Chronicles of the Kakonia

Well here is the first installment of this story. I also have this one on fictionpress.com. But since this is supposed to be hardcore, I want it to have a home here as well. I hope you enjoy and feel free to leave a review; Thanks!

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Intro
The chamber was dim. The only light came from the large chandelier hanging from the rocky ceiling. The cast iron, wax covered relic bathed the underground chamber in dancing orange light.
The chamber itself was circular with natural rock making up its walls. The floor in contrast, was completely flat and polished to the point of giving off reflections. The only thing marring the perfect floor were the grooves cut into the stone. Groves that coiled, spun, and jutted into an intricate triangle with a line going through the center of it. Where the top point of the triangle ended, a stone alter stood, accompanied with a woman dressed in elaborate red robes.
She was beautiful; the robes hid her curvilinear form from sight, but once stripped, the glory of her body could be clearly seen…worshipped even. Her creamy pale skin glowed under the firelight, as well as, her blood red hair that tumbled down to her waist in gentle waves. A single violent colored eye surveyed the congregation the bowed before her. The other orb was hidden behind a mask like eye-patch, injured from an unfortunate act of betrayal long ago.
At least twenty figures clothed in plain red robes kneeled before the stone alter. Every person in the chamber was enthralled by the speech the woman wove, expect for one…
The lone male sat behind the talking woman, his back leaning against the cool rock wall. He saw no need to pay attention or hide behind the hood of his robe. Instead, the male pawed restlessly at the collar strapped around his pale neck and occasionally shook his head to remove his bothersome white hair from his eyes. But the collar was far more bothersome than his hair could ever be. The collar was thick made of silver and gold melted together making hypnotic swirls within the metal. Thankfully, the thick piece of jewelry hung loose around his neck, but gave no room to remove it.
Only a key could unlock the contraption, and the key was safely tucked away in the company of the preaching woman. Some wouldn’t complain about having such an expensive and pretty piece of jewelry around their neck…well…it wasn’t around someone else’s neck was it!? It was around his…neck! It being jewelry be damned! This was a collar and he was no better than a dog!
The redhead made a passionate declaration and the figures gasped in excitement; the lone male rolled his eyes and huffed loudly in boredom. The noise brought attention to him.
Some of the robed figures glared disapproving at him from beneath their hoods; he offered a toothy grin in reply.
“Beg your pardon, my loyal subjects…it seems my son is getting restless” the woman purred.
The tone made the male’s skin crawl, but otherwise, played along; “…Mother…I’m bored, isn’t this meeting over yet” whined the male in childish voice; Strange, since the male was far too old to use such a childish voice.
“Patience, my love, mommy is almost finished” cooed the woman.
“Fine” pouted the male; how he wanted to vomit right now.
The woman offered a warm smile before turning back to the crowd. A flash of pure malice passed through blue eyes, before returning to their previous listless gaze.
The male’s mind began to wonder…anything to tune out the dogma that was fouling up the air.
How can they buy that? It’s all lies and half truths…nothing will turn out the way they want it to…What did I eat for dinner tonight? Huh, can’t remember…Wow, that’s going to bug me…How long has that crack been there? Stew! No, that was three days ago…Oh look that crack had babies, aw…Mutton! No, I hate mutton…Is she still talking!? Cheese…maybe? No…
The male started pulling on his collar again
I hate this thing…I wish it would go away…I wish they would all go away…Was it fish? Do I even like fish? Hm…Oh! Yes…I like fish….
“Now go forth! Together we will change this empire! Change it to the way Keeva intended it to be”
Finally she’s just about done…Was it fruit?
“Praise for Keeva! Praise for the Blood Order!” cheered the crowd.
Fools…It wasn’t fruit… What the fuck did I have for dinner!?
With pleased smile upon her face, the woman turned back to her beloved son. How beautiful he was…just like his father…
“…Navan…” she whispered breathlessly
Oh! That’s right…I haven’t eaten yet…






Chapter One
The Capture

It’s funny how life can sometimes throw a wild card at people. Usually, the most unlikely of people, those who believe that something could never happen to them, are the ones that have uncommon experiences. Whether to say if these occurrences are good or bad really depends on the person experiencing it. However, even if with harsh beginnings…it might end with wonderful conclusions. Goes to show no one really knows what kind of knots lie on the threads of fate.
