V.A.M.P.s

Chapter 6

Matthew shivers, the air is damp and the shallow water splashes as they walk. The sound of their footsteps echo in the silence. The fluorescent lights provide just enough illumination to see the man tend to his shoulder wound.

"Where are we going?" Matthew asks.

The man takes a small kit from his pocket, unzips it, removes a latex glove and stretches it onto his hand with a snap. He removes a small, soft, tube, closes the kit and places it under his arm. "We need to get you medical treatment for your injuries." He uses his teeth to tear off the perforated top of the tube.

"Is your name Jesus Christ?" Matthew asks.

The man bursts out in hardy laughter which gradually subsides. "No, my name is Karl."

"Then why did you say that name to the vamp?" Questions Matthew.

Karl squeezes a green gel into the palm of his hand he wears the latex glove on. "I was trying to give myself strength." Karl applies the gel to his shoulder it smokes as it bubbles. He grimaces from the discomfort and the gel hardens into a protective layer.

"Then who is Jesus Christ?" Asks Matthew inquisitively.

"He is the only son of God, who came down from the heavens and gave his life to save us from our sins."

Matthew ponders Karl's statement, these words sound strange to him and he has certainly never heard of any God nor his Son or sins. Though this heaven place could be a new planet. "Which Sector is heaven located in, is it a new colony?"

Karl removes the glove and discards it. "Save your strength we will discuss this later."

The endless tunnels twist and turn as Matthew's feet tire of the repetitive steps and his chest starts to ache again. He is glad he didn't waste his strength to converse. His digital Pad is of no use down here, he holds it up and moves it around as he tries to locate a signal. Just as Matthew feels he can go no further the tunnel ends and a set of doors opposes them. The doors bear strange symbols and iconography. "What is this place?"

Matthew walks up to the symbols and runs his hands over them. "I thought we were going to a hospital."

Karl raps on the door three times in succession. "The police will be looking for you there." A few moments later there is an audible click and the doors open.

"Welcome brother." A man in a hooded robe stands their, the hood obscures most of his features but Matthew can see a grin stretch across his face. The man inspects Karl's wound. "You are injured." He glances at Matthew. "He is injured too." The robed man turns and motions with his hand. "Come in, you must see the doctor right away." He leads them through a passage and into a sizable chamber where Karl and the robed figure kneel and make a sign of a cross.

Karl says as they walk in. "Clear the table."

Matthew looks around. The room is full of benches where other people in robes kneel with their heads down. In the back of the room a table with vessels, people in robes hurry to clear the table of its contents. At a podium an older gentleman busies himself with a book.

"Stay here I'll get the doctor." The robed man they met at the door walks away."

The older gentalnman looks up from the podium and closes the book. "Back so soon."

"Yes Thomas." Karl says warmly.

Thomas approaches them. "Come Matthew" He leads them to the table at the back of the room. "Sit down." Matthew wonders how does he know my name? The men finish their task and Matthew hops up onto the table and the jostle makes his chest hurt.