Free AWOL: A Character Lost by Anthony Renfro Page A

white skin with his free hand and then hoisted him into the air. This sent the creature flying. When the vamp hit the ground, he died screeching just like his friend.
    The character grabbed the flash light, rushed over to the wall, and slammed down the lever. All the cages dropped onto the floor with a hard thud. The character grabbed the set of blood-stained keys hanging beside the box, and went around the room releasing the people. They staggered out one by one, groggy, and you bet, confused.
    He reached his son’s cage and opened it. Michael (dressed in jeans, tennis shoes, and an Iron Maiden t-shirt) fell into his father’s arms, and they embraced.
    “I can’t believe he would do this to you.” The character pushed his kid out to arm’s length and shined the light over him, making sure he was okay. He was unharmed.
    “Who dad?”
    The character thought of the author as he sat at home in his cushy chair, free of all the danger he had put him and his son through. It really pissed him off.
    “Nobody, let’s get out of here. I’m just glad you’re safe,” the character replied, snapping his fingers so everyone could hear it. They grouped around the character as he led his son towards the door. “I have a light, so you can follow me. I will lead you out of the tunnel and into safety.”
    Out of the room they all went with the character leading, his son behind him, and the rest of the group following. They took the long journey down the tunnel; and, when they reached the stairs, the character stopped them. It was quiet up top, and no one had come down to find him. So, he assumed the worst. It was good that he did.
    “Okay, folks, I’m going up first. Then my son and however you want to do it, each one of you. I don’t know what it will be like up top, but I have a feeling that if you are squeamish you better prepare yourselves.” He shined the light across the group, young and old, men, women, and children, all looking at him. “Once we get to the next level, you will have to walk to another set of stairs. That one will lead you to the outside. I will guide you, so don’t worry. Just follow me.” He turned away from them, put the light on the stairs, and started to move upwards.
    At the top, he climbed out, and they followed him. He led them over to the second set of stairs; and, as they walked, they had to step past or over, detached human and vampire arms, feet, legs, heads, torsos, and hands as well as whole bodies, human and vampire destroyed or deformed by some kind of war like violence. The ground was also soft and wet from all the bloodshed, and this bloody mud squished as they walked. They all did their best to hold it together. There were a few fainters, a few vomiters, and a couple of kids had to be carried (crying and screaming, wanting their parents), but over all, most of them did okay.
    At the second set of stairs, they grouped together, and listened to the character as he gave them their exiting instructions. “This is the way out. I am going to go up first and check to make sure there aren’t any more vampires lurking around. I’ll give you a signal if it is okay. While you wait, I know this is unpleasant, but you will need to find something to keep you warm, maybe a weapon as well.”
    He saw Becky’s light, the one on the pole, and walked over to it. He pushed aside a headless body that was lying on top of it, and brought it back to the group.
    “This light,” he replied, as he placed the pole in the ground, “will help you to see. I’ll signal down once I know it is clear.” The character grabbed a couple of stakes lying on the floor nearby, and then made his way up the stairs. At the top, just at the edge of the open door, he steadied his nerves and took a deep breath. He popped his head up and hoped his hunch was right.
    It was.
    Meanwhile, down below, the people started picking through the bodies, looking for anything that wasn’t destroyed or bloodied, anything that would keep