Hails Hollow

A young girl is turned, nmot like twilight, however this is the first stage.

The Turn

 

Your life does not flash before your eyes, right before death. At least mine didn't. There was nothing to recall, not a name or a face.

 

It started with a pinch. A pearly white pair of fangs bit into the flesh of my shoulder. I heard my bones crack, before I felt the pain. My neck went loose and I fell into his strong arms, where he began to suck. I have never been aware of the blood inside me, until it flowed like a crimson river, out of my body and into his.

 

My black chiffon dress lay all around me, I flinch, the jacket of his tux tumbles off my bare shoulders as he indulges. I clutch his arms, cold beneath the thin white cotton shirt. I bring his body closer to mine, the only thought is of making it last. Slowly he lays me down the maple leaves crunch under my weight. I don't resist, I don't panic, as the copper smell of my blood fills the air. I am numb, each sip he takes brings with it, a new ripple of intensity.

 

“This is a dream.” I say, an obvious thrill coursing over me.

I close my eyes, and surrender fully to the moment, as if I were under some spell, the more he partook, the better I felt.

It ended too soon, my skin burned and ached as he pulled his long incisors from my withered frame. Yet It doesn't connect inside my brain that it is over, this utterly breathtaking, feeding. He was gone and I could careless, hovering somewhere between life and death. Enjoying the sweet flavor his venom left inside of me.

 

The aging maples molted above me, dancing in the shifting wind. I hear the speakers pulse from the outdoor fall formal. Blue October booms, Justin Furstenfeld sings the soundtrack of my high.

 

I hear water rushing, inside and all around me. In an instant, I am drowning.

I gasp for breath, yet the September air denied me. Grabbing a handful of raging autumn leaves, I sit up.

 

A hand at my throat, I struggle for air. My skin burns at my own touch.

I stood wanting to escape the suffocating confines of my body.

“Breathe, God d****t!” I command myself. I manage to look at my hands,

all evidence of sun erased, my black polished nails gleam against my ashen skin, in the eerie full moon hangs alone. Nothing is physically amiss, yet my hands are baking, with no sign of burns.

“Oh, God!” Fingers at my temples I feel my brain swell. The next thought proved to be futile, I turn in a circle, trying to find the school. Deprived of air I start to see double, my dress rips under the uncomfortable stilettos. I hit the earth; my ribs rip and tear my muscles spasm. I start to convulse. How I found my voice, I do not know, but I cannot fight the urge to scream.

“Ah” I yell into the dark, before I bite down on my tongue.  With no air, no aid, I begin to panic. On hands and knees, I crawl up the steep gap where the hollow divides. My skin starts to sizzle where I was bit, the pleasure of the moment, now toxic, as the wound closes.

Black, like a wave at the beach it hits me and I am gone.

 

CHAPTER ONE: BLEED

I was not cold when I woke, but very sore. “What the hell?” I ask the depths of the darkness. I look around me, spooky maple trees grow like weeds. The ground slopes on both sides of me, like the bed of a wide river that dried up long before. The crickets are out in full tonight, their song surrounds me, I did not realize I was holding my breath. I inhale, trying to fill my lungs but the crisp air does not expand my chest.

 

What is this? What is happening?

I cannot place it but things are different, the world has changed. I cannot fight the building suspicion that I do not belong.

 

“Ow, s**t!” I rub my neck.

“Die b***h.” I turn only to see the silver end of a shovel meet my face.

I lose my balance and topple to the ground.

“Die!” It comes again, a small squeaky voice.

I sense another blow before it comes. Reaching my hand out, I make contact with the splintered wooden handle, stopping it mid-swing.

“Carmen!” A deep voice behind me rings out in the night.

I stand pulling the shovel it comes to me naturally.

“Ray!” I sense, surprise, shock, hate.

“Carmen, you know better then to go out on your own.” The crush of leaves grinds my nerves. .

“I know I can do this.” She squeaks again.

She steps forward, her hair dark as the night around us, dressed in black, a whole regimen of gardening tools at her back.

“Carmen, I have told you before, you will get the chance.” Ray says his voice closer.

Carmen flexes her jaw on her round face, blinking in quick succession, her almond eyes. I can hear it, the blood coursing through her veins. I can taste it, bitter vinegar, yet with a pleasing after taste.

Why I lick my lips at this disturbing flavor, I cannot say. I move forward, her five-foot frame shutters.

“Oh my God, it's M-.”

“Carmen!” The man known as Ray scolds. “Go.”

I am watching this girl, no more then sixteen. I can see she recognizes me by the change of her breathing. I know Ray is pointing the way out of the ravine, commanding her to leave.

I wonder why, I would never hurt her... She would not feel a thing.

My own thoughts startle me, I should know her, I should... Who am I?

Carmen!” Ray shouts, she makes a high-pitched peep, then turns to leave.

Her heavy trench coat floats behind her.

