Blood Hunt

Chapter Two

Walking into the church that was barely illuminated with candles and fire torches, she looked around without sighting a soul, a crucifix of the crucified Jesus was suspended midair above the altar that stared at her. Walking down the church to the altar, she knelt and started sobbing. The realization of having lost her parents was beginning to set in, the thoughts of never having to meet them or getting to eat her mum’s special cooking caused her sobs to turn into a full wail. Her life as she knew it was over, and she would have to begin surviving on her own, life has dealt her a low blow.

Hearing the church door open at such an odd hour, Sister Agnes wondered who or what traveled through the storm to get to the church as in the woods. Leaving the convent, she followed the pathway that led to the church. Entering through one of the side doors, Agnes could hear the crying of a girl, and slowly scanning around, she saw the figure that knelt at the altar crying. She was a girl in her early teenage years, covered in mud with damp clothes. Agnes could tell by merely looking that the poor child must have been in the storm all this while.

“Hello?”, Agnes asked the girl on the alter in hope that her presence would be registered to the girl who seemed lost in her tears and emotions. Turning around with a teary face, the girl looked in her direction, reading nothing but vague pain from Olivia's eyes and expression, she knew she had to help the little being.

“I am Agnes, a reverend sister in this church, what is your pretty name darling?” she continued to inquire, the girl tried muttering something but could only produce more sobs.

Noticing the woman only after she had been spoken to, Olivia turned to see her company, the light in the church could not do justice enough to allow her to see the sisters' face, she was clothed in the “sacred” bluish linen reverend sisters wear and had a long rosary on her neck, her head was covered with a veil, and her legs were housed in a low soft sandal. The woman spoke again, this time trying to enquire about her name, the woman's voice gave her a little peace and calm as she tried to answer, acting almost as if it had a mind of its own, her voice was gone and all that was left was her tears and sobs. Taking another attempt to answer she voiced out a broken but audible

“Olivia, my name is Olivia”

Happy that the girl was still able to answer coherently and was audible. She hoped that the girl will give her information on why she was out in the storm by this hour and also to see if she could get information on her parents or guardian.

“Olivia darling, can you tell me what you are doing outside by this time of the night, it has been raining heavily, and I can see that you have been in the rain for a while.” Slowly approaching the girl as she spoke, she reached the alter and knelt beside her holding her by the shoulder, pulling the girl in. She wanted to show the most care she could give to see if the girl would open up to her concerning her situation. Olivia's reaction to this question was an even deeper sob, Agnes could tell that whatever had happened to this girl must have been really emotional and traumatic, and she needed to be careful if she plans on getting her to talk.

“Ok darling, where are your parents, and why are you here alone, I know you are scared, but I am here for you, and I would love you to talk to me. Allow me to help.” Agnes slowly rubbed and patted her shoulders as she spoke to the little girl, who continued to sob.

After what felt like an eternity of awkward silence, Olivia was beginning to calm down, Olivia could now perceive the angelic scent coming off the woman that had been with her all along. She hoped the woman would believe her story if she told it because how would this woman believe that she was running from the devil, that she had seen what physical representation of the devil.

“He - he killed my parents” Tears filled her eyes again as she spoke, trying her best to remain calm but to no avail as her emotions gets the better of her again.

“The devil killed my parents and is now after me” remembering the yellow glare again, she was gripped by a crippling fear as she began to cry. Olivia wished she could wake from this nightmare.

Shocked at what she was told, Agnes could see why the little girl was so shaken, having to process the loss of a parent at a tender age, and even having to see her parents' murderer and the scene must have been a terrible experience to go through at such a period in her life. But what is this devil she speaks of? Is she calling the assailant the devil? Maybe the trauma has gotten to her. She needed rest.

“I am so sorry Olivia. I know you must be going through a difficult moment, but I need you to rest." She asked the girl as she still caressed her shoulders. Olivia felt goosebumps at the woman’s icy touch, her cold hands were doing a number on her. As the rain let off, the chilly air was becoming too cold on her skin which was clothed in her dripping dress.

“Let me get you inside and give you a change of clothes, you must be so cold.” Trying to persuade Olivia to get off the alter and follow her inside, standing she tugged a little on her arms. The girl needed a bath too as she reeked of garlic, she must have come through the garlic field.

