True Darkness

The rooms were silent. The only thing I could hear was my own heartbeat and that frightened me. I was frightened. Not just for myself but for my friends too. Friends. I had friends. I had made two good friends in less than a day. But now there was a chance I would lose them because of what I am. A weirdo. A freak. Different. Unique. Whatever you want to call it. I'm it. But suddenly I wasn't ashamed anymore. I was angry. Angry because of these people trying to kill my friends. Angry because my parents were involves. Angry because out of all the people on this Earth it happened to me.

I was just about to try to leave the secret room, despite not having the first clue as to how to escape, when there was a knock at the door. I froze. All previous courage had been battered away with that knock. I strained to listen but, at first, heard nothing. Then I heard the front door creak open and the sound of a light scuffle as my protectors wrestled with my attackers. Suddenly the scuffling stopped and only silence remained. I help my breath, trying to be able to hear anything to indicate that my friends were okay, with no succession. That was until a single pair of footsteps advanced upon my hiding place.

Closer and close. My eyes strained in the darkness, desperately searching for something I could use to protect myself, but I found nothing. The footsteps stopped outside where I was. My heart pounded uncontrollably rendering me deaf. Suddenly the doors to both the wardrobe and the secret room flashed open, the sudden intrusion of light blinding me but that didn't effect me much. I screamed slightly and snapped my eyes shut, realising I didn't want to see what they were going to do to destroy me.

"Look at her! She's scared to death!!" a familiar voice rang out.

A hand clamped around my left shoulder, pulling me forward and out of my only possible safety. The person was addressing someone. There was more than one of them. I didn't stand a chance.

"Now why on Earth was she in that wardrobe?! Is that seriously how you guys treat a guest?" the voice continued. Female. My captor was female.

"Because we didn't know who was at the door." Ashton growled unhappily.

Suddenly I snapped my eyes open, wanting to assess the damage to my friends but finding them unharmed. This caused my head to swivel to the person holding onto me. I found a girl not much taller than me who I had met previously at school. I grinned.

"Lamia!!!!" I yelled and pulled her into a hug, sobbing uncontrollably.

She hugged me back and laughed before turning back to the two, very angry looking, boys.

"Seriously though guys. You almost ripped my shirt. And it's new! What gives? You were acting as if I was one of them." she said trying to cover up something I already knew.

"It's okay Lamia. She knows." Ashton explained, uncrossing his arms from his chest.

"No thanks to you trying to hide it though." Julian spat.

"Oh shush you. She doesn't need to be kept in the dark. I wanted to know if she knew about our kind and what she was. Turns out she didn't." Lamia said waving a hand dismissively and sauntering over to the kitchen.

"And if she didn't know already it wouldn't have taken her long to guess thanks to your ignorance." Julian continued, following her.

"You worry too much. I'm not as stupid as you may think." she giggled and pushed herself up onto the counter. "Ugh I'm starved. Julian, be a babe and get me something."

"Get it yourself. You know where things are." he growled and pulled a chair out from the table. I stood with Ashton near the door watching the two converse with deep interest.

"Oh dear Julian. Are you in love with me?" she asked leaning towards him.

"What?! No! Why would you even ask that!" he yelled, reddening furiously.

"Just because you always seem to want to see me walk. What other reason could you have for denying me the privilege of having a tall, handsome boy fetch me something? I'm too irresistible for rejection." she said throwing her head back and laughing. The sound was fantastic.

"Ugh!" Julian yelled, threw back his chair, stormed over to the cupboards and threw a bag of crisps at Lamia before taking a seat as far away from her as he could get.

The way she manipulated Julian into doing exactly what she wanted was fantastic. I was in complete awe and wonder of this fantastic creature. I didn't know if it was because she was a vampire or just a natural talent she was born with but she could move with such grace and ease. She reminded me of a cat. One that knows it's something to be worshipped and plans on getting whatever it wants.

"Oh good!! You do know how to make a girl happy. I'd kiss you if I didn't think you'd take my soul." she said checking a nail.

"Don't tempt me."

"Okay then! I think that's enough banter for today, don't you? Anyway. We have more important people to worry about." Ashton said pushing himself off of the wall and wandering over to the two.

"Where are we taking her to?" he asked looking at me for a moment.

"Well there is that place near the docks?" Lamia suggested.

"What that really isolated place where people go missing all the time and no-one notices? Yeah. Nice one." Julian said sarcastically.

"You notice." she replied, pointing a little finger at him but not looking away from her nail.

"I'm a Grim Reaper. It's my job." he pointed out.

"Okay guys that's enough. Now honestly, we need ideas and soon." Ashton cut in.

"Erm why can't I stay here?" I said quietly from the wall.

"Because here's the first place they'll look sweetie. Non of our houses are safe." Lamia explained kindly. She patted the work surface for me to join her but I declined.

"Don't talk to her like she's a child. She's been through a lot. Just because she's lost her Dad doesn't mean you need to talk to her like she's five." Julian spat.

"Yeah cause like bringing up her dead Dad is the best idea right now. At least I was being ni-"

"Okay that's enough!!" Ashton yelled at the top of his voice. When he looked around I could see his eyes were glowing violet. It was scary but Julian and Lamia shut their mouths.

"Right. Good. I suggest we take her to the stadium. It's got the best defensive structure, our place there is already furnished and we can train her there without people noticing." Ashton said calmly.

"But wont there be other people there?" I asked again.

"No. It's been abandoned for over eight years now so don't worry about it." Julian said not looking at me completely.

For some reason at that moment I remembered my Dad and his final moments. I remembered how I never got to say goodbye. I remembered how he had tried to kill me. I remembered how awfully he treated me. Then I felt the familiar sting of tears at the back of my eyes and blinked furiously. There was nothing left to do. I had to live so I could protect this world. But whether that would be as easy as it sounds is another thing. I looked up at my three friends and nodded.

"Okay let's go."

"As you say boss." Ashton said smiling. "I'll go get the bags, Lamia you pack food supplies, Julian you get the money."

"What about me?" I asked feeling left out.

Everyone stopped and looked at me as if I had been forgotten about.

"Erm. You can go get my Teddy and my book if that's alright?"

I sighed at the pointless job but nodded anyway and made my way back into his room. So now I was on the run. Now I was technically a fugitive. Now I had more than just myself to live for. Now things get interesting.