Untitled

Chapter three
Taken

As I drove home, my cell phone rang, I ignored it. It continued to blare one of my favorite songs, I glared at it with intensity. The song eventually ended and I sighed. I flipped it open to see a number I did not know.
“Must have been a wrong number,” I mumbled under my breath. I then thought, “Why am I talking to my self out loud?” As I approached the driveway I could see another car, it wasn’t my mom or dad’s car. It was a black Taurus, something rarely seen in the country. A man was sitting in the front seat. He seemed to be waiting for something. I pulled into the driveway cautiously. I came to an absolute stop. I slid my hands on the door handle, wondering if I should get out just yet. I got up slowly, hoping it was just one of my dads friends or something. As I stepped out of the car Ashley got of the Taurus. She smiled slightly. I was surprised because I had only seen one head. As I glanced into the car I could now see eight heads.
“Don’t ask,” Ashley responded with a slight sigh, I could tell she knew I was wondering how they fit eight people in a six passenger car.
“Get in,” Drake grunted from the drivers seat. I obeyed and quickly got in, I squeezed between him and Ashley. Ashley had to sit on Rick’s lap to help everyone fit.
“So…you’re probably wondering what we’re doin’ huh?” Ashley asked with a grim smile. I nodded slightly, still confused. She nodded as if she understood.
“Well, we decided to move that bonfire thing to today, you know,” Rick added as he ran his fingers through Ashley’s hair. She looked up at him and smiled. I glanced away quickly, feeling as if I was invading someone’s privacy.
“Yeah, that’s it,” Drake agreed as he looked down at me with a smile, “I already told your dad.”
Oh, great, my dad knows Drake and everyone else I thought glumly to myself as if this day couldn’t get any worse.
“Well, let’s not sulk, okay?” Ashley commented with a smile as she nudged me happily. I fake smiled back to her, hoping it was convincing, “You’re gonna have to try harder to fool me,” She continued with a louder laugh than before.
“well, where is this bon fire going to be held?” I asked as I turned the volume on the radio down.
“Kinda on the outskirts of town,” Jeff added from the back seat as he leaned forward. I could see his head next to the leather seating beside me.
“And where would that be?” I grimaced with a grunt at the end of the question.
“In my backyard,” Drake commented as he pushed Jeffs head back into the backseat.
In his back yard!? I practically screamed in my head. Chip smiled at my seaming to be odd expression. she seamed pleased by my reaction.
“Oh, okay,” I mumbled as I looked away quickly, hoping my face didn’t turn too red. Drake laughed slightly as he continued to drive.
“Don’t worry, his parents wont be home,” Pork chop added with an enthused voice. I sighed, this was not what I had planned for tonight. I adjusted my hands on my lap to make a cup form over my knees. My kaki pants wrinkled slightly at this motion. Ashley gave a reassuring smile as I glanced up at her.
“You know,” Seth began with a smug expression, “We could go for a walk in the woods in addition to having a bonfire.”
“Yeah, that would be tons of fun!” Jeff yelled with much interest. I sighed and sat back in my seat, this night would be full of surprises.
“Let’s ask what Nicole thinks, it’s her first time,” Drake commented with a not so happy expression.
“Okay, fine,” Jeff grunted. I thought for a moment before answering, I guess I couldn’t let Jeff down because he was so happy a few seconds ago.
“I’m okay with it,” I said with much defeat. Within seconds I could see bright lights in the distance.
“Were here!” Ashley yelled as she collected her things and unbuckled her and Rick’s seat belt.
“Not really,” Rick interrupted as he put the seat belt back on, “Don’t you want to be safe?”
“Since when have I ever been safe?” She added as they both broke out in laughter, it must have been an inside joke or something.
“Now we’re here,” Drake said with a slight laugh as he parked the car in the garage. Everyone quickly got out with ease. I struggled with my seatbelt, the button just wouldn’t press in. I grunted as I tried harder, most of the people were already in the house I could guess by the lack of noise. As I struggled I scratched the tan leather seat with my untamed nails.
“Oh bugger,” I mumbled under my breath. Then the car lights went out, I could only see the blue outlines of the car quite close to the one I was in. I felt around quickly to find the door handle on the drivers side only to grasp air.
