The Last Corvus (completed)

Ch. 17 Meg-Elaine

Chapter 17

Meg-Elaine

After eating dinner we clean our weapons, try on our assorted new shoes, and set guard shifts. Toby goes off to do rounds and the rest of us prepare for bed. We form a circle with our knapsacks, heads in, and weapons at our sides; just in case something gets past Toby.

Saying our good nights, we all crawl into our beds and I stare at the cavernous concrete ceiling as everyone slowly starts snoring around me.

After what feels like four hours (but was probably only, like, fifteen minutes) I still can't sleep. Today's battle still plays over and again in my mind; the short-lived wind in my hair, the destruction that followed. I never imagined it would be like this. So much carnage, personal loss. Never getting to stay in one place, always running, running, running. I've been trained for this practically my whole life, but training can never fully prepare someone for the real thing.

Shaun. Why?

I can't stand this. Throwing off my sleeping bag and grabbing my sword, I go to find Toby. Crawling up the outside ventilation duct, I find him on the roof, laying on his back, watching the stars and listening for any movement.

Hearing me he sits up, suddenly fully alert. "Hey," I say. He doesn't respond, instead cocking his head to the side before looking over the side of the roof, silently drawing his daggers.

I don't bother asking what it is. I already know, and prepare accordingly, drawing my sword while watching his back. He leans over the edge and then jumps back all in the same second. I signal to ask if we're surrounded and he nods, staring wide eyed over my shoulder.

I hear a noise behind me and gripping the handle tighter, I swing it behind me and slash a vampire across the chest. He screams and lunges forward, stepping on my instep before I can move back. Pain sears through my whole body as I swing my sword above my head and sever his.

Looking at my foot I watch the trickle of blood run down from where a shard of bone protrudes. Swallowing back the bile I look to Toby, trying to fight off two of them at once, daggers glinting in the not-quite-dawn light and face red with exertion. I hobble over, sheer willpower the only thing keeping me from collapsing.

I have to help him. He's my brother. I don't think I'd make it if I lost two more loved-ones in the same day. I almost went catatonic when my older brothers died, in a surprise attack not dissimilar to this. I'm glad I couldn't sleep. It's almost impossible he would have lasted this long if I hadn't come to hang out.

Reaching him, I stab my nearest through the heart, causing him to crumple at my feet. Normally I would just step over it, but my foot proves too much of a hindrance, unable to support my weight by itself.

I slowly hobble around the body, all the while watching Toby try to fight off the last vampire. Just before I'm able to reach them the vamp spits in his eyes, making him blindly jab at his rib cage and miss each time. Maneuvering away from a particularly sloppy jab, he grabs Toby by the neck. Tobe stabs him repeatedly in the arm, not thinking to go for his now vulnerable throat or stomach. The vampire, barely looking annoyed, looks around for his fellow attackers, sees me, and smiles maniacally.

No. I know what's coming but I can't do anything other than watch in despair as he slowly, meticulously, leans over Toby and sinks his teeth in his shoulder.

"No!" we both scream at the same time, his voice sharp from pain.

I hear a cry from behind me and the vamp and I both turn at the sound and see Toree running toward us, rapier brandished high. Throwing Toby's limp body aside, he steps toward her, just within my reach. Breathing deeply I lift my blade, now seeming to weigh a thousand pounds, and decapitate him while his attention is on Toree (his "attacker").