My Main Blog, Mostly Fan Fiction.

Chapter 1

It was just another day, get up go to work, put in a long nine hour day. Get off work and go to my parents. Most days I would hang around until seven and then actually go home, my kids live with them because I work crazy hours sometimes and it's easier on them if I don't wake them at four or five am, on the flip side sometimes I get off at eleven pm. I hated it but at the same time it was nice. I deal with people all day and I'm usually done with dealing with others by the end of my nine hours.

Today was supposed to be just a usual day, my parents decided to take me and the kids out to dinner. There was no reason to celebrate, no justifiable reason to just randomly go to a restaurant other then it was easier to not have to worry about what was being made for dinner. My teenage daughter had her headphones on while she happily munched away on her fries, watching some random YouTube video. My elementary age son rambled on about things going on in his game of the month. I nodded in response half checked out for the day, exhaustion slowly taking hold as the last remaining ounces of my energy drink I had on lunch faded.

Today was like any other day, I had driven separately to the restaurant and I watched as the silver van roared to life after I had buckled my son in and gave him kiss telling him I would see him tomorrow. He continued to talk about his game, throwing in an I love you mommy, and then going right back to his description of how kill to a character in his game. My daughter threw up a peace sign without so much of look.

Except today wasn't like any other day, I briefly looked across the street waiting for my family to pull out onto the side street to wave goodbye to them. There stood a young man, his dark hair curled out from under the edges of his black beanie. He was wore a thick black leather jacket over a deep maroon colored shirt, and had a deep red and grey flannel tied around his waist. He looked at me, and soft sad smile crossed his smooth face.

     The young man pulled his hand from his pocket and gave me a small wave, to which I waved back in reply. His smiled drop as his eyebrows pinched together, his head slightly cocking to the side, his eyes narrowing just a bit. With his hand still raised I saw him take a deep breath before he snapped his fingers.

Today was the worse day, the van passed us, and headed toward the intersection. The light was green and my dad pulled forward into the intersection. I heard an unmistakable sound, the sound of air brakes, the smell of rubber burning against a quick stop. Everything slowed down, my body turned as my brain attempted to register the white sixteen wheel semi colliding with the four door silver mini van. The sound of metal on metal crunching, the glitter of broken glass skipping across black top, the horn that wouldn't stop.

My heart pounded heavily in my chest, as I watched in horror, the semi's continuous push of a vehicle that stood no chance. The frame twisted and buckled, distorted beyond belief. I was glued in place as I heard a scream, my rib cage constricting around my lungs. The warmth of tears sprung forth and trickled down my cheeks with abandonment as everything began to crumble.

I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think, my knees buckled as my body slowly descended down, gravity taking it's hold. A whine of sirens in the distance, cars slowly going around the wreckage that how become my life. My kids, I can't move, I can't think, my life, world, everything in the twist of fiberglass and metal that used to my parents van. People slowly started to surround it, someone trying to pull open fiberglass that used to resemble a door. I could hear yelling but it sounded so distance, the words mumbled and jumbled.

Then I watched as my family walked out of throng of people that were obscuring my view of the van. My daughter looking around, completely unscathed, not a violet hair out of place on her spiked head. My dad had a bewildered face as he looked back towards the wreck, eyes wide, mouth slight open. My son, he looked to me, tears streaked his face as my mom held his shoulder keeping him from running to me, I could see him screaming for me. He pulled against her grip, desperately trying to come to where I was. There was a sadness in my mother's eye as she looked over to me, and a small shake of her head I knew and she knew.

I knew after today there would be no more normal days, no more usual day, no more days like the last. Today was the end of that.

My body slowly started to become heavy as I watched my family slowly leave me, just a shimmer and all traces were gone. I felt the warm cement under my body slowly start to fade as a shadow fell over me.

"You are so not going to do this me, are you?" His smooth voice questioned. "You've got to kidding."

The sound of shuffling next me as I stared up a crystal blue summer sky. I could no long feel the rapid and irregular thumps in my chest. I could no long hear the chaos going on around me.

"It's not your time, not yet." The young man from across the street told me as he knelt down on the sidewalk next to me. Deep blue eyes looking down at before everything went white.

Maybe? I haven’t been writing as much, life gets in the way with it. I’ve been trying to fall back in love with writing (plus trying to fix my writers block). I have soo many unfinished original works that I want to finish so I can publish. That being said Wade the Duck was one my favorite fanfic series to write and he holds a dear spot in my heart.

However with that being said two (almost tree, gosh the time has gone by quick) my own personal Wade the duck was killed. She was the epitome of Wade from my stories (though not the inspiration, that came from a wild duckling I had rescued out of a storm drain). And I miss her, and writing about Wade (even if not my Wade) is hard. I’m not saying I’ll never write about him and his antics cause never say never. But for now he’s on pause.

Chapter 2

     "You think you have what it takes?" He stated as he slowly uncrossed his arms. His hands dropped to his right side as he backed up and he pull a thick wicked and twisted sword from his side that I recently hadn't seen. The metal solid matte black with thin red lines etched into it, he held it out to the side and let it drop to the ground next to him. Leaves crunched under its heavy weight, my heart leapt into my throat in instant. "Think you can take on just one of them, one of the hundreds in their legion?"

    "What are you doing?" I asked, bringing my sword to the front of me, the tip pointed to the ground. I watched as he pushed back the opening to his long black coat, deep crimson silk flashed as he pulled yet another sword from his body, longer, sleeker, and just as black. He untied the rope that held it to his waist and I watch as it too hit the ground at his feet.

     "I think a kid like you needs the best advantage you can have to even fight a full grown man, let alone one of those beasts." He replied casually. "So let's have at it, let's see what a little punk like you can do?"

    It's not that I hadn't ever fought someone, I had, and on more then one occasion. I was used to defending myself, having been jumped a lot in my life because of my size. Most of the men that jumped me didn't realize that I was full gown woman. They just always assumed as this man had, that I was probably a young teenage boy, out on his own for the first time. I didn't pick fights, I had no reason, I had always found easier to just slip pass, keep my head down.