Just as Olivia stood for them to start leaving, they heard the sound of the church’s gate opening. Clutching Agnes by her clothes, she could tell it was the monster that killed her parents, fear and her emotions kicked in again as she began crying afresh. Agnes could tell by how Olivia gripped her that she thought it might be her parent’s killer at the gate. Waiting patiently for the door to open to see their new visitor, Agnes was greeted by a soft laugh from the left side of the church. Turning and seeing a figure seated on one of the chairs, she heard the door slowly closing. Somehow the man was able to open the door without her noticing and even managed to get seated.

“Who are you, and what do you want?” Agnes enquired, with Olivia shivering in fear and cold behind her, she could tell that this was her parents’ killer. An ominous aura filled the air coming from the man, on raising his face, she was met with a monstrous glow. Agnes now understood what Olivia meant when she said she was being chased by the devil. The being standing before her, resembled a human but was not one. Standing, Victor started walking towards them.

Making scratching noises, he progressed slowly towards them as he drags his nails along the pew. He was weary of the reverend but did not afford to show it, trying his best to maintain the distance and still appear tempting, he walked slowly towards them. The awful stench of garlic was also in the air, indicating that the girl had fallen into the field he escaped earlier.

“Let the girl go, and I will spare your life” he spoke in a deep threatening voice to the sister, as he fixed his gaze upon her. “I have no intentions of hurting you, I only want the girl” now revealing his fangs as he smirked.

Agnes had no intentions of giving up the girl, but at the same time was terrified at what this creature was, she had read and heard stories of vampires in the ancient texts of the church, but never in her wildest dreams did she ever think she would come in contact with any. She knew that even though he let Olivia go he would still most likely kill her, as vampires are known for how evil they can become.

“Why do you want the little girl so much? and what are you doing amongst the living? Why don’t you return to the land of the dead where you belong” slowly backing away from him, she tapped the scared Olivia behind her to do so. surprisingly, Olivia calmly and slowly started backing away too. Agnes wanted to be as close as possible to the compartment meant to hold the blessed sacrament that was slight to their right.

“Funny how you ask what I am doing in the land of the living when I, an undead, even roaming in the house of God, I have been reawakened and I have come to rule humans.” Knowing he meant every word he said, he grew frustrated at himself and the situation happening. How can I dream of ruling this world of humans when I am finding it so difficult to kill a little girl.

“Let the girl go, she has made me work for this meal, if you don’t let her go right now, you will die before she does” the anger boiling through him only hardened his resolve as he closed the gap between them, the pungent sting of garlic filling his nose as he grabbed Agnes.

Reaching her goal, Agnes bid her time and prayed for grace to be on her side this night. Just as Viktor grabbed her, she removed the crucifix she had submerged in the bowl of holy water that was on top of the blessed sacrament, and placed it on him, burning him with a sizzling sound, he withdrew letting her go. He knew the consequences when he decided to go inside the church, and he also knew the consequences of trying to fight this reverend in his weak form, he had underestimated her. Attacking with a greater speed he drove his hands into her heart and pulled it out, it happened with such speed that even Agnes, did not know that she no longer had a heart. Agnes tried speaking but could only vomit blood, looking at Viktor’s hand she saw her heart that was still beating, smiling he took a bite.

All Olivia could do was yell and start crying again, she just witnessed another murder, and this time surely it was her fault, had she left the woman alone, maybe she would still be alive. Catching her limp body before she could fall Victor punctured her neck and started drinking. Olivia could only watch as this woman, who had tried her best to settle her nerves was being devoured by the same creature that killed her parents. She knew she would soon be sharing the same fate with Agnes and her parents.

The commotion in the church had woken the reverends and most of them were already moving towards the church, arriving to meet the gory scene, a man whose back was turned towards them, with a sister in hand. Turning and facing them with his blood-stained face, Victor knew he could not take on this many sisters at once, and with the blink of an eye, he vanished, leaving behind the emaciated corpse of Agnes, hoping that he would come back one day for this girl, maybe when she had ripened.

The sisters hurried to Agnes’s body, with most of them crying and the others attending to the stray girl, they knew that the fate of the world was about to be changed.