I'm Not Dead

[ C H . 5 ]

Trigger Warning: Violence, bloodshed and panic. 

As Luna's screams echoed over the music, Lorenzo let go of her and I saw a kind of terror I've never seen before crawl over his. Quickly, some guys in the crowd sprang to action and ripped off the deranged boy, but in turn, he grabbed one of them and bit down on his arm, tearing out a chunk of it before consuming it. Instantly, the happy crowd turned into a frenzy of panic as everyone started screaming and trampling each other to get away from the boy. The aggressive force of the crowd pushed me back against the bar stools, as the music stopped.

Gasping for air, I tried to push back against the stampede, but I was pinned between them and the bar counter. In short flashes I could see Lorenzo, his skin marble white as his muscles burrowed into themselves. His blue eyes were petrified as he watched the blood bath unfold in front of him. His feet were anchored to the ground, unwilling to move.

"Lorenzo! Lorenzo you need to run!" I attempted to scream above the crowd, but my cries were drowned out as my gut twisted, begging to be relieved.

It was all happening so fast.

There was too much chaos.

I couldn't move, I couldn't see, I could hardly breathe from being compressed by everyone trying to getaway. Inhaling and exhaling sharply, I turned my body then, elbowing whoever I needed to away from me, and with my last bit of sober strength I climbed onto the counter and stood up. "Lorenzo!" I shouted again.

This time he turned his head towards me. Before I could tell him to run though, a few drunks from the crowd slammed into him, causing him to fall. Instead of getting back up, he pulled himself underneath a nearby booth and curled into a ball as he screwed his eyes shut and covered his ears. He was scared. He wasn't going to get out of here alive if I couldn't get to him.

That was when I remembered Eleanor.

The ice coursing through my veins burned as I looked over to the stage. She was still up there, pinned back by party-goers crowding on the stage in hopes of avoiding an attack. Desperately, she was trying to unsuccessfully get out from behind them, but there were too many. When we locked eyes, I couldn't hear what she yelled at me, but I did see her frantically pointing towards the dance floor.

Darting my gaze back to the center of the bar, I then noticed something more horrifying than the deranged boy. Two minutes after they had bled out, Luna and the other guy had both risen, and like the boy who had bitten them, they both had pale eyes and their veins bulged along their face. Their shirts were stained red, their wounds were visible, but they seemed unphased by them. For a moment they stumbled around aimlessly, seemingly confused, before the second boy charged into the crowd with violent intent, repeating the actions of the first guy.

Luna however, zeroed in on Lorenzo.

"No Luna!" I gasped, reaching behind the bar and grabbing the mop the bartender had been using to clean. "Hold on Lorenzo, I'm coming!" Jumping off the bar then, I fought my way through the crowd with a ferocity produced by adrenaline. Not caring anymore if I hurt someone, I shoved people out of my way, even went as far as smacking them with the mop, until I made it onto the open dance floor of the bar.

"Luna! Stop! Leave him alone!" I shouted, grabbing her by her waist right before she slipped under the booth. Letting out a strangled noise, she shrieked and struggled in my arms as she tried with all her might to bite me. That was when I noticed the gash on her neck. Her jugular vein was torn out, as was a good portion of her neck. What was left of it could barely support her head. She should be dead.

Why the hell wasn't she dead?

Throwing her away from me, I watched as she slid across the floor. With a snarl, she scrambled up and charged me again, blind with rage. "Stop Luna! I don't want to hurt you!" I pleaded, but like a bat out of hell, she barreled into me. The only thing that stopped her from biting me was the handle of the mop. "Luna, Luna you're hurt, I want to help you, but I can't do that if you're attacking me!"