After they all clear, I step down from the rock. Rain still pours from the sky and violently nicks at my eyes and cheeks. I shield my hand in front of my face as I climb up the hill and slide down into the trench.  Mud soaks my jeans and leaks into my boots. Every part of my body feels strange. And maybe that’s why I don’t hear it until it’s too late.

The rush of water as it rips through the trench, knocking my feet out from under me. I smack my head on a rock and my ears ring as I fight to stay afloat. The water’s cold and mixed with sand and dirt, making it heavy and suffocating as I try to paddle my way to the side. My feet finally find ground and I push myself through the water, slipping and loosing balance again. Water bursts into my legs as the water steals my body. But someone catches my arm.

“Give me your hand,” Bernard says and I latch onto him. He heaves me out and I crumple to the ground.

“Where did you come from?” I cough up water. “And where’s Maci?”

Bernard sinks in the sand, running his hands through his soaked hair. “Maci’s still in her hiding spot. She said something about you drowning if I didn’t come rescue you.” He pauses. “You know she’s getting pretty creepy too.”

I roll over, pushing myself to my feet. “Well, I’m glad she is, because I’m pretty sure I’d be dead by now.”

We start up the hill, sliding in the mud.

“What were you thinking, running out like that?” Bernard finally asks, not being rude like he was earlier, just curious.

“I was thinking it was better me than you two,” I say simply. “Besides, I’m the experienced one.”

“Yeah, but it didn’t do any good. The vampires decided to leave on their own.” He gestures around at the empty land. “If you would’ve just waited a little longer.”

I nod, not bothering to tell him what really happened. And I’m not sure I’ll ever tell anyone. Who knows what people would do if they found out I was the one and only person who can walk with the vampires and remain untouched.

Because people fear those who are different. And fear can make people do stupid things.

Chapter 12

We make it through the rest of the night without any more vampire incidents, like every one of them has vanished into thin air, never to return. But I’m sure the silence is misleading. I know without a doubt that I’ll see a vampire again.

When the sky starts to grey with morning, I can finally breathe.  My clothes are caked with a thick layer of dirt that I work to chip off with my knife.