The Hunter Becomes the Hunted

Charlie had found safe places to rest after leaving the cave, Jack was safe and not with her so, she could now travel faster, she was a few days away from Xanax in a clearing in the woods when the next group came for her

“hey” one shouted

“what?” she said turning to face at least fifteen vampires

“we have a message for you” he replied

“let me guess, leave him alone and he will let me live” Charlie said

“actually no” he replied “the message is if you do not leave him alone, your friend will end up the same way that he did” the man smiled

“as you can see my friend is no longer with me” Charlie said

“he is here somewhere” the vampire said looking around

“you lot can be so thick at times, smell the air there is no one else here” Charlie said “I lost him after the last fight” she added

“before we do this will you stop” the vampire said

“how many times do I have to tell you idiots, I will not stop” Charlie said

“he said that you would say that, he also said that if you did say that I was to give you this” he said holding up the arrow head amulet

“why would I want that piece of trach?” she lied of course recognising it

“because it is the one, he wore and you wear the other” the vampire said throwing at her

Charlie caught the amulet, she presumed the Dean had taken it off of Charlie before he turned him, she had played that night over in her head so many times and was sure that he was not wearing it when she killed him

“will you stop?” the vampire asked

“I have already given you that answer” she said drawing her sword ready to fight but she need not have worried all the vampires seemed to drop at once and some men stepped forward

“you do not need that” one said “I am Simon” he added

“Charlie and I did not need your help” Charlie replied

“we know that but we had to show you what we could do” Simon replied

“why? Who are you? And where do you live?” she asked

“we live in the trees” Simon replied

“but I cannot smell human” Charlie said “I did not mean that how it sounded” she added

“do not worry, we know who and what you are, we heard of your coming and we have found a way to mask our smell” Simon replied

“how?” she asked

“I will answer all the questions that you have but can we get to safety first” Simon said, Charlie put her sword back into its sheath and followed Simon and his men up some ladders and into the trees, they had built their houses in the trees canopy, it looked like that they were living peacefully and Charlie liked to see that

“please come and sit down” Simon said as the entered the hut right in the middle

“thanks” Charlie said and sat down

“now, to your questions, we mask our smell by using a berry that we found accidently, we call it the stink berry, who we are may take a while to explain, would you like a drink?” Simon asked

“no” Charlie said just wanting him to continue

“many years ago, we lived on the guard, one day the village seer had a vision, that one day someone would come and that someone would fight for humanity and that someone would rid the world of them” Simon said

“that does not mean me” Charlie said

“after many more visions the seer said that she would be neither human nor vampires, she said that her name would be Charlie and that she would need to help of trained fighters, we have trained every day since” Simon replied and Charlie could not help but laugh “why do you laugh?” he added

“I am sorry but you believe the word of a seer” Charlie said

“the gift has been in her family for many generations” Simon said

“you know that they are all liars, anyone can have visions of what is going to happen if they have the right herbs” Charlie replied

“she told us that you would come tonight” Simon said

“anyone could have found me tonight, I was not exactly being quiet and I was surrounded by vampires” Charlie said

“I can give you the answers you seek” Came a voice in her head

“get out of my head” Charlie replied

“she is talking to you, isn’t she” Simon said noticing the look on her face

“she is, it still does not mean that she is real” Charlie said out loud “but it is an old hunter trick that lots of people can do” Charlie said into his head

“will you go and see her?” Simon asked

“if only to prove you wrong” Charlie replied

“if you would follow me” Simon said getting up and leading Charlie to the last hut in the trees “I will come and get you when you are done” Simon said and left her there. Charlie walked in the door and sat at a table was a young lady

“do not fear I will not use your real name” she said

“that would be better for you” Charlie replied and sat down

“I can tell you, why you are the way you are” she said “I am Ashir” she added

“do not tell me that I am this way because god wanted me to destroy them, if there was in deed a god then neither of us would exist” Charlie said

“that is not the reason” Ashir said “you do not believe that I am rela do you?”Ashir asked

“I have met many people who have claimed to have the sight and all of them have been liars” Charlie said

“none yet, let me try to convince you, you have a scar on you right shoulder, you gogt it training with your father, you feel on a spear” Ashir said

“lucky guess” Charlie replied

“there are many things that I could tell you about your past that would convince you that I am real but we really do not have the time” Ashir said

“why am I then?” Charlie asked

“because of her” Ashir said

“that makes no sense at all” Charlie said

“it was more than the man you loved that you lost on that night” Ashir said “did he know” she added

“I do believe that I have no idea what you are talking about” Charlie said

“you do but you do not wish to admit it, you lost a child that night” Ashir said

“how the hell do you know that? Nobody but me knew that” she said jumping up

“why did he know?” Ashir asked

“it was never the right time to tell him, there was so many things going on” Charlie replied

“and then he was taken” Ashir said

“yes” Charlie said with tears in her eyes

“do not be saddened by what you have lost, you are what you are because of her, she gave her life force to make you the way you are’ Ashir said

“I did not want to be saved. All I wanted was death and to join them, I knew I had lost everything the moment he bit me” Charlie said

