Chapter Six

“You can’t remember, can you?” The fire wood crackles behind him as he dares not look me in the eyes, “I couldn’t stop them. I can never stop them.” His soft face now holding a pitiful disgusted look. His eyebrows furry together and the eyes of a killer take over. His body tenses as he clenches his fist. “F**k!” He screams and kicks at the glowering orange fire wood.

“Who couldn’t you stop, Ernest.” My eyes widen as they search for answers. The sound of dirt shuffling is present as I move closer to him. He’s quiet. He faces the fire.

“They took our hearts! Those blood thirsty people! God damn! The only way to become human again is to have a heart. By taking ours, they save one of their peoples’ lives.” Ernest’s arm fires back as he releases it in a forceful punch causing the bark of the tree to split.

“If they have our hearts, then, how are we alive? It doesn’t make sense to me.” I want to make sense of everything. It’s just too hard to believe. I thought this stuff only happened in movies.

“Anything is possible. Let me tell you that. I wanted to save you. I watched from my jeep as they jumped you. You screamed, “Please, don’t kill me.” As blood filled your mouth. I heard bones cracking as their forceful kicks plugged at your body. There was one of me and five of them. I couldn’t stop them.

They retrieved your heart. Then, sewed you back together. When they left, you lied limp on the ground. I couldn’t just leave you there, Lindsey. I brought you in my jeep and took you here. To this forest. When you awoke, in the morning, you attacked me.” He steps closer. He outlines the scratches with his fingers, “Then, you ran off. I knew you weren’t evil like the others though. You looked at me differently. You didn’t look at me like you wanted my heart. I had to come back. I need to protect you from the others.”

I stand speechless. It’s all too much to take in. One day I’m a normal seventeen year old and the next I’m dead, “How long have you been dead?” My mouth quivers.

“Too long. A hundred years, maybe.” His head drops to the ground as if ashamed.

“Why didn’t you take someone’s heart?” I look Ernest in the eye.

“Because, I’m not a killer.” His head lifts up and he meets my eyes.

I step closer to him. I lift my hand to his chest. No heart beat. His chest feels hard. The flashlight drops from my hands and crashes to the dirt floor. The fire casts a dim light upon his face. The scent of firewood fills every thread in his clothing. He smells pleasant. He becomes hypnotized by the fire’s wavering dance. All is quiet.

“Am I aloud to have humanly contact.” I break the silence.

It takes him a few seconds to answer, “For now.”

I step back from him, “For now? Just because you “watched over my limp body” doesn’t mean you have control of my life. I have to go.” I turn around and run to my house.

Author's Note

What do you guys think? I'm trying to improve my writing skills.