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!"

They looked at you groggily, "GO YOOHYEON!"

The wood was disposed of, the frosty weather immediately closing into the cell. Fresh, not stagnant. At least they can appreciate that, those who will be left behind. "ITS TIME TO LEAVE FUCKING NOW!" You shouted one last time, there was a considerable gap between where you were and the ground.

Yoohyeon leaped without a care. This was it.

You quickly joined her, the odor of rot and disease falling away for fresh, brisk air.

The unknown cell mates followed, at least all who woke up. You'll shed a tear for those heavy sleepers when you are safe.

"Okay, huddle together, don't let the warmth dissipate. Me and Yoohyeon will lead the path."

Lets hope this works.

"Liz! Fuck, there's been a breakout!" Her guard shouted, "Cell 6, kicked the fucking wall out, that gave Cell 4 and 3 an idea. We need to move now."

Liz's face flashed with a temporary moment of surprise, brave humans? She could scare believe it. "Which cell is the most populated?"

"Cell 6."

"Okay, we'll go after the smaller ones first, don't hesitate to kill."

They took off, the three of them were going to make absolutely sure nobody survived the night.

It will all be over soon.

May the elements claim those escapees before Liz does.

Because there will be no mercy to the unfortunate.

You and Yoohyeon were truly a case of the blind leading the blind.

It was all white, snow had encased every single inch of your environment. Biting down upon your small group with its frigid coldness, thank god you had shoes.

There was one bastion of hope, the torch in your hand. It repelled the cold enough while providing a beacon, made out of flint you found on the floor and a snapped twig. A stroke of luck for fire to happen in such disadvantageous conditions, but weirder has happened.

"Do you know where we are going?" A timid voice asked from behind, they were all bunched up as close as possible while still moving.

"Not a clue. We'll keep going forward and hope civilization comes up." Yoohyeon answered, a lack of reassurance in her words.

Snow crunched underneath you, leaving a trail of footsteps in the wake. "I don't see much in terms of... anything."

"Nothing hunting us yet, keep pushing forward."

You lifted the torch to the air, looking onwards.

Emptiness.

Just hills, trees, snow, nothingness.

Your group kept walking.

And walking.

And walking.

And walking.

Walking.

Endlessly.

"Everyone okay?" You asked, trying to keep spirits up.

A collective murmur answered, good enough.

You did another scan with your eyes, and stopped.

"Yoohyeon, look alive. There's something.. there." You said, it was white, gargly, on all fours. Climbing up on the mountain face.

"What is that..?"

You put your hand up, telling the others to halt immediately. "I think I know, but here? In the mountains?"

"What do we do..?"

"Just. Stay. Still." You quickly turned your head, talking to the rest of the group. "If I'm correct, they can't see unless you move."

They complied, staying as still as stone.

"So they aren't even those trying to kill us?" She asked, voice trembling slightly. Just like yours.

"They'll kill us if they see us, don't. move." You whispered.

"But we can't stay here like sitting ducks." Yoohyeon was right, those hunting you could be here at any moment.

"Okay. Everyone move slow and steady, get ready to freeze if need be. Go." You took long strides, crouching down against the snow. Your breath hitched, every second was heavy, still, stiff.

The beasts roamed endlessly, leaping from every direction. It was random, unorthodox. The literal blind hunting the metaphorical blind. "Quiet."

Shit.

You paused. There was one right in front of you. Teeth rotten and decayed, eyes white, looming closer. It moved closer. "do not panic."

"AH!!!!!!!!!" what the fuck? Shit Shit.

The beast growled. Leaping forward, just barely above your group, grabbing onto the trees.

"Control yourself..!" You whisper yelled, it didn't attack you yet. The sigh of relief was heavy.

The creature flew itself forward, so did the others. They had spotted something. "What are they going towards Yoohyeon?"

"I have no idea."

The air was tight, the torch began to flicker.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Shit get away get away!" Another group. Fuck.

You can't let them die, your moral conscious wouldn't let them get ripped apart like prey.

Deep breath.

"Yoohyeon." You breathed out. Accepting the weight of this sacrifice. "Lead these people to safety." The torch went from your hand to hers.

"You are fucking crazy."

"Definitely. Good luck."

You ran towards the beasts, trying to close the gap. "HEY! OVER HERE! COME AND GET SOME!" You flailed alongside it, trying to make as much movement as possible.

"FUCKING ASSHOLES! COME HERE! IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, DON'T FUCKING MOVE!" The forest came alive with the beasts, they were stirring.

There was so many more than you thought.

And they were looking right at you.

Well. This is it.

Two lounged straight into you, rotten teeth inches away from your face, a forceful smack throwing you through the air. Shoving you right into a nearby tree. The pain knocking you out cold.

