I’m lost, aren’t I?

Alice crept wide-eyed through the blackened streets, cell phone clutched like a lifeline in one hand, the other twitching with nervousness. If she wasn’t so anxious, she would have been angry at herself for wandering around in unknown places and letting the time slip by. Really though, how had she not noticed the sun go down and the moon rise in its place? How had she not paid careful attention to the street signs, clinging to the ones she knew would lead her back to the mansion? And why on Earth had she gone out alone?

Sigh.

The teenager watched the waning battery power of her phone slowly die out. She had placed a few panicked calls to her roommate, who unfortunately did not answer. She was scared to turn the device off in case Kaitlyn actually called her back. She did not know how much help the younger girl could be, but surely she could alert a teacher to recover Alice. But as the time ticked by and the bars disappeared one by one, the fourteen-year-old’s panic rose.

She did not understand how the streets could be so empty. It was not particularly late, though the darkness of the sky made it seem so. And yet there were very few cars, busybodies, and functioning streetlights. It was almost like a ghost town.

She shivered in the cool autumn atmosphere, watching desperately as her phone breathed its last. It blinked mockingly before emitting the familiar goodbye jingle, finally shutting down and dashing her last hopes. Nooooooo--

“Hey fellas, look at that purty lady over there.”

“Hah, I think you’re drunk, Kevin. That’s just a kid.”

“No way, man. Hey! Hey, beautiful! Can you come here for a sec?” A very inebriated man called out to her, his words slurring and blurring together, much like his vision.

Alice jumped in surprise. She had been so focused on her cell phone, she had failed to notice the four drunken men stumbling out of a dive bar down the block, the light from the open doorway casting shadows on their faces. She had trouble believing that they were referring to her, and yet there was no one else on the street. Her skin crawled as the men approached her, and all of her senses told her to flee the scene. And yet she remained frozen, hands and knees quivering.

It was too late when she tried to run. One of the men, a six-foot-tall brute reeking of bourbon, grabbed her forearm, his sudden grip tight and painful, causing her to yelp.

“We just want to have a talk.”

“Yeaaah! A talk...”

Her heart pounded as she tried to twist free of the man’s grip, sensing the others start to surround her. She seriously doubted they just wanted to talk. What were they going to do to her? She was just a kid! Her breath hitched when she felt a presence directly behind her, starting to wrench her arms against her back.

“H-hey, what are you doing?” She heard a low chuckle, shivering as she felt a stranger’s breath on her bare neck. “S...stop that! Let me go!” she cried out, struggling to free herself.

*You’ve been following her for quite awhile…* He heard that familiar yet unwelcomed voice in his head.*…for someone who doesn’t wish to taste human blood you’re showing quite the interest in this one. I can’t blame you she seems a lot more delightful then the rats we’ve been feeding on lately.*

“It’s not like that.” He replied back still tracking the girl from across the street. He continued to watch even as she drew the attention of the four drunks, he couldn’t hear the words exchanged but given the situation it was clear they weren’t there for her benefit.
She was young, alone and a lost, easy prey for anyone of the many hunters in the city, or better yet in this part of town. Maybe that was why Lennox had been following her, maybe his intent was to make a meal of her and those guys happened to get to her first. He felt something squirm in his left hand then immediately followed by a sharp prick, dropping the rat he had been holding.

*Well seems dinner managed to elude us, why don’t we go and offer our services to the young damsel in distress? You proved quite the hero in your last attempt surely you feel compelled to try your hand again…?*

“You’re usually not the good Samaritan type, what is in it for you?” He replied to the murderous persona, still watching the scene unfold before him.

*I see a mutually beneficial opportunity here is all, we need to feed and that girl needs OUR help, if by chance those gentleman attack and you defend yourself, would it be too much to ask that you allow US to enjoy the spoils?*

By now the young girl was surrounded and being over powered, not really giving Lennox the time needed to think it over; after all he had sworn to not feed on people anymore. Her cries finally swaying his decision, he made his way from out of the darkness. His hood pulled over his head, and his hands tucked firmly in the kangaroo pocket of his hoodie, his small knife unfolded and at the ready.

Her cell phone dropped with a clatter and a crunch onto the pavement, and it seemed her heart sank with it. She had no idea what was going to happen anymore. The men yanked her satchel off of her shoulder and searched its contents, snatching her wallet and discarding the rest of the bag. Secretly, Alice hoped that was all they wanted. Perhaps if she stayed silent and passive, the four drunken rogues would mug her and leave it at that, leaving her with nothing but bruises on her arms and an empty wallet. For the moment, the teenager ceased struggling, though her limbs continued to tremble with terror.

