• Chapter one 


    Ryan sat, quiet, unmoving, exhausted. His head, felt like it had been stabbed. His mind, drifting from one topic of his life, to another.
    Silence.
    He looked around his cramped, dirty room. Clothes lay on his floor, and countless bed sheets rested on top of him. He removed them, to see he was wearing only boxers, that bound to his waist with spandex.
    He leaned up, and rested his hands on his knees. Ryan closed his eyes tightly, and felt the headache that overwhelmed him.
    Ryan leaned down, over his bed, and grabbed his pants, rummaging through each of the pockets, looking for his phone.
    He grabbed it, and flipped it open, checking for messages.
    None.
    He swung his legs over the bed, and stood slowly, letting his legs adjust to his weight. His legs wobbled, from the long sleep, and no activity in so long. The last thing he did, was .... He couldn’t remember. All he did remember, was a party last night, and getting plenty to drink. Ryan couldn’t remember how much he had, before he went to sleep. All he did know at the moment, was that the hangover was now taking effect.
    He walked slowly to his dresser, and looked himself in the mirror. His long, black hair swept over his face, and covered it. Ryan wasn’t to buff, and wasn’t too weak. Wasn’t to fat, and wasn’t to skinny.
    He was a smart kid for his age, his IQ stayed at a flat 250, but still, he chose to fail in school. He was only seven-teen, and didn’t show how well he could do.
    No problems with the law, no problems with his parents. But he still had one medical problem. He suffered from epilepticy
    Still, he managed to pull of the good kid act, but managed to also have many friends, none that only liked him for how he looked(even though he looked handsome for his age) but more for who he is.
    Ryan opened the top drawer, and grabbed a black shirt, with a ‘Slipknot’ logo on it, and soft, dark red towel.
    He opened the second drawer to the bottom, and felt a pair of pants come into his grip.
    Ryan stood up straight, and looked in the mirror momentarily, and side stepped to his door.
    He walked out into the dark, unoccupied room, and stared around.
    Noone was home. His parents, both at work, and his thirteen year old sister, was sleeping over at a friends house. Ryan was alone in the house.
    He walked into the bathroom on his right, and opened the door. A smell of urine hit him, as he wrinkled his nose.
    He gripped the towel over his face, and walked in, with his head turned to the left.
    Setting down the towel, he slipped off his boxers, and stepped into the shower.
    Ryan turned on the hot water first, then turned the cold on slightly, then finally turned the knob to turn the bath into a shower.
    Hot steam filled the room, and fogged up the large mirror set over the counter.
    Ryan washed his hair, and body, and face. He finished, and finally stepped out.
    Ryan grabbed the dark red towel, and dried himself off. Hot water slipped down from his face, as he dried it off. Ryan popped his neck, then slipped on a clean pair of boxers, along with his pants. He slipped on his shirt, and walked outside the bathroom.
    Walking back into his room, he picked up a studded belt, and thread it through the loops on his pants. Ryan attached a black, studded wristband on him, and a necklace around his neck.
    He walked back out his bedroom door, and down the stairs on his left, into the kitchen, and grabbed a silver key attached to a ring. He walked back around, and towards his front door.
    Ryan slid the key into the lock, and twisted it, until he heard the deadbolt click.
    He walked outside, and looked around.
    Ryan didn’t live in a normal neighborhood like the other kids on his bus, he was te last one to bo dropped off. His neighbor was many miles away, at least three miles. The only thing good about where he lived, was the magnificent wood, witch Ryan frequently went in. He was probably the only one who was ever in the wood at most times, and the only time someone would be there, is if Ryan convinced them to come with him.
    Ryan turned to his left, and walked into the wood, hearing the wood crunch beneath his feet.
    Ryan stopped, dead in his tracks. He stopped at the sight of a sleeping deer.
    Ryan climbed the tree to his left, and looked down on the creature.
    Ryan looked around at the sound of more sounds of movement. Another person? Animal?
    Ryan saw a pair of feet walking out from behind a tree, then the calves, knees, and waist.
    Ryan’s guess now that it was a seven-teen, or eighteen year old female.
    The person finally walked out into Ryan’s view.
