Kissing Skulls *Revised*

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

                Misty fixed up my bleeding hand with some burning antiseptic and another strip of thin bandages. The job was as professional as always, but I couldn’t help but scowl down at the wrappings.

            Both of my hands were bound up tight, now.  I could hardly move my fingers at all.  Angrily, I flexed them, annoyed when I couldn’t get full range of motion. 

            I felt like a damn crab, or something. 

            “All done,” Misty said softly, stepping back. 

            She had worked on my wound with her same old pixie smile, but this time, as she pulled away her gaze was a little more serious than before. 

                I could hazard a guess as to why.  

                “We’re on our own, Mary,” she said, solemnly. 

                It wasn’t exactly true—yet.  The others were still there, milling about in the great room.  I could hear the commotion they made, picking through weapons and packing bags.  Murmurs of serious chatter drifted in through the open doorway like smoke. 

                But they would be gone soon.

            Already, night was starting to spread across the horizon.  Great, big shadows loomed from the windows, making the room seem even chillier than it had this morning. 

                If they wanted to catch the vampires before they ‘awoke,’ now would be the time. 

                “Mary!”  I turned to find Dave poking his head through the doorway.  He wore his typical, calm ‘Dave’ expression—but there was a darkness hidden in his gaze that I didn’t like. 

            It was a way he never looked when he fought with me.  Like he could…kill. 

            Like he wanted to.

            “We’re heading out.”  He seemed to want to say more, but a call from one of the others made him turn back to the great room in a blur of motion. 

                “Vampires.”  I turned to find Misty glaring as she began to rummage through her tools. 

               Every now and again, she’d pick up something here or there only to set it aside; gathering supplies just in case someone would need first aid later, I guessed with a dry swallow.  I didn’t like to think about it. 

                I watched as her tiny fingers worked with their usual grace, but I could tell that her shoulders were shaking beneath the collar of her pink shirt. 

            Then, all at once, she snapped.

            “I hate this!” 

            I flinched as she slammed a brown bottle of liquid down on the desk, sending a spray of the stuff flying from the top. 

            “What if…what if…”   Her big blue eyes were like saucers, and I could see her bottom lip tremble.  “What if they don’t come back?  What if it’s like what happened to Melanie all over again?”

                “Aw, Mist!”  I slid from the examining table and flung my arms around her tiny shoulders.  She flinched, and I half-expected her to shove me away.