Chapter One

The small motel room smelt of old beer and sweat. Not the best of combinations but she had seen and smelt worse over the years. This is what her life had become, moving from one place to another, never staying to long, always on guard. She sat now by the small window that had the curtains closed as she peered through a small slit and aimlessly sharpened the large knife in her hand. She had been out in this dark world for too long now, no turning back ever. This was her fate, doomed to roam the streets in search of the darkness that laid in the shadows just out of reach.

The sound of the door being unlocked made her instantly jump up as she held her knife out, aimed at the opening door.." Damn it Natalie, one of these times your gonna cut me" her brother Rex said as he stepped in with a bag full of chips and soda..

She immediately put the knife down as she looked at him. "i told you to get real food this time Rex" she huffed angrily..

"yeah well you try and get real food on less then five dollars" he said sarcastically as he put the bag down.

They had been living like this for years now with little to no money, it was getting tiring and old but they both knew it was better then the alternative which would most likely leave them both dead or worse.

She grabbed a bag of chips and headed back to the window as she looked out. To say she was paranoid would be an understatement.

"Nat seriously we haven't seen anything in weeks now" Rex said as he opened a can of soda and took a sip.."Maybe we could just settle down here, get real jobs" he began as she looked at him hard..

"the deal is we don't stop moving, you know whats out there Rex even if we haven't seen it" she said seriously as she looked back out the window..

Rex sighed heavily as he sat down on the bed, making it creak loud as she looked at him.."I'm tired Nat, I don't want to run anymore" he said honestly..

"and thats the kind of thing that will get you killed out there" she shook her head as she looked back out the window and then she stiffened some..

"i think I may just die of insanity first" Rex began as she put her hand up..

"quiet, somethings out there, turn off the light" she said as she kept looking out the window..

"Nat there's nothing" he began but a strange sound was heard outside as he stiffened and then immediately shut off the light as he moved over towards her and she continued to peer out the window.."what is it, can you see it" he whispered..

"shh." she motioned to him as her own breathing began to quicken and then a black shadow moved fast past the window as they both jumped back..

"Holy shit" Rex whispered with a shaking voice as Natalie pushed him back more and the sound of something scratching at the door made them both look..She didn't even need to tell him to get back because in seconds he was on the other side of the room as he fumbled with the one gun they had. It was a large shot gun that they had acquired about a year ago and even though he could barely shoot the darn thing, well it was all they had..

Natalie quickly moved to the other side of the door, knife in hand as she leaned her back against the wall and quickly looked at Rex..Her hand moved to the doorknob as Rex watched her with wide eyes..

"Nat don't" he said but it was too late as she quickly turned the handle and pulled the door open, lunging into the doorway with her knife but nothing was there, nothing at all.."man that scared the shit out of me" Rex said with a shake of his head as he laughed a bit nervously..

"Quiet" Natalie said as she looked at him for a split second and that was all it took for her to go crashing to the floor as something dark and heavy laid on top of her. It all happened so fast as she tried to fight off the large beast that pinned her to the ground. The feeling of icy cold skin and death filled the room as she fought against her attacker.

The shot gun went off once and then twice, filling the room with the smell of gunfire and smoke. The flashes of light in the dark room outlined the massive creature on her as she kicked and yelled. The knife in her hand slashing into tough leather like skin..

A clawed hand came to her throat as it squeezed and she fought to stay conscious. She could hear Rex yelling and another gunshot going off. She could feel her life slipping away and all she could think is that this was a shitty way to go. After all they had been through, after the years of running she was going to die on the floor of a dirty motel room with not even a dime to her name or a legacy to follow. As the darkness surrounded her and she gasped for air she saw her life flash before her eyes. She saw her mother laying helplessly on the floor as Natalie watched in horror from underneath the couch. She had been drained of blood and left lifeless as Natalie cried silently.

She tried to think of a happier memory, one where her mother was alive and well. There were none, all replaced now with death and misery. A tear slipped from her eye as she finally accepted her shitty fate, she only hoped that Rex would get out of this in one piece and then everything went black.

The sound of shouting and bright lights brought her back to reality as she sat straight up only to see that she was surrounded by a handful of people, both men and women, all armed to the hilt. She quickly felt for her knife but a loud voice was heard as she spun her head around, still trying to get a grip on what was happening and there she saw a man standing nearly six and half feet tall. He not only had her knife in his hand but he had it to Rex's throat..

"don't even think about it girl" the man said to her as she quickly looked around again at the people standing around her. They had their guns aimed at her.."who are you" the man demanded..

"Listen im not here to" Natalie began as she tried to stand but one of the men pushed her back down onto the ground as he pointed the gun right at her head..

"I said who are you!" the man yelled again..

"No one ok, I just" she began to yell out with her hands up as she looked at a frightened Rex who had his eyes on her as the knife stayed tightly on his throat and he didn't dare move.."Listen ok" Natalie began as she looked at this large man through the darkness. A few flashlights filled the room with light but it wasn't enough to make out everyones features. For a moment she wondered if she was dreaming, or possibly dead and this was hell.

