The Cool Brazilian Wind Blows through the Garden

Toughing it out

It had been a few hours of Sam and Mary walking through the snow. It had been close to sunset when they had decided to stay in an abandoned apartment complex. They had found a room on the third floor that was in decent shape and shielded from the cold outside. Sam had set up the room so that Mary and him had their own beds. Sam had been going from room to room looking for food and water. Mary had time to herself and began reading some of the books in the room. Something that was still bothering her was the fact that a human would go out of his way to help her.

She was grateful that Sam had decided to bring her along after he found her. The thing that still bothered her was what Sam was going to do when he found out she was a vampire. It was clear that he didn't know she was. It had been a while since she last ate and she was bound to slip up eventually. Mary was brought out of that thinking when the door to the room opened. Sam was holding three cans of food and four bottles of water.

Sam set them on a coffee table and sat down on his bed. "That should last us for today. I almost got four cans, but a raccoon stole it out of my hands."

Mary sat silently before asking "Why do you wear that suit?"

Sam raised an eyebrow before answering. "This is a special suit I wear to make me faster and stronger. It also keeps me a bit more protected against weapons."

Mary wondered how a suit can make you stronger or faster.

Sam then asked something that made her heart skip a beat. "Now, may I ask why you have fangs?"

Mary stared nervously at Sam not wanting to move. Her breathing got quick and sweat began forming on her forehead. "H-how did you see?"

Sam made a shrugging motion. "Not to be rude, but it's kind of hard to not notice."

Mary looked down, embarrassed. She couldn't bring herself to tell Sam. She began to tear up.

Sam got up from his seat now worried. "Hey, hey, hey. There's no need to cry. I was just asking." He placed a hand on her shoulder to try and calm her down.

Mary suddenly grabbed Sam's hand and began crying into his arm. "I-i ju-just don't w-want y-you to hate me."

Sam pulled Mary into a hug. "Shhhhh. Take a deep breath. Calm down for a moment."

Mary looked at Sam and took a deep breath to try and calm down, but she was still shaky.

Sam looked at Mary. "Now why would I hate you?"

Mary choked out "Because I'm different than you. I'm a vampire."

Sam processed what he just heard. "You mean the creatures from story books?"

Mary looked Sam dead in the eyes which was enough of an answer for him. Sam went back to his chair and sat down.

Sam thought for a moment about the absurdity of metal gears, UGs and cyborgs. "Yeah, it's not the weirdest thing I have heard."

Mary looked surprised. "It isn't."

Sam laughed "Nope. Besides, why would I hate you for being a bit different?"

Mary looked bewildered by Sam's answer before her face grew into a smile. The moment was interrupted by the sound of a truck pulling up. Sam cautiously walked over to the window and looked out. Soldiers dressed in winter clothing with weapons filed out of the back and to the door. He saw the tire tracks and noticed something immediately. They were the same as the ones at the house he found Mary.

Sam rubbed his chin with a grin. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the Gestapo."

Sam heard the soldiers break down the door and beginning to sweep the building, slowly making it up the stairs. "Mary, you have to hide. Now."

Mary was completely frozen. She remembered the sound of the truck that was at her house. Her mother told her the same thing that Sam had just told her. Sam heard the footsteps getting closer and had to act.

He picked up Mary and rolled her under the bed. "Stay here, I'll be back."

Sam reattached his Murasama when he heard the door open. Two soldiers had entered the room, guns pointed at Sam.

He heard one of them speak. "Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing here?"

Sam sighed and turned around to face them.

The soldier who had asked Sam what he was going walked over smugly and hit his scabbard with his gun's barrel. "What do we have here?"

Sam had a clueless facade on and aimed the scabbard at the soldier's head. "Oh? This?"

Sam pulled the trigger on the scabbard and the sword flew out, catching the soldier in the jaw and sending him to hit the ceiling.

The other soldier stood there with his mouth agape and Sam quietly laughed. "Whoops."

The bewildered soldier tried to shoot Sam, but he quickly got his gun knocked out of his hands with a kick. Sam grabbed his sword and cut the first soldier, who was reeling from being hit onto the ceiling, in half. He then brought his sword around and cut the remaining soldier in half diagonally. The body hit the floor and Mary peeked out from under the bed.

Sam placed his sword back in its scabbard when he heard many, many footsteps running up the stairs. Sam looked around for a quick way out and his eyes fell on the window. He picked Mary and opened the window.

He looked Mary in the eyes. "Mary, this idea is a little crazy. I need to know if you trust me."

Mary gave a nod, not liking the option of being caught. Sam gave her a reassuring smile before turning to the window. He got a running start before jumping out the window, breaking what remained of it anyways. He held Mary close who was holding him with a vice-like grip. Sam impacted the ground, throwing snow around them and creating a small crater. Sam began running away from the complex at his top speed. He cut through alleyways and passed through other buildings.

Sam finally made it to a forest with strange looking lake full of gunk as the sun had just finished setting. He set down Mary who looked like she had seen better days. Sam sat up against a tree to catch his breath. Mary walked up and sat next to Sam. Sam smiled at Mary and pat her on the head. He had just felt relaxed when he heard gunshots and screaming ringing out across the forest. Sam looked up and what looked like large bats swarming a walled city with green lights.

Sam groaned and stood up. "Today won't let us catch a break."

Sam drew his sword and began looking around at the trees. Mary stood behind Sam afraid.

She looked up at Sam who looked down at her with a reassuring smile. "Stay close, alright?"

She nodded as Sam looked ahead of them, his mouthguard came down. He was ready to dance.