Vampire World
Page 1
Vampire
World
Rich Douglas
Vampire World
By
Rich Douglas
Copyright © Rich Douglas 2014
Cover Illustration Copyright © 2014 by Novel Idea Design
Published by Dark Feed Press
(An Imprint of GMTA Publishing)
Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author's imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher and/or author.
Contact:
GMTA Publishing
7405 Beaver Run Dr.
Fayetteville, NC 28314
Printed in the U.S.A.
http://www.gmtapublishing.com
ISBN-13: 978-0615992501
ISBN-10: 0615992501
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
The Orphanage
The Pit
Red World
Job Hunt
Stalker
Downtown
Date
Recovery
Fireball
Skull Library
A Hot Party
Bitemore Cemetery
First Day at a Dream Job
Secret at the Observatory
Bloody Trouble
More Secrets
Fireball, Level Two
A Special Night
Home Invasion
A Dangerous Hole
Increasing Danger & a Tat
Trapped
Stuck
Trying to Make Sense of it All
Deeper Into Trouble
Decisions
TriFang
Escape
Explaining
Waiting & Weapons
Big Day at Work
New Date
Kiss on a Grave
Payback
Emergency
Falling, But Not Down
Last Secret
Ambush
Fireball Tournament
Game Battle
Shocking Realization
The Truth
A Dangerous Task
Attack
Mr. FreeCut’s Sacrifice
Conclusion
About the Author
DEDICATION
Thank you, to all those wonderful, crazy English teachers that encouraged me to keep writing.
INTRODUCTION
3:15 P.M.
I couldn’t believe it. Could life get any sweeter? Here I was, finally finishing up my third year of High School and on the brink of one exciting summer.
“The end of year party is tomorrow night at Molly’s, girl,” Katey told me. “Can’t wait to see you and Rob there.”
Katey is my cheerleader team-mate and best friend. After telling her how much I was looking forward to it, I made my way down the school hallway. I felt like I was walking down a fashion catwalk.
“Oh, Marissa, that shirt looks great on you!”
“I love the hair, girl.”
“Those shoes are amazing. Where did you get them?”
I know, I know. I look good. Everybody loves me. Especially my boyfriend.
I ignored the compliments. I wasn’t being rude, but Rob had caught my attention.
“You look great, baby,” he said, instantly noticing how much better I look when I don't have to wear a school uniform. Thanks to it being the last day of school, the rules about that have been relaxed.
We’d been together for three months now - the best time of my life. As I wrapped my arms around Rob’s hot body and peered into his crystal blue eyes, I knew I must be in heaven.
“You still picking me up at six-fifteen?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he said. “I got the perfect place to take you tonight. We're going to celebrate our three month anniversary in style.”
“Oh, I can’t wait.”
We kissed passionately, breaking another school rule. One not relaxed for the day.
But hey, who cares?
4: 30 P.M
I was still walking on air when driving my father’s silver Camero on the way home from school. Okay, I know that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but you know what I mean. Anyway, I pulled into a Seven Eleven to grab some Twinkies and the latest edition of Cosmo. While I was waiting in the checkout line I happened to turn around briefly, and do you know what? A stinky old man with a jungle-like beard started staring right at my chest. Gosh, he was a creeper. Even after I'd made my way past the cashier, I could still smell his reeking breath.
Outside, the headlines of a newspaper sitting in a rusty dispenser caught my eye.
Twelve missing in two weeks: Centerville on Alert
I don't usually have time to care much about the news. But this was disturbing. Suddenly a shadow overtook me. I turned around and went eye-to-eye with the creepy guy in the line.
“You better stay home tonight, sweetheart,” he said. “Stay home if you want to live.”
I quickly backed up a few steps. “Who are you?” I yelled. “Get away from me!”
I jumped into the car as fast as I could and drove off.
I didn’t look back.
6:15 P.M.
For this special date I'd changed into my tight jeans and a very cute red shirt. After combing my long dark hair, a pair of pink wedges that propelled me up to a sexy five feet, ten inches completed the look.
Downstairs in the living room, my father was sitting in his usual chair.
“What are you doing tonight?” he asked. “Is Rob coming to get you?”
“Yes,” I told him.
Appearing concerned, he turned up the volume to the large, flat screen TV. Since this was obviously done for my benefit, I listened to the blonde bombshell anchor presenting the local news.
“Is there a vampire loose in Centerville?” she asked dramatically. “No one knows who is responsible for the recent disappearance of twelve Centerville residents, but one thing does remain certain...fear. News Twelve has learned that one man witnessed an attack by someone who was apparently dressed as a vampire.”
The camera did not reveal the identity of the man, but the distress in his voice was clear.
“It was a…a. real vampire! I…I saw him bite my friend! I….”
Dad turned the TV off.
