Living in Darkness (Bloodbreeders)

by Robin Renee Ray,

  “Well, do y’all want to check out the kitchen?” I finally said.

  Most of them responded with a simple “sure”, but Derek said, “Should have started there first, don’t ya think?” Brandon walked up to Derek, and slapped him in the back of the head. “Hey, that hurt, you stupid jerk!”

  “Then watch your mouth,” Brandon said. “You’re always running off at the mouth.”

  “Yeah, so shut up, will ya?” Ashley interjected.

  “You know,” I said looking at the four of them. “Why don’t you guys go on upstairs without me? Just make yourselves at home. I’m going to get ready to lie down for a while. I don’t get much rest at night, but I can usually sleep all day.”

  “We always get around at night,” Brandon said.

  “Yeah, ‘cause we don’t want to go back.” Derek jumped in.

  Ashley snapped her head toward him, and mouthed “shh!” Meanwhile, Bo stepped up, and leered down at Derek.

  “What?” Derek asked. “Well, we don’t, do we?”

  “No, but leave it alone,” Bo hissed through gritted teeth.

  “Look,” I said. “It doesn’t matter to me, okay? We all have secrets. So why don’t we just get comfortable for the day, and we can go over things when we get up?”

  They stood there, not knowing what to say. It was obvious that they weren’t sure they could trust me yet, I’m sure they didn’t trust in anyone but themselves for that matter. After all I’d been through I couldn’t say I blamed them.

  “It’s okay, really,” I said. “I know you wouldn’t be out this late if you had homes to go to. I don’t have a family I can go to, either.”

  “Yeah, but you have this nice house, and money,” Derek said. “With us, it’s ‘what you see is what you get’.”

  “Well, to be honest,” I sighed. “I don’t own this place. I just stay here now and then.”

  “And now we have a place for a few days,” Ashley said. “And I’m really tired, guys.”

  “Yeah, she’s right.” Brandon said, looking up at me. “We’d be out on the ground tonight if it wasn’t for you, so thank you.”

  I smiled at the four of them, and nodded in acknowledgement.

  “I best get to sleep. I may have to take a small trip tomorrow night. Oh, I almost forgot. If you get up during the day, stay out of sight, and please make sure no one bothers me before nightfall.”

  “Sure,” Bo said, with a curious look on his face. “But why stay out of sight?”

  “Hey, can we go with you tomorrow night?” Derek asked eagerly,

  “Tell you what. Let’s all get some rest, and we can go over things when I get up.”

  “You don’t have to explain. We will do what you ask,” Bo said stepping up to me. “Like you said, we all have our secrets.”

  “Thank you,” I said. He nodded, and they made their way toward the stairs. “Sleep anywhere you want. Please, make yourselves at home.”

  Ashley and Derek both gave me a little wave, then they disappeared from sight, then I heard the basement door click shut. I turned, and went to find a room for myself. I stopped in front of the room I had stayed in months ago, and the thought alone brought back my fury. I lowered my head, clenched my teeth, and with a deep breath, made my way further down the hall. I went all the way to that last door and opened it.

  The room was very similar to the rest, only it had its own bathroom attached. I was still amazed how different it all was from the farm. I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy the modern conveniences of indoor toilets and running water. But, what I wouldn’t give to be back home with my family, to have it all be a very bad dream.

  I pulled a gown out of the closet, and went into the bathroom. I took the water basin from the shelf, filled it with water, and washed myself as best I could. I slipped into the clean gown, and went for the bed. No more had I gotten settled down, when I stood up and wedged the vanity chair under the doorknob to the main door. Last thing I needed was for someone to come in while I was resting away the daylight hours and being at my most vulnerable.

  I got back into the bed and made myself comfortable. I thought I’d go to sleep easily, but I couldn’t shut off my mind. There were too many thoughts ricocheting off of each other. What was I going to do with the four kids upstairs? How am I going to help save the two I left in Cuba? The only thing I was sure about was that I needed to go back to Burkett. First, to see if I could find Martin. I hoped he was still at the cemetery, although it was doubtful. If not, at least maybe he’d left a clue to his whereabouts. And second, to check on my family. Even if it’s just to steal a look from afar, I need to know they are okay. My parents had been through so much, and I could only pray that they were alright.

