At Dawn They Sleep

Firebird

trapdoor/crawlspace

Roland held out the penlight to Ana. "Here, I don't think I'll need this anytime soon." Ana grabbed the Ledlenser from Roland and slunk quickly back to her corner of the crawl space. "Here, take this too. You can shine it on me if it makes you feel better." He tossed her his headlamp. Ana put it on, tightened the straps, and immediately shined the light on Roland. His eyes reflected brightly in the LED light. "Okay, not so bright. Maybe lower it a tad?" Ana lowered the intensity of the beam and widened it.

Roland looked at Ana, confused. "So, if the amulet they were after is still hidden inside you...I'm still trying to wrap my brain around that one. Do you know why they're even interested in these amulets, to begin with?"

"The Uninvited's memories aren't so great. They're operating on... how do you say...missions? Like, uh, tasks and instinct, things they were told to do long ago, so long ago that they don't even remember why they do them, only that they must obey."

"Is this what your grandfather told you about these Uninvited?"

"Yes. They're searching for something."

"Do you know what it might be?"

"No. And I don't think they even know what it is. I only know that when they find whatever they search for...it will not be good for anyone once they find it."

"They've been hunting you for a while, haven't they?"

"Ever since my grandfather's house."

"Where was that?"

"Goris."

"My knowledge of geography ain't that great. Where is Goris?"

"It's in Armenia."

"Is that where you and your sister are from?"

"No, my sister and I are from Vladivostok. It's in Russia."

"And you went to Armenia to be with your grandfather?"

"Yes."

"Was he sick?"

"He was bitten."

"Like me?"

"Yes. Just like you."

"Was it the same woman?"

"Yes."

"Am I going to die, Ana?"

"Overnight, the beast within you will rise to the surface. An uncontrollable bloodlust and a deep thirst for blood will overcome you. You will not die, Roland Rose. You now have eternal life. You are now one of the Uninvited, one of the undead."

"Will it hurt?"

"Yes. Very much so...."

Early October, 2008. Goris, Armenia

"Ana, help me get Dodo into the tub. He's freezing." They had their grandfather's doctor on Zura's cell phone; an old family friend, Nikolay, wasn't a doctor but a local veterinarian who mainly worked with livestock, specifically goats and sheep.

Ana's grandfather rolled over on the bed, his covers drenched in sweat. He was moaning, delirious with pain. His skin was ashen, and his wiry frame was as rigid as an oak tree.

Zura was pissed. "What happened, Ana? I go into town for a few hours and come back to this?! What the fuck!"

"I don't know. He came back late from the excavation site and said someone had- bit him."