"My love, don't worry. I will protect you both."
"Oh my God… Fear is consuming me, love. What about our daughter?"
"Nothing will happen. If they come, I will expel them—"
And, in a moment of tension, a family is tainted. A father, who lived near Missisquoi Bay, loses his life in the border incident. The mother, with her daughter in shock, desperately tries to flee as fast as they can.
However, we are not talking about a rare event: it is something that is almost commonplace in this world. A wave of zombie-like beings was out of control, some of whom managed to frantically break through the Dualist Wall.
These uncontrolled beings were called ghouls. They were nobles who lost control because they could not mentally withstand the lack of blood. Often, they were vampires from lower social classes (which shows that the noble title can be purely ironic), who, as a result, were unable to consume blood and lost their sanity.
Ghouls don't just seek blood, but human flesh. Because of this, they don't distinguish between vampires and ordinary people. It's an irreversible state. Numerous scientific experiments conducted by vampires have attempted to return a ghoul to its natural state, but without success.
Some nobles can overcome this condition by becoming Abstinent. This title corresponds to the class of vampire warriors who undertake various expeditions into the world of commoners, seeking to collect enough blood for the vampires of high society (i.e., Counts and Sanctos). Their blood abstinence is controlled, allowing many of them to maintain mental control and not become a ghoul. This, however, remains a possibility; but the social bonus was more attractive and advantageous than the caution with this small chance of going insane. But why did this condition of abstinence exist? It was a mysterious relationship.
The Dualist Wall is a set of extremely long walls on each continent that divided the vampire world from the world of other humans. They were painstakingly built by the vulgars, financed by powers such as the United States and Brazil, to hinder contact between the two worlds, which doesn't seem to have proven very effective.
The news were already focused on reporting what had happened, increasing the despair, once again, of many in the population.
"At nightfall, the zombies from the north attack again. This time, on the border between Vermont and the vicinity of Montreal. It's an urgent evacuation alert."
Despite the intense preparation of the Wall's soldiers, who are people of unparalleled competence and strength in this quest to dissociate the two worlds, not only is it impossible to circumvent all the actions of the Paths' powers, but also the determination of beings at the peak of their insanity is perfectly capable of nullifying such a barrier. Temporary, but severe, damage. Countless bodies of guards and civilians were already torn to pieces. That mother and daughter desperately wanted to take the man's body so that, at least, he could be buried with dignity. However, there were no traces left of who he was. The ghouls had dismembered him. A disturbing trauma filled their minds.
On the vampires' side, the chaotic rebellion was quickly quelled. A loud bang sealed the temporary peace in that city. A neutron bomb.
They are known for not being as destructive in a structural sense, but with an instantaneous radiation dozens of times stronger and more widespread than the bombs that once afflicted Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Interestingly, this technology was also in the hands of the northern hemisphere. However, this was no ordinary war attack. There were no planes or even tanks in that place to launch that device. In fact, what happened was the appearance of a group of extremely fast vampires, who decimated the very few ghouls who survived the explosion, which was effective enough to exterminate a huge part of that city. On the horizon, observing the outcome of the cleanup, was the missing person from the meeting. Not Charlotte, who had not yet given any sign of life. But Elizabeth.
She was blonde, with light blue eyes and an athletic, though slender, build.
"Sancta Elizabeth, extermination complete. The others are in the world of the commoners."
"Excellent, Simyon. In that case, since they are vulgars, let them succumb. For even the madness of Dracula's sons is wiser than that of the vulgars.[1] I authorize the others to return to the province. You will return to Saguenay and wait for me to report to the Lord."
"Right. Permission to leave."
"Dracula tecum sit." In Latin, may Dracula be with you, something like a blessing granted by a superior to subordinates.
Simyon Novik was a Sancto II from the Belarus region, and one of Elizabeth's closest subordinates, even though she was an introspective and mysterious figure. He was the commander-in-chief of the Yugoslav armies.
After Simyon left to dismiss the others and return to Saguenay, Elizabeth approached the southern viewpoint and, using her stealth skills, crossed the Wall to check on the suffering of the vulgars. However, what she saw was surprising: not many American soldiers had arrived on that side, but all the ghouls had been decimated. The damage she had imagined was considerably less in reality. What could have happened? As it was not a good time to venture further into the neighboring country, she immediately returned to report the situation, speculating about what had occurred.
From the perspective of the commoners, the mother and daughter continued to flee. It was an energy they had never shown before, a consequence of the immense despair of the moment. However, the energy was beginning to wear off, as their bodies were screaming louder than the panic and the determination to stay alive. Upon reaching the center of Swanton, after a long run down the road, what seemed like a possible shelter that would ease their steps for a while became the last straw: a massacre. The ghouls had already surrounded the place. A few people had remained, and they were hiding in the buildings. For the rest, it was a lake of organs and blood. The already immense despair became unbearable. Until they heard a low voice.
"Hey, you two! This is safe."
A 13-year-old boy saw them and called out. They entered without hesitation. It was a hideout in the basement of a warehouse, with only a hundred people, including three armed policemen who were providing security for the place. It was covered by a heavy metal door.
"After all this time, how did you still manage to get here?"
"My mother and I are from the Sandy Point area. We were attacked by these zombies suddenly. My father tried to protect us, but… But…"
She and her mother came to their senses after a long run, during which they hadn't had time to think about crying. But there, frozen, coupled with a sharp pain in their legs, after the adrenaline had drained from their bodies, came a cry that escaped their suffocation. A cry that needed to be released, and no one would dare interrupt.
