- Leo -
Leo's eyes fluttered open slowly, the blurred darkness around him gradually sharpening into a dull, oppressive gray. Every limb felt impossibly heavy, as if gravity itself pressed down upon him with twice its usual strength. A cold, biting sensation gripped tightly around his wrists and ankles. Glancing downward, he saw thick, rusted chains binding him, their metallic edges cutting cruelly into his skin.
Where am I? Panic fluttered within him, his thoughts racing frantically to piece together fragmented memories. The last clear sensation was hands tightening mercilessly around his throat, darkness enveloping him completely. His heartbeat quickened. How did I get here?
Struggling against the chains, Leo forced himself to look around. He wasn't alone.
The cramped space was packed with dozens of other kids, their bodies pressed tightly together in what appeared to be the back of a moving truck. Their faces revealed terror in every shade imaginable—some quietly sobbing, their shoulders trembling, others staring blankly forward, eyes devoid of life, as if their souls had already been drained away.
The air inside was stifling—thick with the scent of sweat, rust, and fear. The metal walls creaked with every bump in the road, and the floor beneath them vibrated constantly, jolting at every sharp turn or sudden stop. Chains clinked faintly with each movement, echoing like whispers in a tomb. Leo's knees ached against the cold, ribbed steel beneath him, and the ceiling felt far too low, like the walls were slowly pressing inward.
Leo strained his ears, trying to listen beyond the truck's metal walls. The deafening roar of the engine reverberated around them, a constant thunder that drowned out nearly every other sound. If their captors were nearby, they probably couldn't hear the whispers inside—at least, that's what he desperately hoped.
Why us? Where are they taking us? Who are they? Questions burned fiercely in Leo's mind, demanding answers.
Ever since he was young, he'd always found it easier than others to think clearly in moments of crisis—something his father had called his "gift." He never fully believed it, but right now, he desperately hoped it was true.
He turned carefully toward the boy nearest him—a younger child with short black hair and wide, frightened brown eyes.
"Hey," Leo whispered gently, careful to keep his voice low. "Do you know where they're taking us?"
The boy flinched, startled by Leo's voice, then shook his head slowly, tears pooling in his eyes. "I don't know anything," he whispered shakily. "My whole family is gone. They took me. I don't know why." His voice broke, and silent tears began to stream down his cheeks.
Leo swallowed hard, the weight of despair settling heavily in his chest. Yet, somehow, hearing someone else's voice, someone else's pain, eased the crushing loneliness slightly. They were all trapped together in the same nightmare—lost, terrified, and utterly powerless. A bitter comfort.
But Leo needed more than comfort. He needed answers.
Across from him sat another boy, slightly older, seemingly more composed despite his weary expression. His hair was dark brown, and his black eyes glanced upward cautiously as Leo leaned closer.
"Hey," Leo whispered urgently, his voice sharp yet quiet enough to remain unnoticed by their captors.
The boy lifted his head warily, eyes narrowing slightly.
Leo leaned forward, raising his voice just enough to overcome the engine's roar. "Do you know who kidnapped us?"
The boy hesitated briefly, glancing nervously toward the truck's doors. Seeing no reaction, he cautiously responded, his voice shaking slightly, "I don't know exactly… but they're not people."
Leo felt his heartbeat quicken sharply. Not people? He forced himself to speak calmly.
"Did you see them? What did they do?"
The boy's expression darkened visibly. "When they took me, one of them stopped a speeding car with his bare hands—like it was nothing."
Leo's pulse quickened even further. Monsters? He swallowed hard, dread mixing with determination. "Did you see what they looked like?"
The boy shook his head gravely. "No. They wear dark suits and hoods that hide their faces. You can't see anything."
Frustration churned inside Leo. It wasn't enough—he needed more.
He raised his voice just slightly more, carefully addressing the entire truck, "Has anyone seen their faces?"
For a moment, silence hung heavily in the air. Then, from the far corner, a tiny, trembling voice responded, "I… I did."
Leo turned toward the sound. A small girl with long brown hair and frightened light-brown eyes sat huddled, hugging her knees to her chest. Her whole body shook as she spoke, her voice barely audible.
Leo softened his expression, trying to offer reassurance despite his own fear. "What did you see?"
She hesitated, lips quivering, before speaking in a hushed whisper. "One of them… had fangs. Pointed ears. And their eyes… dark red, like blood—but glowing."
A chilling silence engulfed the truck, her words lingering ominously in the air. Then, abruptly, a boy beside her grabbed her shoulders, his face pale with panic.
"Are you sure?" he demanded urgently.
The girl didn't respond verbally—she simply nodded slowly, eyes wide with terror.
The boy's grip tightened, his voice shaking. "You know what that means, right? Vampires. It has to be. There's no other explanation."
Instantly, a wave of panic erupted, rippling through the truck.
"We're doomed!" someone shrieked. "They want our blood!"
"She's lying!" another voice cried from the side, high-pitched and desperate. "She's just scared! That can't be real!"
A girl in the back curled tighter into herself, whispering something under her breath over and over, too soft to hear.
One boy stood completely still—his face pale, eyes wide, not blinking. Just frozen.
The terrified whispers swelled into a storm of choked sobs, angry denials, and cries for help.
The young boy beside Leo began sobbing uncontrollably, his whole body shaking. He clutched his arms tightly around his knees, rocking slightly as tears streamed down his face.
"I don't want to die…" he whimpered, again and again, each word breaking further apart. "I don't want to die…"
Leo clenched his fists, fear clawing viciously at his chest. Vampires? Monsters? It sounded impossible… but after everything he'd seen, everything he'd experienced, could he dismiss it?
For a split second, he felt the panic creeping in—cold, suffocating, like it would swallow him too. His breath hitched. What if this is it? What if we never get out of here?His heart pounded wildly, each beat louder than the last, drowning out reason, threatening to break him from the inside.
But then… the faces around him. The sobbing. The wide, terrified eyes. The helplessness.
No.Not now. Not here.
He drew a slow, deep breath, steadying his heart. Think clearly. Dad always said I had that gift, didn't he? Now is the time to prove him right.
I can't give in to fear. I can't let this consume me. I need answers. I need to survive.
No matter what.
He closed his eyes, holding onto the only thing he still had—his will.They can chain my body… but not my mind.Whatever waited beyond those walls, he would face it.
And he wouldn't break.