     "Are you just going to stand there and stare at me?" He asked, I said nothing in reply. He nodded to himself, and slowly turned his back to me, keeping his hands up. "Ah, you're one of those types, jumpers right?"

     "Screw those people." I snapped back, he looked over his should me.

     "You have fought someone before? Usually there isn't this much down time." He quipped, there was a twinkle in his dark eye as he looked over at me.

     "Yes, I've fought, and I've defended myself." I replied, frustration staring to seep up.

      "Well then, on with it." He chuckled, he was taunting me.

     I lunged forward and with in an instant was pulled from my feet, not even sure how he had turned as fast as he had, I was thrown over his body and onto the ground. The leaves beneath me crunched and flew around me as my body bounced before rolling to a stop. I pushed myself back up, lifting my head to look back at him, he twirled my blade in his hand before throwing it to the ground. I watched as it stuck up, buried all the way to the hilt.

"Alright kid, wanna try that again?" He asked, there was a glint of humor in his eye as he cross his arms over his broad chest.

     I rushed at him again, he side stepped and stuck his foot out. I leapt over it, knowing this was one of the common tricks in the book. I turned and went to jump his back, but he spun and grasped ahold of my wrist and spun me around to face away from him. Roughly he pulled me back against him, my back flush against his chest as his arm was wrapped loosely around my throat. He pointed at my defaced tree with his free hand.

     "So you want to start a war, and that kid, I respect the hell out of." He whispered in my ear, sending a wave of goose bumps down my neck in process. "But you will need more then your wits, more then your sword, and more then the life you have to lay down."

    "Yeah, why? Cause some random stranger in the woods says so?" I spat back, anger welling up in me once again. I was angry that he had me in this position, angry cause I didn't even stand a chance against him as he was far stronger and a better fighter then myself.

      "A random stranger who still has a knife in the sleeve of his jacket, just because someone looks disarmed doesn't mean they are." He told me, his voice low and threatening this time. "You've got some spunk, I'll give you that, but it's going to take more as I said."

   Quickly and agilely, with the smoothness of a cat hunting it's prey he lifted me from where stood and threw me over his body again. I landed on the forest floor, leaves took flight from under me once again, earthy scent enveloped me. I looked up at him, eyes connecting, a breeze taunted through the air, catching the edge of the coat he wore. Crimson sheen slightly in the light that seeped through the forest canopy above us. I took a deep breath, what hope in hell did I have.

A screech overhead stopped us from further combat, my opponent slowly looked heaven ward, no doubt eyes tracking the forest canopy like my own. I could hear the rustle of the leaves from one of them flying above the tree tops, my heart thundered in my chest as I watched and waited with him. Slowly he turned his head back toward me, brought his glove covered finer to his lips before standing. He outstretched his hand down toward me and helped me to my feet.

Quickly both of us went to our swords and armed ourselves. My weapon felt out of place next his, but it was a welcomed feeling to be holding it again. I looked over and he had both of his held, ready for combat. Slowly he began to back up, each step calculated and silent till he stood next to me. I could see the tension in his eyes as he tracked the movement above us.

"We need to get going." He whispered, his voice low and deeper then it had seemed before.

"We?" I asked, looking over to him.

"Yes, you want to defeat them." He stated, thrusting the tip of his large sword toward the canopy. "You're going to need me."

"And what do you get out of this?" I asked suspiciously as another screech could be heard in the distance.

"We need to go... Now." He stated firmly as he started to head towards a game trail. "There's more on the way, they can smell the fresh cuts in the wood."

"What?" I whispered as I rushed to catch up with him.

"How do you think they know when someone has defaced one? They can smell it." He retorted with annoyance.

"Can they smell the item that made the mark?" I asked him, my eyes tracking the boughs of deep green high above us.

"Yes." He replied, quickly I slung my bag over my shoulder pulling it in front of my body. I opened it and rummaged around till I found the knife and dropped it on the forest floor. "You do realize they can pick your scent up off that, right?"

I stopped and turned, and picked it up, I rushed to catch back up with him.

"So, then what do I do with it?" I whispered feeling my heart rate pick back up.

"There is a stream up ahead, you can toss it there." He replied, his speed picked up as a wail came from behind us.

"Okay." I breathed, my head whipping back the direction we had just come from. I could hear the sound of branches moving and twigs snapping. "They're coming through."

"Just keep moving, the trees are too close together for them to fit without causing destruction." He replied as we followed the game trail down the hill, the sound of the bubbling water ahead was just barely audible.

"Is that really going to stop them?" I asked, looking back forward as the forest floor became rocky and uneven. "Cause I've heard a lot different."

"If it was a concern then why did you go and mar up the trees?" He snapped as he pushed back a low lying branch, he stepped to the side so I could pass him.

"How else was I going to get the word out?" I retorted, the branch swished as he let it go before following me. His presence behind me caused the hairs on the nap of neck to stand on end, knowing that this man, this extremely dangerous man was behind me and still armed.

"Oh, I don't know, kid, maybe talk to people in taverns. Or put up flyers in town halls?" He shot back as we neared the stream.

The water glistened across nearby rocks, reflecting the sun above us. Fog had settled in here thicker then in the actual forest even though the branches from trees on both sides of the stream touched. I could see fish darting around under branches that had fallen through the years. It was deeper then a stream should be and I couldn't see the bottom but it wasn't nearly as wide as a river. I still held the knife in my hand as I stood next to it, watching for a brief moment.

"This is as good as any to toss your knife." He stated with sigh, looking back the way we had come.

"I heard stories of them being able live in water, some of them at least. Ones that never come out and attack people who neared or dared to enter." I told him, I could hear the tremble in my voice and wondered why I had decided to do what I was doing. I couldn't lie to myself that this scared the crap out me even though this is what I wanted.

"Yeah, stories, that's exactly what they are. Yes, they can fly. But other then that.." He replied with a shrug. "The worst thing you have to worry about is being caught defiling nature, because they will enslave you, which in my honest opinion is worse then death."

