Blood of the Forsaken

by David Horrocks

  At least Skid had avoided Mexican food this time around, and Jacko had been unusually quiet almost the entire way. Chavz kept to himself, while Mike was just entertaining to be around as he was full of over-exaggerated stories of times gone by. Each of them had their quirks, matched closely by their varied driving styles, with some a little more erratic than others. Sam just prayed that they kept their eyes on the road and always hoped that they would consume a little less alcohol, not that he had any control over what any of them wanted to do at any given time.

  The main thing that all the members of the band had in common was that they were free spirits who had a problem with authority figures and those in positions of power. They weren't afraid to show their feelings towards those people either which had caused some issues in the past, with TJ being just one person in a long list. Perhaps that intolerance of authority was one of the main reasons that they still hadn't landed a record deal, and it was doubtful that the situation would change any time soon unless they had a sudden change of heart.

  “Y’alright, lad?” To Sam’s surprise, Jacko was the first band member to hop back into the van and the strangest part was that he was unusually cheerful. The punk’s yellow toothed grin was as unsettling as it was wide, his spiked mohawk brushing across the fabric of the ceiling as he made himself at home in the passenger chair.

  Sam smiled weakly, already starting to feel weak as the night began to give way to morning. “Hey, what's up?”

  He fully expected Jacko to lash out at him with a sarcastic response, but that wasn't what followed. “Cheers for ‘elpin’ out. We got enough dosh fer payin’ TJ an’ fer gettin’ a few sound upgrades. It’s gonna be plain sailin’ from now on.”

  Sam was almost speechless. These were the nicest words that the guitarist had ever slung in his direction and it had been completely unexpected. “You're welcome, I guess?” It was all a little confusing, but he had to take what he could get.

  Jacko punched Sam in the arm, a quick wink letting him know that it was done in jest. “Yer not so bad, but don't go tellin’ tales. I got a rep to protect, so don't be a wanker an go’ messin’ that up fer me.”

  The friendlier tone was a pleasant change that Sam could get used to, but he didn't want to presume that it was permanent. Jacko could switch back to his usual self at any moment, so he just had to accept it for what it was. A rare moment of uncharacteristic comradery.

  Sam nodded politely, his words as sincere as ever. “Don't mention it. I'm just happy to help out whenever I can.”

  It was the gaunt face of Skid that showed up next, his skinny frame barely filling the open doorway. He inclined his head with respect to Sam with a warm and welcoming smile.

  Jacko chuckled to himself. “Would ya look at that, Stinkboy is back! Clean yer arsehole this time?” As he said, he had a reputation to protect and it didn't take long for him to resort to insults, even if they weren't directed at Sam this time.

  Skid just rolled his eyes and shrugged it off as another typically unpleasant conversation with his bandmate. He hopped into the van, squeezed past Jacko who put up a fuss about him invading his personal space and then disappeared between the chairs into the back.

  It was the much larger body of Mike that darkened the doorway next, the grease in his beard glistening under the fluorescent lighting outside. “Looks like we're gonna be headin’ straight to TJ to get this over an’ done with.”

  Chavs pushed in next to him, his own bulk blocking the rest of the opening. “Then we gonna celebrate!”

  “Hey.” The familiar voice of Entropy through the driver’s side window startled Sam as she tapped on the glass. He quickly recovered and wound down the window, allowing her to talk freely. “Chavs is right. With no debts left, we’ll be free to live the way we choose. There are big changes coming for Entropy of the Heart. This is our time to shine!”

  Entropy beamed at them, displaying her teeth between pale lips. Sam caught a brief glimpse of her fangs as they retracted, leaving behind a set of normal looking canines. He had only seen them for a split second, but something about the sharp points made her seem ferocious, a look that quickly faded as they were hidden away. A single drop of blood ran down from the corner of her mouth, leaving a crimson trail as it slowed to a halt just shy of her chin.

