Runes

Ray woke up when Marcus came up the ladder. He guarded the ladder for 4 hours before he was replaced by Julia. It took him a minute to realize that Marcus had come back in one piece.

Marcus even seemed happy.

"How did you survive the night out there?" Asked Ray shocked.

Marcus laughed heartily, "Because I'm strong." He walked to his backpack and checked if everything was still where he left it before putting his machete back.

Julia's sharp gaze looked doubtful at the sharpened machete. Her frown grew bigger.

"Catch!"

Marcus threw something at Ray.

Ray flinched back, but still managed to catch it. It was wrapped up in clothes, Ray took off the clothes.

"Wow Marcus this is great, I can finally fight back against the bloodsuckers." Said Ray while hugging a shotgun.

Marcus gave him, two packings of ammunition.

"I also found a good car that still works fine." Said marcus, stunning the three.

"Really?" Asked Lea with shining eyes.

They had been traveling on foot for the last two weeks without finding a car that still worked.

Marcus nodded, "Pack up we will leave now."

Everyone's mood improved a lot. They packed everything up, leaving the roof.

Ray was the last to climb down the ladder. He noticed a strange sign carved on the ladder. He was sure that it wasn't there yesterday when they came.

He frowned but shrugged it off, the car was more important.

Marcus guided them to the car. It was a dark-blue SUV. He took out the keys and opened it.

Lea was delighted, "Finally a car and it has so much space for us all."

They put their things on the backside, Marcus sat down as the driver.

The girls sat down in the back and Ray sat beside Marcus.

Marcus started the motor, driving fast away.

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The group arrived at a deserted petrol station. They had been on the road for half the day, they exited the car happy to use their legs for a bit. Rey wanted to enter the station to look for food but he was stopped by Marcus.

The group became warry. They knew Marcus for two weeks now and he only acted like this if danger was near. Ray walked back with the girls, arming themselves.

Marcus opened the door, his sharp green eyes looked around. The doorbell rang, they waited.

Just as Ray wanted to say that it was safe two people with half destroyed clothes came sprinting at them.

Ray panicked and shot. He missed the target miserably. Marcus dashed forwards, turning around. He used the power form the spin, his machete separated the head from the man cleanly.

Lean and Julia took aim and shot at the remaining man. The bullets stopped him for a second before the man opened his mouth way too wide for a normal human. They could see his dozens of sharp fangs. A high pitched scream echoed through the patrol station.

Marcus catched up to him, swinging his machete at the neck. The man's reaction was quick, he jumped back, avoiding the machete.

A one long tongue came out of his mouth heading at Marcus.

He dodged it by a small margin. Marcus took out a desert eagle from his holster.

Everyone emptied they magazines. The men who had many severe wounds all over his body stood slowly up.

Ray felt his back grow cold seeing it. Marcus smiled, "Time to die bloodsucker." He threw his machete at it. It's movements were restricted by the wounds. The machete flew across its throat.

The men screamed a last time before its head fell on the ground, followed by the body.

Ray,Julia and Lea sucked cold air. Marcus was so good at killing, it scared them.

Marcus went over to the counter, taking back his machete, he used a handkerchief to clean it.

"Impressive." Said Ray while looking down at the two corpses. Black blood was slowly coming out from their wounds.

"How many times do I need to tell you guys to aim for the heads?" Spat Marcus.

Ray had an embarrassed expression. The girls just shrugged.

"It should be save now, take everything that is still useful or edible." Ordered Marcus.

The group scavenged all that seemed useful. They decided to stay over the night on the roof.

The sky was filled with dark clouds. It smelled like it could rain any moment. They took out their tents. The blood-red fog came much faster today. The dark clouds made it appear earlier than usual.

Drops of water began to fall down. It soon became a rainfall.

Shrieks could be heard echoing out from the surroundings. A shrill angry shriek came right under them. It made Ray's blood freeze.

Marcus who shared the same tent with Ray saw his fear. He put his finger on his lips, reminding Ray not to talk or do something that was loud. Marcus signaled Ray about the rain, he turned around closing his eyes to sleep.

'He has nerves of steel! How can he sleep with a bunch of evil bloodsuckers right under us?'

Ray had trouble to fall asleep in the beginning but his body and mind were tired enough for him to finally doze off.

He had a couple of nightmares, waking up all sweaty. He noticed that he was alone inside the tent.

Ray came out of the tent to be greeted by the morning sun. He looked up to the sky, no clouds could be seen anywhere. Ray thought for a second that the rainfall was a bad dream he had.

It was only when he saw all the water around him that he snapped back into reality.

Marcus, Lea and Julia were giving him weird look.

Ray looked down at himself, he was only wearing his love angels underpants.

He rushed back into his tent and put some clothes on.

Lea looked at him teasingly after he sat down to eat canned food.

He sighed when he ate the canned food. He missed all the good food. He would kill for a pizza or a burger.

The rest sighed too, looking down on their canned food.

The group packed they things and went down from the roof.

Ray noticed the same strange sign carved on the wall. He frowned.

'Once can be a coincidence, but twice...who?'

He looked at Marcus first but shook his head, his gaze fell on the two girls.

'It reminds me of those ancient runes I have seen inside the history books...'