Chapter 2 - Escape

Hours pass before I regain the willpower to get back on my feet and escape this tiny shed. The alarms stopped at least an hour and a half ago, but I am far from feeling safe; and this raid is not over. Back at the cabin we are living off bread crumbs and the few berries and nuts we’ve found around the forest. It’s been nearly a month since one of us went on a raid. After the accident neither I nor Daren could bring ourselves to travel far from Maddy - even for the necessities. But something has to be done; she is beginning to succumb to her wounds. We thought we had lost her last night when she passed out. Luckily, Daren was able to resuscitate her.

When the bear attacked Maddy it broke nearly every bone on her left side, leaving huge gashes in her skin. Daren and I spooked the giant black bear when we came bursting through the brush, guns blazing, responding to Maddy’s cry for help. There was so much blood we thought for certain she was already gone. We were expecting to find a much more dangerous fiend when we arrived - a human leech tearing into her neck perhaps " so the sight of the bear took us both by surprise. Daren, snapping out of it long before I could, scooped Maddy into his arms and ran at a speed that seemed impossible for his large, muscular form to the tiny stream nearest our cabin and began cleaning her wounds. If not for his instantaneous realization of what needed to be done Maddy would have died in a matter of hours.

I wipe away the tear running down my cheek with the back of my hand and pull myself back to reality. I take a few steps closer to the door of the shack and put my ear against it, listening for any sign of a threat before carefully opening it.

I poke my head out first; the sun is entirely concealed now, with no indication that it might show itself again today. Realizing the danger of this fact, I take out my lavender and give myself another rubdown. I adjust my sunglasses and head towards the little duplex. There shouldn’t be anybody in their homes when they don’t have to worry about being set ablaze by stepping outside.

I sprint up a few steps to the front door and try the handle. To my bewilderment, it opens immediately. I quietly step through the threshold and find myself in a quaint little kitchen with bright yellow cupboards and sky blue walls with a grass green tile on the floor. It looks as if whoever painted this kitchen wanted to get the feeling of being outside on a sunny summer’s day. This was not at all what I had expected when walking into a bloodsucking murderer’s house; being here almost gives the feeling of pleasantness. I quickly banish that thought; nothing about this place is pleasant.

I go to the refrigerator with my fingers crossed, but when I open it all I find is a rotten apple and a few bottles filled with what could only be blood. I move on to the cupboards. Fortunately for me, this parasite didn’t do much cleaning when it moved in; there are still several cereal boxes and a couple boxes of soda crackers in the first cabinet, some tomato juice in the next, and a variety canned goods in the last. Not a bad haul, most kitchens in these homes are entirely empty. These monsters don’t eat what humans do, the only place to get real food is at a hospital where they keep people as human blood bags, and there is no way I can show my face in this hospital again.

     After I’ve nearly emptied the  kitchen I move upstairs in hopes of finding some blankets and toiletries and - if I am lucky - maybe even some medical supplies. With this in mind the first place I go is the latrine; I rummage through the medicine cabinet and find nothing but some make-up and a dollar store first-aid kit. I grab the first-aid kit and move to on the shower, taking the little soap I find and putting them in my backpack with the food.

Just as I finish zipping my pack I hear light footsteps coming from downstairs. I freeze in place, glancing around the bathroom to find some place to hide. I quietly jump into the shower and pull the curtain back to conceal myself. I grasp the last handful of lavender from my back pocket; hopefully it will be enough to stop whatever is coming.

I listen carefully to try and pinpoint the location of the parasite but hear nothing. Relaxing a little at the silence, I slowly peel back the shower curtain just enough to peek through. I can see into the hallway this way but there is nothing there, it’s as if I had just imagined the footsteps.

I’m just getting paranoid.

With a quiet sigh I step out of the shower, eyes never leaving the hallway. Still there is nothing. I decide the blankets can wait and stealthily head back down the stairs towards the exit. I sneak through the kitchen and reach the door in what seems like an eternity. I slowly twist the doorknob, trying not to make any noise at all. As soon as it clicks open I feel a firm hand on my shoulder. Before I can react I’m thrown face-first into the refrigerator with such force the door breaks apart and falls to the floor with me.

Ouch.

The pain shoots through my entire body. The surprise of the attack causes me to drop the lavender. My heart is pounding and my body is throbbing now.

I need to do something before I’m killed.

Frantically searching my surroundings for a weapon, my focus is on the wooden cabinet door to my left. Just as the bloodsucker rips the refrigerator door off me I roll to the left, just dodging and angry foot. I slam my fist through the cabinet under the sink. A surge of pain goes all the way up my arm as I do this.

I’ve definitely broken a few knuckles.

