The Beast Inside

by David Horrocks

  The floor was made up of a cheap, rough fabric that was harsh on the skin and the roof was just over a foot in height. It took her a few moments to realise where she was, as a sudden bump in the road made it fairly obvious. She was trapped in the trunk of someone's car, only now making out the sounds of the engine and the wheels turning.

  If Alice was in fact in the back of a car, then perhaps she hadn't died after all. Had it all been just a ruse? The after effects of which had possibly just been one of her dreams. Maybe she wasn't so special and didn't have visions at all. Or maybe she was just going insane, which seemed more and more like a possibility by the day. It wouldn't be much of a stretch to call her crazy, as others had labelled her as such before. She clearly had a few screws loose and was just a twist away from falling apart at the seams.

  Feeling incredibly claustrophobic, Alice felt the need to get out of there. She had to escape from whoever her captor was. There was a desperate need to break out of her new found cage and find some sort of help. However, if she was being kidnapped or moved somewhere by Caitlyn's evil cult, why hadn't she been tied up and why wasn't she gagged? Something about the whole situation seemed off.

  Bending her knees and turning to lie on her back, Alice braced her legs against the top of her prison and started to kick. She tested its strength at first before kicking harder and harder. She had to survive through this like she had survived everything else. It wasn't her time to die… Not like this.

  Alice aimed her feet towards the back, nearer to where the latch should be, hoping to break the trunk open at its weakest point and gain her freedom. Yelling in both frustration and fear, she hoped that someone would overhear and call the police. She booted at the same section again and again, but it just refused to budge. Feeling as stubborn as the lock, she refused to give up this time, feeling more determined than ever. She kept pushing and praying to God for her chance to make a getaway.

  The car seemed to swerve, turning sharply with some speed and hitting a rock or possibly even a curb that caused Alice to catch air. Her whole body crashed against the top of the trunk before slamming back down to the floor. She knew that there would definitely be some bruises after the impact.

  The car's momentum then ceased altogether as it came skidding to a halt, with small stones pinging off the bottom of the vehicle. Lying there in silence, Alice could hear the driver's door creak open before slamming violently shut. There were footsteps crunching in gravel, heading around the car in her direction.

  Her instincts taking over, Alice prepared herself and was ready to pounce as soon as she saw them. She would claw, gouge, bite, punch and kick her way out of there if she had to and her captor wouldn't even know what hit them.

  A key slid into the lock, clunking around for a moment or two before the latch released. Alice had shifted into a more defendable position, hoping to use surprise to catch them off balance. As the hatch opened up and the silhouette of a man could be seen in the midday sun, she burst out in full force so fast that they didn't have time to react.

  Things didn't go quite as planned as an immense and immeasurable pain wracked Alice's entire body and consumed her whole. It was as if she had been tossed into a fiery inferno, with no way of finding her way out. Perhaps she was in hell after all, as every inch of her felt as though it was on fire, with her very eyeballs seemingly smoking as if they too were burning. All other thoughts were purged from her mind as her nerve endings were scalded in the severe and feverous heat.

  The man who had locked Alice there didn't try to restrain her or hurt her in any way. He could clearly see that she was suffering and quickly grabbed a thick blanket that he used to cover her up as he placed her back inside. He said something that her burnt ears were unable to make out before slamming the trunk shut.

  Alice was left to wallow in pain, misery and regret. Her melted skin clung to the fibers of her clothing and the blanket beyond it, as if she was merging with them, becoming a strange hybrid of human and fabric. Sheltered from the harsh rays of the sun, the pain no longer increased, but it certainly lingered for quite some time after.

  Whatever happened, Alice was sure she would be left with severe burns or maybe worse. It was a type of torment that she never wanted to experience ever again. The man had tried to help her in her clumsy desperation, but he could have also been the one to cause her injuries. Had he doused her with something and set her ablaze? Her memory was a little cloudy on the subject, but she couldn't recall that happening. It had been as if the very sky itself had tried to do her harm.

  In the hours that followed, the pain seemed to gradually ease up, replaced with an uncomfortable itching that Alice had tried her best not to scratch. It was almost unbearable, but she didn't wish to cause any more damage to herself than what had already been done.

  The itchiness was accompanied by a growing hunger that started deep within her stomach, but it slowly began to work its way around her torso before heading out towards her aching limbs. She desperately needed food and felt weak because of it. Some type of sustenance that would help her carry on and hopefully assist with the healing process.

  It was a great deal cooler in the trunk now, letting Alice know that the sun outside had likely set. The heat had dissipated and even the metal walls no longer radiated with warmth. She didn't quite feel ready to leave the relative safety of her blanket cocoon, nor did she want to know the true extent of her burns.

  The car hadn't stopped again since, continuing to drive on to whatever destination the driver had chosen. They could have been anywhere now and she wouldn't have a clue which way to go from there. It was a dilemma that she didn't currently care about either. She was too hurt and starving to worry about what now seemed like such a trivial matter.

