I'm Still Here

This is a response to a picture prompt. It’s almost Halloween, so I went with a darker theme. This is about a vampire that's buried alive.

I’m Still Here

Picture Prompt

Warning: This contains some graphic content. Don't read if the mention of blood bothers you. It's not extremely graphic, but I always like to stick up a warning, regardless. 

 

Darkness welcomes me when I regain consciousness. Is this Hell? Has my sin taken me here?

 

As I slowly push away the last veil of sleep that shrouds my thoughts, I force my eyes open. I come to realize that though I’m not dead, this place does feel like Hell.

I’m in a small space, the walls seeming to close in on me. As I inhale, I taste sawdust. It coats the inside of my mouth, and like a sponge, my tongue soaks up the particles. I try to spit it out but find no relief.

 

How am I still alive? The stake near my heart should’ve ended me. Maybe this is my punishment. One far worse than a quick death.

 

I can feel a hard surface at my back, nothing but the thin silk of my nightgown lying between us. My spine arches upward, pain radiating throughout my body and making me shake uncontrollably. It’s freezing here, the exposed flesh of my arms and chest stinging like a million needles are being driven into my skin. 

 

Outside, an early dusting of snow taints the recently pleasant fall weather. I had watched it through my window tonight before I went to sleep. I never thought I’d leave my bed tonight. But instead, fate had other plans.

 

The hunters knew of my sin. Bloody kisses exchanged with a handsome vampire that was under the guise of a gentleman. One that stole my heart and led me down this path.

 

I thought this was our secret. But it wasn't. The hunters found out. They pursued me mercilessly and wanted me dead before I fully turned. I was hunted like a beast--like my life didn't matter. 

Now, I am just another vampire left for dead. And if I don’t bleed to death, I’ll freeze, instead. Either way, they seemed to have succeeded in their mission and death was imminent for me.

 

I raised a shaky hand and touched the ceiling. A thick, splintered surface lied inches from my nose. My fingers brush over exposed nails. Rust has gathered on their surface, and they are all different sizes. They were bent, and it appeared someone hadn't been careful when they drove them into the wood. The hunters must have been in a hurry to hide me.

 

But, the stake hasn't ended me like they thought it would. Was it because it had missed my heart? Or because I wasn’t a full vampire? I wasn't sure. Nevertheless, they hadn’t killed me, yet.

 

“I’m still here,” I whisper, the words light like the hiss of the wind.

 

I gather strength and tug on the stake, but it doesn’t budge. I bite down on the soft flesh of my lower lip, piercing it with my sharp incisor. A crimson tear drips from my mouth, tainting my pale skin. It clings to my flesh as it makes its way down my neck.

 

The taste of my blood mixed with a hint of lipstick entices my tongue. It reminds me it's not over. I'm not over. I have to try harder.

 

My fingers tense around the stake and I pull as hard as I am able--until my muscles ache and my body begs me to stop. Squeezing my eyes shut tightly, warm tears escape from my lids. I hear a soft squish as the stake slowly moves upward through layers of wet flesh. The pain is intense, but I don’t stop. I keep tugging.

 

I bite down on my bottom lip, trapping my lip under my top teeth. Blood fills my mouth, and because I’m a vampire, the liquid numbs some of my pain. Inch by agonizing inch, the stake is pried from my flesh.

 

I let out a mighty roar as I pull one last time and finally remove the stake. With a limp hand, I toss it aside, then cover the golf ball-sized hole in my chest. Blood seeps through my fingers, warming my frozen skin. I don’t possess the ability to heal quickly, yet. There is still a good chance I will bleed to death.

 

I continue to suck on my lip as I take a few seconds to gather myself again. I can’t give into weakness.

 

I’m still here. I’m still here, I repeat to myself.

 

Then I hear the soft sound of dirt hitting the top of my coffin, accompanied by muted voices, and the scraping of metal shovels against hardened earth. They are burying me.

 

Frantically, I claw at the top of the box. My fingers bleed as splinters embed under my nails. I'm oblivious to the pain, but I swear I can feel the weight of the dirt. Heavy--stifling. It crushes my chest, forcing the breath from my lungs.  The air I so desperately need escapes from my nostrils in quick huffs. Squandered as my fear feeds upon what little hope I have left.

 

The sounds from the outside world slowly fade. All I can hear now is the quick breaths that escape my lips. Each beat of my heart ticks off the seconds, though I haven’t kept track of the time. A pool of blood now surrounds me. It seeps from the wound on my chest, and it's warmth reminds me there is still life inside me.

 

I push up on the top of the coffin, but it doesn’t budge. My fingers are shaky, my strength failing me and my arms falling to my sides limply.

 

“I’m still here,” I say again, my words quivering as I sob. Over and over I repeat the phrase as I try to convince myself there’s still hope.

 

Muffled by the walls of my rotting wood prison and the pounds of freshly turned earth that lie on top of me, my screams would probably be inaudible. But, it was the only thing left to do.