But rest assured nothing happens without reason…
…
Clara Stevens’ heels clicked sharply as she furiously stalked down the empty sidewalk. The symphony of New York surrounded her; traffic horns, sirens screaming into the night, and peoples obscene shouts. New York, New York, what a town!
Her flora print dress which she had just purchased that morning swayed with her harsh movements; the sixty dollar dress proving to be a waste of time and money! Since the dress didn’t do a damn thing to save Clara’s date!
What’s the point in looking good for men if they don’t deserve it!?
A small hand with messy applied red nail polish came up to brush away the sunset colored hair from Clara’s blue eyes. A heavy breath escaped from glossed over lips; the woman took a serious look at her life.
Clara really had nothing to complain about…well minus the night she was currently having.
She had a decent childhood; plenty of love and support from ‘still happily married’ parents; plenty of friends; average grades in school; graduated high school with the rest of the nameless masses; Went to NYU got a Bachelors in Business; and now was working in an office building in Queens selling paper and office supplies. She spent her days in a cubicle typing on a computer, talking to clients about paper, and had an idiot for a boss. She went out now and again for drinks with her friends. Had dinner with her parents every month or so. All in all not a bad existence, but that was the underlining problem; it was just existence with no worth-wild meaning.
Clara was twenty six, not to skinny or fat, just average; about 5’7 tall, blue eyed, normal pale skin, yes with freckles, with square shaped hips and ‘B’ cup breasts…Okay she wasn’t anything to brag about…she was average. The only real thing that wasn’t average about her was her short, orange-ginger hair, which was accused repeatedly of it being a dye job (which it wasn’t!) Yeah…Clara was a ‘ginger’ with a plain-Jane body.
However, coming back to the reason why Clara was such in a foul mood… Fifteen minutes ago, Clara’s date ended… badly and permanently.
A perfectly good three month relationship...down the fucking toilet like last night Mexican food! Double shit on a stick! ; The redhead cursed in her thoughts.
Sadly, Clara had some hope for this relationship; the guy was nice, funny, had a good job, good-looking and put up with Clara’s eccentricities. But, alas, it wasn’t meant to be, the dick or in this case Doug… no, no…wait… right, better the first time around, dick!
Doug (aka The Dick!) had ended the relationship with a typical guy response, ‘it’s not you, and it’s me. I wasn’t looking for a long term relationship….I…’
Blah, blah, blah! What –the- fuck- ever! Yeah, sure not a long time thing, bullshit, thought Clara angrily; just last damn week he was fine about meeting my parents! Now he wants to break up, bastard! Who does that? Who goddamn waits that long and makes up a lame ass excuse like that!?
A tin can went flying down the sidewalk, resulting in a large scuff mark on Clara’s favorite pair of heels. A string of curses flew from the woman’s mouth like a drunken sailor in a bar fight.
“I’m going to die alone! Worse, I’ll be one those women that have lots of cats and go to bingo and eventually move to Florida to die with no kids to complain about! Damn!” ranted Clara to no one. “That’s okay… I don’t need a man…Yeah! I’ll go for in-vitro, yeah! Have one of those test tube babies, yeah; then when my test-tube kid asks me, ‘mommy why don’t I have a daddy?’ I can say that mommy was hopeless in the ways of relationships, mommy couldn’t keep a man for more than six months and decided to go to the magic doctor of tadpoles and had a turkey baser knock mommy up. And oh and behold, Billy here you are”
So absorbed in her one-sided conversation with a kid that didn’t exist, Clara took no notice to the dip in the sidewalk…
“Fuck!” cursed the redhead, falling to her knees.
Her hoses were torn to shreds and a heel broke off from her right shoe as a result of the clumsily mishap.
“Shit! Shit! Shit!” yelled Clara, as well as, every curse word known to man flying from her mouth like a flood of sewage into the Hudson.
