The Dead Days Journal: Volume 1

by Sandra R. Campbell

  Something slid past my lips into my mouth. I tried to turn my head, working to keep my mouth clamped shut but failing. Nothing stopped the intrusion, which I thought to be a finger, from the size and feel. Whatever he forced me to eat left a sticky residue on my tongue that tasted sweet and bitter, like a bad dessert wine. I wanted to open my eyes to see who carried me, but I couldn’t. So I tried to call out, several times, but nothing came out of my mouth.

  He’s taking me somewhere I don’t want to go.

  “Is she going to be okay?” It was a man’s voice, a voice I knew. I’m not in the arms of the monster. Jack must have heard my screams. He saved me and now he was taking me home to Ben. A sob of relief pushed past my lungs to escape my mouth.

  “She knows you're here.” I knew that deep raspy tone, too. I’d never be able to forget that laugh. My voice came back in a loud gargled kind of yelp.

  Something hard hit the top of my head and fireworks exploded behind my eyelids. “Shh… They’ll hear you.”

  A sharp wind blew across my face. It felt as if I’d been thrown. I prepared myself for the pain of impact, but none came.

  “Hands off.” Those two raspy words were as much a threat as they were an order. The creature had spoken. Whoever hit me would never touch me again. Was it Jack?

  “Irritate me again and I’ll remove you permanently.” More anger rolled off the beast’s tongue, rumbling through the chest my ear rested against. I wanted to cower under its authority.

  Who are they? Where are the others? Why can’t I hear anyone else? What’s happening?

  I attempted another scream, but no sound made it past my lips as a thick cloth was shoved into my open mouth. I attempted to force the rough material out of my mouth with my tongue only to have my face smashed into the collarbone of the monster holding me. Does he want me alive? Or is he trying to suffocate me? I wanted to cry.

  When the end of the world came, I’d been too angry to pray. Now I was willing to try anything, and silently I prayed for a way out…

  Oh, God, please give me the strength to fight or let me go now.

  More time passed, but I had no way to measure how much. I needed to see the sky to gauge the time of day, or night. I knew the monster had been carrying me long enough that he should be fatigued, because my legs were numb from the lack of circulation. But my arms were not, and testing their mobility, I jerked my shoulder and plopped my right hand against his chest. When he didn’t seem to mind, I made my next move. While my right hand yanked the cloth from my mouth, my left felt for whatever blocked my vision. The silk tie was easily removed and tossed aside with the slobber-soaked gag.

  It took me a second to focus on the midnight face and two orange, upturned-eyes that burned a little too brightly. “Good evening.”

  I slammed the heel of my hand into his perfectly straight nose; the sound of cracking bone followed. A second later, my backside met the rocky ground. A breeze picked up our combined screams of pained frustration, hopefully carrying the noise back to the ears of those who were still close enough to hear us.

  “Stop!” the beast yelled. But I continued to crawl with only my arms, dragging my useless legs behind me.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “Away from you.” My voice was barely a whisper; it hurt to talk.

  I knew I wouldn’t get far, but it didn’t matter. I would never stop trying. His footfalls hammered into the earth on either side of me, purposely stomping to intimidate me into stopping. I kept going. Only when a heavy foot dropped on the center of my spine did I finally give up.

  As the sun rose over the horizon all three of us were on our hands and knees, making our way through a tight passageway that led into a deep mountain cave. Somewhere along the way, Jack had pulled out a purple dog collar and heavy chain lead, which the beast had immediately put to use around my neck. Jack hadn’t made eye contact when he pulled out the collar and handed it over to the monster. I cursed him, and that had been the extent of my conversation with Jack, even though I’d wanted to scream and hurt him for helping this creature.

  How long have they been in collusion together and why? This has to be the reason for Jack’s odd behavior. Is this thing a real vampire, the rumored vampires my father fears? Is Jack infected? Am I?

  A sharp yank of the leash jerked me out of my thoughts. We’d arrived at our destination, a small oval-shaped cave with two lanterns and a pile of musty-smelling blankets. The beast left my pack by the entrance and then settled down on the blankets, pulling me down along with him.

