Stakes Crosses and Holy Water

I look around knowing that this may be the last time I see my family. I turn sixteen today and tomorrow I'll be shipped off to training. It's becoming a dangerous world out there, vampires have made their presence known and now humans are the ones being hunted to extinction. It's the year 2054 and fewer than 400,000 humans are alive. Still, we're not a race to go down without a fight. Most of us live in the more Western states because of the sun. My family and I are in Texas. But there’s no sun at night and vampires take advantage of that.

In this decade humans live by a list of six rules. Those who don't follow the rules end up getting themselves and others killed. Ask anyone, if they can talk, they know the following by heart. One, never leave home without a cross. No matter what religion you are. It could buy you the few seconds you need to live. Two, never leave home after dark. That one should be common sense. Three, never invite anyone into your home. If they need to be invited in they're not the type of guests you want. Four, don't yell for help. You'll only get yourself and someone else killed. Five, don't get hurt. The hospitals no longer operate. Six, the most important one, NEVER leave home without a big pointy wooden stake.

For the most part we humans try to keep things going as normal as possible during the day. Adults go to work --though the types of jobs are different than they once were -- and children go to school, but it's us teenagers who get the fun part. Shortly after the vampires came out and humans started dying at fast rates people got together and decided to set up training facilities. So now families send their sixteen-year-olds off until they turn eighteen to finish school and learn to fight vampires. Some kids my age like the idea. Me? I think it's crap. I've done my research and know enough people who've been shipped off to know that they don't return. Parents say that after they graduate they're sent off to live a normal life in college and fun stuff like that, they get letters so they're happy. Others? Others say the school is run by vampires who keep the kids as blood bags and forge the letters. Me? I don't know. I just know that out of all the people who've been sent off I never see any of them again. So forgive me if I'm not looking forward to being the good teenager and learning to fight the good fight. But you can't control the life you're born into. So I just have to suck it up and act like I'm okay with this. For my family's sake.

As for now, the dreadful birthday song is over and I force the smile back on my face and blow out the candles. I stopped making wishes a long time ago.

“Happy birthday, Honey.” That's my mom. She's in her mid-forties and looks everyday of it. Her once beautiful black hair is now showing more and more hints of gray. The vampires have added a lot of stress to everyone.

“Thanks, Mom.” I reply with the fake smile pasted on my face.

“Good job making it this far, Son. Now cut the cake, I'm getting hungry.” That one's my dad. Tall, balding, and handsome. Unlike a lot of the men around here, he didn't start drinking when things got bad. He actually started working out and preparing for the worst. He could always see through my act and I could do the same, but we never talk about it.

“Gladly.” I reach for the knife and cut the first slice. Marble. My favorite. I cut a slice for my parents, a couple cousins, Uncle Rick, and Aunt Mary. That's all the family I have left.

We eat, have typical family talk, and walk everyone to the door when it's time for them to leave. Afterward I head up to my room to read for a while. That's my hobby.

I'm not sure how much time has passed but the knock at my door pulls me out of my book.

“Time to get ready for bed, Son. We leave for the airport at four sharp tomorrow morning.”

“Thanks, Dad.” I call back to him through the closed door. I mark my spot in the book and head to the bathroom. I normally walk straight by the mirror, but this time I stop and really look at myself. Average dark hair, average height, average weight. Average. Completely average. In a world like this that's a good thing. The vampires go for the ones who stand out from the crowd more often. But that doesn't mean they're the only ones the vampires go after.

I shake my head and push the thoughts away as I get into the shower, taking my time to relax, knowing that I won't be back here, in this shower, in my room, in my house again. At least not for a while. I get out, dress comfortably, then start packing. I know I can't take much, only one bag. I pick up my biggest bag and start putting shirts and pants into it. I should have had this done weeks ago but I couldn't get myself to.

Once I've got all the clothing I want I go over to my bookshelf and get several of my favorite books. I save the most important things for last. Lots of stakes and crosses, some holy water, matches, lighters, and some gasoline in a couple glass bottles. Vampires are supposedly highly flammable. I've never seen it in person but it never hurts to be prepared. I double check and make sure I haven't forgotten anything, then turn off the light and try to sleep.

I awake the next day after barely being able to sleep. I kept having nightmares of vampires attacking me in my room at the training facility. There were too many and I couldn't fight them off. I also couldn't wake up. Now the dream is all I’m able to think about as I walk into the kitchen following the smell of bacon, eggs, and muffins. My favorite.

