Darkness Fades

Chapter 8

The journey across the sandy desert land is slow, hot and it irks me to know that, if I was traveling it solo, I could have made it to the city and back by now. I drift to the back of the group, checking to make sure no one is getting left behind as we all trudge farther towards the unknown. Nichelle leads the way across the desert land; her bag on her shoulder, her back hunched over like she’s tired. Maci is quiet, looking exhausted and hungry, but I can tell she’s trying not to complain. Aiden’s quiet, too, as he walks just in front me with his head tucked down, trying to keep the light from hitting his face.

Aiden has been acting a bit more strange the more and more time goes by. I know that he has changed into a Day Taker, but still, something else doesn’t seem quite right about him. The mood swings… I don’t remember being that moody.

I watch him from the corner of my eye as I wind around sagebrush and cacti while sand gets in my eyes because of the dry breeze. He still has his hood up and hands covered, but strangely, he doesn’t seem drained of energy the way Sylas and Tristan were when they traveled in the daylight. I stare at him a moment longer, wondering what feels off, but I’m unable to put my finger on it. When he glances at me, I quickly avert my attention from him and focus on clouds of dust the breeze is kicking up.

The sky grows darker with every step we take, and when we reach the edge of a hill, readying to wind down, Nichelle pauses for a moment, waiting for the rest of us to catch up with her.

She looks up at the darkening sky with her hand shielded over her eyes, and her face masks with concern. “I don’t think we’re going to make it back to town before darkness falls.”

“How much further is it?” Greyson asks as he wipes some sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. His skin is sweaty and stained with dirt and he looks exhausted.

Nichelle points at the desert land before us. “It’s over there.”

I step next to her and track where she’s pointing. There’s a deep basin that stretches out a few miles and I can see a small speck on the other side. It looks different than the land I’m used to; more green.

“How long will it take to get there?” I ask Nichelle, measuring up the distance while knowing if it were just me I could be there in a flash.

“Normally,” she looks around at our group, “well, I’d be there already. But we are moving at a much slower pace than I’m used to, so I’m not sure.”

I nod, understanding what she means. “Is there somewhere nearby that we can stop for the night?” I ask when, really, what I want to do is take off and let everyone else stay behind for the night.

Nichelle scans the area below us for someplace to hide as I hear the screeching of the very first vampires awakening for the night. Everyone grows uneasy, restless, as they glance around at the shadows on the hills, the desert land, and the caves in the sides of the hills. So many places for vampires to be hiding and they could walk out at any moment.

Maci starts to shake with nerves and leans in close to me. “Kayla, I’m scared.”

I pat her head. “Everything will be okay. I promise.”

Nichelle twists one of the coils of her hair with her fingers as she deliberates then her eyes light. “I think I may know of a place. If we hurry, we can make it before it gets completely dark.”

I nod and then we take off in a line down a small trail that weaves down into the basin, Nichelle taking the front and me taking the back. The trail is narrow and drops off sharply on one side towards jagged rocks and cliffs. I try to keep an eye on everyone as we hike down towards the bottom, having to catch Maci more than a few times.

It’s getting darker, the sky a deep grey, making it difficult for them to see. The trail begins to slope further towards the ground and Maci has to brace into the rocky wall beside us to keep her balance.

“Be careful,” Nichelle whispers from up ahead, motioning us to keep going. “We’re are almost there. Everyone keep moving.”

I see the edge of the ledge where Nichelle seems to be heading and relief washes over me because everyone is making me nervous. It’s too stressful traveling with the group and I wish I were alone.

Suddenly, Maci stumbles, and when I reach out to grab her, she slips from my grasp, tumbling over the edge of the cliff. She shouts my name as she falls, and I cry back at her. My eyes widen as I rush to the edge and look down.

“Maci!” I shout towards the bottom, lying flat on my stomach as I peer down over the edge. I spot her a ways down, lying at the bottom on the rocks. She’s not moving. I feel a flicker of panic, one I’m not used to as the others rush over to the side of me. It hurts, knowing she’s down there, helpless and in pain.

I need to get to her. Now.

“What happened?” Nichelle asks, rushing up to me.

“Maci slipped and fell over the edge.” I look down at the ground below, panicking more than I ever have before. What if she’s not okay? What if she’s gone? “I’m going to climb down.” I push up and swing my legs around to climb down to the rocks below.

Greyson grabs my arm, stopping me. He’s afraid. Scared of what may happen if we don’t find somewhere to hide from the vampires soon. “Kayla, that was a long fall—” A vampire lets out a cry and he jumps, more afraid as he glances around with worry. “We need to get to a safe place, quick.”

I shrug his hand off and lower my feet over the edge. “Then go. I can get Maci by myself.”

Aiden steps up in front of me when I’m halfway over the side. “Wait.”

“Why?” Dirt and rocks scratch at my palms, but I barely feel it.

“I’m going with you,” he says, crouching down in front of me. “You might need some help.”

