The Feeders. #Wattys2015

Chapter One: The Feeders

Blood travelled the length of her face, the droplet grew bigger as more blood seeped from the shallow slice on her forehead, and as it expanded it began to travel faster, Riley watched the all too familiar scene play out in front of her, Ambers eyes began to roll back in her skull, Riley struggled to breathe, to even move.

Amber called out in a raspy, voice, begging for someone to save her life, but it sunk its teeth into her neck and she was silenced, she was gone, just like that. Nate pulled on Riley's arm "Riley, let me get you out of here, she's gone! She's gone" his voice was husky and he broke off into rumbling tears. Riley looked back and watched the beast drag her best friendsof twelve years body onto the roof of car, Nate tugged at her sleeve but she was rooted to the spot, flesh was torn from Amber's stomach, dark red in colour and thick, the beast shook its head violently to free the meat , and it shed droplets of blood, they were still warm as they splashed Riley's face, her stomach heaved and her throat tightened as she was yanked up into someone's arms, but her vision became blurry, but she knew it was Nate her other best friend as he had been for 4 years, she clung to him burying her head in his chest, trying to halt the spinning in her head, Nate put her down to open the hatch to the underground shelter, he hopped down and reached his arms toward her, she took one flitting glance at the feeder as it climbed onto its back legs, its blood stained claws hanging besides its chest, it threw its head back and shrilled a sickening call, almost a squawk, calling the rest of the beasts to feast. Nate grabbed her ankle pulling her down onto her backside and yanking her into the hole, He slammed the hatch shut, locking them in darkness

Her eyes flew open, she dreamed that same dream, or same memory almost every night, she tells herself, its only a dream, but she cant wake herself up because its not just a dream it happened, the memory is as clear in her head as it would be if it had happened yesterday, so she lay trembling each night waiting for the moment Nate would yank the rope to the underground hatch and close them in, when it would all go black and she could wake up.

she sat up in bed running one limp hand through her thick waves, she was what most considered pretty, once, but her face was sullen, and her hipbones stuck out, she didn't wear make-up, no one did, make-up production ended six years ago, when the beasts arrived, or were created, or bred, there are no sure stories, the one man that Riley suspects knows something, is clinically insane many people suspected this was the last surviving town, in the world. Riley prayed that it wasn't, there were things Riley's dreamed of each morning, as her nights were filled with nightmares,  by day she dreamed of love, she hoped that somewhere out there a girl like herself left for school each morning and didn't worry that her parents may not be there when she returned, children attended school, but others above sixteen were forced to do labor, and for little benefits, it was mainly, agriculture, oil refining, coal mining, running the generators, patrolling streets and making sure all the underground shelters were still as safe as they were the day they were built,  collecting bodies to burn and some textile production, but these were the bare necessities, make-up, sweet treats, and alcohol were minimal, or non-existent. Riley traced the red creases in her arm, scars from that day...she pulled her tatty bathrobe on to cover them as a lump formed in her throat , she rubbed at her chest trying to make it easier to breath, but it made her chest tighten as her fingers found the locket. It was white gold, a color so pure, inside was a piece of Amber, a tuft oh her golden hair, hair so bright and beautiful, hair that went hand in hand with her name, tears trickled down her face, she wanted to scream, she held back, keeping a poised expression, she hummed a tune, it was something her mother used to hum, but music too, is a foreign item here, she was cut off by shouting, she moved closer to the sound, it lead her to the bedroom window, she saw Nate's bedroom opposite , she longed for a friend, or just to have Nate back, but Nate had forgotten her long ago. She stared into his room at the posters and pictures and pictured herself being back in there, Amber on one side Nate on the other, even shortly after Ambers death, Nate had cuddled her, held her, but as soon as his mom died they grew apart, or more like he shut her out, a door slammed in the distance, she didn't know it was Nate's until he had spotted her. He raised an eyebrow and pulled the window up, miserable planks were pinned across Rileys in a feeble attempt the keep the feeders out, she opened the window and twisted one of the planks upwards.