"How do I know I can trust you?" I asked as I finally looked over to him. His eyes still just barely peeking out above the cloth that covered his lower face. "I don't even know your name."

"Trust me, don't trust me, I really don't care." He shrugged, his dark eyes boring into mine as he spoke. "I want them dead just as much as you do, and that's all that really matters isn't it?"

"But how do I know that you won't turn me in for the tree thing?" I asked him as I tossed the knife into the water creating a little splash as it went it, fish darting away in fear. A flash of silver before it disappeared from view.

"What do I have to gain from making deals with demons?" He asked his eyebrow raising.

The word sent a chill down my spine. Demons. That's what they were, it was a word people didn't say out loud, not anymore. For the most part we tried to ignore the fact that they walked among us, that they ruled the planet. It wasn't for the fear of bringing them to you by saying the word demon out loud, it was more of the fact that nobody want to accept the fact that we weren't top of the world anymore.

"Who knows." I sighed in response, he turned away from me and started to move up stream. "Back to, what's your name?"

"Draven." He replied, looking over his shoulder at me. "And you?"

"Skylar."

"Well Skylar, have you ever been to Acumen?" He asked.

"No, but I've heard rumors of it." I stated, watching as he stepped over a fallen log, one that was just this side of too big for me to step over.

"What have you heard of it?" He asked, stopping to look back as I attempted to climb over it, almost falling on the other side. He cocked his head and let out a chuckle.

"You seriously didn't just laugh at me." I snapped, as I slipped landing on my knee in the mud.

"Yes, I did."

"I'm like five foot something and your seven at least, not my fault I can't just step over giant objects."

"Your point?"

"You're an ass."

"Your point?" I could hear the humor dripping from his words as he spoke this time and rolled my eyes as I caught up with him.

"Back to your original question." I stated, ignoring the fact that he was being a jerk for no other reason then that he could. "I've heard Acumen was over run with demons, and thievery."

"Yes, on the thievery, and yes, there are demons there along with a pit. But, we should find a strong hold when it comes to people for your army." He replied as we continued forward.

"I thought the pits were just rumors, I didn't think they actually auctioned off humans there." I stated, looking over at him as we walked.

"Oh no, they do exist. The human trade business is very lucrative. But the tensions are high between demons and humans in Acumen so it would be our best place to start." He explained.

"So Acumen it is then."

Chapter 2

   I flopped down on what resembled an old couch, though truth to be told it was mostly fabric with a bit of stuffing by this point. The windows of the shack Derrick had less us to had been boarded up from the outside and inside, but bits of waning sunlight snuck in through the gaps. The air was stale and had a light musty to it. I had set my knife down on one of the end table that probably held what was left of the couch together. Derrick had kept sneaking glances back to me and wouldn't turn his back to me fully with me armed. I got it. This was his place, I respected that.

   The canvas shoes made a sucking sound as I pulled them from my feet taking the socks with them. Pulling the soaked socks of the foot wear I rung them out the best I could. It wasn't like the floor was going to get any dirtier from them.

   He lit a small fire in the stone hearth that was located toward the back of the shack it was then I actually looked around taking in my own surroundings. Faded wall paper peeled from cracked dry wall, an over head light fixture smashed leaving broken shards of glass across the wood floor. Uneven floor boards curled slightly around the edges dust and dirt covering them.

    There was coffee table directly between the two of us and on it was thin tubular sticks of wood. Arrowheads and feathers laying next to them. My eyes travel back to where Derrick was hunched next the fire, he glanced over at me, and then back to the unfinished arrows on the table.

   "All I got is some crow." He told me, I nodded slowly.

   "Better then grass." I shrugged. "And worms."

   He stood and walked into the next room his heavy boots barely making much sound as he went. I rolled my head, trying to alleviate some of the tenseness. Grasping ahold of the shoes and standing from the couch I walked over to the fire and set them next to it. Derrick came back in with a heavy cast iron pan, plopping it on the fire it self with two freshly plucked birds.

   "How long you been out there?" He asked, his eyes tracking me all the way to the couch.

   "I have no idea." I sighed, lowering myself back on the raggedy furniture. "It's been at least.. a year I wanna say."

   "When was the time ya saw another person?" He questioned as he poked one of the birds.

   "Guessing the dead doesn't count?" I jested, Derrick shot a look over his shoulder at me. "I wanna say probably spring, trees were just starting to leaf out."

   He nodded in response, silence fell between us. The sound of the fire licking of the logs and meat sizzling filled the room.

   "What about you?" I asked him, he didn't say anything at first but watched the pan in front of him.

   "What makes you think I'm by myself?"

   "Are you?" I didn't move but eyed him as he looked over at me.

    "No." He replied, his gaze drifted back the two small bodies on the pan. Derrick used the tip of his knife to flip them.

   "Where is the rest of your group?" I sat up straighter on the couch, my body suddenly humming.

   "Back home." He settled down, sitting next to the fire with one long leg stretch out in front of him.

   "Then why are you out here?"

   "Looking for supplies, huntin." He shrugged.

   "Are they decent people?" Sure, I know I said I missed having conversations but I wasn't quite ready to deal with groups of people.

   "Yeah."  He nodded, pulling one of the carcasses from then pan with the knife and dropping it on a metal plate.

   Derrick reached over the coffee table and handed it over to me, it smelled amazing. Grasping a hold of some of the meat and pulling it off I tried not to think of the last time I had had actual food. Tossing it into my mouth I tried not to drool, it tasted a hell of lot better then what I had been eating, which between me and stinking wet wasnt a hell of whole lot.

   "It'll be safe here for the night." Derrick told me, bringing his own bird to his mouth and ripping some meat off.

   "Look, not to sound like an ass." I stated, picking more meat from the crow. "But, am I safe from you?"

   His head whipped around, eyes focused on me as I pretended not to look up at him. Truth be told, even though I wasn't holding a weapon i was sure I could pull one of the arrows in front of me faster then he could get to me. I didn't know him, and I had been fooled in the past before.

