A Strange Sort Of Afterlife

Chapter 3

Scott could just hear the sounds of a fight drifting through the night from where they were.

"We should-" he nodded toward sounds of struggle.

"Yeah" they turned and ran through the forest toward the explosive conflict. Shouts could soon be heard over the blasts.

The forest ended suddenly in a wide clearing. The close cut grass of a misplaced park lead to a large sturdy grey office building surrounded by a broad street. The fight moved quickly around the building. Five ferocious assailants pursued three young teens, who fought back with peculiar abilities.

The blonde boy sent explosive blasts from his hands while shouting angrily at their attackers and the dark haired one struck out with tremendous force and speed. The third with part red and part light hair held back the foes with waves of ice and fire.

Allison notched an arrow and stepped onto the lawn while Scott rushed forward to help. The men snarled as they turned to meet him... moving with inhuman speed, their faces twisted with hunger and pure hatred, fangs exposed.

"Vampires?" Allison asked.

"Maybe?" Scott shrugged confusion on his face.

"Great." Allison rolled her eyes. "I don't have any wooden arrow."

"Try silver" He called eyes on the attacking men as one of them lunged at him hands grasping for his throat.

At that moment the other vampires rushed them and Allison loosed her arrow and grabbed a silver one just as the vampire reached her. She used the arrow in her hand and stabbed the creature in the chest... it didn't fall, but it jumped away crying in pain as the silver tip burned him.

"Silver works" she called tossing an arrow at Scott . He caught it, one hand still grappling with his opponent. Allison pulled another out of her quiver at which the nearest vampire hissed, eyeing her arrow nervously.

Scott placed himself between the vampires and the boys. Brandishing the silver arrow a deep red glow rose in his eyes as his own fangs sharpened.

"Enough!" he growled harshly.

The vampires cowered back startled by the voice of an alpha.

"Get lost!" Allison snapped as she notched another arrow.

The vampires retreated at last to look for an easier meal. Scott turned back to the boys. The dark haired boy was busy guiding several frightened people out of hiding beside the building stairs, while the blonde was being held back by the two toned kid.

"ANATA NO TASUKE WA HITSUYO ARIMASENDESHITA!" he shouted "ANO YARO-TACHI GA ITA NODESU!!!"

"I'm sorry I don't understand." Scott replied.

"Japanese again?" Allison murmured.

"I apologize for Ka-chan" the dark haired kid spoke in cautious English "He's stressed."

"What hero organization are you from?" the third boy asked.

"Hero Organization?" Scott tilted his head. "I don't know anything about that."

The boys looked at him quizzically.That faint whiff of decay was getting stronger.

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Derek tried to ignore the girl chattering beside him as he trudged through the trees. The forest gave way suddenly to a parking lot... and a mall? He raised an eyebrow questioningly. The large brightly lit building was completely out of place in the vast expanse of forest.