Nothing's More Beautiful Than a Radiant Eclipse
Prologue
"Christina. Come here," Samuel Rogers ordered, his voice almost a whisper. Sweat dropped from his brow and dark brown hair. His arms reached in the dark, hoping to find the one he loved. The tips of his fingers felt her body. He sighed in relief. He wrapped his arms around Christina Miller and pulled her to his body. He put his head on her shoulder and inhaled. Her scent, her aroma, he breathed in. He layed his head on her hair and let her dark brown curls brush against his cheek.
"Sam." Christina's tone had worry underlying what she believed to be bravery. "Are they still here?" she kept her voice low so that they wouldn't hear.
Samuel nodded. "Yes," he answered her. He kissed her forehead and held her tightly.
The screams and screeches started again. It warned Samuel and Christina that they were still out the door, waiting. They were waiting for their meal, for Samuel and Christina's flesh and blood. Then, to Samuel and Christina's surprise, the high-pitched screeches stopped.
Samuel's heart raced. He knew they hadn't left. They were just trying to lure them out. He also understood that if they didn't get what they wanted, they would force them out. Christina would get harmed if they attempted that. Samuel knew it and he didn't want it to happen. He knew what he had to do.
Samuel gently pushed Christina away.
To Samuel's surprise, she grabbed his arm, refusing to let go. "Where are you going?" she asked anxiously. Her eyes were moist with tears that were starting to fill.
"I'm going outside to see if it's okay," he lied. He wasn't going to see if it was okay. He was leaving for a different reason entirely.
"What if they're out there?" she objected.
"What if they're not?" He gave her a half-smile, trying to convince her that everything would be fine. He hated decieving her, but he knew it was for her own good.
Christina sighed and let go of Samuel.
Samuel embraced her once more. He kissed her passionately, knowing this would be the last time he would see her. "Nothing's going to happen," he promised in a whisper.
"I love you," Christina whispered in his ear. Her face was hot with tears.
"I love you," Samuel repeated her words and let go of her.
As he walked out the door, Samuel's heart dropped. He despised himself for lying to her and it hurt him deeply to see her cry. He felt like weeping himself, but fought back the tears.
The small wooden house that had been refuge for hours was now behind Samuel shrinking in the distance. His heart beat was in his ear, beating like deadly drum, counting down the seconds until he would perish.
He was getting anxious as he walked. They hadn't attacked yet. It made him worry. What are they doing? he asked himself silently.
A loud, heart stopping scream pierced his ears. He turned around. "Christina," he said, his voice nearly inaudiable.
Samuel raced towards the house as facst as he could, pushing himself to his limits. He felt as though he needed to run faster, but his feet and lungs were restricting him. "Christina!" he yelled. He could feel tears flowing down his cheeks, but he didn't wipe them away.
He reached the house only to find that the door was blown open by force. He stopped in the doorway. He couldn't breathe when he saw the room. There was blood covering the walls, the furniture that had been there before were now piles of wood chips.
Samuel looked over in the corner of the room, only to see his love dead. Her body mutilated, blood covering her clothing. Samuel could only walk to her. He couldn't breathe, think. He felt dead, like his life had been taken. He picked her up in his arms and rocked her gingerly, whispering apologies over and over.
Finally, Samuel felt a sob break free from his chest and he started to cry over the body of his wife.
"Sam." Christina's tone had worry underlying what she believed to be bravery. "Are they still here?" she kept her voice low so that they wouldn't hear.
Samuel nodded. "Yes," he answered her. He kissed her forehead and held her tightly.
The screams and screeches started again. It warned Samuel and Christina that they were still out the door, waiting. They were waiting for their meal, for Samuel and Christina's flesh and blood. Then, to Samuel and Christina's surprise, the high-pitched screeches stopped.
Samuel's heart raced. He knew they hadn't left. They were just trying to lure them out. He also understood that if they didn't get what they wanted, they would force them out. Christina would get harmed if they attempted that. Samuel knew it and he didn't want it to happen. He knew what he had to do.
Samuel gently pushed Christina away.
To Samuel's surprise, she grabbed his arm, refusing to let go. "Where are you going?" she asked anxiously. Her eyes were moist with tears that were starting to fill.
"I'm going outside to see if it's okay," he lied. He wasn't going to see if it was okay. He was leaving for a different reason entirely.
"What if they're out there?" she objected.
"What if they're not?" He gave her a half-smile, trying to convince her that everything would be fine. He hated decieving her, but he knew it was for her own good.
Christina sighed and let go of Samuel.
Samuel embraced her once more. He kissed her passionately, knowing this would be the last time he would see her. "Nothing's going to happen," he promised in a whisper.
"I love you," Christina whispered in his ear. Her face was hot with tears.
"I love you," Samuel repeated her words and let go of her.
As he walked out the door, Samuel's heart dropped. He despised himself for lying to her and it hurt him deeply to see her cry. He felt like weeping himself, but fought back the tears.
The small wooden house that had been refuge for hours was now behind Samuel shrinking in the distance. His heart beat was in his ear, beating like deadly drum, counting down the seconds until he would perish.
He was getting anxious as he walked. They hadn't attacked yet. It made him worry. What are they doing? he asked himself silently.
A loud, heart stopping scream pierced his ears. He turned around. "Christina," he said, his voice nearly inaudiable.
Samuel raced towards the house as facst as he could, pushing himself to his limits. He felt as though he needed to run faster, but his feet and lungs were restricting him. "Christina!" he yelled. He could feel tears flowing down his cheeks, but he didn't wipe them away.
He reached the house only to find that the door was blown open by force. He stopped in the doorway. He couldn't breathe when he saw the room. There was blood covering the walls, the furniture that had been there before were now piles of wood chips.
Samuel looked over in the corner of the room, only to see his love dead. Her body mutilated, blood covering her clothing. Samuel could only walk to her. He couldn't breathe, think. He felt dead, like his life had been taken. He picked her up in his arms and rocked her gingerly, whispering apologies over and over.
Finally, Samuel felt a sob break free from his chest and he started to cry over the body of his wife.