Lost Boy // The Originals

// chapter three //

Our group stretched up along the tall, frightening mountain. Wind howled throughout the vast trees, the cold, sharp wind piercing ears. Many covered their ears with bare hands or thin pieces of fabric. Any skin that was not covered was now reddened and raw. Snow flurried above our heads as an impending storm drew near.

I lead the group, my hands buried within my fur coat, tangled in the fur of Nitya. Nitya burrowed herself up near my right armpit, helping to keep me warm. My lips shook along with the snowy floor of the mountain. Screams were carried with the wind that swirled among us. A few times the screams were so loud that it caused the entire group to stop in their tracks, some refusing to carry on.

Every few miles we would stop to rest our swollen feet and to use the snow as a source of hydration. I would sit upon a fallen log and stare up at the tip of the mountain, knowing what was to come. Many would die, and I prayed every night that I would not be one to die on this mountain. I didn't want to leave my group behind. They trusted me with their lives and trusted that I would lead them past this mountain and onto better lives.

I was the only person in this group to ever see a face of a vampire, although I never spoke of this fact. They knew that I was confident in myself, but they didn't know why. I had talked my way out of many impending deaths by the tips of sharp fangs. I knew how to manipulate the monsters. I knew how they thought, how they lived without living.

"Alexander," Stella, a young woman in my group said behind me. Stella was beautiful. I had, had eyes for her for quite awhile. At least a year now. Her skin was pale and her hair a fiery red. She was the most beautiful woman that I had ever had the opportunity to lay eyes on.

Stella was smart and cared about the community that helped to raise her. This group was her family. Which I guess meant that I was too. Although I didn't want to be seen as her older, protective brother. I would fantasize at night of gaining the courage to ask for her hand in marriage, but that courage never came. I was more confident about killing vampires and outrunning them than I was about my relationship with Stella.

I hated that about myself. I didn't choose love as often as I should. I chose bitterness and hate, the desire to be the alpha. I wanted to be feared. I wanted to be a leader, and not the leader of a small group that dares climb a mountain in the dead of winter that is infested with monsters.

"Yes?" I whispered as I turned towards her. She slowly lowered the cape that was over her head as she turned to look back at the rest of the group that had stopped. She pursed her lips together before turning back towards me. "Alexander," she murmured, "the light is nearly gone now. We should begin to make camp." She was right, the light was fading and night was close.

I thinned my dry lips as I looked back up towards the tip of the mountain. We were days away from reaching the top and weeks away from reaching the other edge of the mountain. It seemed as if we were making any progress in our journey. Frustration grew within me as I knew that we would never be able to move as fast as I wanted us too. Some people in our group were not in good health, or were too old to move any faster.

"Yes," I nodded, "you're right. Let's stop here and begin to make camp." Stella smiled politely at me as she turned towards the rest of the group, nodding her head to let them know to rest. Many let out sighs of relief as they collapsed to the ground, smiling in satisfaction. I wished I could do the same. I narrowed my eyes as I headed towards the line of trees that stood at the curve of the mountain.

I laid a hand among the base of the tree, the bark scraping my palm slightly. I packed down the snow beneath my feet, making it more firm. Nitya popped her small, white head from beneath my coat, her eyes wandering. "Shh now," I whispered, "Nitya now is not the time to awaken." She let out a few small cries as I sat against the base of the tree.