"Lauren, come quickly!" I hear the high pitched cry of Kenny Jones, one of the children my mother child minds as I turn down the street towards my house. My legs are aching like hell and I have just about had enough of the day. The sun is low in the sky and it is goddamn baking, but at least Kenny has found a way to make me smile. His little face is alight with intrigue, but also shock. I quicken my pace a little, and shiver. The sun has disappeared behind a giant cloud and an eerie darkness has fallen upon my street. "Hurry up Lauren! It's exciting!" Kenny urges as I deliberately walk at a snail's pace, "Come on! It's on the national news!" Feeling slightly sick at the thought of what could make Kenny so excited, I sprint towards the front door. He smiles at me with his cheeky grin and we go inside the house. All the other children are goggled around the television as the same boring reporter is addressing them. I soon realize this is not a bad issue and walk quickly towards the sofa. Kyle comes off the sofa to let me sit down. "We have just received breaking news that the murders that have been happening in the last few weeks are the result of gang crime, specifically gangs around this area. I understand the violence is about territory. Yes, yes, we have names..." The TV signal suddenly cuts out and all that can be heard is the chomping of Andrea on her chewing gum. The TV flickers then turns red. A blinding flash of white light emits from it, making everyone bar Kenny cover their eyes in pain.
"What the hell was that!" my mother exclaims, "Really, FOX need to improve their signal. This is the third time today!" "Whatever it was," Kyle says darkly, "It sure hurt my eyes. Look!" The TV signal has come back on and the same bored man comes on air. "In other news, Polly the budgerigar has just learnt how to speak Japanese. Watch this clip of her speaking fluently with her owner Madison's friend Momoka." "What!" I shout. Really, were talking budgerigars really the concern of the American populous? We want to know who these killers are. My mum has a look of pure disgust on her face. "And to think," Kenny murmurs, "Those bad people could be out their right now. What are we going to do?" There was a dead silence. Even Andrea stops chewing her gum. My mother draws herself up to her full height. Her eyes are full of rage. She walks over to the telephones, her eyes bulging and grabs it with her shaking hands. She urgently dials a number, swears angrily and then waits. Kenny looks a little fearful and nuzzles his stricken face into my lap. I pat his head softly, feeling my phone vibrating in my pocket. My mother taps her fingers on the worktop. The silence is deafening. Kenny reaches for the remote control but I pull his hand gently away.
YOU ARE READING
The Price of Blood
VampireTwo parts. Two stories. Two points of view. Two outsiders trying to fit in in their respective worlds. One extraordinary event will bind them together. They should not be together. They should be enemies. Can they be more than friends?
