CHRISTA

It was difficult to understand what was going on around her. Everything seemed muffled and distant, like she was on a different planet all together. Christa had decided to keep her eyes closed; it was an effort to open them since her face was so swollen. Her body was in so much pain, it was different to her transformation. When she changed every month, it was quick, her bones would shatter and her organs would rip, but it was momentary. Her pain would then be ceased by the monster that overtook her life for that one night. But this, this pain was different. Before she was attacked, she had never broken a bone before. She was a careful child. So breaking, chipping, shattering several bones whilst having your face kicked in was not a pain experienced before. Even if she had hurt herself as a child, she would be treated for it. Her mother and father would give her love, kiss it better, and take her to the hospital. But right now she was suffering. It was being dragged out unnecessarily. Her mind went black every now and again, the times when she was conscious everything was fuzzy anyway. So this is what it felt like to be dying. She always imagined it to be more dramatic, to be an emotional rollercoaster, saying her last words before dying in someone's arms, gasping then her eyes rolling into the back of her head. Like what happened in practically every film. Wow, was death overrated. What would happen, after she had died? She'd seen Matt become a ghost, but only because his murder was unsolved. Then he had missed his door onto the afterlife, heaven. So he would be on the earth, roaming around, until it appeared again. But what would happen to Christa? Nothing about her death would be unresolved. She would pass over, straight away. And then what? Heaven, or hell? Would she be alone, forever? Never moving forward. Never having love, a family. Never growing old, like she was supposed to. She would be trapped. Adam was trapped. Matt was trapped. But not the same way as she would be. They would be on earth, living. Even if Matt was a ghost, he would have Adam. They would talk, laugh, see the world. A world which would change before their eyes. They would see generations, the planet developing, natural disasters, people living and dying around them. But she would be stuck. Forever. Like being stuck in a room that had no doors or windows. Is that what purgatory was like? She didn't want to know. And what about heaven? Is it like the school religious lessons said it would be, your dreams, everything you had ever wanted, is your heaven. What if you dreamed about a better life. Would it be a parallel world to the one you had previously made your mark on? All of these questions that Christa had would be answered soon. She could feel her body fading. Everything, slipping away, slowly leaving earth. But the thing is, she wanted this. She wanted to die. Never, in her whole life, had she been so sure about something. She wanted to leave the earth of inequality and suffering. She wanted her insignificant life to end.

ADAM

George's hands were shaking as he held a sharp piece of wood up in the air. The commotion and shock of his entrance had now passed over, with vampires moving to the sides of the walls, as far away from George as possible. Within the murmurs of the crowd, someone was laughing. A low pitched, patronising laugh.

'Oh dear George. Mitchell really did turn you drunk with power' Wyndham stepped through into the open space. Fury and fear was spread on George's face, he was stepping into the unknown only armed with a piece of wood. His eyes were bloodshot with tiredness; he had been ripped away from his first born child to help Adam and Christa.

'Don't….don't say his name' the words trembled out of George's mouth which came as an amusement to some. It was George and two ghosts against all of them.

'What, Mitchell? You're not exactly a great friend, killing him' Wyndham sneered at George, now walking around him slowly in circles.

'He wanted it….he asked me to do it' George's eyes were filling up, his voice cracking as the thoughts of his friend came flooding back.

'Honestly George. You tried to stake me once. You're not man enough to go through with it' He hissed his words, slurring at the appropriate times.

'WHEN WILL YOU LEARN' Adam suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs, bringing everyone's attention onto him. He needed to distract them from George.

'I'm sorry Adam, do you have something to say?' Wyndham stepped forward towards the cage, his face inches away from the bars. How tempted Adam was to try and mince him through the wrought iron.

'When will you learn. When will you give up this shit, never ending game, of power, of integrity. If you were so powerful, then why the fuck has it taken 1000 years to get to where you are now, a sad old vampire, who has no one to love. You will NEVER feel happy, because your greed will satisfy your needs as much as chicken will satisfy a vampire' Adam spat the words at Wyndham who grinded his teeth angrily. He's head whipped around to face George who had lowered his hand. Wyndham's hand, clenched up into a fist, flew into George's jaw which sent him toppling over. As he fell to the floor he hit him again, this time his foot cracked into his back. Adam shouted for him to stop but he didn't, his cries became quieter and quieter as the noise of the vampires in the room grew louder. Wyndham took the stake from George's hand, and turned around to face Adam once more. His eyes flicked black, fangs descending in his mouth. He hissed at Adam and pointed the sharp end through the cage bars.

'If you want to live, do not say a single…word…' Wyndham paused in his sentence the emphasize the tension that was building in the room. He retrieved a ring of keys from his pocket and slowly unlocked the door to the cage. He held eye contact with Adam as he entered, his fingers tapping on the piece of wood, mimicking a heartbeat. He felt his eyes widen as Wyndham started to walk over to where Christa was lying in a heap on the floor. No, he can't touch her!

'She's dead! Wyndham, she's dead!' Adam ran forward and stood in front of her, protecting her body. If she was already dead, then there was no fun in making her suffer, no fun in his game anymore. Wyndham chuckled at Adam's desperate attempt to stop him.

'You think you can fool me? Telling me she's dead? Well. If she's already dead, ripping her head off won't do much harm' He pushed Adam out of the way so he could reach Christa, but it did more than surprise him when Adam pushed back. Wyndham fell back against the cage as it made a rattling noise, the stake falling out of his hand in the process. Adam grabbed the piece of wood, pointing it straight at Wyndham's heart. He didn't look scared though; he looked more calm than he had ever been before.

'Okay then. I'll make a proposition. You let go of the stake, I'll let you and your doggy friend free to go. No strings attached. However. If you decide to kill me, I'll activate an explosion planted on a train to London. It's estimated about, hmm, let me think, 500 people would die. Do you really want to be the cause, of all those innocent people to perish? Now now. You don't want to turn out to be like Mitchell, do you?'

Adam's eyes scanned the room. Everyone was now silent, waiting for Adam to make his decision. This was all just a game.

'Mitchell…was a great man. He served his country well. Everyone makes mistakes' – Adam leaned in to Wyndham's face, which was obviously too close for his comfort – 'even those who believe they are perfect' He turned and through the stake at the other side of the cage.

'Now let us go' Adam walked and stood by Christa once again. Wyndham stood slowly, smirking, whilst brushing dirt off of his jet black suit.

'I thought you said she was dead?'

'She is'

'Then tell me Adam, why do you want her to get out?'

'I want to bury her'

'Right. Well. Just so you know' – Wyndham walked forwards until he was inches away from Adam – 'I really hate liars'

Adam's hand slid into Wyndham's pocket, fumbling around the get the keys. He didn't object to this action, after all, he was just doing what he said he would. Letting them go. Adam unlocked the cage door, Matt and Annie ran in followed shortly by George – who had managed to recover slightly after Wyndham's attack. The three of them gently lifted Christa off the ground and George carried her in bridal style out of the room. The whole time this was happening, the vampires in the room were murmuring, obviously disappointed that they didn't get to see anyone's head being ripped off. Adam held his eye contact for a minute, before slowly following the others out of the basement. As he reached the door, he heard Wyndham laughing darkly. This did not faze him; he was prepared for whatever else he had planned. As long as he didn't touch his friends again, he was prepared.

I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, I decided to write the bit with Christa's view on dying at the beginning because I really wanted to get to know her, what sort of things she thought about. I found that with writing that It would generate a lot more interest with her character. Anyway, I enjoyed writing this chapter, I hope everyone like reading it!