  Mike alerted Entropy to the remnants of her most recent meal as he pointed to the same spot on his own face. “En, hon… You got a lil’ somethin’.”

  “Oh, thanks…” She appeared to be a little embarrassed as she dabbed the blood with a tissue that she had pulled from her jacket pocket.

  Sam wasn't sure, but he could have sworn that he saw Jacko scratching at his neck, his nails irritating the skin around a particularly juicy looking vein. There was no apparent wound, but he had seen Entropy heal her bite marks before and he knew that she left little to no trace of any sort of puncture wounds. But she wouldn't feed from her own friends, would she?

  Entropy focused her attention on Sam now, her eyes flickering with her usual fiery spirit. “You look a little hungry.”

  She wasn't wrong. Sam could feel the beast inside of him starting to stir with his ravenous appetite. “Yeah, it's been a long night.” He knew what was coming as he looked at Entropy, his eyes full of longing. There was nothing more pleasurable to him than drinking straight from the source.

  Jacko couldn't help himself. “Getta bloody room!”

  His laugh was closely mimicked by Entropy who carefully opened the driver's side door. “The sun will be up soon. Come on, Sam, let Skid drive. It's his turn anyway.”

  Sam nodded, the hunger rising as his body grew weaker. Making their way into the back of the van, he couldn't take his eyes off Entropy as anticipation set in for the sweet, coppery liquid that he would soon consume. He couldn't help but feel glad, as although his situation was far from ideal, the group was beginning to accept him as one of their own. With Entropy’s help, he was slowly making friends with them and would soon become a part of their dysfunctional family.

  Sam couldn't wait to find new ways to pitch in and pull his own weight. There was nothing worse than being the weak link in the chain and he wanted that all to change. There had to be something he could do other than drive and help move equipment around. Maybe he could be their sound technician, but he still had a lot to learn. He might even be able to help promote the band and find them some gigs. Either way, he had found a place where he was given the opportunity to fit in and he couldn't remember the last time that he felt that way. He had finally found a place to belong and wouldn't give it up for anything. Unfortunately for Sam, good things don't often last.

  **********

  “Drive, Sam! Drive!!!” Entropy jumped into the van through the passenger door, startling the already nervous Sam into action with her cries of panic. He shifted gear and jammed his foot down on the gas pedal, pulling out into the road in a hurry. The tires squealed as rubber struggled to grip the road’s surface, causing the vehicle to suddenly lurch forwards the second it gained traction.

  Speeding away from the curb at an accelerated rate, Sam glanced at Entropy for a split second to see her in shock. She wasn't usually scared of much, so to see her this way was more than a little unnerving. “Where are the others?” Sam demanded an answer, struggling to keep his eyes on the road as he gripped the wheel tightly with both hands, knuckles white from the strain.

  He couldn't see the expression on her face anymore, but he knew from her shaky voice that things had taken a turn for the worse. “They’re dead… They're all dead...”

  “What?!?” The response wasn't what he had wanted to hear.

  Entropy continued her explanation, sounding as though she was almost petrified with fear as she forced herself to speak. “TJ did it… he… he killed them!”

  The van drifted wildly around a corner, clipping an overflowing trash can as it mounted the sidewalk, sending its contents spilling out over the pavement. Sam gasped, struggling to maintain control of the wheel. Sure, he coul
d drive, but he had never driven this fast through crowded city streets before. He quickly discovered that it was a lot more difficult than it looked and he didn't have enough experience to keep up that kind of speed for long, not without causing a major accident. Continuing to weave in and out of cars that obstructed their route, Sam could hear the engine roaring under the strain as they sped by other vehicles that were honking their horns in frustration. It was late at night, but a city as large and bustling as Miami was never completely free of traffic.

  Sam's mind was racing almost as fast as the van that he was driving, his thoughts whirling around in his head, making it difficult to focus. “What happened in there? I thought we were all set!”

