Eternal Night

[Nightshade]

Heres the first two chapters to a story I'm working on. These two pretty much explain the pattern thats going to be through the whole thing.

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Chapter 1 – Mortal

The streets were empty, besides a car or two, each passing by in a rush. This was our day, where the moon peeked out from behind the pitch-black clouds. Not as many of Them came out at this time. The lesser amount barely made a difference. It was dangerous to wander about. At any time. But going out was the only thing that kept me sane. So, against my parent’s wishes, I snuck out at times, just to go for walks, some nearly fatal. But it was a thing you would risk, just to breath real air and move your legs across real terrain.
I was never claustrophobic, but after being trapped in a room, the T.V flickering through a sitcom’s reruns thrice over, one can start to gain the phobia.
I walked down the sidewalk, my eyes straying over the landscape. To my right, I saw a familiar restaurant, which I had never been to. It had been closed down ever since I could remember. People never ate out anymore. They would usually hurry out during times like this and stock up on rations.
There were a few restaurants, but they weren’t run by us Mortals. I shuddered to think what was served there.
I looked across the street at one of the clubs. The stonewalls were painted pitch black, and on one side, in large, blood red letters, was written “Pyre”. It was also run by the Undead, like the rest of the town. I thought I saw shadows beyond the blacked out windows. As a shiver went down my body, I picked up my pace.
As the stores, clubs, and restaurants disappeared behind me, small houses appeared into view. Few families lived in the town anymore.
A small gray house caught my eye and I headed towards it. I glanced at the horizon where a sunset hadn’t taken place in years. The moon was now blotted out by blackness, darker shadows draped about me. I had been on edge the entire walk. But now I was clutched by a greater fear as if I was being followed. I sprinted to my front porch. I looked at the railed posts, looking much like dead vines in this night.
Before my hand touched the pole, prepared to climb back up to my room, I saw a figure dart from the window. Seconds later I heard several clicks as the many locks were unlatched. The door swung open and I was pulled within. It slammed behind me, and I was greeted by my mother’s angry face.
“Chris, why in the world were you out?” she snapped, her face turning red. “Do you care about if you live or die?”
“Sorry.”
“And this isn’t the first time either! You should of learned by now!”
“Yes, mom, sorry.”
“I told you that you can go into the yard, but you’ll get yourself killed wandering the streets at night. You should never sneak out the window. Should we lock you up at night, cause it seems you cant be trusted.”
I locked the door behind me. “No, no,” I said quickly, as I walked to the window. “I wont do it again.”
My mother gave an exasperated sigh as her face softened.
I gave a wicked grin. “I’ll use the front door next time.”
My mother rolled her eyes. As she disappeared into the kitchen, she muttered,” I’m gonna have to chain you up one of these days.”
She was scared like the others. And she had good reason. The town was Their’s. And the night was long, longer than it had once been, according to my parents. It consumed both day and made night darker than it was. The Undead were stronger than us. In this very town, we were slowly dying off. The idiot teenagers who went to the vampire clubs didn’t help in the cause. Ted and I liked to call them “vampire groupies”. The joke helped lighten up our dark lives.
