There was a knock on the door. My heart stopped. There was a scream; I wasn’t sure who it was. They broke through the door. They were in. My dad tried to shield my mom, but they got him…. they killed them both. The memory slashed into my memory like a knife and I sit up screaming, pulled my dagger out of its hiding place under my pillow and slashed at invisible enemies like I was surrounded. It took me a while to realize it was just a dream, but I finally caught up with my conscience and got my emotions under control. It has been three years since that horrible night, but it still haunts me every time I close my eyes. “You’re being stupid,” I chastised myself and got up and went to get some water.







“Ahhh,” I groaned. “Sweet water.” Water like this is really hard to come by these days because most living things are blood-sucking monsters and mostly human blood runs through the pipes instead of water. It’s disgusting, I know, but it’s those undead freaks life substance. They breed, what remaining humans they can capture, like cattle and suck them dry. That’s how they get all of this blood. I’m lucky since I live in Nebraska that I found one of the last uncontaminated wells left. It’s about 4:00 in the morning, but with that dream I’m not tired anymore so I have to go brave the cursed triple V’s and go search for what food I can from the little garden I have in the back of my hideout. When I got there, I could tell something was wrong. My garden was trampled, and there were fresh boot prints surrounding the crime scene. As I stood there in shock, I knew there was one thing to do. I whistled shrilly and my golden retriever Rebel ran out of my hideout, then we started tracking the footprints.


There were several trails of footprints running along the road until Rebel finally found exactly what I was looking for. The footprints led us to an old house that looked like it had been abandoned for years, but we knew better. This house is in fact the hideout of one of the most notorious vampire gangs around. The Triple V’s. I knew better to take on a whole vampire gang, but you see these same vampires murdered my parents 3 years ago, and now they extinguished my only remaining food source so they had to pay. I told Rebel to stay and looked for a way in, for the door was surely guarded. I finally found a tiny crack in the wall and drew my sword and used the blunt end to break open the crack and then I slipped in. I had no idea what I would find in there but it was worse than I could ever imagine. They were sitting in a circle around a table and snacking on…. gulp still beating hearts. I looked for the victims and I found them sitting in the corner, empty eyes staring back at me. I was sick right there and then. I must not have been thinking clearly because I drew my sword and charged into the room, and cut the head off of the first vampire I could find. As his head slid across the floor I realized I killed the leader’s son and boy was he angry.







They had me backed up in a corner and I thought I was done for. Then out of nowhere Rebel leaped onto one of the evil henchmen and ripped his head clean off. This distraction gave me just enough time to make a quick break for it out of the back door. Rebel was right behind me and we high tailed it out of there like we were shot out of a cannon.


I entered my underground house and slammed my sword down in rage. ”How could I be so stupid?” Now every vampire in Nebraska will know where my “secret” base is and they will no doubt be here within an hour. I had to get out of there now! It was too late. They were here. I could feel their cold, lifeless presence surrounding my home. Their blank black eyes staring at me and their mouth stretched into that gruesome smile of theirs. It was time for me to pull out my secret weapon. My shotgun. Time for me to go Rambo style. I ran out the door guns a’blazin and…they were everywhere.


His undeadlieness must have sent out a whole platoon of vampires to bring me in. Our situation was feeling hopeless but we weren’t going to give up without a fight. The first vampire came at me like a hurricane but I blasted it to bits. The rest was a blur. We killed dozens, Rebel and I, but there were just too many. We were exhausted and were just about to give up when an arrow came out of nowhere and splits the vampire’s brain that was about to cut me in half. After that all hell broke loose. Vampires were getting slaughtered all around, but someone ran up to me and started dragging me away. I resisted at first, but the mystery man put a funny smelling cloth over my mouth and the world started to fade….




I woke up in a dark room that smelled like it hadn’t been lived in for ages and there was food on the little nightstand by my bed.I finally came to my senses and started looking for an exit. I’m not going to lie I was scared senseless. All of the sudden there was a knock at the door. Luckily they didn’t take my secret knife hidden in my boot. As soon as they opened the door I jumped at them and stabbed at them with my knife. They were too fast. I was soon apprehended, but still got in a punch or too. It took a slap to the face before I finally came to my senses. I looked at my captors and was confused. They were human. Before they could say anything, I asked bluntly, “Where’s my dog”? After they assured me he was safe they explained to me that they were the only resistance left against the vampire king. “What there is no resistance?” I said surprised. “How haven’t they found you”? The leader, a middle aged man with snow-white hair, shushed me and said “all in good time, Now I think there is someone who wants to see you”. All of the sudden Rebel dashed in and jumped up on me and started licking me. “Down boy” I said laughing and for once in my life I actually felt safe.












By: Dawson Helmer