12: In Between

Nick was stuck in between the chains and the skeletal creature with no way to escape.

He pulled and pulled to no avail.

Oh, shit!

The skeletal creature emerged, fiery eyes glowing with lust of flesh.

"I need a body; I shall take you!" It said sinisterly, descending its sharp claws on Nick.

Lower and lower it came until it was right on his face.

It gnarled with satisfaction as it was about to dig its claws into Nick's flesh.

Nick trembled, fear took away his voice to scream.

Even if he screams, is there anyone in hell who would want to save someone who came for war?

No.

It was only a few centimetres from Nick's face before the pearl in his hand burst out it's glow, illuminating every where with blue.

The creature groaned in pain, its hands and other body parts shimmering to ashes.

The chains set lose and as soon as Nick was about to run, the ground opened, engulfing Nick in a whole.

*****

Everywhere seemed pitch black and extremely hot.

Nick heard a muffled voice call him from above.

He opened his eyes slowly, noticing he had fainted in a pool of blood.

Nick tried standing up but felt a sharp pain shoot up his side to every other part of his body creating a multitude of goosebumps and sending a chill down his spine.

"Nick... It's Chloe... Look up... " Nick heard the weary voice call again.

He looked up, and saw Chloe in a cage, with mother, unconscious beside her, and father... Nowhere to be seen.

The cage was hanging from a creaky, rusty chain, strapped around a boulder with jagged ends, hauled over to one side of the wall which had a sculpture holding it.

Chloe looked pale and frightened.

"What the hell happened here? " Nick asked her, totally confused.

"It was that man, and the vampires. They took dad... They said they were going to feast on his blood and flesh, and would soon be coming back for me. Mom screamed and wailed, and after sometime, she fainted when the rocks scattered and brought you down," Chloe paused and began to sob, "Nick... I'm so scared..." She broke down and cried heavily.

Nick was so sad, seeing his only sister cry. He looked around and noticed that there was a tunnel which had a fiery glow emitting from it.

He sensed that it could lead to another place.

"I'll be back, Chloe. Don't cry." He told his sister as he staggered and ran off to the tunnel, enduring the pain he felt at his side.

He entered the tunnel which turned dark immediately.

He became scared but the pearl in his hands lit up, lighting up the place, and he heard Edrek encouraging him to move on.

He walked, plugging his nose because of the putrid smell of rotten flesh surrounding him.

He heard a faint clanging of metal, getting louder as it got closer.

He saw a glowing set of dark eyes appear, then greyish-red skin.

"Lepi Flixus, dravu... Loptica tu fukoos beokona leli." The vampire said, in its unknown language.

"It means: 'I'm Flixus, you see... I'm hungry for flesh right now.'" Edrek translated for Nick.

With a loud wail, Nick found himself on the floor, the vampire feeding on his flesh.

He screamed, as its fangs

dug into his neck.

The pearl, which was his only hope fell off, rolling to the feet of the Duke of Hell, who picked it up, and left.