Vampire Takeover

by Jez Strider

  I had told the truth. Surely that had to count for something. When they didn’t speak, I resorted to begging. “Please. If you won’t take me in, protect my girlfriend. She has been so strong through all this.”

  “Preston, no.” Darcy told me. “I’m not leaving your side. We’ll find somewhere else if they won’t help us.”

  “They’re just kids, Alex.” One of the men told their group leader.

  The man called Alex nodded. “Yeah. Open the gate.” He spoke to me directly. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

  “I won’t, sir. I swear.” I had no intention of crossing men with weapons and we willingly handed over our own guns and knives.

  As we followed the men, we gave a short recount of our trip. We all entered a building. It was mostly empty except for metal furniture. Desks, chairs, and filing cabinets decorated the office like interior. The floor was carpeted, at least. I suspected that’s where we would be sleeping. It was clean, immune to the ravages of weather, and I didn’t see any corpses. That was enough for me.

  “Thank you. This is a great place to rest.” I told the men and they started laughing.

  “You’re not staying in here.” Alex told me. I worried that I had trusted the wrong people once again.

  The men went to the corner of the room and lifted up a filing cabinet. Not only did the filing cabinet move, but so did the carpet and a section of flooring. I stepped forward slowly and peered down. A ladder led the way into a deep hole in the ground.

  “It’s…an underground bunker.” I said in awe.

  “Ever heard any of those conspiracy theories about secret bases under the ground?” Alex asked me. “This bunker has been here for some time. Not the base. It was just in case, you know? Mostly in preparation for nuclear wars or virus outbreaks, but it works for hiding from vampires, too.”

  Darcy was beside me by that point, gazing down as well. “This is the coolest thing ever. How many people live here?”

  “You’ll see.” Alex said. “Let’s get inside. It’s past curfew.”

  The members of the guard went down first, followed by Darcy, me, and then Alex. He slid the pieces of flooring back into place and locked the exit with a heavy duty combination lock. Darcy and I would not be leaving unless someone let us out.

  “You’ll see passages to the left and right on several floors. These lead to our sleeping quarters. They’re not spacious, but a little larger than a prison cell. Bunk beds allow for extra people though we aren’t near capacity so it’s unnecessary at this point.” Alex explained as we made our way to the ground floor.

  “This is hard to believe.” I said when we made it to the bottom.

  The area was spacious. We were standing in a common room with couches, bookshelves, and board games. I found myself wondering how they fit everything down the ladder before figuring out there were probably multiple secret entrances into the complex. There was a kitchen, a gym type area, and a playroom for children.

  “Everyone is probably sitting down for dinner. We try to eat together to keep a sense of community and family.” Alex said as he led us further into the bunker.

  He was right. A group of people were sitting down around the table when we entered the room. Two of the men who had escorted us downstairs walked up and kissed their wives before fixing themselves plates of food. My own stomach grumbled. The people were all staring at us and then to Alex for answers. It was uncomfortable to have a dozen people scrutinizing me. I didn’t care too much. I was just glad there were people.

  “Dad!” A dark haired young girl ran up to Alex and he picked her up into his arms. She hugged him. “You brought us new friends.”

  “Yes. Everyone. This is Preston and Darcy. This young couple had a hard time getting here so let’s try to make them feel at home.” He said.

  A woman with a scowl on her face walked up to Alex, taking the young girl from his arms. “After what happened earlier you’re willing to risk the safety of us all?”

  “They’re good kids. Would you want our daughter left outside at night by people just because they were scared?” He asked the woman.

  “I forget you know everything, Alex.” She turned to me. “Welcome to an eternity of hiding in the dirt.”

  Alex cleared his throat. “My ex-wife. She thinks I should have prevented all of this.” He pointed at the table. “Get some grub while I try to smooth this over.”

  He left Darcy and me to fend for ourselves. Neither of us moved even though we were starving. “Nice…uh…place you have here. Thanks for having us.” I said.

