"Kain, Kain, Kain, Kain, KAINDRA," Jen shouts.

I stop, my vision returning to normal. Glancing around, I blink. Red. All I see is red. Blood coats the floor and walls, thick layers of sticky paint. Ashen corpses lay torn to shreds in front of the quivering bodies of humans. 

Demons scatter the floor burnt to a blackened crust. Glancing down at myself, I cringe at all the new blood sticking to my clothes, in layers of pungent gore of red and black. Shaking, I pull all the dried and new blood from my skin and clothes dropping them to the floor. My skin is now visible as it slowly knits itself back together layer by layer, my clothes a shredded mess of leather and fabric.

Looking around, I sigh, spotting Bella with my family and friends. Most of the people took refuge outside, but the few that got caught in the crossfire lay dead alongside the demons and vampires. The weight of the loss hangs heavy in the air. Sighing, I look once more at Jordan's body. Tears well up in my eyes, a weight so deep it chokes me, but they refuse to fall.

Bowing to him, I blink the tears away. This is not the time to cry. Standing up straight I breathe "May you find peace in returning to Mother, and thrive in her warmth, O valiant warrior Jordan. May you now know rest, reclaim what was once lost, and discover comfort with Mother as you journey back to the realm of the living in your next life. May her embrace ease the pain of your departure, and may the echoes of your bravery linger long after." Bowing one last time.

I turn, walking towards my waiting family, their presence a fragile balm for the pain. A solemn silence falls over us, but it does little to quell the storm inside me.  Bella's eyes meet mine, her expression a turbulent mix of sorrow and resolve.

Bella holds the triplites as they sob, their small bodies shaking in her arms. Her eyes red-rimmed and glazed, Fixed on her lost lover with a heartbreak that mirrors my own fury. I close my eyes, unable to bear the sight of the grieving family.  Knowing I could have stopped him from dying, if only I had used magic, gnaws at my soul like a relentless beast.

Each breath feels like an act of defiance against the crushing weight of loss, and the anger burns brighter with every passing second. How could I have let this happen? The helplessness fuels the fire withing, a scorching reminder of my failure and the price we paid.

New screams rain down, snapping me from my repentance. A new wave of demons and vampires rush in, greater numbers and abilities by the looks of it. Bella pulls the others to the side, leading them towards the trucks. Rushing forward, I brandish my blades. 

I push through the chaos, heading towards the closest group of people. "Go towards the trucks and get out of here," I shout, my voice cutting through the screams. The demons and vampires close in, their eyes gleaming as they gaze at the humans rushing towards the trucks.

With a swift motion, I slash at the nearest enemy, my blades a blur. Wide eyes glance back as I cut down another vampire. Continuing to clear a path and defend the people I risk a glance at the trucks. Bella is using her magic to fight off incoming vampires and demons, the triplites chanting a defensive spell as they struggle to make it to a truck.

Grumbling, I continue the slow process of pushing the vampires and demons back, my skin turning black from repeated wounds knitting and opening along my body.

"Use it" a voice hisses.

I snarl "No."

It snarls back "Use it."

Snarling I bring my blade down harsher "NO."

It hisses at my harsh defiance, scratching at the walls inside, a relentless presence that gnaws at the edges of my mind. Every moment is a struggle to maintain focus, the insistent pressure building with each passing second. Its whispers weave through my thoughts like a sinister melody, threatening to frown out my resolve.

"If you do not I will". Teeth clenched as I force it back into a dark corner, the effort like pushing against a tidal wave, chaining it behind the wall.

"I will not," I say, Jordan would not want me to.

More and more vampires and demons keep coming, cuts lacing my skin for seconds before healing, blood coating my skin and forming a black layer above the pale white. The only ones that were inside were the ones Bella and I already killed, so where did these come from?

Pushing through I dodge an oncoming attack pushing the demon back with a kick making him fly. "MAMA," Everly cries.