“Need help,” Drake muttered as his arm brushed against mine. I gasped slightly as he quickly unfastened my seat belt. I sighed with relief as I found the light.
“Sorry about that,” I said as I began to blush slightly.
“No problem, now let’s go into the house. Okay?” He asked with a smile. I nodded slightly as he helped me out of the car and into the house. The house was clean and mostly white. Everyone was sitting on the couches in the living room as we walked through the door.
“Man, I thought you two were never going to come back,” Rick commented with a smug smile as he turned the TV off and adjusted himself on the dark brown sofa.
“A minor problem,” Drake said as he pulled the few hairs that were in my face behind my ear. I blushed again, but less noticeable.
“That’s what I thought,” Derek announced as he got up and grabbed two rather large bags, “Well I think it’s time we head on out.”
“yep, I would say so,” Ashley agreed as she handed out flashlights, as she got to Drake and I she stopped and stared down at the single flashlight in her hand, “I guess you two are gonna have to share on,” She commented as a grin formed on her face.
“Okay,” Drake answered without question and grabbed it.
“We have to go now?! We just got in the house!” I yelled with much force. Drake shrugged as if he didn’t quite know the answer, “Fine,” I finally was able to make out. Everyone talked amongst themselves as we walked out the back door onto the patio. There weren’t many chairs or tables, just a bunch of rocks and dirt. I could hear both Jeffs laugh in the direction of Ashley, Drake, Rick, and I. I turned quickly to see if they were really laughing at us. They turned their heads with a fast motion and tried to pretend nothing happened.
“This may take a while,” Derek assumed as he set the light of his flashlight on the path, “Well, not to us, but to the first timer.”
“Yeah, it’s not good to be accident prone out here. Could take years to get to the bonfire with someone tripping all the time,” Chip commented as she tossed me a glance and a confident smile.
“It’ll be fine,” Drake began as if to comfort me, “You’re not that prone to accidents.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I think I do.”
“Well…I-” I began only to be cut off by what seemed to be an impersonation of a dog, Ashley began to howl madly.
“Ash, you okay?” Rick said in a rush as he sprinted to her side.
“Yeah, I think. I just totally ripped up my arm…stupid thorns,” Ashley mumbled the last part in disgust. Rick seemed tense as Pork chop put the light from his flashlight on Ashley’s wound.
“Oh crap,” Rick whispered to himself as he held her arm in his grasp. I tried to look over the many shoulders but it didn’t work out so well.
“it’s just a scratch,” Ashley said with a sigh, then winced at the pain in her arm as Rick poured some water from his water bottle on it, “See, already healing,” She remarked as Rick tore some cloth of his shirt and wrapped it around her arm.
“Okay, but we can go back if you want to,” Rick added as he looked her in the eyes. I could hear Chip sigh.
“We aren’t gonna stop because you say so,” Chip continued, “She’ll be fine.”
“Yeah, she’s right, I’m a-” Ashley began but stopped mid sentence, “I’ll be fine,” She sighed as she began to walk forward. Rick nodded but continued to look tense. He looked over his shoulder many times to glance at me and when I met his gaze he looked away quickly.
“What’s he doing?” I whispered to Drake with much confusion. He shrugged slightly.
“Overprotective?” Drake said as if it was a question.
“Yeah, but why me? What did I do?”
“You’re just a threat I guess.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ll figure it out later,” I mulled over the questions and answers as I pretended to look at the surrounding trees. Drake sighed heavily, “Come on, you’ll know soon enough, don’t sulk.”
“I’m not sulking.”
“Call it what you will, I think you’re sulking.”
“Fine, it’s sulking. Whatever.”
“And I’m okay with that,” Drake added with a crooked smile, I couldn’t help but smile back. I glanced down at the ground, grass was starting to clutter the path instead of dirt.
“okay, we’re about there,” Seth announced as he took the lead with Chip at his side. As I walked forward I could see an outline of a field. I wasn’t a big field, just about half a football field. Their was a path that we followed to a small bonfire ring. Logs were in the form of a circle around it as if it was a conference room.
“Derek, you should start the fire,” Ashley suggested, but before she could finish Derek was running towards the ring with matches in hand. I sighed with amusement as he and his hyper self began to work. Jeff was looking over his shoulder to give directions that Derek would soon tune out.
