The worlds of the living and of the deceased join in October's last midnight. They dance simultaneously in the moonlight, things not visible move into sight. I strolled past the burial ground as I had always done, this time for the last time. I glanced to discover a stone crypt buried in vines and elegant red flowers. Hosted something that was no longer resting. Its thinned-out skin hardly covered its skull. Its eye sockets house nothing at all. It looked at me; it stretched out its jaw. I struggled to run, but could merely fall. It sprinted, suddenly went into a spider crawl as it jump for me, clearing the wall.
He crouched down, dropping his pack behind an oak tree, keeping his bow and quiver close to him. The tall grass tickled the back of his ear, and the moisture from the dirt seeped into his pants where the knee pushes the fabric into the ground.
A breeze flowed through the forest trees, carrying the smell of something that he couldn’t quite label. It danced around his nose. For a moment, it seduced him. It overwhelmed his mouth with warm, tasteless fluid. He swallowed, and the knot in his stomach tightened.
“What is this?” his mind was processing.
Strange-shaped rocks that resemble elephants towered over the trees that stood towering over him. There were hundreds of them, they were beautiful. Smooth, reddish-orange stones, with white symbols on their surface, probably hold some type of significance.
“This can't be real. I have to get closer.” The man whispered to himself.
He threw his quiver over his head and shoulder, and following that motion, he nocked an arrow. Likewise, he stepped over the fallen grass and leaves. The further he walked, the closer he became. The elephants grew, standing tall and casting a shadow over the towering oak trees.
“This is incredible” the sound from his voice made him nervous, he listened for any other form of activity. Nothing seemed to tingle his senses. Nothing besides that mystery smell.
He dropped, then forward and into a front roll. Coming up to cover behind an oak tree. The base of the close's elephant let out a loud howl, and along with it came the introduction of a large gust of air. The ocean of grass and leaves moved.
There it was, the source of the sounds, the breeze, the smell. Before him in the smooth, reddish-orange stone, a cut opening. The cavern was dark, jet black. What he could see was darkness with the flashing of a distant fire behind it. The potent smell of wood burning gathered with an obnoxious stench filled his nostrils. This smell called out the inner curiosity and curiosity he felt.
“I’m going to need my pack.” He’s been alone, and in survival mode for so long, that his mind was more of a companion now than a part of him, always keeping his best interest at heart. It was against his survival sense to go in. Then he thought, so live on the edge for once. I don't want to be alone anymore. Maybe I'll find civilized people this time.
He turned and went back toward the tree where he had dropped his equipment. To his surprise, it was gone. “I know I dropped it here.” His voice returned to a whisper. The flat patch of grass where the weight he was carrying left behind its imprint. The hair on the rear of his neck stood as straight as a needle. Adrenaline pumped through his veins. Peripheral vision allowed him to pick anything from the field of view missed. Now he was confident his pack was gone.
He positioned himself with his back to the bark that gravity had been pulling from the trunk of the oak tree. Hands steady and ready to draw back at a moment's notice. Scanning the area carefully. The sense of being watched crept in. The thought of knowing something was taking place but not certain of what it could be tightened his stomach more.
It consumed all of his thoughts. Being as silent as possible with no idea of what was transpiring helped little. He seconded guess the location.
The tree leaves tussled above him, and he heard the note of a small branch cracked. A distinction from the ruffling of the wind, whatever was in those branches knew a thing or two of silence.
His reaction was instant, and he raised the bow upward, pointing it in the area of the noise. A droplet on his forehead formed. He held the arrow, coming closer. Straining to hear movement so that he could determine the angle to send it. Time seemed slower than normal. In reality, it was an asset. His arms flexed and made ready to release. He could feel his heart in his chest.
The silence was broken, the soft sound of pitter-patter behind him. It progressed like an insult to mock his attempt at finding its source. “Too slow.” A hiss formed the ridicule ahead of a sudden intake of breath, which was followed by a swift movement to the left of his vision. He spun around, repositioning his feet and dropping his bow. Replacing it with the cutlass from this belt. The figure had her cloak covering her face, but with a quick snap of the wrist, she had it off and gave him a pair of blue eyes. “How did you-” he said as a sharp pain in his neck right under his jaw line struck him like a wasp sting. The person before him appeared to be a youthful woman with short brown hair, with a curved blade, she had just revealed out of some hidden sheath.
“We have hit you with a dart that contains curare, paralysis will set in soon. You should not have come here.” The youthful woman’s voice was reluctant.
His torso tensed up. He could not speak, he could not move. He is going to die like this, he thought. Falling to the ground, his body crashed hard and awkwardly. The youthful woman sheathed her blade before crouching down in front of him, reaching out and closing his eyelids. We don’t want your eyes to dry out, do we? That wouldn’t be too pleasant.”
Everything went dark. Several thoughts race through his mind. As he heard more pitter-patter. How many were there? He knew his body lifted from the ground. They were carrying him. No dragging him. The breeze grew stronger and the odd smell and burning wood returned. He got chilly. I’m in the cavern. His companion concluded. Then something was wrapped around his limbs. Binding them together. A strap holding his dead arms tight over his head.
He could feel his eyelids pushed open. He gasped at the sight. It was all around him. They had carved out the cavern interior. It was an entire civilization. The cave stretched for miles, it seemed. Houses and markets. Temples and taverns. Businesses and guild halls. It was all true. Everything he had been told was all accurate. The dwellers existed.