  Another woman walked up to us and handed us each a plate. “Help yourselves. Eat, get some energy, and then I’ll show you where you can get cleaned up and then sleep.” She was smiling, unlike Alex’s ex-wife.

  “That sounds great.” I smiled and guided Darcy over to the table. We stayed close to each other at all times. People would ask us about our travels. We tried to leave out most of the bad stuff, but that left out most of the story.

  The crowd spread out to do their own chores when everyone had finished eating. Pricilla, the lady that had promised to help us, showed us the bathing areas. Men and women had separate rooms, but I refused to leave Darcy so she let me wait outside the door. Pricilla was kind enough to give us clean clothing for when we finished.

  “What do you think, Dar?” I asked her later when we’d been shown to our own room. We were both sitting on the bottom bunk.

  “Too good to be true, is what I’m thinking. It’s great, though. Their rules make sense. Everyone helps out gathering food, hunting, and the military guys work as security.” She yawned and stretched. “We get to be clean and safe. Are we going to stay?”

  I nodded. “If they will let us. We just need to work hard and show them we can help.”

  “Did you see the games and books, Preston?” Darcy said and her eyes lit up.

  “Yeah. We’ll have to check it out better tomorrow. I’m just so sleepy right now.” I said.

  “Me too.” Both of us lay down on the bottom bunk and curled up close together on the twin sized bed.

  I kissed her clean hair and inhaled her scent. “We did it, Darcy. We did it.” I told her as we fell asleep.

  Learning our roles in our new community was relatively easy. Most of the women gathered during the mornings, fished, prepared meals, and worked on cleaning tasks. The men spent the days trapping, hunting, and making sure the base was secure. There was also a woman who worked with the men because she had been in the military, too. In general, people just did what they were good at.

  Being away from Darcy was unbearable. Every single second that passed I feared for her safety. Alex assured me they were safe, pointing toward one of the towers at the base where one of their team, a sniper, watched over the area. It made me feel better, but nothing he could have said would stop me from worrying about the woman I loved. I focused on learning all that I was told so I wouldn’t let the group or Darcy down.

  My dad had taught me a few things about trapping, but he had worked in an office building. Hunting and fishing were hobbies, not a way of life. No matter how many times he went to Bass Pro Shops, he was still only an amateur outdoorsman.

  These men were survivors on a higher level. They taught me the right way to do things. I was even allowed to practice shooting a bow. Guns were the last resort. It drew too much attention and made the entire group uneasy.

  “You’re picking this stuff up quick.” Alex told me.

  “I’m trying, sir. I want to prove myself so Darcy and I earn our place with you. She deserves a safe home after all the trauma in her life.”

  Alex gave a short nod. “It’s the reason we keep going. To protect the ones we love. The hope that someday we may be able to stake one of those bloodsucking fucks doesn’t hurt either.”

  I pulled back on the bow, which required more strength than I imagined it would, and fired at the tree that was my target. It missed, so I loaded up another arrow to try again. “You know how to kill them?�
�� I asked.

  “Hell yeah, I know how to kill them. You destroy the heart. If they aren’t getting their precious blood, they shrivel up and die.” He watched me fire another arrow. “Aim a little more to the right next time. You’re going to have fun trying to find those arrows in the woods.” He laughed.

  My attention had drifted from the practice to killing vampires. “I blinded one with silver. The one that murdered my dad. If it hadn’t been for the river, I would have never escaped, though.”

  “The myth about running water is true?” He asked.

  “I don’t know about all that. I just think it was because I was washed away so fast and he couldn’t follow my scent. Since he couldn’t see, he needed to be able to hear or smell me.” I explained.

  Alex grew quiet and thoughtful as I went to gather up the lost arrows. Luckily, the thick forest stopped most of them from going too deep and getting lost. I wondered if my story had impressed Alex or if he was trying to figure out if I was telling the truth.

