H U N T R E S S | logistics of my life

Huntress | Part 1 | Ch. 1 | Chatter

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Just as the body goes under shock after a physical trauma, so does the human psyche go into shock after the impact of a major loss.

                                                                                -Anne Grant

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Part 1.

O N E | Chatter

Kat - eleven years later

I could sense one nearby. It wasn't hiding in its being. No, if anything it was relishing in it. As If to punctuate my thought, a scream echoed off the metal walls and to my position. The cry showed pain and the last minutes of a life. I would not arrive late again, I thought to myself.

   I gripped my bamboo staff tighter and gritted my teeth. I pushed my leg muscles to move faster. The cold wind from the sea whipped my masks tie behind me as I moved into the warehouse district. I ran along the ship port.

   I could feel the vile things aura growing stronger as I neared its position. I was close; I could now smell the blood.

   I turned down the alley. It was cramped and small, not even four feet wide. I knew it was going to be difficult to fight and that I was cutting it extremely close.

   I didn't gasp at the sight. The girl was held in a pitiful attempt at a lovers embrace. Her head lulling back impossible far, too far to not have a broken spine. The creature that seemed to not care as his long hair fell into the sticky mess at the girl's shoulders and throat, grunted every now and then. I only cursed myself for being too late.

   He didn't look up at my swift approach. Everyone always said that I had quiet feet, like a vampires. But you must be better than the creature if you wish to destroy them. I didn't slow down my sprint as I turned into the alley and was soon in front of the creature in a second.

   The thing finally noticed me. As he was looking up to face his dinner's intruder I arced my staff upwards and hit him in the head as hard as I could. He flew backwards through the air and hit the chain link fence. I was in front of him in a moment and thrusting my staff's pointy side into the hollow of his neck.

   His features were dazed from the quick change of the situation but they went into understanding quickly. I saw the slight twitch in his necks muscles showing me that he was about to attack. Before he was able to shift I leaned more of my weight onto the staff. Try me, I said with my eyes.  I could see the point dig into his flesh, causing his blood to fall. He tried to growl but it was more of a squeak than a threat.

   I smiled under my mask. Slowly, keeping my eyes trained on him for any movement, I reached into my back pocket. I pulled out the piece of paper, feeling its old and soft texture in between my finger tips. I slowly opened it and put the white paper in front of him.

   It was a full moon so I knew he could see the writing on it. They said that Vampires don't even need lighting to see. But I believe that is just a myth, something to scare all the little hunters, like myself. I watched him carefully as he squinted at the paper. I could see the recognition shoot through his eyes before it was squelched.

   I pressed further on the staff causing another trickle of blood to run down his pale neck. He winced but didn't make another pitiful cry. With a snarl, he said, "I don't know of any Hunter." I could hear the heavy European accent in his words. I blocked out the images that were connected to that name. I needed to concentrate.