  The car slowed, pulling off the road and into what could have been a parking lot. As soon as it stopped moving, the engine shut off and the world around Alice became a great deal quieter.

  Once again, the door to the vehicle opened, letting out its occupant who began his slow walk around the side of the car and back to the trunk where Alice still resided. She didn't move this time, lying perfectly still as the hatch lifted up, allowing a light breeze to blow down between the fibers of the blanket, soothing her skin. It was a breath of heaven after enduring the torturous fires of hell.

  There were more incoherent words that Alice didn't catch as the material of the blanket was gently peeled from her skin in a vague attempt at trying not to cause her any additional discomfort. It failed miserably, with her writhing in agony as if she was a scabbing wound and a band aid had just been torn from her. She managed to stay awake, pushing through the pain barrier in her fight to remain conscious.

  Alice struggled to open her eyes, trying to see the face of the person standing over her. It was taking a while for her eyes to painfully adjust, but she could just about see the blurry outline of a man's face. He seemed to be taking a closer look at what was left of her skin, examining it closely as he checked out the full extent of her injuries.

  The man was still speaking, but the words were still too muffled to understand. As his face came in close, Alice finally came to realise who he was.

  It was Jolee, the cousin who she had trusted above all others, but she didn't remember seeing him at the ceremony. Not that she saw everyone's faces, but she was pretty sure he hadn't been there. She didn't want to believe that he was capable of such a thing as sacrificing a member of his family. He had seemed too kind for that, but so had everyone else to some extent.

  The only question in Alice's mind was whether Jolee was there as a friend or foe. Had he rescued her from the McKay compound, or was he simply moving her somewhere else? She prayed that he was there to save her, as otherwise there was little hope left.

  **********

  Alice sat with Jolee in a booth within a roadside diner that was small, but somewhat similar to her former workplace. It turned out that he had taken her from the compound upon returning to find the rite of rebirth had already been
completed. He was distraught, not wanting someone who had been so kind to him to be sacrificed to a goddess who he believed to be thoroughly evil.

  Jolee didn't share the same beliefs as the rest of his family, instead believing that the fanged one was just a monster and not an immortal deity as Caitlyn had claimed. He was certain that they could be killed, just like everyone else. He told Alice that he had removed her from the altar as everyone else was sleeping. They would now have likely realised who had taken her and would be sending out search parties to hunt them both down.

  For some reason, Alice trusted Jolee implicitly. He had never lied to her before and she didn't think he was now either. He just wasn't the type of person to be deceitful, especially to someone that he cared so much for.

  Alice's stomach rumbled loudly, sending jolts of pain around her body. She knew that she needed food, but nothing on the menu had appealed to her. Eyeing up the waitress instead, she licked her lips at the thought of latching on to the old woman's veins and draining her of every drop of blood. She was worried that thoughts like that were even entering her brain. It was an odd feeling that seemed alien to her, but she knew that she craved the warm liquid that pumped around the woman's body. She could practically hear the waitress’s pulse from the opposite side of the room.

  The same woman had been staring at Alice for the past hour, unable to look away from the blistering skin that plagued her body, the after effects of former burns that seemed to be healing at an accelerated rate. Scar tissue covered her hands, arms and likely the rest of her too, but her cousin had at least provided her with real clothing that hadn't been stained in the ritual.

  Forcing herself to look away from the tempting snack, Alice turned back to face Jolee, deciding to break the awkward silence and drown out the sounds of her growling belly.

  “What happened to me? I'm so hungry, but I don't want to eat food… Why do I feel this way?”

  Jolee sighed, showing signs of discomfort as he tried to think of the right way to phrase his words. He gripped his coffee cup with both hands, taking a long sip of the black liquid held within before speaking.

  “You’re dead, Riley. There ain't no comin’ back from that.”

  It wasn't the answer she had expected, but it didn't stop the words from taking effect. She wasn't sure what he meant exactly, but part of her knew it to be true. She couldn't remember the last time she took a breath, as it dawned on her that she wasn't breathing even now. So she had been sacrificed, but how was she still moving? Maybe she had been brought back with magic as a zombie and had taken her place amongst the walking dead.

  Jolee noticed Alice lightly touching the scarring, open sores across her burnt face.

  “You'll heal. Your kind are good at healin’ quick.”

  Another baffling response that caused Alice to ask more.

  “My… kind?”

  He sat up in his seat, resting his elbows on the table as he leant forwards to move his head in close before whispering.

  “You’re like the goddess now. A fanged one. Some call 'em vampires.”

  Something about his words rang true. Alice knew in the back of her mind that everything he said was real. She had died and been brought back as something else. She touched her cracked lips gently as she recalled the coppery taste of her maker’s supernatural blood. Her teeth hadn't changed to fangs, but maybe they would only show themselves when she needed them. Or maybe real vampires didn’t even have fangs. There wasn't exactly a guidebook on the subject.

  “So vampires actually exist? I mean, I believe in almost everything, but someone who dies and retains their intelligence always just seemed kind of impossible to me.”