    She was at least 5' 10, or five eleven. She was skinny, and a well built person, and a fast walker.
    “ Hello?” Ryan said out of curiosity, hoping for a response.
    Her eyes darted towards Ryan, and she jumped back at the sound of his voice. But finally, she responded.
    “ Hi” she responded.
    “ I was starting to think that I was the only one who lived around here.” Ryan said, attempting to make small talk.
    “ Me too,” She said, “ where are my manners, I’m Samantha.”
    “ I’m Ryan” Ryan said forwarding the information, “ I would shake your hand but-“
    Ryan looked down at the branch he was standing on, then to the deer, and back to Samantha. Samantha looked over at the deer, as Ryan climbed down from the tree.
    “ So,” Ryan said, “ You live around here?”
    “ Yes, and you?” She responded.
    “ Yeah.”
    She turned around, and gripped a branch to a tree, and began to climb up. She stopped at the level Ryan was on, and began to make conversation.
    “ So,” Samantha said,” Why are you out this morning, it’s freezing.”
    “ There’s not another neighbor for miles, so there’s nothing else to really do, besides walking. I just so happen to choose to walk in the woods.” Ryan spoke.
    Samantha stared at his eyes. He had very dark rings underneath him.
    “ You look tiered, are you?” she spoke.
    “ Yeah, a little.” Ryan responded, but he continued to make a conversation.
    “ So, do you go to school around here?”
    “ Yeah, I go to RoveTown, do you?”
    “ Yeah, I do.....”
    She smiled, like she had been accomplished in making a new friend. Ryan smiled back for the same reason.
    Ryan climbed higher into the tree, at a very fast pace, and Samantha climbed with him, just from a different tree. She soon climbed into his tree, and began climbing.
    Ryan climbed to the highest point he could, and then looked down, waiting for Samantha.
    In her eyes, it was like a race, a friendly race.
    “ Your very slow at climbing, you should know.” Ryan said sarcastically.
    “ Very funny.” she said, breaking off a branch from the tree.
    Ryan climbed down,” What are you going to do with that?”
    She flexed her arm, and threw it at his head. It bounced off, and Ryan grabbed his head in pain.
    “ I might not know you well,” Samantha said, smiling, “ but it’s not going to stop me from hurting you.”
    “ I don’t get how saying you’re a slow climber is offensive.” Ryan responded.
    “I was just looking for a reason to hurt someone.”
    Ryan stared dumbfounded, then felt the top of his head. He brought away a bloody hand.
    Samantha stared wide eyed, and said, “ You alright?” Samantha licked her lips.
    “ Yeah, I’m fine.” he looked down at the blood in his hands.
    “ Sorry.” Samantha apologized, licking her lips again.
    Ryan stared up a her,” Why are you, uh, licking your lips?”
    “I’m sorry, I just smell something.” she responded.
    Ryan climbed back down, and pounced on the ground. Samantha traveled behind him.
    Ryan felt his pocket vibrate, and he reached in, and grabbed his phone, and flipped it open.
    He read the message.
    ‘Hey Ryn, u h3ar the nws? Thrs sme prtst going dwn on the bulvrd abut banning gay marrige, its fnny as hell! Trn on ur tv!’
    Ryan closed his phone, and slipped it into his bac pocket.
    “ Hey, I need to go,” he lied,” I’ll see you again tomorrow, same spot, same time?”
    Samantha looked at him, “ Sure, see ya.” She said turning around.
    “ Yeah, see ya.” Ryan said also turning around, walking away.
    He felt bad about how he had lied, just to talk to his other friends, and watch something funny being broadcasted on t.v.
    Chapter two

    Ryan lay in bed, his eyes unopen. His room was dark, the clock read ‘One forty-six a.m.’
    His ears rang with the loud music of his headphones, his thoughts remained on the guilt he had bestowed upon himself.
    Knock, knock, knock.
    The three bangs over powered the headphones, as Ryan sat up in bed. He slipped off the headphones, and shifted his legs over the corner of his bed. He stood slowly, and walked over to his window, and lifted the blinds.
    Samantha stood on his roof of the first floor.