 

A scream escapes the burning, tender flesh of my throat. A lining of thick dust has muffled my voice, but I still call for help. I kick and punch at the lid frantically, but it’s nailed shut, and my effort seems fruitless.

 

A few minutes pass, and I can scream no longer. I can’t speak, either. My throat is on fire. It burns like I swallowed acid. The tick of passing seconds resounds with the heavy pounding in my head.

 

One.

 

Two.

 

Three.

 

Four.

 

With each second that passed, my head got lighter.  The world spins, and I feel the end is near. Gasping, I can't catch my breath. I begin to hyperventilate and feel like I’ve lost my sanity. Whether it was from the lack of oxygen and blood, or from my fear, I didn't know. My thoughts were scattered.

 

I can't breathe. I gasp, as my mouth opens wide and I try to steal a breath. Death has come for me. His ghostly hands slip around my throat, choking me.

 

I start to drift off again, the veil of death slowly covering my eyes. Though I am barely conscious, I swear I hear a scraping from above like someone is removing the earth over my coffin. But I can’t move, my eyelids fluttering as I fight eternal sleep.

 

Was someone there, or was this a hallucination? I lay still and listen to the sound of splintering wood and imagine someone trying to pry open the lid of my prison. I can’t remain awake any longer and blackout.

 

But not for long. Cold water splashes on my face and jars me awake. I gasp and inhale a deep, satisfying breath of crisp night air. The moon covers me with its blanket of light, eradicating the darkness that tried to suffocate me.

 

But I was welcomed by another monster. Maybe one more dangerous than the reaper. My vampire.

 

Outlined by moonlight, I recognize his familiar shape. He towered over me, his frame tall and muscular. Water dripped from the bucket in his hand and formed a puddle near his foot. If he hadn't found me, I would've died. 

My sin saved me. But at what price? And did it even matter now? Humanity had abandoned me. Left me to die. He hadn’t forsaken me as they had. He was here. And as I lay shivering in this broken coffin, I was willing to pay any price to save myself.

 

Words spill from his grinning lips, his tone lulling and smooth. “You're alive. I’ve found you."

 

I choke out the words, but they are barely audible, my teeth chattering wildly as I regard him with wide eyes. "I'm...still...here."

 

“So am I,” he countered playfully as he reached down and plucked me from the coffin.

 

 

Reviews

[angel]

Very engaging. I have to say, in spite of your comments, that I wish it would go on. The ending doesn't make me feel as though the piece is...complete. I want to hang around and see how these two characters interact. I want to find out more about them. What was she like before becoming...infected? Is that the right word? What were their lives before, when they were both mortal humans, and do they have regrets? Miss things? Miss people? I just can't help it, d****t! I WANT TO KNOW!!! But I accept that I never will. Those are the breaks. At least I want to know more. That's a compliment,and I tried to find something else to fault, but came up with only this: it's AN hallucination, not A.

[Black Kat]

I admit I'm horrible at short stories. It's my weak point as a writer. Everything I write seems to turn out like an excerpt from a novel.

And thanks for pointing out the "an". I'll have to change it now!

Thanks for reading and your kind words. I'm glad you liked it. The "wanting more" is a good thing. Sorry, I can't answer your questions though. 😬

[angel]

Well, think about expanding this. It really is a good beginning. Much better as a beginning than a short short. Seriously, it is good.

[Black Kat]

I will think about it ;)

[Samuel Dickens]

Who knew that vampires shared so many vulnerabilities with non-vampires? This one gets cold, doesn't die from a wooden stake through the chest, and needs air to breathe. My beliefs from years and years of horror movie viewing were in peril until I went back and saw that I'd not absorbed the fact that she wasn't fully a vampire. (My fault. I'm sometimes a crummy reader) A lot of imagination went into this, I believe, and you've done well in taking us through the lady vampire's horrible experience. I would've used a little different wording in a place or two, but that's only normal.

[Black Kat]

Thanks for taking the time to stop and read my work. I appreciate it! And yeah, she's not a full vampire, yet.

[Black Kat]

Oh, I forgot to ask, what would you have changed? Wording wise, I mean. I'd like to hear your thoughts. Maybe they could help improve it bit.

[Zayir]

Your writing style and story remind me of Darren Shan. When he published the Cirque Du Freak series, which I loved! Oh the nostalgia of a young boy. Thank you for this!

Much Love

[Black Kat]

I will have to look him up now. ;) Thanks for stopping by and reading it.

[The dark Hydra]

What can a say that won't offend you. Hmmmm, How about...Your amazing. HaHaHA, you really thought I was going to go bannans on you. I think I am a little nuts, don't take my word for it but you don't need to mess with this one, it is perfect crap. Oops, o well.

[Black Kat]

Aww.....thanks. I'm so "offended". LOl!

[The dark Hydra]

what can I say except your welcome.

[VALORMORE DE PLUME]

I like this short story. Stream of conscious, makes for an engaging read. From the onset, I was hoping for her to escape. Thank you for sharing some of your work, here. Most enjoyable.

[Black Kat]

Thanks for the review! I'm glad you liked it. 😁