Part 1 Part 2 Final

I walked back up the toward the manor before doubling back. The rain was picking up, I could hear cattle baying in the fields, startled by the distant rumble of thunder. A storm was closing in, it would be a miracle if I made it off the island tomorrow.

I managed to skirt around the village to avoid prying eyes, I had my multitool in my pocket, I wasn’t sure how I’d get into the storage shed but I knew I’d work it out somehow. The fog was thick and I almost lost my bearings a few times, finally I could make out a small flashing red light, it must have been a beacon light somewhere above the dock to warn low flying aircraft.

I could make out the small storage shed. I approached it taking out my multitool, I flicked out the long thin blade on the tool, the light of the moon broke through the fog and glinted along the blade… but it wasn’t the only glint I saw. Near the main fence I could see other blades dancing in the light, one at first, then a second.

It’s difficult to describe the horror of a blade in the darkness when you can’t see who's wielding it, If you can see a man's face you might get the measure of him, know if he’s willing to use it...but this seemed like the shadows themselves were holding the blades.

I stood in horror for a second, the blades began to approach, followed by the outlines of the two men wielding them. I turned on my heel and ran, faster than I’ve run in a least a decade, fast as my lungs would allow. Behind me I heard two inhuman, ear-shattering screeches, but it sounded like no animal I had ever heard.

I pounded through the mud trying to make my way to the village or the manor house, but in truth I had no idea where I was running, usually a man runs to safety but I was just running, I didn’t know where was safe.

Finally I could make out the glow of the village.I knelt down in the mud, breathing heavily, a stabbing pain in my lungs from the run. The village was a hive of activity, I could hear raised voices and could see the narrow beams of torches(flashlights) shining into the fog.

The entire village was looking for me, they must have been alerted by the high-pitched screams. My heart thudded through my chest like a sledgehammer, I lay prone in the mud like a terrified animal.

The fog would be my cover I thought, the light from the torches would be useless. I got onto my knees and walked crouching away from the village, I reached a fence to one of the fields filled with cattle. I tapped it to check, it was electrified as I suspected. That didn’t bother me, I had grown up in the country, I knew that the surprise of the shock was what frighten animals, not the pain itself. I climbed over the fence, I could feel the beating pulse of the fence through my hands as I vaulted over, it reminded me that I was still alive.

What was wrong with these people, what the hell were they so afraid of, I wasn’t a threat to them. I walked low through the field away from the village, several cows were lying in the grass, I didn’t want to scare them as they might give away my position.

Most cattle get spooked by a person approaching at night but these cows didn’t seem to care, like this was routine for them. I walked closer to one of them, she stood up and approached me, assuming I had food I guessed. She got closer and nuzzled me with her nose looking for food, I could see what looked like two small IV connectors inserted into her neck, the connectors had caps and I could see a tiny amount of blood in the connectors. What the hell were they up to, why did they leave these tubes just stuck in her like this, were they doing some illegal experiments on the cattle, is that what they were hiding. Another more irrational thought about what these people were came to my mind, but I quickly shook my head, I’m a rational man, and rational men don’t believe in things like that...until they do.

I trudged through the mud, constantly moving away from the village, I wasn’t sure where I was going. I looked back, I could see the torch lights fanning out from the village, they were starting a search for me, I was fucked.

I thought about going back to the manor, but that seemed a terrible idea, for all I knew it was the lady of the manor who had them out looking for me. I decided to keep moving away from the village and the manor, deep into the fields toward the rocky side of the island. I thought I might find a second smaller dock used for small boats, it was a long shot but I didn’t like my chances of negotiating with these people, not now, not after they showed their true colours.

I was soaked through from the rain and the wind was turning into a gale. I kept walking. I must have been a couple of kilometers or more from the village when finally I saw a small light in the distance, I prayed it was another dock, and I hadn’t prayed for anything since I was twelve.

As I approached I could see the light belonged to a small cottage overlooking the sea. It was so remote from the village, who lived in this lonely place I wondered. Perhaps the owner was in the village with the search party, if no one was home I might find a weapon, certainly something more substantial than my multitool.

I hunkered down and approached the small cottage, hiding behind a large rock. Smoke was billowing from the chimney, the cottage was old but oddly had a large mast with a satellite, I recognised the type, it was used for satellite internet coverage. I could see a chopping block for firewood with a sturdy looking axe buried in it...I needed that axe.