  Dawn had come. I could feel the pull of it. As I started to drift away, I could see the sweet faces of Garvin and Tanda, peering down at me as the water swept me away. Very clearly, I heard my own voice. “I’ll come back for you. I promise… I promise!” All I have left in this world is my word, and my word is my bond. Then darkness took me once again.

  Chapter 22

  When I woke at sunset, I could hear the little ones running about, and every so often the scuttling would be interrupted by the sound of laughter. I sat up on the side of my bed, cradled my face in my hands, and wondered about what lay ahead of me. I knew I had to get back to Burkett, but wasn’t sure what I would find. Would Martin still be there? If not, all I could hope was that he left some hint as to his whereabouts. In what condition would I find my family? I could only pray that they would be alright. My father has always been a very strong individual. He never faltered when it came to keeping things under control, so I wasn’t too worried. Just knowing I was this close to seeing them, if even from a distance, made the anticipation rush through my body.

  I stood to go upstairs, knowing that I needed to tell the four upstairs something, but the question was what? The truth was not an option at this point. I needed them, if nothing more than to be my eyes when I couldn’t use my own. I knew it probably would take a lot to scare them off – after all, they were just alone as I, but nevertheless, it was a chance I couldn’t afford to take.

  There was a loud thump overhead, followed by loud voices. I stepped into the hall, and strained my ears to try and hear what they were saying.

  “You’re not going down there, Derek.” Brandon said.

  “You can’t tell me what to do! You’re not the oldest anymore, Brandon. Renee is, so back off or else,” Derek demanded so pointedly loud, that I may as well have been standing right next to him.

  “Or else, what? Huh? We just met her and I’ve been your brother all your life.”

  “Brother – not mom or dad!” Then I heard scuffling, so up the stairs I went.

  I came around the corner to see Brandon with Derek in a headlock, and little Derek was trying his hardest to get out of it. Ashley and Bo saw me first.

  “Sorry, Renee, they just started in,” Ashley said.

  “It’s okay,” I said. “I have this one.”

  I walked over and grabbed Brandon by the collar of his shirt. I did the same to Derek, and lifted them both up, so their feet were dangling above the floor. Derek screamed in shock of being suddenly suspended above the ground.

  “That’s enough, both of you!” I said as I lowered them gently back to the floor.

  Until that very moment, I had no idea that a normal was like a doll to me. Something I’ll have to remember in the future, I thought to myself. I raised my head slowly, and noticed every one of the kids staring at me with terrified expressions on their faces.

  “What? Why are you staring at me like that?” I said, looking down at myself, as if inspecting for something out of place. “Did I sprout another head or something?”

  They all looked at one another, Brandon still rubbing his neck.

  “How’d you do that?” Bo asked timidly.

  “Do what?” I said, playing dumb. “Break up a fight?”

  “You picked them up lik
e that,” Ashley said in amazement, snapping her fingers. “Then ya held them there… how?”

  I just stood there, not knowing what to say, so I said the first thing that came to mind. “I used to break up my brothers all the time.”

  Brandon looked at me for a second, then said, “I thought you told us you didn’t have a family.”

  I walked over to the sofa, and sat down. Now what? I thought. Well, as my folks always said, ‘The truth may be hard to swallow, but it’s far better than wallowing in the guilt because you lied.’ So after a few moments of mental deliberation, I asked them all to sit down, and proceeded to tell them the whole story – from Martin, to Cuba, to now. No one spoke at first. Then, to no one’s surprise, Derek broke the silence.

  His brow wrinkled up as if confused.

  “You killed your little brother?”

  Hearing it put that way, even though I knew it to be the truth, broke my very core. I began to cry, holding my face in my hands as I slowly rocked back and forth.