“You still okay?” Rick asked Ashley with much concern. She nodded as she found a spot on a log. I sat next to her as Drake sat on the log next to ours. Rick glanced over at me again, not looking as cautious as before. I stared at the small fire that was beginning to form. Jeff, Chip, and Seth started to take out a bunch of bags of chips and assorted foods. Jeff’s expression looked disgusted as he drank some pop.
“I love chips!” Chip said rather loudly as she opened a bag of chips. I smiled slightly to myself.
“Okay, let’s get to the point already,” Drake announced with much force, everyone went silent and looked at him and me, “I vote Pork chop sold tell her,” Drake muttered as he pointed in Pork chops direction.
“Me?”
“Yes you.”
“No!”
“Fine,” Ashley broke in as she touched her finger to her nose, everyone did the same except Chip, who was digging into, well, Chips! She looked up confused.
“Why me?”
“It’s the rules!”
“Okay, I’ll do it, but you all owe me big time.”
“What is going on!” I yelled in confusion. Chip sighed and put her bag of chips down like she meant business.
“We kinda have to tell you something.”
“What?”
“You can’t tell anyone though.”
“Okay.”
“Promise?”
“Yes,” I nodded, I changed my position in my seat, knowing that this was going to take a while.
“So, do you know what we all are?”
“Um…people.”
“No…We aren’t human.”
“What do you mean ‘not human’?” I questioned as I put my hands on my knees and leaned forward. She sighed and leaned backward in her seat.
“We can’t tell you! You have to guess,” She commented with a hint of relief.
“Give me a hint at least,” I commented as I peered across the fire into her eyes. She automatically stood up and walked towards the woods.
“Where are you going?” I complained because I didn’t have my answer yet.
“She’ll be back, she’ll just look like something else,” Drake pointed out as he put down the can of soda he was holding.
“What do you mean!?”
“You’ll see,” Drake answered as a huge dog came running out of the woods. I screamed in terror and I fell backwards off the log. Ashley was laughing hysterically as I struggled to get back up.
“T-That’s Chip?” I asked as I pointed to the sandy colored animal, my arm was trembling uncontrollably.
“Ashley and Chip are Werewolves,” Rick said pointblank as he nudged Ashley.
“You too?” I said in amazement to Ashley. She nodded and removed the bandages from her arm. It was like nothing happened, her skin was just the way it was before. Chip ran back into the woods quickly, hoping to not miss anything in human form.
“Oh, I’ll tell ’bout us,” Jeff Said as he raised his hand as if he was in a class room and Drake was the teacher.
“Okay, fine,” Drake mumbled under his breath. Jeff nodded and walked towards the fire so I could see him completely. He opened his mouth widely and that’s when I noticed his K-9 teeth were growing. His skin started to look paler and his eyes turned blood red. He hissed under his breath jokingly, but it still sent shivers up and down my spine.
“then, the rest of you must be vampires,” I said with a shudder. Everyone nodded their heads slightly, “Then why do you eat human food? Don’t you hate it?”
“Oh Nicole, always the brave one,” Pork chop said with a disappointed sigh.
“It’s an act, and why aren’t you scared, why aren’t you running away?” Drake asked with much concern. I laughed slightly.
“When I fell backwards I wasn’t frightened, just surprised.”
“Call it what you will,” Ashley remarked as she rolled her eyes playfully. She leaned slightly into Rick as she began to chow down on some chips.
*
“They’re here,” Chip muttered as she walked towards us. Her feet dragged slightly on the ground.
“So soon? I thought we would be safe here!” Drake yelled in anger as he got up. The air suddenly became very tense. Ashley’s face wasn’t so playful anymore, she frowned slightly.
“I said it would be better here than at your house,” Chip said under her breath.
“What’s happening!?” I demanded as sat strait up. My arms were trembling with fear.
“They want you,” Rick answered as he leaned forward so he could see me past Ashley.
“Who’s they? And why do they want me?!”
“You are the next one to become on of us,” Ashley admitted as she motioned to herself and Chip.
“Next? To become a werewolf?” I gasped as I leaded forward to catch my breath. I clenched my khaki pants as I looked over towards Pork chop, “Who are they? You didn’t answer that question.”
