Hunters Moon 4

"No," Heather said. "Abso-fucking-lutely not."

"Come on," Teri whined. "Just one week. That's all I'm saying. What else are you doing? Nothing, that's what."

"I'm trying to pay off my student loans!" Heather shouted. "You know, that thing we owe? The one you keep ignoring? They won't just forgive it, Teri. You know that, right? It just keeps getting worse and, eventually, they'll-"

"One week," Teri interrupted. "I won't ask for anything from you ever, ever again."

"Blood," Heather said. "Sharks. Water. Student loans. It's stupid, anyway.

Twilight

had nothing to do with Dracula. From what I can remember of the movies you made me sit through. They weren't even the same kind! Dracula didn't

sparkle

in sunlight; he burst into flames and died screaming!"

Several nearby customers turned curiously to the arguing women. Heather pulled her light jacket tighter against her chest. Despite the mid-day sun, the air was permeated with a bone chilling cold. Heather's pale cheeks burned bright red, nearly hiding the spray freckles along the bridge of her nose.

"He was still a vampire. And the first one!" Teri said. The young woman spoke with an enthusiastic fervor. She waved her hands while she argued and seemed constantly on the edge of an impish grin. "Look, I know you think it's dumb, but-"

"More than dumb, Teri."

"Four words," Teri said, a grin finally breaking out on her wide, open face. "Super Hunter's Blood Moon."

"Teri, you're killing me," Heather said, groaning while rubbing her temples. "I'm literally dying here. I can feel my brain cells screaming in agony while they suffocate from all the bullshit in the air. What in the world does-"

"And it's October!" Teri shouted, her hands raised triumphantly. "Seriously! Almost Halloween. Halloween, a Hunter's

Blood

Moon and Dracula!"

"I can't afford the trip, Teri," Heather sighed. She'd known the other woman since the 2nd grade. Arguing after a certain point was useless because the other woman would simply overrun her with her enthusiasm. It was both infuriating and annoying endearing.

Teri's eyes took on a thoughtful calculating look. Heather sipped her chai, enjoying the warmth and the sweetness of it. She tried not to worry about her friend; her mind often wandered down strange, incomprehensible paths.

"Two words, then," Teri said. She was looking down at the round glass table between them. She pushed at a few grains of spilled sugar while she spoke.

Crap,

Heather thought.

Her serious face. This is bad.

"I'll pay," Teri said.

"You can't," Heather replied immediately. "I basically do your financial planning for you. What little there is. I know what you can and can't afford. You can't afford a trip for two to Romania. I don't even know how you plan to afford one ticket."

"I can too. That's how much I want you to go, Heather," Teri pleaded. "Come on, we're getting older and who knows when we'll go on a trip like this again? Why'd you even get a passport if you're not going to use it?"

"Every adult should have a passport. Just in case. It's smart planning."

Teri sighed, sinking back in her wrought iron chair. "I'm going whether you go or not. What if I die on my trip because you're not there? What if a handsome, pale vampire swoops in and steals my virginity?"

Heather snorted. "Your what now?"

"Or my innocence! I would swoon in his arms while he made me his immortal lover, destined to cower in a coffin by day and feast on the blood of mere mortals by night and it'd be all your fault!" Teri held the back of her hand to her forehead while leaning back in her chair.

"Jesus, Teri," Heather said. "Breathe once in a while. Anyway, you'd be all over that. Don't lie."

"Not if I couldn't

sparkle

, Heather. I'd be a Dracula vampire. Not a Team Edward vampire. It's not the same thing

at all.

"

Heather flicked a small crumb to the nearby perpetual crowd of begging pigeons. She watched the ensuing fight while she considered. "You can really afford it?"

"Yes," Teri answered. "I can afford it. But, you pay for your own food."

"I can take care of my own meals," Heather said, distracted as she worked through the details of a possible trip. "

If

I was dumb enough to go."

-----

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. The current weather on the ground in Cluj-Napoca is thirty-two degrees Celsius with clear skies and we'll be landing at Cluj International Airport in thirty minutes. Please ensure your tray tables are stowed and your chairs are in the upright position. Thank you for flying with Lufthansa." The speaker's voice was professional and soothing and was soon repeating the message in Romanian.

Heather gripped the arm rests while the plane descended. Her eyes were closed as she breathed deeply and evenly. Teri sat in the window seat next to her, staring at the landscape. She loved the mountains that seemed to ring the area. Farms and greenery stretched far off into the distance.

