Chapter 17 : Red Sirine

Soon after the siren and the red spotlight lit up from the watchtower, the workers in the stables immediately rushed to open all the gates on each stable. Then the footsteps of dozens of troops entered the stables and took their respective horses. As the dozens of troops barged into the stables, Sam and I immediately retreated, clinging to the wall, so as not to obstruct their steps and also avoid being stepped on by the horses.

Moonlight appeared and broke through inside, and that's when I saw the weapons they were carrying. Underneath the robes with the white chrysanthemum flower emblem and the silver sword of The Vigilante Union's pride, there was a shiny silver revolver with a brown grip and ammunition hanging from their waists. It didn't take long for them to get on their horses and gallop out.

Everything happened so fast. Before I knew it, all the horses in the stable where I was were almost empty, leaving only a few horses in the corner. Sam was still rooted to his spot looking at the troops who had left for the main gate and the sirens still sounding.

"There's no way the werewolves are really coming, is there?" I asked Sam who looked like he was deep in thought, "I mean, there's no song! How could they come without any sign? Did they change their methods?"

"Forget your nonsense about songs. Sirens going off means they've seen something. I've got to find out!", Sam said, leaving me behind.

I tried to stop him, but he was running so fast, I stopped chasing when I saw Gerard hurrying towards me while loading bullets into his revolver. He was also about to take his horse. I didn't want to miss this opportunity and followed behind him.

Seeing him already on his horse, I rushed to the center and spread my arms wide in a cross, "Are those really werewolves? Did you see it? But how could it be? I didn't hear any song. It's impossible for them to appear without a song! Or is it just me who doesn't hear it? Did you hear it?" , I asked.

"You're blocking the way. Move aside or you'll feel how strong my horse's legs are." , he snapped coldly.

From his tone, he meant what he said. I finally stepped aside, letting my source of information waltz away.

"I really hate him. When can I be cool like him?" I muttered, looking at Gerard's retreating back, "'You're in the way. Move aside or you'll feel how strong my horse's legs are', how arrogant." , I said imitating Gerard's previous words.

It was quiet again when the main gate closed, the main tower stopped blaring its sirens and blinding red lights. The workers went back to their tasks as if nothing had happened. This atmosphere is so awkward for me.

The next minute Sam returned in a hurry with sweat pouring down his face. He came back not to help me, but to get his horse. Without carrying a weapon or wearing the robes of The Vigilante Union troops and only carrying a brown sling bag, Sam immediately jumped on his horse. Seeing that I immediately stopped him, exactly the same way I tried to stop Gerard.

"What are you doing?! Where do you think you're going?"

"There's an attack on the village! I have to help! This is my chance to prove it to my father!", he said adamantly.

I shook my head firmly, "No, Sam! You can't go there! We've never been trained for that! Come on down. The guards won't even open the gate for you."

"Really? Even though I'm wearing this?", Sam took something out of his bag and it was the same robe that the soldiers were wearing. The Vigilante Union's pride robe.

"Wow, you really prepared it. How did you get it?" I lowered my hands, surprised, "I forgot you were a thief."

"We'll talk later. Get out of the way, Anne! I'm missing in line!" , urged Sam and I moved out of the way.

With a stomp and a shout, Sam's black horse sped off leaving a cloud of dust in the stable. Unlike when I watched Gerard leave, this time I looked at Sam with concern. If he got caught by his father, he was done for tonight.

"Do you think they'll really find it?" asked one worker to another. They were chatting while brushing the saddle.

"They won't. They haven't met a single werewolf so far." , said another and they laughed together.

I approached, "What do you mean?"

They glanced at each other, as if pointing at each other to answer me, "It happens every month, especially the full moon. But every time they go out for the warning, it never comes to any result. They are always too late. The casualties keep coming every month and there's never a direct battle."

"Or maybe they designed the whole thing just to get the attention of the people and the kingdom. I don't care, as long as I get my fee." , said another.

"Yeah, right. To be honest, I've never seen a werewolf either and my grandfather said they've been extinct since the great wars of the past with the vampires. It's time for humans to live in peace."

I was stunned to hear that. It was as if they were downplaying the werewolf and all the deaths that had occurred. Including my mother's death.

"Werewolves are real. They really exist! They killed my mother, took my father-", I couldn't continue my sentence. People like them wouldn't believe until they saw it with their own eyes.

"Forget it." , I said and turned to leave.

At dinner, the cafeteria wasn't as crowded as it was at lunch. I saw only the new troops and a few guards. The situation was calm, but the atmosphere of anxiety that everyone was secretly feeling was thick. No one was eating while laughing. They were focused on their dinner and occasionally spoke in small voices.

The long siren signaling bedtime sounded and not long after, the lights in each room turned off. I was still sleeping on the floor with a blanket and left the bed empty. My eyes kept waking up, wondering about the state of the soldiers who went out.

Many times I tried to close my eyes, counted the little sheep jumping over the fence in my imagination, and even rubbed my head while imagining this was a gentle stroke from my mother, just to make me sleep. But it still didn't work.

I also tried counting slowly. Sleepiness started to strike when I was already at one thousand two hundred and five. My eyes slowly began to close but were thwarted by the sound of the main gate opening and then accompanied by the footsteps of horses passing through the field to return home.

Didn't want to miss the moment, I jumped up and opened the door. The troops lined up in a two-by-two formation entering the gate, but I couldn't clearly see their faces due to the lack of light and the distance between the balcony and the field.

I looked to the side and saw that the troops from the other rooms were just as curious as me. They followed me out of the room in silence and watched the returning soldiers. I smiled a little, imagining that they were all having trouble sleeping due to the anxiety that kept haunting them.

The searchlight from the guard tower suddenly shone down on us, blinding us. Everyone immediately rushed back to their rooms, knowing it was a warning to go back to sleep as there was nothing to see.

Even so, I still tried to peek out of the window, looking around for my roommates, Sam and Gerard. It wasn't long before I heard footsteps approaching and I hurriedly returned to my bed and pretended to be asleep.

Sure enough, it was Sam and Gerard. I was going to get up and ask, but when I heard the sound of the door slamming shut, I decided against it.

"Are you crazy?", asked Gerard to start the conversation, "Do you know what you're doing is putting us all in danger?!"

I shuddered as Gerard raised his intonation and I pulled my blanket up high, not wanting to be seen. Seconds passed and I still didn't hear Sam's voice.

"I know you're desperate to show off to your dad, but not at the risk of your life like that! Be fair, don't be a coward," Gerard added, not lowering his tone.

"I wouldn't be like this if you hadn't come into my life, taken away my mom and my dad!", Sam yelled and then I heard footsteps and the bathroom door closed roughly.

I gasped in my blanket. My mouth was wide open, just as my eyes were shocked at Sam's statement. Apparently they were related.

Wait, they were brothers?!