Searching for the Sun (open)

[Jasik]

Jack Blight

I push aside an overhanging tree branch, my feet crunching loudly on the dead leaves that coat the ground. A chilly wind blows through the mountains, rustling the leaves that are still hanging from branches and stirring up the dead ones. I draw my jacket closer around me, pressing onward. I don't even really want to be here. My efforts have got to be futile. But the hope drives me onward. The hope that the whispered rumors are true. That sunlight filters through a small gap in the ashes that fill the sky.

I look around glumly at my dark surroundings. Eternal night. I can't even tell if it's day or night without the sun. I glance down at my watch. 3:27 PM. Daytime, then. The sun must still be fairly high in the sky above the ash clouds. Maybe I'll get a glimpse of it, a playful touch of its warmth, before it leaves again, hiding behind the dark clouds.

But what about vampires? They could be anywhere. My grip tightens around the handgun I carry, always ready to fire. My flashlight beam sweeps through the darkness, searching for threats. But no one is here but me. I'm all alone, blissfully alone out here in the shadows of the mountains. Right?

The trees begin thinning out and eventually end, leaving me nestled between two mountains. I gaze up at the slick, rocky surfaces. I wish I had an icepick. I could climb my way higher, where I'll be more likely to see the rumored sunlight. But the closest thing I have to a pick is my knife, and that won't get me far in terms of climbing. My head feels like it's splitting, so I take another swig of water. I hate the mountains. Even if I catch a glimpse of the sunlight, even if I find the one spot where the sun still shines, I won't stay longer than a few days. My body won't be able to handle an extended period of time in the mountains. That, and my food supplies is dwindling. I can get water by melting snow, but food is a priority, too.

Brushing the snow away, I sit down on a large rock, resting. I look around at my surroundings. Perfectly alone. I hate it. I need human company. But not just for my mental well-being. I hunt down vampires. If I get in a bad spot during one of my many fights with them, I'll need some backup. But I'm alone.

Or so I thought. A movement catches my eye, and within a second I'm on my feet, handgun aimed in the direction of the movement. "Who's there? Show yourself or I'll shoot!" I call out challengingly.

[Saffron]

Melanie Temple

I had been prowling the mountain passes like i always do. Ever since the humans got it in their heads that the mountains let the sunlight through... the ideas was ridiculous but it did make a lovely trap and the mountains had become quite the hunting ground.

I pick my way through the trees watching my foot steps carefully. I'm not the only 2nd gen who hunts here and any humans near by are bound to be on a hair trigger. After all its only the best survivors who make it this far. As the forest starts to thin out i get ready to turn back. I never hunt in the open like that, its just asking to get shot.

However i change my mind when i catch a fleeting glimpse of a flashlight. Its always the flash lights that give the humans away. I start to jog in that direction, the trees start to become scarce and are gradually replaced by ash and snow covered boulders. I circle around in front of him and watch. Hes resting on a bolder. Easy target. Only... I dont want to kill this one. At least not yet.

He reminds me of the first boy i killed. Yeah. He looks like him to, maybe a little younger. I lean out to get a closer look and thats when he sees me. I mutter some curse words and get back behind the boulder.

"You'll shoot if i do show myself." I call out to him, trying to make myself sound scared. Humans can always be tricked. I just have to play me cards right, lay down the sob story and it will all we good. Hopefully...

[Jasik]

I'm startled when a voice actually replies. For a moment there, I'd been hoping that maybe it had just been my imagination or an animal. But when something shouts back, there's someone there. The voice -- a girl's voice -- tells me that I would shoot if she came out. She's really not making this easy, I think bitterly. "Human or vampire?" I call out in reply. "If you come out now, I won't shoot."

Of course, this isn't entirely true. If the person is a human, I won't shoot at them. But if it's a vampire, we'll see. I've heard rumors of some vampires that feel sorry for humans and don't pose a major threat to them. But you never can tell. They might be -- and probably are -- just waiting for a chance to get close before they strike. And then there's 2nd gens. Humans turned into vampires, forced away from society. Some steal blood from human strongholds, and others... others hunt down people, their former neighbors, just to sustain themselves. I shudder, but from the thought or the cold, I can't tell. Probably both.

