Blood Moon Alpha

I walk into a dimly lit bar. Quite a few patrons are sitting around. I would usually sit at the bar. But for some reason, I feel the urge to sit at a table near the back corner of the establishment. A waitress approaches wearing a nearly see-through tight shirt and a short skirt that barely covers her *ss. She plastered on a fake smile as she asked, “What will it be?”

Her tone takes me aback. Yes, I might be new to this small town of Darkness Falls, but I am a paying customer. I roll my eyes. “Just get me a whiskey neat.”

She nods before she hurries over to the other tables. She practically offers herself to a few guys. Yes, they are attractive, and perhaps desperate is their type. Her pleas for male attention aren’t of concern to me, however amusing they might be. I am here for answers. I need to find out who those people are in that photo, and if anyone can figure out what anything on this stupid note means. When my mother, Cindy, mysteriously died, I found a note from my missing father, Ed Thomas. It said that he was sorry, but he needed to make the arrangements. The letter was very worn and frayed, but I could make out her name and the word blood. 

The note sent chills down my spine because I had devoted myself to studying history, parapsychology, and anthropology. I delved into these fields because over the years, since my father’s absence, my mother raved about all sorts of things from the history wars tried to hide to the existence of werewolves and vampires. Now I am in Louisiana, which is known for its sordid history. I know about how Louisiana is considered one of the most haunted cities in the United States, how voodoo, a syncretic religion that emerged in Louisiana with enslaved West Africans, is deeply intertwined with the state's supernatural beliefs. Marie Laveau, a famous Voodoo priestess, is a prominent figure in these stories, and her tomb in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is a popular destination for those seeking to connect with the supernatural. I learned about the many atrocities that occurred on plantations. Louisiana's vast swamps and marshes are also steeped in lore, with tales of the "Feu Follet" (will-o'-the-wisp) and other mysterious lights luring travelers astray. The Bayou Region is also home to stories of haunted locations and local legends, which I am currently setting in a bar near this region.

Darkness Falls wasn’t listed on any of the historical records I had access to, yet here it is, and it has an odd feel. It isn’t like anyplace I have been to yet. The only place similar would be the French Quarter in New Orleans, but even in such a hotbed for the supernatural, I didn’t feel this pull…this unexplainable connection. Am I close to finding the answers I seek? Is my father here?

Once I finally get my drink, I sip on it as I take out my phone. I open Tinder Vibes and search the profiles of the people listed as nearby. I laugh at this profile. The guy has to be using an AI-generated image for his picture because no average person is that ruggedly handsome. He has chiseled features framed by a tousle of dark hair, giving him an air of confidence that demands attention. His deep-set eyes are a midnight blue that hints at stories untold. I peek up from my phone but don’t see anyone who meets such a depiction, so I go back to scrolling through profiles. Then I get a message from that ruggedly handsome guy. Before I read his message, I looked back at the profile. It now has information that was added. It just has one name, Frank, and a description that reads “I like nature, night strolls under the moonlight, and wild dates. The only thing missing is you.” I laugh because it is so corny. Also, why does every guy think a social media app is a dating app? Anyway, I am not here for a date. It’s been a year since a man touched me, and I don’t miss it.

I finally looked at his message. It says, “Look, I hate to interrupt your night out, but what I have to tell you is important.”

I respond, “Lol. Fine, I will play along for now. I am bored anyway.”

He types quickly, “You have to get out of this bar now. Don’t look around, just go quickly.”

Just who does this guy think he is? What the hell kind of request is that anyway? “Dude, seriously. You need better pickup lines. I don’t give a f*ck who you are because you are not my boss, so go fuckoff.” Yeah, I might have been a bit rude, but seriously, who does he think he is?

“Woman, I am your boss right now because you are in my town,” he replies.

“Unless you show me a badge, you don’t have the right to say a d*mn thing to me, and last I checked, this is a free country, and I have broken no laws. So buzz off, pal.”

“Listen, sugar, I have lived here in Darkness Falls all of my life. I know you are an outsider, and I know you have no clue about the dangers in this town. You are a city kid, so go back to your posh little life,” he messaged.

“You know nothing about me. Why don’t you stop hiding behind a screen and approach me like a man so that I can slap that smirk off your face?”

“Lol, darlin’. You have a fire in you, I can see it from here. But you need to keep your head down and leave this bar for your safety,” he replies.

“So you can see me, but I can’t even look at you to flip you off. How is that fair?”

“Alright, fine…here,” he typed before he sent a picture. He’s at the bar and f*ck! The picture wasn’t AI-generated on his profile! 

“Fine, but I am not leaving. I have business here in Darkness Falls.”

“Sugar, if that business consists of finding a date, you won’t find one here. Things work differently, and you will cause trouble, and that type of trouble should be the last thing you want. I want you safe and here, isn’t it. Please leave, darlin’.”

“Seems like you’re the one looking for a date. You messaged me and I read your profile. Mine doesn’t say anything about looking for a date. So why the f*ck did you message me?” I am getting so irritated, but my need for information keeps me from hitting the block button.

“Look, I only messaged you to warn you. A man behind you keeps glancing when you don’t notice. When I walked by your table, I saw you on this app. It took me a bit to figure out how it works to message you. You need to l