Summary:

Act 1: During one late evening, Todd finds a cryptic and sinister message behind an alley. It is written in blood, and declared in German: I am the one who feeds during the night. I prey on the damned and the innocent. I choose who lives and who dies. I am the God of the night. Todd, after reading this, writes the message down in his journal. It turns out this is the ninth message he has found written in blood and states a disturbing statement. He is fascinated as he writes this down. Looking at a nearby homeless beggar, Todd gets into a conversation with him about the City of New Orleans and the mysteries the city holds.
 
Act 2: It is daytime and Todd is in front of a beat-down motel; he goes behind it. He finds a dead body, freshly white and drained with two bite marks on the victim's throat. Todd is fascinated by the body instead of horrified. He looks above the corpse and finds another message written in blood that is also in German: My victim this man was. He was delicious. This is what I love to do: Drink the blood of the unfortunate and live on this energy forever. This city is my domain and everything in it is my prey. Todd takes out his journal and writes the message in his journal. After writing this message, he flips to another page and begins to draw something. It is all the locations where he found the messages that form a pentagram. He comes to believe that the middle of the star is where the vampire lives. Todd smiles as he realizes this.
 
Act 3: During the night, Todd goes to his destined location and finds it is an abandoned and crumbling church. There are several homeless people there and Todd moves pass them to enter the building. The church inside is in ruins inside, although Todd can know the architecture and faint writing inside the building are brick gothic and German. He walks up to the altar of the church and admires the large room. As he does this, a loud and unsettling voice in a German accent rings out from above: Who trespasses on my domain? Speak now or you will be consumed! Todd, realizing he finally found the vampire, laughs greatly in glee.
 
NEW ORLEANS 1897- LATE EVENING- ACT 1
 
(Todd is facing a dark alleyway. He looks behind him and sees a carriage being ridden by a wealthy couple, some people walking on the paved sidewalks, and a tramline. He looks back to the alleyway before finally entering the unknown place. He walks in a cramped area of filth and beggars. He holds his breath in this disgusting environment. He finally sees the end of the alley, a dumpster is there with feral cats on it. Todd stops and looks up at the brick walls that are on his right and left. They were inns where the tenants used the alleyway to dump their trash. A woman appears from above and throws a bucket of dirty water down below. It almost lands on Todd, but some splashes still got on his shoes. He is very disgusted. He proceeds on anyways and reaches the dumpster. He looks at one of the feral cats and then looks above the dumpster. Todd smirks as he reads the words in blood. A homeless man to Todd's left begins to converse with Todd.)
 
HOBO
That writing has been here for a while.
 
TODD
(Looking behind to face Hobo)
 It has? Well, the blood is not fresh.
 
HOBO
You know it blood?
 
TODD
(Looks back to writing)
Yeah, I do. I've been researching, if that's the right term, on finding such words written… in human blood.
 
HOBO
So you know about them stories.
 
(Todd looks at the writing and then back at the homeless man; he does throughout the conversation.)
 
TODD
There's a lot of stories in New Orleans. Which ones are you talking about?
 
HOBO
(Pointing)
You know the writing there is in blood. You should know what stories I talkin' about.
 
TODD
And what are the stories I should already know about?
 
HOBO
The ones about the feeder!
 
(Todd grins when the homeless man said this.)
 
HOBO
That damn feeder you should know about! He been scaring New Orleans for a couple of years now. The godforsaken papers and lawmen don't know anythin' about him. They spend money on all them robots over there and fixing them roads, but the damn city can't help fellas like me out. The city can't even find the feeder with all their… shit. He a ghost I say!
 
TODD
He's no ghost. He's just a monster. A real, living monster.
 
HOBO
Sometimes them poor fellas he kills are with that writing. No matter how hard they try, they can never get rid of that blood writing. They can get rid of the body, but never the words. It stays forever! Say, what you know about the feeder, boy?
 
TODD
I only know as much as the godforsaken papers and lawmen know about the feeder. His victims are white with two puncture marks on their throats; drained of blood. You call him the feeder. Others call him different names.
 
HOBO
Call him all you want but the feeder a demon I say!
 
