The Blood Moons

"Don’t let them catch you,” he said urgently, his calloused hand on the trap door. Fear twisted his expression, even though she knew he was trying so hard to hide it. “You can’t let them find you and you can’t let them take you. You are more important than you will ever know.” A shout from outside their home cut him off, causing Mika to glance wildly behind him. Swinging around, he locked eyes with her. Regret was swimming in them. “I wish I had more time to explain, m-more time to—” Something slammed against the door, causing the walls around them to rattle. His green eyes—eyes that had always looked at her with fatherly love—steeled themselves. “Find Dinasis Denor. If he’s still alive, he’ll know what to do. Find him because he’s the only one who can explain everything.” With these final words, Mika shoved her down the trap door. She started to yell in protest when she found her words caught in her throat. Mika had replaced the rug over the trap door, making the sounds of him leaving out the door muted. It didn’t stop the sounds of the slaughter outside, though. The screams and cries of anguish pierced the darkness that surrounded her. The sound of metal scrapping against both metal and flesh penetrated her ears and echoed painfully against her skull. It seemed like a lifetime before there was any silence. Another lifetime before she worked up the courage to push against the trap door. Pressing her shoulder against the wood and using all her strength, she was able to lift both the door and the rug. Hesitantly she climbed up the ladder and made her way outside. The tang of blood and the sharp smell of burning flesh filled her nostrils. The bodies of the villagers laid in disjointed heaps around her. The bodies of larger-than-life animals laid amongst them every so often. As the silence became deafening, the feeling of loneliness and utter sadness threatened to consume her. A cry of anguish ripped itself from her lips as she fell to her knees. They were all gone. She was alone.