Blood

29

"He's coming!"

I just stare at Sam. He took out something resembling a knife and he looked quickly at me. I followed him into the kitchen.

"Who?"

Sam swallowed.

"Liam!"

I frowned.

"But you said..."

He turned around and he looked at me with to seriously face.

"Please, don't ask how. I have to keep you in safety, and I will solve this."

I threw up my arms in the air.

"But you said I was safe here?"

He nodded.

"I know, but that has changed."

Sam took me down into the cellar, far down in the earth. I suspected that the house was built up on something old and I felt the smell of earth and old age. He took me to a shelter. Inside, there was a fridge with bottles of blood and a composting toilet. There was a bucket of water and a bed.

"Stay here!" he said, "When I have walked out of this room, close the door and lock it. You stay here until someone says you can come out."

I frowned.

"but..."

He snarled.

"Stay here." I realized that this was serious. As soon as he had left the room, I closed the big door. I locked it carefully and I sensed that you couldn't do the same from the other side. I slid over to the bed and I sat down on it.

----

I heard the slightest sound. It was as if the room slowly but surely was going to make me crazy. I heard the sounds of mice running around out there. I heard how the worms dug passages in the ground and I heard the rain poured down over my head, but that was all. I didn't hear what happened to Sam, or if Liam had come here. Then I realized something else. If Liam was on his way here, then it meant that he had won over Harry? I frowned. No, Harry was still strong  and he wasn't injured or anything. I was forced to lie to myself.

I raised my knees under my chin, and I held my arms around my legs. I closed my eyes and I listened. It was as if all the sounds just came to me. The neighbor went out with the trash, unaware of the danger that threatened. Somewhere farther away someone dug in the ground and I heard every shovelful taken. I heard children playing outside a school and I heard how they jumped to the ground. I noticed it all. It was as if my ears were directed against all sides, but I couldn't hear Liam. The house was quiet and I couldn't even hear a breath.

I drank blood, and I washed my face a little. The smell of the earth began to get caught up in my clothes, and I felt myself slowly became dirty. I tried to keep myself clean and I tried to do something, so I didn't become crazy. I went round and round the room just to not just sit down. I changed my lap and I went to the opposite direction. I heard lots of things, but not what I would hear.

----

I woke with a start. I heard footsteps above my head and that was in the house. I heard someone rummaging around. I tried to focus everything I had to the sound. I closed my eyes and I listened carefully. I was assured that the room above me was the kitchen and I heard the drawers were opened. I heard steps walked out to the hall, up to my bedroom, down to the couch and then toward the stairs down to me. I swallowed and I was as quiet as I could be. Someone went down and someone went through all the rooms, until the steps stopped outside my door, the shelter.

Nails to iron, slowly pulled from the top down, as if they were looking for the weak part of the door. I heard the breath and I knew it was Liam. I lay still in bed and I tried to breathe as quietly as I could. I heard he even drew a knife longest with the cold surface. It was as if he was tested, as if he were playing.

"I know you are there."

The voice was cold and dull. I opened my eyes and I looked at the door. I said nothing, I remained motionless.

"It's just as well as you come out. I have all the time in the world to wait for you and your blood will eventually run out."

I peered toward the refrigerator. I had no idea how many bottles that were there. I tried to count them in my head, but actually, I hadn't even thought of that part.

"Sally, why don't you give up?"

I heard how he sat down on the floor and he leaned back against the door.

"I'll just rip off your head and end it all. That's it."