  “Jack, go find something for the two of you to eat.”

  Jack gave a curt nod before ducking back through the tunnel. He hadn’t spoken a word since I regained consciousness. I was a little more fearful over what would happen to me once he was gone. Jack wasn’t the one in charge, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he had something to do with me still being alive.

  The repeated clank of chain drew my attention away from the tunnel entrance. The beast lay on its back, apparently getting comfortable. “I know this must be confusing, even frightening, but I have only the best intentions when it comes to you, though I cannot say the same for your friend, Jack.”

  I could only blink through my incomprehension. What the hell is this thing telling me?

  He sounded so civil, an extreme and unnerving contradiction to his actions. A tug on the leash forced me to move closer. “I have a ship waiting to take us back to my home, an island in the South Atlantic that houses both our kind. It’s a peaceful place. I think you’ll like it there.”

  I tried to pull away. “What are you saying exactly? Am I supposed to be some kind of pet?” No way, I’m not going! I’ll find a way out.

  He clamped the leash tightly in his hand to let me know I had zero options. The same number of options I had at home, I reminded myself. “No. You can be a friend, if you choose.”

  I fucking hate you. I’ll never be your friend. “And if I choose not to be a friend?”

  The monster’s narrowing eyes locked on mine. “What’s your name?” He gave the leash a sharp jerk when I didn’t answer right away. I had to throw my hands out to keep from falling on top of him.

  “What does it matter?” I winced from the searing pain in my throat.

  “It matters to me.” The beast sat up. He swiped a retractable claw across the meat of his thumb and thrust the blue-oozing digit toward my mouth. “This will help.”

  I tried to pull back and stand up, but he had a firm grip on the leash. When I continued to resist, he grabbed the back of my head and jammed his thumb all the way in my mouth. I almost gagged. It was the same overly-sweet goo I’d been forced to take earlier. Instead of fighting him, I decided it’d be better to go along. Taking a firm hold of his cold wrist, I bit hard into his thumb.

  The beast wrenched himself free from my teeth by prying my mouth open with his other hand. He released the leash. I dove for the entrance of the tunnel, but he caught my ankle and dragged me back, then restrained me in a strong chokehold.

  “Trust me, feisty one. There is nowhere for you to go. Everyone you know is dead, or soon will be.”

  The pressure on my throat eased. “What?” I cried. I had no way of knowing if he told the truth, but something made me believe his words.

  Lincoln, Ben, my poor mother… No way! He’s lying!

  He smoothed my hair away from my forehead and then released me, though the end of the leash was gripped firmly in his hand. I tested its length.

  “Let’s start over. My name is Orrin.”

  I snorted a laugh. Orrin, seriously?

  The name Orrin sounded so refined. Another inconsistency to his appearance—an extravagant special effects creature made for the next Halloween blockbuster. The name Halloween suits him better…

  Orrin folded his muscular arms across his chest, which he made sure to flex. “My name’s funny to you?”

  A sharp wind whistled through the tunnel and I adjusted my position so I could feel
the air on my face. “You look more like an elaborate Halloween decoration or movie prop to me.”

  “Hmm… So, what’s your name?” The more he talked the less tension I felt. His words, more so than his actions, were humanizing him.

  Is it a trick to get me to trust him?

  Trick or not, he happened to be my only source of information. I had to talk to him. In fact, I decided I needed him to like me, maybe even get him to trust me. Or else I’ll be attached to the end of this leash for the rest of my days and never have the chance to see Lincoln or Ben again. But I also couldn’t give in too easily. He’d never buy it if I did.

  “Leo.”

  Halloween snickered. “Isn’t that a boy’s name?”

  “Short for Leona.” I turned to face him. “What do you mean I have nowhere to go? Why would you say my family’s dead?”

  Halloween leaned forward and released the leash in order to capture my right hand between both of his. His thick, smooth skin was cool to the touch. His eyes dimmed to a soft orange flame, appearing almost human in their remorse. “I’m very sorry.”