He was being held up by straps attached to some oak post that was installed in this way for no other reason but to keep prisoners. They were in some kind of camp outside the city itself. Maybe an outpost? His mind attempted to gather pieces of the puzzle.
The young woman had returned her cloak. “You’ve found us. I’m uncertain if you just stumble upon us or if you sought us out. Either way. The outcome is the same.” She paused as she looked out. “Your tale does not have a happy ending” the sentence fell from her mouth as she disappeared out of view, unaffected.
He thought about the family he once had. All his old friends and how beautiful the world used to be. A fire flickered a few yards in front of them. Something was roasting over the red-hot coals. “Was this the fire that was flashing at the entrance?” Once again, his mind snatched a puzzle piece. The smell was no longer tainted by the forest. He knew what it was now. He could see a human being spit roasted in the fire. The meat sizzled and bubbled. The vague recollection of a camp he slipped around occupied with bandits roasting extremities they gathered from an onslaught flashed before his eyes. It had been ages since he had seen this, but the initial impressions of dread and revolt came out as if the feelings had never disappeared.
He laughed peering out at the dwellers living their lives. "I guess I'm not alone anymore." A glance back at the fire. "Finally."
His pale, polished skin stood out from the shadowy scenery of the alley. He clung on to the youthful young woman, one arm around her waistline and with his alternative palm on her chin, had her neck exposed, displaying the two massive veins like a lavish feast.
“Is this what you want!?” “Is this what you seek?” “This curse, this lust!?” His tone was assertive yet gentle and somehow vigorous at the same time.
The suppressed melody coming from the back exit of the night club occupied the silence. I did not know what to say. I suppose I hadn’t considered the slaughtering.
“No, you have not.” The Vampire acknowledged.
He’s in my head. I realized.
“I am.” He returned.
His eyes went black as I shook. Why was I so fearful? This is what I craved.
His tantalizing fangs extended as he lifted his head back and snapped forward like a mousetrap. His black eyes never breaking contact with my own.
The young woman's bright blue eyes widened, she squirmed. What was hardly fifteen seconds seem to creep. I could see her soul drift away as she sought to cling to this world. Just like that, she was emptied. Her torso released by the Vampire. Hitting the ground with a thump. Being on beat with the suppressed melody.
“You wish these to be yours?” He smiled with his now blood painted fangs. “If you require them. You can have them.”
My body tensed up, and now I was on the welcoming end of his bite. My neck was out for all to observe, my soon-to-be deceased eyes matched with the young woman's as she lay down there lifeless. Still such blue eyes. Even more beautiful in death it seemed. Complete darkness arrived, then suddenly complete freedom.
“How can I run if I can’t even walk?” The concern distorted her mind. Agony bounced around inside her knee as she leaned against the cinder block wall, garbs dripping wet. “I have to keep going. I have to.” The cry in her head rallied.
She stumbled along her knee, appearing more like a wet noodle than a joint, every so often surrendering a whimper.
“Please God! Wake me up!” She screeched into the desolate road. An echo of her cry came back, stamped with return to sender.
No one was around. No cars, no people, nothing. Just the harmony of the rainfall collapsing into the ground. The lockdown was working. “Was this the illness everyone feared?” Another thought sought to make sense of what was taking place. “No. That was no pathogen, that was nothing from this world at all.”
She rounded the intersection. A lengthy stretch of homes occupied the road ahead. “Help! Help! It’s trying to murder me!” she announced in the avenue.
Pushing through the injury, she climbed the steps to the doorway of the red stone city home. She rattled on the first door. “Please, let me in!” No reply. Back down the steps and over to the next stone duplex.
“I’m not sick, I’m not sick. Please.” She banged and pleaded. Then to another and another.
Watching behind, her eyes swollen with tears and blended with the rainfall that rolled down her face. “I will not die like this. I refuse.” She took in a strong breath, and climb a series of stairs with a tall red door at the top. This time appeared different. This time there was a light on. She banged and begged, “Please, I’m injured. This is life or death.”
The melodies of the latches being withdrawn acknowledged her cry, and with them contributed to nothing shy of sheer bliss to her heart. She glanced behind her once more. The door screeched open and out popped a massive black umbrella. “Oh, come on, dear, you’re looking perfectly… wet.” A dusty, flat tone hissed.
Connected to the umbrella, a long moon grey skinned palm clutched the wooden handle.
“This isn’t happening.” She froze under the umbrella. For a moment, it seemed so delightful, not feeling the rainfall. Her eyes expanded, and she struggled to scream. Nothing had appeared to happen. Her arms felt lite, but impossible to carry. Her legs, heavy like anchors, kept her in place.
What seemed like a lifetime of being frozen turned into three steps backward. The third being on air. She started to stubble down the stairs and smashed her skull. A deafening crack was returned to the sender. Her vision tarnished as the water underneath her had a red tent.
The colossal character now settled over her, hunched under his massive black umbrella. Tall shining trench coat reflecting. It’s lengthy grey collar connected to a round head. Vast bare circle eyes that looked like they belong to a cadaver. It’s nose is nonexistent, two narrow cuts. The odd smile on its face had no lips. It was examining her draw her last breaths. It moves in closer, somehow remaining in the same spot, but now its head was close enough to hear her breathing. Suck in, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, ex. Hale.