The First Contact

“Myra…”

There she was, back to how she used to be. My mind completely shifted gears. Instead of worrying about our current goal, all I could think of was going to her. How would she react to me like this? What would I even say? Would she still see me as her brother?

Would I still see her as my sister if our positions were reversed? Now, I think so but, back then vampires were evil creatures that preyed on the innocent. I may have opened my eyes after meeting Aiyana, but would I still think the same if it was Myra that went to save me?

All of a sudden the idea of going over to her and letting her see me like this made my knees buckle. A single step felt like a mile. It felt like there was a wall between us, that would keep me from her no matter how high I climbed or how hard I tried to break through.

Was this how Aiyana felt?

The feeling of something small tapping my arm broke me out of the trance, a pebble thrown by Aiyana as she was unable to grab my attention otherwise. “Aster!” She whisper shouted, “where are you going? We’re almost done here!”

I hadn’t noticed I’d moved, I was so fixated on her. Aiyana took the risk to run across the graveyard and grab my arm.

“Aster!” She shook me, bringing me back into the moment, “what’s gotten into you?! If you don’t pay attention we’ll get spotted.”

I looked blankly at her, “my sister…”

We were definitely at an angle where we could see her, but she couldn’t see us. But when Aiyana took a look up and saw Myra in the window, I saw any remaining colour in her face completely drain away.

Without even thinking she bulldozed me behind the nearby wall for cover. Had she taken a second to slow down, maybe she would have noticed the tools on the wall next to us. If she had, maybe they wouldn’t have crashed against each other

Without even thinking she dragged me behind one of the nearby buildings for cover. But she didn’t see that just behind the wall was an old tool cabinet, filled to the brim with rusted shovels, pitchforks and dull blades. She practically threw me behind the building and I had lost my balance. Unable to control my landing I fell into this hut, and sent the tools crashing to the ground. It was loud, loud enough that the young lady staring out her window could hear.

She was out the door and in the graveyard so fast we barely had the time to retreat to the darkness, luckily she hadn’t seen us just yet. Though the lack of cover meant that the likelihood of her finding us was very high. Aiyana came to the same conclusion, being so close to humans already made her look pale. But now one was right around the corner, actively searching for her. She looked like she did back at the estate, balled up and shivering. Tears formed and fell like rain.

We had taken cover behind a small wall that bordered the graveyard’s perimeter, and just behind me to the right was a way out. But, the graveyard was practically in the middle of the village. If we made a run for it, we’d be spotted, and if the alarm bell rang we’d be overrun before we could even make it to the outskirts. With the light of her lamp illuminating closer and closer to our crime scene, it was fast becoming time to make a move.

“Aiyana. When I tell you, stay close to the ground and move quickly. Get past the houses and to the gates as soon as you can. Don’t look back for a second. Got it?” I instructed. Aiyana nodded wide eyed, still looking like she was seconds away from passing out.

“What about you?” She asked, and I knew she realised my plan.

“If you run now and I cause a distraction it means you can escape. There’s still a chance I can make it out afterwards, maybe if I can give the villagers the slip.”

“I’m not going to leave you here so I can run away!”

“Don’t be so stupid!” The words shot out like a bullet, digging deeply into her chest. “If we both stay here it’s over, what’s the point of us both dying?! Get the hell out while you still can”

Still she refused to budge. “Aiyana! Will you stop being so difficult?! You said it yourself, you don’t want to be a burden on me, this is you being a burden!”

“I also said I don’t want to be the reason you get hurt! If getting out means you can’t then I won’t go!”

Finally I snapped, “You either start running or I punt you down that alleyway. I made this plan, it’s my burden to bear. Chances are that they will catch us and if that’s you, regardless of whether I escape, we’re both dead. This isn’t a game, Aiyana. So go home and survive!”

Before I could even finish what I was saying she connected hand to face, loudly enough that Myra definitely heard. The vampire that faced me now, was completely broken. Tears flowing like thick rivers down her face, looking at me with pure anger in her eyes.

“You want me to sit in that wardrobe and watch like I did with my parents? No, I’ve done enough hiding, and I’m so sick of losing people I care about. So if you’re going to give up, then so am I!” She bellowed, hooking her arms around my waist and crying into my chest. I was at a loss for words… I couldn’t make her leave.

So, as the footsteps got closer and closer, I gave up. Gazing at the sky, making peace one last time. I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed tightly…

“Myra!”

The footsteps behind us stopped. That voice…

“You’ll catch a cold out there! Get back to bed, we’ve got a long day tomorrow.” The voice called out again.

Myra responded, “Yes grandpa, I’m coming.”

The old man, unknowingly, had just saved our skins. Myra returned to their abode, completely oblivious to our presence. The two of us lay motionless on the cobbled street, unable to believe what had just occurred.

Aiyana and I stayed there silently for a good few minutes, praying to whatever gods we could think of that she wouldn’t return. Guess the gods were real. After a while, Aiyana looked into my eyes, and I into hers. We didn’t say a word.

*-*-*

Myra hadn’t seen us, and the wave of relief washed over both of us, leaving us free to make an escape and head for the hills.

The journey had taken a considerable amount of time, and the sun wasn’t far from rising. Drained and dejected, we made our way back home before the morning’s kiss caught us.

Though only halfway up and more tired than I’d been in some time, I was feeling optimistic. Aiyana was over the moon, practically sprinting up the mountain with a gleeful bounce in every step.

It had weighed on my mind a little, once again leaving my family, but soon I’d make a remedy for this curse, and I’d get to see them.

Suddenly, the air had a chill to it again, a remnant of winter perhaps… no. It was, odd…

Aiyana had rushed off up the mountain leaving me in silence but… was it always this quiet?

Something seemed off, the hairs on my arms stood up. Normal sounds held an ominous ring to them, as if foreshadowing what I couldn’t see. Ever get the sinking feeling that something bad is going to happen? When you feel like the world is telling you to run, but you can’t quite understand it? Well, that hit me hard.

Hit even harder as the bushes behind me began to rustle. My heart dropped when he appeared before us, like a phantom in the miasma.

Hooded, and hunched over. His cloak, split and battered. Heavily bandaged with a wooden arm that double as a crossbow. He came shambling forwards like a sewn together corpse. He reeked of death, in fact just looking at him made me think of the storage room, and the feelings I had when I first entered and saw the human husks hung in place.

His mouth creaked open, revealing the scars along his skin. Just the sound of his breath was chilling, a demon in the wind trying to pull out my soul.

“I have walked through fire and brimstone. Dispelled witches, beheaded werewolves and cut out the hearts of dragons. But you, and your kind, are my specialty. I’ve fought against many of your kin, life drinker, none lived to tell the tale, none able to spread my legacy. So allow me. They call me the Headhunter, I call you my prey.”