Once again Clara was so distracted that she didn’t notice the unmarked black van slowly pull up to the curb behind her. Clara also didn’t hear the approach of two pairs of footsteps as she struggled to stand up. In fact, Clara didn’t notice till it was too late.
An unknown man took Clara into his clutches.
Surprise was the first thing that took over Clara…then when realization finally dawned upon her, did the female began to panic!
Oh my god! I am being victimized! Shit! I’m going to be raped and left for dead! Shit! No, no, no, no…I will not die here! Thought Clara’s franticly.
Clara tried to scream bloody murder, but a gloved hand closed around her mouth, successfully muffling her screams. Clara struggled; lifting her leg with a heeled shoe still attached…she lodged it into her capture’s groin. The man instantly let go and Clara dived away from him, only to land in another’s arms.
Okay prick; prepare to lose your ability to have kids, thought Clara, rearing her leg like an angry donkey.
Consequently, Clara never got the chance; a white cloth was placed over her nose and mouth. A strong chemical smell over whelmed her senses and soon Clara’s vision dimmed till it went black. Her struggles ceased and she became limp.
“Damn bitch! She got me!” muttered the injured male, crudely holding himself.
“Yup, she’s a fighter, good she’ll survive longer than most, man” replied the other dragging the woman to the van.
“You sure snatching someone like her, is okay? I mean she’s not a hobo or a hooker like the others, yo” asked the first, getting into the passenger’s side of the van, carefully.
“The boss wanted some better quality merchandise, she’ll do. It’s not like anyone going to find her in a few hours, she’ll be long gone, for real” responded the driver, starting up the van.
Clara was unaware when the van came to a stop within a warehouse by the docks. The two kidnappers pulled her from the van laid her down on the dirty concert floor to be inspected.
A dark figure came from a dark corner. A black trench coat swayed behind the tall and broad shouldered form of a man.
Fierce gold eyes stared from behind shoddy black bangs, while the rest of the hair was gelled back. A light goatee decorated the male’s chin of a rather youthful face. The man looked like an ordinary sleazy thug, expect for the slightly pointed ears, inhuman sharp fingernails, and fangs that lay behind thin lips. He was simply known on the streets as, Cox.
Cox is the name and human trafficking was the game…
Cox spared a smirk to the kidnappers, exposing his deadly fangs to the two. The men felt cold shivers go down their spines at the look of their boss.
The delicious scent of fear drifted into Cox’s nose, making his blood pump in excitement. His excitement only grew as he turned his gaze to the woman on the floor. He bent down to get a better look; a sharp- nailed hand ran through silky red hair.
“Like her boss?” asked one of the men, “She’s better merchandise than the others…right?” His voice was hesitant, since his boss was temperamental and not of this world.
“Yes…” Cox purred “She’ll do lovely, a shame to ship her off” Cox remarked to himself…
The two henchmen looked at one another confused, “So…do we…pack her up then?” asked one shyly.
“I’m rather fond of redheads…their a rarity in my homeland…To answer your question, boys…Yes, we ship her out like the others…though I could…why not… one moment, boys” replied Cox, lifting Clara’s head from the ground to expose her delicate neck. The henchmen watched in horror as their boss opened his mouth and then sunk his fangs into the young women’s neck.
A gasp escaped from Clara’s mouth, her eyes briefly opening, but soon her eyes rolled in back of her head and she fell into unconscious again.
“That was a mark of possession…When I get back; I’ll take her as mine. I need a new pet after all, the other one recently died” commented Cox. The henchmen remained silent.
“Take her to the container and prepare to ship out” barked Cox.
The men wasted no time into jumping into action. After-all no one wanted to anger the boss, especially if the boss was a Demon!
…
The smell of cigarette smoke invaded Clara’s nose, rousing her from her sleep. Cloudy blue eyes blinked open, slowly adjusting to the dimness of wherever she was. Soon the Clara’s vision cleared and a dull pain enveloped her head.
“Jesus Christ, what happed!?” spoke Clara groggily.
“Jesus isn’t going to help us now” muttered a female voice.