The girl's reply has me hesitating, though. She sounded scared, like a human would be. A vampire would jump out at me and attack. But this person hid as soon as I saw them. Probably a human, but maybe a 2nd gen. I'm not sure about pure vampire, though. "Just come out. I promise I won't shoot." Despite this promise, I keep my gun raised. From what I've learned about people after the meteors hit, you can't trust anyone.

[Saffron]

I smiled a little bit, he clearly wasn't a trusting person but he obviously had let his guard down and although the gun was still pointed in my direction i came out from behind the boulder. "Im sorry, im so sorry. I dont mean to scare you or hurt you its just..." my voice trailed off as i got ready to duck back behind the rock if this didn't go as i planned. "Its just ever since the bastard bit me, no one trusts me. The vampires wont have me, humans are scared of me and the rest like me. The ones who have turned... their all savages. I dont want to be like them." I say and my voice cracks as i start to act more emotional. "I just wanted to be by a human. Even if i couldn't talk to them. And you, You remind me of my brother. You look like him."

I look away from him and down at the ground. "Its not my fault i'm what i am. And its not fair." I mumble still looking at the ground, pretending to be ashamed of what i've become.

[Jasik]

A 2nd gen. This girl is a 2nd gen. My first impulse is to squeeze the trigger. But the tone of her voice makes me hesitate. A wave of pity and guilt collide within me. Pity for the girl and her obvious predicament, and guilt that I almost shot her. I've almost put my gun down when I notice something. I sense a malicious intent hiding behind a mask of sadness, but I can't quite pinpoint it. But she looks so cold and hungry. I can't turn her down now.

Lowering my gun, I begin to speak. "You look cold. I have some extra blankets and some food." Slowly, I take my seat back on the rock, rummaging through my bag. I come up with a small bundle of food and blankets. I hold them out encouragingly. "Go on, take it," I say, smiling at her. "There's enough to go around." I don't put my gun away. I set it next to me on the rock, but it's always within grabbing distance. 2nd gens are changed people. No matter who they were when they were humans, there's one thing that sets them apart: their need for blood. I realize with a jolt that this one must be one of the hunters. If she stole blood for sustenance, she would probably make her home near a human settlement, where she could always access blood. But out here in the wilderness, there's nothing to get her blood from but wandering humans. But I can't just leave her now, I think to myself. Besides, if she attacks me, I can just shoot her and get this problem out of the way.

[Saffron]

I took a few hesitant steps towards him, away from the safety of the rock. I could feel him watching me, studying my face. I closed the distance between us with a few more quick steps. I would have to be careful. At least until i got the gun away from him. I didn't want to kill him, not this one... but i couldn't speak freely until the gun was out of the picture. I wanted to toy with him.

After all even i get lonely some times. Then a thought crossed my mind. What if i turned him... I could offer him the same things i offered the first boy, the one who had always been nice to me. Of coarse he had refused. Maybe i would try and do it, maybe i wouldn't.

I reached out and took the blanket gently but then i made a mistake. My eyes flicked down and looked at the gun. Surely he had seen that and it had given me away. I threw the blanket back in his face and kicked the gun of the rock sending it sliding into the darkness. Then i turned to face him, i hit him hard in the chest with my palm sending him stumbling backwards.

"And now to the real topic at hand, enough of this sob story BS." I say with a smirk. "I have a proposition for you."

[Jasik]

In a flash, she strikes out with her foot, sending me flying backwards. I crash land in the snow, several yards from the rock I was sitting on. My gun is too far from me now. The girl knocked it in the opposite direction. I pull myself to my feet and grope for my knife, yanking it out of its sheath at my belt. In desperation, I fling it at the girl, but she dodges it with ease. She says she has an offer to make. "Why don't you just kill me now? I know that's what you're getting at." I spit at the snow at her feet. "And to think that I was going to help you."

As I talk, I mentally search myself. I don't have any weapons left, but I might be able to use some of my gear. I could use my backpack to hit her. It has some cans in it, which could add some sting to the blow. But no, if she could dodge the knife, she can dodge a backpack. My panicked mind won't register anything else except the fact that I have to get away immediately. When I killed the vampires who killed my family, it was just by a fluke. I caught them off guard, and I had a gun on hand. But now, I'm unarmed, and this 2nd gen is watching my every move. I can't think of any other options except to wait for her to get this over with.

