Fern awoke on the cold hard floor of the garage. She lay still, staring at the light grey concrete around her. She could hear the vampire’s voice hissing in her head and sense the ebbs of the taxi driver’s blood still mingling with her own. Fern eased herself up, wiping her face and casting a look around. Strangely the garage was empty, expect for the collection of crosses hanging all around her. Though there was enough room for two cars and storage.
She stood up and went to the door, upon which someone had carved and painted the largest cross in the room. She went to touch it, but her fingers recoiled. She listened and heard footsteps coming towards her. Fern moved away from the door, drifting back to the centre of the garage. She looked at the metal garage door as the sounds of the other door being unlocked brushed passed her.
‘Fern?’
She turned at Brook’s voice and stared at him. His long hair was loose about his shoulders and his violet eyes were holding her’s. He was wearing dark blue jeans and a black t-shirt she hadn’t seen before. Fern looked down at her own clothes and the strands of hair she could see. In comparison, she looked a mess and she tried to fix things.
‘How are you feeling?’ Brook asked after a few moments.
‘Fine, a lot better. Are you going to let me out?’
Brook looked her over carefully then nodded.
A small smile flicked on Fern’s lips and she walked quickly over to him.
‘I left all you stuff. You should get changed,’ Brook spoke when she reached him.
‘Why are we going somewhere?’
‘I thought you’d want some fresh air…’
Fern stared at him trying to read his mind and not letting him into her’s at the same time.
I had to do it for your own good, Brook said in his head.
Locking me away like some kind of animal? She questioned back.
You were an animal. I didn’t want you hurting yourself or me.
Did you put all the crosses up? How come they hurt us anyway?
I didn’t put them up, Brook send back, something to do with religion and the devil. I don’t know. Come on let’s go.
Fern watched him turn and walk out. She followed him through the house and back to the parlour. Her things were still stacked on the sofa and the room smelt heavily of blood. She took a deep breath as she entered the room, aware that the same blood was inside her. The coffee table was covered in a collection of things she didn’t recognise, yet from the smell she knew where they had come from. Feeling Brook watching her, she turned and began to search through her things.
‘I’ll wait for you outside,’ he said and left the room.
Fern paused, listening as he opened the front door and went out. She heard him lighting up a cig and a whiff of smoke trailed back to her. She refocused on looking for clothes and at last settled on a pair of old jeans, a white t-shirt shirt with long dropping sleeves and a purple jacket.
She found Brook leaning against the wall just to the side of the door. He was looking up at the early night sky and blowing smoke upwards. Fern felt herself twitching a little and wrestled the vampire back down.
Soon, soon soon, she thought.
‘Soon what?’ Brook cut in.
‘Oh, nothing. I’m just excited. As much as I love the beach and sea, I do prefer the countryside,’ Fern rushed.
‘You told me it was your escape.’
‘When?’
Brook flicked the butt away and stood up straight, ‘I asked you why you were in the Lake District that night. You told me it was because the countryside had been your escape from the care home as a child and throughout your illness.’
Fern nodded though she had no memory of the conversation.
‘We’re not going far. Just around the fields,’ Brook put in, ‘if you feel up to it?’
‘I’m fine,’ Fern stated and strolled off down the driveway.
She headed towards the gate, keeping her eyes fixed on it as she listened to Brook coming to her side. Small stones crunched under her soft shoes and she thought about asking what had happened to the taxi.
Brook moved passed, reached the gate before her and slipped through.
She paused, wondered how he had done that. She turned the metal bars and found them solid.
‘Have a go,’ Brook called, ‘it’s easy, just push yourself through.’
Fern slipped her arm though the bars then tried to get her shoulder to pass through. She felt the metal scrapping against her and holding her in place. She looked at Brook, removed her arm and let a little bit of the vampire raise within her. She shut her eyes and stepped through the metal bars with no problems.
‘You did it,’ Brook’s voice whispered in her ear.
Fern opened her eyes and found him standing next to her, his arm gently wrapping around her stomach. She smiled and kissed him, even though she could feel the vampire tugging for more control at the back of her head.
Brook took her hand and began leading her off the driveway and over a patch of well cared for grassy land. She looked back at the front gate, which she could clearly see off to the right of them and wondered how to give Brook the slip. As the carried on walking, Fern’s mind raced with possible things.
‘I was thinking that we should put yesterday behind us. We were both tried and it’d been a long night,’ Brook spoke out.
‘What did you do with him and the taxi?’ Fern asked carefully.
‘What I had to do; got rid of them. It looked like he was in trouble anyway, so they’ll probably say it was suicide.’
Fern paused, her hand loosening in Brook’s palm and she looked across the coming up fields and wired fences. She could smell farm animals- horses and sheep, hay and the faint smell of wood burning.
‘And if they don’t?’ Fern asked.
‘Then whatever it takes to keep us out of it, if it comes to that,’ Brook explained and tugged on her hand.
‘I…’ Fern looked up at him through her eyelashes, ‘can I be alone for a bit?’
Brook squeezed her hand, ‘once we get back inside sure.’
‘I’d prefer to be out here,’ she pressed.
Brook glanced around.
‘Where can I go?’ Fern voiced his thoughts.
‘I’d rather have you close, that’s all. The blood is still strong in you though you’re doing good at staying in control.’
‘You don’t trust me?’
‘I do,’ Brook said, ‘I just think that for now, its best.’
Fern pulled her hand away and stepped backwards, ‘Please. I’m not asking for anything else. I just want a few minutes!’
‘Alright,’ Brook sighed, ‘but if you’re not back at the gate soon, I’ll come and get you.’
‘Thanks,’ Fern cried and hugged him tightly.
Brook hugged her back then let her go. He kissed her nose and walked off.
Fern remind still and listened to his footsteps, before walking off towards the brick wall that ran to her right. When she reached it, she stopped and looked back. Brook was nowhere in sight. She looked up at the wall, which rose about five feet above her head. She frowned and pondered how she was going to get over it.
She thought about going to the front gate, even running, by the time she got there and through, Brook wouldn’t be too far away. She looked at the wall again and thought about climbing it. Letting more of the vampire seep through, she pressed herself against the seemingly smooth wall and started to climb up.
When she reached the top, she sat down and looked back. She could just see a trail of smoke coming from beside the second gate. Smiling, she jumped over the side.
To Be Continued…
The Story Files 