The Fall [2]

Nineteen

❝ all this running around,
trying to cover my shadow ❞

"Fuck yourself."

Her eyes jump to Seth, who looks uncharacteristically cold. The man only cocks his shotgun in response, Seth's grip tightening so much her flinch seems cushioned. The man — Amber attempts to recognize him, attempts to ascribe a meaning or reason for his appearance. She can't find none. No matter. Not everything has to always mean something. Not everything bad that happens needs to have a meaning. And just because something bad already happened, it doesn't mean something good is coming.

She's begun to understand that.

Suddenly, the man's eyes widen and his face stretches uncontrollably into a grimace. His gun drops to the ground, and pain washes over his features.

Rafael's sharp fangs sink into the flesh of his neck, and without hesitation, Seth jumps up, dragging Amber with him.

They push the doors of the mercado open, rushing outside; running for their lives. Only when they reach the car Amber dares to look back, terrified to find that their pursuer is already out the door.

He aims his gun at them, but before the ringing sound of a hot bullet can follow, Rafael appears and attacks him from behind. This exact moment sunlight hits Rafael, and his body begins to burn in an agonizing flame whilst he fights the man, until lastly, it slowly dissolves.

"No!"

The setting sun annihilates the boy. Amber stares at the pile of ash that has once been someone with heart, aspirations and dreams, now only a glistering spot on the dusty ground.

"Rafa!"

"Get in the car!" Seth yells erratically, and Amber snaps out of it, eyes suddenly on their pursuer, gathering himself. She spins around to the car, tearing the door open, jumping inside. Her heart throbs loudly against her chest as she tries to catch a normal breath, her eyes still widened as the attempt to process what she has just seen.

Instantly, Seth hits the gas pedal, the car disappearing from the scene in a course of a few seconds.