Night 8 - Break (LIZ)

The prison smelt of rot, blood, death and all sorts of decay. Walls physically crumbling apart from aeons of existence. Creating a cloud of dust visible through the moonlight that dared to pierce the small caged window showing the real world.

There was also the bodies, collecting in a pile. Taken away temporary as a human filled with the last remnants of life and returned a pale drained corpse. Their presence a reminder of the fate for you all.

You were all lambs for the slaughter, those who were left. You were the longest of all those still alive, getting dragged away from your cabin at the dead of night by two shadowy figures. Their appearance entirely unknown, hidden, obscured.

People younger than you had been taken, all those with you when arrived were gone. Good men, women, everything in between. All dead, all empty. Turning into a collective of rot.

Dread was the only emotion people felt, other than disgust. A fate seemingly unavoidable, people have tried to find ways out. They often disappear the next morn, maybe that's why you've survived so long.

You haven't made your move yet.

The sun started to set in, sleep was a very short burst activity. Get as many minutes in before someone screams and shouts and wakes the entirety of the cell.

"Five." You said to yourself, the other mass of people occupying your cell were asleep, about ten in this claustrophobic enclosure. Their heads between their knees, it helped to obscure the odor just a tiny bit, preserve any autonomy still given.

"Four." The girl to your left said, Yoohyeon. The only name you knew, everyone else kept it a closely guarded secret even with death on the cards.

"You figure it out as well?" You inquired, not turning to face her. Leaving your nose right where it was in the fabric that only reeked of dirt. A few splatters of blood from where people resisted a bit too much.

"Five minutes after the crack of dawn, every time. That woman in the adjacent cell, one with tattered clothes. She's the victim." The words carried certainty, coldness. Not a wish but a command.

"What makes you positive?"

"She scratched the guards leg with her nails, trying to save last nights prey. Any defiance is immediately met with death. I've been watching." Damn, this woman's observation rivaled if not surpassed yours. "Two."

"One."

Like clock work, the heavy gate opened, footsteps closed in. Looming closer, stopping right in front of your cell, their backs turned. No interest in you, they wore veils anyway.

Their gate opened, one stomped in while the other kept watch. Grabbing the predicted woman's arm. Yanking her up "NO! Please! Get off me! No no! I don't wanna die! NO! HELP! PLEASE!"

You closed your eyes, it didn't get easier. That primal fight for survival, shrill shrieks in between each sobbing word. It sent a cold shiver down your spine. "Fuck."

"Fuck indeed, that's going to be us sooner rather than later." Yoohyeon remarked, observing the woman thrash against the grip of the prison guards, pulling her away. "I wonder why they do this, instead of just hunting for people when its needed."

"Sick bastards probably get a kick out of it, supernatural cunts." You groaned, hunger gnawing at your body. Every pang awfully painful, if they didn't feed you bread you'd probably feast on one of your fellow cellmates.

"You think they are supernatural? Isn't that just fiction?" She asked, voice incredulous. Like the mere idea of them existing was somehow unfathomable despite the circumstance.

"Because this is just so normal– I did a lot of reading on stuff on the unnatural back a year ago. Vampires probably."

"It doesn't matter what they are, only that if we stay here we'll die." She groaned, the same troubles affecting her body. You've lost so much weight since being here, no longer even really reflecting who you were.

"Well I'm not seeing a way out." You replied with snark.

"Duh, but look at these walls. It's mostly rotten wood and bricks, there's definitely a way out. We just stay calm, hope someone else causes issues and we push through." Yoohyeon almost seemed, hopeful. That spark long extinguished in these walls.

"And we aren't underground because of the light... Brick and wood is such a weird choice– why has nobody tried it yet?"

"Too scared to try, I mean look around. Most people are sleeping away their days, just waiting for death to take them free. Fresh meat is often immediately broken, we are different."

Damn right we are.

Liz, the leader of this whole operation watched their daily meal get dragged in. This schedule allowing the maximum time to lure more people, the goal of overthrowing the town was nearly at completion. They all fell so quickly, police were no problem. Especially when they were equally as scared.

They had lost a few members, the superstitious types repelling them, killing them. Those who always carry a small piece of wood fastened to their arm, a sleight of hand that'd taken a few out.

Their strength grew, though very few could handle being converted. All this flesh was such a waste, thrown right back in the trash like it belonged.

"Status report on the prison for me." She said with the usual amount of authority, swiftly appearing next to the victim.

"Usual. Scared, sleeping, delusional, it's too easy. I miss the hunt." Liz's right hand commented, throwing the victim into Liz's hand. The rules were simple. She got first pick of where to bite, after all Liz gave them higher power, strength beyond their wildest dreams.

Its only fair.

"We'll have it soon, this town is just the start no?" The other guard replied.

"Absolutely." Liz said, before promptly taking her share of the food, drinking in the bitter blood. "Eugh.. This one's borderline rancid."

"We can kil-"

"No. Not a single deviation from routine, they'd act differently due to the sudden shift. Got it?"

"Understood."

Though Liz was going to hunt her own meal for the night, dropping the poor unconscious prey right into the others grasp. Wiping her mouth of the spoiled product.

The days passed, the same routine, the same everything. Impressive you hadn't gone insane.

But tonight was the night.

Yoohyeon and you were planning, plotting, moving the smallest inches of wood out of place, covering it with your body every time they came in.

While you couldn't save them all, the metal bars were much much stronger.

Those in your cell were relatively untouched, all twenty odd of you. All 'fresh meat' was being thrown into this cell. Rest overflowing with despair.

"Are you ready? I feel like once this happens we'll be quickly attacked." She asked, the final kick would send the entire opening coming down.

"Now or never, nobody's caused a ruckus. It could very well be us tomorrow." You said. Taking one deep breath, ignoring the nerves in your throat.

"Yep, okay. Wake em up." She left you in charge of that.

"EVERYBODY! IN THIS CELL! WAKE THE FUCK UP!" You shouted, the slumbering began to stir "NOW!"