by Tahnee Fritz
He keeps his aim on Ryder, trying not to let what I said get to him. The fear is building in his eyes and I can smell it seeping through the pores on his body. I lift my hand and quickly grab the gun from his grip. With my other hand, I take his wrist and twist it around his back. He shouts and grunts from the pain. I can feel the bones popping the more I stretch his arm this way. He backs up into me and elbows me in my side. He jabs me hard enough to get me to let go of his arm. He spins around, rubbing his wrist and hand to ease the pain.
I guess this kid is stronger than he appears. It doesn’t take him long to get over the pain in his arm and he’s back in the game, charging toward me. I’m too late to react and he wraps his arms around my waist and tackles me to the ground. The gun flies out of my hand and lands somewhere in the grass. This kid tries staying on top of me. He grabs for one of my wrists to pin me to the ground. He gets my left one and goes for the right as I reach up and grab a chunk of his hair and pull as hard as I can until I hear a sharp ripping sound.
The scream coming from his throat is enough to scare the birds in the nearby trees. Their wings flap through the air as they fly away in terror. I didn’t mean to rip his hair out or small bits of the flesh from his scalp. There’s blood dripping from the roots of the hair in my hand and he topples to the ground next to me. His hands try covering the wound on his head, but it must hurt too much for him to touch it. My eyes stay glued to the hair and bits of skin in my grip. A few drops of blood run down my fingertips and I can feel the warmth from the thick liquid.
I sit up and let the hair fall to the ground. The human blood remains and I admire the beauty of the red stuff on my hand. This is the first time I’ve touched human blood since my change. This small amount is enough for me to want more. To taste it, to let it flow down my throat and cure the hunger in my stomach. To ease the longing pain I have for this strong desire. I bring my hand closer to my face and inhale through my nose. The sweet scent takes over me and everything disappears for a moment. My hands are shaking, I bite my bottom lip, forcing myself not to lick my hand clean of this blood. It’s all I want and the smell is causing the frenzy to shift to something a bit more menacing.
The young human is squirming on the ground next to me. More blood drips from the wound on his head, wasting away on the grass he’s lying on. How could I let it go to waste? I just need to bend down and take all that want and more. It would be so easy and I could end the suffering of this poor human. He’s in pain and with my help, I could take it away.
I reach over, my hand hovering above the bloody mess on his head. He’s still screaming and crying, the salty tears streaming down his face. He looks up at me with fear burning in his eyes. I could end his sadness and take him out of this hellish world. In the process I could end my own suffering. End my constant desire to feed on something I don’t want to feed on.
Wait a minute.
I don’t want to kill this human. I don’t want to taste his blood just to get rid of the hunger burning through me. If I let even an ounce of that stuff touch my lips, I could completely turn into the monster I know is inside me. I could let her loose and this whole world could be at risk. That’s not something I want to do in this lifetime or any other.
A loud gunshot filters through the air and I snap back to reality. Out of instinct, I jump to my feet and spin around, searching for the cause of the blast. Jason is standing a few feet away, the small pistol I took from the boy is in his hands. I follow his aim and spot the bigger man with his hands wrapped around Ryder’s throat. There’s a bullet wound in the man’s back and blood is soaking through his shirt. His grip is still on Ryder’s neck and I quickly move my feet to get to him.
Jason pulls the trigger again and the bullet shoots the man in his side of his stomach, just above his waist. I get closer. I see his grip loosening from Ryder’s neck. The life is fading from the man’s face as he struggles to stay on his feet. I grab his arm and yank him away from Ryder, then shove him to the ground to let him die. I smell his blood and it takes all I have to not let it get to me.
Ryder grabs my arm and my attention turns to him. He’s coughing, trying to catch his breath after having it taken away from him for a brief moment. I can see a red mark around his throat and it’s now when I realize just how much his life is in danger because of me. Because I’m in this mess and bad people are after me, he’ll always be in danger. Trevor seems like the type of man who will use whatever he can in order to get what he wants. Ryder is a potential victim in that scenario and I’d much rather not see it play out where he is being used to get to me. I’ve had that happen once. It cannot happen again.
