Exposed to Darkness

-1-
Alicia

Alicia lay awake shivering, the room was damp and the wind roared through the broken window. The walls trembled as the storm hit the cabin relentlessly.  She was surrounded in darkness, only catching brief flashes of the room and bodies surrounding her as the lightning cast terrifying shadows through the window.

She was not having a good day, well that's probably an understatement – her whole week had been hell. She'd lost nearly everyone and everything and it didn't seem like it was going to end.

The man lying near her feet gave out a short grunt and rolled over.  There was just three of them left now; Alicia, her sister Cally and the man at her feet named Garett.

There'd been eleven of them when they'd been taken. It wouldn't be long until they killed the next one, but who would it be?

It had all started on the day of the new moon. Well it had looked like a moon at first, that  is until it started to get close. The closer it got the more terrifying it became, which was not just due to it getting closer, looking at it would freeze your blood in terror.

One glance at this indescribable distant object sent people into hysteria, people packed and headed south as if it would get them further away.  It also scared the monsters, forgotten races driven out in terror, creatures that had never been seen in these lands for centuries.

Alicia had been on her way home from a hunting trip with her father when they'd heard the screams. Her father had told her to stay as he'd rushed in to find the rest of his family. He hadn't returned.

Her village had been raided, the beasts had feasted on her friends and most of her family. They'd decided to keep a few alive as a snack as they headed south.  They'd sensed and tracked her as soon as they got close to the woods. She'd tried to run, she was great at navigating the forests, fleet footed. They were faster, stronger, and could track her wherever she went.

They'd ended up dragging her, her sister and nine other survivors with them. They'd stopped for a rest during the storm in a small shack deep within the woods.  She wasn’t sure if she should feel lucky for being left alive with these things but at least she was still with her sister; but for how long, she didn’t know.

Julia had been dragged into the back room with the beasts over ten minutes ago, the noises coming from that room were terrifying. She clenched her eyes shut and tried to drown out the cries as Julia forced out her final scream – a noise that Alicia would never forget. Alicia was relieved once it was over, they didn't let you die fast. They loved fear and they loved their victims to suffer. Julia had.

Alicia had never cared for Julia, she was a complete bitch. They'd known each other since they were toddlers. She'd been the daughter of the local priest, a man who tried to control and pressure those around him into submission; most people ignored him but he'd gathered his own followers.

Father Simeon had been many things but a good man he was not. He'd taken a disliking to Alicia and her family from an early age, calling her a bastard child – most of his hatred arose because her father opposed his teachings. His hatred was aimed further at Alicia after she'd gotten into a fight with his precious daughter. He would often exclude her from social festive events, he'd also accused her of stealing from the churches funds – he'd never have believed that it was his own daughter.

Still, Julia had not deserved her fate.

She slept, escaping the horror temporarily. She dreamt of her father; It was a bright summers day. She sat at the table, 7 years old with her legs swinging back and forth as she was unable to touch the floor. Her father gathered his bow and his worn brown satchel, she eagerly watched him, maybe today was the day.

He looked at her whilst rubbing his chin thoughtfully, one slight head movement from him for her to follow turned that day into the happiest of her life. He was going to take her hunting. James Underwood was a hunter, he'd hunt wild animals and gather wild plant-life which his wife would then sell from their store.

It's all  she'd ever wanted to do, her father was her hero. She followed him into the forest hopping in his large footsteps trying to keep up. He stopped and motioned for her to be quiet. She froze.

It happened so fast, a blur across her vision as her father was dragged away. Before she had a chance to react it was upon her, deep red eyes glaring hungrily at her, drool dripping from it's mouth as it's face moved closer, it's claws ripping into her flesh.

She woke up with a short whimper, it was still dark and the rain had stopped.

The small wooden door leading to the back room slowly creaked open, two figures stood in the doorway, the first was a plump short man wearing a worn purple shirt stained red with his un-fastened tie draped lazily around his neck, the second was a tall auburn haired woman with a very rigid facial structure, she wore a tatty business suit with laddered tights barely covering her legs. The shadow of a third man hovered in the background.

“Let's see what's on the menu tonight!” the small plump man said, shivering in anticipation.

He moved forward as the woman waited in the doorway. First he looked down at Garett and kicked him against the wall, “Feel like something more...juicy”. He walked toward Cally, “How about this one?”.

