Origin of the Species

By Dani A. Camden

Chapter One:

Creatures of the Night

Charlie stood behind one of the brick columns of the Walnut Grove Savings and Loan. He ran his fingers through his shaggy brown hair before putting his hands in the pockets of his worn denim jacket. Although it was dark, he didn't have any trouble making out the fine details of the face of the girl across the street exiting the drug store. Her smooth olive skin, the mole under her right eye, the green flex in her eyes that exploded from her pupils making a starburst pattern in the soft brown rings of her irises and even the tiny trail of freckles that went from her smallish ear, passed her cheeks and over her nose to the other ear. It excited him how her straight chocolate hair caressed the tops of her bare shoulders in the gentle evening spring breeze. Her blue cotton sundress clung to her well toned frame and billowed along with her hair. She carried her white plastic shopping bag in her left hand and as she walked, it slapped her thigh causing her to let out a slight whimper. The nail file that she had purchased in the store had protruded through the thin plastic and nicked her delicate skin. Charlie's eyes grew wide with anticipation as he watched her stop to wipe the blood with her finger and then bring it to her lips to suck it away.

The smell filled his nostrils making him swoon. It was almost over powering. He felt as if he had walked back into his grandmother's kitchen and the smell of warm, thick, sweet molasses surrounded his senses. He wanted to take her then. His hunger was so strong that he could no long control his eye teeth from increasing to razor sharp points. But, Charlie knew, that anonymity was just as important and crucial as the feeding it's self. And at nine pm Down Town on a Saturday, there were way too many people on the streets for him to run out and forcefully steal her away.

So for now he stood and he stalked, keeping to the shadows. He watched every move. Everytime she smoothed her hair behind her ears, everytime she adjusted her shopping bag, and every step she took; he followed along behind statues and trees.

His heart seized as he saw that she had begun to cross the street and was headed right in front of him. Charlie prepared himself for the confrontation; smiling and swaggering. He picked his prey carefully and she was perfect. This one was everything that he looked for; beautiful, buxom and alone.

He followed behind her steadily inhaling her scent as he loomed closer. The longer she marched; she began to sweat. He could see the clear salty liquid begin to drip down her neck and pool in her collar bone. Charlie fought his every urge to run at her at full speed, wrap his arms around her tiny waist, sink his diamond hard teeth into her brackish jugular while forcing his now stiffened member into her inaccessible feminine self.

The young woman started to feel that Charlie was following her so she quickened her step. Her anxiety heightened as the main streets of down town began to fall away leaving her vulnerable and alone in the darkness of the night. Their foot falls began to fall out of synch as his anxiety grew. She was sure that someone was following her now! She could hear his steps in between hers and as she glanced quickly over her left shoulder she saw his menacing silhouette looming closer. She tried to hide her panic, fearful that her acknowledgment of his presence would prompt him to attack before she could run. But, she couldn't control herself. It was as if her body panicked on it's own despite her will. She let go of her white plastic shopping bag letting various fruits and eggs splatter all along the pavement. Her legs pumped faster and her breath became erratic. The pain in her chest from her pounding heart was almost unbearable. Her fear became acid salt in the back of her throat and she cursed herself under her breath for not taking Erin up on her offer of a ride home. She didn't know how much longer she could keep this up but still she pushed herself harder. Although the drumming of her frantic heart filled her ears, she could still hear his feet slash through the puddles of raw egg a fruit that she had made behind her. She felt the urge to look back over her shoulder. She knew she shouldn't; she knew he was still there. So, why couldn't she help herself? She continued to lecture herself on the reasons for not looking back. It could slow her down. Looking back, she obviously would not be able to watch where she was running and she could trip and fall. She reminded herself of times past when she gave into her urges and how they always seemed to result in disaster. This, ofcourse, was why she did not drink tequila anymore. But in the end, her urges got the better of her and she looked back over her left shoulder.

Charlie was half crazed. Her fear was mounting so that it was seeping through her pores. His senses were overwhelmed and he couldn't help his metamorphosis into the beast that he was. It felt good to him. It was like taking off a pair of uncomfortable shoes after a long day. His false skin peeled back and his true form emerged.