   "I ain't gonna do anything to ya." He mumbled around the bone he was pulling out of his mouth. "If I was I woulda done it while you were ass end up, not after I gave ya something to eat."

    "Look, I've been.. shits happened before, okay?" I told him, watching him as he picked another bone out of his mouth. "And I just.."

   "I get it." He nodded, eyes fixed on me. "There's a lot of nasty people out there."

   "Yeah, that's the understatement of the century." I sighed, looking down at the pile of bones on my plate trying to figure out how I had managed to eat all of it in such a short time. "Then again, there has always been nasty people. Just seems those were the ones that survived."

   "Nah." He shook his head, hair brushing across his shoulder as he did. "My group, they're good people."

   "Glad to hear you found the good ones." I smiled over at him. "And I'm glad I found someone decent enough to share his meal, even though you did drop me on the ground."

    "That was your fault." He smirked over at me. "You stepped into my deer trap."

   "How's that my fault?" I asked him, voice raising an octave. "You were the one distracting me, plus it's not like I could see it, considering it was all buried and shit."

   "That was on you." He chuckled. "Been tracking you for a bit, you need to pay closer attention to your surroundings."

   "How long?"

   "Heard ya splashing around in the creek, got there just as you put down the dead one." He responded, pushing himself up off the floor. Derrick walked over to the other side of the room and pulled a blanket up from the floor. "Who were ya talking to anyway?"

   "The trees, myself, no one." I shrugged, he tossed the blanket over to me. "Couldn't help me?"

   "Nope, gotta see who ya were." He smiled over and looked between the slates over the window. "Noticed you didn't have anything."

   "That's all I have had, nothing." I sighed, laying out the best I could on the broken down couch. I stared up at the ceiling, knowing I was crazy for just blindly trusting this guy.

Derrick walked out of the room, his boot steps lightly echoed against the wood, leaving me by myself. It had been close to five years since the first of the corpses roses, I had gone through five winters and at least seven pairs of footwear in that time.

A chair scraped across the floor in the other room I watched the opening from this room to the next. Derrick appeared back in view and settled a wood dining chair near the front door before he flopped down, setting some in his lap. A bit of shine caught the slip of light from the moon that filtered through the wood slates that covered the window. He looked over at me briefly stretching one of his legs out and relaxing back into the chair, before fixing his eyes back on the opening that lead to the outside world.

"You should sleep." He muttered.

"That's easier said than done." I replied softly, averting my gaze back at the ceiling. Bits of plaster were missing and exposed beams above me with some fiberglass hung down.

"Can't keep running on little sleep." He told me his voice softening loosing some of the gruffness it had had.

"I've been running on little sleep since way before the dearly departed took over." I sighed, turning my head and gazing back over at the man.

"Why do you call them that?" He asked me, eyes finally traveling back over to me.

"What am I supposed to call them? The dead, the undead? Demented humans? The damned?" I replied pulling myself up from the couch, I traveled across the floor and looked out on of the slates. Moonlight filtered through the tree canopy, slightly lighting up the forest outside us. "The were once someone's loved one, somebodies friends or family. They were human, had lives, feelings, hopes and dreams. We are gathered here to honor the dearly departed.."

"Did you work in a funeral home or something?" He asked me, I glance over at him and smiled breifly.

"No, I worked at a coffee shop on 1st and Main Street." I responded with a chuckle. "But close enough."

I heard him chuckle in reply as he shifted slightly in his spot making the chair groan under his weight.

"Which 1st and Main? There's got to be hundreds out there." He tilted his head watching me as I stared out the window.

"Does it matter which one?" I sighed leaning again the wall next to me. "It not like there are states or countries for that matter. The world be longs to them, where we're from, who we were.. it's all kinda pointless now."

"I think the who we were still matters." He stated.

"Why is that?"

"A good person is still going to be a good person, end of the world or not." He looked back out the window, slowly sitting up his face tensed.

"That's not what I meant." I whispered looking back out in the moonlit trees.

I saw them too, slowly moving, feet shuffling through the underbrush. Their moans were muffled in the run down home, and the stench masked. I could only see a small handful, my own muscles tensed and instinctively I reached to my hip before I remembered my knife was the table at the opposite of end of the couch. A wave of panic rushed through me, heart skipping a beat as I realized I was completely unarmed.

The walls should keep us safe from a small handful of them, but if this was a part of larger group it could overwhelm the building and then what? I snapped my hand back to Derrick who's hand was gripping the shiny object in his lap. From this angle I could see it was a gun, something I haven't seen in years. I wasn't sure if at this point I found that comforting or not but at least one of us was armed.

"Didn't know any of those were still in use." I whispered to him looking back out the window.

"Bullets are hard to come by." He whispered back. "I would rather not waste them, plus the sound could draw more of them in."

"Then why do you have it out?" A couple moan of the dearly departed shambled passed the building.

"Just in case."

Somewhere in the distance an animal shrieked, no doubt caught off guard by the roam lot of corpses. They shift as one turning away from us, their moans getting louder as they walked as one to whatever made that horrible sound.

It was fascinating, watching them. They seemed to still have all their senses, smell, hearing and even sight. However they lacked any other thought process, no complex thought, no emotions. No doubt they were dead as some them you could bullet holes throughout their bodies, they felt no pain. They never needed to rest, always on the move looking to eat and why they were always hungry who knew. The dead when in groups almost always seemed to move as one, there wasn't any leader just the collective.

     I opened the metal door, thick fog covered everything in an opaque white, the sun's bright rays dulled down by the heavy clouds that always hung over head for as long as I knew. The chill from the air nipped at the skin exposed around the googles that I wore, the glass helping my vision to cut through some of the fog before me. Every inch my body covered in warm grey clothes repurposed from old plastic. A process that I had learned from my father before he passed two years ago.

