Peach Hills

Animal Attacks

6 days ago, someone took me out for coffee. Someone died near me. 5 days ago I was out driving. 5 people died near where I was! It's been six days and all I hear is how people are in hospital, people are dying with a tremendous amount of blood loss. What is doing this? Who is doing this? If it was an animal they should be killing it! Slaughtering it. But they aren't. Has it always been like this?

When I get to school everyone is talking about what's happening. I hear voices in the different mentioning the same distinct words. 5 people, The Hills Cafe, Animal Attacks. I even heard someone say 'why is this happening again'. As I walk up to history my heart beats to my throat. I take a seat in row two out of three with a little more confidence than my first week here. "So, as you all know there has been many animal attacks and many people are dead." My male history teacher says with a slight smile on his face and no verbal emotion. A couple whispers fill the room. "But I'd like you to inform you that they are taking care of it." He continues. The class fills with more voices, we all hear a loud clap that echoes through the classroom and everyone is quiet. "Now that we are done talking about the obvious, let's start." He smiles and starts handing out stapled booklets of what looks like 12 pieces of paper with writing on it. In the top corner had our names already printed, and someone else's. The person we are paired with. Why can't we work on this on our own? I get paired up with a girl by the name of Mary.

"Do you want to come over after school?" I ask her because I'm guessing that's what your supposed to do. "Sure, we can take your car. I walked." She says in a demanding, confident tone. "Well okay, so just come with me." I tell her, just because she seems distant that doesn't mean I can't be friendly.
The rest of the day drags again. I don't see Cory. I haven't seen him in days come to think of it. The last time was at the threshold of Peach Hills, where I ditched him because I was a little bitch who was startled by a stupid teenage boy.
After school Mary and I get in the car to go home. There is more traffic than usual which from what I've seen and heard is unusual for this small town. The car ride is fairly silent. Awkward. Traffic just makes it worse. We turn on the radio to see if we can find out what's happened.

Power poles cover the main exits and entrances to Peach Hills after a sudden gust of wind.

"Well at least it's something normal this time!" Mary breaks the silence. "Sorry I was such a bitch this morning, the last new girl we had threatened half of the school. Let's start fresh, you seem nice." She explains. I give her a smile.

We get home after an hour and a half in traffic and small talk. We get straight into my room to start on the assignment. After a while we get up and eat, have something to drink and go back to my room. "Let's stop now." She tells me. "Well, what do you want to do?" I ask. "What do you think about those attacks? I don't buy it. It's not an animal doing all of this! An animal tears they're prey, whatever is doing this is draining their bodies of blood and the amount of bite marks on them is not something an animal would do." She starts to scare me a little. What is she talking about? "What do you think it is Mary?" She looks around the room avoiding eye contact with me. "Mary, what do you think it is?" I say a little louder. She looks at me still not talking. "It doesn't matter don't worry." She tries to change the subject. "Let's...uhh....keep studying." She picks up a pen and a book and opens the book. I close the book and take the pen. "No, Mary what do you think is doing this to people?" I have no clue what her answer will be or what she thinks is doing this but I need her to talk to me. She gives me a serious look and I can tell she is both scared and nervous. "A dem....I don't think I should be saying anything you'll think I'm crazy!" She tells me. "I don't think your crazy Mary, tell me please." I beg her. She picks up her stuff and puts it in her bag. "Mary stop please just talk to me." She ignores me and walks to the front door. She unlocks it and opens it. She looks back at me. She turns around before I have a chance to talk and closes the door behind her. I stand there for two seconds and then the door opens again.
"Vampire. I think it's a vampire." She slams the door back and walks off. "Mary wait, don't you need a lift home?" I ask her kindly, ignoring what she just said. "I'll walk." She responds. I close the door behind the world and go back to my room.
Quite sometime passes, from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, again, I spent all that time on my socials. I don't bother to look up what Mary said. It's too ridiculous to even say. That's mythical. As I lock my phone I hear my mum. "I'm here for about 5 minutes then I'm off. See you tomorrow, no questions asked Tash." And I hear the door slam again without even getting a word in. Where is she going? She better take her own car.