Free Beginnings (Nightwalkers) by H.N. Sieverding Page A
Authors: H.N. Sieverding
through the open windows.
“I had forgotten it was fall,” Cathy whispered to Ashleigh. A quiet laugh slipped from her lips and was followed by an excited smile.
“The night lures the demons,” Ashleigh slowly took in the room, a great fear in her shaky voice. “They smell the blood within you, the warmth in your chest drawing them from the shadows.”
“Stop your nonsense,” her mother whispered harshly. She then pointed to the stairs. “Now, go check the top floor. When it is clear, we shall follow.”
Ashleigh slowly made her way upstairs. The full moon loomed out the window, its silent siren song drawing her to its light. She looked around cautiously, then bent down near the window. Gazing at the moon, she smiled. It’s soft, gentle rays were comforting.
Whispering, Ashleigh spoke to it, “Dear, brave giant in the sky. Tell me if you see our tormentors. Shine your light on them and out their presence.”
Seeing a quick movement below, she cringed backward. Slamming her body against the wall, she closed her eyes. Were the dark king’s soldiers still here? Her heart raced, every second ticking by at an alarmingly fast speed. Shaking, she cautiously glanced out the window. But there was nothing.
Then, she heard it. A woman’s scream. She turned to the sound, her dress rustling softly. Hearing the soft patter of feet in the hallway, her eyes settled on the doorway. She tried to rush to a hiding place, but was found before she could.
A man ran into the room, his speed inhuman. Slamming her against the wall, he knocked the wind out of the young girl. Ashleigh let out a scream, her whole body radiating with pain. Then, he swooped down and bit her neck, his grip on her viselike. The pain was intense, his teeth ripping at her flesh like a rapid dog.
She had her eyes shut tightly as she tried to push him off. Whimpering, big tears fell, washing their path clean as they slipped down her cheeks. Her head was beginning to spin, her fight leaving her. A few more seconds passed and she blacked out.
When she woke, her tired eyes gazed up at the sky. The moon still stood firm there like a sentinel. She felt wet, sticky. She took a few seconds to rest because her whole body felt heavy and drained. She slowly began to sit up, but then saw what had softened her bed. She quickly shot to her feet.
Holding her hands over her mouth, she stared at the pile of bodies. Some were fresh, others seeming dead for longer. She was now at the dark king’s castle, hordes of his men and their slaves lurking about. She took a quick glance around the area, then saw a man coming.
She quickly hid behind a molding stack of hay and watched him pick up a body. Cathy. The girl’s clothes were covered in wet blood, but she still seemed alive. Ashleigh could feel the incredible urge to protest, but instead, she stayed hidden.
Feeling thick liquid creeping slowly down her neck, Ashleigh turned her attention to the wound there. Quickly ripping a piece of fabric from her skirt, she wrapped it around her neck, using it as a bandage.
“Get to work!” A man came up to her, Ashleigh jumping at the sound of his voice. When she turned to him, he pointed toward a large bonfire near them. The fire’s glow illuminated his face, Ashleigh’s eyes snapping to the large fangs protruding from his lips.
“What do I…have to do?” Choking out the words, Ashleigh’s voice shook violently.
“Make yourself useful. Take out the dead ones and stack them near the fire while I round up the rest of the women. I’ll come back for you.” He pointed a stiff finger at her.
Ashleigh nodded, his words turning her stomach. She watched him leave then turned to the dead. Her breath quickened as she tried to push herself to do this gruesome task. But then she spied another young girl who was being taken advantage of by one of the men. She would rather do this deed than that one.
So, she went to the pile and grabbed the most obvious of dead bodies. They were
“I had forgotten it was fall,” Cathy whispered to Ashleigh. A quiet laugh slipped from her lips and was followed by an excited smile.
“The night lures the demons,” Ashleigh slowly took in the room, a great fear in her shaky voice. “They smell the blood within you, the warmth in your chest drawing them from the shadows.”
“Stop your nonsense,” her mother whispered harshly. She then pointed to the stairs. “Now, go check the top floor. When it is clear, we shall follow.”
Ashleigh slowly made her way upstairs. The full moon loomed out the window, its silent siren song drawing her to its light. She looked around cautiously, then bent down near the window. Gazing at the moon, she smiled. It’s soft, gentle rays were comforting.
Whispering, Ashleigh spoke to it, “Dear, brave giant in the sky. Tell me if you see our tormentors. Shine your light on them and out their presence.”
Seeing a quick movement below, she cringed backward. Slamming her body against the wall, she closed her eyes. Were the dark king’s soldiers still here? Her heart raced, every second ticking by at an alarmingly fast speed. Shaking, she cautiously glanced out the window. But there was nothing.
Then, she heard it. A woman’s scream. She turned to the sound, her dress rustling softly. Hearing the soft patter of feet in the hallway, her eyes settled on the doorway. She tried to rush to a hiding place, but was found before she could.
A man ran into the room, his speed inhuman. Slamming her against the wall, he knocked the wind out of the young girl. Ashleigh let out a scream, her whole body radiating with pain. Then, he swooped down and bit her neck, his grip on her viselike. The pain was intense, his teeth ripping at her flesh like a rapid dog.
She had her eyes shut tightly as she tried to push him off. Whimpering, big tears fell, washing their path clean as they slipped down her cheeks. Her head was beginning to spin, her fight leaving her. A few more seconds passed and she blacked out.
When she woke, her tired eyes gazed up at the sky. The moon still stood firm there like a sentinel. She felt wet, sticky. She took a few seconds to rest because her whole body felt heavy and drained. She slowly began to sit up, but then saw what had softened her bed. She quickly shot to her feet.
Holding her hands over her mouth, she stared at the pile of bodies. Some were fresh, others seeming dead for longer. She was now at the dark king’s castle, hordes of his men and their slaves lurking about. She took a quick glance around the area, then saw a man coming.
She quickly hid behind a molding stack of hay and watched him pick up a body. Cathy. The girl’s clothes were covered in wet blood, but she still seemed alive. Ashleigh could feel the incredible urge to protest, but instead, she stayed hidden.
Feeling thick liquid creeping slowly down her neck, Ashleigh turned her attention to the wound there. Quickly ripping a piece of fabric from her skirt, she wrapped it around her neck, using it as a bandage.
“Get to work!” A man came up to her, Ashleigh jumping at the sound of his voice. When she turned to him, he pointed toward a large bonfire near them. The fire’s glow illuminated his face, Ashleigh’s eyes snapping to the large fangs protruding from his lips.
“What do I…have to do?” Choking out the words, Ashleigh’s voice shook violently.
“Make yourself useful. Take out the dead ones and stack them near the fire while I round up the rest of the women. I’ll come back for you.” He pointed a stiff finger at her.
Ashleigh nodded, his words turning her stomach. She watched him leave then turned to the dead. Her breath quickened as she tried to push herself to do this gruesome task. But then she spied another young girl who was being taken advantage of by one of the men. She would rather do this deed than that one.
So, she went to the pile and grabbed the most obvious of dead bodies. They were