  When I returned, he started talking to me again. “You know, we have a few military guys like Jose and the Captain. The rest are mostly women and a few children. We need a warrior like you. Obviously, you have a core inner strength.” He made a fist and put it over his heart.

  “Well, I told you I want to stay. I’m not sure if I would call myself a warrior.” I had no idea where he was going with the conversation.

  “These people need to be protected. Do you want to be trained like us? Get strong, learn to shoot, gain experience with hand to hand combat?”

  It was an easy answer for me. To learn their skills meant I would be better prepared to protect my girlfriend. “Absolutely.”

  “Good. I am not going to be easy on you. We…lost one of our best men in the bandit attack yesterday.” He crossed his arms, looking into the distance.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.”

  He was silent for a minute. “Let’s get started on the exercise equipment at the bunker. You’re in shape aerobically, but we need you stronger. No more kid stuff.”

  “No disrespect, sir, but I haven’t been a kid for a long time.”

  Training with the soldiers was grueling work, especially at first. My days consisted of weights, pushups, sit-ups, boxing with the guys, and running. This was on top of my regular daily chores. All the working out cut into the amount for free time I had to spend with Darcy and we butted heads about it.

  “I don’t know why you have to do all that. It’s safe here.” She looked me up and down. “I mean, you look really hot, but I miss spending more time with you.”

  Her compliment made me stand a bit straighter and I flexed my muscle to show her my bicep. The fact that she liked the way I looked only gave me that much more motivation. “Go on, feel it and tell me you want me to stop. Better yet.” I gently pushed her to sitting on the mattress of our bed and lifted off my white t-shirt. “Tell me now.”

  Reluctantly, she cracked a smile. “That’s not fair, Preston. I just think you should cut back a bit.”

  “I’m not going to be weak. I need every advantage if I’m going to protect you and our home.” I told her firmly, turning away from her disappointed gaze.

  The once bare walls were now decorated with drawings. Some were sketches with a regular pencil. Others were in color. Drawings of me, horses, sunlight, flowers, and other random images made the tiny room feel more like a home. I hadn’t even known Darcy was so artistic until we had begun living in the bunker and she had the means to express herself.

  “Marilyn says Alex has big plans for you. That he is trying to figure out a way to defeat the vampires.”

  Marilyn Fredricks was the ex-wife of our leader. I didn’t like her and definitely didn’t like her filing Darcy’s head with worries. She was trouble and she was a bitch. Her words were true, but there was no immediate concern about staging an attack on vampires. We couldn’t risk losing any of our people on a foolhardy mission.

  Darcy slipped her hands around my waist and kissed my back softly. I turned and lifted her chin. Her hair had grown long and she rarely wore it braided on the sides anymore. Sometimes it was hard to believe she was the same teenage girl with blue ribbons blowing in the wind. She looked so much older.

  “Don’t worry about things that haven’t happened and may never happen. You know as well as I that we have to live in the now.” I bent slightly and kissed her soft lips to end the discussion.

  Evenings were spent as they had been since we met. I read to her and held her close. The only difference since we had found a permanent residence was that I made love to her nearly every night. Since the first time, I no longer had the willpower to resist her. I should have told her about the mission Alex was sending me on the next day, but I just wanted one more night. One more guaranteed embrace.

  When I awoke the next morning I felt guilty and anxious about delivering the news. There was no time to beat around the bush. I had to go. Daylight was being wasted.

  “Darcy. Wake up.”

  She blinked heavily a few times before opening her eyes. “Is something wrong?”

  “I’m going with some of the guys on a supply run for gas, medicine, and things like that. I should have told you last night.” I bowed my head. “I’m sorry.”

  Before I had finished explaining, she was sitting straight up in the bed. “But we have plenty of supplies.”

  “They won’t last forever. We need to make sure we’re prepared for the winter months.” I stood up and dressed while she frowned at me.