“We need to keep moving in case someone else catches up with us.” Jason says, then starts jogging away.
Ryder takes another, deeper breath, then pulls me along with him as he runs. We still need to find the truck stop and find a way to get back to the city. I’m starting to think that won’t be as easy as everyone had hoped.
* * *
The truck stop Adam mentioned sits on this lonely strip of highway. I can see the almost leveled town further down the road and it has that eerie vibe to it. It’s looks like a place I’d rather not venture to, even in this undead form of mine. There are dry cornfields on both sides of the building separating it from the town. Two semi-trucks sit in the lot behind it and one of their trailers is overturned beside the gas pumps. A grey van is parked close to the building and, to my great surprise, the keys are still in the ignition. I highly doubt it starts, but it’s rare to see a used vehicle on the road with keys still inside.
There are three different sections to the truck stop building. The first one is the main part, the convenience store and a place where truckers used to get their coffee. Next to that, a small deli where people could stop for a bite to eat. At the far end, is a car wash with one giant bay for the big rigs. The roof is caved in on that section so we won’t be able to wash our vehicles on this little trip today. Good thing we walked here.
No one in this newly formed group of mine is brave enough to scope out the inner makings of the stop. Katie is busy drying her eyes with Rose and Annah. Hank stands close to them in case they need further comforting. They just got their lives back and they could’ve lost them so easily back there.
Jason, Ryder, and I approach the consoling new humans and stare at the building standing before us. The glass doors and all the windows are still intact. There is some graffiti in black spray paint all over the grey building and the trash cans are tipped on their sides. Through the windows, it looks dark and empty. There’s a chance this place hasn’t been visited for months. I remember the last gas station I ventured to that look abandoned much like this one. If I recall, a vamp was hiding in the shadows waiting for her next snack.
“We should go inside.” I say.
The others snap their heads my way as if I just said the worst thing on the planet, “We can’t go in there! What if there are zombies or vampires?” Annah exclaims.
“We can’t risk going inside when there’s only one gun to the seven of us.” Jason adds, “That’s not enough fire power in case we need it.”
I roll my eyes and say, “Well, we can’t really stay out here in case those assholes find us out in the open. It’s better to keep hidden until the others join us, then we’ll get on our way to the city.” I start to walk away from them.
“Wait,” Jason calls and I spin around, “You’re not seriously going to risk your life just to find us all safety, are you?”
I shrug, but it’s Ryder who answers as he walks with me, “You really don’t know Bridge like I do. She’s a bit crazy.”
I smile and turn back to the building. Jason sounded like he was concerned for me. The look on his face before I turned around made that concrete. He has no reason to worry about me. I’ve got Ryder for that and he doesn’t worry all that much. After saving him a few times, he really has no reason to doubt how amazing I can be in tight situations.
The handle on the glass door is caked with gri
me and dust. It looks like this door hasn’t been used in a while. I try pulling on it and, of course, the damn thing is locked. Ryder pulls on the other door and gets the same result. Breaking the glass on the door is an option. It would be easy, but it would make a lot of noise which could draw in some unwanted guests. Silence is what we all need in order to stay hidden. I back away from the door and move my eyes up and down the length of the building. Like I mentioned, all the windows are still there. No holes or secret entrances pop into view, but there is another door down at the deli.
“Stay here.” I say to Ryder and the others, “I’ll find us a way in.”
I let my feet do the work and carry me to the next door. The air is quiet and I take a deep inhale through my nose. Other than the few humans behind me, there are no other smells. Nothing which causes me to go into another frenzy. I reach the door to the deli and grip the dusty handle. It’s not as grimy as the last one and this door isn’t locked. There’s an obnoxious squeal when I pull it open and a very distinct odor fills my nose. Something I’m not sure I want to be smelling right now.
