BloodThing and Thelma: Wild Adventures in an Alternate Italy

BloodThing, a man covered in blood. And that's it. No tentacles or spouts of flame or anything else, just a guy covered in blood. That was the legend and that was what was true as I knew it. He gave me a bloody hug when he saw me and in his own way, I think he thought I was beautiful. And that made me feel good because I bet he never said those words out loud to another girl before.

"Thelma! My dear Thelma! It has been too long! Too long indeed! But look at you! Look at yourself!" he said and he started oohing and ahhing about my dress. He just couldn't stop looking at me, like a child who had just seen their first snowflake. He was so cute and so happy. "I have missed you so much!"

And then he hugged me again, after touching my hair and face with his hands. It didn't occur to me until later but I wonder if he was checking to see if the rumors were true? If I really did turn into something else when the moon was full? When we pulled away from each other though, I could've sworn I saw tears in his eyes. But maybe that was just blood running down his face...

But anyway, then there was Thelma and she smiled at me ever so sweetly as always and asked why she hadn't seen me in so long too. She was wearing a red dress (her favorite color) but her hair had grown dark black instead of red this time around. She seemed more mature to me than last time but her smile still made me smile back without effort and without thinking about it too hard.

"Yes well... Things have been very busy for me," I said and looked away shyly, remembering all the things that happened to me after last time we met (or the time before last). "It's not important right now."

"Well no matter," said Thelma with a wave of her hand. "We are together again now aren't we?"

I nodded, smiling even more broadly now because Thelma always knew how to make things better somehow....

Then there was a knock on the door which startled both of us a little bit (I jumped actually). BloodThing went to answer it, opening the door wide so whoever it was could see inside but not far enough to reveal the figure who stood there in the hallway outside. But the voice that came out of that person sounded youngish, male I think but not really sure since it almost sounded like there were too many voices speaking at once...

"Hello? Is someone there?" asked BloodThing nervously with a slight tremble in his voice as he kept himself half behind the door frame as if hiding from someone out there in the hallway might save him from whatever trouble might be waiting for him out there. Then there was another voice--just one this time--and this one sounded familiar somehow....