Black Blood

19

Once we got in the room, immediately I felt the urge to get out of that place as soon as possible. I could hear chains and whips and metal clashing against metal as well as the screams of women and children who were in confined rooms in the basement. They screamed and cried for help and I couldn't do anything about it. I was in their position for years... but I didn't realize at the time that what they were doing to me wasn't normal. I hid my face in Kieran's shoulder and I covered my ears. I was trying to stay focused, but I couldn't seem to distract myself. I felt really weak and Kieran was starting to be able to tell because of my body becoming heavier.

"If you need some of my blood, go ahead. It should give you more strength anyways. It won't hurt me, I promise." He said. I nodded and without hesitation, I bit his neck and drank what I could without making him pass out. We kept walking and soon, I found the strength to walk on my own, but with support from Kieran. That was when we heard it. The screams of a little girl in a room at the end of the hallway. Part of the Psych Ward. I remembered the screams from when I was younger and immediately could tell what was happening in that room.

"Kieran, we need to get her out of there now." I said. Kieran was already headed that was as I said this. He took my hand and brought me with him, me following closely behind him. When we got into the patient's room, the walls were filled with different weapons and torture devices. In the corner, there was a little girl, with long, dark red hair. Her face was similar to Kieran's and her eyes were the same unnatural color and her skin was dark like his. The only thing that they didn't resemble with each other, was their hair and build. Kieran was obviously a guy and more fit, but he was also very healthy. The little girl, Laika, was small and looked like she hadn't been fed for a while. As soon as Laika saw Kieran, she looked like a mix between relieved and terrified. There were three men who cornered Laika with knives in two the the men's hands and a chain in the other one's hand. Kieran growled and bared his teeth at the men, Laika was curled up in a ball, terrified. I looked up at Kieran and pet his arm. One of the men walked towards us and the other two stood behind him like a cheesy movie. He tapped my shoulder twice to reassure me that I was okay as long as he was around. I nodded and then I motioned over towards Laika. He nodded and I flicked his shoulder.

All in one motion, I made my way around the men, and Kieran fought off the guys who were threatening us. I finally made it over to Laika, who was so physically and emotionally tired, that she could barely make any other expression but to look terrified. I kneeled in front of her, not getting too close to her. I held my hand out to her.

"Hey... I'm Talia Kuro. I'm your brother's girlfriend. I'm not going to hurt you. Trust me, I've been in your place before. I know how scary it is. Let me help you get out of here." I calmly said to her. She seemed skittish and understandably so. I slowly made my way closer to her, while reassuring her that I wasn't going to hurt her. I eventually made my way to her side. As soon as I sat by her, she jumped into my arms and hid her face in the crook of my neck with her arms around me. Poor girl is traumatized. I made sure that her face was towards the wall so that she couldn't see what Kieran was doing to those men. I covered her ears as she cried over my shoulder. I hugged her and kept letting her know how we were going to get her out of here. I tried and tried to distract her by saying things like how I was going to spoil her with clothes and ice cream when we got out of here. I looked over and saw that Kieran had completely mutilated the three men. I looked up at Kieran who's eyes were glowing red. He walked over to me and just stood there, trying to bring himself back to sanity. He was walking a fine line, just like I was. You'll do anything for the people you love. I looked up at Kieran and reached out and held his hand. "Kieran, she's okay. I'm okay. We're safe now." I told him. It was quiet in the hospital, we had killed almost everyone who wasn't our enemy. I was surprised how quickly Laika felt comfortable with me, considering I was covered in blood and was in pain as well as she never had met me before.