The Feeding House

by Savill, Josh

  Jack looked up at the house “I’m coming to get you,” he said as he returned the doll back to his pocket and followed Isaac.

  Isaac and Jack arrived at the main doors of the feeding house, a sight that Jack had not seen for a very long time now. Outside stood two guards, who upon seeing Jack and Isaac instantly recognised them, the two guard’s eyes turned Jet black and they both revealed their fangs. Isaac and Jack did not respond in the same way which, for a moment confused the guards.

  “What are you two doing here, we knew that you were stupid but this is beyond even your level of foolishness,” said one of the guards, their eyes still remaining black, their tone was taunting.

  Isaac began to speak in a dialect that Jack had never heard before, it sounded strange and ancient to him and he wasn’t even sure if the guards fully understood what he was saying “Deraar Du Caraa Ez Du Drano Mela teia Dreno.”

  The guards stopped and stared for a moment, their fangs retracted and their eyes returned to normal colour. Isaac had spoken the ancient language of the vampires, a language that was only spoken now by the royal elite of the vampire world. Even though Isaac was seen as a traitor by the vampires of the feeding houses, if he spoke in this language to any vampire he immediately commanded their respect.

  The two guards stood there shocked. It almost seemed as though they were unsure as to what to do next. Eventually they grabbed Jack and Isaac and began to lead them inside, pushing them as they moved along. The guards led them through the winding corridors and hallways of the feeding house, Jack knew where they were heading, last time he had been there Dreno had turned him into a vampire, they were heading for the main hall.

  Inside the main hall there was a fight going on between two vampires, the same sort of fight that had been going on for days now. The two fighters looked starved near to death but they still fought on with unnatural rage. The victor would claim rights to a place in Dreno’s new world and as such would once again get to feast upon the pure blood. Overlooking the fight was Dreno himself, he was sipping from his chalice of normal blood.

  The doors to the main hall flew open, it fell silent and the fighting stopped. Everyone looked up to see what was going on.

  “What is the meaning of this intrusion,” said Dreno, but he stopped his sentence short as he saw who it was. It was the two most unlikely people to ever walk through his door.

  The guards brought Jack and Isaac through into the main hall and the vampires, including Dreno, all looked shocked. None of them had expected to see Jack again, most of the vampires thought he was dead, but for those who remembered Isaac, the surprise was even greater. No vampire ever thought that Dreno’s brother would dare show his face. They knew that he had been on the run for so many years now that they just couldn’t believe that he was standing before them.

  Dreno gathered himself and a small smirk appeared on the corners of his mouth “Dreano,” he said as he stood up from his chair “How lovely to see you again. You know I have been looking for you for a long time now. I think it probably is about time that we have a little family reunion.”

  Isaac said nothing but continued to stare at Dreno, remembering the pain that he had caused him, and the pain that he had caused his friends. Dreno went on “You realise that this is a bold move in you coming to my home. I could easily have you both killed where you stand, after all you are both very irritating thorns in my side.”

  “You will not kill us my brother,” Began Isaac as he looked directly into Dreno’s eyes “I evoke the ancient rites of our blood line, you have gone too far this time and you must be stopped, and I am the one that will stop you. I am here to fight you for the title of High Chancellor, for the feeding houses and for control over the vampire masses.”

  All eyes in the hall turned to Dreno ready for his response. Dreno began to laugh “You’ve come here to challenge me? You can’t be serious, brother dearest. I knew you were desperate but I didn’t think you were suicidal. Do you have any idea how strong I am now compared to you? You know, I enjoyed killing your friends, but I have a feeling that I’m going to enjoy killing you so much more than that.”

  “”I realise that this may not be the best of ideas but you’re my brother. I watched as slowly the power of being high chancellor began to go to your head. I watched every day as the power corrupted you more than the blood that you drank, and I stood by and did nothing. Well I’m here to change that now and right the wrongs of my past. You’re a monster,” replied Isaac.

