The Castle Karlstadt – Excerpt 22 – Malcolm Marsh

The Castle Karlstadt – Excerpt 22

‘I’m not particularly knowledgeable with regard to these creatures, but should we not impale him, or is he totally dead?’ I enquired, I didn’t care to leave the job half done. ‘It might be a good idea too,’ replied the Doctor, ‘Play it safe!’

Father Michael took charge, he impaled Bruno with one of his own stakes, then administered a blessing, then we threw the cadaver in to the fire until nothing was left of Bruno’s existence, other than his ashes.

Once we had all gotten over the trauma of Bruno’s cremation, I asked the Doctor if he would walk with me for a while. I needed advice and he might be the only one who could give it, whether I trusted him or not.

I asked him outright, ‘Did he think it possible that one of our party was a Vampire, or was the creature still wandering the Castle unhindered ?’

He hesitated before answering, in his position I would have too, ‘In my own limited knowledge of the creatures, I would doubt that any of our party is of their accursed breed, for several reasons, you for instance have only recently heard of their existence so are most unlikely to be tainted by them’ he stated, ‘Father Michael is of the cloth, so again, most unlikely for a multitude of reasons.’

‘Which still leaves us with three others, including yourself, any ideas?’ I was determined to solve this riddle, once and for all.’

‘I think we can discount the girl, I’m surprised that the creature chose Bruno, not her, from what I have learned of their kind, she would seem likelier prey.’ ‘Are you saying that it could not possibly be the girl? I asked just wanting to clarify my own thoughts on the subject.