by H. J. Lawson
As I cross the threshold between the hallway and the next room, I find out what they are looking at. My heart skips a beat.
It's Grace. I should have let her leave when she wanted to.
She’s hanging from a ceiling beam, secured by thick metal chains wrapped around her hands. Tear tracks stain her face. “Help me, help me,” she pleads, her bloodshot eyes bugging out in fear. There is a door behind her—how long till the vampires come out and collect their reward?
There is another kid in the corner of the room, with the same heavy metal chains around his wrists and ankles, connected to a metal pole that reaches up to the ceiling.
The only way to get them down is to cut the chains. I study my hand, and all I have is a wooden stake that will do nothing against the chains.
People carry on running past, staring at the victims … but doing nothing.
Aaron stands by my side. “What are we going to do?” he asks me.
“We have to go back,” I say firmly, like I’ve already made up my mind.
“Back for what?”
“There is an axe in the training hangar. I knew it was out of place—I should have taken it when I saw it. The only way to get them out is by cutting them free,” I explain, facing him.
“Are you sure? Do we have time?”
We both look up to the red digits counting down.
“Yes, we have to,” I say firmly.
“Vampires didn’t put them here, the instructors did!” I complain, gritting my teeth. I’m going to make them pay for this.
“Grace, we will come back,” I tell her as we run back the way we came.
“Don’t leave me.” Her pleas are so loud I can hear her all the way back in the safe room.
People yell at us as they run past us, telling us we are going the wrong way. They will all be entering the next section of the trial; we have failed. Now is not the time to think about what we will do about the trial, I think to myself. We have to get them free.
Aaron’s hand is on the door which leads back into the room where the stakes were.
He glances over to me and smiles flatly as he pushes down the handle, then opens the door.
There are no vampires in there.
I grab another stake off the table; so does Aaron.
“We need to grab the chair on the way back so we can reach the chain,” I explain—that’s why they put it there.
“Good thinking.” Aaron smiles, giving me a wink. His warm eyes glisten as he smiles at me. “You ready to kick some vampire butt?” he asks.
“Born ready,” I reply.
We run quickly down toward the training hangar, with only the sound of our beating hearts and thumping boots on the glossy floor breaking the heavy silence.
"You get the axe, and I will get the vampires," Aaron says.
"Right, let's do this,” I say. Aaron leans in and presses his lips firmly against mine, then opens the door to the hangar. Adrenaline rushes through my body, urging me to move forward. Slow down, I tell my body. Find them first.
With the light from the door I can see five of them. They are together by the door we entered when the trial started.
There are no bodies on the ground; they have all gone. All that remains of the attack is the bloodstains splattered on the floor. There is also a trail of blood smeared across the ground as if the bodies were dragged away toward another door. I hadn't seen that door before; there is no handle to it.
Slowly I close the door behind me, with my eyes firmly fixed on the vampires.
Just as the last sliver of light disappears, a vampire with long, greasy hair turns his head to face us, tilting his face up, sniffing the air. He can smell us ... and so can the others.
Quickly and quietly I move toward the axe.
I grip my stakes tightly as a reminder that I have them. I can feel my heart pounding through my chest. It feels like it's a siren alerting the vampires to where I am.
They are moving toward us ...
Buzz ... The light flicks on.
Raising the stake, I smack it against the glass box that's housing the axe.
I glance over my shoulder. They are fast approaching us, baring their fangs at us, eager to taste our blood.
I push forward with all my force, then release the stake; it flies through the air. A piercing cry comes from my target. He reaches up to his neck and pulls the stake out. Bright red blood squirts from his neck, then drips down his hands to the floor.
The ultra-white light flashes off, plunging us back into darkness.
Glass fragments crunch under my boots as I step forward and grab the axe.
I head back in the direction from which I just came—back to the door.
Suddenly, someone has a hold of my hair and is yanking me backward. My scalp is on fire. I scream out in pain. I spin around, ignoring the burning pain from my roots being ripped from my scalp.
I raise the axe up and pull it down across the vampire’s hand, cutting it off at the wrist; instantly it releases my hair. I can feel its blood splattering down on my face as if it’s raining on a summer’s day, warm and sticky.
The vampire lets out a scream of pain. Before he can react, I drag the axe through his neck. I can feel each tendon as I cut through it, severing it from its home. The axe gives a little jolt as it connects with the bone, and I push it harder—it swipes right through.
Buzz … The lights flick on as the severed head drops to the ground, leaving the vampire’s body standing in front of me, headless.
Will this kill him? Or will he pick his head up and be a vampire again? I’m not taking any chances.
I plunge the stake into his heart, then swiftly pull it back out. I raise my foot up into his overgrown gut, and push him down to the ground … he’s not getting back up.
Heading toward Aaron, I watch as he pulls his stake out of a vampire’s chest. There are three more left.
I pull open the door. “Run.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
We take off running down the hallway, where the floor is more blood red than white now. My boots slip around on the surface.
Glancing over my shoulder, I can see them right behind us.