I leaned forward, my nose nearly touching the window glass. My grip tightened upon the windowsill as I saw several shadowy figures dart across the streets. My heart pounding, I prepared to step back and close the shutters. Unlike the myth, vampires didn’t need permission to enter someone’s domain. Some of the town residents learned that the hard way. I lost sight of the shadows. Then one greeted my eyes. It seemed more visible than the others I was use to. The figure seemed to be a solid form, unlike the black mist of the Undead.
The creature headed directly towards our house. I drew back slightly, but continued to watch, mystified. It darted into the bushes in front of the porch. I held my breath, waiting for it to reappear.
Waiting.
My heart skipped a beat, and I jumped away from the window as a figure appeared in front of the window. I opened my mouth, ready to call for help. But my words were cut off by others.
“Its me, you idiot! Let me in!”
I narrowed my eyes to cut through the darkness. My vision cleared. The creature was none other than my best friend, Ted Harris. He lived only two blocks from my house.
“Quick!” he yelled through the glass. I couldn’t waste a second, even that could be fatal. Jumping forward, I unlocked the window and pushed in open.
Ted dived in as if rapid wolves were after him. That wasn’t far off. I slammed the window shut, closing the latch. My friend kneeled down, panting on the floor.
My mother came rushing in. “What’s this then?”
Ted’s speech was ever halting. “…Whole gang of ‘em…. They were after me…. Couldn’t make it to my house in time…”
I patted his back.
“Oh, you poor dear,” my mother said. “Let me get you a glass of water.” My mother disappeared into the kitchen once again. I spotted my father across the living room, locking the other windows.
I looked back to Ted and saw two parallel bite marks on his neck, and paled slightly. Ted noticed me looking at him funny.
He grinned when he realized what I was thinking. “You jerk,” he said with a laugh. “I’m not one of them. I’d have to drink their blood remember. He rubbed the bites on his neck with a frown. “It was close. I thought I was a goner.” There was a short ominous silence. Then he smiled again. “If I was one of them, I’d bite you first. I’d need some company.”
I gave a small laugh and pushed him. Then I stood up. My head turned slightly, my eyes glancing at the window. Something drew me back to it.
I saw them, the group that had pursued Ted to our house. They were in the middle of the street, crouching over something unknown. Every second or two, one of them would lift their heads quickly, looking about. I caught a glimpse of one of their faces, and I felt my throat tighten. It’s mouth was covered in a red substance. Blood.
Then one of the monsters shifted their position, and I regretted having looked. On the cement ground, lay a middle-aged woman, her once white shirt stained red. Her head tilted in my direction. The woman’s lifeless eyes seemed to stare right at me.
I had never seen a feasting. Ted and I would come across a corpse here and there, but this was worse, far worse.
“Oh god,” I muttered in disgust. I felt my father’s hand upon my shoulder. He pulled my gently from the window, and closed the shudders.
My mother came back in, handing Ted a glass of water. She led him to a seat, fussing over him. “You should be more careful. It’s a dangerous world now and days.” She shot a stern glance at me. “See what going out late can lead to, Jake?”
I wasn’t listening. My thoughts were elsewhere.
Dad drew back from the window and looked at Ted. “You should call your parents. They’ll wonder if you’re safe.” Ted nodded and headed into the living room. I sat down, my heart still pounding. Shuddering slightly, I tried to push the woman’s dead expression from my mind. But it was a permanent picture now, just like all the other dead bodies, and the evil faces of our enemies.

