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Wind rolled over the sea, crisp and biting; trailing a salty layer through the oceanic air. A breeze whistled quietly, moving a long forgotten bottle over the pavement with a hollow howl. Footsteps were almost deafening in the near-silence, until a scream ripped through the night air with the brutality of a gunshot. The echo rang behind in the ears of a girl whose chestnut hair bounced as she began sprinting numbly in its direction. It felt as if it were calling her. Enticing her. Making her body move without permission. Heart thumping against her ribs in an uneven rhythm.
A second scream pierced through the darkness.
Coming into view, an alley appeared. Between the grimy walls, darkness looked endless and all consuming. Something about the acidic taste lingering on her tongue told her that she was headed towards that suffocating darkness. Panting breath and stubborn footfalls carried her deeper and deeper through the alley walls. Past the quiet scurrying of rats, she arrived at a paved area behind what seems to be a rundown bar. The pungent scent of urine and alcohol lingered. A cracked neon sign above the door flickered uneasily. Its yellow light was sickening. She had just enough time to register the broken letters reading: ‘The Sharkbowl’ before a movement in the shadows pulled her attention.
A woman, sickly pale and laying limp in the arms of a monster. Its mouth locked onto her neck where fangs had pierced the soft flesh causing a small rivulet of blood to dribble down and stain her collar. None of that mattered of course, it’s not like the stain would cause much fuss. The woman was never to think again, feel, anything. Ever. But it’s always the details in death that captivate us, right?
The thing (for it was unnatural to say the least) released her, allowing the lifeless body to slump to the filthy pavement. It was then the creature noticed her, the girl half silhouetted by starlight, and half illuminated by flickering yellow. She began silently cursing her body for taking her here; for taking her to her own death. Her final destination.
Her pulse faltered. The creature stepped forward, revealing its long bloodied fangs and orange eyes that reflected in the darkness. Those eyes burned into her, their intensity intimidating and primal. Deeper in the shadows, a muffled laugh rang out; bouncing off the alley walls. Everything here reeked with sinful intent. The girl’s body finally allowed her to move, stumbling backwards, only to be backed against a dumpster. Her brain took a break from its panic and noted that this was the most disturbing thing she’d ever witnessed. The creature leered her; and two more of its kind emerged from the shadows. The buzz of danger rose in her chest.
Moving as one; they lunged for her. She desperately attempted to kick the one closest. Her shoe no doubt left its mark, but only aggravated the creature. She tried to escape but the other two had blocked her path and gnarled at her with teethy, mirthless grins that exposed their glistening fangs. She spun to face the one she had previously kicked however he had more of a smirk. Looking around frantically for a far off escape- but only seeing the eyes of a killer before her. Now more anger and perverse emotion expressing the creature’s sinister intentions.
There was no way out and the girl knew this. That didn’t mean she wouldn’t go down fighting. The fear she had felt only moments ago began slipping away, slowly getting replaced with adrenaline. Her heartbeat was banging against her eardrums. One took a large step towards the girl and clasped a tight grip on her seemingly delicate shoulders. She tried to shake herself free but got nowhere. She looked up with pleading eyes only to be met with a cold leer. The girl gathered all the strength she could muster and sharply collided her forehead with the creature's nose. Stumbling back the creature released its grip, startled at the girl's strength; and the action itself. Lifting her spinning head, she glanced at the thing before another creature leaped at her. On instinct she pushed with all her might, making the thing land on a pointed piece of wood most likely from a fence or pallet.
The creature stood there, looking down at the wood protruding from its chest. When it raised its sight, eyes wide looking back at the girl. Confusion and shock dripped from its face until it combusted. Inside out. Upon dying, the creature let out a slight roar and decimated into a pile of ash. The girl stood there frozen in horror. The remaining two shared glances of worry.
There was a rumble coming closer. The alley began getting brighter. The girl looked to see the source but before she knew it, she was in the grips of the monster yet again. She knew: she wasn’t getting away this time. Her luck soon ran dry… She struggled and struggled to pull free but it was no use. She felt the hair covering her neck get wiped away as a chill ran up her spine. There was a hot breath against her now bare neck, then a tingling, needle-like sensation. Within seconds it turned into a sharp pain. Teeth digging deeper. Her pulse began to slow. Feeling the life getting slowly but surely drained out of her. Everything around her began to close in.
The loss of blood took away her ability to scream. Only a slight whimper escaped her. In the corner of her eye she could see a black metallic shine. Headlights beaming. Suddenly the cold pavement was against her side; and the creatures were no longer to be seen. Eyelids, so heavy, hard to keep open. A ringing in her ears. Then silence. Darkness engulfed her, it was comforting this time. Consuming. This was just the beginning.