"where did you get this" the man yelled out, his voice rumbling through her..

"i don't understand" she began once more..

"The knife, the god damn knife where did you get it!" he yelled as he pressed the knife some into Rex's throat and a drop of blood fell to the floor as Rex winced..

"i...I found it" she finally said quickly..

"i swear to god I will slice his head off, where did you get the god damn knife!" he yelled again..

"John I think she is telling the truth" a womans voice was heard and then she stepped somewhat into the light. She had short blond hair that was a pixie cut. She wore all black leather and was completely armed with guns and knives on her body.

"i swear I just found it the other day, it was in an alley" Natalie said quickly as John looked at her and then within seconds he let go of his hold on Rex and pushed him onto the floor with Natalie She promptly grabbed his shaking hand and held it tight as John walked closer to them as he stared at the knife and then them...

"who do you work for" his voice was lower now but still held a threat behind it.

"I don't" Natalie shook her head some as she knelt on the ground..

"get up" John barked at them now as he held the knife and the people around them stepped back a bit but still held their weapons on them, all but the blond haired girl. Natalie and Rex quickly scrambled to their feet as they looked around.."I'm gonna ask you one more time, who do you work for!"

Before Natalie could answer a loud screeching sound was heard and within seconds she was knocked to the ground as gunfire was heard and people ran left and right..She looked at Rex who looked absolutely horrified and even though he was nearly twenty one years old she couldn't help but do what she always did, protect him..

"Go, Rex now!" she yelled as she pushed him forward and he took off running as darkness moved all around them and they both took off running down the nearly deserted street. The shapes of flying beasts filled the air as they kept running, bullets whizzing by them as they made a sharp turn and ran into nearby woods.

Nearly out of breath they ran as the sounds of gunfire got less and less. They dodged past branches and thick brush as they ran for nearly five minutes, finally stopping as they collapsed onto their knees breathing heavy and coughing for a good two minutes..

Finally Rex spoke as he looked at Natalie.."what the fuck"

"I don't know but we have to keep going" she said as her breathing began to calm down and she looked around quickly with paranoia..

"we got no weapons now" Rex said as he stood up and brushed off his knees.

"yeah well we will get some more, are you ok" she asked as she stood and looked at his neck that had a small cut on it.

Rex touched it and shook his head.."Yeah..i thought we were goners, who were they?"

"I don't know but im not gonna stay to find out, lets go" Natalie said quickly as they began to walk through the woods. She wasn't about to stick around to face those people again or better yet those flying beasts that covered the streets.

They walked through the dense woods until the sun began to come up and light there way. "you know maybe we should of just stayed with them" Rex began as Natalie looked at him as if he was crazy..

"they nearly split you in two Rex" she shook her head as they continued to walk.

"yeah well if we would of just explained to them" he began as they neared a creek and Natalie walked past him and knelt down to splash water on her face.."I'm just saying it would be nice to have protection" he added as she looked at him now..

"we have each other, thats all we need" she said abruptly as he knelt down to and cupped his hands in the water so he could drink it.."we'll head south towards the Carolina's" she said as she drank some of the water..

"were like hundreds of miles away Nat" Rex said as he stood up now.."we have no weapons, no money and now no where to sleep" he said with annoyance..

"we've done it before, we can do it again" Natalie said as she stood now and wiped her hands onto her dirty jeans. She wished she had at least taken a shower the night before. She hated feeling dirty but she would rather be dirty and alive then the alternative..."come on we gotta keep moving" she said as she began to walk but Rex just stood there. She made it a few steps and then stopped..

"I don't want to do this anymore Nat, im tired, im hungry" he stood with his hands on his hips as she turned and looked at him..

"Rex we have been over this a million times, its not safe out there" she began honestly..

"yeah well this isn't any better" he huffed.."were walking in the damn woods to god knows where" he quickly sat on the ground as she sighed..

"if you want to get somewhere to sleep and eat then we have to keep moving" Natalie huffed..

"No" Rex shook his head.."we've been on the road for years now, I cant even remember the last time I spent time with a girl who wasn't my sister"

"There are more important things to do then worry about damn girls Rex" she snapped..

"yeah well just because you want to live your life on the run" Rex laid back on the grass with his hands under his head as he stared up at the blue sky..

"I'm doing the best I can for us, thats all I have ever done" she snapped angrily at him but he didn't budge as she walked over to him.."what do you want me to do Rex, huh?"

"we should of went with them" he said quietly as he kept looking at the sky..

"and then we would have been dead, is that what you want!" she yelled as he looked at her now..

"if it means not having to spend one more fucking second staring at you then yeah, id rather be dead!" he yelled as he jumped up and walked past her..

"Rex" she said quietly now as he kept walking..

"I just need some space" he said as he walked away and she stood there for a moment more and then promptly sat on the ground with a huff. This couldn't be all that life would offer them, it just couldn't be.