The young woman was horrified! She felt as though her eyes would explode from their sockets from what they perceived. The skin of his face stretched and then tore away. He shook it off as it was nothing at all. What lay beneath was grey a twisted. It looked like his features were stretched to the other side of his face and never really found their way back. He snarled as he continued to chase her and his black and yellow swirl eyes glowed like fiery torches in the blackness. She opened her mouth to scream, but all that came out was a weakened whimper. She wanted so badly to cry out, to scream for help. But her voice was lost some where in the middle of her throat. She could feel it there, like a lump of chewed jerky refusing to go down. Sweat covered her body and she felt cold and numb. She screamed in her brain.

"God, please! PLEASE! I have to get away! HELP! What do I do!"

She forced her legs to continue to pump as hard as they could. Throwing her knees up again and again; her feet hit the ground so little that her shoes fell away leaving her to run barefoot on the hard unforgiving pavement. She was finally able to tear her gaze away from the horror that pursued her and focus on where she was running. But where was that exactly? Away. That was where she was going. Just away from the nightmarish monster that continued on his chase. They had left the main part of town a ways back and now the streets were empty, derelict and with out lamps. The only way she could see at all, was the glimmer of moonlight that escaped through the trees every once and a while. The beast behind her snarled in hunger; her voice was startled from its prison and she loosed a high squeal and began to cry loudly. Her tender, well manicured feet took on the abuse from the crag-like, serrated surface beneath them. Everytime she took another step, the jagged pavement tore into flesh causing her to wince from the pain.

Charlie was getting closer. The blood from the cuts on her feet was fueling his desire and drool ran down from the corners of his gnarled mouth. He knew that he could catch her at anytime and end this chase, but that's what would make the kill so much sweeter. This was a good hunt. He would take his time with this one. Charlie would let her run and fight as long as she wanted. He would let her tire herself out. And then, when she couldn't go any more, he would begin his art.

The young woman was getting tired. Her legs were cramping and the pain in her feet was excruciating. It was as if her body was fighting against her resolve; it was betraying her. She sobbed heavily as her traitor body began to slow and tingle with exhaustion. Just as she was cursing her limbs for giving up, her bleeding and swollen feet found their way into a pothole and her body was flung forward. Before she could accept what was happening, she found herself slamming face first down onto the pavement. She could hear his foot falls slow to a casual walk, and her mind began to fly into a panic. She screamed inside herself to keep moving, to get away, but all she could manage was one hand clawing at the broken sidewalk to try to pull herself forward. She could hear him breathing deeply above her and he spoke in his graveling, echoing voice.

"Now that I'm finished with the appetizer, time for the main course!"

She had exerted herself so much from her attempted escape, that her sobs had become wheezes and gasps for air. Realizing that she wasn't getting very far on her stomach, she used what strength she had to roll to her back and try using her legs to push her along. Blood dripped down from her busted nose down her lips and clotted on her chin. She felt the hot queasiness rise up in her abdomen. This was it wasn't it? This was how it was all going to end! She was nothing more than a midnight snack for a creature she once thought was nothing more than myth! With nothing left to do, she closed her eyes and prayed like she did when she was a child.

"Oh God," she mumbled, "Please, please, I don't want to die! Help me!"

Charlie took a step forward and was about to crouch down when suddenly, something came flying from his right and knocked him to the ground.

The young woman's eyes widen with shock. Had her prayers been answered?

"Are you an angel?" she stammered.

The person rose and dusted their self off.

"Nope, unfortunately I couldn't afford the dues. And all that wearing white just makes my butt look bigger." Emma Hogan brushed her long, wavy, dark brown hair out of her face and smiled sarcastically. Charlie stirred while he laid in a clump on the ground against a brick wall.

"Excuse me." Emma said raising a finger. She turned and headed for the direction of the surprised vampire. As she closed in, he was able to raise his left leg and kick her in her abdomen sending her flying five feet back. Emma skidded along the broken sidewalk until she stopped right back infront of the battered young woman where she started. Slapping the ground in frustration, she awkwardly pushed herself up from the ground. She felt of her elbow and was appalled to find a large hole torn through her dark denim jacket. She whipped her head back up and snarled at Charlie. Without a second thought and before Charlie could form one, she was sprinting for him at a deadly speed. Emma grabbed the vamp by the shoulders, sprung upwards into a handstand and landed back down on to the ground flinging Charlie forward into the wall like a wet sponge. Before he had time to slide back down, Emma had stamped her foot, retrieved the stake that had launched from her leg and staked him till he had burned to cinders.

The young woman had been lying on the ground the whole time in complete astonishment. She looked at her savior, who was now crouching next to her, with wild blinking eyes. It wasn't so often that prayers were answered so literally and so quickly. At least not in her experience.