Clara slowly sat up, finally noticing her surroundings. It appeared she was in some sort of a freight car with many other people in it. The company around the redhead was a diverse gathering of hookers, junkies, and the homeless. Some with sober expressions, some crying pitifully, others with scared looks, and some with faces of indifference.
One mask of indifference was on a woman sitting next to Clara, smoking a cigarette. She was dress as a hooker with bleached blond hair and bright red makeup caked on her middle-aged face.
“Finally up, sleeping beauty?” asked the blond dully.
“What the hell is going on!?” yelled Clara. Panic was quickly over taking the redhead. Her heart began to pound; she found breathing becoming a chore.
The hell! What’s going on?! Why am I here!? Why am I here!? Why am I here!? Want to go home!? Want to go home!? Shit, shit, shit, shit!
“What’s happening!?” screamed Clara hysterically.
“Shut up will ya, all the screaming in the world won’t do you any good, you’ll just be beaten for it” growled the blond taking another drag.
The demand did little to calm Clara down. Instead of screaming, the redhead began to hyperventilate.
“Well shit” muttered the blond. Throwing her cigarette to the floor and crushing it; the blond kneeled down beside Clara and began to rub her back and talk softly.
“Calm down, Red. It’ll be okay…just breathe, just breathe…calm down…”
Clara tried to will down her pounding heart, as the reality of her situation started to sink in.
Holy, fucking, shit! I been kidnapped and looked like some sex slave trade. Oh god! I thought this shit happened in China and third-world courtiers! This doesn’t happen to people like me, thought Clara upset.
“W…why, why…is this happening to me?” whispered Clara brokenly
“Congratulations, you’re a lucky victim of human slave trade, curtsey of Grand-Master Cox, the Demon” the blond spat sarcastically, still rubbing Clara’s back.
“Oh… God! Why me?” wailed Clara
“God isn’t going to help us” commented the blond.
“How are you so calm about this!?” yelled Clara.
“There nothing you, I or any other poor bastard in this place can do now. Just suck it up and survive and maybe things will get better” replied the woman.
“Shit” whispered Clara.
“Got that shit right”
…
An hour had past within the dark compartment. Clara had calm down enough to be left on her own. Her blond haired companion had left her side once the ginger had quieted down. The blond woman was currently snuggled up to the wall, resting. Clara was left to her own devices.
Clara decided that she might as well settle herself down and seriously think what her next move was going to be. She found a space open by the wall and sat down. She leaned into the cool metal…relieving…since the air seemed to be getting hotter. It was especially uncomfortable hot on the back of her neck.
Huffing in annoyance, Clara lifted her hand to brush away her hair from behind her neck. As soon as her hand made contact to the back of her neck, a sharp pain shot through her.
“The fuck?” hissed Clara. She felt again tenderly.
The area was swollen to the size of quarter, and gave a sharp pain when poked, “The hell is this?” asked Clara aloud.
“That’s…where they inject you” said a tiny voice.
“Pardon?” asked Clara glancing to the speaker.
The fore mentioned speaker was a young girl sitting next to Clara. She was younger than Clara. The brunette girl had to be in her middle to late teens. Hazel eyes peeked shyly from behind dangling bangs. Her thin legs, encompassed in warn jeans were tucked tightly to her body with her knees bent up and hugged by her bare arms.
Pink lips parted to repeat her previous statement, “…They inject you there…be…behind your neck…”
“Why would they do that?” asked Clara confused.
“I…I don’t know…when I woke up, I saw them doing it to other unconscious people …they said something about vaccinations…” replied the girl softly.
…Vaccinations? Why would we need vaccinations in the first place? Where exactly are we going? Damn it to hell! On the bright side, if they took the trouble to vaccinate us, that means they don’t plan on killing us…hopefully…
“Did you happen to hear anything else?” asked Clara.
The girl began to tremble, and her big eyes watered, “No…no…I want to go home…” uttered the girl brokenly; “I…I should have never come to New York…I…I should have stayed at home! I want my mom!” cried the girl; tears began to stream down her pale cheeks.
“Hey, hush now, it’s okay…we’ll be okay” comforted Clara. The older woman slipped her arm around the distraught girl. The teen wasted no time to attaching to Clara. She buried her head into Clara’s shoulder and cried.
