2
A young woman was crying, clutching her baby close to her chest in a very small cave in the back of the woods. Her husband approached with a sad look on his face.
AEve, please, sweetheart, dont worry. Well be okay. He placed a handful of berries on the ground. He stood up, looking over his shoulder, his hand on the small handgun in the waistband of his jeans.
Eve was muttering. Her eyes were clamped tight shut. Her face was dirty, her hair disheveled and she had several small bloody scratches on her check and neck. She sounded so scared.
ADont let it be dark, dont let it be dark.
Will sat next to her and pulled her close. His eyes watered to see his wife so broken. Her blood and tears were on their sons' face.
AI wont let anything hurt you two. I promise.
She sniffed, clutching him closer to her.
He held her like that for what felt like hours in the silence as he watched it get steadily darker and darker.
"Don't let it be dark."
Then, steadily growing out of the silence, was a buzzing sound. Will looked up, thousands of new possible nightmares running through his head. It was getting louder.
"Eve," he sounded anxious, "C'mon. I think… I think I hear a car."
Eve didn't hear the buzzing over her own sobs and instantly thought he was going crazy.
"Will," her voice cracked, "please, it's getting dark…"
He knew his wife was too frightened to move, but he couldn't leave her here to go check the road. He had to check, too, they needed help desperately.
He took her arm and spoke softly, as if to a skidish animal.
"Eve, you know we can't stay out here much longer. If this is really a car then we might find civiled people. We have to go now, honey, before it's gone. Now. C'mon," he pulled her up gently but firmly, she still trusted him, "Hurry. This way."
They rushed to the main road, Will almost dragging her in all his hope.
Will left Eve in the tree line where he could see keep an eye on her, but out of harms way, and came to stand in the middle of the road. It was black and shiny whatever it was. He waved his hand and heard his wife whimper.
It had to be a car. Please let it be a car.
It was getting closer.
What if they didn't stop? What if the vampires had learned to drive? What if they stopped and wouldn't take them? What if they simply didn't have room?
It was slowing down.
Thank God…please.
He stepped to the side as they pulled up in front of him. They rolled down the window. His and his wife's fate was being slowly revealed by the speed of the window.
They were kids. It was a car full of children. The oldest looked about seventeen. And they looked incredibly beat up and tired. The girl driver looked to be in the best shape, but didn't look to be anywhere near of age to be driving. She looked younger than she probably was with her long brown hair and big brown eyes. Too innocent.
"Hi!" she said it brightly but Will could tell it cost a great effort. "Can we help you?"
He realized his mouth was open. Well, if this was his miracle, he'd take it. At least it wasn't trying to eat his face. He snapped his jaw closed.
"Yes. Please. My wife and I," he motioned for his wife to join him, "and my baby son, we managed to get out of the governments hold, but we don't know where to go from here. We've been out here for two days and barely survived some vampires that attacked us! I can't believe they're real….
At that remark all the kids in the car exchanged a glance and turned back to smile at the man.
He took a step back in alarm.
"Your teeth!" The drivers' expression turned to pity. "B- But your not…?"
"Vampires?" supplied to kid in the passenger seat, leaning forward. He had the aura of being the one in charge of these kids. He had black hair that went everywhere and a gruesome looking scar running from his temple straight down past a black string necklace that dropped down past his collar along with the scar. "Technically, yes. But we promise not to bite."
He finished with a smile. Will had to trust him. He took a deep breath.
"So. Will you help us?" The boy stared at him for a long moment. Will didn't know what he saw there, but he nodded.
"Our car is a little full though," he added hesitantly.
Wills face dropped severely.
"Don't worry," the female driver added kindly, shooting a look at the boy, "he won't leave you to rot."
"Well, Ally is obviously volunteering to stay in the forest with the vampires. She didn't get much action today anyway. Anyone else?" he said looking around. They all sat in the back looking as crippled and tired as possible, which wasn't hard.
"Fine, I'll stay. Macky drive," as they all began to switch seats, he added, "Hurry back. I've fought enough vampires today."
Will went over to take his wife by the arm. As he helped her into the backseat with Ducky he was muttering his thanks.
Cayden stared Macky in the eye as he started the car.
"Hurry." Macky gave him a wink. "And give me your gun." He handed him the gun and sped off.
He and Ally walked down the middle of the road at night with their guns out. She was turned, walking backwards, watching their back.
"You really think we can handle more people? And a baby nonetheless?"
"No."
Silence.
"Cay. I know you couldn't leave them, but what if we could find another community willing to take them?"
"Really? You tell me how that works out, yeah?" He was working himself up after all of today's events. "Everybody on this side of the Wall is just as desperate for food as we are! And did you see our haul? We didn't get those clothes loaded before the vampires came! We have to live on that little bit Sam and them loaded from that general store. Which isn't enough, Al," his breathing was ragged.
Ally had remained silent during his little rant. She retained her stony stare on the road behind them that they'd already walked. He never could be angry around her.
"Well, let's just keep an ear out. They have the vaccine, so they'll be living for a years longer than us and that might be worth something to somebody. Having Vicory has helped us a lot."
Silence.
AI miss being able to watch the stars. She said later.
AYoure supposed to be watching the road. Unless you really didnt get enough action today? he argued incredulously.
AOh, cmon Cay, she added nonplused, Awhen was the last time you saw them?
Cayden thought about it. He didnt look at the stars as he thought about it. The smell of todays events was still on him, making it feel too real. He really didn't want to be attacked again. He kept his eyes on the road and thought.
Flashing lights and chaos sped through his memory. His name being screamed.
Cayden!
He slowly traced a finger along the scar down the side of his face.
Ally was watching him out of the corner of her eye. She looked scared to say anything to him.
ACayden...I didnt... she faded off, lost.
They both seemed to be remembering what a serious danger the bombs were. The chances of your city being hit were slim, but real. Some community out there, right now, was being massacred, parents dying before they had to, children's lives being cut so much shorter….
It was obscene.
They were both looking to the sky now, trying to see a star that was too bright growing tense as the dark night pushed tighter around them.
AI hear them coming. Cayden seemed to be trying to whisper without breaking their silence. Ally looked alarmed for a moment, then relaxed as she realized he was talking about the car. Their acute hearing allowed them to hear the car from miles off. Cayden took off his guns flashlight and flashed it once at Macky, and he heard the car slow down.
Macky finally pulled up beside them, grinning like crazy.
AStill alive then? You two enjoy your quiet little walk in the dark?
AGet out. Cayden demanded. He hopped out of the drivers' seat. AHow are the Newbies doing?
AAlright, he said as he got in the back with Ally, Sam was shotgun.
ATheyre pretty confused about our version of civilization and what we are exactly, Sam took over Mackys ever non-informative answer, AWe left them with Vicory who found them a place to sleep. They were a bit freaked out as to why we were sleeping in a bomb shelter. The woman kept muttering 'Don't let it be dark.' I can't believe two humans survived a vampire attack. They've been through some crap, Cay."
"Yeah? Who hasn't?" He muttered.
"True." Sam sighed.
They drove the rest of the way in silence.
Cayden pulled the car next to the shelter door. They all got out heavily, muttered goodnight and made their way to their pews. The last thing Cayden heard before he drifted off was the soft static from the radio in the corner.