Part II: Chapter 2
2190 Words
«I didn’t know you could drive!» Walter said surprised. We had rent a car and, after packing some things, we left the city behind us, traveling towards the Dedham Vale.
«I took some lessons a while back,» I said, looking at Thomas nostalgically. The road we took was nearly empty at that late hour. The lanes were lighted by the street lamps, of course, but knowing that we were close to our destination made my stomach tight and the static coming from the car radio wasn’t helping my situation at all!
«It can’t be much longer now» I promised. We were driving for about two hours in total and I was certain I should make a turn somewhere around there.
«Stop! Go back» Walter said with confidence.
«Did we miss it?» I asked surprised!
«Not now, we didn’t!» he winked at me. Maybe he was useful after all! Following his directions, I found the well-hidden narrow path, impossible for someone to spot it under this starless sky. The trees there were all in abnormal shapes, with their branches and trunks warped, deformed like they were in pain! The ground had no grass growing on it` just mushrooms, big enough to be inhabited by small blue gnomes. There were no animals or insects, no birds or wildlife whatsoever! No life at all, as a matter of fact!
«What a…serene, quiet place» Walter’s commends were dressed in irony. He wasn’t wrong, this place was giving me the chills, too!
«This forest was the hunting grounds for the vampires since before the Crusades!» I remembered. «Naturally, it’s haunted beyond any help» I tried to sound spooky. «Thankfully, if something goes wrong you can just return here and warn me,» I thought loudly.
«Yeah, well, unless I die» he stated the obvious…
«Right…».
Walter had closed the radio and we were now sitting in silence. I drove even deeper in the forest, searching for our destination by memory. Murray’s tomb was somewhere around those forgotten parts of the country` the only entrance to the Sunken city I knew about.
«Careful» Walter advised me.
«I saw them». Visible only to the corner of my eye, I could see figures climbing down from the trees and run around us, trying to be invisible in the dark. That was to be expected, we had already trespassed into their burial grounds. Graves, forgotten and never-visited, covered by fungi and moss, were scattered around the place` home to those demon-like creatures who were bound there, unable to stray away from them. Immortal yet imprisoned, doomed to never see the light of Sun, forever hungry, no matter how much blood they would gorb. The vampires, the undead.
Amongst them, they were those who were born humans. After their ‘transcendence’, they lost their souls and, along with it, their humanity. They no longer had the ability to feel emotion or think about their actions. Unable to see past their primal instincts, angry and filled with blood lust, they served as soldiers, following obediently whomever turned them to bloodsucking animals. Those were called the ‘Accursed’. Besides them, some were already born half-demons. Ancient, powerful, more human than the others. The real Children of the Night, the Dead Princess’s offspring, the ‘nobles’ as they were called in their circles. Those were not restricted by graves for they had never died. They could walk under the Sun unharmed but, in return, their hunger was much crueler, nearly impossible to be resisted! The leaders of the vampire society!
Suddenly, a body landed on the front of the car! I hit the brakes harshly, terrified by the image of that flying corpse! I needn’t worry though, I had prepared myself in case of an attack, memorizing three different spells that would turn the vampires to dust! Tom had his fair share of battles with demons like those and Walter…well, Walter looked kinda freaked but he was a Shadow Holder too, so he should do just fine, right?
«You are not allowed to advance any further than this point. Turn around immediately!» a seemingly young girl shouted at us while appearing out of the dark road ahead, blocking our way. She looked like a 13-year old child but, looking closely at her eyes, partially visible behind her brown curls, I noticed her red iris and, above her lips I could see the dry blood on her pointy teeth, leaving no doubt in my mind about her inhuman nature. Her clothes were in tip-top condition and she was clean so I presumed she was a resident of the Sunken City herself! The vampire was standing straight with her hands floating at her side, keeping both her feet on the ground. She was trying to scare us so we’d leave by looking directly at us, keeping her eyes forever open even under the pressure of the car lights. She could have passed as a mindless pawn except, she was breathing.
Humans that were transformed by drinking a noble’s blood were able to recognize the consequences of their actions, even after their death. They, too, had no emotions but their logic was still present inside their heads, making them able to distinguish right from wrong and what meant to take a life! Emotionless yet greedy, logical creatures yet murderers by choice. ‘Generals’ is what those types of vampires were called, working faithfully under the nobles who ‘graciously’ made them immortal killers. Mimicking their masters’ behavior, they were the ones responsible for the existence of the ‘Accursed’, those who had transformed with dead human’s blood and were used as their minions.
Those of her kind were usually consumed by madness as they were forced to feed themselves by hunting down mortals. Posing like they had no mind of their own was part of their training and their transition.
«We are sorry for intruding! We have an appointment with Lord Marius» I fabricated, trying not to look intimidated.
«I was not informed of such a thing» she replied briefly. Still, she remained close to us. I got the impression she had missed being part of a conversation. Vampires had- to my knowledge- no need for talking or breathing but there were those who remembered their human habits still.
