“Stay close behind me,” Sonya said as she grabbed her daughter’s sword. “Catch your breath as I deal with a few of them.”
The sword was heavy, heavier than she’d anticipated. Despite this, she beheaded three vampires in quick succession: Robert, the camera operator, Vincent, the gaffer and David the assistant sound technician.
“Oh, no,” April muttered.
Sonya felt the emptiness behind her and knew her daughter was no longer there; no longer safe.Where did you go, April?
Three new vampires came at her, keeping her from going to April. She fought them, but they were relentless and harder to kill.
“Mom!”
Spurred by the power of that one word, Sonya found new strength. She didn’t take the time to question where it had come from or why April had blurted it out. All she knew was a surge of maternal instincts that clearly called out ‘No! Not my girl.’. She killed the three vampires that blocked her way and rushed to April, quickly disentangling her from the hold of the two diminutive vampires.
Sonya smiled, amused by the confidence they displayed as they tried once again to get a hold of April. With one swipe of her sword, Sonya lopped off both heads with barely any effort.
“Are there any more of you?”Sonya shouted as the room grew quieter. “Come on. Show yourself! We’re ready.”
Silence hung over the cafeteria.
Dr.Ang joined them; sweat and a trickle of blood smeared across his face. “Are we done?”
“I think we are,” Sonya said. But despite her optimistic words, she scanned the room and looked to every entrance.
“It’s about time,” April said with a tired sigh. “I’m exhausted.”
“Slaying takes a lot of stamina,” Dr.Ang said with a wink.
“I don’t think I’ve completely developed my stamina yet,” April said. “I’ll work on it.”
“Come on, you two,” Sonya said. “I think we all deserve a break...and a little something to eat.”
With sluggish steps they made their way to the lunch counter where they picked out a sandwich, a vegetable salad and some strawberry shortcake for dessert.“It’s so convenient we’re in the cafeteria,” April said.
In silence they sat at a corner table, their backs to the wall as they ate, too exhausted to talk. When all the wrappers were empty, when the shortcake was gone, Sonya gathered all the trash and got up to throw it away.
“Now what?”Dr.Ang said.
“We know our job isn’t done,” Sonya said, returning to the table. “For all of that fighting, for all that spilt blood, none of those vampires were the Bat.”
“That only leaves one person,” Dr.Ang said.
“Zwick,” April and Sonya said.