“Faster,” I yell as my legs go into overdrive, moving me faster than I have ever gone before.
I get to the viewing room before Aaron. “Get in,” I howl to him; the vampires have their hands stretched out in front of them, about to catch him just as he gets into the room.
I slam the door shut behind him. “Hold it,” I say. Aaron does as order, pushing all his weight against the door.
The door shakes as the vampire’s crash against it.
I push the table toward the door and flip it on its side. Aaron swiftly moves out of the way and I angle it so it's wedged between the wall and door handle.
Aaron pushes back on the table and the door. Thumps issue from the door as their fists pound at it.
I pull the television off the wall. I also remove the wall bracket and part of the wall. I look back in amazement; I didn’t release I was that strong.
“Today,” Aaron says, snapping me out of my amazement.
“Sorry—did you see that?” I say as I push the oversized television up against the table barricade. I just hope the extra weight will hold them long enough.
“Yeah, you’re one strong girl.” Aaron smiles as he releases his hands from the barricade. His hands hover over the spot he just let go of, waiting to see if our idea worked.
The door vibrates, but doesn’t open.
“Come on,” I say.
Aaron nods, grabbing the chair so we can cut Grace down.
We leave the viewing room, and no one is in the safe room, or the hallway to the room where Grace and the other kid are being held.
Sprinting down the hallway, I realize there is an eerie silence … why is Grace not screaming for help?
All the color has gone from Aarons face; he is wondering the same thing as me.
A man, no, a vampire, steps out of th
e room Grace was in, and into our hallway.
I stop running in surprise. Aaron does the same, dropping the chair with a thud.
He has long brown scraggly hair and an overgrown beard that looks wet and matted together.
His dark, soulless eyes peer down at us, and a smug look smears across his face. As he stands there, with jeans covered in blood, it clicks … he’s killed them. Now we are going to kill him.
“Arrgh,” I scream as I run at him; Aaron is at my side.
The vampire runs toward us, his long dirt brown leather jacket fanning out behind him with the force of his speed.
Faster … I grit my teeth together … Run faster.
And I do, I feel like my feet aren’t touching the ground, as if I’m flying. I can hear the air whistling around me.
In a single stride, I lift my leg up onto the side of the hallway wall then push off from it and dive for him.
Before my axe can connect with his body, his hand lands in my face. With all his force against my face, my body flies backward into the air, sending me crashing against the wall.
Pain rips through my body; I gasp for air.
He’s stronger, quicker than the others.
Aaron reaches his hand down; I take it as he helps me up off the ground.
“Is that all you’ve got, little girl?”
“Arrgh.” Aaron runs at him with his stake high in his hand.
In a blur, the vampire reacts before Aaron can get to him. He strikes Aaron. Aaron’s body slams against the ground; he quickly jumps up.
“Run together. You get him low, I will go high,” he whispers under his breath so only I can hear.
With everything I’ve got I run toward the vampire, matching my pace with Aaron’s.
Just as we reach the vampire, I drop down and with the momentum from running, I slide along the wet, bloody floor beside the vampire.
He studies me as I pass; I smile up at him. “Time to go to hell,” I tell him.
I catch a glimpse of Aaron just as he pushes his stake into the vampire’s heart.
I jump to my feet behind the vampire; Aaron is standing in front of him.
The vampire moves forward like a zombie, every step heavy and awkward. Why is he not dead?
“Is the stake all the way in?” I call out to Aaron.
“Yeah,” he replies frantically, also staggering backward as the vampire approaches him.
Oh God, no. More vampires are running down the hallway, with their teeth bared. Ready to attack.
“They’re coming,” I shout to Aaron.
I lift up the axe and swing it across the vampire’s neck, taking his head off with one quick movement. It drops and rolls along the floor.
“Kick it away,” I blurt out.
Aaron watches the rolling head and kicks it right in the nose. The head flies up into the air, directly toward the other oncoming vampires. They freeze in their tracks as the head lands right in front of them.
I grab hold of Aaron, and we escape into the torture room.
"Oh my God." I cannot breathe. I slap my hand over my eyes. It doesn't help; I can still see her.
Grace’s lifeless body is hanging from the ceiling, covered in blood.
Chunks of flesh have been bitten away from her neck and ankles, leaving angry, gaping red holes.
Aaron grips my arm and drags me forward through the torture room.
The other kid that was chained up is unrecognizable. The vampire ate his face; he's covered in blood ... his blood.
We exit the torture room and make it into another white hallway.
A door slams behind us, making me jump, but we don’t stop running.
I know these hallways; we are back in the sleeping quarters.
A cracking sound comes from a speaker. "Congratulations, you passed the trial. Please go to your sleeping quarters. Clean up, rest. Food will be delivered to you shortly. You will see your families soon." Commander Cheng’s voice cuts out, replaced with crackle.
We're finished. My body collapses onto the ground.
All the adrenaline and emotions pour out of my body. I wrap my hands, shaking, around my knees. My whole body is trembling with fear ... I survived ... We survived ...
Aaron's warm arms wrap around my body as he drops down next to me.