Guess the shoe’s on the other foot, huh? Poor thing, thought Clara, We have to get out of this situation…we’ve got to survive…
Ten minutes passed before the girl calmed down enough to relinquish her hold on Clara. With a few sniffles and rubbing the tears from her cheeks, the girl pulled away.
“I’m sorry…” said the girl meekly.
“Don’t worry about it…perfectly understandable in this type of situation…are you okay for now?” asked Clara concerned.
“Yeah…I’m fine…thank-you…” murmured the girl.
“Don’t mention it…I’m Clara, what’s your name?” asked Clara gently.
“…Leah…Nice to meet you…” offered the brunette.
“Likewise, wish we could have met in better circumstances” replied Clara with a nervous smile.
“…Yeah…no kidding…”agreed Leah
The conversation turned awkward from there, neither girl knew how approach the state of affairs that they found themselves in. After a few moments of silence, the teenager broke the silence;
“What do you think is going to happen to us? Where are we going?” asked Leah softly.
“No idea…I assume since they went to the trouble of injecting us with something that doesn’t make us sleep, they don’t plan on killing us…for now” Clara really hated saying the last part, but death could be a factor later on…a sad thought; “As to our destination, no idea…We can’t do anything right now…I suppose we have to wait…” muttered Clara.
“Wait? Wait for what?” asked Leah.
“Till we land or something…I’m just as freaked out as you but I don’t plan to someone’s slave without a fight…”stated Clara shakily.
“You plan on fighting those guys!?” gasped Leah alarmed.
“…Well no…I mean enough to escape…we just have to wait for the opportunity to arise…” explained Clara. If the redhead was honest with her-self, her half -assed plan sounded far-fetched to even her own ears, but what else could she do?
“Wow…” gasped Leah, “You’re so brave, Clara…” said the girl awe struck by the older woman.
Not really kid…not really at all…but people can do extraordinary things in extraordinary situations; thought Clara. Or so people say…
“You know, we might have better chance if we work together” stated Clara calmly, “What do say, Leah, want to give it a shot?”
The girl looked hesitant for a moment, but after a moment the young girl steeled her nerves and answered, “Okay…”
…
The last leg of the journey was spent trying to recruit others into the escape plan; it didn’t turn out well.
Some of the captured were junkies that were going into withdrawal. Others were too scared that they had melted down into puddles of delirium, muttering about ‘real monsters…no hope, no escape…’
Even Clara’s hooker acquaintance brushed the pair off with a disbelieving snort;
“There’s no point, honey. Nothing you, she, or anyone else can do at this point. Best to keep your head low and do what they tell ya” stated the blond.
“You’re just going to accept this!?” shouted Clara appalled. Leah clung to Clara back, flinching at Clara’s shouting.
“Shut the fuck up, Red! You got no damn idea what kind of shit you’ve gotten yourself into!” spat the blond.
“Oh!?" exclaimed Clara; "Well do explain yourself! You’ve been taking all of this shit is stride! What the hell do you know!?” shouted Clara.
“You ain’t dealing with your run of the mill smugglers. You hear what those poor shit heads are muttering about!? Do ya!? That ain’t nonsense they spewing…it’s a fucking fact!” proclaimed the helot.
“…What? What the hell does that even mean!?” growled Clara unimpressed by the warning.
“It means we’re not dealing with humans, Red, we are dealing with monsters” supplied the blond. “Fuck, I wish I had another cigarette”
“…Clara…” ventured Leah uncertain.
“Screw her! We’re in this alone” growled Clara, her eyes narrowed of the blond helot. The blond in turned glared back.
“Don’t blame me, when you get your dumbass killed” muttered the blond.
“…Whatever!” Clara snapped back.
It was down to Clara and Leah. The two females decided when Clara spotted a break, she would nod to Leah or if visual contact was broken, Leah would wait till Clara broke free from the pack and she would be cue to start running. It wasn’t the most full proof plan, but it was all that Clara could come up with on short notice.