Snapping in their direction two vampires grab the triplites "MAMA," they cry thrashing.

Bella screams, rushing towards them. A demon grabs her hair, wrenching her away from the screaming children. The sound of her pain cuts through the chaos, amplifying the growing dread. My parents and Kaylee run forward, desperation etched on their faces, trying to get the triplites away from the vampires. The children's cries pierce the air, blending with the cacophony of fear and violence. The atmosphere becomes suffocating, every second stretched into an eternity as the relentless battle continues.

"No stop! You guys can't take them," I mumble, eyes wide with horror. Time seems to slow as my parents and Kaylee reach out, only to be intercepted by a demon. His eyes are so black, all life is lost in them. Panic surges through me, and I scream, shooting out a stream of fire as the demon reaches out towards my family. 

White whisps of fog glide out of their bodies, drifting towards the demon's outstretched hand. His eyes glimmer ever so faintly as the fog enters him, and he grins, as his eyes darken once more. He watches gleefully as my parents and sister drop to the ground, their bodies pale, and lifeless, as if they have been dead for hours.

Then he screams, his body engulfed in a continuous stream of fire, the hottest I could muster. His skin melts layer by layer, like wax streaming down the body of a candle, and his blood sizzles, turning to steam as it rises into the air. His body eventually melts away into a pile of steaming goop. Vamping forward, I drop to my knees, the skin peeling to the bone as I grab at my sister's frozen corps. 

Bella slices her hair with magic, freeing herself from the shocked vampire. Before the vampire realizes she's gone, she rushes towards the triplites. Mumbling a spell, the vampires holding the triplites fall, and blood leaks out of every crevice as their skin sinks in before turning to dust.

Kaitlyn, Sam, Jen, and Liam drop to their knees beside me "What can we do? Can we save them?" Jen asks, her voice braking.

I shake my head, feeling a void spreading through me "No...once the soul leaves the body, there's nothing we can do to save them." The words taste bitter, a finality that crashes over me like a relentless wave. 

The emptiness inside grows, a hollow ache that threatens to swallow me whole. It suffocating. Their cold. Just like me. But they won't wake up. My hands tremble as I touch the cold, lifeless bodies of my family, their once vibrant faces now pallid and still. 

A strangled sob escapes me, a heavy weight presses down making it hard to breath. My vision blurs, the world around me fading. 

"Use it, kill them for taking what is ours."

My face hardens as people begin to scream. Forcing the tears away, I glare at the vampires and demons rampaging. Gently placing my sister onto the ground, I slowly stand up. The air crackling as I harness my remaining magic, the sound intensifying and then freezing, suspended in the stillness. My eyes lock onto the vampires and demons an unspoken force behind my gaze that turns their wicked grins to uneasy glances. The atmosphere thickens, shadows twisting and growing as if responding to the icy grip tightening on my heart.

The snow swirls with a malevolent grace, each flake a shard of frozen intent. My blood, once warm with sorrow, now pulses with a chilling resolve. The ethereal crackling deepens, a spectral symphony echoing into the swirling night. The ground beneath my feet begins to frost over as I begin slowly stepping towards my targets. 

"Everyone, run to the trucks," I seethe, my voice carrying an otherworldly echo. I prowl toward the vampires and demons, the air around me growing colder with each step. Bella pulls my friends towards the trucks, placing the triplites inside as the engine's roar to life. The people remaining run towards the icy path I've created, a safe passage through the chaos.

The vampires and demons stop, their eyes slowly turning towards me as they sense the ice taking shape. Raising my hands, the snow swirling around us stops, condensing into a clear wall of ice. The structure is cold and unyielding, forming a path for the people to run safely to the trucks. The vampires and demons stop, their eyes slowly turning towards me as the ice takes shape. My eyes harden, mirroring the freezing barrier standing between us and the oncoming darkness. Blades of ice shot out from the wall frigid and ferocious as they mix into the whirling snow.

Heads roll leaving no chances for resurrection as zombies or vampires.