  “Look around you,” said Dreno “according to this world run by humans we are all monsters, including you Isaac. I just want our kind to be given the respect we deserve. We are the dominant race, we are humanities natural predator and as such we should rule the world and not them, they are nothing more than cattle for us to feast upon.”

  “No Dreno you’re wrong, we may be monsters in their eyes but that is only because of our past. It’s time that we move on as a race and integrate fully. Sure we can hunt and feast but humanity builds and betters itself, it’s about time that we learnt a lesson from them. You’ve allowed your stubbornness to get in the way of every vampires life, and all because you wanted the power. You wanted to be in control and make the decision for millions as to how to live. I’m not a monster, not since I left the feeding houses anyway,” replied Isaac the tone of his voice filled with a mix of rage and passion.

  Dreno’s blood seemed to be boiling beneath his skin, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. His brother was here now to try and pull down everything that he had been working towards and he wasn’t about to let that happen. Dreno was power crazy and he couldn’t let Isaac take that power away from him. Dreno channelled his anger ready for the fight ahead, he had been waiting to kill Isaac for so long now, and he was pleased that he would get to kill him with his own two hands.

  Dreno displayed his fangs and let out a great vampiric war cry “Very well we shall fight for everything, to the death. If you win you shall inherit everything that I own, including the title of High Chancellor. Believe me when I say that you shall not taste victory. I shall strike you down where you stand brother. The fight will be over before it even begins. Now fight me brother, I cannot wait to tear your beating heart out from your chest and show it too you before you die.”

  Dreno drew his fangs and his eyes turned jet black “Let’s see what you’ve got,” he said as he motioned his hand for Isaac to come closer.

  Isaac also drew his fangs and his eyes turned black, he began to charge up to Dreno and they collided with a great force, knocking them both back slightly. Jack watched on as they fought, his mind was swimming in fear hoping that Isaac would come out of this victorious. The fight was like nothing he had ever witnessed before, they were going at each other like savage animals and fighting with such power, it would be lucky if the building remained standing, let alone Isaac.

  Isaac managed to grab Dreno and throw him against a wall, the force of Dreno hitting the wall caused it to crack. As Isaac approached Dreno, Dreno looked up and smiled “Is that all that you’ve got?” Dreno shot his foot out which connected with Isaacs stomach causing him to fly half way across the room. He slid across the floor like a rag doll.

  Both of them got back up to their feet and stood looking at one another “Face it brother,” said Dreno tauntingly “You’re no match for me, you never have been, you have always been filled with such weakness.”

  “It didn’t have to end this way, there was once good in you,” replied Isaac.

  Dreno laughed “Please, spare me the intervention. What you’re referring to was weakness, the same weakness that rots you to your very core. You stand no chance at destroying me because unlike you, I have destroyed the weaknesses that have held me back.”

  Dreno leapt an unnatural length to meet Isaac in the middle of the room, the fight continued on and it became evident for all to see, that Dreno was quickly gaining the upper hand. Isaac fought back valiantly but Dreno’s power and brute force was becoming far too muc
h for him to handle, and eventually Dreno over powered him. Dreno threw Isaac, who landed bloodied and bruised in front of Dreno’s chair.

  Isaac tried to get to his feet but his body was too weak and he fell back down to the ground, spitting blood as he did so. Dreno slowly began to walk up to him “You see brother, what did I tell you? Your compassion for the human race has made you soft and weak, it sickens me just too look at what you’ve become,” Dreno kicked Isaac in the stomach and then spat on him.

  “Pass me my knife,” yelled Dreno, and quickly one of the vampires ran over holding Dreno’s ceremonial knife, it glistened in the light, ready to draw blood.

  Jack looked on in horror knowing that it was all over, knowing that there was nothing that he could do about it. He was helpless. He knew that if he intervened now that he would get both himself and Isaac killed. Every bone in his body told him that he couldn’t just stand there and watch but equally he knew that if he did do something, it would do no good. Everything was over, this had been their last hope, and this truly was the end of the road.

