Fallen Blood

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Fallen Blood

By: Martin C. Sharlow

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He wasn't sure why he spent so much time dwelling on the past, or why he even cared about why he did it. Some days he could spend his whole evening just remembering watching her. He never actually watched her with his eyes. Oh, sure, he would take furtive glances at her general direction whenever he dropped his pencil, or when he stretched and pretended to be bored in class. But he never really stopped and stared at her long golden hair, or her smooth bronze skin. He wasn't sure if she were suntanned or natural, but it fit her somehow. He couldn't even imagine her looking any other way, how could she? She was already perfect, and any changes would just ruin her.

Today proved a particularly trying time for stealing glances at Heather in class. Every time Brian would stretch or yawn and glance around the room, it seemed like all he would see was the backside of that oversized jock who claimed to be her boyfriend. The man's gold and red letterman's jacket obstructed view of her beauty, as he leaned on her desk. Brian didn't know what she saw in that muscle bound freak. Sure, he was one of the most popular guys in school, but who cared? He was as dumb as a rock.

With this being one of the last days before summer, he didn't have much more time before he would have to wait what would seem an eternity before the next school year would start again. He wouldn't think of that, though, he would remember the few glances he did get of her when that ox wasn't in the way. He concentrated on the curves of her face, the small oh so delicate turn of her nose. He closed his eyes and remembered everything he could of the day and how she looked. The perfect inverted heart shape of her backside as it rolled side from side to side as she walked down the school hallway.

He felt his body relaxing as he began to smell the fragrance of her perfume, a lightening of his body as it began to float in her fragrance. Her blue eyes twinkled as she laughed at some unheard joke, then there was the familiar 'POP', which was more a feeling than a sound. He knew then he had freed himself from his physical confines and even now hurtled to his destination. He wondered what she was doing at this moment. Would she be sleeping, or would she be home watching TV?

The thrill of the unexpected began to build in his chest. He looked forward to these moments each night. His chance to be with her, to watch her and learn about her. But the best times were when she was asleep. It was at these times that he could actually interact with her. These were the times that were the most special, when he could see into her soul, and know the secret parts of her she hid from everyone else. Her true self and his. Then he could have a true relationship with her. Her dreams were always rich and full of mystery and laughter, and she always received him in them as her friend or her mentor, or even sometimes as her lover.

The ruins of a what was obviously once someone's home appeared around him. The shattered remains of a gray couch lay in the middle of the room. Starlit night could be seen through several missing sections of ceiling, dimly lighting the room he was standing in with the four others who occupied it as well.

"Chuck, let's go, we're not supposed to be here." Heather said, pulling on the large brown haired youth's arm. Brian could see that he still wore his letterman's jacket.

"I thought we were going to a party!" Another girl spoke up. Brian had seen her with Heather often, but he couldn't recall her name offhand. Deeta something?

"This
is
the party." Chuck laughed, and turned back and grabbed Heather. She wiggled a bit as if she were going to fight his hold then just smiled and hugged him back.

"Where's the beer?" The gangly youth with the other girl spoke up.

"Don't' worry, Tom's bringing it." Chuck answered

"Chuck, this place is off-limits..." Heather spoke, worry in her voice, though she was still snuggled in Chuck's arms.

"Who cares?" Chuck answered. "Kids have been coming to this place for years. The government's got no business shutting down a teenager's rite of passage!"

Heather wiggled her way out of his arms as he spoke, looking cross with him.

Great,
thought Brian.
She's not at home, but here with this imbecile.
He looked around trying to get his bearings. From what Heather said and the look of the ruined house, they must be in the old Warren's place. He was surprised the old place was still standing. Ever since the government bought it and fenced off the old place, many people had speculated that it would be torn down and a new federal building would be built in its place. Instead, it remained relatively quiet for the last few months, except the occasional light seen moving around inside it. That, of course had been happening for ages, or at least since the old house had been abandoned.

"Chuck, if we don't leave you're going to be sorry." Brian heard Heather say

"Baby, please..." Chuck began to talk smoothly. The sound infuriated Brian as he listened to him. He watched as Chuck calmed heather and began to kiss her. He watched as the tension in her body began to drain and she allowed herself to be led to the nearby crumbling couch. Why did he have to come here tonight? This was worse than earlier that day. He'd been looking forward to spending time with Heather tonight, and now he realized that wasn't going to happen, at least not until later. He walked up to the couple and stared down at the two as they kissed and grabbed and fondled. The other two had joined them on the couch and were busy doing the same thing.

Great, this is worse than hell.

The missing Tom took that moment to appear from outside. Another blonde girl accompanied him at his side. "Hey guys, got some beer!" Brian could hear Tom say, as he waved a six pack of cans around.

"What the?" Chuck half shouted. "A six-pack? Where's the rest?" Chuck stood, looking more than a little displeased.

"Dude, it was all I could snatch from my father's pantry. He's been watching me like a hawk ever since we took those beers last week."