    “ What are you doing?” Ryan said opening the window.
    She swung in, pushing Ryan to the ground. Samantha shut the window behind her, and locked it.
    “ I’m sorry, I need a place to hide.” she said, scanning the outdoors.
    “ From who?” Ryan questioned again.
    “ Some people.”
    Samantha turned around, and looked at him pulling out his cell-phone.
    “ Tell me who, or I’m calling the cops.” he said, holding his fingers over the button.
    Samantha looked back out the window. “ I’ll tell you when they don’t find me, you have a place where I can stay for a while? Maybe just tonight?”
    Ryan put his phone away, and stood.
    “ Just tonight?” Ryan asked.
    “ Yes!” She screamed in a whisper.
    “ Just follow me.” Ryan said, turning around.
    He walked out the door, and in front of the stairs. He brought up his arm, and grabbed a small string, and pulled it down. Ryan unfolded the stairs to his attic.
    “ Up here,” Ryan said, “ Just stay up here tonight. In the morning, I want you to leave.”
    Samantha nodded, and jogged up the stairs. Ryan closed them behind her, as she let out a soft thank-you.
    Bang, bang, bang!
    ‘What now!’ Ryan thought.
    He began his decent downstairs, and to the door. He twisted the dead bolt, and opened the door.
    In a flash, Ryan felt himself being lifted into the air, from his neck.
    A dark figure held him. He was pale, and had long black hair, and blood-red eyes.
    Ryan held at his throat, as the long nails began to penetrate him. Blood dripped down from his neck.
    “ Where the hell is she!” the man exclaimed.
    “ Who?” Ryan cried in pain.
    “ You know who I’m talking about! The girl! Your not going to tell me, are you.”
    “ I don’t know who your talking about!”
    The man leaned in, towards Ryan, and whispered, “ This is your last chance, tell me know.”
    “ Try me.” Ryan whispered back.
    The man leaned towards Ryans’ neck, and opened his mouth, and sank his teeth into him. Ryan tried to scream, but only the blood poured out of his mouth.
    The man dropped Ryan, and turned around.
    “ If he had known, he would of told me.” The man whispered to himself, as he walked out the door. He shut it behind him.

    

    Samantha sat in the attic, listening to the fight two floors below her. She bit into her lip, knowing what pain she was causing to Ryan.
    Her heart filled with tremendous guilt, her eyes swelled with tears. Noone else that she was aware of was in the house.
    She had to do something for Ryan, or he would be in worse pain than know.
    Samantha crawled over to the attic stairs, and tried to push them down, but they didn’t budge.
    She stood, and pushed them slightly with her foot. They bounced down, then back up.
    Samantha made her decision, and pushed down further with her foot. The stairs fell down at an angle, and Samantha could see the floor below her.
    She sta on her knees, and dropped her legs over the side. Samantha pushed herself forward with both hands, and dropped down, landing in a squat.
    She stood higher, and walked around the rail guard. She could see ryans unmoving corpse laying at the bottom, in front of the door.
    Blood spilled from his neck, and poured out of his mouth. His fingers twitched, trying to move the blood in his arms.
    Samantha ran down stairs, and sat on her knees. She put her palm over his pale face.
    His eyes opened, and he looked at her. She looked back, with much sorrow in her eyes. Ryan closed his eyes again.
    Samantha gripped her shirt with her hands, and pulled apart. She placed the ripped cloth over his neck wound, and pressed. Blood bled through the cloth, and covered her hands.
    Samantha covered her mouth and nose with one hand, an pressed even harder with the other.
    His throat stopped bleeding. His eyes opened slowly. His nose wrinkled at the smell.
    Samantha hugged him.
    “ Thank God your ok.” she said in a low whisper in his ear.
    Ryan didn’t react. He just sat, like the life had been sucked out of his body. He pushed her off, and felt his neck.
    “ C’mon, we need to get out of here, before they come back, there going to want you now that-“ she stopped. ‘Maybe he can figure out the rest.’
    Samantha helped Ryan up, but he still stood.
    “ He....he bit me, but im not hurt, its, impossible.” Ryan said in a confused manner.
