Writing

SO my goal of being week ahead of what is being posted here has been surpassed. I post chapter 35 here today, but I am also about to start writing chapter 47. Woo-hoo!

I do have a problem with this though. I moved into the final third of the book when I started chapter 40, and it brought me back to Jack. I am having a hard time writing now because I know what Jack is going to do, and it scares me. As much as I hate it I am even thinking of toning his actions back a bit, they are just too graphic and horrible. Things that would give nightmaares, but I also feel that these horrible things are necessary to emphasize exactly how horrible he is. Either way it is bad enough that I told my mother that she would not want to read this, I mean she had a hard time watching the torture scenes in 1984 and what Jack is getting ready to do is MUCH worse. Anyway, if anybody has an opinion gruesome vs. half-gruesome let me know. I am really considering publishing this, but I worry that these sections will turn off readers. They are really bad, just trust me on this.

Maybe I'll write both and decide which to go with later. lemme know.

Anyway, this is a long chapter today. hopefully not too long for all of you who hate reading from the computer screen like me.

Torn
35

It was only days until the time of mating was to begin. We were both so happy.

It had been months since we had announced our intentions, and we had had no trouble in that time. No one had formally protested, and we believed that our life together was just starting.

Everything seemed to be going well, even the strange occurrences outside of the caverns had stopped. The whole community was in high spirits.

We had no warning.

***

They came at dusk.

The community was still mostly quiet. Very few had awakened from their slumber. Those who came knew when and how to strike.

We first heard the screams coming from the outermost chambers. Those poor souls didn’t have a chance. They had barely opened their eyes before they had a blade implanted in their chest.

Those of us who had chambers farther from entrances had a little bit of time to prepare for battle. I was still new to fighting, but I knew that it was time to use the skills that I had learned.

Your great-great grandfather had presented us with a matched pair of swords only days earlier. They had been a present. He had insisted on giving them to us as some sort of elven custom.

He had foreseen that the swords would see battle, he just didn’t know how soon.

I saw you run past me as I exited my chambers. You hadn’t had time to change into proper battle attire, so the folds of your dress billowed out behind you.

We arrived at the scene of a very dangerous battle. The conditions were cramped, and the darkness and shifting light of torches made it difficult to distinguish between enemies and friends.

We could hear continued screams as the invaders fanned out into other areas of the caverns. We caught each other’s eyes and with barely a nod between us we moved into side passages to catch the invaders who were not engaged in the battle that we had just left.

I was lucky; the invaders weren’t in any sort of group in the passage that I took. I was able to take them one by one.

The carnage was immense. There was blood pooling in the halls, and those that had survived the initial attack of the invaders I didn’t think would live for long. I couldn’t stop to help them either, I could only yell behind me for healers.

We met up in the main passage on the other side of the battle. We moved to attack from behind.

Soon we thought that all of the invaders had been defeated. Groans came from the living, but it seemed that we had won.

Then one of the fighters pointed toward the entrance. Another wave of invaders was coming straight toward us. We knew that we were outnumbered. Now instead of trying to push the invaders out we had to protect the community long enough for our people to get to safety.

You were so calm that night. While the rest of us were preparing to mount the defense, you dispatched a couple of fighters to sound the evacuation. If you hadn’t done that our losses would have been beyond belief.

As the other force approached we saw that in front was one of those who had left after our announcement to mate. We also saw why the attack had come at the time that it did. The attackers were vampires who had chosen the path of darkness, rather than life.

As the alarm was sounded within the innermost parts of the cavern system that made up the community we heard reinforcements pounding up the corridor behind us.

Those who had been fighting were allowed to fall to the back so that they could recoup their energy as the fresh forces came to the front.

The traitor moved to the back of the approaching force. He was heard yelling along the way not to hurt you, that he wanted you alive. You had been near the back of our side as he yelled this, so he had not seen that you were fighting. But you heard him, and decided to take advantage of his orders.

You and I moved back to the front of our forces, and then we forced the battle. The invaders were suddenly forced to be on the defensive.

Having their orders not to injure you the others had a nasty decision to make. They could either follow orders, and die, or they could suffer the wrath of their commander if they tried to save their own lives. The slight pause that was opened as they tried to decide was enough for you. The decision was made futile as you plowed through them.

Our forces made use of the confusion. A battle cry was raised among us and we charged into the invaders.