“I need you to go with Nichelle and Greyson,” I say, pushing my way back up over the ledge, holding my weight on my arms, my feet hanging below me. He starts to argue, but I cut him off. “First of all, I’m the only one in this group that is immune from the vampires. It makes no sense for the rest of you to risk yourselves.” I lower my voice. “And I need you to help watch the others in case the vampires try to attack them.”

He shakes his head, annoyed. Cries echo around us, multiplying as more and more vampires wake up.

“I’ll hurry and get Maci then meet up with you guys.” I look over at Nichelle. “Can you tell me where the hiding spot is?”

She squats down in front me. “Just stay on the trail and when you get to the bottom there’s a large rock to the right. There’s a trail hidden behind it that leads to the side of a hill that has several caves in it. I think one of them may be large enough for all of us to climb in until morning.” She stands back up and dusts the dirt off her hands.

“Okay, I’ll be there as soon as I can,” I tell her, unsure how true that really is, especially because I’ll be bringing Maci back with me.

She starts to walk away, but stops and reaches into the leather pouch, pulling out a knife. “You may need this.” She hands it to me.

I balance my weight on one arm and take it from her, slipping it into my back pocket; ready to go, ready to get to Maci. Help her. She needs my help.

Aiden moves closer to me, still seeming pissed. “I don’t like leaving you alone.”

He’s getting on my nerves and slowing me down from getting to Maci. “I’ll be fine, now go.”

He reluctantly stands up as the rest of them head off down the trail in a line. I lower my feet, pressing my boots to the side of the hill, then dig my fingers into it and rapidly scale down the side like a lizard.

When I finally plant my feet on the bottom, I rush over to Maci’s side and kneel down, feeling sick to my stomach at the sight. She’s lying face down in the dirt; her arm is kinked at a weird angle, a bone protruding through the skin. Blood drips down her arm, forming a small pool of blood around her and the rocks below her.

I lean down and listen to see if she’s breathing. I hear her take a breath, but it’s small and weak. Still, I let out a sigh, relief swelling within me because at least she’s still breathing; she’s alive.

“Maci, can you hear me?”

She lets out a groan, her eyes opening up. “Kayla?”

“It’s going to be okay.” It feels like I’m lying to myself, though.

She tries to push herself up, but gasps from the pain and drops back down to the ground, her face twisted in pain

“Kayla, is that you?” Her voice is quiet and shaky, her hair is covered in dirt and fragments of rocks and her shirt’s stained with blood.

I need to help her. Somehow. Get her out of here and heal her.

As I’m figuring out what to do, I hear what sounds like approaching footsteps coming from behind me. I whirl around and scan the black land and rocks behind me, but I don’t see anything. Still, I’m running out of time. Vampires will be here soon, especially when they catch the scent of blood.

“Maci, can you move at all?” I ask, gently trying to help her turn over.

“I think so, but I need some help. It hurts.” She’s on the verge of tears.

“Hold on, okay… I’m going to roll you over, but you need to try and be quiet. Don’t scream.” She nods and then I place my hands under her arms and vigilantly roll her to the side.

She bites down on her lip and winces, stopping herself from crying out as the pain gets to her. I can smell the blood and it worries me, especially because she has more wounds than I thought. There’s a large gash across her forehead that looks fairly deep, blood is streaming down her cheek. I rip a piece of fabric from the bottom of my shirt and tie it around her head to try and slow the bleeding down. Then I unwrap my jacket from around my waist and gently wrap her broken arm with it. I take the sleeves of the jacket and loop them around her neck then tie them in the back, securing her arm against her chest.

Her eyes start to drift shut. That worries me as well.

“Maci, you need to keep your eyes open,” I say. She blinks at me. “We need to find a way to get you out of here…” I look for the best way out. Vampires have emerged and are crossing the land. Everywhere. There’s only one option and that’s up. Dammit. “Maci, you’re going to have to climb onto my back and hold onto me with one arm, so we can get out of here. We’re going to have to hurry, okay?” I’m not even sure she can do it, but I have to try.

She nods and I turn around, putting my back towards her. She reaches around my neck with her good arm and grasps onto me, her grip weak.

“Now make sure you hold on tight, okay?” I sense how scared she is and how much pain she’s in. I can also feel her starting to fade. I put my hands behind my back so I can hold onto her legs then freeze when I see movement in front of us.

A group of vampires, salivating from the mouth and bleeding from the eyes, creep out of the shadows of the rocks around us. Their flesh is peeling, their eyes hungry as they snap their teeth, surrounding us. I need to get out of here. Now.

“Hold on tightly,” I tell Maci and then, with one swift spring on my toes, I launch myself onto the rock, only letting her go at the last second.

She grips onto me, but I can feel her grip loosening as her arm begins to slide from around my neck. I dig one set of my fingers deep into the rock, feeling it scrape at my flesh, but I don't feel pain since I quickly heal. Then I push my boots against the surface, baring my weight on them, before I move my other arm around my back to hold onto her legs tightly. The vampires shriek, overlapping the sounds of thudding as they ram their bodies against the cliff side. One of their teeth grazes my boots and I lose my balance. We start to slip back down the hill, however I plunge my fingers and toes deeper into the rock and manage to get us to a stop just before we reach the vampires. I begin to scale up again when one of their rotten hands wraps around my ankle. I slam my boot into its face, but it continues to keep hold of me, dragging me downward, sniffing the air with the scent of Maci’s blood. It won’t let go.

