Say Your Prayers, You're Really Gonna Need Them.

★ ★ ★ - Indicates point of view change.

-

By the time I got home Sunday I was shattered.
I had barely accumulated anything close to sleep the night before, so was glad to be in my own space where I could sleep to my heart’s content and until my eyes fused together.

I’d already showered when we got up at Ellen’s, so the only thing I had left to do was check the post and call my mother.

She answered on the fifth ring.

“Hello sweet pea.” her cheery voice began.

I smiled in spite of myself; it was nice to hear that she sounded happy.
“Hey Mum, how are you?” I asked, trying to match her tone.

“Oh you know same old, same old. How’s everything on your end?”

“Uhm uneventful... just college and stuff really.” I lied.

The rest of our conversation was me lying about things that had not really taken place at college, to be honest I couldn’t remember anything properly and so I just exaggerated events to the highest possible level until my mother seemed satisfied.

I never told her about the news paper or that our small town was becoming one major crime scene, I didn’t want any reason for her to worry.

By the time we hung up, my eyes were straining from my impending fatigue.
Once I stripped from my clothes I climbed into bed.

It was safe to say I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

-

“Hello?” I shouted, and jumped when it echoed back at me, my voice being carried by the wind and echoing off unforeseen walls.

I had no reply, but still I shouted and shouted until my throat was sore.
I had this creepy feeling, it was almost devastating but I didn’t quite know how to react.
I wandered through this dark veil until I came to a door; timid at first... but swallowed the fear and turned the handle.

I was now in a huge space, and I could see other people.
But I couldn’t seem to reach them.

“Hello?” I shouted again and was stunned when everything ceased to move, every pair of eyes turning to watch me.

I faltered but regained my voice, “Uhm...” I said, more quietly as I ceased to remember what I had even wanted to ask.

But it didn’t seem to matter as suddenly those eyes, every pair of them, and there were many!
Were now transfixed on me.

“Uhm...” I said again, as they came closer “Would... can you help me?” I asked.

“Oh yes we can help you.” someone said eerily before someone else grabbed my arm, and ran their nose along the length of it; inhaling deeply.

And that was taken as queue for others to follow, they began smelling me... my arms, my hair, my back, my throat, everything.

“Stop.” I asked, but they just continued, “Please... I need help.” I whispered.

“We know what you need...better yet we know what we need.” A voice replied.
And then I felt pain, pain after pain as I was punctured.

My bloody spilt and frenzy ensued, everyone fighting to get at me like I was the only meal they’d ever had.

It hurt, everything hurt, but I couldn’t scream and so I just waited.

I thought I was about to die but then something shifted, causing everyone to impede what they were doing and move away from me.

But then I saw why, It was him... he walked towards me, his pale face framed by gleaming back hair, smooth in the light and his hazel eyes intense.

He walked right up to me and smiled, his sharp teeth seeming to have eyes of their own.
My skin was sore... and caked in sticky blood, I looked down at myself quickly before looking back towards him.

“You need help?” he asked, in a strange tone of voice.

I considered this, throwing a glance towards the crowd of ravenous faces, before nodding.

“Please... I’m hurting so much.” I whispered before realizing I was crying and I felt desperation like nothing I’d ever experienced before.

Looking at me with eyes full of pity he spoke, “I can make it stop... That’s what you want?”
He didn’t wait for a reply, just took me into his arms and bit into a patch on my throat.

And this time I could scream.

I tried to tussle; to get away... this pain wasn’t worth it.

It hurt so much more.