Death or Destiny

Chapter 2: Raid

"Julie, Sarah run as fast as you can home don't look back or anywhere else." My dad told them in a very official voice, they just stared at him the fear was glued to their eyes as was my own fear.

 "GO!" they listened to him that time they ran out the door at lightning speed.

I felt my hands trembling then my whole body was shivering. My dad grabbed my face with both his hands. "Violet you know what to do, go down in the cellar and stay there no matter what, do not come up for anything." All I could do was nod my head he kissed my forehead. I could feel my chest ache and moisture in my eyes but I held them back I couldn't afford to break down right now.

"Violet dear." My mom looked at me with concerned eyes and she grabbed me in with a hug I hugged her back so tight I never wanted to let go. "Stay safe." She kissed me on both my cheeks. I heard the cellar door open with dust flying everywhere. Mom led me to the hole in the floor that led to the cellar.

"Why can't you guys come with me." I managed to choke it out but just barely.

"Violet" mom grabbed me in another hug then knelt down to look me straight in the eye "We have to help, you're just too young and you need to survive." She pulled me in a tighter hug now "Don't worry I'll come get you myself."

I pulled her back "Promise?"

"I promise, now Violet get in."

I felt the first step crack under my weight, when I got far enough under I looked back up at my parents letting a tear fall, mom was already full of them and my dad started closing the door.

"I love you" as soon as I said that the door was shut and I was surrounded by darkness. I could hear the floor above crake then there was nothing. I sat on the step to let my night vision get in focus when I could see I made my way to the bottom. It was just a narrow space with a cot, when I started to lay down I could hear the fabric stretch until I laid down comfortable enough to stop moving.

It's so quiet where was the screaming the murderous rampage, all the stories the elders told us? Vampires were supposed to be the most deadly creatures alive but yet there's nothing.

My stomach just kept twisting and turning was Julie and Sarah going to be ok? Did they make it to their parents in time? What about my parents were they still...alive? If I was up there maybe I could do something, anything.

I nearly jumped a mile when I heard the sound of cracking, I had to concentrate on my breathing to keep it calm and slow. There were two of them, maybe it was my parents but they told me to wait until they opened the door. I could hear one walk to the far end of the house and the other only came a couple of steps in. I could hear our table move then it must have been picked up because then there was a smash, whoever it was they were defiantly not my parents.

"No one is here let's go" I could hear his voice it sounded so hissed and dead. They were vampires, my stomach turned again, what happened? They started to leave there was a slight pause at the front door but they turned and left, it was all quiet now no whispers no cracking just silence.

After laying there for so long being so still I must have fallen asleep. When I woke up my courage started coming or was that just curiosity either way it must have been morning now I have been down here so long. My joints in my body were stiff. When I moved them to get in a sitting position my whole body ached and cracked. The cot readjusted itself when I got up it was like a slingshot and the fabric went straight again.

I forced my body to start moving when my foot hit the first step my whole body went stiff. What if they were still up there waiting for me? What if everyone I knew was dead or transformed? I don't think I could deal with that reality but I had to know. One step at a time each foot cracking a step until I was at the door, I started pushing it up, it was heavier than I thought, I peeked a little out. The couch was lying sideways and where the window was, was completely smashed and our table wasn't even on its site. I didn't see anyone so maybe they were gone. I pushed it all the way up and let it fall behind me. That was definitely not a good idea it slammed down on the hard floor and made a loud bang. I ducked back down waiting to see if anyone came but there was no one I didn't hear a cry or a yelp...nothing.

"Ok, I can do this, there's no one here and the sun is up" I whispered to myself. One more step, now I was all the way out and I analyzed my house a little better. Everything seemed thrown around like they were looking for something. There didn't seem to look like fighting just flinging our stuff around...what were they looking for? That's if they were looking for something in the first place.

A pain in my stomach started it ached and hurt and I could feel tears wanting to come out but I couldn't, not yet. Stepping into the bright light usually makes me feel very happy and cheery but all I felt was guilt and sadness. I walked down my usual path everything was just thrown around and the weirdest part was there was no blood, no bodies no nothing.

I found myself in front of the counsels building. Maybe everyone was just in a giant meeting. When I stepped inside it was the same scene everything was thrown around the tables sideways, upside down, but nobody was there. When I got back outside I felt the pain in my stomach again I heard about these kinds of raids by travelers they say they won't touch you but they will kidnap you and sell you to blood blanks, where they keep you alive but barely so they can take your blood and package it and contribute it, or you'll become a breeder making more human babies sense they wanted out blood because it was something they needed to survive. They both sounded horrible and imagining that's what happened to my village everyone I loved and knew and cared about now had a fate worse than death made me sick. It was coming again the tears the pain there was only one thing I could think about doing, running.

I ran to the woods, I was faster than I thought, I hit the border and stopped. Once I go by here I knew I would never return I looked back once more at my destroyed home and then vanished into the woods. I ran throwing branches out of my way, jumping over stumps and roots, one branch caught me on my cheek I could feel a little blood trickle down but I didn't care I needed to find a safe place before dark but then again what safe place could be in the woods? I came to a halt. What was I thinking? What was I doing? I have no idea how to defend myself and I don't even know where I am, never mind where I'm going.

The pain was swarming again this time I wanted it to consume me. I found the nearest tree trunk and rested on it, pulling my knees in I tucked my head. I was shaking everywhere but was it from the cold or from what happened? I didn't know I didn't know anything. My eyes watered up until I was in full sobbing I kept it up until tiredness consumed me and I laid down and fell asleep.