This Blood is Forever

Chapter 1

I sipped my coffee while glued to the news footage on my television. A reporter droned on about a raid the Ruggsville Police Department had been involved in earlier that morning. It had occurred at a dilapidated farmhouse not far from where I lived. They had raided the house of a family I knew very well.

"I am standing outside the perimeter of what is turning out to be the most horrific crime scene since Jack the Ripper stalked the streets of London. What police have uncovered reads like this - human skulls used as ornaments. Body parts stuffed in refrigerators. And I can't believe what it says here - a mass grave of decomposing bodies dumped under the crawlspace of the house.

Police believe most of the victims were drugged, kidnapped, and sexually assaulted. Also inside the house, police discovered a collection of diaries and scrapbooks detailing the accounts of more than seventy-five murders."

The leader of this group, who is somewhat of a local celebrity, goes by the name of Captain Spaulding, along with two other suspects known as Otis B. Driftwood and Baby Firefly. In an attempt to help the Ruggsville Police Department, we would like to show you the mugshots of the suspects known to have escaped the raid earlier this morning."

Pictures of Captain Spaulding, Otis B. Driftwood, and Baby Firefly flashed across the screen.

"The family responsible for these brutal crimes are now known as The Devil's Rejects. They are considered armed and extremely dangerous. If you see these suspects, do not attempt to apprehend them. Call your local police department immediately."

A commercial popped on, bringing me out of my trance. Shaking my head, I sighed glumly. "It finally happened. They finally got caught. Shouldn't have killed those fuckin' pigs a few months back. Maybe they'd still be doin' their thing. I warned 'em."

As my phone rang on the end table next to me, I sat my almost empty mug on the coffee table.

"Please be one o' them," I pleaded.

Grabbing the receiver, I pressed it to my ear.

"Hello?" I said frantically.

"Yeah, it's me."

I recognized the voice immediately as Spaulding's, or as people close to him called him, Cutter.

"Hey," I blurted. "What the fuck-"

"Relax, Luna, it's alright," Cutter assured.

"Alright?!" I screeched. "You call all o' this alright?!"

"Yeah, fer what it is. Gloria got pinched, RJ's dead, and I dunno shit about Tiny, but Happy Boy and Baby made it out unscathed through the sewers. Baby called me about an hour ago. I jumped in my truck and galloped outta town right away. I had ta git a good distance away before I called ya."

"I'm glad ya called at all. Thank you fer giving me some kinda relief. I'm sorry about RJ. That ain't fair."

"Yeah, yeah." He paused for a second, as if he was unsure about what to say. "Uhh..."

"What?"

"Did ya still wanna run with us? I wouldn't blame ya if ya said no. It's fuckin' dangerous. You could git pinched or killed at any time."

"Of course I wanna come!" I snapped. "Just tell me where ta go and I'll be there."

"Alright, good. We're meetin' at Kahiki Palms Motel like we always planned. You remember where that is, right?"

"Yeah. About 3 hours from here. Rt. 75."

"Right, but don't go straight there," Cutter instructed. "Come pick me up first so I can ditch my truck."

"Where are you?"

"I'm on a pay phone at an abandoned gas station on Rt. 66. My truck is out back outta sight."

I nodded. "I know the place."

"You still got yer emergency bag packed?" he asked.

"It stays packed."

"Good."

"I'm in those photo albums, too, ya know," I pointed out. "It's only a matter o' time before the authorities find out who I am. I'm gonna have ta ditch my car, too."

"Trust me, I'm aware," Cutter said. "But right now we'd have a better chance o' not gittin' pinched in yer car. I'm miles away from civilization. We'll git another car as soon as we can."

"Alright. Stay outta sight."

"I will. See ya soon."

The phone clicked in my ear. I slammed the receiver down and hopped up off the couch. Racing into my bedroom, I yanked a full duffel bag out of my closet and tossed it on my bed. I glanced around quickly, looking for my boots. Spotting them in front of my dresser, I grabbed them, slipped them on, and tied them. The bowie knife I wanted was on the dresser as well. I strapped it to my thigh.

I took a quick peek in the mirror to make sure I didn't look like a complete mess. I didn't want to attract unnecessary attention. I had already showered, dressed, and brushed my hair and teeth earlier that morning. My long, dark hair was smooth and shiny, and my face and clothes were spotless. Satisfied, I hoisted my duffel bag over my shoulder and exited my room.

My keys were hanging by the front door. Making a beeline for them, I snatched them off the wall, opened and shut my front door, and headed to my car. Unlocking it, I tossed my bag in the back seat and jumped in. Starting the car, I backed out of my driveway and drove out of my neighborhood as if everything was normal.

I decided to take a huge risk and coast by Cutter's gas station. Spectators and cops were everywhere, and Ravelli was nowhere to be seen.

"Fuck," I huffed. "Stucky is probably in deep shit, too. All of this has turned out ta be a real fuckin' shit show."

Turning onto the main highway out of town, I took off like a bat out of hell.

To be continued!

A/N: Wow, my writing is rusty as fuck. I'm just glad I wrote anything at all. It's been a year since I published something. I know this first chapter is kinda short for me, but it's just the introduction. I also know I have other fics to finish, but please give a girl a break. I've been fighting cancer for 4 years.