I search frantically for an escape; some way out of this where they won’t devour Maci. There’s a lip on the rock nearby and I start to claw sideways towards it, while the vampire works to pull me down, using my body like a tug-o-war rope, but I get my top half over there.

“Maci, climb on it,” I shout.

She shakes her head, holding onto me tighter. “No, I’m too scared.”

The vampire jerks on my leg again, but I keep ahold of the rock. “Maci, please. I know your brave and I need you to do this for me, otherwise this is going to end badly.”

She pauses then I feel her hold loosen. She shifts and begins rolling onto the lip. I hear her groan, but I don’t have time to see if she’s okay. It’s time to kill, so I let go.

Falling into the midst of the howls and decaying flesh, I land gracefully on my feet, and with one swift movement, I retrieve Nichelle’s knife that she’s given me. I waste no time, slicing the face of the first one I come across. It howls out into the night and then the rest of them start to hover away, my scent frightening them as they deliberate whether to flee or feed. They inhale the air, blood dripping from their wounds. Their backs are hunched over and one of them dares to take a nip at me. I realize the scent of Maci’s blood is overriding their fear, and without much more hesitation, they charge.

Their eyes bleed as they snap their jaws at me. A rounded, tall one with bulging eyes dives at me with its teeth out. I drop kick it in the face effortlessly and slam it into the ground, quickly sticking my knife into its body. It explodes into dust. The other ones are hesitant again as they watch. I bare my fangs, snapping my teeth at them. They pace around me as I spin in a circle with the knife out in front of me. Then they start to cower back towards the sand stretching across the land which is blanketed with darkness.

I start to relax when Maci’s scream pierces the night. I quickly spin around and look up. Two vampires are mere inches away from her, crawling up the side, heading towards the lip in the cliff. I sprint over to the cliff and, with a spring, lunge upward, crashing into one of them. Holding onto their back, I reach around as it bites at me and plunge the knife into its chest. It bursts into dust and I quickly reach out to grab hold of the cliff’s side as the other one continues to scale up towards Maci. I grab hold of its foot and jerk on its leg, forcing it downward. Then I let go and watch it fall and splatter against the rocks below.

I begin to breathe freely again when I notice shadows below me. At least a dozen vampires have returned. Blood rivers from their eyes and bits and pieces of flesh hang loosely off their bodies. They start to climb up the rock, filled with excitement as they stare at Maci. Drops of blood drip down from their mouths, dribbling from their chins as they focus solely on feeding. I use myself as a barricade in front of Maci as they swiftly reach us and then slash one by one with the knife, cutting flesh, nicking bone, spilling blood.

I try to protect her, but slowly, I begin to become overrun by them. They’re everywhere. It seems as if there is no end to them. I continue to hold my knife, though, stabbing each of them in their hearts, spreading dust everywhere, refusing to go down without a fight. Their teeth nip toward my body, trying to rip into my flesh, but they always pull away at the last second when they get a whiff of my scent. I throw my leg out and push them back, watching them stumble over each other as they fall to the ground, yet more keep coming up; climbing and climbing, hungry, seeking blood.

They start to cover my bottom half, coating my legs with bites. I’ve always had confidence in my fighting ability, but I fear this may be the end. Poor Maci, she’ll die with me.

As darkness and bites cover over me, I hear rocks tumbling down the hill from above. I try to flip around, ready to stab the predator, however my hand stops in mid-air when I see the figure of someone I know.

Aiden.

He pauses on the cliff just above us and grabs onto my wrist. “Relax, it’s just me.” He holds onto my hand as he looks at the piles of vampires below me, hanging onto me, covering the rocks around us and the land. “What do you think? Can we take them all?” he tries to joke

I shake my head as my body is jerked down. I turn around to see a nasty vampire, scaling up my body towards my face. It’s missing half of its face and its eyes are full of hunger. Aiden retrieves his knife, ready to slash it when suddenly the vampire takes a whiff of the air. It freezes, looking straight at Aiden, and then it throws its head back and cries out.

The rest of them freeze and then together cry out.

I tense inside at the sight of it. Sheer terror on the faces that were just causing sheer terror.

The vampires quickly turn away from us, releasing my body and then flinging themselves to the ground, fleeing into the night while trampling over one another.

Once the land is cleared out, I gape up at Aiden who is staring at me, confused.

“What the hell just happened?” he asks, holding onto the cliff face with one hand as he gawks out at the land.

I stare at him in disbelief, my jaw hanging open. “I think you just scared them off.”

He scratches his head, but doesn’t look fazed. “Huh, who would have thought?”

I shake my head, still stunned. Aiden can walk with the vampires, just like me.