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He knows it's dangerous to walk around, alone at night, with supernatural beings on the prowl and all but that's what makes it so enticing! No one expects a teenager to walk through the desolate city streets in the rain.
Tommy stomps through another puddle as he passes under another flickering lamp
post. He ponders on whether he should write a letter to the city council about the street lamps when a heavy thumb sounds from the alleyway he had just passed.
Tommy debates on whether he should investigate or not, on one hand, it could be a stray cat he could bring home or scrap metal he could tinker with. On the other hand, it's the middle of the night, he's soaked, and anyone or anything could be lurking in the dark. Tommy lets his curiosity get the better of him and chooses the former.
He searches in his pockets for his switchblade (He's not an idiot, in this city he always has his knife on him) and flips up the knife. He pulls out his phone, turns on the flashlight, and trudges forward. At first, nothing seems amiss, just another dingy alley in another dingy city: Garbage overflows from dumpsters, needles litter the ground, and soggy cardboard lays strewn about.
He looks around quickly and is starting to regret his decision, he's a lanky seventeen-year-old, who's average height, (he's sure he'd be taller if he could get a better job) and has no one waiting at home who could help him if he got hurt, besides a cat. He's about to call it a night when his flashlight skims across the grimy ground and he comes to a sudden stop.
A chill runs down his spine, but it's not from the cold or damp hoodie. Instead, its cause is a dark, murky puddle tinted red.
Tommy, very cautiously, follows the small stream of pink rainwater to a bend in the alleyway. His flashlight shines on two individuals at the end of the alley.
Tommy's breath hitches, he can't move an inch, his feet are frozen in place as he watches the horrifying scene.
A woman lies motionless in a pool of blood as a man devours her from above.
Vampires.
Well, one vampire and one corpse. Tommy watches with growing horror and a thousand thoughts racing through his mind, should he do something? the woman is already dead, should he try to contact the police? the vampire would hear his phone ring, how has it not seen him yet? He's a poggers man but this is beyond him.
He slowly and quietly backs up, hoping that maybe it won't see him if he moves slowly but It's not likely.
It still hasn't noticed him yet, good, maybe he can sneak out and make a great escape before it realizes the woman is completely drained and the only blood left is on its clothes and shoes. Tommy covers his mouth, trying to be as silent as possible, and backs up a little quicker.
He backs up into a can. It goes rolling back with a loud clang .
In two seconds three things happen. The vampire stops its mauling and looks at him with red eyes and dilated pupils, Tommy's heart drops to his stomach as bile threatens to spill,
and the rain finally stops.
The vampire lunges at him with an impossible speed that comes with being a child of the night. Tommy doesn't hesitate to run, just as he turns the corner something grabs his hood and yanks him back, causing him to fall. He rushes to his feet but slips in a puddle of blood, having it splash all over him.
Tommy resorts to crawling to flee from the terrifying creature behind him. He makes it two inches before cold bony fingers wrap around his ankle and drag him.
No no no no this can't happen, he can see the stupid flickering streetlamp, it's right there , it so close. He kicks and reaches for anything to slow him down. Tears stream down his face as he's dragged further and further into the alley, further and further from his chances of living.
Within seconds he's tossed like a doll, next to the waxy corpse of the woman, whose eyes are grey and unseeing. Before he can process anything an undead hand wraps around his neck, lifts him off of the ground, and chokes him. Nails dig into his neck as Tommy claws at the arm holding him, pinpricks of blood bud from the scratches as he gasps for air, but it doesn't notice, it just looks at him with wild, hungry eyes.
It throws him with an absurd force and a crack echoes as his head hits the harsh wall. Stars dance across his vision as pain radiates through his skull. He can feel blood sticking to his neck and hair dirtying his blonde locks even more. A worn boot collides with his chest, launching him across the ground. He can feel bruises blooming across his torso and ribs sending a stabbing pain through them with every wheezy breath. He might have punctured a rib, yeah, that would explain it.
A raspy voice breaks through his dwindling thoughts, "Now why would a kid like you be out on a night like this?" The vampire spreads his arms out and makes a dramatic spin. It stalks towards him, a predator going in for the final kill. "People these days are stronger, dependent on cameras and street lamps to keep them safe, fortunately for me they're also stupider, luckily for me I always have room for dessert!"
Its voice grates against Tommy's ears causing them to ring. You'd think with him about to be killed he'd have some self-preservation left but who is he without a witty comment or two? A wet cough forces its way out "Ya' know, it's actually more stupid not stupider, dumbass". Its face twists in disgust as it grabs a fist full of blond hair.
Tommy cries out as he's yanked up, his head tilted at an uncomfortable angle that exposes his neck. His breathing quickens. He needs to escape. he needs to fight, to fucking do something, he doesn't want to die, he can't die. tears track through the blood on his face.
Teeth stab into his neck and venom invades his bloodstream. His movements grow clumsy and sluggish until he can't support his head any longer. Its breath is hot against his skin (a stark contrast to his damp clothes) and his skin buzzes where the vampire confines him to the ground.
A haze drifts over his mind, making it difficult to hold on to any coherent thoughts. It's a welcomed feeling, a nice break from the excruciating pain that engulfs him. but it only lasts a few seconds.
It's as if a switch was flipped, A burning agony floods his senses and fire spreads throughout his veins, a scream rips its way out of his torn throat. Spots freckle his vision as he fights a losing battle to stay conscious. All he can do is pray to Lady Death that it will be over soon. Tommy's eyes shut as he accepts the fact this is where he dies. No more movie nights with his cat, no more long but peaceful night shifts at work, and no one who will mourn him. He'll die before he's even lived before he's gotten to have a family.
Suddenly the weight on top of him is thrown off and he can hear the vampire hit the ground. He lets out a sigh of relief. He's in more pain than he's ever been in but he tries his hardest to force his eyes open, even as his heart stutters and slows and his breathing becomes more shallow and difficult.
Through tears and dried blood, he can see a man with curly brown hair and hands covered in gore standing over the monster. He kicks the thing repeatedly and says foul words at it. Tommy lets his eyes slip close once again, he's so, so tired surely it would hurt to take a nap (though he knows from his barely there heartbeat that he won't wake up)
His drifting off slows when he hears whispered curses next to him. Calloused hands cup his face and careful thumbs stroke his cheeks. Soft words that strangely sound like apologies flood his ears. this is nice, he wonders if this is what death is like for everyone, or if the goddess of death rewards those who don't deserve such a cruel fate such as the creature that killed him.
Tommy lets out a low whine as he's jostled, causing the man to cradle him closer. He's not dead then, he guesses it would've been too good to be true. A hand gently guides his head to the side, he wants to resist but he's being held oh so carefully, like he's something precious, something to protect and cherish
Teeth sink into his neck for the second time that night
and for the second time, he panics.
Unintelligible pleas spill from his cracked lips and quickly turn into a string of wet coughs. The man holds him firmly but delicately against his chest as Tommy tries -and fails- to squirm free. Why is he doing this? He thought the man was going to help him not hurt him! He doesn't want this, the agony would be too much to bear a second time.
except, it never comes.
The fire in his veins, the anguish that spreads through every inch of his being, doesn't happen. Instead, a cold numbness washes through him and takes away every ache in his body. He could cry from the solace if he had any tears left. "Shh, that's it, you're okay. I promise you'll be fine." The melodic voice is calming and Tommy doesn't want him to stop talking and mumbling reassurances in his hair. "I swear I'll fix this, I'll make everything right." the man(?) gasps, sounding close to tears.
As Tommy succumbs to darkness, he believes that for the first time, he really will be okay.