…
It took hours before the doors were finally opened and daylight flooded the cramped chamber. The occupants were harshly ushered out of the tank. Clara and Leah had decided to stick together. At the back of the compartment, their hands were linked together. As the people in front of them shuffled forward, Leah tightened her grip on Clara’s hand. Clara gave a comforting squeeze back and offered a reassuring smile.
“It’ll be okay…whatever happens, we’re in this together” whispered Clara.
Leah responded with a nod…it was their turn to move forward. With a heavy breath and her heart pounding, Clara moved forward. Not sure what she would be greeted with, but she was willing to take on what was to come.
As soon as the girls got outside, Clara found herself collide with a wall of heat like she had never felt before. The heat was so intense that it brought her and many others to their knees. The light was so severe, it was blinding, especially since the prisoners were kept in near darkness for so long. However, the blinding light was the least of Clara’s concerns. The heat was at the forefront of the list of problems
Clara felt like she was going to die, like her skin was burning badly. Her insides felt as though they were boiling. There was tightness in her chest, so restricting Clara felt she was suffocating. Other screams of agony echoed through Clara’s ears. She felt the squirm of bodies all around her; withering in pain.
The pain seemed to go on for hours, but it was only about a few minutes. Soon the burning sensation ebbed away and the heat became tolerable. Clara greedily gulped up air, anything to make her the burning sensation in her lungs stop.
At last, the pain was nearing gone. Clara dared to open her eyes.
At first it was nothing but white, but then, shadows… blurs… and finally images. Blinking several times, the images got clearer. Clara took in her surroundings;
She was outside…there were buildings…they looked to be made of clay or something a person would find a desert dwelling. Hot sand covered the ground. The air was hazy with dust whirling around. All around were bodies of people convulsing and so many voices…
Clara’s first concern was Leah!
The said girl was at Clara’s side, trying to regain her wits from the violent environmental change. Others were doing the same, all of them in varying states of recovery; however, it seemed some people weren’t so lucky.
Some of the other people lay on the ground…motionless, their bodies looking like they were boiled alive; with bright red skin accompanied with bulbous white welts!
“Damn it, I thought you vaccinated all of them!” yelled a man with a whip clutched in his hand. His ears were very pointed, reaching upward to the top of his head.
“I did, you know not all of them take to the injections. Poor bastards” a skinny man yelled back, he also had pointed ears, though his stuck out to the side rather than upwards. He cruelly grinned down at the prisoners. His grin reveals several unnatural elongated teeth.
Shit, where am I!? Is this the Middle East or something!? What happened to those people!? Why do these guys have pointed ears and teeth!? Fuck, fuck, and fuck! What the hell is going on!? Franticly thought Clara; Okay this is no time to panic…I got to get Leah and we got to get the hell out of here!
Any other thoughts were cut off, as the sound of a whip cracked over head!
“All right, meat sacks! Get you asses up! I don’t ask twice” roared the man with the whip. With a flick of wrist the whip crashed down upon the ground, making several people jump.
In a confused and frightened state, the prisoner’s began to comply.
Clara ignoring the sharp cracks of the whip went to assist Leah to her feet. The poor girl’s face was bright red and her hazel eyes were watering. Clara had the thought that she didn’t look much better.
“Come on Leah…on your feet…” coaxed Clara, pulling on the girl.
“Hot! Why is it so hot!?” gasped Leah.
“Don’t know”
“Clara, what is going on!? What wrong with those guys!?” screamed the girl, she stared horrified at the boiled alive victims lying dead on the ground.
“Don’t know!”
Leah really didn’t want to accept that answer. The teenager began to tremble violently, ready to have a full blown panic attack.
Clara was having none of that! The redhead took a firm hold on Leah’s shoulders and shook her.
“I know things seem bad right now, but you can’t freak out on me, Leah! Leah, Leah look at me!” demanded Clara.
Leah turned her panic filled gaze upon the redhead.
“You’ve got to calm down! We’ll get out this” assured Clara. Leah mutely nodded back; “Good girl…”
The two females stood and watched.
The group seemed to in a courtyard, not far away from a busy market place street. Twenty yards and an unguarded, narrow opening separated the prisoners from the street.
That’s what we need to make for; thought Clara. She took a tight hold upon Leah’s hand.