My heavy deer hide bag hung on my back, the straps clipped across my chest as I looked out and listened. It held items I would need for the hunt, everything from bottles, food, extra fabric, first aid supplies and weapons. Some of the these items I would need to trade, some I would use, others I might need to defend myself.

      It was quiet, no birds singing, no bugs buzzing, instinctively my hand went to my side. The fingerless gloves that encased my hands wrapped tightly around the hilt of the sword I had found in my travels. Not that it would of been any use against them, but it would keep me safe from my own kind. Slowly I stepped out, the leather sole of my boot silent as it hit the pavement. My eyes ever scanning the area as I closed the door behind me, I could hear the locks being engaged behind me in a series of clicks.

     I walked straight a head of me, toward the thicket of trees that I knew were on the other side of the broken and crumbling street. The grass beyond the street knee high between the two houses falling to the ground, vines wrapping around them slowly bringing it closer to earth with each passing year. One day, this house will be completely reclaimed by the nature we sought so hard to control.

     Through the yards, behind the house, the sound of metal chain link fence barely audible as I walked over the brush covering the fallen attempt to separate what had been owned from what had been wild. Slowly the world around me darkened as the trees encased me, the canopy above completely blocking the remaining light above me out.

    Even here the fog floated between the massive woods that surrounded me, it hung in wisps, effortlessly gliding around, like some haunted wind. It was always present, never quite giving up its hold on the world, a consistent companion. I slid the goggles up and allowed my eyes to adjust to the darkened setting. I stopped and looked around me, nothing. Good.

     I walked up to one of the nearest trees, unclipping the strap at my chest and slinging the bag forward from my back. I pulled the switch blade from the side pocket and pressed down on the button. The blade flipped out and clicked into place. I rammed the tip of the blade into the hard bark of the trunk. Peeling the chucks of wood away from the tree till I had a smooth surface to work on. I stopped for a moment and looked around, I couldn't be the only one that couldn't live like this. There had to be others, others who wanted to fight them instead of each other.

     If they caught me, it would be a sentence worse then death. Enslavement. I took a deep breath before facing the smooth surface of the tree. The exposed wood a soft tan compared to the rich chocolate color of the bark.

      'For we have risen. Wake now!'

    I stepped back, the message vague, but it was bold as the destruction of the nature in itself that I had done. Pulling a cloth from one of the many pockets that covered my body I wiped the blade before pushing it back into place. I stepped around the tree and continued further into the forest. I couldn't mark every tree, nor did I need to. I knew the trails that were used by our kind, the ones that humans would see and read. I also knew the routes that they took, where to avoid.

     An hour had passed, and I had marked five trees. Taking time to ensure I wouldn't be seen, not by them and not by any people either. Not that I ran into too many people these days, where it was wasn't heavily populated. It was a blessing and a curse all the same. Less people to deal with and less to worry about my own safety, but yet not enough people to barter or trade with, less people to see my message. I wanted them dead, each and every single one of them. But in order for that we needed to make a stand and I couldn't stand alone.

     "You do realize defacing natural property is illegal?" The heavy voice came from behind, the hairs on my neck stood on end. I moved my hand to my hip, fingers curled around the hilt as I slowly turned to face the man.

    He was dressed in heavy thick black attire, all but his eyes covered. He stood a good twenty feet back, his hands hung loose at his sides as he watched me from his distance. I could see his eyes travel down my body and back up, being sure to take his time on the weapon at my hip. His brow raise but he didn't seem alarmed by the sword.

     "What does 'for we have risen' mean, anyway?" He asked, walking to the left, his body poised still facing slightly toward mine as he did. My body tensed, my grip on the hilt tightened. I held my ground, my eyes tracking his casual gate.

    "It's time for us to rise up against them." I remarked, watching as he circled to my side still keeping his distance. Slowly I turned my head keeping him in line of sight.

     "You really think you could stand a chance against them?" He chuckled stopping slightly behind my left side, I could just barely see him by looking over my shoulder. "Some punk kid?"

    "Not just me, and I'm not some punk kid." I shot back, spinning on my heel to face him drawing my sword at the same time. I held it loose to my side, the black metal of the blade sharpened to a silver luster.

     "Oh, so you have an army, alright then," He stated crossing his arms in front of his body. "Where are they?"

     "I don't have one yet, but there has to be others willing to put their lives on the line to get out of the hell we're living in." I shot back, his head cocked to the side, crossing his arms he narrowed his eyes at the sword I held. "Living in fear, hiding, pretending that we are living our lives to fullest while they rule over us."

"Better check yourself, talk like that will put you in the stocks. Or worse, you'll be rounded up like cattle." He chuckled. "So tell me, what's some kid like you got planned, say you get your army, then what? Can you train men to fight? Do you even know how to fight, besides the occasional spat in the forest. Do you have a massive weapons cache?"

"Yes, I can fight." I scoffed back. "And we can find weapons, finds things to use as weapon, people aren't as defenseless as they think."

"So you say, but when they were woken the earth had a whole lot more weapon, things a bit more power the that little fire poker you got there. And it did have highly trained fighters at its disposal, you see what the outcome was." He remarked, he was walking slowly toward me, onyx eyes holding my own. His body still remained loose, casual, his gait was confident, making me uneasy. "So tell me, what makes you so different?"

He stood less then foot in front of me, I hadn't realized how tall he was till he was this close and he towered over me. His shoulders squared up, his posture straight, there was nothing threatening about him but yet his presence sent every alarm bell in my head off.

"Because I actually want something different. And I'm willing to fight for it."

Quickly I ducked under the edge of the storm drain, water trickled between my feet as I pressed myself as tight as I could against the side. The stench was the first thing I noticed, it was always there ever present, the smell of rotting flesh. You would think year after year of it somehow the senses would be deadened by it. Unfortunately no, whenever wind moved just right the all consuming smell rot would penetrate even the best of masks.

   My breath echoed down the culvert while my eyes tracked the bit of wilderness in front me. The soft groans coming from the once used road above mixed with the shuffling of feet. I reminded myself one or two, that was manageable. However once we started to the point I need both hands to count I was out.

