Darkness hasn’t quite touched the land yet so we have a little time. But not much.

Another shriek ripples the air.

“Kayla,” Maci says, jerking my arms. “We need to go. Now. If we stay here, we die.”

“Okay, okay, follow me.” I hike up the sandy hill, heading for a steeple of rocks, moving fast, but not as fast as I could.  Bernard stumbles after us, a panicked mess, but Maci seems calm. A little too calm.

By the time we reach the rocks, there’s hardly anything left of the sky. Bernard and Maci are winded, panting loudly, bodies tired.

“Guys, try to keep quiet, okay?” I whisper because the only thing between us and them is a circle of large boulders that have cracks between them, giving the vampires plenty of places to squeeze through and take us by surprise.

Bernard hunches over, pressing his hands to his sides. “Now what do we do.”

“Now we hide here until morning.” I pull out my knife. “You should find something sharp to protect yourself with, just in case.”

Bernard drops his hands from his side and stands up straight. “That’s the stupidest plan I’ve ever heard.”

“Well, if you got a better one,” I say, “then by all means, offer it up. Because that’s the best I can do right now.”

He doesn’t say anything and I sit down on a rock, watching the sky dwindle away, knowing are chances of not being found are low.

“You’re really creepy.” Bernard slumps down on the ground by my feet “You know that?”

I drag the blade of the knife along a rock. “In what way?”

“You’re just too calm.” Bernard motions at me. “You’re not even scared. It’s weird.”

Suddenly, I’m aware that maybe my little secret is blatantly obvious. “I’m scared,” I lie. “I just choose not to show it.”

“That’s bull.” Bernard smirks at me.  “You’re not scared at all, even though we’re going to die.”

“We’re not going to die.” Maci sits down in the dirt next to Bernard and crosses her legs. She’s found a fairly sharp rock, just like I told her to. But deep down I know it’ll be no use. “Kayla’s going to save us.”

Bernard snorts. “Yeah, sure she is.”

“She is,” Maci says cheerfully. “Just wait and see.”

I’m starting to worry about her health. “Why don’t you lie down and get some rest. Bernard and I will keep watch for the night.”

She grins and obeys. The air grows still as we huddle together, the last sliver of light slipping away and we’re blinded by night. The rocks are our protectors, blocking them from us and us from them.

But not even the rocks can block out their cries.