[Saffron]

I lean to the side and watch the knife go by. Predictable... I look at him and slowly shake my head. "Do you think that was wise?" I ask him still smirking.

He yells at me, tells me to get it over with. I stick out my lip and make a sad face. "Dont be like that. You dont have to be such a bad ass, not around me." I say with a little laugh. "Now i know you are against it and i know you you want me to just kill you but... i sort of like you, your interesting. So its not up to you what i do." I say as i step back a few feet and pick up his knife and look at my reflection on its blade. "Now let me ask you something. What do you want in life? Whats your ultimate goal? Wait dont tell me. Let me guess. You want to kill me, you want to kill us all, like most humans... Thats understandable but your going about it wrong." I say as i toss the knife back to him.

"Now what do vampires need? They need blood. And where do they get it from? The distribution centers in the city. If you could take out these centers... for even a week. The cycle would be broken. The vampires would go hungry and their society would crumble... but how... how how how is a human supposed to get into the city?" My smirk fades away and my face becomes serious, my eyes lock on his and i let the malice slip from my voice. "I can help you, I can give you the means to accomplish your goals... There are people who would kill for this offer... All im asking you to do. Is to die." I say and spread my arms wide. "So yes or no. Pick one quick, im a busy girl ya know."

[Jasik]

She throws the knife back to me, but obviously not intending to kill with the throw. I snatch it out of the air and hold it by my side, my grip on it tight. The girl talks about blood distribution centers that I could take out, and that she could help me. I really didn't know about the centers. This could change the tide of the war against vampires, I think excitedly. I could be a hero.

But of course, there's a catch. She says that I'd have to die. That just about ruins the entire offer. What good can I do if I'm dead? And besides, why is this girl telling me this? She'd be a traitor to her kind. Not necessarily, a voice pipes up in the back of my mind. 2nd gens aren't just rejected by humans. They're rejected by vampires, too. They have no loyalties. I watch the girl carefully. "Who are you, anyway?"

[Saffron]

When i mention dieing he doesn't seem to catch my drift. Some times i'm to theatrical for my won good i suppose. Perhaps i should speak more plainly but that takes away my flair for drama. "You wont have to actually die you know. Although most humans think of it as death. The point is a human will never get into the city." I say thoughtfully as i look around in the darkness for his gun, i spot it lying at the base of a tree and pick it up. I hold it loosely by my side and start walking towards him as he asks who i am.

"I'm Melanie Temple, Mel for short. Obviously a second generation vamp." I said as i emptied the bullets from his gun. "And if your wondering why id be helping you... well..." I stopped right in front of him and put the bullets into a pocket on the backpack he was holding. "Lets just say the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Plus I like having some one to talk to i guess." I say and hold out the empty gun for him to take. "So, whats you name."

[Jasik]

I stare at her for a moment, then at the empty gun. Slowly, I take it, holding it by my side. I can use it as a bludgeon if need be, I guess, I think to myself. I look back up at Mel. "Jack Blight," I say. "And despite how lonely it can get in the wilderness, I don't know for sure if I can trust a vampire, even a 2nd gen." Really, company is company. But what if Mel is the kind who acts all innocent and nice, then kills you in your sleep? She certainly pulled it off when she acted scared and upset. She might be doing it again. I can't be sure. But a 2nd gen can be useful.

I suddenly realize what she meant by dying. Turn me into a vampire, my ass, I think bitterly. But being a vampire, even a 2nd gen, could be useful. But the entire point of my travels is to help in the fight against vampires. What good am I to the cause if I am one? Double agent, maybe. But in the end I'd be rejected by humans. Instead of voicing my opinions, I just say, "As for your offer, let's leave it at a maybe for now."

[Saffron]

I started laughing. "Maybe." I said with a smile. "And maybe i wont take the gun back and break it to pieces." I said and folded across my chest. I hated when people drag things out like this but this was the other side of company. Some times you had to put up with crap.
I rolled my eyes. "Kidding... Kidding. I know how attached you humans get to your guns sometimes. There was this one guy who treated the thing like his baby. It was almost comical... almost. But really just think about it." I say with a sigh. It would be so much easier if humans would work with us. Its not like we have to kill them to get their blood, although from time to time i do enjoy doing it... Oh well, what happens happens. I think to myself as i stick my hand in my pocket.
"Its cold... If you want to make a fire you can, The vampires dont usually come out this far and the other second gens know this is my place and we respect each others grounds so you dont have to worry about being found tonight." I say smoothly. The only problem is if other humans find us but i doubt that would happen.

