The people who were captured were strung up against the walls.  The ones who were turned were sitting at a table placed right in the middle of the barn.  They sat there licking their lips of blood.  They had just eaten one of the cowardly residents of Moon’s Creek.  “The chicken tastes like chicken!” Jebediah exclaimed to the others amusement.  

Red and Bart were walking through the town when all of a sudden they saw two men standing in front of a barn.  

“Must be the welcoming committee,” said Bart.

“Shut up and get serious,” said Red.  “We can’t let these guys win.  If they do, we're all dead.  You get me?”

Bart smiled at him.  “Just make sure I don’t die,” he said as he walked out in front of the men.  Red watched in bewilderment.  One of the men lunged at Bart.  Bart stabbed him right through the heart.  The other one pounded on the barn door.  He then turned back around.  Bart lunged at him.  The vampire clawed at him.  Slicing his hand and sending his stake flying.  The vampire then jumped on top of Bart ready to strike.  Just when he opened his mouth to take a bite Red ran over and stabbed him.  Red then heard rustling in the barn.  He grabbed Bart and pulled him into an outhouse.  

“We need to hide,” said Red through a harsh breath.

The doors to the barn swung open just as Red closed the outhouse door.  The vampires all ran out.  They saw their fallen comrades on the ground.  They looked all over to see who did it.

“Mr. Sheriff, come out to play,” said Jebediah.  “I know this was you,”.

“Let me at him,” whispered Bart.  Red held him back. 

“No.  They’ll ambush us.”

“If you don’t come out then you leave us no choice.  You see I wasn’t planning on doing this right now, but ol’ Big Jim here tells me the Mayor lives up yonder those mountains.  Well me and my boys may pay him a visit tonight.  Get this vampire society up to the policial level.”

Red’s eyes widened.

“That is unless you want to come out.  Then we’ll slow our roll.  Just focus on what we have now.  But if you mess with us we will kill you.”

Red knew he was a dead man regardless.  But he had a choice to make.  Either let the vampires turn. the mayor.  Or fight off so many now and then have them turn the mayor. 

“Let’s go out now,” whispered Bart.  “Show them who’s boss.”

“Let’s intercept them,”whispered Red.  “Let them leave and we’ll cut them off.  I know this place better than all of them.”

“Ok then!” shouted Jebediah.  “It’s time to talk to your little mayor.”  

Red watched in horror as all the vampires turned into bats and flew up to the mayor’s house.  

“Nice one,” said Bart.

“Shut it,” replied Red angrily as he pushed Bart out of the outhouse.

Red ran straight to the nearest carriage and horse.  He got on and beckoned for Bart to follow.  The two of them took off up the mountain.

The vampire bats flew through the clear western sky.  The milky glow of the moon reflected off their leathery black wings.  The bats then saw the house of one Jerome Biggs, Mayor of Moon’s Creek.  His home was a large ranch up in the mountains.  With his own well and little farm with animals.  He preferred to be up here away from the people he governed.  He was not a good mayor.  Typical politician, says he’s for the people when in reality is the furthest thing from them.  Well technically the vampires are the furthest thing from people but ol’ Jerome will know about that pretty soon.

The vampires turned back into their natural forms at his front door.  They knocked on his door.  Jerome answered.  His little head crooked back all the way to see Big Jim at the door.

“Jim?” he asked, confused.  “What’s the meaning of this?”.  Jim was covered in blood and paper white.  

“We need to talk,” Jim growled.

“Now is not the best time,” said the mayor.  “Tomorrow morning is better,”

“Now Mayor Biggs,” said one of the cowhands.  “We need help please.”

The mayor rolled his eyes.  “Fine,” he said.  He thought helping out could make him more popular.  Anything for a future donor, he thought.

Jebediah was thrilled.  Vampires needed consent to enter homes and this fool was fool enough to fall for it.  As soon as they crossed the threshold Big Jim grabbed Jerome and held him still.       

“No No NO!” squealed the portly mayor.  “You cannot do this.  YOU JUST CANNOT DO THIS! I am your elected official.  You chose me as your only option to represent you.  I am your God.  I give you guys everything.  I let you guys eat cake at my swearing in and now you’re treating me like how the french treated Marie Antoinette.  NO NO!” 

“Wow now that’s annoying even for me.” said Jebediah laughing.  “And I kill people,”

“Don’t kill me please!” screamed the cowardly leader.  “I’ll give you anything.  Anything.  You want water, I got a well.  You want cattle, I can arrange it.  Heck, I hate the governor.  I’ll ask him for a meeting and you can kill him and take his job.”

“Alright alright calm down,” said Jebediah.  “Now I see why Red didn’t come out to save you,”

“Red is my best friend!” Jerome screamed.  “He’ll save me!”

“Doubtful,” said Jebediah as he sunk his teeth into his neck.  “Wow.  You are quite the screamer,” said Jebediah as he pulled his teeth from the mayor’s neck.