  A bump in the road caused the back of the van to fishtail, with Sam only just managing to regain his composure before having to swerve to avoid a taxi that was double parked. He could see in the corner of his eye that Entropy was looking even paler than usual, trying her best to find the right words. “The deal… It went sideways, Sam. TJ knew that we stole from him and said we still owed him… He was so fucking mad!”

  Sam furrowed his brow, annoyed by how bad things had gotten in such a short space of time. “How did he know that it was us?” Charging straight through a red light and narrowly missing a crossing pedestrian, he did his best to listen to the answer, but found the task to be increasingly difficult as he tried to not get them or anyone else killed.

  Entropy ran fingers through her hair, nails digging in to her scalp as she played the events back through her mind. “I don't know, but Jacko was a damn fool! He tried to make a bargain… Things escalated...”

  As if on cue, a black truck rammed into the back of the van, appearing out of nowhere. Temporarily losing control of the rear wheels, Sam did his best to turn out of a spin as the vehicle spiralled across the street, smashing sideways into a parked car. “Shit!” He exclaimed with renewed fear in his voice. “Things are still escalating!” That wasn't even the half of it. He didn't have the time to think about the pain that he felt from the crash, as the windows of the truck lowered and guns opened fire from inside.

  Entropy ducked down in her chair. She seemed to be shouting something, but her voice was barely audible over the sound of gunshots and shattering glass as it rained down on them from freshly broken windows. Sam dropped down low too, covering his head with his hands to shelter it from the splintered shards.

  An eternity seemed to pass as bullets riddled holes in the van’s door. Sam had positioned his body between the gunmen and Entropy in order to protect her, and when the shooting was finally over, he was surprised to find that neither of them had been hit. It was about time that he had some sort of luck, and not getting shot was pretty high on his list of priorities.

  Once the ringing in his ears began to die down, Sam could finally make out what Entropy had been yelling at him the whole time. “What the hell are you doing, Sam? Step on it!” He didn't hesitate, stomping his foot down hard as he pushed the pedal to the metal.

  The van's bodywork cracked and sheared, leaving the back bumper somewhere in the middle of the road. There was no doubt that the vehicle was damaged beyond repair, with scratches, dents and several missing parts, but as long as the frame held together and the engine still ran, Sam didn't care if it meant that the van would be completely totalled. As they began to gain speed once more, he could feel the vehicle pulling to the right, and so he adjusted his hands on the wheel to compensate. In the remnants of the rear view mirror, he could see the same black truck giving chase, with its own front bumper crumpled from the impact.

  Entropy turned her body in her chair, twisting her neck to follow Sam's gaze. “It’s TJ’s crew… We’re screwed!”

  A second car, closely matching the truck with its blacked out windows and midnight paint job, sped out of a side alley before skidding into the street to join the high speed pursuit. It took point, leading the chase with the truck not far behind.

  “What do they want with us now?!?” Sam exclaimed as the steering wheel began to shake from the engine strain, or possibly from the fact that one of the wheels was close to falling off its axle.

  He didn't appreciate the answer that followed. “TJ’s put a price on our heads. He wants us all dead…”

  The black vehicles were gaining ground, or their van was starting to lose it. Sam wasn't sure, but he kept pushing the motor as hard as it could possibly go. “Why the hell would he want us dead too?” He was feeling both confused and angry at the same time, and was beginning to wonder how he had gotten into this mess in the first place.

  Entropy yelled over the engine’s roar. “Maybe because he wants to use us as an example? I don't know! What do you want from me?!?”

  The pair both fell into silence, neither wanting to keep the argument going. Sam took another sharp left as he tried to head out of downtown Miami and into the more open areas of the city. They crossed over a narrow bridge, squeezing in between passing cars before bearing sharply right.

  As they took another turn, Entropy seemed to perk up, apparently coming up with an idea of what they could do to escape their imminent deaths. “Take forty-one straight out through Westchester!”

  Sam frowned, knowing exactly where she intended for them to go. It was the same part of the city that she had found him in with knife wounds in his gut. “To seventy-ninth street? Are you out of your mind? That's Loco territory!”