For the other hundred people present, a mixture of feelings: surprise at the long run they had endured, and yet still having survived; anguish for their own families; compassion for those two women in mourning; anxiety about the situation; discouragement and hopelessness; or even some remnant of faith that it would end. There were many thoughts. Despite this, there was something common to all: the uncertainty of how they would get out of there. If rescue arrived or if the ghouls dragged them out, they would have to leave.
After three long minutes, they calmed down. One of the police officers, Norton, realized he could talk to them.
"My dears, I am very saddened to know that we cannot alleviate your pain. But we can still do something: protect your lives, just as we have been trying to protect these hundred who are here. Allowing you to move on is our duty as the only police officers here, until rescue arrives."
"Thank you very much, sir," said the mother. Her name was Britney Hoods, and she was 43 years old. Her daughter was Meryl, 19. The father of that family was Stewart, 45. The others welcomed them, offering them some of the resources they had left to feed themselves.
A woman, however, further away from the center of the people, upon hearing the conversation, stood up. She recognized Britney and called her.
"Britney! It can't be… Stevie died?" And she began to cry.
Britney recognized her and hugged her. Her name was Vivian, a childhood friend of the couple and a former colleague of Stewart's. Britney still teared up a little when she saw Vivian, but she had already cried all she could for her late husband a few minutes ago, and she held her composure. If she escaped, she would have enough time to ease her mind of this pain. The two were supporting each other very closely.
"I can't imagine the pain you must be going through seeing so much with your own eyes. And Meryl, how is she?"
"Vivian! I'm fine, even better seeing you now," the young woman replied. The two also hugged. "And Carly, is she here?"
Carly was Vivian's daughter, and a great friend of Meryl's from high school. However, she received news that made things even worse. Carly was there, but seriously injured by a ghoul in the right kidney area. First aid managed to stop even worse bleeding, but she was still very weak. Her immediate reaction was to go talk to her.
"Carly! My Lord… Those damn zombies!" she exclaimed with tremendous anguish.
"Little Meryl… I'm so glad you're okay," Carly replied, in a very weak but cheerful voice. A slight smile on her face in the face of such pain gave Meryl strength, although the sadness for her friend was, obviously, immeasurable.
The boy who called them to the building brought some food for Carly. His name was Josh.
"Thank you so much for calling us here, boy."
"Don't worry. That's exactly what I was there for. Unfortunately, I don't think anyone else will come here for refuge. But if it's the rescuers, all the better," and he gave a discreet but courageous smile.
But while they were talking, they heard a commotion coming from above. Norton went to see what it was, while holding his shotgun. However, it was a crowd of ghouls who had sniffed them out and found them. The worst possible thing. Even with a heavy door protecting them, nothing could contain the determination of beings at the peak of their insanity.
Norton managed to shoot and kill six of them with great precision. But when he tried to reload, the crowd rushed towards him in a fury, and he had to go down again. One of them even managed to bite his leg, but it wasn't a major injury that would stop him from running. Now they were cornered.
Clover and Damian, the other two police officers, fired without hesitation until their bullets ran out (even though they only had pistols). Many of the zombies died, but one hundred against a thousand was still a huge disadvantage. There was no escape unless rescue arrived. And despair and agony gripped most of the hundred survivors, while others, like Meryl and Britney, knelt in prayer.
And then, an explosive beam of light pierced the entire crowd of ghouls, coming from above. It didn't seem to be a weapon of any kind. It was of unprecedented precision. Immediate relief washed over everyone, who remained motionless for a few seconds. The infernal sound had dissipated from the streets. Afterward, a great euphoria and joy filled the hearts of the survivors, who hugged and kissed each other, and then ran upwards. Although they didn't know what kind of weapon it was, they couldn't assume anything other than the arrival of the army to rescue them.
But, upon climbing, they encountered something unexpected. There were no helicopters, tanks, or anything of that nature. In fact, far from it. Only two people were on the street at that moment. Hooded, with dark glasses and masks covering their faces. One of those people had a black cloak, while the other had a dark blue cloak. They gave off an air of mystery, and this paralyzed the survivors. However, the one in the black cloak, upon seeing them, spoke. It was a strange voice. Deep, resonant, and unrecognizable, as if it had been manipulated by some filter.
"Rescue is just minutes away. Survivors, there is no more danger for you. Life has given you a new chance. This chaos will end one day, and we promise it won't be long."
And, after this succinct speech, the two figures flew away with an elegant, yet absurd, speed, as if in the blink of an eye. Another mix of feelings: the joy of surviving; the grief that persisted and could not be easily erased; and now, the unsettling curiosity. Who were those people?
The rescue then arrived. Numerous land and air vehicles took them safely to New York. There were no more ghouls around. There was a chance they could recover what was left behind in their homes when the time was right.
Meryl notices that her mother looked into one of the pockets on the way to the shelter. Almost sticking out of the pocket was a necklace. It was her father's pendant. A calm smile appeared on her face. A physical reminder that would reinforce the fact that that man would not be forgotten. Although their minds would not forget him, any object would be a memento that would remain with them.
A new beginning awaited them. But, beyond the lives that had permanently departed, an unanswered question remained in that city.
The answer, however, would not be long in coming.
[1] A clear satirical reference to 1 Corinthians 1:25, which had further implications.