"We're going home," I sputter out between sobs.
"We're going home," Aaron repeats as he swoops his hands under my legs. I wrap my arms around his neck as he lifts me up off the ground and carries me to my room ... We are going home...
Aaron carries me into my room and places me down on the bed. All the white sheets have been removed. In the corner of the room there are two piles of black clothing and boots.
I look down at my hands; they will not stop trembling. They are covered in blood. Aaron wraps his warm hands around mine. "You’re freezing," he says.
He puts his arms around me and rubs my back, trying to warm me. He pulls his warmth away from me after a few moments. "I'm proud of you," he says as he cups his hands around my cheeks then kisses me. I can taste the salt on his lips from my tears.
"Let's get you cleaned up," he says. I nod.
Aaron bends down and unties my boots then takes them off my feet. He takes my hand and leads me into the bathroom.
I stare out at nothing. I couldn't save her, and all I can see is her lifeless body. Why did the guards do that to Grace? What kind of special weapon am I?
"Arms up," Aaron says.
I lift them up, and he takes my top off. He unbuttons my pants and they drop to the ground, leaving me in my underwear.
"I will be right outside," he says.
"Please don't leave me," I plead.
Aaron stares at me. "I'm not going anywhere," he says.
My hand wraps around his, and I pull him towards the shower. “Please get in with me.”
“Okay, only if you’re sure.”
“I am.”
He pulls his clothes off, turns on the shower, and steps in.
I remove my undergarments and take Aaron's wet, outstretched hand then step into the shower.
He holds me against his naked body. My tears, mixed with the warm water, roll down his chest.
He rubs his hand up and down my back, catching the water as he cleans the nightmare off my skin. His touch warms me.
"I love you," I say to him.
"I love you too," he says. Then he tenderly presses his lips up against mine. Water drips down our faces. His lips take me away from everything.
He releases his lips from mine, making me want more.
Aaron compassionately presses his hand into my shoulder blade, and turns me around so I'm no longer facing him.
Water swirls down the plughole; the redness from the blood is starting to fade to clear water.
Aaron starts to massage shampoo into my scalp, removing the vampire’s touch and blood from my hair.
He trails his hands over my back, then puts his hand on top of my head, tenderly tilting it backward to rinse out the soapy water. He rubs his hands down my arms.
I turn to face him and give him a grateful smile.
"Your turn," I say.
I work the shampoo into his short hair, down his neck and back. We are both hurting, caring for each other.
The warm water quickly goes, and is replaced with ice cold water.
We both leap out, grabbing our rough towels, a stark contrast to Aaron's gentle hands.
Dressing in silence, I comb my hair, grateful that there is no mirror ... I cannot look at myself.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Knock, knock.
Aaron and I jump. We’re on the cold plastic bed, uncomfortable without sheets. I have no clue how long we’ve been lying here. I closed my eyes as soon as my head touched Aaron's chest. We didn't sleep. We didn't talk. Just rested.
The bed squeaks as Aaron peels his body up from the sticky mattress.
I rise and stand next to him. I don't think it's a vampire, they wouldn't knock ... but I kn
ow we cannot trust the guards.
Aaron sweeps his stake up from the ground, and I do the same.
He opens the door, with me right behind him. No one is there. On the floor are two trays with sandwiches and bottles of water, plus a pile of white bedding.
We look up and down the hallway; no one is there.
Aaron grabs the pile of sheets. "I will make the bed. You grab the food," Aaron says as he turns to face me.
I do as requested.
"Nice work," I smile at Aaron as he finishes making the bed.
"Thank you." He smiles as he sits down on the bed.
I pass him a tray of food, then take mine and sit next to him. My mouth is dry and I start to twist open the water bottle. I gulp it down without thinking, and then it hits me … the metallic taste … devil’s breath.
Tears pour down my face. I want to forget today, but I know I can’t or they will have died for nothing. I owe it to them to stop it from happening to others.
Aaron’s thumb gently wipes the tears off my face and he kisses me gently in their place.
“Devil’s breath?” he says under his breath.
I gulp in reply.
He kisses me once again, then says, “Drink up.”
My body shakes as I try to hold in the emotions bubbling inside of me. I want to scream at them, but I don’t. I drink the only thing that can remove the horror of today.
I don’t stop drinking. Every part of my body feels like it's drowning in the devil’s breath. I can’t take any more.
Raising my hand to my eyes, pushing the tears back, I get up off the bed and walk to the bathroom, the only sanctuary. I close the door behind me.
Sinking to my knees, I lift up the toilet seat and flush the toilet. Taking a deep breath in, I push two fingers into the back of my throat. My stomach clenches as its contents are forced back up. Water and bile stream out of my stomach and I keep retching. My throat is dry and raw; sweat pours down my face.
I flush the toilet once again, flush away any hope of forgetting this day.
*****
We are curled up under the sheets. My head is resting beside Aaron’s ear.
“We have to do this again tomorrow, don’t we? There wouldn’t be any reason to give us the devil’s breath otherwise,” I whisper.