    “ Get up! We need to go now!” She yelled at him.
    Samantha wrapped her arm around his shoulder, and lifted him up.
    But where can I go, Thought Samantha, I don’t live anywhere, and most of them are out to get me. What about a hotel, maybe that might work. No, to much blood, He’ll be recognized to easily.
    She didn’t move, her thoughts were clueless. She was afraid of she stepped outside, a massacre would occur.
    Samantha stepped outside, and looked at each direction possible, Right, left, and even above her.
    Her throat stung with the smell of blood filling her nostrils. Samantha’s head throbbed with the impalement of the wretched thoughts. Time seemed to quicken as she ran into the woods, dragging Ryan behind her.
    Samantha ran into the darkened woods of the night, letting the moonlight occasionaly fall through the thick branches. The lower branches seemed to scrape the sides of Samantha, as she carried around the extra weight.
    Ryans sides now began to bled, as Samantha’s cheeks began to be split by the constant thrashing at her face.
    A path seemed to open into a brightly lit area, but in the center, a hollowed weeping willow tree stood. The small leaves seemed to fal, and spin in the wind, under the blue moon.
    Samantha pulled Ryan under the tree, and fell down right beside him.
    She breathed heavily, as if there was a hole in her lung. Samantha coughed into the air, and the blood seemed to fly endlessly.
    A small stream of red trickled down her chin.
    Ryan lay unmoving.
    His eyes opened, to reveal a dark red firestorm in his heart. They seemed to rummage in the endless void of flame. They darkened, to create a new bloody color.
    Samantha closed her eyes, and leaned her head back.
    “ You said nothing would happen to me.” Ryan said, as his voice cracked.
    Samantha stared at him, and opened her eyes, speaking with question.
    “ What?” she responded.
    “ You said nothing would happen to me. And you lied.” His voice didn’t seem to crack now, but it deepened into his normal voice.
    Samantha stared at him confused, and full of various questions.
    “ I didn’t promise you anything, not that I recall it being safety.”
    “ You may have not said it, but you meant it.”
    A sound of sadness entered her voice. “Look, I’m sorry, but I couldn’t predict that he would find me, or even come close to you.” A small tear dripped down from her eyes, as she blinked. “ You weren’t going to die if it were you, but if it were me, I would have lost my life back there.”
    Ryan stood, in an unbalanced fashion. He looked down at Samantha, and spoke in a painful tone.
    “ Go to hell.”
    Ryans words spoke in an emotional pain, penetrating Samantha’s mind.
    The meaningless words seemed to overwhelm her, as her face flooded with the salted water.
    Ryan clutched his ribs, as he coughed heavily. He looked into his hands, as blood covered the skin. His vision blurred, and his mind began to spin.
    He fell back to the hard soil he once stood on.
    Samantha looked at him, but didn’t do anything to help him to his need. ‘ You helped me, then stabbed me in the back. This is what you get you son of a b***h’
    She stood, and looked down, as he coughed blood onto the open ground.
    Samantha turned around, and began to walk away, leaving Ryan into the dust.

    Chapter three 



    Ryan moaned. His body ached.
    The room was cold, but the mettle chair he rested in seemed to be colder. He attempted to move his arms, but chained restraints seemed to make him bleed, as they grew tighter.
    He finally opened his eyes to the dark room. Ryan could see nothing, his mind didn’t allow him to think, but his heart didn’t seem to care.
    Ryan gritted his teeth back and forth over there sharp surface, but they never seemed to wear down.
    He stopped when he heard a faint cough. Ryan looked around the room.
    “ Hello?” His voice cracked loudly. Ryan meant to speak softly, but they silence of the room seemed to make it sound louder.
    A faint laughing seemed to enter the room, an evil laugh.
    “ Dammit, answer me!” Ryan yelled. He never thought his voice could sound so high.
    More laughing entered the room, more than one voice.
    The voices made Ryan panic. He shook violently in the chair. Ryans hair swayed, and went right and left. The constant movement stopped, and turned into a rapid shaking.
    A large hand pushed his chest against the back of the chair, and another held his head still. The rapid shaking stopped.