More men came upon the scene, carrying chains and shackles. No doubt, to bind the prisoners together for transport to somewhere else.
As the men came upon the first to be shackled, a young man freaked out. The skinny youth began to curse, punch, and kick.
The man with the whip wasted no time in sending his weapon flying! The sharp leather cut savagely across the youth’s face. Blood poured from the sliced cheek.
“Fucking meat-sack!” roared the man “You think you can…” the rest of his statement died in his throat. The man with the whip instead focused on the blood oozing from the wound he inflicted.
His tongue came forth to lick his lips; his pupils dilated….
“Never had it from the tap before…” he growled huskily.
“Don’t you dare!” shouted another on the smugglers.
It was too late. The hungered male threw down his whip and charged forward. His massive frame encompassed the struggling youth. In one foul attack, the male opened his mouth wide exposing his fangs. He then savagely bit down upon the youth’s shoulder.
The sweat shirt the young man was wearing proved to be useless to preventing those deadly fangs from penetrating. Once latched the attacker reared his head back, tearing fabric and flesh!
The victim screamed, but the screaming soon turned to gurgles as the attacking beast spit out the fabric and returned for more…this time he aimed his bite to the throat. The young buck sunk down with the beast man still latched on to his throat.
Clara and Leah, watched in horror as the two disappeared behind the crowd. Screams of panic began to break out. The front part of the crowd of prisoners huddled together, trying to get far away from the fallen victim and his attacker. Others seemed to be paralyzed with fear. The kidnappers, for their part, dropped their tools to pull off their foolish comrade.
During this hazy event, while everyone was preoccupied, Clara had a revelation!
This is our chance! This is our chance!
Clara grabbed Leah’s hand and without further ado began her pushing her way through the crowd!
Clara wasn’t sure what came over her, whether it was desperation or instinct, but she tapped into a strength she never knew had, because she was cutting through the crowd like a knife through butter. Leah, gave no resistance, she let herself be pulled along.
At long last the forest of bodies gave way to open space, and the opening to freedom was clear. Clara only took a second to gulp down some air and tighten her hold on Leah…then Clara bolted!
Adrenaline rushed through the redhead’s system; pumping blood to her legs as they pounded into the dirt. Her eyesight turned into tunnel vision, with a clear path to the opening. The sounds around her were muffled, but shouts and yells were identifiable. But all of those distractions meant nothing…the only thing that mattered was…
Freedom! Freedom! All most there! All most there! Got to go! Got to make it!
Behind the fleeing girls some other prisoners were brought out of their stupor and began to follow. This event didn’t go unnoticed by the smugglers.
“Shit!
“Fuck!”
The smugglers dropped their comrade that seemed content with engorging himself with human blood than making sure the merchandise didn’t escape!
They wasted no time in one, securing the rest of the flock, and two, perusing the runners.
“You two stay here and keep them at bay! We’ll get the runners!”
This was lost on Clara, since she and Leak broke through the passageway and into the busy street.
A few unsuspecting pedestrians were knotted out of the way by the rampaging redhead, but she paid them no mind;
Got to lose them! Lose them in the crowd!
“Clara! Wait a minute!” cried Leah. The teenager feared her arm was going to be pulled off. However, the plea fell on deaf ears. The elder woman was more interested in escaping; rest could come later…when it was safe…
Leah once again dragged behind the redhead, forced to keep up with a break neck pace, all the while pushing and squeezing through people.
“Shit, get those two females!” A shout came from behind.
“…Clara, they’re coming! What do we do!?” cried Leah
Clara had no idea where she was going or where she was. As far as she knew, she was in some middle-eastern market with bad guys chasing her. Right now, Clara’s main objective was losing her pursuers who weren’t far behind her.
Crap! Crap! What do I do!? I need to hide, yeah hide, but where!?
Suddenly! Clara wheezed by an alleyway, with a strong smell of salt coming from it. The smell wasn’t the important thing, the bunch of large barrels within an alleyway, was.
Without much thought, Clara darted into the alley.
Coming to the midpoint of the alley, Clara ripped a lid from the first barrel before turning to Leah;
“Get in!” ordered Clara franticly.