The woman crossed the room slowly and sensually, “enticing, take her” she said while licking her teeth slowly.

The plump man grabbed Cally by her slick black hair, she let out a whimper as he pulled her toward the door. The terror on her face burned into Alicia's mind as she kicked and screamed, clawed at his hands.

Alicia jumped up as her sister was being dragged away, the stench of death coming from the back room hitting her nostrils.

Cally's body went limp as her head made a small thud as he smashed her head against the door frame.

“Careful, she'll be no fun if she's dead!” the woman scolded him, “The bitch wouldn't shut up” he mumbled as he pulled her through the door.

Alicia was lost, there was no way that she could fight them, nothing she could do. She stood there as the door slowly shut behind them. Silence. She closed her eyes and sank to the floor.

-2-
Eve

She was trying to breath as quietly as possible, it sounded like thunder in her ears. He was out there. Waiting.

She'd lived up in the mountains her entire life with the only human contact being her mother and the various traders that rarely passed their house. Eve had never known real fear.

There had been a visitor at their house today, a traveller passing through the mountains, he'd paid coin for a bed to sleep in for the night and food to fill his stomach. Eve had been fascinated, trying to find out as much information about his travels as possible.

She'd sat at the table with the visitor as her mother had prepared their stew, “Have you ever seen a werewolf before?” she'd asked curiously, “Eve, let the man relax, he doesn't want to be bothered with questions like that!” her mother had snapped.

“That's perfectly okay, as a matter of fact I have met a werewolf.” he'd replied with a sad smile, “but before I tell you about it, why don't you tell me what you think a werewolf is?”.

“Well duh...it's a man who can turn into a giant wolf but only on a full moon, they'll eat you straight up if you meet one!” she'd grinned.

The visitor had watched the red-headed girl curiously, she must only be about 16, she'd seen so little of the world. “Werewolves aren't the monsters people make them out to be, they'll only attack humans if they threaten their pack. Mostly they'll keep themselves to themselves, hunting wildlife. They're generally free happy creatures.” he'd said as he'd smiled.

“It must have been about seventeen year ago now, I'd been working the farms near the Serif river around the time the mines had closed. It'd been quite hard to find work then. I'd have settled for anything, this was bloody tough labour too, a few coins for working 12 hours a day but it was better then nothing” he'd paused for a moment thinking back, “I'd met a young woman there, she had such beauty, amazing eyes and an amazing... - anyway I'd tried flirting with her, maybe showing off a bit; I was a lot younger and reckless back then. I grew quite agitated when she showed no interest. I'd decided to confront her, I followed her home”.

“Is this...appropriate?” her mother had asked.

“I'd followed her for quite some time, had no idea she lived so far away. Something had clearly rattled her though, it was possible I'd made a little too much noise. She'd paused and then fled, I'd never seen someone run so fast.” he continued.

“Okay, supper is ready. Maybe you should leave this story for someone who isn't my daughter” her  mother had commanded in her usual motherly sort of way while placing their bowls down upon the mats in front of them.

“Was she a werewolf” Eve had asked, ignoring her food.

“Oh, she was a werewolf, unfortunately she was already taken. That's how I got this damn thing” he'd said as he'd rolled his shirt up revealing the torn flesh on his torso. “Moral of the story, female werewolves are just as deadly as human females. He'd laughed, “didn't even meet the boyfriend, he was probably harmless compared to this one!”.

“You'll be leaving tomorrow then?” her mother had asked the visitor, hoping his stay was a quick one.

“Oh I'll be out of your hair in no time, on my way to the marshes” he'd said as he'd dug into his stew.

It had seemed so long ago now. She could hear his footstep in the hallway.

She hadn't suspected anything was wrong until she'd heard the scream, her mothers scream. She'd followed the sound, there on the stairs where her mother had lain, her head rolling away from her body in a silent scream. He'd emerged from the shadows silently, all she could see were his eyes as he wore a mask covering his face; an evil blood grin painted upon it's surface.

He'd never spoke, he'd slowly walked toward Eve. The visitor had grabbed her hand from behind and pulled her away, “RUN!” he'd shouted. They'd both ran and he'd followed.

He'd hid her in the cupboard and lured the grinning man away, she had no idea what happened to the stranger, but the grinning man was back and looking for her.

