Read Online Blood Stream (A Short Story) by M.D. Bowden - Free Book Online Page A

quickly glance around the camp, at the other pavilions, the open fires, and at the tents of my fellow prisoners, feeling a pang in my heart at the thought of what we’ve become; no more than dinner for monsters. 
    I step lightly over the dry heathland, taking care to avoid the numerous taught guy ropes, not easy in the dark, and slowly unzip the front of my tent.  I slide into my sleeping bag, careful not to wake Gemma, and tuck a wisp of blonde hair behind her ear.  Gently I kiss her forehead, and then lay back against my pillow, staring listlessly at the arching canvas, sinking deeper into depression, wishing my life had at least some meaning.
    After a while I realise how quiet the camp is , eerily so.  I strain my ears, listening for anything beyond the thudding of my heart.  But nope – nothing.  The woods are silent tonight, the animals sleeping.  A sudden pang of unease grips me.  I stop breathing and listen harder – but no, still nothing. 
    I inhale slowly and force my eyes closed.  I need to get to sleep – tomorrow Gemma and I are on kitchen duty .
    The quiet is disturbed by hushed voices, my heart jumps into my throat and I cock my head to listen.  I hear a muffled curse and sounds of a scuffle, and feet pounding past my tent.  Carefully I unzip the door and peek around the corner.
    The guard who was watching me is lock ed in a choke hold at the camp boarders, by another vampire I’d guess, as I don’t reckon a human could overpower a monster.  Further off other guards are fighting.  Immediately my eyes dart the other way, and I see the guards at the other side of our camp have abandoned their posts.
    ‘Gemma, wake up, but be quiet,” I whisper, shaking her shoulder.
    ‘Wassa matter?’ she mumbles.
    ‘Get your shoes on and make sure you’re wrapped up warm.  We’re going to escape!’
     
     

Chapter 2
     
     
     
     
    SHE BLINKS FOR a second, dazed, and rubs her eyes.
    I glare at her.   ‘We need to hurry.’
    Her eyes open wide and she gives me a quick nod, then springs into action, pulling on boots and coat , as I do the same.  We are both already dressed.
    Looking over our shoulders’ we sneak from the camp, into the darkness of the forest.  Gemma’s breaths are coming in terrified little gasps.
    ‘Shhh,’ I say, taking her hand in my own, leading her deeper under the canopy of the treetops.  ‘We need to get as far away from the camp as possible, or they’ll find us.’
    ‘But who was that, what was going on?’
    ‘I’ve no-idea, a battle for territory, or for . . . blood slaves?’  I shiver, and Gemma squeezes my hand.  The vampires don’t feed off Gemma, they don’t do that until their slaves hit their twelfth birthday.  Gemma is eleven.  She never talks about it, but I know she fears being in my position.  If this works, if we can get away . . . we will both be saved.
    ‘I can’t hear them anymore,’ Gemma says.
    ‘No, but we must continue.’  I get down on my knees.  ‘Do you think you can walk until dawn?’
    It is too dark to see her face, but I feel the movement as she shakes her head.
    ‘How about one more hour?  If we walk that far we can shelter under a tree and sleep the rest of the night, but then we must continue.’
    ‘But where will we go?’
    ‘Let’s find a town, if we can get to a phone . . .’
    For a moment we are both quiet, as the implications of that one thing sink in . . . we could find our families.  We could lead normal lives.
    ‘OK,’ Gemma says, her dainty voice breaking. 
    I reach out and pull her against my chest.  ‘We will be all right.  I promise I’ll look after you.’
    ‘What about everyone else in the camp?’
    ‘I don’t know.  We can’t help them now, but if we get free, if we find people, I can guide them back here and we can save them.  But right now we need to keep walking.  So, will you do it, one more hour?’
    ‘OK, I’ll try, ’ she says, through her sleepiness, her voice sweet and