#Chapter126Aniyah_I kept my breaths steady.Don't forget to breath.Maya would instruct me during our most intense training sessions. At first, my focus was on my breathing techniques when fighting. I would not only count my opponents attacks, but I would focus on keeping my breaths steady.In the beginning, it was a distraction.That was until it became a second nature. As she told me before, it kept me from getting weak. It kept me from begging for a breath after each intense combination of hits.It kept me strong. It helped me last longer."Right." Carl held his hands up steady as he instructed me.At his request, I hit him with a right punch."Right." Again, I threw a punch. "Right foot."I kicked; my foot making contact with the boxing mit."Again. Higher." He urged.Again, I kicked; this strike stronger and higher than the last."Again." He repeated. "Right hand. Again. Again."After each striking blow, he demanded that I do it again w
#Chapter127Jason _I was proof.I was living proof that walking, breathing, living in a nightmare was possible. I have seen every restless moment. I have heard every strange tale. I have seen the dead walk. It was true. I seemed to be in the middle of an inescapable nightmare. A nightmare I could not defeat. “Alpha.” He knew he had my attention, even with my eyes still focused on the metal that was left on the wrecked Sedan. “We blocked off the main road.” He pointed. “North bound and south bound. We created a detour and have someone at each point just in case someone does not abide by the signs.”“Good.” “What next?” Someone asked me. Next? I asked myself the same question almost every day. What do I do next?He waited; watching me for his next orders however I did not any to give. I was lost in another nightmare. Forced to play another game I was not sure I was ready to fight. Another fight I did not want to lead. Other
#Chapter128Christopher and I stood across the street of the enormous structured building. It was bright with a bold sign stretched across the exterior of the building; lighting great enough to light up the evening hours.It was never my taste in design and appearance in color however it brought in a crowd of people who wanted an escape from the typical home workout plans."You guys built that?" Christopher stood at my side as he stared at the vibrant building."It took a few months of physical labor." I responded; watching as people entered and exited the Avalanche gym."Did you know they were hunters?" He questioned me in wonder."More recently, yes." I scanned the roads with my suspicion on high alert because of our current situations. "When building the gym, it was easy to wonder about the request for a heavy cement and metal ground beneath the structure.""What's there?""That, I do not know."I built the structure. What was housed there? I did not know.
#Chapter129Aniyah__I would have thought it was reality.It almost felt and appeared to be real. It was as if I was living in the moment; living in clear time before I knew what existed beyond the structured walls that separated real from fantasy.But then again, if it was real, how would I be able to look myself in eyes? How would I be able to watch myself move about right in front of me?It was like looking through a one way mirror. Watching as they moved about; unaware of me as I watched them. As I watched myself.One would call it a flashback. It was as if something placed me in a specific time; a time where everything seemed almost perfect.We were living in our old home in the city of Philadelphia. A city where everything started for us before everything began to change.It was an early Saturday morning. My mother, so prone to waking up for work, was already in the kitchen preparing a meal I was sure everyone could smell from their bedrooms.She was humm
#Chapter130Describing the sudden shift from my minds imaginary world to reality was almost impossible to verbally explain.It felt heavier. Reality had shifted its weight on to my body and mind. It's pressure creating a numbing feeling I could barely comprehend.The smell was unfamiliar. It's aroma now digging into my nostrils; clawing until it made itself so familiar that I could no longer smell that lingering aroma of oranges and lemons.Strange.It was cold yet still warm. It was as if the air around me was bitter cold however it was the thick fabric that rested on top of me that kept me warm.The headache. I grumbled as my hands rubbed over my forehead and down the curvature of my face.The taste. My mouth tasted of plastic. Its horrid taste now stuck with me even after I tried to wash it down with my very own saliva. Sadly, there was no saliva; my mouth so dry I had almost forgotten what it was like to feel liquids.What is going on?I forced open my eyes
#Chapter131Liz gave a small tour as we passed a few rooms and doorways on the way.By the looks of things, we were far from town and placed in an abandoned building or warehouse. The place seemed huge from what we could see, however it was easy to notice how decrepit this place had become. With its chipping paint and fading colors, its holed walls and weak flooring, we knew this place was aged beyond repair."This is unsanitary." I mentioned as we passed through.We walked down halls; Liz's heels hitting the heavy concrete as we followed her through the long corridors."I don’t think my kind mind a little unsanitary place." She smiled as she stopped at a door.Placing her hand on the knob, she forced it open with one good pull, even despite how heavy the door seemed."Please." He gestured that we entered.Noticing how we delayed our invite, she smiled, hoping to ease us."I'm sure we will answer all of your questions."My questions like why were we here? Wh
#Chapter132Christopher Ross.I never heard laughter cease so quickly. It was as if someone cut off everything; silencing the room enough to hear a needle hit the ground."How do you know my father's name?" I struggled to swallow that knot that formed in the back of my throat."Because I know your father."He’s lying."You're a lie." I snapped."Christopher Ross. Also known as Chris Gold now. He was a doctor who specialized in family practices. The man who died in a horrific car accident." He leaned back in his chair.It was simple.It was easy for him to know about my father before his death. Hell, even an old newspaper could tell him about my father."I mean it was the perfect cover up. A little fire and a body-""You stalked us?""Of course not." He smiled as if he knew it all. "I’m just a little disappointed that he forgot to tell his family about his little side gigs.""Go to hell."I was angry yet I was also emotionally torn apart when he
#Chapter133Patience had become thin.Everyone on each end was dealing with enough pressure to leave them unstable in their seats.Jason's household was a disaster. Order was almost impossible to control as everyone continued to comb the grounds for any evidence."Maybe spread out more?" Christopher, Aniyah's father, suggested as he paced Jason's office floor."If I spread them out any further, it’s a guarantee something would be missed." Jason, annoyed with his pacing, offered him a seat beside Kareem."What do we do if there is no movement on Carl's end?" Kareem leaned forward. "Is he even trustworthy?"Trustworthy? Jason wasn’t sure what to believe, who to trust, or where to even go from there.In a matter days he had made an alliance with not only a covenant of vampires, but a house of hunters.Two different groups he never thought he would deal with."You think he can work for them?" Jason questioned Christopher’s doubts."I mean, what if he is them?