My hand drops, the ice breaking into speaks of glimmering snowflakes. The blades imbedded in the vampires and demons shatter, transforming into bloodied frost that floats to the ground as red snow. A sea of crimson flows endlessly onto the concrete, staining it permanently.

Turning my back to the scene, I pull myself up onto the back of the remaining truck as Bella begins to drive to the closest gate. The back gate hangs crooked on its hinges, broken open from the other trucks in their escape. Bella drives out into the night as fast as she can on the ice and snow-covered roads. I gaze at my family's bodies now lifeless and distant, swallowed by the shadows of the whirling storm. The cold bites into my skin, matching the icy void inside me. 

The world around me fades, the storm's howl a dull whisper compared to the silent scream in my mind. My tears have dried up, leaving only a barren wasteland of emotion. There's no room for anger or despair- just a vast, desolate emptiness that stretches on forever.  

I stand there, watching as the storm erases the last traces of my family, their faces disappearing into the darkness. The sharp pain is dulled, replaced by a constant, numbing ache that settles deep into my bones. I am alone, a solitary figure in a world that has lost its meaning, consumed by the cold, empty grief that now defines my existence. 

A speck of gold glimmers at the edge of the gate before the building bursts into flames. The fire burns away the carnage, but it cannot remove the stain that will forever remain.

Hoisting myself into the enclosed space in the back of the truck, I close the door, shutting out the biting wind and snow. Jen, Kaitlyn, Sam, and Liam sit huddled together, blankets held tightly around their shoulders. Crawling to the front window leading into the main cab, I push it open. The triplites lie sleeping, huddled up in the back seat, their eyes puffy and tear-stained. Bella must have used a spell to put them to sleep.

"May I?" I ask, indicating the empty passenger seat with my hand.

She nods. I create small condensed fire spheres I let them loose into the back, warming up the space for my friends. Condensing the shadows around me, I slide into the seat. We sit in silence as Bella drives, following the two other trucks ahead. Glancing down at myself, I silently pull the blood off my clothes and skin tossing it out the window. Bella reaches behind her grabbing a jacket from the floor and handing it to me.

"You're lucky that I used a spell to erase their memories once you started using magic," Bella says, breaking the silence.

"Thank you," I mumble.

She sighs, looking in the revue mirror at my friends in the back now sprawled across the matrasses covering the truck's bed, searching for sleep. "I was going to do it anyway so that they don't remember what the people were, but, you're welcome." We sit in silence again, the only sound the even breathing of my friends as they fall into a restless sleep, their bodies exhausted from escaping what could have been their death.

"You okay?" I ask.

Bella sighs, her eyes glassy "I will be." 

Placing my hand on her shoulder, I squeeze it gently. She sniffles, taking deep breaths to calm herself as she focuses on driving.

Hours pass as the storm gets worse the farther we go. Buildings are long gone, replaced by endless waves of white blocking our view on the prairie roads. Each truck has a plow to clear the snow, making the drive easier but also leaving a trail for our foes to follow, consuming more gas in the process.

Bella's hands grip the steering wheel, knuckles white with tension. The relentless storm rages on, each gust of wind rocking the truck. The sound of the engine and the crunch of snow under the tires create a rhythmic lull, almost hypnotic, as we push forward into the unknown.

I glance at my friends, now asleep, their bodies huddled together for warmth. The triplites, still huddled together, are finally resting peacefully. Bella's spell has given them a brief respite from the horrors we've faced, but the reality of our situation looms large. 

Leaning over, I glance at the gas gauge- half a tank left. The other trucks should be similar. Looking out the window, I watch the wall of white continue to impede our sight. Glancing at Bella's sleepy eyes, I nod to the truck in front "We should stop for tonight, let the storm calm down."

Bella nods, pressing on the horn. The truck in front of us follows suit, honking at the truck at the front. We slow down from our already sluggish fifty until all three trucks come to a stop. Bella turns the keys, turning off the truck to save gas.