  Gently pulling the hunting from its sheath at my hip, I breathed out slowly trying to keep my fears at bay. I reminded myself if I stayed quiet and kept hidden the odds were they would pass by none the wiser of little old me hiding underneath them. I was now living the highest stakes game of hide and seek... And it sucked.

   Was it a virus? A disease, a parasite? Hell maybe it was something the was bioengineered. Nobody knew. Just one day corpses rose from their resting point and decided the rest of us became a tasty snack. The world was already a shit storm anyway, this was just the nice little cherry on top of the cake. One day I was worried about making my electrical payment the next I was running from the dearly departed to keep from being eaten.

    Note to self, next apocalypse wear better shoes and a sports bra.

   There were days that I just wanted to give up, I wasn't going to fool myself. The idea of running from one place to the next, hoping to find food and water but just enough to keep me going not to much because you had to be light on your feet in case the dearly departed appeared out of no where. Just to get from one day to the next was enough to drive anyone to the point of insanity. On the other hand, laying down and giving up just to be feasted on and in turn become one of them wasn't appealing either. Who knew the end of world would actually make life interesting.

    I could hear the small herd slowly moving away, the moans and groan fading along with god forsaken shuffle shuffle of dead feet. Cautiously I took a step forward, a slight sloshing sound came from my soaked canvas shoes as I peered over the edge. Bits of tattered clothes, dirt and skin littered the asphalt like a gross version of a ticker-tack parade, but the ambling corpses seemed have kept going north which meant I wasn't.

   I stepped out of the shin deep creek, toes cold from being submerged in the water for as long as they had. I slipped my knife back into it's sheath when something cold wrapped around my ankle that was still under water. It pulled hard, pulling me from the slight embankment, muddy water cascaded up around me as a slimey figure lunged up out of the water.

   I braced my forearm against its throat, skin from its neck squished up exposing rotting neck muscles. Blackened teeth snapped at my face as I attempted to pull my knife back out, water sloshing up my own body in the process. The only hand it had reached up trying to pulled my arm down as I finally pulled my knife free of its encasement. Quickly I shoved the steel into the dead's temple hoping that in the process we didn't make enough noise to gather any other of their attention.

   The stinking corpse slid easily off my own body with a quick shove and climbed out of the stream as quickly as I could. I was soaked, cold and now annoyed I would spend the remaining of the day smelling like rotting flesh and fish. I stepped out on the road, my shoes squishing as I did and sighed heavily.

   "Stupid rotting pieces.." I trailed off as I rung out the bottom of my shirt. "Can I just catch a break, just a small one."

   I hung my head, taking a deep breath, one I was still lucky enough take. A bit of stream slime slipped down my elbow plopping on the black top next to my feet. It's not a bad day, just one craptastic moment,  I reminded myself heading in the opposite direction that the herd of dearly departed had went. After all it was maybe just shy of noon and I had the whole day ahead of me. Granted I still had to deal with not being eaten but in turn find food for myself and maybe, just maybe get lucky enough to find a safe place to hunker down for the night. Preferably dry.

   "So first thing on the agenda," I told myself. "Find some dry shoes, cleaner clothes then the one I am currently in."

   Having been on my own now, for god knows how long, I had taken up talking out loud. It was cathartic, it's not something one thinks about, how the lack of human to human conversation can effect ones mood. Being able to have that one on one connection, to share ideas, to express yourself, hell even to shoot the breeze and bull shit with your neighbor, humans needed it. We are a social creature, needing companionship like most other animals, we thrive on it. Though to be fair before the world was introduced to the new apex predator, the ones that never tired and would eat your face off fast than Florida man, I thought I could go the rest of my life never talking to another human. Now however, I would gladly even have the dullest conversation with a half brained inbred.

    The last time I was around another person, it only lasted a couple of months. She wasn't the brightist shade of grey, but at least it was better than talking to myself. She was already half mad went I met her, rattling on about how the dead spoke to her, calling her 'home' at least that was till she decided to have a one on one with a newly dearly departed.

   I hooked a left when I saw a dirt road leading off the asphalt street, deep ruts told me it had been used heavily and the lack of Mother Nature taking back over the path said it was used rather frequently. Both exciting and horrify at the same time. Before I met the her who thought the dead wanted to tell all their undead secrets I had a run across a group of rather unsavory individuals, the type you wouldn't want to come across at any type of day. Think the widest biker gang you can think of, double it and sprinkle in some hard core serial killers, that was them.

   Ducking into the brush that the forest provided, I kept the dirt road in my sight. The knife was already unsheathed and in hand, keeping my knees bent to avoid making anymore sound then I needed to I pressed forward. Somewhere in the distance a raven chortled and something scurried in the underbrush. Something moved on the other side of the road, shimmering from one tree to the next causing the hair on the nap of my wet neck to stand. I paused mid-step, taking in a deep breath to still my nerves.

   I took another step watching the trees across from me, sun filtered down through canopy casting an array of shadows. Another step forward and suddenly my world went upside down, leaves and branches flew around me. Pain seared its way through my ankle as I was pulled upward with enough force to not only knock the knife from my hand but also knock my brain against my skull.

   For a moment, just for moment, I was confused and disoriented. Once my brain stopped thudding against the inside of my head I realized the world around me was upside down and I was hanging by my left foot about four feet from the ground. Something came from around the trees on the other side of the dirt road but I didn't get a good look as I was not only upside down but spinning very slowly.

   "Seriously, you better not be one of the D.D.'s, otherwise I'm going to be really pissed." I half yelled trying to do a sit up in the air, finding it more difficult then it should of been.

   "Why you comin down this way?" A male voice almost bellowed back, heavy foot steps made their way to my direction.

   "On my way to the mall!" I yelled back, astonished to actually hear a voice and not the moans of the dead. I tried to whip myself around to see who was yelling at me but my own hair kept covering my own face and obscuring the view.

   "Smart ass comment like that ain't goin to get ya down." He snapped back as a hand grasped a hold of my wrist.