“Now,” Ray says, I know he stands legs apart, sterling silver rings on each finger. He wears a long silver railroad spike at his belt. The silver stinks, a metal tinge hugs my tongue, his heart beats slow and steady, and I can smell the same metallic, in his blood.

 

“You can smell it can't you? He laughs, “I won't be lunch.” I cannot think of what he means.

“How should we do this then?” He asks. Finally, I turn my dress clings to leaves that continue to fall.

“What, do you want?” I ask.

“It never changes.” he answers.

He runs a hand through is dark curls, his long leather coat catches the wind.

“I want all of your kind... Dead.”

“My kind?” I say offended. My neck arches up at him, standing on top of this vale.

“Yes, all of you leeches.” He is young yet from yards away, I see wisdom in his hazel eyes. I should be afraid; after all, he just noted his intentions to kill me. Why can't I make myself scream for help?

“What do you have against people walking at night?” I stall trying to figure a way out.

He smiles, showing me a row of perfect white teeth. His soft features are endearing, I return his contagious grin but I am stopped. Something is not right, I move my hand to my mouth, and parting my lips, I feel my teeth. Lightning fast my eyes are at my shoulder, sure enough, twin punctures. I look back at Ray, who now holds the chiseled spike.

With impeccable grace he jumps down, so many thoughts flicker through my head, I cannot process them all.

“I have nothing against people.” he says, “What I have against you-”

“Me! I am people.”

He laughs, why I do not back away, as he taps the thick spike against his gloved palm.

“No, you are death.” the closer he comes the stronger the sliver stink.

In an instant, he raises the filed point to my chest. With out thinking, I take it from him, holding his wrist in my powerful grip.

I have overpowered him, yet he smiles, I see a glint of silver in his free hand, aimed again at my chest. I react, his pulse thumping in my ears. Both his wrists trapped in my hands I raise my heeled foot and push into his chest.

Ray flies back. “So it's like that?” he asks, recovering from his encounter with my stiletto.

I have never done anything like that I feel such strength.

“What do you want from me?” I ask.

“I want you to bleed.”

“You're the only one bleeding.” I say to the physco.

“I should have known to bring fresh blood; you newbie’s always go crazy for it.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Vampires.” he says standing.

I let out a chuckle, it feels good, the vibration, in my throat.

“Are you mental? Vampires don't exist.”

“It is my fervent prayer that one day, you and your kind, won't.” He takes a breath. I cannot suppress my envy of it. Brushing off the leaves, he says, “You don't know what you are, do you?”

I take a moment, what a dumb question. I am wearing a dress therefore, I am a girl, I have arms and legs as he does there for I am human. I have a- I pause to listen, through his leather coat, his black hoodie the Green Day tee- shirt I know he's wearing under that, I hear it thunder, his heart. I tune it out and listen for my own. I drop his weapons and place both hands to my chest, and feel nothing.

“You hear my heart, you can feel it beat, you can taste my blood. You know the amount of silver mixed inside it, so compared to tasty Carmen. I stink.

I cannot deny what he is saying, but it does not seem right, this does not make sense.

“Am I dead?” I ask him. He hardens his baby fine features, “Soon you will be.”

“What am I?” I ignore his intent, I take measure of his strength, and he is no threat to me.

“No, Vampires aren't real. This, this is not real.” I turn to leave, but where will I go. I am lost.

“Where is your home?” he asks taunting me. “What is your name?” I cannot answer.

“I um....”

“Yes, you were one of the many b*****s at school, the kind that looks down on everyone.

“Wait, what?”

“I've said too much already.” he circles me. “This is our power over you. You maybe stronger and quicker but you are a bunch of idiot's. Once you die, and lose yourself. Tell me it's not real now, No Name.”

“Shut up!”

“Come on, No Name. You think you are human, lets see; bleed.

I hear the passion in his voice, the absolute, I hear the hate, yet I also smell his fear.

“I must have hit my head, maybe that's why I can't remember.” My eyes scour the ground for something anything that might jog my memory.

“Yes, No Name. You bonked your head that is why you were able to kick me across the hollow, why you can't feel your pulse, why you thirst for my blood.”

“No!” I shake my head and continue my search, lifting my gown off the floor somehow I know, I would not want it dirty.

“No Name” he continues to taunt.

“Look, Ray is it?” I'm not sure what the hell is going on here, but I'm pretty sure I can kick your a*s, so if you would.” I point to the trees, the safest path for him to leave.

“You’re going to let me go?” there is relief in his tenor, mixed with disappointment.

“Yes, go.”

I focus on his words, “The hollow,” I try to think of how I got here, where my home is, my mind is empty.

“I have to take you to the manor,” he says.

I find the jacket, before I lift it off the ground; I know how the fine fabric will feel against my skin.

“This is his. I was here with someone.”

Ray looks at me with those hazel eyes. “Who was it?” I search my memory, a few things, a white sundress, fields of yellow flowers, and the hollow. Echo’s of a life I can't remember.

“Okay.” I say folding the jacket over my arm. “Take me to your leader.”