 

[Nightshade]

re:

Chapter 2 - Undead

We were open all day and night, though there was little difference between them. But this was the time the most customers came in to the “Pyre”.
I sat upon a stool, leaning back against the bar as they streamed in. In no time, the club was a sea of pale skinned creatures, dancing to the head banging music of tonight’s band. I sent a scornful look across the crowd.
It was always the same. The same mindless crew, same mindless music, same mindless routine. I hated this place, but there was no surprise in that, since I loved nothing. But really, this club was something I hated least of all. Sometimes it blocked out my thoughts, my poisonous thoughts.
I turned around in my seat, and looked at the worn mirror across the bar. In the reflection was what appeared to be the vivid, ghost-like image of a young woman. Her skin was powdery white; black and white hair fell just to her shoulders. She wore a black tank top.
I felt a tap upon my shoulder. Spinning around, I was greeted by the site of one of the club’s assistants. He sent me a fearful glance. I had a lot of power in this club. I was second in command. Second to-
“Your father wants to see you,” he muttered nervously. My eyes narrowed in disgust, making the man squirm.
My father. The one they all feared, the idiots.
I hated him most of all.
“What does he want?” I growled.
“I-I don’t know, Miss Hex, he just requests your presence, ma’am.”
I rolled my eyes. Unwillingly, I followed the pathetic worm. We pushed through the crowd of dead. Going through a rusty door, we reached a hall.
The assistant walked anxiously forward. I walked slowly, glancing around at the doors to my left and right. I was in no hurry to see the man the others called my father.
He disgusted me, for good reason.
I was the only one of my kind. He was my true father by blood. I was parented by two Undead. Vampires never bread, fearful of what kind of child would result from it. The woman who gave birth to me, a harlot among our kind, was, soon after, killed by vampire hunters.
My so-called father abandoned me and I was put into the care of a family of wretched Mortals. They knew what I was, and locked me in one of their closets.
I aged slowly, but I was still a child at the time. I was pathetic and feared these fools. The man continuously yelled at me and hit me at times. It never hurt though.
They rarely fed me. And what scraps they threw in didn’t matter. I needed blood, not bread. The few rats that wandered into my living corridors served for a time. But as I grew, the hunger became unbearable. By that time, though child in appearance, I no longer was young. I developed hate.
One night, I was screaming like a banshee, shrieking curses no child could know at the beasts that imprisoned me.
The man threw open the door, prepared to strike me. But he wasn’t fast enough. I darted out of the way like a fleeting shadow. Before he could react, I pounced at him, ripping out his throat.
My first kill.
I ran from that place. That’s when he returned, ‘my father’. My memories before that time were hazy, dream-like. But that day seemed to stick in my mind.
I stood in a clearing within the dark woods, the sky black above me. The trees seemed to lean towards me like ominous sentries. Snowflakes fell upon me, looking very bright against my black cloak. That’s when he came. He didn’t give a single word of explanation or a single question. What did I expect? “How are you, dear?” “Miss me?” “Have a good time with the Mortals?” Don’t make me puke. He asked me, so simply, to travel with him. I wanted to kill him. But I went anyway. For survive only.
I was broken from my thoughts as the assistant halted at one of the hall’s doors. He clumsily opened it, holding it ajar for me. I swept through like black mist.
The room was slightly large, the stone walls were a dark gray. Others stood in the room. ‘My father’s’ little helpers, no less. On the opposite side of the room, a cement thrown was placed. And that’s where he sat.
I kept myself from giving a bitter laugh. He thought he was a king.
His eyes were like a cats, just like all of our kind. His hair was white, though he was still young in appearance. The man’s skin was also white, but so white that the veins could be seen. He was broad shouldered and very muscular. On his chest was a large tattoo of a spider.
I walked forward.
“What do you want?” I said simply.
“Sophie, my dear, I’m glad to see you.” He still called me by my birth name. But he only did it to remind me of my past.
I scowled at him.
“What do you want?” I repeated.
“Oh, right, I’m sending out some of the group to bring in more Mortals. It’s getting harder these days. They’re becoming more cautious. I want you to lead the hunt.”
This time I laughed. “You have to be kidding me. I’m not gonna become one of your little pets, bringing you food, while you just sit around here all day. You’re pathetic! You can’t even hunt for yourself anymore.”
For a long time now, he had been having his followers bring him many Mortals. He had been feeding nonstop at times, making him stronger and stronger.
One of his followers stepped forward. “You should take pride in what Kyunar is doing. If he continues to grow in power, and the Ritual is completed, our kind will have unlimited power. The Mortals will be slave-“
“Yah, yah, you think I haven’t heard the story? It’s ridiculous. You’re a bunch of superstitious idiots.”
Kyunar smirked. “Careful, daughter. I’m starting to think you have a soft spot for the Mortals.”
I snorted. “Puh-lease. They’re second to last on my list.”
“Who’s last?” he asked with amusement.
I shot him a look that could of shattered glass. “Guess.”
Kyunar gave a hollow laugh. “Fine. Don’t lead the hunt. They’ll handle it.”
With only a glare at the crowd, I turned and left the room.