The Blood Harvest

The truck screeched to a halt, the sudden jolt throwing me against the cold, unforgiving metal wall. Pain flared in my shoulder, sharp and immediate, stealing my breath for a moment. The rattling chains binding my wrists and ankles clinked ominously as the other kids around me tumbled, their cries of fear mixing with the metallic groan of the truck settling into silence.

Where am I? My mind scrambled for answers, but all I found was a gnawing, hollow fear. Why am I here? Why are we all here? The questions spun in my head, but there were no answers—only the pounding of my heart echoing in my ears.

The back doors creaked open, a rush of frigid air biting at my skin. I squinted against the harsh light spilling in and saw them.

The same dark figures from before—but this time, their hoods were down.

Two of them stood there, framed by the light like shadows given form. One had long, pale blond hair that shimmered unnaturally, his fangs glinting in the light. His blood-red eyes seemed to glow, sharp and hungry, and his pointed ears twitched as if he could hear the frantic beat of every terrified heart. The other had the same pale hair, but tied back in a low ponytail, his face carved from ice.

The girl was right. My stomach churned. They really are vampires.

The one with the ponytail spoke, his voice a razor blade slicing through the cold air. "Out. Now."

We didn't move. None of us could. Fear had rooted us to the floor, stealing our breath, our strength. The silence stretched, suffocating, until it snapped under the weight of his impatience. He reached for the chain linking us together and yanked.

It felt like the ground was ripped out from under me. We were dragged from the truck like broken dolls, our bodies crashing against the frozen earth. My face slammed into the dirt, and I gasped, tasting blood and dust. My hands shot out instinctively, scraping raw against the rough ground.

I groaned, forcing myself to lift my head—and froze.

A massive, dark castle loomed before us. Its towering spires clawed at the sky, and shadows danced across its ancient, crumbling walls. It didn't belong here. It didn't belong anywhere.

What is this place? My mind recoiled from the sight. How… how could this have been here all along?

"Move, humans," the vampire snarled, yanking the chains again.

We stumbled forward, pulled toward the castle's gaping maw. The enormous doors groaned as they swung open, revealing a vast, shadow-filled hall. It was filled with kids—some my age, others younger—their faces pale, their eyes wide with the same terror twisting in my chest.

As we crossed the threshold, the vampire at the front blurred into motion. One second he was there, the next he wasn't—a sharp whoosh of air the only sign of his passage. Before I could even process it, the chains binding us fell away, clattering to the stone floor. Then he was gone, swallowed by the shadows as if he'd never existed.

I stood there, my breath ragged, my mind spinning. What do they want with us? Why are we here? The questions echoed louder now, but still, there were no answers.

The hall seemed to press in on me, its walls whispering secrets I couldn't understand. From the shadows, more vampires watched, their glowing eyes gleaming like predators waiting for the right moment to strike.

And then…

"Leo! Hey, Leo!"

The sound of my name cut through the fog in my mind. I spun around, my heart leaping into my throat.

"Ryo?" My legs moved before I could think, carrying me toward the familiar voice. "Are you… are you okay?"

Ryo gave me a look that said everything. "Do I look okay, Leo?"

My mouth opened… and closed again. Yeah, that was a stupid question. I wanted to say something—anything—to make this feel less real, but the words wouldn't come. How do you talk your way out of a nightmare?

"Do you know what they want?" I finally asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "Why they need so many kids?"

Ryo shook his head, his expression darkening. "No clue. I've been here for hours. They're waiting for something, but I don't know what."

Hours? My stomach twisted into tighter knots. "Have they… have they said anything? Anything at all?"

"Nothing." Ryo's voice was flat, empty. "They just watch us. Waiting. Like we're livestock."

The word hit me harder than I expected. Livestock. It tasted bitter on my tongue.

I swallowed hard, the weight of helplessness pressing down on me. "Let's sit."

We found a spot near one of the massive pillars, leaning against the cold stone. The hall was filled with a heavy, suffocating silence, broken only by the occasional sob or the shuffle of feet.

Time blurred. Minutes felt like hours. The walls seemed to close in, the shadows pressing closer. I could feel the weight of their eyes on us, a constant reminder that we were being watched—and judged.

