Chapter Three: Lauren:

-Four Days Earlier-

-Lauren-

I used to be an ordinary vampire. I don’t know what happened to me. This mess started out when I was out on a hunt four nights ago. I hadn’t expected much to happen that night. I was skilled due to my master. However, things have become a bit more challenging.

Ever since own existence came to light on the news, scientists have been trying to capture us and study us. We’ve heard all of the stories. “I’m not going to get caught like them,” I told myself.

Then that night in July happened.

I remember how it all happened too.

I had just started my hunt when I had the feeling that something or someone was following me. When I took a glance over my shoulder, I saw this black van parked a few feet away. At first, I didn’t think much of it. I mean, it was just some van parked across the street, right? I brushed it off and walked down through the darkened alley.

It didn’t take me long to glance over my shoulder an hour later to see that same van a few feet away. This time, I took a longer look. Is that van following me?

I decided to try and find out.

I began walking further down the alley. Sure enough, I heard that van starting up and slowly drive down the narrow street. I counted down as I held my breath. When I glanced behind me again, that stupid van continued to slowly drive behind me. Heh, you won’t catch me. I wasn’t going to go down like that.

When I started walking faster, the van started to speed up. Surely, they aren’t stupid enough to keep following me. It can’t fit down this alley. In fact, I wanted to see if they were as stupid as I thought they were. I counted down to five and started running. I looked over my shoulder and the distance between the van and me grew longer. Perfect. I just need to get to the nearest stomping ground and…

I froze with my mouth wide open.

That van managed to back up and come around in front of me. I backed up, shaking my head. Oh no! You’re not going to get me. I won’t let you. Before I could turn to run and leave, I felt a sharp pain in the back of my neck. I was out like a light.

-------

When I came to, I saw so much green. My body felt so heavy while my limbs felt like jelly. I rubbed the side of my head.

W-Where am I?

I could barely see anything. Small tingles of pain ran through my body. It felt like I was being held unwater. Muzzled voices floated above my head.

“We can’t do this!”

“But we have to! We’ve come this far!”

“Yeah, but…”

“But nothing! We start the experiment now!”

“Alright.”

What? Who are they? Are they… The last thing I could remember in that haze was a sharp needle going into my arm and me passing out again.

--------

A warm light touched my face. I flinched before I opened my eyes. The first thing I noticed was that everything was so bright. It took a little bit before it started to sink. Heh… When I lifted my head, the sun was shining down on me through the glass ceiling.

No…

I broke down screaming and trying to shield myself. I would’ve run away, but my wrists and ankles were chained down to the steel and glass wall. Through ten minutes of screaming, I froze.

What is this?

I lowered my arms and looked around. My body wasn’t burning away in the sunlight. I was still here. I blinked and rubbed my eyes when I looked up at the sun shining through the glass ceiling.  It was there above my head and shining above me. What was going on? What did those bastards do to me?

I cringed over in pain. Now what was this? I started to screaming in pain. I had lived for a long time to know what hunger pains felt like. Only, this was different. The feeling of being stabbed and killed in the stomach repeatedly couldn’t compare to the pains I was feeling. Blood… I need blood! I don’t want to die in this place!

The next few hours were a blur to me. All I remember is screaming, rolling around on the dirty ground, clawing at my skin and eyes, and the pain ripping through my body.

The next thing I knew was I was wandering the streets in broad daylight with no shoes and extreme hunger pains. I couldn’t think straight or see where I was going.