    Ryan breathed heavily, as the two hands moved away. He felt tiered.
    “ Wha- what’s goi- what’s going on?”
    “ You lied to me, you insolent little ********!” Boomed a voice. The voice was deep, and bounced of every wall at him. But Ryan felt a hand thrust his face.
    “ Where is she!” boomed the voice again, “ Where the hell is Samantha!”
    “ I don’t know! Stop yelling at me you c**t!” Ryan retorted.
    Silence filled the room again, and Ryan did nothing to stop it. It was finally broken by the man.
    “ So what did happen to her last night?”
    Ryan stayed silent, and didn’t want to respond. But he felt that more pain would be inflicted on him, if he didn’t talk.
    “ We met earlier the day, and later that night, she knocked on my window, asking for a place to hide. Of corse, I thought it really wasn’t a big deal.
    “ So I let her stay in my attic, and then someone knocked at the door.” Ryan didn’t mention that he already figured out that it was the man in front of him. He decided to stay silent.
    “ I opened the door, and next thing i knew, I was lifted up in to the air, and asked about Samantha. I didn’t speak, but then he bit me. She dragged me when he left, and then put me under a tree. She got pissed ff, and then left. I stood, coughed some blood, and then it all goes blank from there.”
    Silence entered the room again, as Ryan closed his eyes relived.
    A click sounded, and then the lights in the room turned on, blinding Ryan. When his eyes adjusted, he saw a gun barrel pointed at his head, and behind the trigger, was exactly who he had expected. The man who bit him.
    “ Thank you for that wonder full, useless information.” Spoke the man in a calm voice.
    “ Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!” Ryan spoke fast, “ You don’t want to do that buddy. I’ll do anything, just don’t shoot me!” Ryan thought for a moment. “ I’ll help you find Samantha! Just don’t shoot me man!”
    The man lowered the gun and through about the idea, then raised the gun back up to Ryan.
    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
    Ryan closed his eyes, as a tear left. He opened them again, to see the man standing there, with the gun down.
    Ryan looked around. He wasn’t bleeding, but the chained restraints had been shot broken.
    Ryan looked back tot he man.
    “ Thank you” he spoke.
    “ Come with me” Spoke the man, as he lifted Ryan out of the chair, and out of the room.

    

    The end of his collar was loosened, the floor Ryan sat on, was cold, and uncomfortable. Every single skin cell on his body felt as if it were to start bleeding.
    He looked at the open door to his left, and the absent hallway to his right.
    The background noise of the man talking over the phone made him feel as if he were eavesdropping. Ryan could hear the voice of the other person over the phone. The voice sounded like a woman, but spoke with great aggression.
    “ Why haven’t you found her!” Spoke the voice, “Jason you worthless-“ Her voice cutoff.
    “ I’m almost found her, but she got away from my grip.” The man said, now identified as Jason. “ Next time I’ll get her. I found a boy, he may be able to help us track her down.”
    The woman snorted. “ And if he doesn’t?”
    Jason looked in Ryans direction.
    “ I’ll kill him.”
    A knot began to form in Ryans stomach. A lump in his throat. The hair on the back of his neck stood high. He closed his eyes, trying to think of a better place. But the only vision that came, was the sight of the gun barrel pointed at his head.
    “ I’ll give you four days, and if she isn’t here, you will both be dead.”
    Ryan heard the phone click off, and saw Jason hang up the phone.
    He heard the sound of the loud boots walking in his direction.
    Jason went to the belt on his side, and held out a gun.
    “ Take it, you’ll need it.” he said.
    Ryan stared confused, but took the gun. He stood in front of Jason.
    The man was only taller than him by maybe two inches. Jason was maybe six’ one, or six’ two. His hair was long, and black, slightly similar to Ryans. He was wearing dark black jeans, and a plain black long sleeved shirt.
    “ That was the opposite of what i expected you to do.” He said.
    “ Then what did you expect me to do then?” Ryan responded questioned.
    “ Expected you to try and shoot me, that’s why I gave you an empty clip.” Jason dug his hand into his pocket, then revealed a brand new clip. “ Here, now that I trust you, take it.* He nudged it forward towards Ryan.
