Sandra seemed to ponder it, twirling a length of long blond hair around a finger.
"Well, now that you mention it.... Well, see, lemme try to explain it."
dragging a stool from farther away, the bartender sat down and looked at them, a seriousness in her eyes.
"The folks here are all very nice. On nice day we'll get newcomers and they mostly keep to themselves, but since folks here are pretty nice they start to mingle. What I'm getting at is, everyone knows each other. Even if it's only a little, they know faces that regularly come here for vacation or that live nearby. Well, 2 weeks ago a young man came in. He was having fun as usual and stuff, then he said he was going to visit an island not too far from the beach. Thing is, that island has a very bad reputation.
He came in the morning, bought water bottles and the like, and rented a boat. I tried to dissuade him since that island has claimed a lot of disappearance, and I really liked the kid. Smart boy. But, he was hellbent on goin'. Well, no one heard for him for a few days, and that sobered the bar up a little. Then, on the 5th day after he had left, he walked in. But, gawlee, the only way I was able to recognize him were by his clothes. He still wore that same band shirt he had left with.
His skin was very pale, paler than yours I beleive, his eyes which had been brown were now a purplish color, but most of all was his expression. This kid had been a joker. He naturally got along great with everyone. This time he looked cold and mean. Also a little scared, but mostly mean."
Sandra leaned back, studying the couples' face with a calm expression, "Before anyone noticed who he was and called out to him, he walked over tome. He leaned in real close and told me, "The stories of the island are true." Then, he just upped, looking terrified as if his mum had caught him doing something naughty, and all but ran from the bar. Haven't seen that kid since."
Rain pondered all of this. He had definitely been turned into a vamire, but by whome? And why? It's kind of pointless to turn anyone into a vampire.
"What island was he talking about?"
Here, the blonde bartender looked extremely uncomfortable, maybe even a little scared. Suddenly, as if angry at herself, she shook her head.
"Just stupid superstitions!"
A little taken aback, Rain began to apologize.
Again, Sandra shook her head. Softer this time, as if apologizing.
"No sorry, I just sometimes rather not beleive in the stories. But, there's been so many things about it..."
"Like what?" asked Rain eagerly.
"Look, not even the locals know much about it, but I get along well with alot of people passing by so I've heard the most. There's an island, it's hidden in a Cove somewhere along this beach. Mind you, it's
very well hidden. Not a lot have found it. And from those, not a lot have visited the island. But, from those that have, only one so far has come back.
It's called Silent Island. 'Cuz nothing sings there. You can't hear any birds singing, no insects, nothing. There's only thick forest. Mind you, it's supposed to be very beautiful, but when you don't hear the wildlife, you know there's something wrong.
There's been countless stories about it, about cannibals that drink you dry, about strange animals with eyes like a humans, and that can talk like one too. The worst one, is about a doll."
Here, Rain's eyes widened in surprise. She was expecting a story about a beautiful woman or man who would lure people there.
"A doll?"
"A doll." repeated Sandra. "Now, these are only stoires, mind you." she repeated looking uncomfortable again. "There's supposed to be a doll in the center of that island. They say it's the reason for all the wierd things there. It's the same size as a 10 yr old. It's suppposed to have some kind of life, because when it finds you on the island, it finds you. Since it's a doll, it can't speak, but it tries to lead you deeper into the island.
Thing is," here, Sandra seemed to be even more frightened. "The doll
never looks at you." she laughed, nervously, "How can it? It's eyes are entirely black. If you get it to look at you, it'll start wailing and screaming worse than a banshee. Then, you're as good as dead. But, if you let it take you into the center of the island where it usually sits. Then you're most definitely dead."
She got up, turned to the row of alchohol bottles, and began to look for something.
"The man that came back, he saw the doll. He mangaed to take a picture luckily, but then the doll started wailing. I don't know how, but he mangaed it out alive."
Sandra handed them a black and white photograph. Rain recoiled at the image.