Four

      The wood stove in the kitchen that had originally been used for heat Jamie used for cooking and heating water. She got the fire going and prepared their meat, rabbit meat and salad. The salad came from vegetables growing in a weedy garden that who ever had lived here before the world wide nuclear holocaust had planted. The vegetables were altered but still edible. Glen and Jamie speculated they must have been seeds that grew after all the horror and destruction had happened. Being altered they were able to grow despite the poison environment.

     The scent of cooking meat sent Shannon fleeing the area around the house. Both she and Kevin found the aroma of cooking and cooked meat overwhelmingly unpleasant.

     While the human members of their family prepared to have their own meal Shannon and Kevin slipped into the Douglas Fir forest around the house. Hills kept these trees safe from the bomb that had exploded and destroyed Portland and the surrounding area. Glen had told them all this and it made sense.

      The Douglas Fir needles were spiked now and had the ability to pierce skin. Shannon scented several deer nearby. She considered hunting one. The human members of her little family would like having so much meat.

     As the two vampires slipped through the shadowy forest they were fully alert for any flesh eaters or any other threatening wild animals. Even deer had fangs now and could be dangerous if they were defending themselves. But the vampires didn't really worry about them.

     They came to a bluff that overlooked a deserted road and stopped. Kevin kept a respectful distance from Shannon. He had been accepted by the group but kept a distance between him and them. He looked at Shannon and waited. He had come to accept her in the leadership role.

     Shannon looked at him. “I think we should consider in a serious way finding the humans responsible for this new destroyed world and kill them.”

     “Drink their blood.”

     “Yes, Kevin, drink their blood. Drain them to death. Find their hiding places and drag them out like the rodents that they are.” Her voice was angry. “Look at the destruction. All the plants and animals are mutated. Look at us.”

     “Glen and his family look normal.” Kevin knew they really weren't normal anymore. They showed no sign of radiation sickness at all. There was no obvious change in them but a change had occurred otherwise none of them would still be alive.

     Shannon laughed. “They're not the same. They aren't really pure humans. I want to kill those responsible for what has happened to the world. The leaders who think they're Gods. But they're rodents hiding in holes in the ground.”

     Kevin nodded. He watched a large dark bird winging overhead, its mirrorlike metallic eyes flashing as it looked down at them. “Kill them. Yes. But how do we find them? We can't leave here. Our humans need us.”

     “Yes they do need us. We'll think about it. I doubt any government people are here hiding in the ground.”

     Suddenly Kevin was smiling. “Oh. I think you're wrong about that. There are plenty of politicians in Portland who think they are Gods. Plenty were hanging out in Salem. The main focal point of politics here in Oregon. We can kill us a share of them monsters.”

    Shannon laughed with delight. “You're so right Kevin. You're so right! We'll find the burrows of our local population of rodents and make them pay for their parts in this destruction.”

Reviews

[Craig2591]

The conversation at the end is very chilling. It gives a certain creepiness to those characters even though they're the good guys. It's a good look into their personalities

[Black Cat Fever]

Excellent writing. Very enjoyable storyline.

[Star Wolf]

Yes, who could blame Shannon for wanting revenge on those who destroyed the world as they knew it. Awesome chapter & story!

[Wolf's Dark Song]

I fully understand Shannon and Kevin's desire for revenge. Reading this chapter gives an even broader view as to how their world has been destroyed and replaced with something cruel and different, as different as they themselves are now.

[Eric Cox]

Cool write. Looking forward to them finding the people responsible for the destruction and making them pay in the next continuation. I like your writing much.

[Coyote Poetry]

I like the preparation of the meal and the good conversation at the end. I hope they can find the men who destroyed the Earth. Thank you for the excellent chapter.
Coyote