  I felt not one, but all four of them crowd around me, but it was Ashley that took me in her arms.

  “I’m so sorry, Renee,” she said, rocking with me. “You’ve been through hell.” She paused, and then added. “It’s gonna be okay. We’ll help you.”

  I sat up and looked as deep into her eyes as I could.

  “You don’t know what you are saying.”

  “Sure, she does,” Brandon interjected. “We stick together. It doesn’t matter what you are... You’re our friend. You helped us, now we’re going to help you.”

  “So, let’s roll,” Derek said enthusiastically. “That’s a damn nice car out in your garage.”

  I wanted to say no, but I did need them, and I truly believed that they needed me.

  “Remember, it’s not my car,” I said, hating to burst his bubble, but before I could finish, Bo pulled me to my feet, and proudly draped his arm over my shoulders.

  “It is now,” he said with a smirk. “So let’s get you to Burkett, and back here as soon as possible.”

  “I don’t know what I’m going to do if we can’t find Martin,” I said. “He’s my only hope of getting Garvin and Tanda out.”

  “Now, I wouldn’t say that. You have us,” Derek replied.

  I just smiled and nodded, but in my head, I knew full well that if I took them to Cuba, they would be slaughtered. There is no way a normal could stand up to my kind.

  We all gathered supplies – blankets, pillows, and food for the little ones. Bo had gone to the garage to ready the car, and fifteen minutes later, we were headed for Burkett. Leave it do Derek to say something off the wall.

  “Do we need to find you a fresh chicken or goat, Renee?”

  I almost choked when he said it. I burst out laughing, and everyone joined in except Derek.

  “What?” he said. “She has to eat, ya know? What’s so funny about that?”

  “It’s the way you just blurt things out, Derek,” Ashley told him. Derek threw himself back, crossed his arms over his chest, and pouted.

  “Derek, I’m sorry I laughed,” I said, reaching over and patting him on the knee. “You’re just too cute for words.”

  “Really… you think I’m cute?” he asked perking back up, and once again leaning forward on the seat.

  We rode all the way to Brownwood Texas, with Bo driving, chatting idly from time to time. Dawn was getting closer than I liked, so I told him to find a cemetery as fast as possible. When we finally came across one, horror filled my heart. Looking out across the graveyard, not one tomb was to be seen. There was nothing at all to shield me from the harsh sun that was already changing the night sky to a pale hue of dark blue. As we set searching, the sky was getting lighter and lighter.

  “If I don’t find shelter right now, I’m going to burn to death. I need to get inside before the sun comes up,” I pleaded.

  “There,” Ashley exclaimed, pointing out across the cemetery. “There’s an old house.”

  “Where, Ashley? I don’t see it,” Brandon cried. I could see they were as worried as I was.

  “I see it,” Derek hollered out. “It’s over there in those trees. You see it, Bo?”

  “Yeah, I see it. Set back,” he said, flooring the gas.

  It appeared to be abandoned, but there were so many windows most of which were broken, that unless it had a basement, it wouldn’t matter much. We piled out of the car, as the sky became brighter. My skin was getting hot, like normals feel at the start of a real good sunburn, so I ran for it.

  The little ones tried to keep up, but I had to hurry, and in one burst of speed, they were left in my wake. All I heard was Derek say, “I gotta get some of that, did y’all see her?” Before long, they joined me in the house. I slid to the floor, using the wall to brace me, as well as to shield me from the rising sun.

  “No basement,” I said sighing in desperation. “I’m afraid this may be the end for me.”

  “Don’t say that,” Ashley cried. “We’ll find something.”

  Just about the time that I had come to grips with the thought of dying, Bo ran through the back door, grinning from ear to ear. “There’s a cellar out back, and enough wood to cover the entrance,” he said proudly.

  “But what if there are snakes down there?” Ashley shrieked.

  “Trust me, Ash, I’d much rather take on a snake than the sun right now,” I said, getting to my feet. I looked at Bo, with gratitude. “Thanks. I mean it.”

