The Little Halloween Girl: She Ain't So Little Anymore

By Ryoken

A little bit more damp than I recall, but nothing major, Sara thought. Guess I'll just head back then. Hope I wasn't gone too long. Wrapping Rahab's cloak around her more, she started making her way back to the library when someone called out to her. "Lord Rahab!" She turned around to see one of Rahab's kin, she didn't know his name, coming towards her. Quickly, she put the hood way over her head and crouched, trying to hide what she could of herself in the cloak. "Lord Rahab, wait! I have something to ask you," he said. She stopped, but didn't look up. "Lord Rahab, one of the council members has a question about the plan for the raid. He requests your presence, milord," the vampire said, bowing deeply. She began to speak when someone behind her spoke.

"Tell them I'll be there in a moment," the person said. Sara turned to see Rahab walking hastily over to them. "But first, I must take care of my...visitor, here," he said, standing right next to her. The vampire bowed deeply and ran quickly the other way. Then when Rahab was sure the vampire was out of hearing distance, he turned to her, grabbing her by the shoulders. "Did you go insane during those ten years?! Or did you merely forget that my abbey is crawling with VAMPIRES!?" He scolded , somewhat whispering.

"I-I'm awfully sorry, Rahab...Sometimes my curiosity gets the best of me."

"I suggest that you keep it in check then!" He crossed his arms, furious, and then sighed. "Come. You need to brought back to the library where it is safe and stay there until I direct you. Agreed?" She nodded. Without a smile, he held out his clawed hand and she took it, relaxing her muscles as she stood up straight, and he himself led her back to the safety of his chamber.

"Isn't there something I can help with?"

"No, Sara, there is not. Besides, it is far too dangerous for you, you don't even know how to do battle," Rahab argued.

"I can too!!" Sara disagreed, standing up. "You've just gotta give me a chance!"

"If I allowed you to go out onto the battlefield, which would mean telling my entire clan the story, you could be killed by EITHER side! Not to mention that my kin may think me soft!" Thank the dark gods that she's not a child anymore. Otherwise I might not be able to keep arguing with her, he thought. He took her hands. "I am not about to let you get hurt." He then let go of them. "In any case, this is our fight, not yours."

"Those are all very good reasons, but I can't stand by and do nothing!"

"You can help me by staying here."

She sighed. She never did like to argue. She would always give in, even when she was little. Of course, back then, that didn't happen very often, she'd just give 'em the old sad eyes and she'd win. But she was much older now, and that tactic, she thought, wouldn't work on a vampire. She plopped onto the bed, frustrated, and put her chin on her hands. Rahab sat down gently next to her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Trust me, you'll do more good by staying here where it's safe. I'll still have some vampires guarding here whilst the rest of us go to battle, so you'll have to stay in here. I don't trust any with our secret, except perhaps one or two of my brethren, but they, too, shall join the fray." He made her look into his eyes. "Promise me that you'll stay in here."

"I promise."

"Good. When I'm gone however, keep the door locked. Answer to no one, unless you hear my voice, understood?" She nodded, although she didn't look at him. He stood up, took her hand, and kissed it. Then he left, and she half violently bolted the door after him.

Fortunately for her, Rahab did have a small window in his room, but it was hardly big enough for any grown person to fit through. She looked out the fairly dirtied window and could barely make out Rahab's shape conversing with a few other vampires. After a few minutes, she heard no noise but his voice, though she couldn't make out the words, and they all jumped into the water below. She had almost gasped, knowing that vampires died when quenched with water, but then remembered Rahab and his kin's special adaptation to it's acidic touch. Now there were only but a few vampires hanging around, they looked like they were grumpy that they couldn't go with the rest of the army. She sat back down on the bed and sighed a great sigh.

"Now what shall I do with myself?" She thought. She looked about the room for something of interest. The books on the bookcase were the only things that could possibly provide amusement for her. So she approached it and plucked one off, thumbing through it as she sat down on the chair at the desk nearby.

I do hope she keeps her promise. I don't want to come back and find her gone, or worse, Rahab thought to himself as he led his army through the river that led to Citadel. I've got to stop thinking about her and keep my mind focused on the task at hand. But it was a difficult thing for him to do. He kept worrying, even when they arrived at their destination, he could hardly focus on the upcoming battle.

"Lord Rahab? Lord Rahab??" Someone said, bringing him back from his thoughts.

"Hmm? Oh, yes?"

"Master, are you feeling all right? You appear troubled." It was his loyal and trusted general, Lorent.

"I am fine. I was just going our strategy in my mind, that is all."

"I see. We are all in position, sire. We await your next command," Lorent said, bowing.

"Excellent. Come then, we shall prepare ourselves," he said. I hope she's doing all right.

"Damn it," Sara said, falling backwards onto the bed, exasperated. There was absolutely NOTHING written in English. The only things to look at were drawings that Rahab had drawn on separate pieces of paper that were stuck in between some of the pages of the books. There weren't many, and all the notes written on them were in that same strange language, but Rahab was quite the artist. "There must be something I can do," she thought out loud. She looked out the grimy window again. Strangely, all the vampires that had been on guard were gone. "Must be on coffee break, heh."

Suddenly, there was someone trying to open the door. A muffled voice said "It's locked?" OH CRAP I AM IN SO MUCH TROUBLE!!! she thought. "It's never locked when he's gone, so that must mean something's inside," the muffled voice said again.

"So he IS hiding something," came another voice, this one a female.

"Or someone. I can smell fresh blood inside." I've gotta hide, I've gotta hide, was the only phrase going through her mind. She grabbed the cloak, but took it off its hook gently as to not make a noise. Then she bundled it up and quietly opened the little window. She had no clue whether she'd fit, but there was no where to hide in his room. So she threw it out, but just so it would hit the ground near the window, and began climbing through it. She'd gotten through fine until it came to her stomach. Crap! She could hear the voices much clearly now that she was outside.

"C'mon, let's break the door down! I haven't smelled blood like this since the old wars."

"Break down the door? But what'll we do once we break it down? It's not like we can hide that it was broken."

"Easy, we get it replaced with a duplicate, simple enough, now help me, will you?!" The two began ramming the door with the weight of their bodies and their strength. Sara kept trying to pull herself free, turning her body around so she could push the wall with her hands, but she couldn't pull or push herself free. Even from outside, she could hear the door creaking and splintering under the force being put upon it. It wouldn't take much longer for the two Rahabim to bust down the door and discover her dangling legs at the window. The thought of a vampire sucking her blood made her nauseous and she was reminded of when she was a little girl and saw Rahab drinking that man's blood, the terrified look on his face. She was terrified again with that vision and finally pulled herself free and dropped to the ground just as the door broke. Obviously, the two vampires saw the window open for she heard their voices surge with the delight of being able to hunt on their own grounds for once. Sara grabbed the cloak and with no other option, for the vampires would come at her from both sides, she jumped into the lake that devoured the abbey. Suddenly, as she surfaced, she realized that jumping into lake was probably the biggest mistake of her life.