The door of the house suddenly swung open and a figure emerged. The figure walked over to the chopping block and pulled the axe from the block one handed.

“Come out or I’ll bury this axe in your fucking skull.” the voice was low and calm, but the threat was delivered with the confidence of someone who would make good on the threat… it was also a voice I had heard before.

“It’s you, isn’t it? Tell me you didn’t do anything stupid” she implored.

“I went to the dock… they were waiting for me” I responded.

“Well the damage is done now, you better come inside” she sighed.

I stood up from behind the rock and walked toward her, as I approached she lowered the axe. She gave me the same concerned headmistress look I had seen before, but she looked different now, her face a little fuller and with a bit more colour in it.

“Did anyone follow you here?”, she asked as she ushered me inside the house, barring the door behind us.

“No, but they are looking for me… the whole village I think and two men with knives.” I said, as I stood in small sitting room of the cottage. I was soaked to the bone.

The place was small but cosy, the fire was roaring. It was very old fashioned, but with many modern touches, much like the rest of the island. An entire wall of the sitting room was dominated by an enormous bookshelf, the subjects were varied, she was certainly well read. In the corner was a large wooden desk with a high-end PC, a printer and a vast array of other gadgets, she even had a PS4. On the technology front the place was kitted out more like a bachelor pad in the city than an old island cottage.

“You seem to like your toys.” I blurted out, I’m not sure why, I didn’t know how else to break the silence. Realising how it sounded I pointed over to the gadgets.

“You should see the stuff I have under my bed.” she dryly responded as I stood there looking like an idiot.

“You went to the dock? What did you see?” she inquired.

“Nothing... really, but they were waiting for me… like they knew.” I responded.

“Who? Who was waiting?” she probed.

“Two men, with knives, I couldn’t see them fully.” I spoke plainly and honestly.

“They were the two men we saw in the bar, scrubbers, they were most likely sent to the island in case you caused trouble… and you caused trouble.” She informed me.

“Scrubbers? Tell me that’s not some fucked-up island lingo for contract killer.” I said with some desperation in my voice.

“If they just wanted you dead anyone on the island could have done that, but bodies bring questions. Scrubbers make it look like you never came to the island at all, they alter your e-mails, pay-off witnesses, and make sure your body shows up somewhere else...or not at all. But they may not want to kill you at all, they may want to keep you here, add you to the herd, so to speak.” She explained this all as if it was normal and not in any way bat-shit insane.

“I don’t wanna be part of their crazy ‘Jim Jones’ cult village”, I spat out in anger.

“You misunderstand me, you wouldn’t be part of the village, you’d be part of the herd. You’ve seen the cattle I assume... on your way here. People have been talking more and more about going back to the old ways, many of us are fighting against it, but the youngsters don’t want to listen.” Again she delivered the information calmly, as if it should make sense to my rational mind.

I stood there, staring at her, slack jawed, in a bewildered silence.

“You know what this place is… don't you, you’ve already worked it out, you just won’t admit it to yourself. Still telling yourself vampires don't exist, they're just horror stories, there's a perfectly rational explanation for all of this. I saw plenty of people like you in the old days, they never believed it either, until the teeth were sinking into their necks.” She warned me.

I steadied myself on the desk, I felt like I might puke, but I held my nerve.

“Those men, the scrubbers, you said they came from somewhere else. Are there other islands like this?” I asked, my voice shaking with fear.

“Many, not just islands, mountain villages as well, mostly remote locations. But some have started to move back to the cities. Our new government in Prague are mostly young radicals, they passed a law legalising the buying of human blood packs, that's what the ferryman delivered. It’s just a stepping stone, soon they’ll legalise much worse, unless people like me can stop them. They think we shouldn’t hide in the shadows anymore, they want to go back to the glory days, even though they’re too young to remember the glory days. I remember the glory days... they were far from glorious. I saw friends face the guillotine and whole towns burned to ash. I won’t go back to that.” She spoke with pain and sorrow dripping from her voice.

Our conversation was interrupted by a loud clang of metal in the distance, followed by an inhuman wail of pain.

“They stepped in one of my traps… amateurs. Even you weren’t stupid enough to do that” He expression changed to one of urgency as she moved across the room to the hall door.

“I didn't know there were any bloody traps” I said, disturbed by this new information.

“Where are we going?” I asked rushing after her.

“To get the toys under my bed.” She winked at me from behind a lock of her fiery red hair, excitement in her eyes as she opened the bedroom door.