«You are the general of this group, aren’t you?» I showed the area around us. Her squad had us all surrounded, responsible for keeping watch of the tomb, no doubt. We couldn’t see them but, I could feel they were there. «I’m Priscilla. If you agree, could you send someone to confirm my words, miss…?».
«I’m General Daisy. Pleased to meet you,» she said formally.
«Pssst! We need to get inside now!». Walter seemed worried about something that would happen really soon!
«General Daisy! You must be that girl Marius saved from that train station! I hope you’re doing alright» I guessed, praying that I was right about this.
«You know of me?» she said, worried that she wouldn’t look scary enough to us now but also with a glimpse of interest on her hopeless eyes.
«Not much. I remember my friend saying that helping you made him feel like a human again» I smiled timidly. The girl sustained her emotionless mask, looking at me and my chaperons, deciding what to do with us. «I’ve visited Sunken City before. It’s very important for us to meet Lord Marius» I begged.
«Very well. It’s due protocol that I should accompany you, though» she replied affirmatively.
«Sure, get in!» I said, sitting behind the wheel again.
«I want to sit in the front!» she requested, before giving detailed directions to her troops. Walter sighed and moved in the back seat, next to Tom.
After the vampire general boarded the car, we drove for a few more miles before arriving at the tomb. The creepy looking building in the middle of the cemetery was Wilhelmina Murray’s abode and I could describe it as nothing but spectacular! Statues of praying angels were placed on its entrance and night flowers were blooming on its yard, honoring her for her deeds. Repainted and repaired, it had found its former glory. We parked the car at the front gate and walked inside, on our own accord. The graveyard was far more beautiful than I knew it to be! The empty graves were decorated with black camellias and white lilies, making those residences look pristine and pure in the heart of such horrific a place.
Getting inside, we paid our respects to the woman. A black, open coffin contained her perfectly preserved, lifeless body. She was wearing her favorite dress and jewels, which were intensifying her beauty. Her name was written underneath her casket with calligraphy letters. Her diary was placed near her portrait, available for those who wanted to read about her life first hand and learn the story behind her myth and legend.
«She was one fair lady! When was she alive, again?» Walter joked- I hoped!-, looking for her date of birth.
«You wouldn’t stand a chance» I informed him politely.
After our short visit, we returned to the car. From here on out, I could only count on the general’s knowledge to find our way to the city. Since I was the one driving, blindfolding me wouldn’t be an option this time. «It will be difficult for you to navigate but, you’d better turn off your lights» the girl advised me. Then, she made me drive out of the main road for a while, before reaching a cluster of trees.
«There! Take this path, here!» she pointed an invisible trail.
«But there’s nothing there!» I complained.
«Trust me, we’ll be fine» she assured me with, what I thought of as an attitude! “No, I must’ve imagined it” was my logical assumption! I hoped she had considered that Walter and I wouldn’t walk alive out of a car crash! Despite that fear, I continued in a straight line, driving the car into the trees! The lower branches and leaves scratched the windows but we got through without making much noise!
Behind the trees and the bushes, we saw -like we expected to- a small path, accessible only by foot. Following it would lead us to a mine gate, sealed with bricks and wooden boards.
«Not very welcoming» Walter commended, standing in front of the gate.
«One would think this is the entrance, it’s natural. You are utterly mistaken, though. The way to the city is further away» general Daisy corrected him without any intention to mock him. The girl kept walking deeper in this isolated location and stopped in what looked like the middle of nowhere.
«So…?» I asked but, before I could finish my sentence, the young dead girl swiped the fallen, decayed leaves under her feet, revealing a steal hatchway hidden underneath.
After opening it, she showed us the narrow- and I mean cramped!- vent that went under the ground. «That is it? That’s the entrance to the city?» Walter asked with disbelief, not as scared as I was by the dark hole in the ground.
«How will Thomas climb down these stairs?» I complained.
«How did he climb them the last time?» the general asked me.
«He didn’t…» I replied hesitantly.
«There you have it then,» she said, again with no ill manners. I wasn’t feeling at ease with the idea of leaving him out there but, my wolf had already found a spot to lie down and take a nap. ‘Well, since you’re okay with it!’.
«I can go first» Daisy offered. Climbing down that hole was even more of a challenge than I would like to admit. The iron ladder inside of it was rusty and dirty and nasty and smelly and the lack of space made me panic and sweat!
«General! I need light, I feel trapped» I said, trying not to sound as terrified as I really was.
«That’s to be expected from a human. Very well then» she replied and used a flashlight to restore our vision. It felt like she waited for me to complain rather than using it from the start! Not that it helped that much but, looking upwards I could see Walter climbing down right after me and that made me feel a tiny bit more secure. It also helped me untangle my hair whenever they got caught in the most ridiculous places! I really was in need of a shower but, comforts like those weren’t used in the Sunken City- or so I thought until then!
- Writer
