As the lights flickered out all over New York City, Dana Barrett suddenly found herself engulfed in darkness. Always prepared, she felt her way around the living room, lighting various candles she had left out for just such an occasion.
Locating a small transistor radio, she turned it on and tried to find a special news report.
She had tuned in too quickly.
Most of the radio stations in New York were still scrambling to turn on their emergency generators.
Dana suddenly felt the overwhelming compulsion to check on little Oscar.
Grabbing a candle, she began to tiptoe toward the nursery when she was interrupted by a pounding on her front door.
Candle still in hand, she walked cautiously to the door and, leaving the guard chain on, opened it a crack. Outside, the hallway, eerily lit by a dim red emergency spotlight at the far end of the corridor, offered a visitor.
A hyper, wiry man.
“Janosz?” she asked.
Janosz smiled at her. “Hello, Dana. I happened to be in the neighborhood and I thought I’d stop by to see if everything was all right with you. You know, with the blackout and everything? Are you okay? Is… the baby… all right?”
Dana felt a chill insinuate itself down her spine. She put up a nonchalant front. “We’re fine, Janosz.”
The minion of Vigo tried to stick his head farther inside the chained door, hoping to scan the apartment. “Do you need anything?” he said, still grinning. “Would you like me to come in?”
“No,” Dana replied a little too quickly. “Everything is fine. Honestly. Thanks, anyway.”
Janosz took the refusal in stride. “Okay. Just thought I’d check. Good night, Dana. Sleep well, don’t let the bedbugs bite you.”
“Good night, Janosz,” Dana breathed, easing the door closed. She stood there, panting. There was something about Janosz. He had always been weird, but now he struck her as being weirder. She quickly double-locked the door.
She stood in the middle of her candlelit apartment. Very alone.
Very afraid.
Outside Dana’s door, Janosz smiled evilly at the closed portal.
Closed doors didn’t bother him.
Locks meant nothing to him.
He had a job to do, and in time he would do it. Janosz turned and gazed down the darkened corridor. Blackouts. Hah! He reached deep down into himself and touched the power within. Slowly his eyes began to flicker… then to shine brightly.
Small beams of crimson-red energy lit up the hall enough for Janosz to walk down it without stumbling.
It was good to have a friend.
And Vigo was his best friend, ever.