  Dreno pulled Isaac up onto his knees by his hair, and pointed his head up to the sky exposing his throat.

  “You were always weak,” said Dreno as he looked into Isaac’s eyes.

  Dreno lifted the knife high up into the air and sliced down. A look of shock filled Dreno’s face as he looked down to see that just before the knife had hit Isaac’s throat, he had caught Dreno’s arm. Isaac was filled with determination as he kept hold of Dreno’s struggling arm and got to his feet. Dreno struggled further trying to stop Isaac from over powering him as slowly Isaac forced his arm to begin to bend and release the knife.

  The knife fell out of Dreno’s hand and Isaac caught it before it hit the floor, Dreno could not believe what was happening as he looked at Isaac’s broken face, he saw a look of power that he had never seen before.

  Isaac lifted the knife “Good bye my brother,” with that he sliced down hard on Dreno’s neck and watched as his head rolled across the floor and Dreno’s limp and lifeless body fell to the ground before his feet.

  Isaacs’s knees began to give way and Jack ran up to catch him moments before he fell, helping him lay down on the ground. Although Isaac had managed to kill Dreno he was wounded in a way that even his vampiric body could not recover from, he had shown that his love for humanity was not in fact a weakness but was instead something that he could draw great power from even in the very moments before death.

  Jack held Isaac’s head up for support “You did it,” began Jack as he tried to hold back his grief knowing soon his friend would die “You’ve saved everyone, you’re a hero you know that.”

  Isaac lent over to Jack, his voice was weak and husky “Help me to my feet, there’s something I need to say that everyone must hear.”

  Jack helped Isaac slowly stand up, balancing Isaac’s weight on his shoulders “Listen to me all of you,” Said Isaac as the vampires watched on “There is no need to fight each other, just like there is no reason to be stuck here in the feeding houses under a tyrant. The reason I left all that time ago was not because of any reason that Dreno may have given you, it was because he had hidden a discovery from you all that would change everything.”

  Isaac coughed, he was getting weaker by the minute “This discovery was blood fruit. It is a way that we can feed without the need to kill humans, It is a better way and will build a better future for all of us. I am appointing the man standing next to me, Jack Crowe as my successor. I have taught him all he needs to know to lead our race into a brighter tomorrow. Follow his words, he continues my legacy.”

  Isaac began to fall once again, Jack supported his head, and he knew that death was soon to be upon him now. “Isaac, I don’t know how to lead the vampires are you sure that I am the best person to put in charge, surely there must be someone else.”

  Isaac coughed and then smiled at Jack “You know I always knew I saw something special in you, some said that I was mad to go after you but I knew that you were different. Jack, I cannot think of a better person for the job and I can die happily knowing that you are continuing on, now go and make things right.”

  Jack grabbed Isaacs hand and slowly as Isaac’s eyes began to close, his grip became lighter until Jack put Isaac’s hand down onto his chest. Isaac was dead, but never had anyone died for a better cause. He mourned for a moment and then got up to face the vampires and see what their reaction would be to him being crowned High Chancellor.

  The hall was silent, and one of the vampires began to approach Jack. The vampire stood directly in front of him and Jack prepared himself for a fight. The vampire began to speak “All hail the High Chancellor,” he cried.

  “All hail the High Chancellor,” responded every vampire in the room as they all got down onto one knee and bowed their heads, Jack looked over them and for the first time it fully hit him that they had won, now it was time to begin his new world. As he looked down into his coat pocket he saw the doll and realised what he had to do before anything else.

  “Take me to the machines,” said Jack as the vampires rose to their feet “We are destroying each and every one.”

  Jack and the vampires went down stairs and began to unplug the machines, Jack could not stand the sound of the screaming children and was happy to hear the horrible noise slowly dying away as each and every child was unplugged from the machines and the machines were destroyed one by one.