   "Well, to be fair that's a dumbass question, the hell do you I'm going?" I snapped back as a face came into view.

    Piercing blue eyes met mine, a small scar sat above his right eyebrow. Scruff surrounded a set of full lips and his shoulder length dirty blonde hair hung to his shoulder. His skin was tanned by what was no doubt years of being outside, in that moment I wondered how many of us still living would die of skin cancer rather than old age.

   "Think your funny, don't 'cha." He stated, before walking over to a nearby tree.

   "Don't know, haven't been around to many of the living these days, and considering the dead don't talk or laugh for that matter." I responded, watching him intently.

   "Mmm." He responded more as grunt rather then an actual response. With a flick of his wrist I came crashing back to the ground, extra rope pelting me on the face for good measure.

   "Thanks.. I think." Standing up and brushing myself off quickly, bits of forest floor sticking to me since my clothes were still wet from earlier. I spied my knife and swiped it up from the ground.

   "Why you head this way?" He asked me, this time without the yelling. His jeans were filthy and had holes throughout them, same as his grey colored shirt. Actually the ones thing not covered in holes was probably his leather jacket.

   "Well.." I took a deep breath. " I was on the hunt for food and dry clothes, saw the dirt road.. was hoping to find an old abandon house that maybe I could hole up in for the night."

   "You don't have any food?" He asked, staying the distance he was, he shifted his weight from one foot to the other a bit. I could tell he was sizing me up, just as I was doing the same.

   The man was dirty, he had definitely been out on his own a while. There was a large knife of some sort on his left hip, and a smaller one on the right. He didn't seem threatening, but looks were always deceiving anymore. As of now, I treated everyone as a threat until I learned otherwise.

   "What weapons you got?" He asked abruptly. I pulled the knife back from its rest point flipped it in my hand so the handle was facing towards him.

   "Just this." I said as I took a step forwards, his own hand instinctively went to his hip.

   "Just that one?" He asked, his eyes flicking down and then back up to me.

   "I travel light, makes it easier to run from the dearly departed." I responded solemnly, he chewed on his bottom lip and nodded.

   "Come on." He almost barked walking through the trees in the direction I had been walking before I went feet over head.

   "You going to kill and eat me?" I asked him, pausing for a moment. He paused for a moment and look over his shoulder.

   "What?"

    "Nothing, what's your name?" I asked him, putting the knife back in it's spot.

   "Derrick, yours?"

   "Amelia."

Long time no see! I’m attempting to get back into writing but I desperately need all ya’lls help. I’m casting a very wide net with this cause it’s just not fan fiction writing I need help with but just writing in general.

Writing for me was a therapeutic thing, it helped me work so many aspects of my own life and I need to get back to where I was. To be clear I’m not taking requests right now. What I looking for is what readers (ei, all of you amazing humans) like and don’t like.

Soooo, I know I haven’t post in.. like years. I have had a lot going in my life between job changes, depression, issues with my daughter, loosing my ducks (Including my dear Wade, who was named after my stories), getting a dog. Not necessarily in that order but a lot.

But the one amazing thing is I actually self published one of my stories. It’s always been a life goal of mine and I did it! It’s been out for a year but I thought I would tell everyone how proud I am. And a lot of that has to do with my confidence I got from having so many read my fics, knowing that there were people out there that actually enjoyed what I had written.

Special credit goes out to my sister @devilbat having to me listen about my writing and giving me feed back. And also @kitkatkl for pushing me and reading my other works, thanks bestie. They’ve been my biggest two people to encourage me and I couldn’t thank them enough.

I had been writing, I’ve been working on what will hopefully be a novel someday (hopefully it doesn’t take me a decade to finally decide to publish like the other one). For other writers out there who feel down about themselves because they don’t use storyboards or story time lines neither do I.

I never have a full idea when I start writing, just a singular idea, picture or quote and it goes from there. Hell I don’t know what is going to happen so I never have a clear idea of what an ending looks like when I start. The characters take shape and guide me, I’m just recording their activities it seems. However unlike writing fan-fiction I don’t post each chapter. That way by the time I come to the end I can go back to the beginning and fix nuances in the story.

And unlike everything I’ve ever written I’m going back in the past, and actually writing about actual places. So… I have a lot of research to do. Yes, somethings will change, my character names will change. The important thing is to get it out first.

@skylerthefallenangel requested 15, 20, and 26 with vampire Clint. It could be read as a stand alone or as the follow up to The Woods

15.) running doesn't matter, I'll hunt you down if I have to

20.) the light in yours eyes, makes them beautiful

26.) all that blood looks good on you, brings out your eyes.

“Running doesn’t matter, I’ll hunt you down if I have to.”

Those words haunted you as you slipped out of the room on weakened legs. All of you felt like jello, and you were exhausted, but you didn’t know what would come of you if you stayed here, in this house, at the center of the woods.

Your eyes glanced over to the sleeping.. man? Was he really a man though? Those fangs, the way they pierced your neck, the roughness of how he slammed you in the wall. He wasn’t a man, he was something more, something darker. You kept your eyes locked on him, he was sprawled out on the couch, his arm cast over the back while the other laid on his chest.

His sandy hair was a mess, and there was a bit of died blood still on the corner of his mouth. His breathing was deep and even. You bit your lip as you slowly made your way through the living room, quietly your feet moving across the floor as you did. If you could just escape, find away out of the forest and get home, get help. First was getting out of this house.

You made it out of the living room, moving as fast as your feet would take you to the front door. Quickly you opened it, casting a quick glance over your shoulder before rushing out into the nights cool air. The grass beneath your feet was cold and damp, but you ignored the awkward feel of the bare earth against the bottoms of your feet.

You rushed out into the woods, twigs snapping under your steps as you did. You hit the first tree and leaned up against it taking a deep and heavy breath. You blinked, knowing you had along way to go before you were safe, but you were safer out here then in there. You took another breath and pushed off the tree heading deeper into the forest.