Each truck, due to it being winter, has loads of blankets, winter jackets, toques, gloves, ski pants, socks, sweaters, scarfs, battery-powered lamps and flashlights, and one small battery-powered heater. We also have food, water, and two full containers of gas. Mora and Mr. Jones were very prepared when it came to the possibility of leaving. Sadly, they didn't make it out.

As each truck turns off, darkness shrouds us. The wind continues to howl outside, rocking the truck gently. Bella reaches beside her chair, ready to push it back to sleep. Grabbing her arm to stop her, I whisper "Stop. I'll take you four to the back there is enough space back. There's enough space back there for you all to sleep comfortably."

Bella nods, her silhouette barely visible in the dim light. "Leave the triplites there, they're comfortable. I don't want to disturb them."

I nod, shadowing her to the back so that she can sleep. I remain at the front, watching the blowing snow outside. Bella's breathing evens out as she falls asleep, her body exhausted from using so much magic and the heavy weight of grief from losing her husband.

Silently, tears fall from my eyes. "I'm sorry Mom, Dad, Kaylee...Jordan I'm sorry that I failed to protect you," I whisper, careful not to wake up the others. My shoulders are heavy, every sob a painful reminder. The faces of my loved ones flash before my eyes, bright and full of life, then they darken as the life drains from their bodies their blood flowing from their mouths and eyes staining their once glowing skin red. My body sages the energy I had from the battle along with the stress of trying to protect everyone, from trying to protect my family seeps my energy away. I lean against the window lifeless, I was weak, useless, I couldn't protect anyone, I couldn't protect the people I promised I was going to protect the people I swore I would never let them get in harm's way. I'm a failure, useless, weak, powerless, I broke my promise, who am I kidding I was never going to be able to keep that promise anyway, I'm weak, too weak to protect anyone.

My power, not yet fully restore when I woke up, is now completely drained again.

My eyes fall as my limbs go numb, the little magic left tries to flow through my body to keep it alive. All feeling leaves my feet then my legs up to my waist stopping just before my heart. My hands follow next them my arms, and all the feeling leaves my body except for the movement of my lungs till that too stops. My mind shuts off and then fades away.

"What are we going to do? Where are we going to go?"

"I don't know. Is anywhere safe now. What if those people come back to finish off what they did to the others?"

"Shh, we all just need to calm down-"

"More than half of our group has been killed; we're fortunate to have reached the trucks before encountering more zombies or those people. Yet, you're asking me to calm down."

"Haa I know this is stressful and sad but there's nothing we can do all we can do is hope to find a new place before we run out of gas or food. Johnny anything?"

"Nada nothing on the radio so far," a man sighs.

Slowly, feeling starts to return to my limbs. I begin to make my lungs move once more as the blood in my veins starts to flow. Blinking my eyes open I flinch adjusting to the bright white light coming in through the truck's windows. Sitting up, I open the passenger's door stepping out into the open air. Jen and Kaitlyn are the first to spot me, rushing over from their spot by some trees.

"Kain what happened we saw you and you weren't moving not even breathing, you were just like a corpse," Jen whispers, as my friends come to my sides.

Chuckling, I pull them in for a hug "Sorry. That happens when I use all my power and then some. The magic that makes me a vampire kicks into high gear which causes me to go into a sort of hibernation till all my magic reserves refill."

Jen hugs me squeezing the living daylights out of me "Okay, okay. What's wrong?" I ask.

Jen lets go slapping my shoulder. She ignores my little 'ow' "What's wrong? Are you fucking kidding me right now?" Kaitlyn and my eyes go wide, Jen never swears. "Your family just died in front of you and the person who saved you from death just died in front of you and you're asking us what is wrong? What's wrong with you? Are you okay?"

