A Misfit

In Motion

Point of View:

Tyler Baile

 I opened my eyes to the beeping of the stupid alarm and I nearly screamed as I turned it off.  

“I need another year of sleep,” I moaned as I struggled to get out of the mess of blankets.  

“You’re so fricking loud!” Clayton yelled as he hit me with a pillow.  

“It’s early so don’t make me kick your ass,” I joked as I slid out of my bed and onto the floor. I got up and quick grabbed my toiletries then unlocked and opened the door as Evelyn and Anastasia crowd in. “We have company sweetie,” I said in my best Betty Crocker voice.  

“NOOO! Go away we are closed for hibernation,” Clayton said as he buried himself in the pillows.  

“Hibernation doesn’t occur around this time of year,” Evelyn stated as she tossed back the covers.  

“So I heard you got up and went to the lab last night,” Anastasia said turning to me. 

“Yeah, he managed to scrape up another potion for the ritual, he just took his,” Clayton said as he grabbed the formulas out from his bedside table’s drawer. I smiled at him thanking him silently for lying to them for me. Anastasia would have known it was a lie thanks to the blood connection. I quickly headed to the bathroom and readied myself for the day. I came back into the room to find Anastasia and Evelyn had gone to go get supplies for the ritual tonight.  

“Time to look fierce,” I said as I pulled out my black combat boots, a grey bro tank and my black skinny jeans. Clayton turned away as I got dressed which was another reason I liked him for a roommate. I quick went to the mirror and fixed my hair and waited for the girls to get ready.  

“So what happened in hallway last night?” Clayton asked me causally as he tossed a ball into the air.  

“What do you mean,” I asked as I checked myself out in the mirror. 

“Well right before you had that talk your legal guardian. You were in the hall talking to someone. I’m just curious on who that person was.” Clayton said as he caught the ball and looked to me. 

“It was a friend,” I said and left it at that when the girls walked in.  

“Looking sexy,” Clayton meowed at them and Evelyn flipped him off. 

“Oh sassy, you’re even more tempting.” Clayton said getting off the bed. I rolled my eyes and stifled a laugh. 

“Okay so we are going to head out in fifteen minutes,” I said as I grabbed my bag full of the potions and a few weapons. 

“You are going to be in my squad group but they know that we will split up with students. I’m taking on you guys where my others take one or two students.” Anastasia informed us. “We are supposed to be in shouting distance but being the only vampire in this group we can go further because of my hearing.” We all nodded as we looked around waiting for time to kill itself.  

“Hey have you had any visions last night,” Evelyn asked. 

“No, so I think we’ve covered our all of the bases. Whatever was going to happen will not happen because we know what to expect,” I said to reassure them, “but if anything does happen,” I produced the healing potion, “this should help.”  

“Okay let’s go get this over with,” Clayton said standing up. I smiled and shook my head as we all followed him out the door. I sent up a silent prayer hoping that anyone up there listening would hear me. Please just keep them safe. I smiled weakly as we reached the ground floor. I saw teachers consoling students who mourned the loss of their friends, their home, or their innocence. I walked on following Anastasia out of the building until I saw Donavan with another squad group. He looked up at me, and a small smile crossed his face as I gave him a little wave.  

“Okay everyone ready,” I asked as we geared up to breach the forest.  

“You bet your sweet ass I am,” Evelyn said as she cradled the crossbow.  

“Ready as I can get,” Clayton said as he touched the handle of revolver in its holster.  

“Do I need to answer,” Anastasia said quietly. I laughed as we trekked on further to our destination. From there on we went silent. I struggled to find my way back to the pound where I had seen Justin for the first time and it frustrated me. As the day continued to pass on by my anger grew and intensified.  

“Dude,” Evelyn said as he walked next to me, “take it down on your rage. I can literally feel you radiating it.” 

“Sorry, it just doesn’t make sense we’ve been at this since seven this morning and it’s,” I said and looked at my phone. “Six twenty-four in the evening!” 

“It could be cloaked,” Clayton said as he and Anastasia rejoined our group. “Stop freaking out.” 

“Clay we have exactly two hours and thirty-six minutes until the sun is down and the moon will rise.” Evelyn stated. “So he has the right to do, we all do.”  

“What do you think An?” Clayton asked clearly annoyed with our tempers. “An?” We all turned to her waiting for her response. Anastasia stood with head c****d to one side.  

“Anastasia,” I said quietly.  

“Shh…” She said as she pulled a lock of her hair behind her ear. We followed her suit and put our ears to the wind straining to hear.  

“I can’t hear anything,” Evelyn pouted.  

“Shh…” Anastasia and I said in sync. I closed my mind off and heard the clashing of swords and a man screaming.  

“Same here,” Clayton commented to Evelyn as he stopped trying.  

“Shut up!” Anastasia snapped. I rolled my eyes as I continued to listen. I could hear more screams and a spell but I couldn’t make it out.  

“JESUS!” Clayton yelled as the ground rumbled. I stopped listening and struggled to find my balance. “Look!” Clayton said pointing off into the distance. Smoke was rising above the tree line.  

“Oh my,” I whispered as looked up at the black bellowing mushroom cloud.  

“DUCK!” Anastasia ordered. Clayton tackled Evelyn and myself to the ground as a huge fire bolt zipped right over our heads. I cringed as I saw the ground less than fifteen feet from me erupted into flames. “Get out of here!” Anastasia ordered as she took off at human running speed.  

“Anastasia!” I yelled out as I started to stand up.  

“No Tyler she can handle herself,” Clayton said yanking me back down as another fire bolt came at us.  

“Like hell, fire is fatal to vampires,” I said as I struggled to break free of Clayton’s stronghold.  

“Listen to me Tyler! You are my responsibility and I am demanding you save your own skin before being the hero. I want you to get up on the count of three and sprint for the school understand?” Clayton asked me. 

“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth. Clayton’s grip on me loosened and he sighed.  

“One…” I leapt out of his hold and started sprinting in the opposite direction of Anastasia. “Tyler not now!” Clayton yelled after me. I looked over my shoulder and saw them scurrying after me. I yelped as fire bolts rained down on us.  

“Be careful Tyler,” Evelyn called out.  

“Look out!”  

“What?” I asked. A huge fire bolt hit my lower half of my body. I screamed as the flames seared my flesh and sent me flying through the forest.  

“TYLER!” Evelyn screamed. I descended from the air into a cluster of petrified wood. I hit the ground with a loud crunching thud. I screamed as I clutched my rib cage. I looked around panic hoping to see someone familiar but was completely surrounded by the dead and weathered wood. I lay covered in burns and blood as the trees began burning from another fire bolt. I coughed as the carbon dioxide started to fill my lungs. I clung to the ground crying out for help in between coughs.  

“Tyler?” a rough voice asked me.  

“YES!” Was the glorious cry that came out of me, the flames and smoke vanished and I could breathe easier. I wept in salvation as the man or woman tried to break through the wood. A large amount of light shown on me as the man broke through. I struggled to look but only saw the black silhouette of a man. “Help,” I wheezed out. The man ran away leaving me all alone. I struggled to move out of the pile of scrap but I managed to put my head outside and take in the glorious oxygen. “HELP!” I bellowed out as loud as I could.  

“TYLER?” Evelyn cried out.  

“Evie!” I tried to cry out. 

“Tyler!” Evelyn and Clayton shouted.  

“Tyler?” Anastasia breathed out as she came across my body.  

“Oh Anastasia,” I whispered as she picked me up into her arms.