"You should look, Heather. We passed all of that bad weather a long time ago. Don't worry so much."

Heather turned her head minutely and opened a single eye briefly before groaning. "I see. Yes. Very pretty."

The plane touched down with barely a bump but Heather's knuckles turned white. Slowly, the young woman's muscles relaxed as the plane taxied to the gate. She flexed her hands over and over to work blood back into her fingers.

"Oh my god, oh my god, I'm so excited!" Teri bounced in her seat when the seat belt lines turned off. People stood to gather their luggage and stretch. "I didn't get to go on my senior trip in high school. They went to

France

and I couldn't go because we couldn't afford it. I was so mad but, seriously, this is way, way better."

"Yeah. Now I know I don't like airplanes. I'm going to burn my passport when I get home. I'm fine with cars. I don't need to go anywhere special. New York has everything I need. I'm good."

Teri made a face at her friend. "Don't be like that. We still have our mid-life crisis to go through. I expect in fifteen years we'll both take a month long trip to Europe when our husbands leave us for younger women."

"Teri," Heather said, trying vainly to fight off her friend's infectious happiness. "We're not married. I don't even have a boyfriend."

"Well, not yet," her friend agreed. "But, eventually! Unless, of course, we find our immortal beloveds and we swoon our way to an early engagement. We'll never get older so they

can't

leave us for younger women. Practice it with me. Swooooooon."

"Augh," Heather groaned. "You're insufferable. Help me with the bags so we can get off this death trap."

-----

"I don't think he understood me," Teri said.

"Gee, you think?" Heather replied. "Let me see the dictionary. Holy hell, Teri. What're all these little accent things everywhere? We only had like, three in French."

"En Francais, you mean?" Teri asked.

"Shut it. You cheated your way through the classes. Um, crap. Umm... Vor... vorbiti engleza?"

A grizzled old man stood in front of a pristine dark yellow taxi. His beard was spotted with white and gray and his thin hair waved in the cool air. He had his arms crossed in front of his chest. He watched the two women as the spoke. When he answered Heather, he spoke slowly but firmly. Despite how carefully he spoke, neither women understood him.

"I thought you said people spoke English here?" Heather asked her friend.

"That's what the travel agent lady said. That the, what do they call them here? Cabbies? Taxi drivers? Whatever, that a lot of them spoke English."

"This is the third one, Teri. None of them speak English. I think your travel agent lied to you. Where's your map?"

"Somewhere in my backpack. I can find it. Probably."

"No, just... what's the name of the place again?"

Teri paused. "Hog-his?"

"Hoghiz?" the old man asked. Both women turned to him.

"Yes!" Teri said loudly, nodding her head. "Hog-his!" She pointed at the driver and made steering wheel motions with her hands. Heather covered her face in embarrassment.

The old man spoke again. He nodded and opened the trunk of his car.

"Hah!" Teri exclaimed. "Success!"

"Why didn't we just stay here for the night? Cluj-Napoca is huge and has tons of history. I'd rather explore and rest. We just got here, Teri."

"No," Teri said emphatically. "That was the deal. The Hunter's Moon is tonight and I'm not spending it in a big dumb city. You promised. Bran Castle first and then, on the way back, we'd spend a day at the city. I wanted an authentic village experience and there's a little one in Hog-his. So, we're going to stay at an inn and go out and watch the moon."

"But-"

"I'm paying. Don't forget. My rules."

Heather whistled low. "You'd fit right in around here, Madame Dictator."

Teri lifted her chin, gesturing to the taxi as the driver closed the drunk. "Open the door for me, peasant. I needs must ride this strange mechanical carriage."

"Come on, princess. It's getting colder. Let's go find this creepy village."

-----

Heather slept fitfully in the back of the taxi. The inside was as spotless as the exterior and the driver played classical music quietly as he drove. Late afternoon turned into evening until, three and a half hours later, the driver pulled in front of a huge old building. Heather stirred and stretched and yawned before unbuckling her seatbelt.

"Merci!" Teri said as she got out of the car.

"He's not French, Teri." Heather opened her door and shivered in the sudden cold. The driver already had the trunk open and was unloading the bags.

"The dictionary says it's close. Wow. Wow, Heather. Look at this place. It's beautiful." The young woman hugged herself. Her eyes were wide as she turned in a slow circle. Old cobblestone roads mixed with dirt roads and a few paved paths. None of the buildings looked new and Teri clapped her hands in delight at several of the homes. "Heather! They have shutters on their windows.