I keep moving, letting the damp air caress my skin as I walk inside. It’s pretty dark in here. The small amount of light shining through the windows isn’t enough to illuminate the inside of this place. The door slams shut and the sound echoes through the building. The odor is stronger now and I stay quiet by the door to listen for movement. If there were a human here with me, they’d stay silent for the fear of running into a zombie or vamp. They can be pretty smart about hiding from those monsters in order not to be eaten. I would have heard a zombie by now. They couldn’t keep quiet if their undead life depended on it. The one thing I’m worried about, is the creature that has stealth written all over it. A blood thirsty vampire.
I know a vamp wouldn’t care for me. Before I saved Katie, she wanted nothing to do with my blood. I guess I’m too dead for either of them to want to try a sample. There is just the matter of all those humans standing outside waiting for me to tell them that it’s safe. If I take too long, someone could come in here and be a nice snack for a vamp.
I move further into the deli. Under the glass at the counter is completely bare of food and the cooler for drinks is empty as well. To my left, is a doorway leading to the convenience store part of the truck stop. I take a deep breath, letting the aroma fill my nose. The smell seems to be stronger through the doorway. I let my feet carry me while I keep my eyes peeled for any other signs of life. This is the first time I actually don’t mind if I run into a vamp. I have no reason to lure it out into the sunlight and biting it would be doing a good deed. I’d be unconscious for a few hours, which is the only downfall.
Many of the coolers in the station have been wiped clean, as well as the shelves that were once full of candy and chips. However, there are a few packages of food scattered about the place and even some bottles of water at the bottom of one of the coolers. It’s almost like this stuff was left behind on purpose. I move onward, letting my dull reflection stare at me as I walk.
My clothes are looking a bit old these days. There’s a hole in my jeans from where I was shot and another one on my shoulder. The wounds are gone, but the dried blood and hole in the fabric remain. By the look of me, one would think I’ve been out here for a year without bathing or changing my clothes. Hard to believe it’s only been a few days.
I’ll be passing for a zombie in no time.
I turn away from the coolers and walk by the cash register. The only thing on the floor behind this counter is a pile of cigarette boxes and some cans of chewing tobacco. I can’t possibly be alone here. With the strong smell of death, I am certain there’s something else here with me. I spin around, scanning the convenience store one last time. The aisles are clear and everyone is standing on the other side of the glass entryway. There’s a rubber door half open in the wall next to the coolers. The “Employees Only” sign is crooked and the door is stained with blood. It looks fresh and I let my feet take me to it.
The smell is definitely getting stronger as I walk toward the door. I reach my hand out and touch the cold rubber and slide it open. It scrapes against the floor and gets caught on something before it can close after I enter the room. This room is where the employees would have gone to refill the pop and beer in the coolers. A few carts remain and empty soda cans are piled in the corner. I turn my head and spot the hunched over figure of a young boy pressed up against the wall. He’s shivering and his face is covered with his hands. His jeans are tattered and shredded by his bare feet. The shirt he’s wearing is no longer white, but stained red with blood. I’m sure the mark on the back of his neck is to blame for that.
“Hello?” I call out to him as calmly as I can.
He jumps and raises his head. The paleness of his skin reveals that he is already changing. He’s sweating like crazy, yet seems to be shivering at the same time. I recognize that look. It’s the same thing my dad went through after he was bitten.
“You okay?” I ask.
He shakes his head and whimpers, “No.”
“When did you get bit?” I ask.
He opens his mouth and forces the words to come out, “Yesterday...morning.”
“You still remember it?”
He nods, “Why?”
“That means you’re not quite a vampire.” I say, taking a few steps closer to him, “I can help you.”
He stands up a little and looks slightly relieved, “How?”
“I have a cure in my blood. Something that can change you back to normal.” I reply.
“You do?” he says.