“W-We don’t know,” He answered with much sadness as he looked at the dirt beneath his feet.
“They’re close, I don’t think they will pick up her scent though, ours is too strong,” Chip continued as if I wasn’t there. I pondered over becoming a werewolf, why me? Why not someone else?
“Nicole, wear my jacket,” Drake commented as he handed me his jean jacket that he was wearing. I grabbed it then put it on quickly and tried to cover my whole body with it.
“They are confused, they keep on going in circles,” Chip assessed as she focused on the sound of the people, or what ever they were, “Drake, go spray this stuff on the path. It might help,” Chip added as she through Drake a can of Lysol.
“Lysol? You really think this’ll work?” Drake said as he raised on brow in confusion. Chip shrugged slightly and sat down next to Seth.
“We can at least try,” Seth commented under his breath as she smoothed out Chip’s hair to relax her.
“Okay, I’ll do my best,” Drake said before he ran into the woods, he was a blur as he ran. It must be one of those Vampire things.
“Nicole, the thing is,” Ashley continued as she put her hand on my shoulder, she looked deep into my eyes before she continued, “They will take you, they will bring you to a tall building that looks like it’s made out of mirrors,” Her expression changed as she continued, like she was holding something back,” We all went there. When you are fully transformed you have to get out and go to New York’s main airport. I trust you will be there in under a month, can you do that?” I felt stiff with fear, I gathered enough strength to nod slightly and she understood.
“Don’t lose hope, Drake has only fell in love with one other person and they were trapped in there, she was used as a secret weapon against Japan. They killed her after her work was done. He can’t go through all that again,” Jeff said in a saddened toan of voice.
“He’s in love with me? But we’ve only known each other for a week, how can that be?”
Jeff shrugged at the question, “He just does, Normally we only have one shot at love. I guess it’s like a second chance to get what he deserves…you,” Tears started to weld up in my eyes, it took all I had to keep them in, where nobody could see them.
“This love thing has only happened to the three of us. Rick, Drake, and I are the oldest so it’s pretty reasonable I guess,” Seth added to what Jeff had said. I nodded as he spoke, I wasn’t really focusing on what he was saying. I was picturing Drakes face as he got the news that the woman he loved had been killed, by our government nether the less.
“I’m back,” Drake announced as he suddenly appeared standing at my side, “They have dogs,” Drake confessed in horror as he looked at Ashley.
“Oh no, they will find us faster than I thought!” Chip yelled as she stood up in urgency, “Dogs are attracted to Ash and I.”
“Here, take this. It’ll help you find you’re way to the airport,” Drake muttered as he took my hand and placed a piece of paper in my palm, “It’s a map, I’m sure you know how to use it.”
“Okay,” I answered as I quickly put it into the pocket of my pants. I suddenly heard the sound of barking dogs approaching quickly, then a sharp pain went into my jaw. I fell to my knees as everyone stood up in their fighting stance, they were all going to try to protect me.
“It’s starting, you’re transforming,” Ashley commented with a growl before she quickly took her shoes off and ripped her summer dress off. She howled as she changed into a big white werewolf, Chip did the same, except she carefully slid her dress off, hoping not to harm it before she became one also. (They do this so they won’t destroy their clothes, I’m not a perv!) They all sprinted forward as I felt another sharp pain in my side, I tried to breath correctly as I spotted the things that were coming out of the woods. They were vampires, It looked like a huge herd of them plowing through the under brush. They clashed together quickly with a loud bang. My ears rung as I watched the fight that was happening before me. Drake took about two down at the start, he had ripped their necks to shreds. The fragments fell to the ground in chunks, I swear I heard a couple thuds as they hit the ground. Ashley and Chip fought the same way, mostly avoiding the other vampires biting them.
They tended to use brute force instead of strategy, it was sloppy. The lower half of my body began to ache. Drake glanced over at me as I fell to the ground. I felt like nails were being stabbed into me. I pulled at my hair as I struggled to keep focused on staying conscience. I tried to focus on the fight again, Josh and Seth battled side by side. Their shoulders almost touched as they seemed to dance as they fought. Drake still glanced over at me frequently. I sighed and began to close my eyes, I suddenly felt sleepy. I felt a cold hand on my shoulder before I drifted of to, what seemed like sleep.