  “Is there anything I can say to make you change your mind?”

  “No.” The scariest part I left out. We were going miles away and into the city of Nashville. My old hometown.

  She threw her cover aside, stood, and faced me. I thought she might throw a fist, but she hugged me tightly. “I love you, Preston, but I’ll never forgive you if you don’t come back to me.”

  I laughed a little, rubbing her back gently. “No matter what, I will find my way back to you.” Then, I kissed her forehead. “I have to go. I love you, too, Darcy Rose.”

  The men were already assembled by the time I ascended the ladder and left the safety of the bunker. Three of us were going. Alex was staying behind because he kept order among our people. It didn’t sit well with him, but he had little choice.

  “Catch!” Jose called out and tossed a rifle in my direction. I caught it with one hand before it could smash me in the face.

  “Very funny, asshole.” I said as I slipped my arm through the strap and slung the gun over my shoulder.

  He was laughing. “Hey man. Lighten up. It’s an easy job. Of course, none of us have risked going back to the city until now.”

  Involuntarily, my eyes drifted back to the entrance of the bunker. I wasn’t scared of going to the city. My heart was just staying behind.

  “She’ll be fine and waiting for you with open legs…I mean arms, open arms!” He taunted and I gave him a punch in the arm.

  “This is going to be a long trip.” I groaned, but smiled at my friend.

  Our other comrade had finished packing his bag. Captain Howard. That was what everyone called him, even the kids. To be truthful, I wasn’t sure anyone even knew his first name. The Captain was often referred to as a “hardass” by the other men. He didn’t particularly like Alex leading the group either from the gossip I had heard.

  Howard shoved by us, leaving us behind to gather our supplies and catch up. “Let’s keep serious, boys. You never know which mission will be the last.”

  This wasn’t news to Jose or to me. We both knew the dangers of leaving the security of the base and our underground home. Dwelling on it didn’t help the matter any. I shrugged and jogged to keep up. Whether I agreed or not, I still felt I had to prove my worth to the group.

  The first leg of the trip was uneventful. It wasn’t until I could see the tall buildings in the distance that I became anxious. I had lived in the area my entire life until the vampire invasion. Never had I s
een such a large city completely devoid of life. It was a hope killer. A part of me had imagined walking into a city where people still lived normally. That the nightmare had been secluded to the countryside and all was not as dire as I had thought.

  “All seems safe, but we’re going in there and getting out fast. Don’t even talk unless absolutely necessary. Grab the important items on the list if you see them. I want us in and out in less than thirty.” Captain Howard instructed us before we entered the city.

  Nervously, I licked my lips and gulped. My mouth was dry even though I drank plenty of water during the trip. It was not the day I wanted to die. As we walked down the streets and passed dark alley ways, I expected thralls or bandits to attack us from the shadows. Strangely, the city was mostly intact. Glass littered the sidewalk in places from the occasional broken window. Some of the buildings had graffiti. No severe damage, though. I noticed a recurring symbol painted on doors. It was a half circle with two large V’s drawn underneath. At first I thought it stood for vampire, but the more I saw of the image the more it appeared to be crudely drawn fangs.

  We walked by jewelry, appliance, and book stores without stopping. I longed to find a gift for Darcy as we continued by. She would have loved a new book or necklace, but my companions had little interest in anything other than the necessities. Then again, neither of them had girlfriends back at the bunker to keep happy.

  “Preston.” Jose called out in harsh whisper. I looked up and realized I had fallen behind a bit.

  Half a block down the street, we found a pharmacy where we could gather most of what we needed. We split up and filled our backpacks. I went down the medicine aisle while the others searched for food that was still edible. Our main mission was the gasoline, but anything extra to add to our supplies would be helpful. The items I was after were small, so I grabbed a little bit of everything and filled my bag. When I was finished, I picked up the bright red gas containers I had sat down and met Jose at the door.