A Day in the Life

A plethora of dark clouds invaded the sky at sunset, the air chilled after the sun's descent. Jada reached beneath her leather jacket, counting the blades hidden within. Counting six, she began the walk from High Street to Sundown Avenue, a known haunt of the things she sought. She had half an hour before the street would be swarming with the vermin she hunted, and she wasn't prepared to deal with more than a half dozen at a time.

She could've invited Sean to come along, but he would just get in her way. It was easier to hunt alone. Jada needed to reach her monthly quota before she could leave town again. The law dictated each Slayer rid the city of two dozen vermin each month, otherwise they were confined to the city until the quota was reached. It was a ridiculous law in Jada's opinion, but the law was the law. Neither she, nor anyone else had any say in the matter.

She smelled the creatures before she saw them. Metallic sweetness, mixed with decay. Every Slayer had the gift, but Jada's was especially strong. Her quota was always reached before half a month passed. Now it was the vermin's time to sense her.

"Smell that?" One hissed through sharpened teeth, its head tilted as it stood in alley behind Sundown Avenue.

"Like Mother's milk," the other groaned, the smell of Jada's blood filling the creature's nostrils.

"Enough talk," Jada spat, drawing her weapons.

The knives glinted in the streetlight, evoking a gasp and hiss from the creatures. It was the last noise they would make before dropping stone dead, a silver knife gleaming from their foreheads.

"That makes twenty-four."

Jada turned on booted heels, leaving the carcasses for the sun to extinguish.