The Hunter Becomes the Hunted

It was before dawn that Jack was up and pottering around the cave picking anything that he might need when he caught sight of Chloe watching him out of the corner of his eye

“sorry, you don’t mind do you, I will be needing food for my journey” Jack said not looking at her

“take what you like but you really should stay here” Chloe replied

“why to hide?” Jack asked

“no, to live” Chloe replied

“you think that hiding away in this cave is living, the only thing you will ever do in here is live in fear” Jack replied

“Jack you will die if you follow her” Chloe said

“if I die it will be protecting our race and trying to make this world right” Jack replied

“Jack, listen” said Chloe trying to decide whether to tell him, she knew that if she told Jack who she really was he would chose to stay

“you have nothing to say” Jack replied

“Jack listen” she said again

“what are you hiding from me?” Jack asked

“it is about her” Chloe replied

“what about her? “ Jack asked

“she” said Chloe

“she what? “ asked Jack

“she is a curse” Chloe said she would not tell him after all she had made a promise

“what is that supposed to mean?” Jack asked

“anyone that follows her dies” Chloe said

“what the hell would you know about her, when all you have ever done is hide in this cave” Jack snapped “if we win we will come back for you” he added walking from the cave, he did not even look back as he left.

Jack did feel quiet sad about leaving her I n the cave but all she wanted to do was hide away from the world, she lived in the world but would not fight for it, Jack would, Charlie had shown him that there was a way to win this war so, that humans could live in peace and finally be able to walk in the moonlight and not have to fear them

By the time the sun begun to set Jack was feeling tired but he would not sleep after all the night was their domain and he did not want to be attacked as he slept, he walked through the night and slept in the day, Jack continued to walk until the sun started to rise, he then sat down by a tree to get some rest, Jack had not been sleeping long when he heard some voices talking, he sprung awake

“what the hell” he said picking up his sword, as he saw three en going through his stuff

“sorry” one said

“why?” Jack asked

“we thought that you were dead” he replied

“as you can see, I am not, why are you going through my stuff?” Jack asked

“we needed food is all, we have been on the run for a while and have nothing to eat” he replied

“you only needed to ask, I will share with you” Jack said going over and sitting with them “I am Jack” he said as he sat down

“I am Dan, that’s Chris and that’s Steve” he said pointing out who was who

“came sit and join me” Jack said

“thank you” Chris said sitting down

“why are you running?” Jack asked

“they attacked our village and we ran like cowards” Dan replied

It is not cowardice to run” Jack said

“all our families will be dead” said Dan looking sad

“they will not be dead the vampire king wants them all alive” Jack said

“how do you know that?” Steve asked

“I have been travelling for a while, my friend and I, we are on a journey to try and end this, the vampires that we have seen on our journey spoke pf their plans” Jack said

“how can you end this? Especially on your own” Steve asked

“I am not alone” Jack said

“no one is here so, you are alone” Steve said

“I have just lost my friend” Jack replied

“sorry to hear that, our sympathies” said Dan

“no, she is not dead, she just left me” Jack replied

“she, you are fighting with a woman” Steve said

“yes, why?” Jack asked

“what can a woman do against them, it is no wonder that she left you, she knew there was no hope” Steve replied

“you do not understand, she is no ordinary woman, Charlie is stronger and braver than any other person, she killed twenty vampires in my village, I have never seen anyone fight with such grace and precision yet be so deadly” Jack replied

“sounds like a dream woman” Chris laughed

“believe what you like but I know what she is like, it is time, that I continued on my journey to find her, you should find somewhere to hide for tonight” Jack said picking up his stuff and walking away

“goodbye” they called after him still laughing at the fact that Jack thought a woman could end all the vampires

Jack spent the next two nights travelling when he reached the boundaries of a forest, Jack had seen no vampires, he did come across more survivors but everyone he asked had heard nothing about a woman travelling alone carrying nothing but a silver sword, Charlie had to be somewhere, someone must have seen her, sure she could travel faster being what she was but she would have had to stop for food and rest, somebody must have seen her, he was just waking up from a rest when her heard some chatting coming from not far away, he got up and followed the voices

“excuse me” Jack said

“yes” replied the woman

“I wonder if you could help me” Jack said

“we have no food, if that is what you want” she replied

“no, I don’t need food” Jack replied

“what can I help you with?” she asked

“I wondered if you had seen a woman travelling alone carrying a silver sword” Jack asked

“no, I am sorry, we have not met anyone on our travels” she replied and her child had just started to scream “hush little one” she said to him

“what’s wrong?” Jack asked

“he is hungry is all, we heard that the king was coming to our village, we left in such a hurry that we did not have time to pack any food, we have had maybe an apple between us since we left three days ago” she replied

“that I can help with” Jack said taking the last of the food from his bag and holding it out for the woman

“no, we cannot you will have nothing” the woman said

“please take it, I will be fine” Jack said

“at least join us for some” the woman said

“that I can do” Jack replied sitting down

“I am Julie” the woman said

“where’s your village?” Jack asked

“it’s not really a village have you heard of Dayton?” Julie asked

“I have but that was destroyed weeks ago” Jack said

“it was” replied the woman handing out the food

“how did you get out?” Jack asked

“a few of us managed to find safe places to hide from them, the city was over run but on a few occasions, we managed to sneak out and get some food, we overheard them talking, saying that the king was on his way, whilst they prepared for his arrival, we made our escape, we split into groups and went in different directions in the hope that at least a few of us would survive” Julie said

“where will you go?” Jack asked

“we are heading to Baren” Julie replied

“I would not go there, they work for the king” Jack said

“how do you know?” Julie asked

“we stopped there and the king showed up” Jack replied

“then I have no idea where to go, what am I going to do know?” Julie said starting to cry

“do not cry, I know of a safe place” Jack said

“where?” Julie asked

“Claxonville” replied Jack

“I have never heard of it” Julie said

“do you know where the river is?” Jack asked

“yes” replied Julie

“good, if you follow the river you will come to Claxonville, you will know you are in the right place if you see some guard towers” Jack said

“is it safe?” Julie asked

“yes, it is, my village has been shown how to defend themselves against him” Jack said

“will let us stay?” Julie asked

“when you get there ask for Len. When you speak to him tell him that Jack sent you, they will protect you” Jack said

“I don’t know how to thank you” Julie said

“there is no need, just make sure that you get there safely” Jack said

“we will” she said smiling a t Jack

“I must go now” Jack said

“thank you again” Julie said

“one last thing, where is the nearest village?” Jack asked

“there is no village between here and Dayton, if you follow the path straight through the woods, once you reach the other side you will see Dayton in the skyline” Julie replied

“goodbye and good luck, remember follow the river and look for the guard towers” jack said walking away from them

“goodbye” Julie called after him

Jack started to make his way through the woods, he had been walking for a while and was about an hour after sunset on the second day when he caught sight of about fifteen vampires in front of him, Jack decided that it was best to give them space so, he found somewhere to hide until the next day when he hoped they would be far away but he knew that a group that size would be tracking her, when the sun rose the nest morning he was up and walking once more through the woods, he needed to find her, Charlie needed to know that what she had seen in his dream was not real and that he did not have feelings for Chloe