Chapter 3

Theme : Before Transformation

Sub Theme : Walking Into Death's Alley (1)

Ad Theme : Hello Mr Death, I'd Love To Die

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I woke up with a painful crook in my neck. Oh crap this really hurts. I roll my neck around trying to stretch it out. As luck would have it, that didn't work. Sighing I stood to stretch the rest of my numb limbs and exit the train.

The night sky is black and a sliver of the moon shines from behind the clouds. The streets are deserted. I wonder how long we've been here while I slept.

I walk around the empty station for any signs of life or maybe a clue as to where I might be. Hmm I wonder where that train driver is? Sighing I make my way back outside hoping to run into someone.

Right on cue an older gentlemen with white hair comes around the corner eating a doughnut. Judging by his uniform it’s the missing train driver. I watch him slowly make his way to the front doors where I’m standing.

"Oh you’re finally awake there sleeping beauty" he says in an amused tone in between bites. The wind picks up causing me to shiver. I wrap my arms tightly around myself for warmth

"Yes I am. Uh where are we?" I gesture around the deserted train station with no sign of a town in sight.

“This is Chance harbor. Small old town and your stop according to your ticket" he informs. I nod again and look around hoping for a clue to the town square Verna told me about. The man must notice my worried expression because he answers my silent questions

"Town square is about three blocks to the right you should run straight into it. There are a few shops and diners still open and a motel there as well. I would walk you back but I just came from there and I have a schedule to keep" he ends with a small shrug. I smile and thank him for the information walking in the direction he just told me.

This is so creepy. There are barely any street lights and the road is cracked and bumpy causing me to trip multiple times; clearly it hasn't been paved in years. I pick up my pace to keep from thinking about all the animals that could be lurking in the shadows. It's hard to see but all around is empty fields except way back to the left and right of me looks to be woods. There is no way in hell I'm leaving the road to wander a hundreds of yards out of my way to the deep dark dangerous field of trees. Yeah I’m not that crazy.

I glance around searching for the town and little ways up I catch a glimpse of bright lights. Yes! I'm almost there and off this dark lonely road. With a new goal in mind I pick up my pace

Out of nowhere a scream sounds the air stopping me mid stride. Turning my head in the direction it came from there’s an old torn down abandoned house in the middle of the field about twenty feet away.

My stomach drops and I get that feeling something bad is about to happen. A part of me wants to see if someone needs help. But a smarter part knows to get to the town and send someone back instead.

‘No you’re just a coward’

‘Better a smart coward than dead hero. Right?’

I quiet down my internal banter and glance back up at the town so close but still far away. Making a snap decision I run towards it. From this distance I'm sure no one in town could have heard the scream. The faster I get there the faster I can send help back.

I run another twenty steps when the feminine scream pierces my ears again.

Shit!

I freeze.

My heart is beating dents against my chest. My palms are sweating and all in all I'm scared sh*tless.

I can't fight if she’s being attacked so I shouldn't go out there.

What if she’s not being attacked and just needs help?

Guilt hits me with force as I think of some poor woman trapped and hurting or worse dying. I look at the town once more longingly before I turn back heading for the abandoned house.

I can't believe I'm acting like the stupid girls in all the horror movies I watch and laugh at. Next thing you now I’ll be running forward looking backwards and falling over my own feet. This is so freaking crazy but I know if I go into the town and she dies before help comes I would feel heavy with guilt and sadness. I'm already having a shitty day and I don't need to have this on my conscious too.

Stepping carefully on the porch it creaks loudly in protest. Don't know if it’s from my weight or just being old and deteriorated. No time is left to ponder as another more desperate strangled scream assaults my ears. This one isn't as loud but somehow scares me a whole lot more. Pushing open the broken door that’s falling off its hinges and trying to control my erratic heart I step in inside cautiously

"He-hello" I call out in a trembling voice. Curse me for being so scared when I'm supposed to be the hero in this situation. Too bad I'm probably more scared than the victim. Wait what am I thinking? She could be trapped somewhere and here I am paranoid some axe murderer is lurking in the dark.

I step fully inside the house careful of the broken boards everywhere. In the center of the living area old wooden stairs lead up and I immediately cross those off my list as a safe option. The room is bare no furniture at all and the house has that old stale smell. Good thing I didn’t eat lunch or the smell in this place would’ve brought it back up.

I hear a thud but it sounds like it came from below me. Quietly as possible I walk further into the house pass the stairs into an equally empty kitchen. A swoosh of air passes behind me and I whip around to locate the source…

No windows.

What the hell?

