PULSATE: Part 6
Two doors were at the end of Asa’s room. At one point in time they served as a large end to end walk in closet but as the creatures came – and their amounts grew – Asa had no choice but to use one of the closets as storage.
To store the old world wood.
The only wood that would kill a vampire. Somehow Mr. Rogers was able to keep her supplied, yet she never saw him.
Old world wood couldn’t be used for anything except killing vampires. And it wouldn’t burn. Couldn’t burn. Asa had tried, once. A few years ago – after a similar witness situation. Mr. Rogers killed someone for seeing something and Asa decided that was it – she was going to burn the wood and run away.
She filled the closet with gas and then lit a match. A bright orange flame flew in the air and for a few seconds flames burned. Then they stopped, on their own, and the old world wood lay in tact and untouched. Even dry for that matter – like the gasoline burned up and stopped.
Asa wept that night. Slept with the door open and more than once she woke up and stared at the wood. She tried two more times the next day to burn but it never worked. Ever.
She stood at the door again, tonight, staring at it. She thought of the woman’s face as she was attacked by the black silhouettes. Thought about the woman’s daughter… just accepting it was a heart attack and nothing more.
The anger rose in Asa as it had been so much the past few days. The compromising and accepting of this was not part of her job. She wanted to see the wood burn. Burn away. Disappear. But even then he’d find her.
Mr. Rogers always knew where she was…
“Asa?”
Speak of the devil, she thought.
“Big job. Someone messed up and missed it. Two night seekers.”
“Two?”
“Two. They came in at different parts of town. This could be a big mess… Asa, please move fast.”
Asa smiled. A way to release the anger in her. Sadly, running couldn’t do it right now.
“They’ve killed one and right now, they’re sharing it. They usually don’t share so this is an insult to us. For what happened with that woman…”
“On it,” Asa said. She grabbed two pieces of the old world wood and ran out the door.
She jogged slow to conserve air, but she was feeling like a runner that had gone twenty miles in five minutes.
Even Mr. Rogers noticed.
“Are you okay? Your vitals are crazy…”
“Fine. Ready to kill.”
“Be safe. They are still together. I’ll get you there and guide an attack.”
Two blocks later they were waiting for Asa. They sat next to each other, looking almost the same. The victim, a now pale and drained woman, lay on the ground. Each night seeker with a hand on the victims shoulder. When they saw Asa, they snickered and then took turns finishing their snack. One drank and then pushed the hand to the other. After a couple minutes they let go of the woman. Her head hit the ground and she turned into ash. Just like that. Quicker than a blink.
“Stay calm,” Mr. Rogers said. “The weaker one is on the right. He’s older. I noticed his one shoulder has a little limp. Sign of injury. You’ll kill him last.”
The vampire on the left stood up and pointed to Asa. Then he dropped to his knees and licked some of the ash.
Asa gasped for air.
“He’s trying to confuse you,” Mr. Rogers said. “Ignore it.”
Then the vampire spoke. “You’re a murderer.”
Asa remained silent.
“Killing that woman. You did it. And killing one of our brothers.”
“Your brothers are evil,” Asa said.
The vampire laughed. It stood up and stepped to the side. The other vampire – the weaker one – stood up too.
“Get the stronger one,” Mr. Rogers said. “Engage him. He’s vulnerable to words… and he’s full…”
Asa had a different plan. The burning rage wouldn’t let up.
“Will we fight?” the younger vampire asked.
“Or weep for my brothers’ you’ve killed?” the older one asked.
“She’s weak,” the young one said.
Asa stopped back. Her eyes were scanning the surrounding. A thick green bush ran the length of the side road but Asa noticed metal too.
A gate.
“Asa!” Mr. Rogers yelled. “Please! Attack!”
The two vampire were preparing themselves, planting their feet and flexing their hands. They opened their mouths and tested their fangs with their other teeth.
Now or never.
Asa took the old world wood from her waistband and began to twirl it.
“A weapon?” the older vampire said.
“Yes, a weapon,” the younger one added.
“Asa! NO!” Mr. Rogers voice boomed. “You can’t do this… stop this. Abort!”
Asa threw one of the pieces of old world wood into the air. It sailed high. The two vampires looked up and Asa found her small window of opportunity.
She ran and jumped on the fence. She ran the edge of it balancing in a way she didn’t know how she did it.
Mr. Rogers screamed at her but she ignored it.
“I command you!” he yelled.
Asa kicked off the fence into a front flip. Her feet hit and then she threw her left hand out at the vampire but nothing was in her hand. A second later the old world wood hit the ground.
The vampires laughed.
“Sorry dear,” the older one said.
“Oh, the plan did fail,” the younger one added smiling wide.
Asa, always with a plan, stabbed the older vampire with the piece of old world wood in her right hand – the piece of old world wood they didn’t hadn’t seen. The vampire stepped back with a face of terror. The younger one tried to kick the piece of old world wood on the ground. Asa pulled the old world wood from the older vampire and stabbed the younger one. The motions were fast, smooth, and angry.
Then she grabbed the second piece of old world wood and began to stab both vampires until they were dead.
A silence fell over her and her anger was gone. Mr. Rogers remained quiet too.
“I’m sorry too,” Asa said, speaking to herself, the vampires, Mr. Rogers, and any of the innocent victims taken in this mess of a world.
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©2011 Jim Bronyaur