  I worked to swallow the lump of dread in my throat. “Sorry for what? What’s happening to my family?”

  “A horde of my kind will attack. All are starving to the point of insanity and will not think about the consequences of their actions. They will feed until there’s nothing left. I have spared you, you and Jack.”

  I jerked my hand from his. “What are you? Who are they? How many?” Even though I knew he was faster and stronger than me, it didn’t mean he could outrun a bullet. My family knew how to fight. I refused to believe my home could be wiped out in just one night.

  I watched as Halloween casually dropped his palm to the ground, covering the free end of the chain. “To keep things simple, you can think of us as vampires, as we survive on human blood. But most of what you know of those who live on blood, what you have seen in the movies or read in books, is inaccurate. None of us are human, nor will we ever be. The horde is diminishing as quickly as humans are. There are perhaps twenty-five left, maybe fewer.”

  My eyes were tearing, but I was thinking that the odds were not overwhelming, thinking that my father had prepared for this. The lower bunker was stocked for just this type of emergency.

  “Why spare me?”

  “It’s your blood.”

  I shook my head. “You’re not going to tell me that we have some mystical connection and you’ve finally found me after a lifetime of searching, are you?”

  Halloween threw his head back with a howl of laughter. “It’s genetics, not magic. Your blood is AB negative, very rare. Less than one percent of the human population shares your blood type. With the population in sharp decline, I’m sure you can see how precious you have become. My tastes are more refined than most. I prefer to dine on steak rather than Spam, an analogy I’m sure you can appreciate.”

  “If my blood is such a delicacy, how come your kind hasn’t found me before?”

  “I’m not sure.” Halloween reached into his left pants pocket and was seemingly palming an object, and then he showed me the last thing I expected to see—cardboard tampon applicators.

  Holy hell!

  “I discovered the first one in the woods; the scent was too delectable to ignore. These led me to your front door. I’ve been watching you for days.” And Halloween was watching me now with one black brow slightly cocked.

  I’m so stupid. I should have listened to my father, but no…

  I scurried back as far as the leash would allow. The stiff collar dug painfully into the side of my neck. “Why?”

  Halloween tugged the chain, pulling me forward. “I have decided to take you to my home where you’ll live out the rest of your days.”

  “I’m not a fucking pet!” I shouted, jerking the chain from his huge hand.

  “Again, you can be a friend, if you choose, or a prisoner. The choice will be yours.” Something about the lines on his forehead and the low tone of his voice told me our conversation was coming to a close.

  “What about Jack? Where’s his collar?”

  “Jack’s here for another purpose.” Halloween’s lips formed a hard line. I never saw him pick up the leash, but the end of the chain was now fisted in a scary clawed hand. “Leo, you won’t share your family’s fate.”

  Dead Day # 1,449

  My flawless plan failed. I was stupid not to heed the inevitable dangers that have always been too close. I knew they were out there, but I didn’t take enough precautions and now we are in absolute chaos.

  Harris returned with the news that everything had gone wrong. He’d tracked the beast he believed killed Margaret to the river, and there he found Leo unconscious on the ground. A man in a ski mask was ripping through her clothes. Harris gave a warning shot and then stepped out just as the vampire attacked, swooping down from the trees. It snatched the masked man and disappeared. Harris ran to help Leo, but when he couldn’t revive her, he went after the monster. Lucky for me, Harris didn’t recognize Jack in the mask.

  We went to the riverbank and found evidence of the struggle Harris described, but there were no bodies, just droplets of blood and a thick blue paste of some sort. Ben still has hope and made a solid argument. Harris had seen Leo’s pack by the tree, and it was missing when we got there. A vampire would have no use for her stuff, and it would be very unlikely that someone came along and took her pack. This alone makes Ben confident that my daughter’s alive. If Leo did manage to escape, she’ll run, run to escape me as well as the vampire.

  Robert left with Ben this morning. I’ve allowed them one day to search for Leo. But I don’t expect them to bring her home.