Chuck walked to Tom and grabbed the dangling cans by their plastic holder. "There's not enough for anyone here," Chuck complained, "how are we supposed to party without any beer?"

Brian turned his back on the scene, and began to wander out of the room into an adjoining one.

One of the other girls suggested other things they could do for a party, which elicited several chuckles from the men. The whole night was ruined, for him and for Chuck. At least that bit of info brought some pleasure to Brian, that Chuck would be deprived as well. This whole scene couldn't get much further from what he had hoped would be a spectacular time for he and Heather. But, he realized it just wasn't going to happen tonight. Maybe he should just go home and get some rest. Tomorrow night might be a better chance to get some time alone with her. All it would take was a thought, and he would be home again, but somehow the disappointment of the evening was too strong in him.

Nothing was waiting for him there except his empty room and his bed. He wasn't ready to face that. Sooner or later, he was going to have to return, the hunger would see to that, but maybe being at least close enough that he could hear her would be a comfort. Even if he had to share her with Chuck, it was better than not having her at all.

"Hey, guys, let's see what's downstairs in the basement!" Brian heard Chuck announce behind him. He almost jumped at the sound, mind leaping to being caught, before he realized they couldn't see him here.

"Come on, Chuck, drink your beer and come back here." He could hear one of the girls call out.

"I already drank my
one
beer." Chuck snorted over his shoulder as he passed through Brian heading to some stairs and disappearing down them. With any luck, Brian thought, he could fall down and break his neck on the old things. That would brighten his day. The other two guys appeared at the entryway that Chuck first appeared in, laughing and shoving each other forward. Brian could hear the girls complaining that this wasn't fun, and another saying she wasn't going down in that dirty old basement. Brian walked through the two boys as they headed for the stairway that Chuck had taken just moments before. Heather sat where Chuck had left her in his search for more entertainment.

Brian couldn't believe anyone would seek more entertainment than her. He couldn't think of anything more interesting or fascinating than her. He spent every waking moment thinking of her, and if he dreamed, he imagined he would spend every second of it thinking of her as well. Even now, as she sat on the couch her arms crossed under her breasts, looking annoyed to no end, she was the most perfect vision of anything he could imagine.

"Should we go after them?" Deeta asked.

"Why should we?" The other girl answered,"there might be rats down there, and definitely bugs"

"What do you think, Heather?" Deeta asked Heather, obviously trying to gather support for the idea. Brian watched as she shook her head and stood.

"I'm going home," she said, "I'm not sitting here in this musty old house while the guys play Scooby Doo."

"Don't you want your beer?" The other girl, who Brian didn't know the name of, asked her, as she pointed at it sitting on the floor next to where she'd been sitting.

"You can have it." She said, as she headed for the front door. "Tell Chuck when he gets done playing and wants to have a real date, he knows where I live."

Brian smiled to himself at how smart she was. He couldn't help wondering if he should stay and see Chuck's face when he was told what she said. It would take her some time to get home. It might just be worth waiting.

A cold, sickly feeling, touched Brian's feet from the floor as he watched Heather grab the doorknob. A startled yelp rose from the adjoining room where the boys had gone. He wasn't sure anyone had heard it, as it was very muffled and they were talking. He wasn't sure what the sensation meant, as it was new to him. In fact he couldn't think of a time he had ever felt anything touch or affect him at all in this form. He didn't know it was even possible, as he thought he was only pure thought, and not actually there in any way. The front door closed as Heather left the house. Brian could hear several feet running up the stairs in the next room.

"Sounds like they scared themselves and are running back, Sam." Deeta said to the other girl.

"Try to act scared for them," Sam smiled to the other girl conspiratorially.

Something didn't sound right about the sounds of the feet coming in from the other room. It sounded like it was more than three pairs of feet to Brian, as a man dressed in a black suit and wearing dark sunglasses appeared in the doorway. He quickly brought his wrist up and spoke into it. "Targets acquired."

"Who?" Deeta was the first to realize it wasn't Tom or any of the others. "We're sorry, we didn't mean to..."

Four more men dressed exactly like the first entered the room and began to circle the two girls who still sat in the couch.
What the hell is going on here?
Brian wondered.

The first man who arrived spoke to the two. "Ladies I need you to accompany me." He waved his arm for them to follow. Brian watched as Deeta continued to sit there with her mouth open, apologizing for being there, while the one named Sam stood and started backing away, trying to get to the front door. One of the men stepped forward and grabbed for her, surprisingly she avoided his clumsy attempt and turned and ran for the door. A second man pulled a black metallic, gun like object—although it was certainly
not
a gun he'd ever seen--from his pocket and pointed it at her retreating back, pulling the trigger. Two wires shot out and hit the retreating Sam's back, a high-pitched scream escaped from her as she collapsed to the floor thrashing. The click, click, clicking of the device the man held filled the room as Deeta stood with her hands out pleadingly. "Please don't hurt me. I'll be good!"