His footsteps stopped.

She held her breath.

She let out a short whimper as a hole was ripped through the cupboard door, an object was dropped onto her lap. She looked down as her mother stared up at her in a silent scream.

He peered through at her and grunted. He reached toward her as she kicked the cupboard door outward, pushing him backwards. She swerved around him and slid over the banister and stumbled over her mother’s headless corpse.

He grunted and followed. His own grin reflecting that of his mask, this one was fun.

-3-
Alicia

Daylight was approaching fast, the back room had been quiet for a few hours now.  She'd already decided that her sister was probably dead, images of her sister played  through her mind, forgotten memories broke through the walls of her subconscious.

She was now eleven years old and so many people were gathered around her house, chattering and laughter surrounded her as faceless shadows relived old memories. It was not a good day, this was the day she'd lost her father, it was the day of her mother's funeral.

Her mother had been battling a demon affliction for years, Father Simeon had blamed it upon her sinful upbringing.  Her father had drifted further and further away from her as he'd watched his wife suffer, Alicia had begun to hate him for that – he should have been there for her not drinking away his life in a dark corner of the local tavern.

While her father had spent the last year or so at the bottom of an empty tankard, she'd suffered watching this woman who she hardly knew any more change from being her mother to a lost child.

Her father hadn't even turned up to the funeral, she stood beside her sister at the centre of this noise, the occasional stranger giving their condolences.  At that moment she'd hated them all, she couldn't join in with their laughter. Her mother was dead and she didn't know how to feel but she certainly knew that this was one thing that laughter could not cure.

The dark black carriages slowly rode down the street, the horses hooves echoing against the cobbled path. There was brief scolding as mothers quietened their young, and then silence.

A man coughed in the crowd and the carriages came to a halt.

A small bearded man dropped out of the carriage, stopped to straighten up his dark grey flowing cloak, glanced around and then strolled toward Alicia's uncle.

Brief words were exchanged and then the man signalled toward the other carriages, their occupants immediately dropped down and then followed.

Cally lightly squeezed her hand, so much said through one gesture. They stood there in silence.

Alicia opened her eyes and came to her senses, she slowly rose from the ground and stepped over the scattered junk on the floor. She had to see, she had to know, she needed confirmation.

She crept slowly toward the door, her terror rising with every step. She held her breath and touched the door, the half dried blood making her top , almost withdrawing her hand in horror.

Garett stirred behind her, “Don't” he whispered.

Alicia froze.

“They'll kill you” he whispered, “They'll kill us anyway” she replied as she continued without looking back.
The bedroom was dark, here was blood everywhere. The monsters slept in it's slick surface, three on the bed and one laying on the floor.

A moan rose to her ears, her eyes tried to focus. She slowly scanned the dark room trying to home in upon the noise.  Her eyes locked upon Julia, she lay still – dead. She continued searching.

She fought every urge in her body screaming for her to run. The smell getting stronger the longer she left the door open. So many bodies.

Something stirred to her right, a hand slowly forced it's way forward and slid on the slick surface.

“Ali...?” a voice moaned.

Alicia crept forward, her terror rising with every step. One of the monsters moaned and shifted, making a disgusting squelching noise as he moved, she fought the urge to throw up.

She made her way over toward what she hoped was her sister, climbing over the tangle of cold unmoving limbs, she couldn't even bring their names to mind.

She crouched above the pale form, blood covering it's face. Cally was still alive.

“We're getting out of here, come on” she whispered and she delicately shifted Cally's wet hair away from her eye. She grabbed one of her arms and pulled, her hand slipped and her arm dropped splashing onto the bloody floor.

Cally closed her eyes.

A hand grabbed Cally's other arm and pulled, “Grab her other arm, come on!” Garett whispered. They pulled and stumbled toward the doorway, taking it slow as not to slip.

They slowly crept toward the room, daylight was so close.  Alicia slipped, Cally fell to the floor. The creatures stirred.

“Move!” Garett shouted.

They ran, adrenalin pumping through their veins pushing them onward.  The vampires came out of the dark, sunlight and freedom were only a metre away.

The beasts roared and lunged at them.

Light blasted into Alicia's eyes as Garett kicked the door open, the creatures hissed and withdrew.

They were safe, for now.