I shiver. Getting the feeling like something or someone is watching me. Okay pull it together Ana I coach myself out loud. Talking a closer look around this time I see an open door a few feet from the sink with steps leading down. I'm pretty certain that's the basement and source of the thud I heard earlier. Taking a deep breath for courage I walk over and begin my slow descent down the stairs. They creak loudly with each slow step and I feel the wall for some sort of switch hoping for light.

No such luck. By the third stair I decide to call out again

"Is there anyone down there? Hello?" No response. Reaching the bottom I stop and look around. Much like the rest of the house the basement is empty. There is a small window a few feet higher than me to the back but I would never in a million years get my body through it. Darting my eyes down I see what brought me here in the first place. There lying on the floor under in a heap is a woman. I gasp and rush to her.

Gently I kneel down and brush her blonde hair from her face. She is very pale and looks extremely weak but even so she is still a pretty girl probably in her early twenties. Her eyes flutter a few times before the heavy lids open

"Oh my gosh! It's okay don't worry I'm here ju-just hang on please your hurt I need to get help" I cradle her head in on my lap as I speak. She lifts a hand weakly and points at the window. I look at the window then back at her confused. She opens her mouth trying to speak

"L-lee-leave n-now he wi-will k-ki-kill y-you" she says barely above a whisper. Her words were hard to understand but I get the idea of her message. Someone else here.

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               💿 Disc 2

Sub Theme : Walking Into Death's Alley (2)

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I look at her again more closely this time and I can't believe I missed it before. Dripping down the side of her neck are two long trails of blood. They flow down her neck until they reach the collar of her white shirt soaking into it. My stomach coils at the sight of the blood and I have to fight back a gag.

Her eyes close again and my panic rises. Oh god what do I do? I rush to feel for a pulse on her wrist. Very faintly I feel the beat of her heart. I decide then and there it's time to go. With her warning ringing in my head like cow bells I use my shaky fearful hands to lift her body into my arms bridal style.

She isn’t a big woman but I also have no body strength. Contrary to belief being fat doesn't make you strong. Quickly as I can I make my way back to the steps determined to get us both out of here and back to the town before whoever did this to her comes back to finish.

We make it to the top of the stairs and just as I'm about to use my foot to push the door open its flies back with a loud bang! A small scream tumbles from my mouth and I clutch the woman to my chest.

Blocking the exit is a tall man with broad shoulders. He is easily six foot, dressed in all black. Long dark hair flows around him. His stance is casual but alarms of dangerous and deadly go off in my head. I can't make out much of his facial detail in the dark. My heart thuds against my chest and I try to control my shaking body. The man smiles but it’s not friendly. No it’s menacingly and sends a frightening chill down my spine.

My brain screams run however a part me feels he would enjoy the chase far too much. Besides where the hell would I run to! His smile drops when he realized it didn't intimate me the way it should and he takes a predatory step towards us.

Again I don't move.

He crocks his head to the side curiously as his black eyes meet mine. Are they really black or is it the lack of light playing tricks on me?

In a flash he extends his leg in a swift kick to my core. Unfortunately the girl in my arms takes the pain of the kick but the sheer force of it alone sends us both flying back down the stairs. My back and head crash into the cement wall under the window. Sliding down to the floor the pain begins immediately. I try opening my eyes but spots dance in my line of sight. Closing my eyes tightly I force the pain away to try and regain my vision. When I open them the sight in front of me makes me wish I hadn't.

The man is holding the girl I tried to save against him. Her back is to his chest and he has an arm around her neck holding her in place. Tears leak from her eyes as she looks at me utterly defeated. I feel my own well up as I stare back helplessly. The man pushes her head to the side completely exposing her neck. I watch in horror not sure what to do. I try to stand but fall as soon as pressure is put on my right ankle.

"No need to rush fat one. You’re. Next" his cold deadly voice freezes the air in my lungs. I gaze into the deep black orbs he has for eyes and I knew without a doubt he wasn't human.

He smiles at the horrified expression on my face. Out of nowhere razor sharp teeth pour out of his mouth. I scream and scramble back towards the wall clutching my chest to keep my heart in. He laughs amused by my antics. Then right before me he does something I never thought I would witness in a million years.

This demon or whatever he is sinks his teeth into her neck. My body is shaking so hard its making me dizzy. Tears fall from my eyes at the sight of him drain the blood from her small body. The gurgling sounds he makes while drinking her causes vomit to pour from my mouth. Guess there was something in there after all. I continue to gag even when nothing is left to come up.

This can't be real! Please wake up please wake up Ana! My voice screams mixing with sobs. I'm so scared and shocked I can't think straight.

Wiping the puke from my mouth I begin to crawl away from the wall. Praying with every step this cannibal is too distracted to notice my movements. Half way to the stairs I hear a loud crack and become stiffen with fear again. I turn my head in time to see that he has snapped her neck and dropped her body in a lifeless heap on the cold floor. I wail a high pitched ear throbbing wail scrambling to the stairs with all the strength I can muster.