[Jasik]

"All right, then," I reply coolly. Casting my gun aside and setting down my backpack, I stride across the snow to the edge of the trees, knife in hand. I gather up a mix of large branches, small twigs, and the driest leaves I can find in the snow and carry my load back to my makeshift campsite. Dumping the wood and leaves down by my rock, I dust away some snow from a part of the ground. I gather up a bundle of small stones and set them in a circle around the snow-free spot. I arrange the larger branches in a tepee shape within the stone enclosure, filling the space between the branches with small twigs and leaves. I dig around in my backpack until I find my matches, lighting one and dropping it into the pile of branches. A tiny flame catches on one of the leaves, and after a few minutes of coaxing it begins to spread, engulfing the rest of the pile, finishing with a steady blaze. I sit back, satisfied.

Mel stands nearby. I beckon for her to sit. "You look freezing," I say. "A little warmth wouldn't kill you." I grope around in my backpack some more and pull out a small, hard piece of bread. I tear off a chunk and chew on it, savoring the flavor of what might be my only meal for the next few days. My lack of nourishment has really shown over the weeks that I've been traveling. I've lost what little body fat I had before, which isn't too great when I'm out here in the freezing mountains.

I glance up at Mel. What did she mean by this being her territory? As far as I know, vampire territory is exclusive to the towns and cities they've exterminated humans from. Maybe it's different for 2nd gens. They're rejected by both kinds, forcing them to live in the wilderness. They probably have a different type of hierarchy out here, if any at all. But the way Mel says territory makes me think of animals. Is that what 2nd gens have become to humans and vampires? Wild animals, unfit to live with either kind? The thought makes me surprisingly sad. I almost feel guilty, even though I've done nothing against 2nd gens. But what if you have? I think to myself. You've killed several vampires. What if one or two of them were 2nd gens?

[Saffron]

He was right, being warm wouldn't kill me but being cold wouldn't either. I hesitated for a moment before walking over and sitting down next to him. My eyes scanned the darkness but I saw nothing of any interest so I settled for watching the fire dance about. I used to love fire, it was beautiful in a dangerous sort of way. I never got to see it much any more though.

The fire was sure to draw attention but nothing i cant handle. From the right side there was a quiet clicking sound. I turned her head to see another one of the local second gens lurking in the darkness. I recognized this one. It was a girl about my age, Abigale was her name i think, the clicking noise was her tapping her finger nails against each other like the did when she got nervous. I barred my teeth and her and let out a low warning hiss, the kind a cat would make. She immediate stood up and turned back into the woods. Luckily Abigale knew her place so i didn't have to beat up on her again for getting in my way. Infact out of the three others she was my favorite. She had the same playful flair id did when she hunted and she was just so innocent looking people could hardly resist trusting her.

My eyes still searched the woods again and i didn't look back at the fire. Abigale was usually the first to show up so the other two probably wouldn't be far behind. "So Jack, what brings you out here? Because if its that stupid little rumor about the mountains i can tell you right now your waisting your time."

[Jasik]

I push some logs around in the fire with a stick. Sparks spiral into the air until they dissolve into smoke in the air. "As a matter of fact, that is why I'm here," I reply. I sit back and look up at Mel. "Nothing you say can keep me from searching. I really believe it's out there, and I'm going to find the sunlight, one way or the other. Maybe it's just not in this part of the mountains. You live here, but you obviously can't have searched all of the mountains. If you haven't seen the sunlight, maybe you're just in the wrong place."

I look around at the surrounding area, shivering a little in spite of my heavy aviator's jacket. Tearing off another small chunk of bread, I stare at the sky. I know there's a break in the ashes somewhere. There has to be. And I'm going to find it, even if it takes me months or even years. I'm going to cling to that one small hope that I might get to feel the warmth of the sun one more time. Sighing, I look back at Mel. "So how long have you been a 2nd gen?"