You kept an even pace, one that wasn’t too fast so not to tire yourself out and one not to slow so hopefully you made it out as morning broke. The night was silent, the usual sounds of the night were missing, sending a shiver up your spine. You tried to remember which direction when you had run from him earlier but you had been turned around so many times you weren’t sure. So you stuck going to one direction.

“So, you are actually going to try and run?” The voice echoed through the trees as you pressed on forward resisting the urge to bolt like you did before.

You ignored the voice as you watched the careful placement of your feet while attempting to walk down the slope. You hoped to high hell it was the stream, you had one that ran by your own house and with any luck it would lead you there.

“Ah, you’re ignoring me.” He spoke, this time coming from somewhere on your left. “I feel hurt by that, y/n.”

Your stepped faltered as you came to a sudden stop.

“Bet you want to know how I know your name.” He asked, his voice coming from your right. You breathed in deeply through you nose, and exhaled out your mouth as fear threaten to take hold.

“The light in your eyes, makes them beautiful.” The voice was behind you and close. A shiver tore through your body as you realized he was getting closer and closer every time he spoke. You stepped forward, deciding to keep moving. “Don’t step there.”

Without warning the soil gave out from under you and suddenly you felt weightless before you hit the ground. Pain burst up through your ribs and your body rolled, kicking up leaves and wood debris from the forest floor. The smell of earth surrounded you, and pain hit your shoulders, your shins, your forehead as you tumbled down the embankment head smacking a tree as you came to a stop.

The world around you spun on a dime, making you nauseous as you stared up. You could make out a few star through canopy as the man’s head slowly stepped into view.

“All the blood looks good on you, brings out your eyes.” He stated the corner of his pulling up. He reached his hand down grasping you by the wrist and pulling you to your feet.

“Please don’t.” You breathed as pain ebbed through you, he wrapped an arm your midsection holding you to him.

“Don’t do what?” He asked, his eyes widening a bit.

“Don’t bite me again.” You whispered closing your eyes as you legs started to give out.

“No, I’m not going to do that, you wouldn’t make it.” He stated calmly sweeping his other arm under your legs and lifting you bridal style.

“Then what are you doing?” You asked.

“Making sure you get back home?” He responded gently walking back the way you had come from. “I’m Clint by the way.”

“My home?” You asked him, terrified that he was lying.

“Yes, your home.” He quipped back. “I was trying to do that when you ran and well, it’s like a pretty running from a predator.”

“Why?” You asked him, your head spinning as he carried you through the forest.

“Well, my friend said that you went through the woods, if you don’t know them you’ll get lost at night.” He explained, ducking slightly under a branch. “Plus, you know there are things that go bump in the night.”

Permanent tag-

@kitkatkl

Slowly you laid your head against the cool tile of the bathroom floor. Allowing the rest of your body to follow suit, it had seemed like years since you had truly felt yourself. There was always something pulling at you, keeping you from just being. However you did what you always did. Put on a smile and worked your way through whatever was going on in your life, jumping in with both feet and giving a piece of yourself every time. And now, now you were just were so burnt out you didn’t know how to give anything anymore. You felt empty inside.

You just laid there staring at the white bathroom wall, noticing each texture in the paint as you just allowed yourself to exist. You felt drained, you didn’t even have the energy in you to cry or to fight, you were well past that stage. You didn’t want to do anything, and there was no one for you to turn anymore. You had friends but they had there own problems and their own life’s.

There was a knock at the door but you didn’t move, whoever was could go away. Another knock and your eyes flicked to the bathroom door hoping they would just leave and let you wallow on the floor. At first you thought you imagined the click of the lock but then pushed it to the side. A few people had a key to your apartment but they were always busy, so it was highly unlikely it was them. You closed your eyes as a tear slowly fell to the floor.

“Y/n?” Steve soft voice brought you back the reality of the situation, you heard him push the bathroom door open just a small bit and the rustle of him moving.

You felt the warmth of his palm again the bare skin of your arm, his fingers trying to slide under your bi-cep as he attempted to pull you up from the floor. The scent of his aftershave slowly drifting you, wrapping in a bit of comfort as you allowed the man to pull you into his arms, partially in his lap. Steve’s arms crossed over you and pulled you to his chest, your body molding to his as you closed your eyes as another tear fell. Gently he ran his fingers through your hair as he sighed holding you tight to him.

“What’s going on?” He asked softly, so softly.

“Nothing.” Your voice above a whisper as another tear followed the last.

“Don’t lie me.” He responded, shifting a bit as he brought his arm back and under your legs. “Something has been off for a while, that’s why I came by. I could hear it in your voice.”

“I’m fine.” You whispered, trying more to fool yourself then him.

“Y/n, it’s okay if your not.” He told you softly as you felt your body being lifted from the floor, being pulled close and cradled against the man.

“But.. if I’m not..” Another tear fell as you tried fight with yourself.

“Then I’ll be here for you.” Steve responded walking you over to your bed.

Gently he laid you down, and pulled the covers over your body. He walked around the other side and kicked his shoes off before climbing in the bed behind you. Steve leaned over, grasped ahold you and pulled you to him, your head finding his chest. You breathed, and allowed yourself to feel small and weak with him, something nobody got to see before.

“So, what can I do to help?” He asked you quietly, running his hand through your hair again.

You shrugged your response but just stared at the bedroom wall like you had the bathroom. Listening to the steady beat of his heart in chest, you wrapped your arm his waist and pulled yourself closer to him. You just needed him to be here, to be present, to see this side of you, the one no one ever got to see.

“If you want we can just stay like this for a while and then I can stay here or you can come back with me.” He spoke, his voice sounding deep in his chest as he spoke. “I’m not leaving you, if all you need is someone to just exist with then I’m here. If you need someone to talk at, I’m here for that too. If you someone to have a conversation with, count me in. You don’t have to do it all on your own.”

You nodded against him, tightening your hold a bit more as your tears fell from your eyes. His hand gently caressing the back of your head while the two of you just stayed there.

@devilbat

Permanent tag-

@kitkatkl