Then, the doors groaned open again.

Another group of kids was shoved inside, their faces pale and frightened. Ryo stood, his eyes scanning the new arrivals.

"Leo," he whispered, his voice tight. "I see Milo."

My heart skipped. I jumped to my feet, my eyes locking onto the familiar figure.

"Milo! Over here!" we called out together.

Milo's eyes met ours, and he started toward us… but something was wrong. His steps were shaky, his face too pale. I felt the fear spike in my chest just as he collapsed.

"Milo!" We rushed to his side. He was gasping for air, his eyes wide with panic.

"Where is it?" Ryo's voice was frantic. "Where's your inhaler?"

Milo weakly pointed to his pocket. Ryo grabbed it, shoving it into his hands. Milo took a few desperate puffs, and finally—finally—his breathing eased.

"You okay?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Yeah," Milo whispered, his voice barely there. "Better now."

I squeezed his shoulder, trying to offer some comfort. "Don't worry. We're here. We'll get through this."

But even as I said it, I felt the lie burn on my tongue.

Before I could say more, the air in the hall shifted. A new presence filled the room—one that made my skin crawl.

A vampire, different from the rest, stepped into view. His dark clothes were accented with crimson, and his very presence seemed to command the shadows. He was taller, more refined… more dangerous.

His voice echoed through the hall, cold and merciless. "Form two lines. Now."

No one moved.

His eyes narrowed. From the shadows, another vampire emerged, grabbing a small boy—he couldn't have been older than fourteen.

Without hesitation, the vampire plunged his hand into the boy's stomach.

The boy didn't even have time to scream. Blood sprayed across the stone floor, and the vampire pulled his hand free, letting the boy's body crumple to the ground.

"If you don't want to end up like this," the vampire hissed, "move."

The boy's body hit the ground with a sickening thud.

Panic exploded in the hall. Screams, sobs—but despite the chaos, we moved. No one wanted to be next.

I found myself in the right line, Ryo behind me, Milo beside me. My heart pounded as we crept closer to whatever awaited us.

At the front, vampires sat behind a long table, strange devices in their hands—like guns, but with glass vials attached.

The vampire with the crimson accents watched over it all, his cold eyes gleaming.

The boy ahead of me stepped forward. A vampire grabbed his arm, pressing the device against his skin. Blood filled the vial. The vampire examined it, then nodded.

"Move forward."

Then it was my turn.

Milo and I stepped forward together. Cold hands gripped my arm, and the device pressed against my skin. The sting was sharp, but I barely felt it. My eyes were locked on the vial as my blood filled it.

This isn't just a blood test, I thought, my stomach turning. They're looking for something.

The vampire examined my vial for a moment, then nodded. "Move forward."

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding and turned to Milo, expecting the same.

But the vampire inspecting Milo's vial didn't speak. Instead, he made a subtle gesture with his hand.

Before I could process it, two vampires burst from the shadows, grabbing Milo and dragging him away.

He didn't even have time to scream.

That was the last time I ever saw Milo.

I moved forward, my legs heavy, my heart heavier. The hall ahead was lined with doors, each guarded by vampires whose cold, dead eyes followed us.

I was herded into another vast hall—and what I saw stole the breath from my lungs.

Rows upon rows of children lay on metal beds, tubes snaking from their arms, draining their blood into massive, glowing containers.

Before I could even process it, a vampire behind me kicked me hard, sending me sprawling to the cold, unforgiving floor.

"Find a bed, livestock," he sneered, spitting on me before vanishing into the shadows.

I staggered to my feet, my body trembling. I have no choice, I realized. It's either let them drain me or die.

I found an empty bed and lay down. The moment my back touched the metal, chains snapped around my wrists and ankles. Tubes slithered to life, piercing my skin and locking onto my veins.

The blood began to flow.

I felt my strength drain with it, my body growing colder, number with each passing second. The world blurred, the edges of my vision darkening.

They're not just taking our blood, I thought, my mind slipping into the void. They're taking everything.

And then… nothing.

Darkness swallowed me whole.