  Jolee smiled knowingly as he took a moment to let the information sink in before responding.

  “All I'm sayin’ is you have a second chance, an’ don't have to be anyone's slave. Once your safe an’ far away, you can be free.”

  Even though she was still processing the possibility of her current existence, Alice managed to smile at her companion.

  “So… Where exactly are we heading?”

  “We're gonna meet an ol’ buddy of mine. He owes me a favour an’ can ship you off where Mamma Caitlyn can't reach ya.”

  “Where’s that?”

  Jolee smiled back at her.

  “Across the border to Canada. I ain't ever been, but you can maybe hide out in a city. Some place with lots of people an’ big crowds. City cops.”

  Taking a minute to think it over, Alice nodded in agreement.

  “When do we leave?”

  Jolee gestured with a tilt of his head towards the waitress who was still slack jawed and rudely staring.

  “As soon as you're done feedin’.”

  **********

  They were back in the sedan once more, with Jolee behind the wheel, unusually silent. Alice was starting to think he was mad at her for what had happened in the diner. Or worse... He was disappointed at what she had become.

  The waitress just hadn't stopped staring at Alice and the hunger… that hunger had been eating at her insides as she tried to fight it back, but the aggravation she suffered from near starvation had overtaken her rational mind. She couldn't stop herself from committing an act that she would have seen as an atrocity before. It was too much for her to take in her current state and she simply had to feed.

  Alice could remember the feeling of it and the taste above all. It was almost as pleasurable as the way she felt those last few moments before she died. It was the same euphoric embrace as before, just not quite as intense. She had been in danger of draining the old lady completely and wanted to finish her blood more than anything. She wanted to drink every last drop of it, but Jolee had pulled her away. He had been the one that told her to feed, but he hadn't meant for her to commit murder.

  The woman had been spared by Jolee's quick reaction, but Alice had almost turned on him instead. Thankfully, the anger she had felt prior to her meal had passed and she managed to regain control. The beast inside had been quelled, at least temporarily.

  Ever since they left the scene of the crime, Alice had felt so much stronger. So much more alive. Her vision was sharper and so was her hearing too, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. Everything about her was changing and as exciting as it was, it also terrified her. Jolee had taken the time to check that the waitress was still alive before calling for an ambulance. He didn't want Alice to have the woman's blood on her hands, at least metaphorically. The physical blood was a little more difficult to avoid or wash away.

  Regaining her composure as they drove further and further away from the diner, Alice began to feel the guilt set in. She didn't feel like she was a good person anymore. Almost taking yet another life made her begin to wonder if she had always been possessed by evil. She didn't want to kill, but she had once again been lost in the moment and would have gone through with it if Jolee hadn't intervened.

  Things may have gotten worse for Alice since she was turned into a vampire. The changes had only added to her feral instincts, strengthening them nearly as much as it had done for her physically. It would be a constant battle for control. One she knew would result in the destruction of her very soul should she lose. She wouldn't have been surprised if God had forsaken her, refusing to answer her prayers. She didn't think that she deserved his mercy anyway. All those Sundays in church wouldn't be enough to save her from damnation.

  It was a little while before Jolee started to converse with Alice again. He explained that he wasn't angry with her at all, as he knew that she wasn't yet used to her new unpredictable form of existence. He had just been pondering on what he could do to help her. Thinking came slow to him, but he worked so hard to come up with solutions whenever he could.

  Jolee tried his best to pass on his limited knowledge of vampirism on to Alice, telling her how it was a curse and not a blessing. He didn't really have to tell her that though, as she had realised it all on her own. Despite her increased strength and endurance, she hated the consta
nt struggle. It also bothered her that she'd never feel the sunlight warming her skin ever again. Warming, not burning her alive.

  Jolee also mentioned that she may have trouble with her hunger and that she would struggle at times, which Alice didn't doubt for one second. It almost sounded like a metaphor for her life. A constant struggle to survive, but this time she had the potential to live forever.

  **********

  Alice waited in the car with the engine running as Jolee got out to meet with his contact. He was a sleazy looking, greaseball of a man who Alice didn't feel was trustworthy, but she had learned through experience to never judge a book by its cover. They were both stood in front of a shipping container, talking between themselves as the headlights of the sedan illuminated their every action. Behind them, shadows acted out a larger than life mime of their entire conversation.

  For just a moment, Alice could swear that the stranger's shadow was moving independently of his body, as if it belonged to a completely separate entity. Shaking her head to try and clear her vision, she found that it had snapped back into place. She kept her eyes on its movements a while longer to see if it happened again, but saw that everything had returned to normal.

  Jolee shook hands with the stranger. No money had been exchanged, but a deal was going down nonetheless. Other large paper documents were transferred over, but Alice couldn't make out what was written on them from where she was sitting.

  Whatever was happening out there, Jolee looked pleased, but the man with him was looking as grumpy as ever as he lit up a cigarette and lead the way to a row of cargo haulers nearby. They stopped to inspect the front cabin of the closest truck before walking to the back end of it to look inside.