Air catches in my lungs as I stare at Jen and then at the others around me. Tears well up, but I blinck them back, taking a deep breath "I'm sorry I know what's wrong I just-"

Jen stops me, "It's okay, Kaindra. Let it out." She hugs me again, much lighter this time. Kaitlyn and Sam join her, wrapping me in their arms as I let a few tears escape. Liam stands back, allowing the girls comfort me.

Once they release me, he comes forward, pulling me in for a tight hug "We're here for you if you need anything, just like you were for us." I laugh, hugging him back, though it's shorter than the others.

After whipping all our tears, we join the small circle of people. I look around at the trees and trucks forming a wall. "Where are we?" I ask, my voice echoing the uncertainty we all feel.

"Well, while you were...sleeping, we kept driving till we found this patch of trees. We refilled the tanks with gas and have been here for a few hours now, trying to get the radio that someone had to catch a signal." Kaitlyn says.

"Radio? Since when did someone have a radio?" I ask.

Sam shrugs "Remember when we were collecting battery-powered radios and other radio-like things before the snow fell? Someone was fixing a radio in their room and grabbed it in the chaos when they left."

I nod "Ohhh yeah...right."

Kaitlyn and Liam snicker at my forgetfulness. I give them a playful slap before looking at the people against the trucks, their eyes red and puffy. "What were they fighting about before I woke up?" I ask.

Sam sighs "The people in the watch towers. We tried to radio them, thinking that they might have escaped before everyone last night, but..."

She doesn't have to finish. They were the first to go. The people that attacked- it wasn't their first rodeo; they were too coordinated and thorough in what they did. How they rounded up everyone, how they split up Jordan and me from everyone else. If I was to plan this I would take out the people in the watch towers first to stop any possible alarm.

But still, I never even checked.

Covering my face, I sigh as we stop beside Bella and the triplites. "Good to see you awake," Bella says.

I nod, smiling at the triplites as they play in the snow beside us. We stand far enough away to hear the people talking clearly, but they won't be able to hear us over their chatter. Bella listens to the people discussing what to do, then sighs. "If they don't manage to get that radio working we might be screwed," Bella says.

I turn to Bella "What about Jake and Lillian-"

Bella shushes me "No, we can't take them there," she whispers.

"Why not?" I ask, speaking normally.

Bella sighs "Because they are human. Your friends might understand, but the others... You should have seen them before I modified their memories. We remain concealed for a reason. We don't want another war, especially now.."

Sighing, I rub my forehead "You're right, I'm sorry. I just...I just want everyone to be safe."

Bella sighs "I understand, and they will be safe; we just need to find a safe place for everyone."

Nodding, I take a deep breath to calm down.

"Who are Jake and Lillian?" Liam asks.

I turn to my friends, shocked "Ahhhh no one you need to concern yourself with."

Kaitlyn sighs "You forgot we could hear you, right?" I giggle, scratching my head. "Huh, what are we going to do with you?" She pinches her nose.

Shrugging, I dust off the snow that fell from the trees onto my head and shoulders. "Jake and Lillian are friends of ours that could provide us safety."

Kaitlyn raises an eyebrow "Buuuttt?"

I sigh, "Haa...but they're werewolves."

"Aa, then I agree with Bella," Kaitlyn says.

I chuckle "Yes, we already settled it. I'll start scouting for places toni-"

A voice crackles through the radio, interrupting me. "If in danger or need of shelter come to Shilo military base. There is food and safety. If encountering a zombie, do not attack. I repeat, do not attack. If any saliva or blood gets ingested or in any open wounds and eyes, you will be infected. Keep all doors locked and windows closed with the drapes drawn on the first floor. If you are trapped, radio for assistance. Keep watch for zombies that can run and climb; they are stronger than normal zombies. Keep out of their reach, and if possible, trap to escape..."

Everyone freezes, as they listen in to the broadcast. For ten minutes, we hand on every word as it repeats the same message over and over, from, zombie safety tips to instructions on finding Shilo base.

When the guy finally turns off the radio, we all look up. "I think we know where we're going," he says, breaking the tense silence.

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