Out of Time

Elizabeth had heard stories of the days before the event. People lived and worked in towers made of glass, and traveled in machines that had polluted the air. They had grown arrogant, convinced that they were superior to the beasts that roamed the Earth, and yet, when the vampires emerged, their weapons and vehicles failed them. The world, as it was known then, ended in less than a week, and yet many said that what had taken it’s place was better.

Elizabeth walked amongst the skeletal remains of the once great city of Vancouver. Her short blond hair barely went past her ears, and her grey shirt and matching jeans were perfectly suited for hiding amongst the rubble. If she were to head out at night, it would mean almost certain death, but thankfully the vampires that called the city home were trapped indoors on this particularly sunny day. When she heard a loud noise, she spun around and pulled the bow off her back, knocking an arrow as she searched her surroundings for a threat. When she saw that it was her companion Wanda, she was tempted to loose her arrow, but instead she stalked over to her and grabbed the front of her shirt, pulling her down enough so that she could glare at her. “Are you trying to get us eaten, because that’s how we’re going to get eaten. Now come on, we only have a couple more hours before we have to be back at the compound, and thanks to you they know that they have a meal waiting for them.” She released her and motioned towards the mall. As the implications sank in, she whimpered, seeming to shrink in on herself. “Wh-whoa, Lizzie, nobody said anything about going inside of a death trap! People who go in there don’t come back!” She rolled her eyes. “What about this being your last chance don’t you get? Besides, those people didn’t know what they were walking into, but I do.” She reached into her bag and pulled out an old map. “I know exactly where we need to go, and I know how to kill any freaks we come across. Stick with me, and you’ll be fine. Besides, it would be a shame if anything happened to that cute butt of yours.” She winked at the other woman before walking ahead.

Not much was really known about Wanda. One day she appeared outside of the compound asking for asylum in exchange for her knowledge, but her attitude had quickly alienated many of her fellow survivors. That was easy enough to forgive since she produced results, but when she was caught with stolen items she was nearly exiled on the spot. The only reason she wasn’t was because she claimed that she was working on an invention. Since those parts were definitely off limits now, the only way she could prove her worth was to retrieve the parts. That is where Elizabeth stepped in with a plan, and that plan was what had led them to walking into the largest shopping mall in Vancouver. The red haired woman was wearing rather tight pants and a form fitting top, having insisted on putting form above function. Regardless of what she had said, Elizabeth was rather appreciative of the ensemble, and under other circumstances she would have been trying to get Wanda out of it. She grabbed a wooden stake and handed it to her. “I suppose you expect me to use this? These hands are good with wires, not weapons. That’s why you’re here, you idiot sandwich.” Elizabeth cracked her knuckles, all the while doing her best to stifle a laugh. “It’s a last resort. How did you even survive on your own?”

The unlikely pair walked through the entrance to the mall, Wanda’s hand clutching a heart shaped locket that was hanging around her neck. The only thing that had stood out to Elizabeth about it was the fact that the locket looked like it belonged in a different century. That in itself wouldn’t have been strange, as it wasn’t unusual for someone to have a family heirloom, but she was also wearing clothes that had been popular in the later part of the 20th century that happened to be in mint condition. She snapped out of her thoughts as they stepped into the darkness, and she reached back to cover the other woman’s mouth to make sure she stayed quiet before she started rummaging through her bag. She thrusted a pair of night vision goggles at Wanda before putting on a pair of her own. They were in short supply, but one of the perks of being the daughter of their fearless leader was that she could requisition whatever she wanted. Once they could see in the dark, Elizabeth led Wanda down the hallway to a store that still had the letters “Stop” above it, the front half of the logo having either been lost to time or removed as some sort of joke. The first thing that should have tipped her off was the fact that everything was in perfect order. Video games and memorabilia lined the shelves, but the real prize was behind the counter. Moving with surprising speed, Wanda dived behind the counter and soon emerged with a box that appeared to contain a device with a screen. She pulled Elizabeth in close and breathed against her neck before whispering in her ear. “Behind you, gorgeous.” Just as she was about to turn around, someone grabbed her from behind, but before they could sink their teeth into her neck a wooden stake found it’s way into their heart. The creature dissolved into a puddle of blood, and Wanda grabbed Elizabeth, throwing her over her shoulder and breaking out into a run. That was when it clicked for the blond, and she didn’t know whether she should kill her or kiss her.

As soon as they were safely outside, Wanda set Elizabeth down, and the blond looked at the taller woman curiously. “Okay, what the fuck are you, because you sure as hell aren’t a human, and if you were a vampire you would have burst into flames when we stepped outside earlier.” Wanda let out a sigh, rubbing the back of her neck. “I tried telling you that it was a bad idea to go in there, you idiot sandwich. If I hadn’t grabbed you, you would have been drained dry by now. As for what I am, you’re right and wrong at the same time. My mother was a human, but my father, well, I’m afraid that he’s a vampire. That makes me a dhampir.” Elizabeth’s eyebrows shot up. “Wait, like that Blade guy from the old comic books? Are you telling me that I’ve been fantasizing about a freaking daywa-” Wanda shot a glare at Elizabeth, and she froze mid sentence. “Don’t ever use that word. I was hunted as a child because of what I am, by both humans and vampires. There was nothing ‘cool’ about it. If the others found out about it, they’d either try to kill me or use me as a weapon.” She handed the young woman the box. “Here, this game system may not seem like much, but it has what you’ll need to finish my work. You’ll find my notes under my mattress. Just tell them I died in the mall.” She turned and started walking away, but much to her surprise Elizabeth grabbed her hand. “You can finish it yourself. I’m not going to tell anyone. After all, you did save my life back there, and I’ve seen you eat food. I’m pretty sure that I’m not on your diet.” Wanda smirked. “Well, I mean, you do look good enough to eat, but it’s not your blood I’d be after.” With that, she kissed Elizabeth before the two of them headed back to the compound.

Fin.