Vlad did not disturb him further. He returned to his wardrobe, where his backpack rested. From the top pocket of the bag, he retrieved a violin the size of a forearm.
He walked to the open window, through which the moonlight cast soft silhouettes across the room, bathing it in a warm, silvery glow.
Vlad placed his foot firmly on the edge of the windowsill, turned around, and leaped upward. Thanks to his superhuman strength, he reached the rooftop of the four story building in a single bound. He sat on the edge of the cold cobblestone, his legs dangling freely into the night.
"I have made it here," he murmured, gazing at the luminous white moon in the sky with his crimson eyes. His entire demeanor had shifted. His face was drawn long, filled with immense longing and something deeper, something aching. "Just wait for me."
He closed his eyes, settled the violin against his shoulder, and set the bow upon its strings with his other hand.