In the confusion that followed we were able to bring the numbers into even territory. We seemed to have a chance.

Then he appeared. Jack showed his face.

He had been watching the battle from the sidelines. Keeping himself in shadows. He decided that it was time for him to have his fun, and he didn’t care who was in his way.

As he strode toward the battle he swept people aside with a mere wave of his hand. Friend and foe alike were crushed against the walls of the passage.

He approached you, but could not simply defeat you as he had the others. Then a smile crossed his face.

Your face suddenly turned ashen as you realized who he was. You ran back toward us, screaming all the way for us to retreat.

Our forces were confused. We had been winning, now you were sounding the retreat. I started echoing your call, seeing what was happening.

We ran. The sound of feet pounding down the corridor was a roar in our ears.

We reached a point where there was a bottleneck. To many were trying to fit through a narrow passageway. It was also the only passageway to the escape routes.

We had gained a little ground over Jack, who prefers to let the fear grow.

We moved back into a larger cavern, suitable to fighting more than the cramped conditions leading to the escape. It was there that we made our stand.

The sound of Jack’s heavy footfalls preceded him. Finally he appeared, a cruel grin spread across his face like a disease when he saw that we were there to make a stand.

The traitor ran into the room behind him. He looked at Jack, and then at us.

“Get him, Jack.”

“I have more suitable prey in mind.”

“That was not the deal!”

Jack merely turned his head, and scowled at the traitor. The blood that sprayed across his face seemed somehow better than the smile that had so recently occupied the space.

I drew my sword. You placed a hand across my chest.

“No.”

“But…”

“No! This is not your fight!”

Suddenly I understood what you had been telling me, what we had been training to fight against.

You drew your sword, and charged.

The initial ring of steel against steel echoed across the chamber. As it died away another ring grew to replace it. Soon the ring would barely reach my ears before another followed.

Your dress and long hair swirled around you as you attacked and countered. Shifting constantly as you changed position, trying to gain an advantage.

The sounds of battle drifted into the adjoining chamber. Soon those who couldn’t get into the escape route had drifted back to watch. They told me that the bottleneck was decreasing, but it would still be several minutes before we had a chance to get through.

We watched as you fought, not knowing how or if there was even a way to help you.

One of the other poked his head back into the other chamber.

“Only a few more to get through, then we can go.”

I only nodded. I could see even from across the chamber that you were getting tired.

You lunged, and Jack skipped out of the way. You turned to reposition, and saw that there were more than just the three of us in the chamber.

“Julius,” you screamed, “get them out of here.”

The others heard, and moved back toward the other chamber. They were all through, and them one poked his head back in at us.

“Julius,” he hissed, “it’s clear. Get her out of there.” Then he disappeared back into the smaller chamber.

I screamed across at you. “Kyra, come on!”

You slashed, and nicked Jack’s arm. He was so surprised that he stopped for a moment to inspect the wound.

You started running toward me.

You were almost out of Jack’s reach when he reached out and grabbed your hair. You whirled, trying to get free, and opened up a red line down his cheek.

“Go!” I hissed at the other. “We will follow if we can.”

“I will hold the door for you as long as I can.” Then he disappeared.

I watched you, and saw how tired you were getting.

You saw a chance to break off of the fight. You went for it.

You had covered half of the distance between us when your back arched, and a blade slowly started to protrude from your chest.

You sank to the floor. I was running toward you before I even realized it.

The sword was holding you up. Jack withdrew it from your chest.

I caught you just as you fell sideways.

Jack just walked past me, moving toward the escape chamber.

I heard the clang of the single steel door. We were locked out of the escape, but so was Jack.

For the moment we were alone. You were gasping for breath, and blood came out of your mouth with each breath.

I started to lay you down so that I could try to find a way to heal you. You used what strength you had left to keep me there.

We just looked into each other’s eyes, your breathing becoming more labored with every passing second.

“I love you,” you managed to whisper. Then you lay still.

I started crying and shaking you. I wasn’t prepared to lose you.

You didn’t respond.

I heard Jack reenter the room. Heard him approach.

I looked up at him, the tears streaming down my face. He drew his sword and leveled it at my chest.

I closed my eyes, waiting to rejoin you. The sword never came.

I heard his footsteps take him away from me.

I screamed in rage and pain.

The scream echoed off the walls of that cavern for longer than I care to remember, the only thing to interrupt it was a laugh from Jack as he left.