To your surprise, you woke up.

Not in the cold, not in the prison. Somewhere foreign all together. Soft, warm, restrictive, your arm didn't move no matter how hard you tried. Your eyes opened, but it was just darkness. Vision revoked. "Oh, you've finally woken up." A weight sunk down next to you, the voice feminine, dark.

"What the-" A sudden slap to your cheek made you stop speaking, a stinging pain lingering moments after the impact.

"Speak when prompted, otherwise I'll feast early." Feast? Oh fuck. "Awe, that's got the blood pumping, scared now huh? You smell so good, its a shame you nearly died.."

A sharp nail trailed all over your skin, sharp enough to scratch but not to cut. You whined at the discomfort. "So you were the one to rally them? And that girl, so noble. Tell me, what gave you such confidence?"

You were taken aback, confidence? Was it confidence? It was more a motivation to avoid certain death than anything.

You gulped, letting the thick saliva that constricted your throat pass through. "I didn't want to die, them. The others, what happened?"

The weight shifted again, her voice right next to your ear. A icy cold whisper, full of sadistic emotion. "Unfortunately, I couldn't find them. Would love to have the girl next to you. Cell 2 snitched, how interesting people who will die spill everything."

Another shift.

The girl was on your stomach. "But you aren't safe here, in the chambers of a vampire." She laughed darkly, "Sit there and listen."

The blindfold was removed, lights dim enough to see without blinding. The girl on your stomach was not what you were expecting, strangely normal, strangely alluring. Looking straight out of a gothic drama, a black corset with many a string, a shining charm hanging off her neck, brown hair coiling up together on the left side.

She chuckled, "Humans are so... superficial, staring at me with lust with your life in danger."

You stammered, "I wasn'-" Her hand clamped down on your mouth.

"Shut. Up." She reiterated, your blood was frigid. "You can look at me how you want, it doesn't matter. I love playing with my prey, get it nice and ready before I drain them.. my looks help with that. You deserve that treatment, you know? Brave, like that woman. Unlike the boring filth downstairs." She leaned down, nose pressing against your neck. Sniffing up against your neck. "Ugh.."

You were so disturbed, scared, incidentally doing exactly what she wanted. "So cute.. most of them were dirty, disgusting, scared, ugly." Her words made your cheeks blush, despite how offensive they were to the rest. "Such spirit, unwilling to die. You'll let me do anything on the chance you don't meet your end.. Prove it, beg for Liz.."

You trembled, her eyes glowed a sanguine red. Showing her teeth, warning you of the fate if you don't comply.

"Please, don't kill me– I, please... Just, let me go Liz." You whined, pleaded.

She looked unconvinced, "awee come on! You can beg a bit harder than that, tell me your name~."

"Y/N."

"That's so cute! I love it! Y/N, Y/N, human names are so cute!" She smiled, dragging her nails against your shirt. "Beg for me, come on.. I'm getting impatient."

"Just let me go, Please! Liz! God, I don't wanna die! Please!" You sounded pathetic, groveling for a chance to survive. "Please..!"

"Awee, so adorable! My cold heart almost flutters, maybe I should torture more people! But... hm.. I haven't even done that much to you yet." Liz got off your chest. Prancing over to her nightstand. "I've worked up such an appetite!"

A clink was heard, she turned back around. Her finger tip pressing against the blade of her knife. "Y/N! Let's have some interactivity! This knife.." She stroked the blade with her finger, somehow not piercing the skin. "Or... my teeth, your choice."

The fuck..?

Shes absolutely mental.

You took a breath. The knife looks sharp, very sharp. That'd hurt like hell. Her teeth looked sharp, but they'd pierce the skin less. At the cost of her being close.

You'll take your chances with being bitten.

"T-teeth."

Liz threw her knife straight into the wall, letting it pierce the darkness. "The right choice! So smart, keep being like this and maybe I'll let you out after all!"

Right and wrong.. Great.

She moved blindingly fast, appearing next to your side. "Hm.. but this angle won't do! I like to hold my food in my hands, you won't run. I know you won't– not that stupid." Liz cooed, ripping off the tape that kept your arms bound to the bed.

You didn't run.

Just sat there while arms enveloped your body, forcing you into her lap. Form far frailer than hers from the long starvation. Fingers ran over your body, "I should just rip this shirt off. That level of– exposure, it makes people tremble.. worry, and oh god I want you to worry." Liz whispered into your ear, "You aren't going to stop me."

You weren't. Survival above all.

Her nails split the damaged fabric, leaving you shirtless and exposed in the sadistic vampires grasp. You felt so uncomfortable, breaths were hard to come by with how tight your throat had become. "Haha, so scared. Very few people in my century long life have given me such a rush."