Leah seemed stunned silent, the poor girl was trying to catch her breath; unfortunately, there was no time for such a luxury.
“...Now! Leah, get in now!” demanded Clara, pulling the girl forward harshly.
Wit must have finally caught up with the teenager, because she scrambled into the barrel. Once secure within its confines, Clara began to put the lid on;
“Keep quiet okay… no matter what, don’t come out till I say so, okay” whispered Clara.
Leah nodded in understanding, and then the young girl was plunged into darkness.
With her young ward safe, Clara wasted no time in find herself a hiding place. She took the next nearest barrel and proceeded to enter before recovering the lid over her. Not a moment too soon, the pursuers had entered the alley.
Clara found herself in the company of some kind of salted meat with a strong rancid odor. She would have gagged at the awful smell, if she hadn’t heard the sound of footsteps and angry cursing from outside. Clara held her breath, as she tried to slow her racing heart. She heard the voices of the smugglers coming nearer.
“…Where the hell are they!?”
“….Them bitches must be around here somewhere. They couldn’t have gotten far and just disappear” commented one the men.
“Fuck! That redhead was supposed to go to Cox! Fuck, he’s going to string us up by our balls!”
“Shut up and search! I bet they are hiding in these barrels”
Double shit on a stick; thought Clara shivering.
Clara felt the vibrations of other barrels being moved around her, it was only a matter of time before they reached her hiding place.
Fuck! At least they haven’t found Leah…yet…
“Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing? Damn Demons get away!” shouted a rough voice.
“Mind your own damn business!” shouted another voice, belonging to one the smugglers.
“It’s my fucking cargo! And very much my business, filthy Demons! Unless you want your asses killed, you’ll leave!”
“You don’t understand, you shit-eating Kakonia! We got some rats hiding in here!”
“I don’t give a rat’s ass, if your mother was hiding for you! Get the hell away from my cargo!”
“Too fucking bad, we ain’t leaving till…”
The sound of a fist being slammed into flesh was heard; then a curse; a crash; angry shouts, the sound of fighting, more people entering the fight; and then the rapid movement of fleeing feet.
“Fucking Demons think they can do whatever the fuck they want” muttered a man’s voice.
“We showed them, Captain. Fucking Demons can’t compare with Kakonia”
“Damn straight! Come on lads! We load this cargo and set sail. The faster we’re out of this sticking country the better… We should be in Arcania within two weeks” boomed the Captain’s voice.
Clara soon found her hiding place moving…to her dismay. However, fear kept her from making a sound.
I haven’t a clue what the hell is going on! Demons!? Are those what those fuckers were!? HOLY SHIT ON A STICK! Wait…then what the hell are Kakonia!? Hopefully their not as bad as those other guys…I hope Leah is okay…
Clara really wanted to peek out, but knew that would be a mistake…so the redhead decided to wait till the close was clear.
What Clara didn’t know, was when she chose her barrel, it was a barrel holding a red symbol of two intertwining serpents with a sword going through the middle of them. Consequently, the barrel where Leah was hiding in did not carry this symbol.
While Clara was being loaded aboard a ship, Leah was being loaded onto a cart. At that time, both barrels, (as well as, both females) departed. Their destinies taking shape as they moved further away from each other.
Who would know if their paths would ever cross again?

…
It took awhile but finally all became quiet. Daring to peek out, Clara removed the lid and had a look around;
The woman found herself in the hull of a ship, filled with barrels and other items. The vessel gently swayed upon the waves. Clara removed herself from the barrel to get a better look. A port hole gained her attention and she moved towards it. There Clara witnessed the port fading away in the distance.
“On the bright side, we’re away from those guys. But where the hell is this going? For some reason I don’t think it’s to New York” commented Clara to herself. “Okay Leah, you can come out now…” announced Clara. Silence greeted her.
“Leah?”
No answer…
“Leah…where are you!?”
Still no reply…
“…Oh God…” gasped Clara in shock.
…She isn’t here…whispered Clara’s mind
“Leah! Please answer…Leah…”
…Nothing….
“…Fuck…”