“do not be saddened for what you have lost, be happy for what you have gained” Ashir said

“be happy that is just stupid, be happy to have to live for eternity alone and relive that night over and over again, be happy that I lost everything” Charlie snapped

“you will see him again one day” Ashir said

“when I am dead” Charlie said

“let me show you something that will help you remember what being human is and what happiness is” she said and took Charlies arm, she showed her visions of her and Jack

“enough” Charlie shouted pulling her arm away “that is done with, Jack is safe and happy, I am not human” she added

“why does it have to be done with?” Ashir asked

“because who I am and what I have to do” Charlie replied

“you are still partly human and love will give you strength, one day you will see that” Ashir said

“love does not give you strength, love is a weakness, it gives you fear, you fear for those you love, if you have no love then you have no fear” Charlie said

“then what do you live for if not love?” Ashir asked

“nothing” Charlie replied

“empty your heart of sadness, you will see them again one day, the anger that you carry with you will not help” Ashir said

“anger and revenge, is all I have, if death is waiting for me because of my anger, then so be it, I will go now” Charlie said and walked from the hut

“Simon, I am ready” she said to Simon in his head

Charlie stood waiting for Simon to arrive, her head so full of confusion, she had spent her entire life believing that seers did not exist but this one seemed to be real, Simon walked up to her smiling

“do you believe now?” Simon asked

“not yet” Charlie replied

“you will do, they always do in the end” Simon said smiling “do you wish to eat?” he asked

“food sounds like a great idea” Charlie replied, it was weird being in the trees and not having to look over her shoulder, Simon led Charlie back to the large hut in the middle, were everyone was eating and drinking, Charlie noticed that not one of them seemed to have any fear in their eyes

“how long have you been here?” Charlie asked Simon

“in the village below since 2350, up in the trees since the prophecy was made in 2463” Simon replied

“who taught you to fight?” she asked

“we did, at first we were not very good but you either get better or you die” Simon said

“that is true” said Charlie

“why did you come back?” Simon asked

“what do you mean?” Charlie asked

“why did you come back to fight for us?” Simon asked

“someone found me in my cabin and told me what had happened to the world, I saw fear in his eyes that I had not seen in a long time, it angered me that those foul creatures were allowed free and also it is my job” Charlie replied

“where is that someone?” Simon asked

“safe and happy” replied Charlie

“that is good, there is not much to be happy about these days, we try to do what we can and hunt as many as we can to keep them at bay” Simon said

“it is nice to know that I am not the only one that still wants to fight” Charlie said

“it is what we trained to do” Simon said

“it does not mean that you want to” Charlie said

“it does not matter what we want to or not, it is what we trained to do” Simon said

“that is the way that hunters used to think” Charlie said

“it is what all the generations of our families have been taught and we will stick by it, we will fight until we die” Simon said

“it is nice to know that I am not alone” Charlie said thinking about Jack, the one friend she had, had in nearly half a century and she had left him behind, they sat there and ate in silence, they drank plenty of wine as well whenAshir walked into the room

“tomorrow the men will show you what they can do but now we must rest”Ashir said

Everyone got up from where they were sitting and headed back to their huts, Simon led Charlie to an empty hut that had been made only for her, all that was inside was a bed but really what else did she need, it was just after dawn Charlie had just woken up and was getting dressed when there was a knock at the door

“come in” she said and Simon entered just as she was putting her sword on her back

“you do not need that” Simon said

“I do not go anywhere without it” Charlie said

“as you wish” said Simon

“I am sorry I do not mean to sound rude, I cannot leave it anywhere, I have had to look over my shoulder my whole life and it does not feel right not having it” Charlie said

“Charlie, I understand, I know what it has been like for you but you do not need to worry here, we are here to help you and protect you” Simon said

“thank you” Charlie said

“do you wish to have some breakfast?” Simon asked

“it is always good to train on a full stomach, it helps with energy” Charlie replied

“it does” said Simon

They left the hut that Charlie had been staying in and walked to the big hut in the centre where all the men were ready and waiting, not one of them had eaten, it seemed that they had waited for her to come

“please sit down and eat” Simon said

“have you been waiting for me?” Charlie asked

“yes, it is polite to wait for your guest” Simon replied

“you really do not need to treat me any differently than anyone else, you should continue as if I am one of you” Charlie said finding it strange that they had waited for her before eating

“but you are not like us at all” Simon said

“no but I wish to be treated the same as you” Charlie said

“but you are not, you are so much more than we will ever be, we are only here to help and serve you” Simon said

“I do not wish for servants, I would like some friends” Charlie said

“if that is what you want, then we can be that now, let us eat” Simon said and everyone tucked into their food, it was nice having company and listening to them chat about their lives and what was going on with their families, it was something that Charlie had always wanted but was never meant to happen but it was nice to see that other people had it, it seemed that her whole life had already been planned out for her, no matter choices she made it seemed that she was always destined to be here at this time, she sat and played with the arrow amulet that she had around her neck, on that was the ring that he had given her on the night that they had gotten married, she was happy for all of two hours.