Theo often left the city for his country house at the edge of the forest, a place of refuge from the silence and tranquillity of nature, where there was no place for noise, endless talk and fuss. In autumn, when the forest was foggy, he spent his days here in solitude, walking along the paths or just sitting in a chair by the window, looking at the fallen leaves, absorbed in his thoughts.

One day, walking through the autumn forest, Theo noticed a strange sensation. The wind had died down and he felt something unusual in the air.Bending down to light a cigarette, he looked up and saw something glinting in the dim light between the trees in the distance. Moving closer, his gaze fixed on a figure chained to an old tree.

Vampires were the norm in society, but even among them there were strict laws. They were required to follow peaceful rules, to behave like humans without disturbing the public order.Theo knew that vampires could not be killed in front of humans, but this creature in front of him looked like she had been left to die.The fresh bite on her neck indicated that she had just become a vampire, and in all likelihood she had been deliberately left in the forest to slowly starve to death.

Theo, still absorbed in his silent observation, but continued to move forward.His face remained calm, with no sign of fear, he knelt down beside her, unafraid of her. He saw her gaze - tired, desperate, with a distinct hint of pain. Instantly his attention was drawn to the fresh wound on her neck.

He remained silent, keeping his eyes on her face, and then decided it was time to leave.As soon as their gazes met, however. He couldn't just leave her here, though he realised that his sympathy shouldn't overshadow common sense. A shadow of irritation appeared in his eyes, as if he had been too long in thought.

‘How many days have you been here?’ - he asked quietly but clearly, his voice flat and almost unemotional. The question was not an appeal for rescue, but rather for exploration.