Natalie leaned back on the grass and looked up at the sky, with a sigh she closed her eyes as images passed through her head. The same ones that filled her every waking moment and even haunted her dreams. It was her mother laying there lifeless as that beast feasted on her body and Natalie was completely helpless to do anything. All she could do was watch.

That was nearly ten years ago since she was thirteen. At first her and Rex were sent to a group home for misplaced children. Her mothers death was being called a murder but it was so much more than that. No one would listen to them, not even the police who had brushed it off as an overactive imagination as well as shock but they knew better.

They ended up in three foster homes over the years, each one worse then the last. Finally Natalie had had enough of the beatings and molestation that she had grabbed Rex in the middle of the night and they took off. They had been on the road for years, living on the streets, stealing and bargaining for money.

It wasn't shortly after that they had taken off that they yet again faced the darkness that hid in the shadows. It was not fantasy anymore but a reality. The world was a much darker and dangerous place. Evil did lurk and monsters were real.

The sound of footsteps made Natalie sigh as she began to talk as she sat up.."Rex, listen im sorry" she said as her eyes got wide and she saw the same man from earlier standing there. She quickly scrambled to her feet and grab a near by stick as he rolled his eyes at her..

"what are you gonna do with that" he said sarcastically..

"wheres my brother, what did you do to him!" she yelled out as she clutched the stick in her hand and backed up as she looked around quickly..

"put the stick down before you hurt yourself" he said mockingly as he pulled a large machete from the holster on his side and her eyes got wide. She backed up slowly with the stick in her hand..

"Just let me go alright" she tried to remain strong as she stood there but he stepped closer, the large machete literally glowing from the sunlight..Then out of no where the look on his face changed as he looked past her..

"get down!" he yelled and within seconds the machete was flying through the air and nearly sliced her head if she hadn't dropped to the ground hard. The sound of a large body hitting the grass made her roll over as she saw what could only be described as evil in its purest form now laying lifeless on the ground as she quickly scrambled to her feet as her heart raced.

The beast on the ground was completely black and huge, at least seven or eight feet tall. It's eyes were red as they stared blankly up at the sky. The machete stuck in its chest and then right before her eyes it burst into flames as she gasped.

"Natalie!" Rex called out as he came running over and then he stopped and looked at the thing on the ground.."holy shit, what the hell is that"

"a night walker, a dead one now" John said as he pulled the machete from the burning body..

"thank god your ok" Natalie said to Rex and then she noticed that they were surrounded once more and she tried to push Rex behind her but he wouldn't budge...

"Nat its ok, their cool" Rex began..

"like hell they are" Natalie said as she forced Rex behind her and John wiped off his machete as he looked at them..

"Is your sister always this thick headed" John said towards Rex..

Before he could answer Natalie did.."just back up ok..i don't want to hurt you" she called out to John and then looked at the others.

"Hurt me?" John laughed sarcastically.."sweetheart you couldn't hurt me if you tried"

"Nat listen to me" Rex began as she quickly looked at him..

"Rex is telling the truth, we wont hurt you" the blond haired girl said as she stood among the other people..

"I'm not gonna stand here and argue" John said quickly as he spun from them..

"Nat come on, we can go with them" Rex began pleading with her as the other people began walking away but the blond girl stayed behind.

"Are you insane, no way" Natalie yelled at Rex..

"You could have been killed by that thing" Rex yelled at her now.."i mean is that what you want, to be dead because your doing a damn good job at it" he walked past her now and over to the blond girl.

"Gigi lets get a move on!" John yelled as he walked and she looked at him and then back at Rex and then Natalie..

"we can help you" Gigi said softly to Natalie.

"I don't need your help, we don't need your help" Natalie yelled out.."Rex"

"I'm sorry Nat but im going with them" Rex said softly as Natalie put her hands on her hips and shook her head at him. She was pissed.."please Nat, just come"

"No... im not going" she stood her ground..

Rex looked at Gigi and then back at Natalie.."Just give me a minute and we will catch up" he said to Gigi who nodded her head and began walking away..

Rex walked over to Natalie.."I cant believe your doing this Rex, he would of killed you" Natalie began angrily..

"yeah and that thing would of killed you" Rex pointed down to the burnt body on the ground. "he saved you Nat" he said softly..

"I can take care of myself and I would have been able to kill that thing myself if he hadn't stole my knife!" she snapped as she looked at the body on the ground.

"damn it Nat stop being so stubborn already!" Rex yelled at her as he shook his head.."im going with them, you could either come or stay out here alone" he said seriously..

"they cant be trusted Rex, they cant" she said honestly..

"Yeah well I think I will take my chances" he said as he looked at the body on the ground and then at her as he began to walk away.

Natalie watched as he walked and she glanced at the charred remains on the ground. With a loud huff she began walking towards Rex.."hey Rex wait up" she finally called out as he stopped and looked at her. A smile forming on his lips.."I'm only doing this for you, and the first second shit begins were outta here" she said angrily as they began to walk. She didn't want to go with these strangers. Hell she didn't even know them or trust them but she couldn't leave Rex with them alone. She would kill them all if she had to.