“Morning, Honey. I made your favorite breakfast for you since you probably won't get a homemade meal for a while.”

“Thanks mom. It smells delicious.” Which is the complete truth, I wish I was hungrier. “Dad up yet?”

“Yeah, he's upstairs. He should be down shortly.”

“Okay.” I reach up to get a plate and go over to the stove. I put a lot of bacon, a little bit of eggs and a muffin. Not as much as I'd normally eat.

“What? Mom's cooking not good enough for you now that you’re sixteen, Son?” That's dad's normal way of talking. He's a big joker most of the time. Someone has to be.

“Mom's cooking will always be good enough for me. No matter how old.”

“Right there with you, Son” He walks over to the stove, gets twice as much on his plate as I have on mine, and comes over to the seat beside me at the bar.

“And I'll always cook for you two as long as you both feel that way.” She glances at our plates and starts making her own. She takes a seat in front of me and dad with a plate about like mine but with more eggs than bacon.

We just sit there eating in silence for a few minutes avoiding talking about the subject that's on all of our minds.

“So, are you looking forward to going to the training facility today, Honey?” Of course Mom would put it like that.

“I wouldn't say I'm looking forward to it, but it might be a neat experience. Get to meet new people, do new things. Hopefully read some interesting books.” I catch Dad's glance and nod when he gives me the it's-hard-on-your-mother-keep-sugar-coating-it look before speaking.

“That's good. Maybe you'll make some new friends. It never hurts to have friends in this world.” I watch as what Dad said clicks and he thinks about how to rephrase it, “Just remember what we always taught you. Be careful who your friends are and-”

“Don't let their decisions get you killed. I remember, Dad. I'll always remember what you guys taught me. I couldn't wish for better teachers.” I see a look pass over his face that I've never seen before but before I can figure out what it was he turns to look at the clock then out the window.

“Well, it's about that time, Son. Got everything ready?”

“Yeah, I packed it all last night.” I cram some bacon and eggs in my mouth before getting up and taking my plate to the sink.

“Don't worry about it, Honey. I'll get it. Go on and get your stuff.”

“You sure Mom? I don't mind.”

“Yes, now go on. I don't want you to miss your flight.” SIDE NOTE: If I ever make a series and he gets to come back home, when he gets there he should notice the house like no one has been there in a while, and when he goes into the kitchen he sees the plates in the sink

“Okay, thanks.” I turn from the sink and walk back upstairs to my room. Wishing for the first time she'd have let me do the dishes. Just to buy me another few minutes in this house.

I get to my room and start heading for my bag when I hear a knock on the door and turn to see my dad. He walks in and closes the door. I can tell he has a talk on his mind.

“Thanks for sugar coating it down there for your mother. It really is hard on her, even if she doesn't show it. We hear what people say. We also hear the stories of families who don't send their kids to the facility. They're not pretty. For anyone.”

“Wouldn't that make it seem more like this whole place is a scam?”

“Not since everything that happens is during the day.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. We're doing this for your own good Son. I promise. We love you. I know we don't say that enough but we do.”

“I know, Dad. I love you guys to.”

“Good. So you have everything packed?”

“Yep.”

“Stakes, crosses, holy water, fire?”

“Check, check, check, and double check.”

“Good. So I guess we're ready then.”

The hour drive to the airport was quicker than I wanted. We walked in and got my ticket- the airports still run to a minimum, people will always want to travel- and now I stand in front of the gate to board the plane. I try to hold a brave smile on my face for Mom but her tears are causing tears to form in my own eyes. Finally I can't take it anymore. I hug Mom and hug Dad.

“I love you guys. I'll see you when I can. I promise, and I'll write if I can.”

“I love you too, Son. Take care. And we'll do the same.”

“I love you, Honey. We look forward to hearing from you. We'll miss you so much.”

“I'll miss you guys too. I'll see you again someday.”

I grab my bag and head toward the plane somehow restraining myself from looking back.

I get on the plane and notice a lot more people on board then I expected. I also notice that the windows are completely tinted. No light from the outside able to come in. I reach for my bag to get out a stake for paranoia's sake but as I reach down I notice the marks on the other passengers’ throats. It's a trap. I hurry to unzip the bag to get out something to defend myself with but I'm too late. The bag is jerked from my hands and I hear the thump of it as it's thrown against the wall, its contents scattered and the bottles busted. I feel a hand wrap around my throat. I start to scream but remember what I was taught and don't. I feel the sharp piercing pain in my neck and everything goes black.