Crimson Queen

Michael

Darkness. I was floating in it. There was no end to it.

Where am I?

There was so much pain. I couldn't tell where it was coming from. The last word I could remember was 'ten' before blacking out. But the pain had been real and my back had been on fire. The tears had been all but exhausted and my body had just seemed to collapse. My head spun like a pin wheel and my entire body was drenched in sweat.

I opened my eyes then quickly closed them. The spinning started again. My body was heavy. I moved my fingertips and the feeling returned to my body. I opened my eyes again. It was midnight. A cool breeze kissed the sweat off my body. The streets were empty of all life except for the thrown vegetable. I could smell their rotten presence.

My tongue was thick and my throat parched. Every breath was torture. The wood had started to chafe at my neck and wrists. There was barely any feeling in my right arm. My back was pulsing and on fire. It was like a million ants had taken a bite out of my skin. The salt from my sweat made them burn. I didn’t have the breath or energy to scream anymore. My eyes were dry and burning.

The moon was shining up above. I couldn't see it clearly but I knew it was up there. It was strange. At the same time last night, I had been looking up at the same moon. Then it hit me. It was dark. I was injured and I was unable to move. Vampires were coming. My heart raced painfully. I couldn't catch my breath. I was going to die.

A shriek tore through the air. The breath got stuck in my throat. My mind was completely blank. I was sure my heart was going to burst. They were coming.

Calm down, I told myself. Don't panic. Get. A. Grip. I closed my eyes forcing myself to breathe. Panicking with sheer blind terror wasn't going to help anyone. I had to make a plan. My mind was racing. If . . . if the bodies disappeared before morning then the vampires would have to release the prisoner from the stockade. Or rip their limbs off one by one, I couldn't help but think. No. They'll have to release me and torture me. I have to be fast.

My movement was restricted but there was a stick just beyond the stockade. The townsfolk hadn't used it on me but I knew they were tempted to beat me to a bloody pulp. If I survived tonight then they would do it. If I could get to that stick then maybe I would live for a few more seconds. It was worth a shot. I really didn't have anything else to loose.

Long, stretched shadows advanced on the ground. My stomach rolled. I knew they could hear my heart beat. I couldn't hear their footsteps but they were coming closer. A bead of sweat rolled down my face. I would give anything to be able to wipe it away. Three of them appeared in my line of sight. Three vampires with glowing red eyes.

Two of them were flanking their leader. They were dressed in normal clothes of trousers and shirts. The only difference anybody could see were the blood stains on their torsos and on their arms and their glowing red eyes. They walked toward the stockade; closer and closer.

I kept my eyes firmly on the ground. I couldn't afford to be caught off guard. A pair of boots stopped just inches away from my face. My heart felt like it was going to burst. The only noise was my heavy pants.

"What do we have here?" the vampire finally asked.

The vampire knelt until he was at my eye level. Cold finger curled around my chin and lifted my head up. My body was shaking. The vampire smiled. His fangs gleamed.

"You look delicious," the vampire said.

The two others laughed. The vampire leaned closer. His breath reeked of blood. I couldn't turn my face away. He sniffed me. Shivers crawled up my spine.