A Bloody Rose

A Boy Named Max

Tomorrow morning is when I'd make my move on those people, but tonight I need to go home and keep training. Following in the shadows and with light steps, I made it back to my crappy hide hole.

After a few hours of training, my muscle was torn and aching, I needed to rest not because I wanted to but because I had to. Kneeling into my 100-year-old mattress, I let my body fall. As soon as my face hit the mattress it's like all my lights were knocked out.

My body felt light, like a feather but I moved at the speed of lighting wielding the long sword I plunged it into the cold bloodsucker, his eyes wide open turning white and seeing his lifeless body in front of me sent a satisfying feeling down my body, my spine stiffened. An evil smirk formed on my lips. But all of a sudden, his eye's returned the darkest shade of black and an evil snicker left his lips.

    "Well well well, you think I died?" He laughed

    "What I stabbed you, why are you alive??"

    "Naw, little sweet pea, you didn't kill me. You wish you did but you really didn't. On the contrary, you left me alive." His laugh began to fade out.

I woke up panting.

    "Was I dreaming?" I wiped the sweat off my forehead, my hands were shaking. This time it went further than ever before. 

    This time not only did I speak to him but he spoke back. I could hear my heart pounding through my chest, I kept trying to take deep breathes.

After calming myself down, I noticed I was still in my jacket and my sword right beside my mattress, I really can't let that thing go. I could see the sun shining through the holes of my somewhat roof, morning -- perfect.

    Getting up from my mattress, I slide the boxes out of the way. This place was big, but only a small portion was taken up by humans, the vamps knew it, I knew, everyone knew it. The group, the one with the snitch guy, was the biggest group -- well that I know of, but clearly, the vamps are taking care of that seeing as last night I saw a few of them literally be devoured. He was up north yesterday, meaning the group mustn't be too far off. There is an old, half-destroyed school in the area, that's where they must be. Without a second thought, I grabbed my sword and ran.

    After half an hour of running but still hiding in the shadows, I got to the building. Looks more abandoned than ever... it was more overgrown with vines, more rubble everywhere and not a single sound could be heard. However, I don't lose hope and march on forward. I entered the school quietly, walking the shadows I noticed a figure, small petite figure sneaking around.     That has to be one of the members of the group. I move closer, the figure turns around scanning the area behind him, I hold my breath. The figure shivers but brushes it off and moves forward slowly. I get ready, I lung forward and tackle the figure. It was a little boy -- similar to my brother, it threw me off as my face went white and I loosened my grip on him, giving him the chance to push me off. But no, it can't be him. He is dead. I push my thoughts to the back of my head and jump back at him, pinning him to the ground.

    "Please don't kill me, I'm only seven years old!" he screams.

    "Relax, I'm not going to kill you," I reply holding him but loosening my grip once again.

    "What do you want from me?" he begins crying.

    "Are you here alone?" I ask sounding creepier than I thought it would. "Like is it safe for you here alone?" He looked even more scared.

    "Look I'm sorry, you're the first person I've spoken to in a year," I said, laughing to myself, here I am spilling my guts to a kid who looks not older than eight.

    "In a year?" His eyes widen, indicating he is in great shock.

    "Yep, a year," I reply.

    "I live with lots of peo-" he paused, clearing figuring he blabbed too much information.

    "Your people?" I finished his sentence, in hopes of him confessing everything. He stays silent.

    "It's okay, I'm actually here to help your people."

    "You are?" He asks.

    "Mhm," I reply.

    "I don't believe you," he replies, folding his arms.

    "Were there by any chance two men who disappeared from your camp?"

    "....yeah..." he looks at me accusingly.

    "Well, I saw the man who did," I confess, his eyes widen again. "Can you take me to your people?" I plead. He shakes his head. "Damn it." I curse. I need a new approach.

    "I used to have a brother, almost the same age as you."

    "Used to?"

    "Yeah, the same bad man got him."

    "I'm sorry." He said, which at first took me by surprise.

