Young Rubuska: What's his name?
Mourning Woman: Viktor ... his name was Viktor.
Mourning Woman: He loved yogurt, the sour kind with no sugar. I used to find him sleeping in the fields just after harvest ...
Mourning Woman: This was his hat. He never left home without it.
Her trembling hands clutch a felt hat charred at the brim.
Mourning Woman: You can't really bring him back, can you?
The girl raises the flute to her lips and breathes a short note. A small shadow rises slowly, wearing a hat.
Mourning Woman: God above ... Viktor!
Mourning Woman: My child ... Oh!
The girl who calls herself a vampire travels her town, "reviving" the dead with her arcane skill.
With so many lives lost to this war, people cling to the hope she brings desperately.
Yet in a world so choked with death, her "resurrections" seem like a fairy tale.
Widowed Elder: This was her keepsake ...
Orphaned Child I: Rubuska, my mama ... is she still okay today?
Grieving Mother: Rubuska, I brought some food. Please, take it ...
Grieving Mother: My Milena can't eat anymore, so at least you should. It would make her so happy to know you're fed ...
Orphaned Child II: Do you need some buttons or hair clips? I found these ... Take them.
Orphaned Child II: I even found oranges ... Grandpa used to love oranges.
Mourning Father: Rubuska! Is this the red potion you wanted? I found it!
Mourning Father: Take it, Penka and Tervel must be driving you mad. They never settle down.
Mourning Father: When Penka was little ...
Her arms fill with offerings, and Rubuska stands there, at a loss.
People scour the ruins for food, medicine, scraps of their former life. All to pay tribute to the little vampire.
Some plead, some give thanks.
Young Rubuska: ...
Her mind stirs with familiar voices. Now, without even calling on her shadows, she can hear her family's voices.
"Rubuska's Mother": Take what you need, darling. Preserve your life. You've already brought so many souls together ...
"Rubuska's Mother": You make us so proud.
"Rubuska's Father": These are tough times for vampires. I can only imagine how much more difficult it must be for mere humans!
"Rubuska's Father": If only it were not this way. This war is terrible indeed.
"Rubuska's Father": Ah, but though we vampires are strong, it is a shame that so much has been put on your shoulders, my dear ...
"Kolyo": Buska, you've become a real vampire queen!
"Kolyo": Just like Arnold V, everyone looks up to you. Right?
The crowd fixes their desperate eyes on Rubuska, waiting for her to summon her shadows again—to call forth the lost.
Her claims of being a vampire are an afterthought; they care only that they can see their families again. Truth and legend mingle in their grief.
Young Rubuska: A vampire should never use her powers to bargain for favors.
Young Rubuska: Your loved ones, like mine, already live inside the shadows.
Young Rubuska: I give you my word!
Young Rubuska: I don't need these things ...
Her eyes fall on the paltry food they've come to offer her, trying to silence the protests of her aching stomach.
Young Rubuska: ... Ugh!
Young Rubuska: I'm not ... I just ...
The starving child cannot keep up her performance; she leaps into the crowd to grab the offered food.
Grieving Mother: Eat, eat! Rubuska!
Grieving Mother: You vampires can still eat human food, can't you?
Mourning Father: It doesn't matter. You can't keep starving yourself, girl!
Mourning Father: You're still just a child!
Young Rubuska: Child ...
She whispers it, then hesitantly picks up a cold meat patty and takes a bite.
Young Rubuska: Mmm ... mmm ...
Young Rubuska: I haven't had meat in so long ...
Young Rubuska: Th-thank you ...
She takes the red potion and some food—enough to sustain her a little while longer.
Looking through the glass vial, the world before her bleeds red, and her eyes are stained the same.
She blinks once, twice, into a world turned crimson.
Garrison Officer: Who is this "Rubuska," the one they claim can raise the dead?
Garrison Soldier I: All we know so far is that she appears around grieving villagers.
Garrison Soldier I: The captives won't say where she is, but this resurrection thing ... they really believe it.
Garrison Soldier II: Why don't we just kill some of them then, to bait her out?
Garrison Soldier I: She's been clever so far ... and those shadows ...
Garrison Officer: We've lost our share of officers to the militia. Perhaps this Rubuska can bring them back ...
Garrison Officer: We have to find her.
Garrison Soldier I: We're ready, sir.
The officer grinds his boot into the dirt, raising his voice.
Garrison Officer: You had the right idea.
Garrison Officer: If she shows up when people die, then we just need a few corpses.
Garrison Officer: Bring them here.
Garrison Soldier I: Yes, sir!
???: That won't be necessary.
A figure steps out from under the dark trees.
Young Rubuska: It's true—I can bring the dead back to life.
Young Rubuska: But ... only a vampire can be reborn.
Young Rubuska: So when they return, they'll return as vampires.
Garrison Officer: I don't care what they turn into as long as they can be of use.
He signals his men with a glance.
Young Rubuska: ...
A pistol lifts quietly, aimed at her small feet.
Garrison Officer: Little girl, if you give us what we want, then we will reward you.
Young Rubuska: Reward? What reward?
Garrison Officer: Whatever you want, girl.
Young Rubuska: Mm, I want ...
Her words cut off, as if sinking into a greedy kind of thought.
BANG! A bullet bursts from the barrel, flaring in the dark night.
The shot is true. The figure beneath the tree drops with a groan of pain.
Garrison Officer: Grab her!
Boots scrape hard against the ground. The soldiers rush in, but all they find is a fading shadow.
Garrison Officer: ...
Young Rubuska: A vampiric "resurrection" can only be done on a bright night.
Her voice changes direction, echoing from far away.
Young Rubuska: I will wait for you here on the next full moon.
Young Rubuska: Don't forget to bring the "reward" with you ...