(Todd reaches into his pocket and takes a journal. He then reaches for a pocket on the other side and takes out a pen. He opens the journal and begins to write down the blood in a page).
 
HOBO
What you writin'?
 
TODD
I'm writing the words down. They're important.
 
HOBO
Well, good luck understanding them. I can't even read myself and I heard from folk of mine that his words are Hebrew. It a demon language!
 
TODD
No, it's no demon language, sir. It's only German.
 
HOBO
What that?
 
TODD
German is spoken by people from Germany.
 
(Todd finishes writing.)
 
TODD
Germany is in Europe. Europe is a continent. I don't know if you are intelligent enough to comprehend what I'm saying.
 
HOBO
Err, not much. I know there England and Scotland and, you know, London. Oh! There's the French! I know French men, they from Frenchland or somethin'. There bunch of people in New Orleans that talk French.
 
TODD
(Concentrating deeply on the writing)
Some people in New Orleans speak German. (Puts journal and pen away) I know someone that speaks German. He's been helping me out lately. This is the ninth writing I have found. I know there's much more. I spent too much time trying to find him. There have to be more clues on his location!
 
HOBO
You still talkin' about the feeder? You never find him. The city can't. No one can ever find the feeder, even in a hundred years! He finds you. And not in a good way. He kills you and drinks that blood of yours. That the only way, you find the feeder.
 
TODD
It's not a bad idea to present myself, or better, someone society has left out as bait to the feeder. But there are thousands of potential victims in the city. The chances are of course too low of him finding me. And I think I won't be able to have my little chat with him before he kills me. (Sighs) It seems I have to keep looking.
 
(Todd faces back at the homeless man who stares back at him.)
 
TODD
I would like to say it was a pleasure talking to you, but you're a beggar and I'm a sophisticated, smart student. But again, I enjoyed talking about ''the feeder" with you.
 
HOBO
(Beat)
Can you spare any change?
 
TODD
No.
 
(Todd walks always and out of the alleyway.)
 
HOBO
(Angrily)
You goddamn speck! You people act all high and mighty, but you nothing with no money behind your asses! People like you burn in hell for being stubborn--
 
 
DAYTIME- ACT 2
 
(Todd is standing in front of a run-down motel. He looks at it for it is extremely worn-down as a building. He could hear men shouting, women crying, and children screaming. Behind him, many people are walking by. Most are immigrants of different ethnicities and races.)
 
TODD
(Muttering under his breath)
I am certain people are frequently murdered here.
 
(Todd proceeds to go around the left side of the building, circling it. It was very muddy and Todd's boots splashed with mud in every step he took. Todd begins to walk stealthily as if he was trying not to wake up a sleeping giant. He places his hand against the motel's wall. He finally creeps up the back of the building. He sees a corpse of a man sitting against the motel's wall. He backs off a little, but then smiles, and walks slowly up the dead man. He looks at the corpse attentively and then looks up to see more writing in blood.)
 
TODD
Fascinating.
 
(Todd takes out his journal and pen and begins to put everything down in another page. He looks up at the writing, then at the dead man, and then backs at his journal. After he is finished, Todd puts his tools away and admires the unfortunate person. He bends to his knees and gets closer to the corpse. He tilts the corpse's head away to see two puncture marks on the right side of the dead man's throat. Todd takes out his journal and pen again to write down more information. After a few moments, he begins to flip throughout his journal as if he just realizes something important. He then stops and settles upon a page. There, he draws for a minute and then forms a pentagram. He looks at the drawing of a square of the city and concentrates hard on the middle of the star.)
 
TODD
Finally, I have found you.
 
MIDNIGHT- ACT 3
 
(Todd is walking the lonely, filthy streets of New Orleans. There are street lamps on the paved sidewalk that lights up Todd and other few people for their destined locations. Todd looks to his right and sees his destined location: An abandoned, old church. He looks at it deeply and lets out chuckles. The former church is surrounded by homeless people and in the yard and what he thinks is a dirty prostitute at the entrance. Todd begins to walk to the church. The prostitute looks at Todd.)
 