    "Thanks but I'm okay," I smile at him, he in return smiles back. Polite kid.

    "Let me walk you close to camp to make sure you get back safely," I say, he nods. That was easy. We begin walking, in the direction that I would have guessed.

    "So why were you out alone?" I ask

    "Since Steven and Tony went out hunting for some food last night and never came back, so I went to go find them."

    "Are you crazy?" I ask. "Do you realise how dangerous it is out there?"

    "Did they die?" he asked out of nowhere. I didn't know what to do, do I fess up and break this little kid's heart or do I lie and lead him on?

    "Sorry, bud." Was all I could come up with.

    "It's okay, I know when someone goes missing usually means they died." I just stared at him, such a young kid yet he is so okay with death. That's how you know what we live in is cruel. cruel world.

    "I'm sorry," I reply. He says nothing but gives me a half-smile. I assumed we got closer to the camp, as he began walking fast and almost skipping.

    "Max!" I heard a woman scream. My body reacts faster than my body, I grab the kid, who's name now I know is Max and hide him behind me. Wielding my sword, ready to fight.

    "Get away from him" I hear, as I see a pack of people running towards me. I panicked, there was so many of them with swords and pitchforks and so many more "stabable" objects.

    "I'm not going to hurt him," I shout.

    "It's okay, she is nice," Max shouts running in front of me, causing the group stop in their tracks.

    "Step away from the boy." the woman shouts again, stepping from the shadows. She had the same dark brown hair Max had, her green eyes piercing my soul.

    "Alright but you need to put your weapons down," I command. They don't move and neither do I. The woman looks back in the shadows and nods, followed by a clinking sound of their weapons hitting the floor.

    "Now you," she commands. I step away from the boy. She beings running towards us. I watch on high alert, ready to strike if she changes her mind on our small agreement of not killing each other. I don't trust people anymore. Once she reaches him, she embraces him in a tight hug.

    "Where have you been you i***t?" she speaks in his chest, tears falling from her eyes.

    "I went to look for Steven and Tony." She pulls her head back from his chest, rage filling her.

    "That is no excuse and you know that. What is the one rule I taught you?" Her tone harsher

Max stuttering, "If-f t-they disappear they-y are-are dead."

    "That's right, they didn't come back last night so they're dead." she reaffirms. Geez. I can see why he seemed so desensitised because his mother -- probably -- hammers in his dead people who go missing are dead. I mean, on the other hand, the kid, will never be hurt with his people go missing. I can see how that's a good thing.

    "I'm sorry" he sniffles, her eyes turn to soften once again, hugging him.

    "Cute, but I'm here for business." I break the wholesome moment. I'm over it.

    "What do you mean?" She breaks the hug, glaring at me she stands up, towering over me. I lift my sword once again, showing her who is in charge. In the distance from the shadows, I hear a weapon being lifted.

    "Ah- ah put it down." I snap, hearing a clink.

    "I assume Steven and Tony are the men I saw who got slaughtered yesterday?"

    "Did they have brown and blonde hair?"

    "Look, I didn't take much notice but both were assholes except one was more of an asshole betraying his friend."

    "Sounds like Tony." she nodded.

    "All I know is one had a daughter."

    "Yeah, Steven."

    "Well, I have valuable information for a price."

    "How can we trust you?"

    "Well, I just left the comfort of my own home to warn you guys."

    "For a price," she added.

    "Well, it's a cruel world," I reply. She nods, clearing understanding my point of view and my straightforwardness.

    "What do you want?"

    "Well, obviously I want food," I reply.

    "Is it just you?" she asks. I nod. No more questions were asked and she grabbed Max's hand and began walking back to the group behind the shadows. I lifted my sword again, just in case. Max turned around and gave me the biggest smile. Which kind of warmed my heart. But I dismissed it. He is dumb for trusting me, luckily for him I don't mean any harm but would it have been anyone else -- like that monster, he would be dead.