Shutters

, Heather! They look like they came from a storybook."

Heather dug for her wallet. She'd left her purse at home and decided to keep a wallet well hidden in her backpack instead. She'd designated herself Keeper of the Coins due to Teri's spending habits. Smiling at the driver, she paid him for the roundtrip with a bit extra in thanks. The old man smiled, nodded and left. Heather watched him go.

A large, well-kept wooden sign hung above the door of the inn. Heather couldn't understand the words but an artistic bull's face filled nearly the entire sign.

"This is the place?" Heather asked.

"Yup! Just don't ask me to pronounce it. It's the only inn in the town. Coo-choo-lata. Something like that. The town, I mean."

"You are the very definition of an ignorant American tourist. Did you bring your guns and fireworks and bald eagles, too?" Heather asked, sighing as they made their way to the inn. Their wheeled suitcases squeaked behind them as they bounced on the cobblestones.

"I know

where

we're going. I just can't pronounce it. Ask me about vampires or Dracula or Bran Castle and I'll tell you all about it. My tongue doesn't work right for Romanian."

The inside of the inn was warm with a large fire roaring in the center of their great room. A few people looked up at the newcomers before returning to their meals. The smell of stew and fresh-cooked bread filled the room and Heather's belly rumbled. She hadn't wanted to chance eating on the plane.

A smiling, middle-aged woman stood from a nearby table. "Welcome!"

"You speak English?" Heather asked.

"Oh, yes. I was born just outside of London. My husband owns the place and I mostly run it. You're just in time for dinner. Teri and Heather, yes?"

"Thank god," Teri said. "It smells wonderful. I'm so hungry. I'm Teri, by the way."

"Oh, my manners! I'm Elena. We'll get your things stored in your room." Turning to the side, the older woman spoke in Romanian to a teenager. The young boy looked up from his phone, scowled and then grudgingly took the two women's suitcases. "Just leave your backpacks and Constantin will come back for them. Your room is at the very top of the stairs."

"Thank you," Heather said to the young boy. He grunted in reply.

"Sit, sit," Elena told the two women. "I'll bring your dinner. It's simple beef stew tonight. The bread is fresh and we get our butter from the farms. Well, the beef is, too. May I bring you some wine?"

"Yes, please," Heather answered. "For both of us."

Teri and Heather sat opposite each other, close to where Elena sat. The older woman brought out their food and then settled in next to them.

"Oh my god," Heather exclaimed. "This stew is amazing. Seriously."

Teri nodded emphatically, her mouth full, as she scooped up thick chunks of potatoes and carrots onto still warm bread.

"Thank you," Elena beamed. "My husband cooked tonight. What brings you two to Cuciulata? Your travel agency didn't give me much information. I don't mean to pry but we seldom get people passing through."

"We're going to Bran Castle," Teri answered.

"Ah, Dracula is it? Are you a fan of his, then?"

"Oh," Teri said, blushing slightly. "I... I like vampires. I'm not like,

crazy

, about them and I don't think they're real but it's all interesting and I thought it'd make a great excuse to go on an adventure. I dragged my friend along. "

"Well, the castle and surrounding area is beautiful so I can't say I blame you for visiting. And I've heard the tour guides are more than happy to elaborate on Vlad's bloody history. Thankfully, though, you'll find the area is quite a bit more calm these days. We hardly behead people anymore." Elena smiled as she spoke. The older woman had small wrinkles at the corner of her eyes and mouth and her smile came easily.

"We're actually planning on going out for a little hike this evening, too. Tonight is the blood moon and I kind of planned the whole trip around that. It makes it more spooky and mysterious."

Elena covered her mouth to hide her giggle. "Oh, goodness. Yes. Well, I'm sure you'll have a very good view. The evenings are wonderful in the country. That is certainly one thing I do not miss from the city. Even at my age I still like to sometimes sit under the stars in the summer."

"Are there any wild animals nearby?" Heather asked. "Bears? Wolves or other scary things?"

"Snakes! There's no snakes, right?" Teri added, shivering.

"Oh, no," Elena said, waving her hand. "Nothing for you to worry about unless you go far from civilization. Still, you're both quite smart to ask. Don't get lost, make your presence known and don't go too far and you'll be safe. I would be more worried about twisting your ankle, honestly."

"Well, thank god," Heather said.

