Welfare and Warfare

Chapter 9

Day: 3125 (Blood Moon)

Days Left: 2355

Lives Saved: 17

Henry and Nia looked up and watched as the grey sky grew darker, like red water paint mixed in, first like droplets, seeping in, then spilling outwards until the entire sky was a scarlet red, with the once milky white moon, a red orb hanging above them all. Just staring at it, Henry felt like the blood moon was on him, a singular eye gazing omnipotently above, sending chills down his spine.

It was unnerving, eerie to watch as the entire populace of the refugee camp all stood in silence, all staring vacantly straight ahead of them before everyone reached for their masks, the place lighting up in instances of bright glows. What once were people, unable to deny the call from their masks, from the blood moon, transformed into monsters.

Nia donned her mask, her body shrinking into a minuscule size, to the form of a pixie, no larger than someone's palm, her wings transparent like glass with a rainbow haze, the light casting through creating a kaleidoscope of colours.

Meanwhile, Henry closed his eyes, bracing himself, letting out a long breath as his body grew slightly taller and thinner, his face gaunt and paling, his short brown hair turning black and long and dishevelled, and finally his nails spiking out into almost claws. He winced as the first pulse through his body shook and twitched as a dark essence warped around him. With each brief jolt, his entire form faded, as if he was not on this plane, in an entirely different existence, then returned to this one, but the sensation caused him to spasm now and then, to jerk from the force. This form he would only use if necessary because of this; however, blood moons were, unfortunately, a time when he had no choice, having to remain in this form for the whole twenty-four hours, constantly feeling nauseous, but all he could throw up was dirt and sand.

"Stay safe, stay out of danger, stay out of trouble," Henry said, his new voice strained and even deeper than his usual one, as it restricted him from saying anything above a husky whisper, his throat dry and cracked.

The pixie nodded, keeping close to Henry as they remained hiding in their tent near the outskirts of the refugee camp. At a safe distance away, but still present to be surveillance and show that both of them could control themselves during a blood moon. Nia spotted a raven hovering nearby, and Henry sighed in relief that one of the guards was watching to report back their innocence and peacefulness. The tents surrounding them were also occupied by other prisoners, doing the same thing as them, cowering and staying out of trouble, even the larger and scarier monsters, so as not to risk their chances of being selected to live in The Warren.

Maybe this was all going to be fine. Henry thought. Despite so many people gathering here, which usually would be a blood bath, the guards of the Warren had kept everyone safe by noting any wrong-doers or those who could not control themselves in their monster form and taking away their masks. These twenty-four hours may be a breeze.

And then Henry regretted that line of thinking as he heard what seemed to be the howl of a war horn, sounding the signal for an assault. From the safety of their tent, Henry and Nia huddled far back as they saw some of the nearby tents collapse as monsters began to charge towards the Warren. That weird man was right; Henry and Nia were not the ones in trouble during a blood moon; it was the people inside of the Warren that were at risk of a blood bath as an army of monsters descended on their defences with a large coordinated attack, not waiting a moment after the blood moon started, when most people were still adjusting to their transformation.

Up in the sky, the unkindness of ravens that patrolled around in unison acted immediately; the closest ones near the walls cried out with a shrill shriek, whilst the others dove down, pecking and gouging at the smaller, lesser monsters, and others flying above the bigger threats, marking them as targets.