Unfortunately, her naive hopes were not to come true. The uninhibited beings surrounding her were no more alive than shadows, animalistic creatures shedding their human skin like the alcohol spilling from their pores. They had no recollections of decency and no intentions of stopping.

Alice vaguely wondered if anyone had noticed her absence at the mansion yet. It was nearly past curfew...if/when she made it back, she was going to be in so much trouble. The thought of Mr. Holloway or Mr. Johnson reprimanding her for staying out too late almost made her giggle. Imagining that scenario was certainly more comforting than her present predicament.

She did not notice the dark figure approach the group, a mystery hidden by the dense shadows of the shattered streetlights and the towering shambles of decrepit buildings. The teenager was too occupied with the realization of the men's true intentions, struggling to break away once more. Her cries were quickly muffled by a sweaty palm, and she felt like all the oxygen had been sucked from her lungs. Tears sprang up in her frightened bright eyes as she heard the sound of tearing fabric and inhuman laughter.

Suffice to say, she was not prepared for what would happen next...

As he grew closer to the group Lennox selected his first target. Two of the men had their backs to him, making them easy targets. While the other two helped to restrain the girl, now it was simply a matter of left or right. As the first article of clothing was tore Lennox was close enough to make his move.

*Aim for the neck and drag down once you make contact…*
Lennox withdrew his hands from his pocket, his right clutching that blade handle firmly. It wasn’t hard to sneak up on the men, the alcohol already impairing their senses and lust was blinding any other attention they could muster, once in range he would do as the voice requested. The three inch blade slipping into the soft tissue with barely and effort, the blade was small but the wound would prove fatal.
Immediately the man collapsed his mouth bubbling with blood as he attempted to cry out. As the remaining three attempted to comprehend what just occurred Lennox wiped his blade clean.

“Oh ****, oh **** dude you jus’ ******* killed Martin dude.” The man holding the girls right hand and covering her mouth exclaimed releasing her as he backed away in shock. Two of the men cursed Lennox before shoving the girl aside. The man closest to Lennox grabbed him pushing him into the side of a building. His large hands clamped down on Lennox’s throat cutting of his air way. Instinctively Lennox put his hands on the man’s wrist attempting to push free of the man's grasp, but his mutation had another idea biting into the aggressor’s wrist and attempting to latch on, but the stronger man broke free even breaking the a few of those fanged teeth.

*No matter child I have tasted his blood kill him!* Immediately Lennox stabbed himself in the chest, he could feel the impact of the blade into his chest but nothing more, his eyes watched as previous attacker clutched his chest, collapsing to the floor writhing in pain.

CLICK!

Cold brown eyes looked to the two remaining men, one of which now held a revolver in one hand and the girl secured in his other arm, the barrel aimed right at Lennox.

"Move again you damn freak and Imma blow your head off."

Chaos. Utter chaos.

An unknown assailant, face hidden by a drawn hood, stuck a knife into a man’s neck, quickly ending him in a gush of blood. The man had been on the outermost fringe of the group, completely unaware of the death that would rapidly overtake him. His eyes glazed over as he fell to the ground, prompting the rest of the group to cry out in fear and panic.

OhmygodI’mgoingtodie―

Alice screamed beneath the muffling hand, which was quickly removed as the remaining men backed away from the knife-wielding figure. She was pushed aside as one of the men charged at the assailant, feeling the breath get knocked out of her by the sudden force. Through blurry eyes, she watched the turbulent exchange unfold. Shoving, choking, bleeding... She covered her face in horror as the one brandishing the knife stabbed himself in the chest, another shriek ripping through her lungs.

MomDadTobyMomDadTobyI’mgoingtodie―

But the unknown man did not falter, did not so much as twitch, when the knife entered him. Instead, the other brute collapsed, clutching at his chest, as if he had been stabbed instead...

MutantmutantmutantThey’redead―I’mgoingtodie―

The fourteen-year-old was barely conscious of the fact that the one of the men, now sober with the realization that two of his accomplices had just been murdered by that...that creature, had grabbed her once again, her arms twisted in his painful grasp. Tears were freely flowing from her eyes, but she was hardly registering anything below the sheer, primal fear that consumed her. It was fight or flight...

"Move again you damn freak and Imma blow your head off."

She was trapped, there was a gun, there was no choice. Her body chose fight. In a few seconds, the man gripping her would begin coughing, wheezing, as chlorine gas invaded his lungs. In thirty seconds, the other remaining man would begin to as well. In one minute, they would feel quite short of breath, perhaps even unable to breathe.

I’m going to die.