Please god I don't want to die here! Not like this by some inhuman freak!

I make it to the bottom step when that killer yanks me up by the back of my hair and tosses me to the ground. My back arches in pain of the impact with the hard floor. Oh god I'm going to die. He killed her I'm going to be next.

I try with all my might to scoot back sliding my body against floor. He watches me for a brief moment before stepping on my broken ankle. I fall back screaming in pain. He simply laughs at my cries and adds more pressure to my ankle.

I choke out big sloppy sobs trying to get my leg from underneath him. My efforts are useless. He finally stops and I begin taking deep intakes of breathe attempting to regain my bearings. I feel pressure over my mid-section and open my eyes to him straddling me. He glares at me with a cold hungry look in his eyes before flashing his horrific fangs in sick smile

"I hate getting interrupted when I feed fat one. And you interrupted me so now… Now you must pay" he says leaning closer to my face allowing his blood smelling breath to fan over me. My stomach tightens in anxiety and I’m terrified of what’s about to happen to me.

"Pl-please I-I'm s-sorry. I don't want to d-die" my voice trembles with every word I speak. From the glint in his dark eyes I know he's enjoying my reactions to him. He takes one skinny finger and glides it across my cheek. The coldness of it causes me to flinch.

"There, there, fat one. You shouldn't fear death. After all we all have to time die sometime" he ends with absolute certainty. I open my mouth to respond but I’m too slow. With a speed I didn’t register he grabs the back of my head and lifts my neck to his mouth. He dives his teeth into the awaiting skin all in one motion. The pain is immense…

I thrash around uselessly attempting to break his hold. A red hot burning throb radiates from the spot on my neck his teeth are in. I can feel the blood pooling out as he greedily takes it in mouthfuls. He drops my head back to floor lifting his face to the ceiling in complete ecstasy. I may have even heard him moan.

"Mm what are you fat one? You taste magnificent" I barely hear him. Too busy focused on holding my neck to keep the rest of my blood in my body where it belongs. He begins to stroke his disgusting finger across my face again in wonderment.

"I will enjoy draining the life out of you fat one" he tells me while still stroking my face. His words penetrate something deep within me and I can feel it snap inside. I don't know if it's instinctive or just the fight reflex kicking in since flight isn't an option. However I don't ponder it too much longer. Taking advantage of his momentary distraction I yank his wrist mid stroke taking it into my mouth and with all my strength bite down on the spot I think his vein lies.

My teeth roughly pierce his thick skin and warm blood flows into my mouth. He gapes at me. Truly shocked by my unexpected insane like actions. There is something else that shocks me and it's not the fact that I completely lost my mind and bit someone. No, it’s the taste of his blood. It's sweet and bitter at the same time like dark chocolate while also being smooth and thick like honey. I've tasted my own blood from the numerous times I bit the inside of my cheek from chewing too hard. The point being it always tasted metallic kind of like copper or iron; never sweet though.

Another strange phenomenon comes to me as I drink his blood; the feeling of strength. The wound on my neck can literally be felt closing and the burning cools to a dull ache.

He finally snaps out of his stupor and angrily snatches his wrist from my mouth. In that same second he backhands me across my face. My head whips forcibly to the side and the smack echoes around us. A little blood flies from my mouth from the split lip he just gave me.

"HOW DARE YOU TAKE BLOOD FROM ME!" he roared viscously. He jump off me with grace and swiftly landed a kick to my gut. I would have been impressed by his ballerina like movements if he wasn’t the current bane of my existence.

I clenched over in pain grasping my stomach willing it to stop. Damn that hurt like hell. He continues to pace the room ignoring my cries. After a few minutes the pain decreases and I can almost breathe normally again. That was until the bastard came back kicked me again. Damn! It hurts more the second time. I guess Kim was wrong, fat doesn't offer extra protection. My breath comes out in wheezes as I fight the pain and tears once more.

He reaches down gripping me by the throat and holding me midair. Again I would be amazed by his strength if I wasn't choking to death.

"You stupid, stupid, girl" he says bringing my face closer to his. The anger in his black holes has me petrified.

"I would rip your head off right now! For what you have done! But I have a better idea. You see because I drank your blood and then you stole mine the change will begin at any moment" I claw at the hand still around my neck barely listening to him as I force myself to stay awake. It’s becoming harder with the darkness creeping around the edges of my vision.

"Prepare yourself fat one for this change will have you begging for death I long to give you" he finishes dropping me to the ground.

I greedily take huge mouth fulls of air into my dying lungs.

"Don’t worry fat child I'll be back to finish what I started" He stated with absolution. I lean up to look at him only he's gone: vanished without a sound.