Liz brushed her fingers against your chest, putting her fangs right against your neck. "At any point, I can drain you.. take all that blood for my own. But will I? Answer me."

"Yes." You said with certainty, Liz continued to mess with the exposed skin, scratching it mildly, rubbing it. Everything that would make you tremor with unbridled terror.

"Why? What gives you the confidence to be so assertive about someone else?"

"You said it."

Liz smirked against your neck, "Observant little lamb! Actually listening, doing everything you can to survive.."

"But." She said. Letting the word linger, sniffing the scent of your further heightened blood flow.

"That'd be dumb of me right? Someone disrupts my food, then I just let them go?"

"please.." You let out one last desperate plea.

"I could turn you? Make you do my bidding eternally, give you my power. You'd like that wouldn't you?" She cooed, stroking your hair. "Anything to survive."

You thought for a second, she was demanding an answer.

Survival isn't worth killing more, you risked your life to save them.

You can't do that.

You could never do that.

"No."

For the first time, Liz was the one taken aback.

"No? You grovel, you beg, you plead, you listen... But this! is where you draw the line? At my gift?" Her voice was still calm, she was in control, no need for panic.

"I won't kill others. Take my blood if you want it, just don't make me hurt anyone." You pleaded.

Liz shoved you out of her lap, right onto the cold carpet floor. Standing over you, showcasing her authority. "I don't really remember asking for your consent.." She lifted her boot, pressing into your stomach. "But. I don't plan to deal with a complainer for all of eternity, so you will get our wish."

"thank you."

"awww, I have one last choice for you to make, think very very very carefully about this one." Liz removed her boot, pulling you back into her arms again. "One chance to run, I'll drop you into the snow and if I catch you.. I will rip you limb from limb, the most violent death you can think of." Her fingers coiled in your hair, "Or I kill you here and now. Soft and sweet. Chance for freedom, but greater pain or a nice relaxing end?"

You'll probably die on the way out, shirt completely fucked. A vampire is so much faster, impossibly stronger. You don't want to die but if you were.

You'd do it with everything you had.

"I'll definitely die. But one last run."

Liz smiled. "Atta prey! I'm so happy! But I'm not unfair.." She went to her wardrobe, throwing you a jacket. "Put it on, robe yourself in my presence."

It wrapped around your skin, at least hypothermia won't claim you.

The window was ripped open, the cold seeping back in once more. "Escape again! Tell you what." She leaned down, kissing your lips without warning. "Two minutes head start. Starting now!"

No time to waste, your body moved on utter instinct. Diving through the window, landing on your feet. Only now realising how truly fucked this was.

No trees, no rocks, nothing.

Nowhere to hide.

The sheer adrenaline in your veins will have to suffice.

"Run little birdie! I'm watchinggggggg~" She yelled psychotically. And so, it had began.

Sprint, sprint, sprint. It was all you did.

But it was truly doomed from the start, no time or chance to recover.

At least you'll look up at the world proud.

As predicted it didn't take long for Liz's body to tackle you into the snow, fangs on full display. "You got so much further than I expected! I'm honestly proud, knowing it was a losing battle and not giving into that comfort." Pride emanated from her words, eyes flashing red in barely restrained hunger.

But she hesitated.

"So you'll get that painless death, I wanna keep your corpse like a cute little trophy– so I can't destroy it! Let me get you out the cold." You gulped the blockage of saliva down, her twisted desires beyond creepy and harrowing.

Liz flew you back in through the ajar window, "maybe I could keep u as a blood bag actually.. the food in the prison tastes so fucking bad." She sighed like it was their fault. "So many decisions! Luckily I've had all of eternity to make this easier on myself."

"If you keep me alive I'll run." You threatened Liz, her hand immediately closed in around your throat angrily. Holding you in the air.

"Oh but now you are starting to annoy me! So how about you shut up for a second?" You nodded feebly, head going numb from the harsh asphyxiation. Getting dropped right at Liz's feet, head next to her boot.

"I think you'd be a cute pet~! Gosh, so naughty. Making me constantly change my mind. First I was going to kill you, then kill you violently, then kill you softly. Now I don't know!" She launched you back on the bed, the constant movement was sickening.

Liz towered over you, running her fingers in your hair. Toying with every inch of her prey while deliberating. "I have the cutest metal cage, you'd fit so snugly in there! Wouldn't you think? Ha! I don't really care what you think. I've made my mind up. I'll keep you."

You began to voice a complaint but Liz was quicker, silencing you with her palm. "I'll feed off someone else, maybe that girl if I find her. Want our first time to be special! Though... to prevent you running away while I get everything set up."

Before a single blink could happen, her fist came hurling at you, the impact knocking you out for the second time this night.

"Goodnight!!!"