  We’ve lost her, and after such a horrendous catastrophe, my wife will soon follow. Sylvia collapsed when she heard the news and now refuses to eat. I’m at a loss. I love my wife, but if she doesn’t come around soon, there’s only one thing for me to do. Say good-bye.

  My legacy rests in Lincoln’s hands now. Tomorrow his new training begins. I should have started preparing Leo sooner. If I had, she wouldn’t have fought me on this and she’d still be with us today. I taught her to be strong, to be a fighter, but I should have equipped her for motherhood instead. I can’t make the same mistake twice. Lincoln’s young, but it’s not impossible at his age. My precious son and Zoe will be the ones to carry on the Marrok name.

  Population: 19 (Leona Rose Marrok and Jack Sumner—dead?)

  Rations: 184 days

  CHAPTER TEN

  I watched Halloween for several long minutes, which felt more like hours, hoping he would elaborate on the “not share their fate” thing. But he only stared back at me. His eyes gave nothing away, forcing me to ask what I feared most.

  “Why spare Jack and me? What are you planning to do with us?”

  “My plans are more honorable than they appear, though I doubt you’ll agree. Not at first, anyway…”

  One of Halloween’s pointy ears pivoted to a sound near the entrance. Together we watched a dark object clamber down the tunnel. A moment later, Jack emerged with two fully cooked squirrels speared on a single arrow.

  I asked Halloween several times what he meant, but suddenly he wasn’t in the mood to talk. What is it between these two? If I couldn’t get any more information from Halloween, I’d have to try to extract what I needed from Jack. So I accepted the smoked meat he offered with just a hint of a smile.

  Halloween glared at Jack as he reached for my pack and rooted through my things. He removed a bottle of water and handed it to me. I picked at the puny squirrel while eyeing each of them with the hope that one of them would say something. But neither did. Jack took his dinner and moved to the farthest part of the cave, his eyes cast to the dirt floor, and ate his meal in silence. There’d be no talking to Jack either.

  After I finished eating and drinking, Halloween pulled me down on the pile of blankets next to him. The end of the leash was wound twice around his left hand. “We will sleep through the day and travel at nigh
t.”

  Halloween and I were uncomfortably close to each other. “Why?”

  “Because that’s the way I want it.” Halloween's because-I-said-so tone implied that our conversation was over.

  “What if I have to go to the bathroom?”

  The edges of his mouth twitched. “If that happens, give me a nudge.”

  Halloween rested his right hand on the top of my hip, a tactic I recognized as a way for him to detect movement while sleeping, and then closed his pumpkin-colored eyes.

  I wanted to roll over and look at Jack. I didn’t like having my back open to him, but I didn’t see any possible way of making that happen, not without alerting Halloween. So, instead, I forced my eyes closed and tried to get some sleep. Dozing shouldn’t have been an option with a blood-sucking enthusiast lying next to me, but eventually sleep found me.

  “Leo. Leo.” The whispers against my ear were Jack’s. I opened my eyes. Halloween’s strong shoulders greeted me. He’d turned over in his sleep. His hand was missing from my hip, and the leash was free enough for me to move.

  I fumbled with the clasp to remove the collar before I turned to address Jack. I’d known him too long. This was our chance to escape. Whatever his arrangement with Halloween, or our differences, Jack owed me and my family.

  We’d been living in the bunker for about a year when my father came home with Jack, a lost puppy left out in the storm. Jack had the flu and barely said a word as my father explained how he found him living alone in a dilapidated trailer seven miles upriver. He’d made an arrangement with my father: the entire contents of the well-stocked trailer in return for medical care.

  Duncan brought Jack back to health with the help of several volunteer nurses. Only my mother and I were leery of Jack’s quiet manner, which seemed to indicate far more than his tough, loner exterior suggested. The end of the world hadn’t made him like this, I thought. It had been something else, but he never said enough for anyone to know what. My mom and I never discussed Jack, but I think we’d come to the same conclusion. The trailer and its contents did not belong to him.