“Yeah,” I say, taking another small step closer, “it might sound unbelievable, but I’ve already brought a few others back to life. One vamp and a few zombies. I can help you too, before you change completely.”
He moves away from the wall and a smile forms on his purplish lips. I can’t let him bite me and I can’t bite him either. I’ll pass out again and I can’t risk not being awake right now. Something bad could come this way and I’d ending waking up in a bad place.
“How can you save me?” he asks in his tiny voice.
“Umm, I need to go get my friends. They’re waiting right outside and you have to promise me something before I get them.” I say.
“Okay.”
“You have to keep yourself from wanting to bite them.” I say.
He nods as he speaks, “I think I can...do that.”
“Wait here, I’ll be right back.”
I quickly walk away from him and head for the glass door. Ryder and the others have crowded around it and are peering in through the dusty glass. They step back as I reach for the lock and push the door open. I stand in the way so they can’t pile inside. It will be too much for the little boy in there and, if he’s anything like me, he’ll find the hunger frenzy hard to resist.
“We have a situation in here.” I say.
The others look past me, scoping the place out and Ryder says, “What do you mean?”
“There’s a kid in the room behind the coolers. He was bit yesterday and he’ll be a vamp soon.” I reply.
“You can save him!” Katie exclaims.
I shake my head, “The last time I bit a vampire, I was out cold for an entire night. I can’t risk passing out right now.”
“Well, you can’t let him change into a vamp if he’s just a little boy. You have to do something.” Katie retorts.
Jason steps forward, pushing his way inside the gas station and says, “I’ve got an idea that might help. We’ll need something sharp and a cup or a bottle for him to drink from.”
He goes right to work, searching the gas station for a knife or something sharp enough to break skin. Katie follows him and looks for a cup in the deli part of the station. I take a few steps backward, allowing the rest of them to come inside. They group together by the cash register and stare at the coolers. Ryder closes the glass door and clicks the lock back in place.
“I found a cup.” Katie states as she holds a paper c
up over her head and walks next to the coolers.
I take Ryder’s hand and lead him to the rubber door that is still stuck open. Katie holds onto her find and follows us into the small room. The little boy is pressed against the wall again as he stares at the two people I’ve brought with me. He’s even more frightened than before and I can see a look of hunger building in his eyes. We need to hurry with this or it’ll be too late and I’ll have to do this the wrong way.
Jason rushes into the room behind us and says, “Found a piece of glass we can use.”
He stops moving the second he sees the boy. I guess he wasn’t expecting to see someone so young changing into a vampire right before his eyes. It’s unfair for this to happen to any child out here, but that is how life has to be in this point in time. The zombie-vampire era is a hellish world to be a part of, but with me around, there just might be an end in sight.
I let go of Ryder’s hand and lift the sleeve on my right arm. I take the glass from Jack’s grip and turn to Katie. She reads my mind and lowers the cup under my forearm as I take the piece of glass and press it against my skin. I feel the poke as it cuts me and see the blood trickling down my arm. I slice into my flesh, letting as much of my blood pour into the cup as we can get. This is the only time I’ve ever done it this way and I have no clue how much he’ll need to drink in order for it to work. The more, the better in my book.
I drop the shard of glass and the last few drops of blood splash into the cup. We managed to get a little less than half which I hope is enough. Katie hands me the cup and I turn to the boy. My arm is already starting to heal as I approach him as calmly as I can.
“Are you...sure this will work?” he asks.
I nod, “I’m sure. You’ll just fall asleep for a little while, but we’ll all be here when you wake up.”
He nods and reaches for the cup, taking it from my hands. He hesitates before taking a drink and sniffs the red liquid. He closes his eyes and presses the paper cup to his mouth and tilts his head backward so the blood can flow down his throat. Some of it spills out and drifts down his chin and onto his shirt. I can see every swallow he takes as he finishes the drink. It falls from his hands and hits the floor with a quiet thud. He looks at me for a moment and his hands begin to shake. His breathing quickens and his chest moves up and down even faster.