“I don’t know what the heck is going on, Marissa, but just be careful tonight. You and Rob go where there are lots of people. Promise?”
“I promise,” I lied.
The doorbell rang.
My heart fluttered at the sight of Rob. Eager to be leaving, we told my father we were going to the movies. He watched me from the window as I hopped into Rob’s blazing yellow Mustang.
We began kissing immediately, his illegally tinted windows hiding us from any peepers. I gawked at my football player stud and lost my breath.
“Where are we going?” I asked, once my breathing was back to something like normal.
“Some place nice, baby. Just like I promised.”
“I can’t wait.”
“For the best moment of your life, right?”
I knew exactly what he meant. It was a big decision. But I was more than ready. Being with him was so awesome. And it was going to happen eventually, so why not now?
He slammed on the gas and we weaved through the streets of Centerville. Rob didn’t say much. But that was okay.
“So I figure we’re not going to the movies,�
�� I stated.
“Hell no. Just be quiet and relax.”
I remained happily silent for a while. But then something flashed across my mind.
“You heard about all those people disappearing?” I asked. “That’s creepy, huh?”
“Yeah,” Rob responded. “But don’t worry, I ain’t going to let some serial killer dressed as a vampire hurt you.”
I became more thrilled when we left the city limits behind and entered a forest. The rapidly narrowing road lost its pavement as Rob drove up a series of steep, blind curves. Eventually the forest cleared and we pulled up on the edge of an impressive overlook. The entire city of Centerville glistened in the darkness some three hundred feet below us.
“Oh, it’s so beautiful,” I said.
Those were the last words I remembered before we were kissing again. With the moonlight filtering inside the car and rock music softly playing in the background, Rob very quickly lost his shirt. He kissed me harder and I breathed quicker. There was no turning back now….I loved him…I wanted to be....
An almighty crash shattered both the mood and the rear window. Glass fragments sprinkled over my back.
“What the hell?” shouted Rob.
Turning, I saw a rock lying on the back seat.
Rob saw it too. Fuming and shirtless, he jumped out of the car.
“I’m gonna kill you, you bastard!” he screamed.
Thoughts of the serial killer bombarded my mind as I also scrambled out and followed him. He was heading toward the woods.
“Where are you going?” I yelled. “You don’t know what’s out there. What about all those people disappearing?”
He paused briefly and turned around.
“Don’t be stupid, Marissa. I’m six foot-four. A big guy! I can handle myself. Just stay here while I go hunt down the asshole that did this.”
He set off again and disappeared into the trees.
The silence he left behind was heavy. I began to shiver as the minutes slipped by.
A piercing scream split the silence.
My shivers instantly ceased. For several seconds I was literally frozen with fear. That was Rob crying out - I knew it. I wanted to shout out his name, but my mouth and tongue were as rigidly locked as the rest of me.
Only after what felt like an eternity was I able to regain movement. With my heart thumping loudly, I entered the forest.
“Rob, where are you?”
Not a single sound of any kind responded to my timid call. I could feel tears running down my face as I pushed myself further into the gloomy depths of the forest. Dark outlines of trees seemed to be moving ever closer, suffocating me.
“R….Rob?”
Then I heard something, like a branch snapping.
“Is that you, Rob?”
Barely had I spoken when moonlight filtered down through a break in the tree branches above. A shadowy figure was moving stealthily toward me. Something hideous - a deathly pale man with spiky gray hair and a heavy beard. And now he was running. My eyes widened with disbelief when I saw two sharp fangs protruding from his mouth. Oh my god….Oh my god….
“ROOOOOOOOOB!” I wailed.
I closed my eyes, sheer terror preventing me from running away. Within moments I could feel the serial killer's breath on my neck; it smelled like rotten eggs. Still too scared to move, I opened my eyes with the crazy hope of staring him down. But that was never going to work. His lips slowly parted and I had a close up view of his massive teeth. A second later they plunged deep into my neck.
Ahhhhhhhh…..
I fell to the ground, remembering nothing but burning pain searing through my veins. The world was spinning…spinning…and then I passed out.
THE ORPHANAGE
My first sensation as consciousness returned was of spinning crazily around in a foggy haze. I couldn't say how long this continued for, only that it felt like an eternity, and then a few years more on top of that. Even after it finally stopped and I was able to crack open my eyes, it still took a while to get my basic senses working. I was lying on a rock-hard bed in a dimly lit room; that much gradually became clear. But I had no idea at all of where I was. Hell...I didn’t even know who I was.
I couldn’t remember anything.
I stepped groggily out of my bed and looked around the strange room. It was a huge dormitory with at least fifty other beds, all of them containing pale looking kids and teens. Not only couldn’t I remember who I was, I also felt very odd.
From seemingly nowhere, a large and very angry looking woman came rushing up to me.