"What just happened?" She stammered.

"You were just mugged. And you are in shock which would explain the crazy hallucinations you just had. But don't worry, you are going to go to sleep and when you wake up you will be in the hospital."

The young woman smiled and nodded as Emma, unbeknownst to the young woman, reached into her jacket pocket and retrieved a syringe that looked more like an ink pen than anything.

"I know what I saw. I saw God send me a warrior angel to rescue me form the demon." The young woman smiled once more as she thought of her rescue.

"Yeah that's another thing. When the cops are taking your statement, you might want to leave that whole 'warrior angel' thing out of it. Or else you might be staying at the hospital a little longer. And in a whole different wing." With that Emma applied the syringe to the woman's neck and pressed the button. A quick release of air, and the woman closed her eyes, surrendering to the deep sleep.

Emma stood and pulled a small silver cell phone from her other pocket and dialed three numbers.

"Yes, I was driving down Washington Street and I saw what looked like a young woman unconscious on the sidewalk near the 7th street intersection. What? Sorry? Sorry! I'm losing you!" Once she finished her rouse convincing the 911 operator that she had a bad connection, she quickly closed the phone and placed it back in her pocket.

The soft rumble of her brother's old blue Dodge disturbed the eerie silence and signaled to Emma that her ride was there.

"Are we ready Super Hero?" Jimmy asked sarcastically. He leaned over onto the passenger seat and looked at his twin sister over his glasses. With a quick jerk and a shove he had opened the passenger door.

Emma took another look at the sedated beauty on the sidewalk and headed for the open truck door. As soon as she had grasped the handle, Jimmy pressed down on the gas peddle making the truck jumped forward which made the door handle wrench out of Emma's hand and forced her to fall forward. As she regained her bearings the truck came to a halt and Jimmy erupted into laughter.

"HAHAHAH! You should have seen the look on your face!" He laughed for another minute or so while Emma stood with her hand on her hip staring right through Jimmy. "Oooo, Ok. Get in. Let's go home!" Jimmy chuckled and gestured for his unamuzed sister to get into the truck. She huffed loudly and made for the vehicle again. But as before, as soon as her fingers grazed the door handle, Jimmy pressed down on the gas and jerked the truck forward a few feet.

Emma skipped along with the blue beast for a moment and then stood stalk still rolling her eyes in distaste. She quickly surveyed the area to make sure that no one was around to see her brother's embarrassing prank at her expense. Jimmy continued to howl with delight inside the truck. Without moving her feet, Emma leaned forward and reached for the truck door handle. But of course, before her fingertips could graze the surface of the chipped and slightly rusted chrome, the truck lurched forward and Jimmy howled. Emma quickly whipped her body back upright and fumed.

"Quit being a loser Jimmy! Just let me get in the truck!"

"Fine! Ok Get in!" Jimmy relented and allowed Emma to open the truck door. As she exhaled in relief, she got the sense that this was too easy and before she could fully catch what Jimmy was thinking, the truck yanked forward and knocked her back out of the truck!

"JIMMY!" Emma screamed as she kicked the side of the old truck!

"Hey! No need to kick Babe! Seriously, get in. We're late." Once again as she made for the truck he slowly applied pressure to the gas making the truck gently roll forward. Emma decided that she wasn't playing anymore and that she was just going to jump in. As she made her move Jimmy carefully increased speed until his sister was running along side the truck with him calling out encouragement.

"C'mon pokey! You can do it! Seriously Emma, we need to go so stop messing around, ok!" Finally her hard work paid off. With a little burst of speed, Emma grabbed hold of the open truck door and held on tight. She pulled herself up on to the running board and flung her body into the truck.

"Jesus, what took you so long? I was so tired of waiting that I was about to leave!" Jimmy said sarcastically.

"If you tell anyone, I am showing EVERYONE what you DVR every week!"

"Gilmore Girls is one of this season's most critically acclaimed comedy, slash, drama, and is America's number one guilty pleasure!"

"Yes…. For girls."

"Hey! Luke is a very man's man character!" Jimmy defended.

"Ok, I get that. But, why is it saved on MY play list?" Emma sat calmly with her arms folded across her chest and watched her brother squirm.

"Fine. I won't tell anyone that you looked less than super-hero running after the truck."

"Ok, then I won't tell anyone that you watch sappy, girly girl girl TV like a sissy girl!" Emma stuck out her tongue and truck sped up and sputtered off into the darkened streets of down town Walnut Grove.