  He looked at me, then turned and walked toward the back door. I followed close behind.

  When I reached the back door, my heart dropped. “Bo, that has to be at least ten yards. The sun’s practically up, and I’m already getting weaker by the second.”

  With that, he picked me up, flinging me over his shoulder, while Brandon covered me as much as possible with one of the blankets, and then pushed us out the door, yelling, “Run.”

  Not only could I feel my flesh being burnt by the daylight, I could smell it as well. Within a few seconds, he had me in the arms of darkness. Bo stayed with me as the other three covered the cellar doorway.

  “Bo, I’ll be okay,” I said, trying not to let on how much pain I was in.

  “You’re hurt, and trust me, I’m used to sleeping in places like this,” he said.

  I smiled, knowing I was safe in the comfort of these very special children. They knew everything there was to know about me, yet they had showed their loyalty today by saving my life. I smiled at the thought, and soon fell into a deep sleep.

  Chapter 23

  “Good morning,” I heard as I slowly regained consciousness. “I mean, goodnight. Well, you know what I mean,” Bo said, still sitting in the very place he was when I fell asleep.

  “Good evening, Bo.” I said. “You stayed with me the whole time?”

  “Sure did,” he said. “But don’t worry, I was snoring.”

  “You know you didn’t have to do that. Even so, it’s the sweetest ever,” I said, as I leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

  “Aw, hey, it ain’t nothing,” he said, shying away. He pointed at my arm as if to change the subject. “You’re hurt.”

  I had forgotten. I pulled back the sleeve on my shirt, and what was revealed was not what one would expect. In the place where normals would have had charred remains of flesh, my skin was fresh and pink, smooth like a baby. I couldn’t say the same for the shirt.

  “How can that be?” Bo asked in amazement. “You were all but on fire!”

  “My kind, heal very fast,” I said, slapping my bare arm. “See, it doesn’t even hurt anymore.” He was staring at me with a strange expression on his face.

  “Bo, are you okay?”

  “I want to be like you, Renee,” he said, his face as serious as I’d seen yet.

  “Never,” I jumped up, and fled the cellar so fast that wood flew in every direction as I pushed my way out.

  “Renee, wait. Please,” Bo called after me. “I’m sorry.”

  I was out of sight wi
thin seconds, hidden by the vast amount of trees. I ran for what seemed like forever, finally stopping when I felt I was alone.

  “Why would he say something like that?” I asked myself. “It’s crazy. After everything I told them, how could he say that?”

  I cried, leaning against a tree wondering what I had done by telling them the truth, when I heard them calling my name in the distance.

  “Renee, please, where are you?” Derek hollered.

  “Renee, I’m sorry,” Bo called out with sorrow in his voice.

  Then I heard Brandon, and his statement sent shivers down my spine. “He only said what we’ve all been thinking.”

  “Please come back, Renee,” Ashley called out, the sorrow undeniable in her voice. “We need you.” Despite what damage the truth may have caused, I knew ultimately she was right.

  “I’m here,” I called to them, starting back their way.

  The first one I saw was Bo. He hadn’t yet seen me, because he was wiping tears from his face, muttering over and over again, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

  I couldn’t stand it. My heart went out to them all.

  “Bo, I’m here,” I said. “I’m sorry I ran off like that. You just shocked me a little, that’s all.” He ran to me like a child to its mother, and lifted me off the ground in a big bear hug that I will never forget.

  “I’m sorry, Renee. It will never happen again, I swear,” he said, tears still streaming down his face.

  “No, Bo, I’m the one who should be sorry,” I said, giving him a hug of my own. “I panicked, but I promise to hear you out from now on.”

  “Renee,” Ashley screamed, running full speed to me. “I thought you left us! Bo told us what he said, he didn’t mean it...”

  “Yes, he did,” Brandon interrupted. “We’ve all been thinking it.”

  “I can’t, Brandon. You’re just children,” I said. “You don’t know what you are asking.”