“No way! I already hit the target once. You need me.”
Eric tried to help Jackie. “Nathan. This isn’t a game. Get up in that castle where it’s safe.”
“No fucking way!”
“Nathan!” Jackie snapped.
Kamiyo sighed. “Just let him stay. Everyone, grab whatever you can.”
“Why isn’t it coming out?” Eric was trembling. “I don’t like that at all.”
“It’s coming,” said Kamiyo, knowing it to be true. “Just be ready.”
Philip stomped over to the weapons pile beside the stairs and picked up a sharpened stick. He gripped it in both hands and glared at Kamiyo. “We should’ve put this guy down the moment he attacked Jackie.”
“He attacked me too,” said Kamiyo, then held up his mangled hands. “Twice now.”
“Then you need to stand back and let us handle this, because you clearly can’t.”
Eric put a hand on Kamiyo’s chest and eased him back. “He’s right. You’re hurt, Doctor. Let us take care of this.”
The rest of the adults grabbed weapons while Nathan stood with his bow drawn. The only sound was the swaying branches of the forest. Kamiyo eyed the tree line, fearing a thousand demons would suddenly burst forth and consume them.
They waited.
And waited.
“He isn’t coming out,” said Eric, his dark skin turning pale. “I’m gunna piss myself if it don’t come out soon. Freaking me the hell out.”
Jackie was licking her lips. “S-Should we go in?”
Kamiyo barked a warning. “No! Anything but that. Our best chance is out in the open.”
“Wait!” Philip held his homemade spear in front of him while he cocked his head to listen. “I hear something.”
Kamiyo did too. The clod-clod-clod of heavy footsteps on wood. There was also a low, whistling sound. A twisted melody. A dirge that weakened Kamiyo’s bladder just hearing it.
Vamps appeared at the top of the cabin’s steps and surveyed them all like he was about to give an address. But it wasn’t really Vamps. Stood before them was an abomination.
Nathan loosed another arrow, and once again the boy’s aim was uncanny. The shaft buried itself in Vamps’ stomach, a wound that should kill a man, yet he yanked the arrow out and threw it to the ground like a crushed mosquito. He resumed whistling that dreadful tune.
Nathan notched and released another arrow. This time, Vamps caught the shaft in mid-air and snapped it in his fist. All the while, he carried on whistling. Whistling a tune of damnation—an ode to Hell.
Kamiyo felt terror rising in his chest, and he wanted more than anything to run into the safety of the forest. They were all going to die here, but his sense of duty made him stay. A doctor did not flee people in need of help.
Vamps leapt the steps and landed in the grass before them. He hissed at them, tongue tearing free from his throat and lashing at the air.
“Oh, hell no!” Eric had a shovel, and he swung it at Vamps. Vamps stepped aside so quickly he became a blur. He trapped the shovel in his armpit and yanked Eric towards him. Eric abandoned his grip on the shovel and tried to grab Vamps in a headlock.
Kamiyo yelled out in horror. “No! Get away from him, Eric.”
Vamps embraced Eric like an old friend, but then he shoved the man hard enough to launch him into the air. Eric’s guts unravelled as he flew backwards, held in place by Vamps’ outstretched fist. He hit the ground, dead, a massive hole in his torso. Vamps held up his bloody hand, clumps of intestine sloughing off it, and carried on whistling his tune. He tossed Eric’s guts into the grass.
Philip teetered on the spot, eyes rolling grimly in his head. Kamiyo thought he might pass out or make a run for it, but instead, Philip flung his sharpened stake at Vamps like a javelin.
Vamps knocked the spear aside and strode towards Philip, whistling louder in a high-pitched screech that caused them all to cover their ears. Jackie sobbed, her typical resolve evaporating. “We have to get to the children. I need to protect them.”
“We let him get away and we’re all dead.” Kamiyo stared her hard in the eye, trying to keep her mind present and focused. “Even if he doesn’t get inside the castle, he’ll bring other demons. he knows we’re here, and he won’t stop until we’re dead.”
“He’s right,” said Nathan. “We have to take this prick down.”
“We can’t,” cried Jackie.
“We stay and fight,” said Kamiyo.
Philip shoved Kamiyo towards Vamps. “You stay and fight. I’m not ending up like Eric.”
Nathan fired another arrow, and it struck Vamps in the shoulder. He pulled it out like all the others and threw it to the ground. It was useless. There was no way to hurt this thing. The Red Lord was invincible.
“He won’t die,” said Nathan, backing off towards the lake while notching another arrow.
Philip and Jackie backed away too. Kamiyo tried not to flee quite so readily, but he had two busted hands and no idea how to help. Vamps stopped his whistling and sneered at each of them in turn. “None of you shall live to see another sunrise.”
Kamiyo shoved Nathan with his elbow. “Run, kid!”
Everyone bolted, but Vamps moved like a leaf in a gale and was in front of them before they even realised he moved. Nathan stumbled right into his outstretched claws.
“Nathan!” Kamiyo barged the boy out of the way, which meant Vamps grabbed him instead. Kamiyo bellowed in pain as razor-sharp claws hoisted him off the ground by his shoulders.
“A noble sacrifice.” Vamps snarled in his face. “One you will regret.”
A shot fired, and Vamps released Kamiyo to the ground. He turned around slowly, blood spurting from his neck. Three figures emerged from the darkness. Hannah was one, flanked by Frank and another man Kamiyo didn’t recognise.
Frank shouted. “We’re here, kidda. We’re here!”
Hannah knelt behind her rifle and let off another shot. It struck Vamps in the throat, sending him spiralling onto
