Possible trigger warnings mention suicide and self-harm.
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I have been in the raspberry field for four days now. It's been nice having the sweet fruits on hand but boring just circling constantly. A few times I went farther and found some other fields with different fruits and vegetables, I took my pick and had some decent suppers. A person can circle all day in the same place so much before going insane. That has not been the only problem, with me being in this area for an extended period my sent has started to bring in more zombies.

On the morning of the fifth day, I did my normal routine. Grabbing an apple from my bag I eat it as I begin my run around the area. Tossing the core I pick up my speed to cover more ground. Looking around I spot four zombies. I guess today is the day I will be departing this area. Ignoring their presence I continue my run coming around the last bend I spot my tree looking at the base a frown forms. Two more zombies congregate around the base of the tree.

I stop in my tracks as I spot movement near the top. Looking closer res eyes shine through the foliage for a brief second. That can't be right zombies can't climb smelling the air the decaying sent of zombies meets my nose. It's not another vampire so how did that zombie get up there? Climbing up the tree beside me I jump branch to branch till I am in my tree. Looking down a zombie's face looks up at me as it continues its sloppy climb.

Blinking in shock I peer closer at its eyes, then I see the slight blood look of its eyes similar eyes to my own when I go all vamp-like. This zombie is another quick as I have come to call them, a zombie with vampire-like blood. That's why this one is climbing, stuffing that knowledge into my mind I reach down grabbing my bag before jumping into the next tree. Looking back moans and growls are heard from my visitors. Grinning I continue on my way through the trees.

Finally dropping out of the trees after an hour of climbing through them I stop to feed. Taking out my last saved blood bag I down half of it before putting it back. Continuing on the ground I go north on my day of running.

Running never gets old the feeling of the wind caressing your face as you move. Or if your hair flying behind you, your breaths coming in and out with every touch of your foot to the ground. Your blood pumping with joy as you sail by. You feel like you're flying, it's so different than flying but each has there own joy. One has you feeling weightless as you go higher and higher, whereas the other you feel powerful as your foot hits the ground with each step. That's in my opinion at least.

But running at night is a whole other thing, I feel exhilarated. The cold air is a refreshing kiss fueling my movements as I go. On a clear night with a full moon, the forest looks magical. The leaves shine from the moisture in the air and sometimes I can see fog dancing at my feet. This night though has a dark cast over it taking all the joy and leaving something erring. For what I don't know but my eyes are darting left and right at every small movement.

It's been like this for almost two hours, I stopped for supper but instead of normally resting I kept moving. The feeling of something dreadful just won't go away forcing me to keep moving. It's almost one in the morning and I still haven't stopped, beginning to get aggravated I force myself to go faster. I may be technically dead but I still have my limits and I am starting to get close to reaching one. I have been going almost all day close to a sprint my energy is getting low.

Breaking the trees I halt. A little girl no older than ten sits in the middle of the clearing I just entered. Hesitantly I approach, the girl's back is to me so I can't see her face, with the clouds blocking the moon all I see is her silhouette.

Out of worry, I focus my hearing on her heartbeat. I breathe out in relief her heart is beating she's alive. Tentatively I ask" hello, what are you doing out here?"
The girl wipes around at the sound of my voice.

Wide blue eyes meet my deep brown. "Who...who are..you?" she asks in a small shaky voice.

Stopping a foot away I bend down to her eye level. Light bounces off of a small blade in her hands as she shakes with nerves or fright I don't know. "My name is Kaindra, what is your name?" I ask in a calm voice scared of what I think the girl is here to do.

Slowly moving closer I stop as she speaks again "My..my name En-Enya"

"Nice to meet you, Enya, could you tell me why you're out here all alone?" I ask calmly finally kneeling in front of her. Being this close I can see dried tears on her face. Looking down at her hand with the knife the sleeve of her shirt slides up her wrist a little. Shining like a spotlight my eyes zone in on the familiar scars on her wrist. Worriedly I ask "Enya, did you cut yourself?"