Without allowing the pain to distract me for even a second, I pull out a large piece of splintered wood and jump to my feet. I meet the monster’s eyes for just a moment and know that I’m finished. The all-to-familiar black emptiness brings me to the realization that not only have I broken a few bones, but I am also bleeding profusely. This parasite is now frenzied by the scent of my blood.

Snapping back his head, just as the woman in the hospital had, I watch his fangs come out as he smiles, uttering a disturbing, deep-throated sound something like a chuckle within a snarl. Then he’s on top of me. My back slams against the counter as his body smacks into mine. A few seconds pass as I wait to feel the sharp pain of his fangs cutting into my jugular, but all I feel is the weight of his head on my shoulder.

Suddenly, a wet cough rises in his throat and I’m covered in more blood, but it’s not mine this time. I watch the parasite stumble backwards, his hand on his chest. Immediately, I become aware of the fact that I am still holding the splintered piece of the cabinet. I must have instinctively raised it as he slammed into me, piercing his heart.

In total shock from what had just taken place, I throw the weapon to the ground and ineptly dart for the exit. I notice the bloody man on the floor reach for my leg as I pass. It’s almost sad, this final, desperate attempt to feed on me - to kill me. I pause for a moment. Then spit on the murderous beast’s corpse.

I run as fast as I can through the small town, not even to trying to be stealthy now. My only goal is to get back to the cabin in time to heal Maddy before a bloodsucker picks up my scent and follows my trail right back to our hideout.

Just as I cross the tree line of the forest in which our cabin is hidden a few miles deep I hear a voice not far behind me.

“You can’t hide from me, human.” An unsettlingly calm voice calls to me.

I don’t respond; just push myself to run faster.

“Thatta girl, keep running. I love a good hunt.” The voice growls, much closer than before.

I’m not fast enough!

“I can hear every step you take, little girl. I can hear your heart pounding, your blood pulsing,” The voice is so close behind me I flinch and glance behind me.

I just barely make out the shape of a gorgeous young man before I trip over a fallen tree. My fall sends me flying through the air momentarily, before I crash to the ground and roll a few feet forward.

Stuck in a daze from the tumble, I slowly roll onto my back. Just waiting to be pounced on and killed. But the pain I feel is different than I expected. It’s warm, and bright.

Wait, this doesn’t hurt.

I fling my eyes open to see the sun shining directly into my eyes. I hear an angry hiss to my right, and jerk my head to see the beautiful man pacing back and forth at the tree line, concealed in their shadows. I jump to my feet and take in my surroundings.

I’ve come to a small clearing with a rushing river right in the center. I look up to see the clouds quickly beginning to cover up the sun " the only thing keeping me alive right now. I can see the man has also noticed this. He’s in a full-on feeding frenzy now. Eyes black, fangs out. He’s snarling and salivating while clenching and unclenching his fists, seemingly uncontrollably.

I glance between him and the rushing river, weighing my survival options as quickly as I can. I look up once more, just in time to see that I’m out of time. Before I knew what was happing I was jumping into the river.

Instantly, I feel myself being sucked down by the force of the current. I bash my head into a rock as I hit the bottom and I feel myself spinning uncontrollably. I try to swim but I don’t know which way is up. I’m running out of breath too fast.

In what feels like forever, my body is thrown from the abyss and I get the sensation that I’m flying; I breathe in the wonderful oxygen until my lungs feel so large in my chest it almost hurts.

Something is wrong; this flying sensation feels too real. I open my eyes to find that it’s not just a feeling; I’m falling down a waterfall. Panic sets in, and I begin flailing my arms and screaming, still dizzy from my head-on collision. It takes me just a moment too long to realize that I should be in the dive formation. I hit the calmer water below with a painful slap.

I am able to rise to the top easily in these peaceful waters. I limply swim to the shore and pull myself onto the riverbed, coughing the water out from my lungs before rolling on to my back. I try to listen for any sign that I am still being followed, but the sound of the rushing waterfall is too loud to make out anything else.

I lay on the pebbles, panting for a few minutes before trying to stand. As I expect, I am met with resistance as I attempt to get to my feet. My legs are shaking violently, and I fall to my knees several times before I am able to steady myself enough to walk.

I slowly hobble along, following the river for a few miles before I reach the tiny run-off that is undoubtedly the same stream that runs right past the cabin. Knowing this, I force myself into a wobbly jog until I reach the cabin.

I stumble up the steps tripping on the last one just as I reach the door. I don’t know how he did it, but somehow Daren was there to catch me in his arms just before my face hit the floor.

“Oh my god, Elle what happened?” Daren’s voice is panicked but it’s fading away for some reason.

I try to say, “The Serum is in my backpack,” but I only manage to get one word out,

“Backpack” I breathe.

Then, as if someone simply turned out the lights, everything goes black.

 

Author's Note

Let me know if you like it!