"Although, I will add that you should go out sooner rather than later. Daylight is always better for safety and you'll be able to see more of this beautiful country. There are farms all around but, to the south is a wonderful area to visit. Forestry mixed with wide open unworked fields. This is an ancient land and archaeologists visit more than the tourists. Always finding new ruins, it seems."

Teri glanced over at Heather. The young woman's eyes were lit with the thrill of adventure. "I think that sounds perfect. Are you ready Heather?"

With a sigh, Heather pushed her empty bowl away. She quickly swallowed the last big gulp of her dark, red wine. "Not even a moment's rest? We just landed a few hours ago."

"Four words, Heather," Teri said. She nearly vibrated from excitement. "Super. Hunter's. Blood. Moon."

"How long are you going to stare at them?" Heather asked. The young woman tightened her backpack's strap against her chest. A sudden cold wind knifed through the folds of her coat and she shivered. Heather turned, sniffing the air lightly. The wind was sharper than the evening air and she wondered if a storm was far behind. "It's cold, Teri."

"I may never get a chance to see lanterns in my life, Heather," Teri said. They both stood outside the inn. Two outdoor hurricane lamps swung on hooks above the door, creaking slightly as the gust of wind pushed at them.

"Home Depot has them. Probably on sale right now. Back home," Heather added. "They probably have a sale on them since Mr. Edison just came out with his fancy light bulb invention. I know you don't read the news but

everyone

is talking about it. Come on, Teri. They're just lamps. Charlie's back near my apartment has some on his bar."

"But Charlie's isn't a rustic old village with

shutters

, Heather. Do you think they have village dances here? Everyone dressed up in heavy dresses and vests and those funny wooden shoes and funny curly hats kicking their heels up and dancing around a pole? Not like a stripper pole but those one poles? You know? From the movies?" Teri made vague pole shaped motions with her hands while she spoke, trying to show the width and length and circumference of the imaginary pole.

"I'm pretty sure wooden shoes were a Dutch thing," Heather answered. She turned slightly to the side to hide her smile. She'd learned long ago that if Teri caught her smiling, she'd just embellish whatever story she was trying to tell. "I don't know about poles. Mayfair poles? That rings a bell for some reason."

Teri turned and Heather hid her face away. With a sly grin, Teri continued. "I bet that's where stripper poles originated from. Villages like these with their lanterns and shutters and beef stews. Some enterprising young woman was dancing around it and thought, 'You know, I just

bet

I could swing on that thing.' And then she climbed right on up and started gyrating on it. Boobs probably plopped right out of her crazy dress. And a tradition was born. The men were all 'Hushaw!' or whatever they say around here. And, look Heather, look. No really, look."

Heather held her sides. "I... I can't... Stop, please..." The young woman's pale face reddened as she tried to hold back her laughter.

"The men probably danced like this around the enterprising young stripper. Look, Heather. Looooook."

Heather turned to watch as her friend lowered her hips and spread her arms. Teri shook her whole body while turning in a circle. Her heavy clothing did little to hide her wide hips and large breasts as she gyrated around in front of the inn. "Hushaw!" the young woman cried out.

Heather choked back her laughter and tears. "Stoooop," she pleaded.

"I need tassels for this. Oh! And, and then," Teri continued. With her legs still spread and her hips dropped, she rested her hands on her knees. "Heather, look. And then the old men were like this and saying 'Oi, meshugh! This new strange dancing wears me out. I must rest. But... but I cannot stop dancing!' And so, twerking was born."

Teri, still in the same position, frantically worked her ass up and down while randomly crying out "Oi! Oi! Hushaw! Meshugh!"

"Oh my god. Oh my god, I can't even. You made it so I can't even, Teri. And you know I hate not being able to even. It's not a real thing. Just some weird teenager thing. I'm leaving." Heather took a deep breath. Her cheeks ached from laughing at her friend. "Come on, crazy."

"Don't worry, Heather," Teri told her. They both walked through the empty streets in the direction Elena had pointed out earlier. "Puberty will come to you some day and then you'll finally fill out and get your own set of hips. In the meantime, you just keep doing all those... those things you do without hips. I dunno, like, tapping your feet awkwardly at the club? Nodding your head? What do non-hippy people do? Don't worry. You'll be a woman soon."

"I hate you," Heather said, smiling and wiping away the last of her tears. "I do just fine without those saddlebags you call hips. I'm just more lean than you are. Taller. It evens out. I can reach the cookie jar and I don't have to go to special stores for crazy bras. Life finds a way, Teri."