The mayor opened his now red eyes.

“What did you do to me?” he asked.

“I remade you,” said the vampire.  “You’re apart of my army now.”

“My army.  These guys all elected me, so that should put me in charge,” replied Jerome.   

“You really are insufferable aren’t you?” asked Jebediah.

Suddenly the front door swung open.  It was Red and Bart.  

“Oh no we’re too late.” observed Red.

“I got this,” said Jerome.  He stumbled his way over to Red.  Most vampires are agile with their new abilities.  Jerome was not most vampires.  He clumsily went over to Red and both Red and Bart stabbed him in the heart with their stakes with minimal effort.  Red and Bert looked up at the vampires from the mayor’s dead body.  The vampires looked up at the cowboys from the mayor’s dead body.

“What a waste of time,” said Jebediah. “Well back to work,” he flew at Bart with super speed knocking him down.  Big Jim lunged at Red.  Red dodged.  Big Jim flew into Jebediah and then both crashed down.  One cowhand lunged and Red sunk the stake in his heart.  He yanked it out and got the other cowhand in his heart.  Bart was able to get up and kill one more vampire.  Aside from Big Jim and  Jebediah there were only two vampires left.  Red took the left and Bart took the right.  Both vampires didn’t stand a chance.  These were two Chuck Norris level cowboys they were fighting.  The two men exchanged nods and turned their attention over to Big Jim and Jebediah.  

“Well well well,” said Jebediah.  “Looks like you have the upper hand.  Not for long,”

Big Jim once again lunged at them (he really only seemed to know the one move).  They both dodged and he fell right into the fireplace.  He screamed as he emerged.  A giant hulking vampire that was on fire ravaged through the house.  The house was catching fire.  Bart jumped at the creature and stabbed him through the heart.  However the creature was able to pull him in as he stabbed him, engulfing Bart in flames.  Bart’s screams could be heard for miles.

Meanwhile Red was locked in a battle with Jebediah.  Red had him pinned on the floor.  He had his arm raised, ready to kill the hellish creature who invaded his town.  Then in an act of brute strength Jebediah flung up his hand and used his long knife like nails to slice through Red’s wrist causing his hand to fall clean off.  The sight and smell of blood sent Jebediah into a frenzy.  He climbed on top of Red.  His face was distorted into that of no man.  More bat-like.  His eyes were twisted and the color of blood.  His pale face distorted with rage.  The fangs seemed bigger than ever before. 

Red punched him in the face with his knub.  This sent Jebediah stumbling back.  Red used this opportunity to grab his stake and plunge it through Jebediah’s heart.  Life slowly drained from Jebediah’s undead eyes.  

“You picked the wrong town to mess with,” Red said as he ripped out the stake and watched Jebediah’s body fall to the floor.  Red had done it.  He had stopped the devils that had come to visit.  He stood there and watched the sun rise.

He walked away from the burning home.  It slowly collapsed behind him.  The image of the burning bodies would remain in his mind.  Big Jim was a friend.  Now he was a burning monster.  And Bart had died a hero as much as Red hated to admit.  He had saved the place he hated.  Red couldn’t have done it without Bart.

Red got on the carriage and rode back to the town.  His first stop was the barn.  He had to free his people.  He walked into the barn.

“Red! Red!” they yelled.

“Is it over?  Are we delivered from this here evil?”

“It’s over,” he said reassuringly.  “They’re all dead,”

The people cheered as Red cut them down.  It was time to go back to normal.  But first they had to lay the fallen ones to rest.   

The bodies of the fallen, including Andy and Doctor Warren were taken and buried in the cemetery.  The survivors gathered there.  There were graves for everyone who died from the vampires.  Red walked up to address the crowd.

“A great evil has visited us.  Most of us were ill prepared.  Me especially.  We saw these creatures as impossible to reality.  When in fact they were reality.  I was ignorant to the truth and that cost everyone here their lives.  If I had listened to Andy then maybe more of you would be here now.  I know Andy would be.  But now they're gone.  Lost to the demonic creatures who stole their lives.  This town will remember the curse of the devil and will never forget.  We cannot let this happen again.  That is why I, Red Hutchins, will step down as mayor of Moon’s Creek.”

Gasps filled the crows.

“You need someone open minded and smart.  I am not that man.  The new sheriff will be selected by all of you and immediately take the post.  I can aid in any way I can but I am not a leader.”

Red finished his speech and went back to his home. 

He laid there on his bed, writing in his journal, when he received a knock at his door.  He walked over to answer it.  It was Cindy, the town butter churner.  

“We voted Red,” she said.

“Oh,” replied Red.  “That fast?  Who is the fella?”

“You,” she said.  Red stared back surprised.  “We voted for you,” 

“Well then,” replied Red as he looked at his badge.