  Entropy simply nodded, looking towards the vehicles that were chasing them once more. “We don't have a choice, they're gaining on us! It's do or die!”

  Sam was giving it all he could, but the van now refused to go over sixty, gradually losing power as they flew down the road. “The Loco’s will kill us, En… They won't appreciate us speeding through their territory unannounced!”

  One of the passengers in the black car was hanging out of the rear window, taking pot shots at them with his handgun. Entropy ducked down again, hiding from the gunman's sights. She shrieked at the top of her lungs. “TJ’s crew are going to kill us!”

  Sam tried to keep the other drivers guessing as he continued to weave in and out of traffic. Over the rough roar of the engine, he could just about make out the electronic wailing of police sirens approaching from somewhere in the distance. They had clearly heard all the commotion and were coming to intercept. A loud clunk, followed by smoke rising from the hood, let him know that the engine was overheating and that the van didn't have much left in it. To add to that stress, the metallic sounds of bullets echoed as they ricocheted off the van’s heavily dented body.

  “We can make it out of the city!” Sam yelled his opinion, but Entropy didn't seem to agree.

  “Are you high? The old girl is barely holding together! We wouldn't even get close!” He knew that she was right, but he still didn't like her plan one bit. Entropy interjected before Sam could even try to think of another argument. “Hear me out! The Locos hate TJ’s crew... They'll let us through just for a chance to kill some of them!”

  A stray bullet hit the driver's side mirror, taking it out completely. “Fine! It's not like I have much of a choice!” Sam yelled, his voice as tense as his body. “What else have we got to lose?”

  He tried to wedge the accelerator down further, but it was already down as far as it could go and the van still wasn't gaining speed. That wasn't the worst of it either, as smoke continued to rise from underneath the hood and the motor began to splutter.

  “Keep going, Sam!” Entropy had poked her head back up and was now peering over the dashboard. “Ten more blocks and we’re there!”

  Sam decided to count the city blocks in his head as they went by, trying to use them as a way to calm himself down, but the counting only served to intensify his fear.

  Ten.

  Both vehicles were closing in, appearing in full view of the remaining two mirrors as they seemed to grow larger in size.

  Nine.

  A bullet clipped Sam's shoulder, tearing his shirt sleeve open as it grazed the skin beneath. It hu
rt like hell, but he had already experienced much worse. He grimaced from the pain, only just managing to keep both hands on the wheel. Clenching his jaw, Sam ground his teeth together and pushed through the agony.

  Eight.

  Veering left to avoid an open manhole cover that had been cordoned off with cones, Sam closely skirted past the utility vehicle on the opposite side. He used the truck to temporarily block the shots of their pursuers, but it only gave them a moment’s peace.

  Seven.

  The black truck was almost upon them now, with the car moving to flank from the right. The gunman in the back seat began to aim for Entropy who didn't have room to move out of the firing line.

  Six.

  Just before the man could fire his shot, Sam swerved in the cars direction, causing both vehicles to collide at high speed. The gun still went off, but the bullet hit air as the driver fought to stay on the road. The desperate maneuver didn't stop the chase, but it did buy Sam and Entropy a few more precious moments. Perhaps enough time for them to survive the ordeal.

  Five.

  The car backed off, adopting a different method of attack, which included the truck that was now close enough to smash into the back of Sam’s van again. The truck’s bumper buckled from the impact, locking frames with the van as they grappled for control.

  Four.

  Sam continued to battle against the truck’s driver as he tried his best to shake free of them, but that turned out to be a seemingly impossible task. All three vehicles blitzed through another red light, continuing to travel at dangerously high speeds down the confined city streets. The gunman in the black car began to fire again as his vehicle pulled up alongside them once more.

  Three.

  Sam’s vehicle was falling apart, but he managed to wrestle it away from the truck that almost ran itself off the road due to losing the weight of its hood ornament.