Free Golden Hue by Zachary Stone Page A

go,” the little girl screamed, as the vampire tossed her into the room and slammed the door shut.
     
    The little girl landed on the hard cement and began to cry.
     
    “What kind of sick monster are you?” I said. “Why are you putting a girl in this cage? What did she do?”
     
    The vampire exited the room, but Demetrius remained.
     
    “Although you’re weakened and your strength is diminished, your hunger for protein remains. The sigil does nothing to weaken your desire for flesh,” he said. “You think you’re so high and righteous, let’s see how long you can hold out before you attack the girl.”
     
    I paused and considered his words. An intense feeling of fear made my stomach twist into a knot.
     
    “She’ll be dead in a short time,” he said. “Then you’ll die too.”
     
    Demetrius then walked out of the room.
     
    I looked down at the little girl, and she looked up at me. She was still crying, and I could see a look of fear in her face.
     
    “I’m sorry they threw you in here,” I said. “My name is Eli.”
     
    The little girl scrambled to the corner of the room. She hid her face in the torn, tattered remains of her blue dress. Looking at her, I felt an intense sorrow; no child should be subjected to being put into a dungeon – especially with a vampire like me.
     
    I sat down in the opposite corner of the cage and looked at the young girl. She looked no older than four. Her long, blonde hair was dirty, and I could see bruises on her body. I could also smell the blood coming from the severe scrape on her knee. It was a scent I tried to ignore.
     
    “Please don't be scared of me,” I said. “I'm not going to hurt you. I promise that I won’t. What is your name?”
     
    She simply looked up at me for a brief moment and then curled back up into a ball. I decided not to attempt to communicate with her anymore, at least for the time being. She was terrified, and I didn't want to inadvertently add to her trauma.
     
    Suddenly, I wondered if by some chance I still had my phone. I reached into my pocket, and I pulled it out. However, it was broken and wouldn’t turn on. Reaching in my other pocket, I pulled out my wallet, but there was nothing of any use inside of it.
     
    I sat in the corner of the dank, dark cage for hours. Every so often, I’d feel my power begin to grow slightly. However, Demetrius would enter the room, display the sigil, and the red light would drain me. I’d try to speak to him, but he’d remain silent.
     
    Eventually, the candles burnt out, and the room was totally dark. The little girl in the opposite corner of the room would cry from time to time; her sad voice made me want to weep.
     
    “Sarah and Cathy will come for me,” I told myself, trying to ignore the growing hunger inside of me. “They will be here in no time.”
     
    However, as the hours passed, I began to wonder how long it would take for them to arrive – if they made it safely back to the mansion. My worry was that eventually my hunger would grow, and I’d lose control. To distract myself from that terrifying thought, I tried to think about my captors and how I would attack them when I escaped. I considered every object in the room, and imagined how I could use it as a weapon.
     
    Eventually, the little girl called out to me.
     
    “Are you a bad man,” she asked.
     
    I didn't know what to say.
     
    “I try to be a good man,” I said. “I’m not like the men that put you in here.”
     
    “Are you going to hurt me?” she asked.
     
    “No,” I said. “I’ll never hurt you.”
     
    “I just want my momma,” she said, breaking down in tears. “Can you help me get to my momma?”
     
    I felt a tear roll down my face.
     
    “As soon as we get out of here, I promise that I’ll get you to your mother,” I said. “What is your mother's name?”
     
    “Her name is Melissa Fletcher,” she said. “Her address is 332 Hampton Court, Orlando, Florida.”
     
    I figured they taught