Zone Zero (Book 1 of 3)

Chapter 6

Maybe there is a way to reopen the trap door and escape the way I fell or at least do some sort of signal to tell people I am here. Surely there would have to be a search party for me? I am General Childs' niece for God's sake.

I shine the light all around me and manage to take in my surroundings. The tunnel seems to continue to go underneath the wall and out into the unknown. It is only about a meter wide and besides the section where I fell in from, it is only just two meters in height.

I search for some section of weakness or some way to climb up to the door I fell through, but I am filled with doubt. The vampires wouldn't have made a mistake with a trap like this. This is to trap stupid humans like me so they can be food. They wouldn't put their food in jeopardy of escaping before having a chance to taste it.

I feel despair and apprehension begin to take hold as it dawns on me. I am stuck here. There is no getting out of this. When the vampires come I am as good as dead!

Suddenly a wave of sickness enters my stomach and turns my insides until I find the need to sit down and pull my legs in tight to my chest to stop is nausea.

The realization of my impending demise fills my head and flows down my cheeks in the form of tears.

"The light's missin'. Must be awake and walkin' around down 'ere then." A thick American accent, which I can only presume is from the southern regions, fills the tunnels. They are coming for me.

I sit in silence and hold my breath hoping that they can't hear me.

"Down there." The second voice sounds American as well but not from the same part as the first.

The light. They have spotted the light in the distance and now they know just where I am. I scuffle with the switch and turn it off letting the darkness encase me once more and sit in silence focusing on keeping my breathing down as quiet as possible. I know a bit about vampires and one thing for sure is that they can hear a person breathe when they put their minds to it.

I listen for footsteps or anything that can give them away but it is almost as though they have vanished. There are no voices, no sounds of footsteps echoing along the tunnel to give them away. I try to search the pitch black darkness for some sort of clue but without the light there is nothing but a blackened abyss.

I fumble to find the light and dislodge a few rocks and clumps of dirt in the process, making a subtle clunking noise. Finding the switch I decide to turn it on for just a moment to see where they are and then turn it back off just as quick.

I take a deep breath and flick the switch only to illuminate two malevolent faces only inches from my own. I scream and drop the light as one of the men wraps his hands around my legs dragging me across the dirt.

I scream and kick and try to grab onto something amongst the dirt but this vampire has a vice like grip squeezing tighter before lifting me off the ground and swinging me over his shoulder with ease.

The other man bends down and grabs the light from the floor and comes closer to me. Grasping at my ponytail, he pulls my face into his so that his darkened eyes are inches from my own emerald green.

"You will not scream anymore. You will not be afraid. You will do what you are told. Understand?" His voice is like silk as he commands me and my mind tells me that I must obey. He is right. I shouldn't scream. I shouldn't be afraid and I will do what I am told because he has said so. He commands me to and so shall it be.

A faint smile greets my face as I nod in agreement to his directions. I will trust in my commander.

"Works every time." My commander says as he lets my head fall down to look at my holders back.