    “ You, out of all the people, trust me, and my accuracy, with something I’ve never used before?” Ryan spoke, loading the clip.
    “ One,” Jason listed, “ If you loaded the clip, then I believe you can shoot it.”
    “ Blame the x-box.” Ryan mumbled.
    “ Two,” Jason said, hoping for no interruption,” it’s easier than it seems, just point, and shoot.”
    “ But who exactly would I be shooting at?”
    “ Kid, you would be surprised who wants us dead.”
    “ Us? I did nothing wrong.”
    “ Technoloy, neither did I, but they still want us dead.”
    “ Who the hell is ‘they’!” Ryan yelled.
    Jason popped his neck, trying to calm his nerves.
    “ ‘They’ is everyone else in this Goddamned world! Did you always think it was only your kind? There’s millions of us! You probably walk side-by-side with them, and you don’t even know it!” The vein in his neck began to bulge outward.
    Ryan backed away, and kept himself quiet. The motion seemed to take effect, and made Jason imitate.
    The silence entered the room, as Jason lifted a hand to his head, and sighed.
    “ Look,” he said, in a different tone, “ I’m not quite like the others, I’m not going to kill you if I don’t find her. The worst thing I would do to you, is I might cut the side of your head, and throw you into a ditch for about an hour drugged up, and wait till they believe your really dead. Then I would get you to a safe place, that’s all. Why do you think I stopped you from that seizure?”
    “ Why did you infect me?”
    “ They were watching, and it’s not an infection, it’s more of a virus. You cant stop it, you never will.”
    “ Watch me.” Ryan spoke, as he held the gun to Jason’s head.” From all I’ve read, I know how to stop it.”
    Ryan gripped the trigger. Jason stared, but wasn’t impressed. He pushed his wrist up, and grabbed the gun, turned around, and pointed it back at Ryan.
    Ryan stared shocked, and looked to the left and right with his eyes. The closest thing’s toward him were paper plates, and old mail resting untouched on a table.
    He moved his hand towards the mail, hoping to find something underneath.
    “ Looking for something?” Jason asked
    “ No, not quite.”
    Jason stared at him, and smiled. “ I think I changed my mind on what to do with you.”
    Ryan’s eyes blinked into a blank stare. But as he did, he brought his hand upon a letter opener.
    He gripped it tight, and stared back at Jason.
    Jason stared bask, and swung the gun to the right, and began to swing it back at Ryan. Ryan saw the gun thrust towards him, and sped the letter opener towards the gun.
    Blood sprayed on his shirt, as the gun dropped tot he floor. Jason grabbed his hand, shocked, and in pain.
    Ryan dived for the gun, retained it, and stood back up. He aimed back at Jason.
    “ You wouldn’t kill me.” he spoke.
    “ You seem to underestimate me.”
    Ryan walked over to him, and kicked his lag, hearing him drop to the ground. He steadily aimed the gun at the back of his head, and rested his finger on the trigger.
    “ You don’t have the guts to kill me, or anyone! Your just some worthless scum I picked up off the street!” Jason yelled.
    “ Try me.” Ryan retorted.
    Bam!
    Blood spilled onto the floor, and Ryan stared. He felt relief, and freedom. Jason was dead now, not a bullet to the heart, or the chest, but to his head.
    Ryan turned his head to the sound of the wringing phone.
    He walked over, an answered it by the second wring.
    “ And Jason-“ the voice said.
    ” He’s dead” Ryan responded calmly. “ And I’m pretty sure he’s never coming back.”
    Silence entered the conversation, but the woman on the other end decided to ask questions.
    “ Who is this?”
    “ Ryan Vandleson’s.” he responded, “I’m the one he said he would kill if he didn’t find Samantha.”
    “ Really, how did you manage to touch him?”
    Ryan could hear her readjusting herself on the other side.
    “ I stabbed him, he dropped the gun, and I shot him, it’s that simple, even you can understand.”
    Ryan put the phone back down on the hook, and stared around the empty room.
    The smell of the blood filled his nostrils, as he stared down on the deceased corpse. He licked his lips graciously, but didn’t remove his eyes.