PROSTITUTE
I'd give you a good time if you pay me--
 
TODD
Shut up, whore.
 
(Todd walks past her and then tries to avoid the homeless people on the ground. Some offer if he can spare some change. He ignores them. Todd enters the church and finds himself in a beaten building with brick gothic and German writing. He is fascinated and admires his surroundings. He then goes up the altar and admires the building even more. Suddenly, a loud, unsettling voice in German accent rungs from the top of the building.)
 
ADRIAN
Who trespasses on my domain? Speak now or you will be consumed!
 
(Todd hears this and lets out a deep laugh.)
 
ADRIAN
Do you laugh? How dare you! I will suck you dry!
 
TODD
(Stops laughing)
Please, wait! I apologize for my behavior! I am blessed to be in your presence.
 
ADRIAN
Blessed? I am the personification of evil. I love to feed on the blood of a Christian man. It is juicy and warm. Before I consume you, I must ask you if you are a Christian man?
 
TODD
No, no I'm not--
 
ADRIAN
Then prepare for your consumption!
 
(Suddenly, there is a crawling noise coming from the top of the building, which frightens Todd. He sees a black figure; moving like a spider, crawl down from the darkness onto one of the church's pillars. He hisses at Todd. Todd backs away onto the altar. Adrian crawls down from the pillar and moves closer to Todd and prepares to lunge towards him).
 
TODD
Ich diene dem Vampir! Er ist der, den ich verehre! Ich bin dein Anhänger!
 
(Adrian stops. He stands up like a regular human being. His long, lean, slender body in a black robe towers over Todd. Todd is terrified as he sees Adrian's pale, bald, ugly face, and a large dagger in his pale long, pale hand.)
 
ADRIAN
Du sprichst meine sprache du folgst mir?
 
TODD
I do not speak your language, but I know who you are.
 
ADRIAN
And what am I?
 
TODD
You are what legends call a vampire. I remember reading stories of monsters in the night; I was fascinated by them. Other children were terrified by the stories, but not me, I was tempted by the characters. I wanted them to be real.
 
ADRIAN
(Laughing)
You want me to be real? (Hands out) Well, here I am. Is this real enough for you?
 
TODD
Almost.
 
(Adrian grins at Todd. Todd grins back. Adrian backs away and becomes less threatening. He even speaks more cordially.)
 
ADRIAN
How did you find me?
 
TODD
I went to find every location where you left your writing. You were pretty diverse in where you wrote them, but they formed in certain areas of the city. They all were behind run-down or beaten facilities and buildings in terrible conditions; places no one would want to go to, and perfect locations to feed on your prey. They formed a star, and that star pointed to this church. (Look around the building) Or what was a church.
 
ADRIAN
I find it fun to leave my mark wherever I go. Sometimes it is just the message, sometimes it is the message and my prey. (Smiling menacingly) It is a great feeling to make humans fear what they do not know. In my opinion, feeding can be an amusing time.
 
TODD
I've been looking for you for a very long time. It's been so long.
 
ADRIAN
Why do you want to find me? Men in the past who have found me usually want to kill me. But they always failed.
 
TODD
I'm not here to kill you, sir. (Laughing, examining Adrian) I wouldn't even try! I came here because I want to know you.
 
ADRIAN
(Chuckles)
I never heard that one before in all my life. (Points dagger at him) And what do you want to know about me?
 
TODD
Everything.
 
(Todd takes out his journal and pen. He then goes to sit down in one of the church's beaten seats.)
 
TODD
Tell me everything, please. I must know.
 
ADRIAN
What? You came to me so you can… interview a vampire?
 
TODD
No, not exactly. I came to find you so the whole world can know you.
 
ADRIAN
The whole world?
 
TODD
Yes, they will see you like a god!
 
ADRIAN
I do not want the whole world to know me. Those of the Lord will kill me for I am a demon, a demon that feeds on them. I am thinking that I should feast on you. You seem smart at first, but you are foolish for coming here.
 
TODD
Please, you must listen. You are a beautiful creature. You are different. People would want to know who you are.
 