Seeing where my eyes are looking the quickly pulls her shirt down. "N-nn-no," she says not meeting my eyes.

Tentatively I rest my hand on her shoulder in a comforting manner. "Enya you don't have to be scared to tell me you don't have to if you don't want to, but please at least tell me if you're okay," I say urging her to speak.

She stares up at my eyes, using my vampire compelling ability a little I look at her reassuringly. She hiccups sniffing a little before taking a deep breath and speaking. "I have depression, my parents died of a zombie attack but that's not what started it I have had depression before this all started I-I am a witch my powers came late and my whole family bullied me for it not my parents but they never knew. I started to cut myself a year ago hoping the dark voices would leave my body like my blood dose but they never did...I-I" she starts sobbing before she could finish.

I pull her into my arms patting down her hair as I comfort her. She continues crying into my shirt as she speaks. "I...I left my pppp parents in the house and came out here there's nothing left for me. The darkness won't go away and the only people I had left are gone. I just want to end it so so bad....I-I-I...do-do-don't want to be here anymore. Can you help me get rid of this darkness, please just take me away from this place." she ends up crying even harder.

I pat her back gently as she says out. Depression at such a young age and then lost her parents. Know wonder  Enya doesn't want to live anymore. But I understand the feeling of not wanting to live and I am not going to let this girl go through the same thing I did.

Putting my hand out I make some small fires and float them around us washing away the shadows with a soft orange glow. Enya lifts her head off my chest and looks around in wonder. "How did you do that?" she asks.

Smiling softly I say "like you I too have powers but of a different kind. But also like you, I know the darkness and voices you speak of." lifting the sleeve of my jacket I show her my arm. Taking off the shift my scars begin to show. Enya gasps reaching for my arm with gentle fingers and running the pad of her thumb over the small bumps. "I so wanted to take my life once and almost succeed," I say covering my scars again.

"How did you make the darkness go away?" she asks looking at the small fires dancing around us.

"I had people help me, but I also had to look inside myself to find an answer to why and help build myself back up to the person I am now."

"But I don't have people and I don't know how to look inside myself," she says hopelessly crying out.

I forgot she was only a child. Thinking deeply I smile coming to a solution hopefully. Looking at Enya I smile at her getting into a comfortable sitting position I ask Enya. "Hey, Enya do you want to know a secret?" She perks up at the thought of a secret, aw young minds. She shakes her head excitedly.
"There's a song more like a lullaby that I heard and nobody knows. I think it's an old witch song from my ancestors. Would you like to hear it?" I say she nods again sitting comfortably in my lap.
"I warn you though I don't have that great of a voice so it might sound bad.

Stars can't shine without darkness

Moons can't shine without time

The night may be dark

But you my star are the moon we see at night

Clouds may cover the moon some days
But behind they wait to be seen

'cause even when the moon is gone
My dear the stars shine for you

So remember my dear in the dark you are the brightest star."

After I finish Enya stays looking at me questionably "what does it mean I don't get it?" she says.

I laugh lightly before looking at her softly. "Well, what I think it means is that even when you feel like you are stuck in the darkness there will always be light. Just like at night the stars will shine even if we can't see them showing us that they will always be there giving us light." I say thoughtfully.

She looks at me with a little more light in her eyes. "What does the part where it says the moon can't shine without time mean?" she questions. Looking up I wave my hand above us blowing the clouds away.

Her eyes brighten at the sight of the sky looking at me with wonder. "I think that part means that the moon like all of us goes through a dark time in its life but will shine once that time is over. Telling us that with time we too will shine" I say.

Taking in my words she looks up at the sky and smiles all thoughts of death gone from her mind. Now I know why I couldn't stop moving, there was a girl like me who needed to see the light. This is why I keep fighting even if I might die in the process. I look up at the sky mesmerized by its beauty. Smiling softly I mumble under my breath for only me to hear "I get it now Jordan and I will not let you down. I promise with my soul that I will not stop being the star that shines for others in the darkness till the day I die. With the darkness, there is light as stars can't shine without it."
Happy reading.