“Get back in your bed!” she snapped. “You’re not supposed to be up yet.”
She grabbed hold of my pale arm and literally threw me onto the bed. “I don’t care if you’ve been in an accident or not,” she continued, “you’re gonna follow the rules just like everyone else in the orphanage.”
Accident? Orphanage?
I wanted to ask her where the hell I was, but I was too stunned by her appearance. She had huge fangs - perhaps four inches long - that tucked perfectly into her gums. I couldn't stop staring at her claw-like fingernails and pearly white skin, mesmerized by how bright it was. Then she slapped my face. Hard.
“Don’t look at me like that!” she screamed.
Tears flowed from my eyes as I gazed at the fat blob.
“Keep crying and you’ll be going in the dark room,” she told me.
After that ominous sounding warning and a final angry glare, she thankfully stomped off and left me alone.
My bed was basically a flat rock with another rock on top of it as a pillow. I rested my head on this and gazed up at the ceiling. Accident…I’d been involved in an accident. It must have been a bad one because I couldn't remember a thing about it.
All at once I noticed my neighbor sleeping on the rock next to mine. She was a pale little girl, probably around six years old. Her dark eyes were fixated on me.
“Where am I?” I asked.
“Shhhhhhh!” she said. “Mrs Bitemore will hear you.”
I shivered when I saw that she had fangs too and did not say anything more.
The next few hours dragged by. At last, a scarlet light filtered through the few windows angled on the ceiling.
“Get up!” ordered a loud voice.
People instantly jumped out of bed and started a mad rush toward several doors. As I followed along I could see that I was one of the tallest there. The majority were just children, though there were a few teens around.
Damn, I wish I could remember my name.
The same screaming voice sounded again. “Hurry and get washed or you’ll be drinking cold blood!”
Drinking cold blood? What?
A horrible stench hit me as I walked into the bathroom. It was like a million dead rats had been buried between the walls. Yet for some weird reason, no matter how repulsive it was, I also liked the smell. It just didn't make any sense.
After waiting in line forever to wash my hands in some sort of greenish goo, I eventually got to the mirror and was able to take a look at myself. I was surprised at how pale I appeared, and how dark my eyes were. But what alarmed me the most was when I slowly parted my lips and saw the sharp fangs inside my mouth. Oh my gosh…
“Will you hurry up?” complained a girl behind me. She was probably around my age, chunky build with short, clumpy black hair - a far cry from me in the looks department.
“Can I ask you something?” I said.
She frowned.
“Am I a v-vampire?” I asked.
“What do you think you are?” she snapped. “An alien?”
What a blobby bitch. Turning away in disgust, I came to the conclusion that I was indeed a vampire. I guess I had always been a vampire. So why did it feel so freakin weird?
I made my way to the large breakfast hall. Hundreds of other vampires were standing in a line. The dead animal smell was very strong.
Another teen vamp eyed me. “Wow, you’re so tall. How old are you?”
“Well, you’re probably one of the oldest ones in Bitemore Orphanage. I’m Sally. Nice to meet you. What's your name?”
“I'm….”
After a few moments of hesitation, feeling stupid, I told her the truth.
“I was involved in an accident….I must have hit my head or something. I don’t remember a thing. Even my name.”
“Well, don’t worry,” she said. “I’ll try my best to find out what you're called, even if I have to ask Bitemore myself.”
I was immediately uplifted.
“Yeah, she seems like a real devil,” I said. “I’ve already been slapped by her once.”
“Just try to avoid her. That's the best thing to do.”
A thin, relatively plain looking girl just in front of Sally scowled as we neared the front of the line. “Damn,” she said. “Looks like a blood egg filled with eyeflies again. That and a cabet’s head. Yuck!”
Sally introduced me to her friend. Her name was Jennifer. “Come and join us at the table,” Sally said. “We’ll keep you safe.”
The vampire cook, a large man with a bald head and midnight black eyes, handed me my food as I held out the tray.
The smell of blood was so strong, I felt like a heart surgeon. The small fried egg on my plate was okay until you looked in the middle. Where the yoke should be was instead a foul blob of semi-congealed blood. Beside this offering sat the severed head of a bizarre looking furry rodent with three eyes and pointy fangs. A paper cup filled with more blood completed the meal.
I started to gag and dropped my tray on the floor in disgust. All eyes were on me as the burly Ms. Bitemore approached.
“Lick it up!” she roared. “Your blood! Lick it up! NOW!”
I gazed into her cruel eyes. She was uglier than a demon and bulkier than a pie-eating champion. I would have loved to sink my fangs into her and bite her horrible head off. But she struck first. Before I knew it, two steel-like hands had forced me face down on the floor, my nose only about an inch away from the puddle of blood.
“LICK IT!”