Somnolent Strike

Dead

"Sam?" I whispered, shaking him. He didn't move.

"Sam!" And suddenly I was crying, nose running as well as my eyes.

 He didn't reply but the blood from his neck made a strange spurting sound.

I couldn't take it in. Sam wasn't in a cult surely. He was a good guy and he didn't believe in Satan. Maybe he hadn't wanted to hurt the cat. Maybe I'd misunderstood. He was probably just joking and when I jumped so suddenly I startled him and-

He's not dead, he's just badly wounded.

I kneeled beside him, taking his hand in mine. It was still warm, the bitten fingernails painted black with self-drawn moons and silver stars. One of his Celtic rings slipped down his finger, almost to the tip. I wondered how he managed not to lose them when they were so big for his long, slender fingers. Perhaps he wore mesh gloves every time he went out or kept his hands in his pockets? Or maybe-

"What's wrong with Samsung?" Travis asked, glancing over at us.

I didn't want to say it, in case it came true.

"There was an accident... Get Uni out of the room, ok? Go upstairs."

"What? Oh God, is he...?" Travis gasped, which made Unity look at him and then at Sam. She gasped too and started crying.

"I SAID DON'T LOOK! Go upstairs! Get up, Travis!" I hauled Sam up and leaned him against me. His eyes were wide open and he looked alive despite the blood dripping everywhere on him. I pressed my fingers over his wound. The blood coated them instantly, dripping up my arm.

"Don't poke his neck!" Unity sobbed, pushing me away from him.

"I wasn't poking him, just trying to help... One of you has to call an ambulance." It was maybe too late but perhaps they'd know what to do to resuscitate him.

"He hates hospitals. So does Mom. She'll be livid." Travis was dialing despite his protestations. He had one of those modern phones, a GSM one called Nokia 1011. I'd always wanted one of those. I wondered where he'd got it from. Did he steal it or did mother buy it for him? She'd never bought me anything so expensive when I'd lived with her...

"Sam is dying." Unity was shaking him, and crying. 

"Cut. it. Out. He's not. Don't ever say that again! He just... fainted from the pain. He'll wake up soon and..." I trailed off, not being able to listen to the shiznit I was speaking. It was obvious Sam was very very dead.