The New Hunger

The last thought in my mind was me dying. I think I was shot. It was a mad night, and little of it I remember. The memories of my life are slowly flickering back to me, kind of like a movie or a short film. I can recall the strangest details, so precise, but most of the others I only vaguely have them in the back of my mind. The time was 9:27pm and I had just emerged from the theatre after watching Warm Bodies. Then screaming started, and gunshots pierced the silent air around me. The people on the streets instantly scattered. The man a few steps behind me had been shot and he fell, wooden bullets scattered around him. I had wondered why they used wooden bullets, but I know now. They were hunting for vampires – who are immortal unless they are stabbed in the heart with a wooden stake. Well, wooden bullets also do the trick. I remember raising my hands in fear, but obviously they took it the wrong way and I was shot. Then I blacked out, and woke up here I don’t know how long after, in this… graveyard? I wiped my eyes groggily. The world around me still looks strange, kind of like diving underwater and looking around without goggles; sort of fuzzy and spinning around. When did I get shot? How did I end up here? This was weird. I still remembered my name, Scarlett Henderson. I am a girl. I am 17. Or am I? My body was aching for something, my throat was parched and my lips crackling dry. My head felt like it had been crushed and everything seemed louder than it was supposed to be. What was happening to me? Am I dead? My head ached with unanswered questions and I felt like screaming. I looked down and my eyes widened. I was wearing the same outfit I put on that night, but my cream coloured jacket was stained with blood. I tore it off, wearing my dark blue tank top underneath which looked fine. I inspected my chest and stomach which according to the red stains on my jacket shows where I was hit, but there were no bullet wounds at all. I shook my head in confusion. Am I a vampire? The thought hit me hard. I remember my best friend Nina telling me about it all the time. She was a great girl, sweet and funny, but boy did she have an obsession for those supernatural creatures. But the things she said about them wasn’t like Bram Stoker ‘Dracula’ or Twilight. I mean, it had the basics, but it sounded more realistic. I never believed her of course, but lately there has been terrible things happening to our town, like bodies completely drained of blood and nothing to show for it but a small bite on the neck.

“Excuse me miss? Are you okay?”

A voice startled me from my thoughts, and I turned my head upwards to see a man a few metres away, looking at me cautiously. He held a bouquet of flowers in his hand, which he placed down on a nearby grave. “Do you need help?”

“Uh, yes,” I stood up, tripping a bit as I tried to stable myself. He walked forward and helped me steady. I was ready to start talking, ready to tell him I had been shot, was going to ask for help, when I suddenly looked at his neck. I have no idea why but that neck suddenly became the most interesting thing in the world. My eyes felt like they were popping out, my gums hurt and my body started shaking. I no longer saw a human man there, I saw blood – food, and I could hear his heartbeat pounding in my head. Ba-bump. Ba-bump.

“Miss, are you sure you are okay?” he asked again, now looking concerned.

“I’m so hungry…” I grabbed his arms with both my hands. I could feel him try to wriggle away from my grasp, but somehow I was stronger. “I’m sorry…”

Now I would rather you skip the next few sentences because what I did was so gross and frightening that I still wake up in the middle of the night, panting and sweating after a recurring nightmare. I sunk my teeth into his neck, tasting the blood that trickled down my throat, feeling him thrash like a fish out of water, before his hands loosened and he fell limp. I kept my teeth in, felt his veins draining as I sucked this man’s life away. The blood then disappeared. So did my cravings. I had really drained this innocent man completely out of blood. In horror, I dropped him to the ground.

“Oh… my gosh.” I knelt down next to him, crying, idiotically feeling for a pulse or heartbeat. “Please don’t be dead, I’m so sorry, don’t be dead! Please?!”

I knew there was no helping him – he was dead, and anybody who thought different would be a fool. I didn’t know this man but I had killed him and I don’t even know why I did it. My heart felt like it was going to explode out of my chest. What was going to happen now? I’m a vampire, a creature who solely survives on human blood. Somebody is going to find out, I’ll probably be executed. I have never felt more alone and confused in my life. Please, just let this be a dream! A horrid, sick nightmare that I can just wake up from and everything will be okay. But the fierce morning wind hugged my bare shoulders and the autumn leaves were tickling my knees and feet. Everything felt too real. Sobbing, I shook the man and started to scream out for my parents. Oh god! Their daughter is a cold blooded killer.

“Scar, it’s going to be alright.”

Great, now I’m hallucinating about my best friend. I really did wish she was here to comfort me. I know she would be understanding and would know what to do.

“Scarlett. Listen to me! It’s Nina, and I’m here to help you!” I gasped for my breath as I looked up. Nina’s beautiful strawberry blonde curls brushed my forehead as she leant down, looking at me, her heart shaped face expressing deep concern. She dragged me off my poor victim and looked me in the eye.

“Nina I killed him! I-I killed him!” I broke down, feeling like a waterfall was gushing down my face and I didn’t know how to stop. Nina didn’t say a word. She put her arms around me and enveloped me into a warm hug. We sat there for a few minutes, my tears raining onto her cashmere jacket before I could cry no more. It was only when I looked up that I saw Nina didn’t come alone. Two guys were standing there in front of us, silently observing the corpse. They looked about my age, maybe a little older – 18 or 19. One of them had dark brown hair and gorgeous hazel eyes. The other was slightly taller and had a blonde quiff and piercing green orbs. Nina blocked me as she stood up so I used that time to wipe away the tears on my face.

“Nina, do you know what’s happening to me?” my voice quivered. She looked at me for a few seconds, before avoiding my question and stepping back and letting the two boys come into view.

“This is Ryder,” she nudged the blonde one who lifted his hand in greeting. “And this is Tyler. They’re going to help you get through this, okay?”

I opened my mouth to speak, but Nina shushed me.

“We’ll answer all the questions you have once we get in the car.”

I had only just noticed a black Mercedes parked on the closest cemetery road. I was uncertain – Nina was my best friend, but I wasn’t sure exactly what she was or how much she knew, or who these mysterious boys were. A large part of me told me to trust her, so I followed my instincts and stepped towards them.

“Ryder, help me dispose of the body.” Nina nodded at my dead victim. “Ty, take her to the car, please.”

Tyler smiled at me warmly, which put my mind instantly at ease. I followed him through the graveyard as Ryder and Nina walked towards the body.

Tyler didn’t say anything as he lowered himself into the backseat with me, but he draped a blanket around my shivering shoulders and wiped my chin with his thumb, which I quickly noticed was still covered with blood. His eyes were bright, kind, and somewhat hopeful. At that moment a spark replaced the guilt and fear I was feeling as his finger lifted and touched my cheek quickly, gently.

“It’s going to be okay Scarlett. I promise.”