  Jack was looking for one specific child though and began to run to where he remembered the little girl was. Eventually he found here and could not believe his eyes, he was finally back to rescue her just like he had always promised. She was weak but she still had plenty of life in her and Jack was overjoyed to see that she was still alive, that she had still been holding onto life.

  Jack quickly shut the machine down and began to get the girl out. He picked her up and lifted her down so that she was resting against the wall “You’re going to be ok,” Jack pushed the hair out of the young girls face “I don’t know if you remember me, but I’m here to help. Look I brought Annie,” Jack pulled the doll out of his pocket and handed it to the girl, she smiled.

  “I remember you,” said he girl, her voice was weak “I hoped every day that you would come back, to save me,” The girl held the doll tighter as she fell asleep from exhaustion.

  Jack lifted the girl up and carried her in his arms all the way up to the room that he had first put her in when she arrived at the feeding house. He laid her down in the bed and tucked her in, and as he went to leave he looked back.

  “Mary,” said the little girl as she turned in the bed, woken by the light in the hall.

  “I’m sorry, what?” said Jack.

  “My name is Mary,” she replied.

  “Mary my names Jack and I promise you, I am always going to look after you. Nothing bad will ever happen to you again, not on my watch.”

  Jack turned to leave but stopped as Mary began to speak “I’m glad that you finally followed what your heart told you is right,” Jack smiled and closed the door, Mary was right and he knew that Isaac would be proud of him.

  A few days after the appointment of Jack as the new High Chancellor, it was the funeral of Isaac and Dreno. Jack wanted Dreno to be buried with dignity as well because this was a new age and as such he wanted to start it with the ending of the old age. What better way to start that than to bury two of the most powerful vampires of times gone by.

  Both Isaac and Dreno were in elaborate black coffins and were buried next to one another in the grounds of the feeding house, with great headstones that told the story of who they were. Every vampire from the feeding house and beyond were in attendance and all of them paid their respects not to Dreno but to Isaac. They begged for his forgiveness and realised what a mistake they had all truly made in putting their faith in Dreno.

  Jack stood mourning over Isaacs’s grave as he held Marys hand. Even in the short space of time since Jack had rescued them they had become great friends and Jack had ad
opted her as his own daughter. She knew that he would keep his promise to protect her forever and the two of them had become inseparable. She held her doll Annie in her other hand and the doll served as a constant reminder to Jack that he must forever continue working to fulfil Isaac’s legacy.

  Jack stayed at Isaac’s grave for a long time even after everyone else had left. He remembered the good times that they had shared together and he thought about how much he wished that Isaac could see all the good work that he was doing. Whatever it was that Isaac had seen in Jack, he was trying to make sure that he didn’t disappoint.

  Over the next year Jack made some drastic changes in how the feeding houses were run and how the vampire race lived and fed. No longer were the feeding houses places of death and blood but instead the grounds of the feeding houses were now used to grow fields of blood fruit, that all of the residents could feed upon whenever they needed to.

  It became a much healthier and happier environment to be in and most of the vampires quickly adjusted, of course there were some who couldn’t or simply didn’t want to adjust and they still, after a year, continued to cause Jack trouble. They formed their own nests and would kidnap and feed on people, but slowly Jack and many other vampires were hunting down each and every one of these rogues.

  Vampires now lived amongst humans and many vampires chose not to live at the feeding houses. Instead they chose to build businesses in towns and cities where they could live normal lives, well as close as they were going to get. No longer did one single vampire rule over the whole food supply and the world was a better place for it. In fact Jack actively encouraged vampires to grow their own blood fruit and soon families of vampires were living happily away from the feeding houses on their own farms or in their own houses in the towns.

  Not a day goes by when he doesn’t visit Isaacs grave and tells him about what changes he’s making. Jack knows that Isaac would have been proud of him for what he had done and what he continued to do. Jack always tries, even now, to make sure that he remembers the time that he spent with Isaac and, although sometimes it made him sad that Isaac wasn’t around anymore, he always remembers that he died for the greater good.