ADRIAN
Beautiful? (Scoffs) You are looking at me right now, aren't you? Unless a man is blind, I am what haunts all men, women, and children at night. They are terrified of me. No, they would want to kill me!
 
TODD
No, they won't. The world is changing greatly. Industrialization is changing the landscape. I have imagined you have seen how advanced New Orleans is compared to other places you have been before. There is a train system, the metal carriages that transport people fueled by electricity in wire poles, and you probably used the guide of streetlights to find potential prey. Hell, Anybody like myself can write a book! More people are becoming less religious. Did you know that there was a man by the name of Charles Darwin who stated that the human race descended from apes!
 
ADRIAN
(Smiling)
And you believe in this Charles Darwin?
 
TODD
I don't know if I do, but millions of people do. The world is changing and so can you! Religion is not the norm anymore. People can be whatever they choose to be! In my opinion, it is better to be a writer than a farmer. Farmers helped grow this country; now, they are nothing but yokels that the country does not care about anymore.
 
ADRIAN
I remember people being burned at the stake for not believing what their king believes in. You are telling me that one can worship me like a god and not be killed?
 
TODD
Perhaps. I do not know for sure. But what I do know is that all of such is back in the past. We are living in the future. It is the end of the century! We're about to enter a new one! (Pointing) And so can you!
 
ADRIAN
(Beat)
You say that you believe in me. You are a follower of mine. Is that true?
 
TODD
I am the first to believe in you. That is why I came to find you. But I could not be the only one that believes in you. Show the world who you are, and you will receive more worshippers.
 
ADRIAN
What do you mean by that, mortal? They would make sacrifices in my name?
 
 
TODD
I'll put you in events-- Vaudeville! So people can see your feats. People will come in from across the globe to see your unique beauty. You will earn more money than you ever imagine! People won't want to kill you, they'll want to pay money to see you and take pictures with a legend. In 1897, that is how one is worshipped! Not with prayers, but with being amazed! People will always be intrigued by the extraordinary; things they have never seen before. They will always remember it.
 
ADRIAN
A few years ago, I came from the islands to the south and the islands were my domain. The locals finally found me and knew what I was, so they searched for me. After a while, I had nowhere to hide so I snuck onto a merchant ship and came to this city. I've been feeding on its residents and eventually, the people will find me just as much as the islanders did. After that happens, I will be forced to leave again. You are telling me humans will like me? They know that I feed them!
 
TODD
That is okay. We could spin it! You mostly feed on the beggars and the whores and street children in the city, right?
 
ADRIAN
Correct.
 
TODD
Both of us can say you are doing it for the better good of the city. You are cleaning out the city's filth. Your prey makes the city dirty. Without you, the city will be consumed by its shit. You're doing New Orleans a favor because it is an unbearable task to clean out the undesirables.
 
ADRIAN
(Smiling)
You are a smart one.
 
TODD
I like to think that I am. I also think that once the world knows you, they'll love you. New Orleans calls you by different names. A beggar yesterday called you the feeder. Others call you Devourer of the Night, the Night  Devil, the New Orleans Killer, the Stalker of Man!
 
ADRIAN
Hmm. I am still unconvinced. I barely met you, and I was originally going to eat you. Now, it seems that we became acquainted. What is your name?
 
TODD
I am Todd. Todd Hughes. I'm a student at a local university.
 
ADRIAN
I am known as Adrian: the origin of the darkness. (Looking at Todd's journal and pen) What do you have there?
 
TODD
Those? Those are my tools. I must write about you. The world must get to know you first if they want to look up to you as a legend; a god! Adrian, tell me about your life. All of it! I know it's probably very long, but I think I can listen for that long. Can we start, please?
 
ADRIAN
If I were to travel the world and not be killed by humans, I might be killed by the sunlight.
 
TODD
That is okay. I can build a carriage that is sunlight-proof. I'll even get a large coffin made for you. You can receive everything you ask for. My family is wealthy. So, now we begin!
 
(Todd opens his journal to a page and prepares to write. Adrian looks at him, then at his dagger. He looks up at an eager Todd and grins.)
 
THE END.