This is definitely a weird chapter, folks, maybe too strange for some of you. I’m hoping most of you will stick around, though. I’m trying to make this story as unique as possible.

 If you have questions, many of them will be answered in chapter 5, so please be patient.

NOT edited.

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4.

I twisted and convulsed, trying to move backwards, away from the shovels of dirt raining down upon me. Unfortunately for me, vampire saliva must have had some sort of poison in it that drained the victim of strength, because I was far too weak now for my muscles to comply.

Or perhaps I had just lost too much blood. My neck wound was still bleeding, the blood seeping into the dirt next to me. My lightheadedness was likely due to the loss of blood. Kaz had said that I would be unconscious for this ordeal, but I was valiantly fighting the blackness away.

I did not want to pass out while I was being buried alive.

As Adam leaned over the edge yet again to dump another shovel full of dirt and mud, I opened my mouth to protest, to beg them to pull me out of this grave. I was absolutely terrified. I’d never thought about just how afraid I was of being buried alive, and right now, my panicked brain told me I’d rather go back to the hospital and waste away in peace than be packed into this hole in the cemetery.

My words of protest, however, only came out as a jumbled mess. My brain was slowly losing coherency, just as darkness was creeping into the edges of my vision. I knew that I would soon lose consciousness and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it.

My clawing hands scraped at the dirt next to me, caking it underneath my fingernails. The breaths escaped my body in short pants as I thrashed to the right and left.

“Lucy, try to relax. You’re going to lose consciousness. It’ll make this so much easier,” Kaz said from up above me, his voice sounding like it was coming from miles away.

His calming words had absolutely no effect on me. I was angry—no, furious—that he had neglected to mention that they would be burying me in a grave for this whole ordeal. I had a hard time thinking it was worth it right now. For the first time ever, I actually missed my hospital bed.

“Do they always panic THIS much?” I heard Adam say. The bastard actually sounded amused, of all things! I felt my anger spike, and my hands curled into fists. My fingernails jutted painfully into my skin, but I no longer cared. My vision was swimming now, and the dirt was piling up all around my legs. They seemed to be avoiding throwing it at my face, but every time they heaved a pile in the grave, it kicked up dust and I wanted to choke.

 This was the worst death I could imagine. Despite their reassurances, I wanted nothing more than to climb out of this grave, to escape the abject terror.

I couldn’t, though. My limbs felt like lead, most likely a side effect of Adam’s bite. I was pressed against the side of the grave, as far away from Kaz and Adam as possible, but I couldn’t even heave myself into a sitting position. I was paralyzed, and not just with terror.

 “No,” Kaz was saying. I blinked rapidly, trying to focus on him, but my vision was hazy. My heartbeat stuttered in my chest as my panic increased tenfold. Soon I would be blind and unconscious.

“Normally they’ve lost consciousness by now,” he continued. The concern in his voice did not make me feel any better.

“I’m tired of moving at this human pace,” Adam remarked impatiently. It was then that I realized how slowly they were moving to bury me, in comparison with what speed they were capable of.

“We’re not burying her all the way until she’s completely unconscious. No need to terrify her more.”

I thought I saw Adam peer at me intently over the side. “I don’t think it’s possible for her to be more terrified.”

I tried to scowl at him, but even my facial muscles weren’t cooperating. Aside from the swell of panic in my chest, my whole body was becoming incredibly…relaxed. I felt caged within the confines of my own body, a restless spirit unable to escape prison. My body was ready for whatever was about to happen to me, but my mind was anything but.

The dirt covered part of my legs now. Lying flat on my back, I could scarcely make out the dark sky and sprinkled stars. I took in a shaky breath, itching to reach out and push the muddy mixture off of my legs, but such an action was impossible.

Kaz and Adam had told me I wasn’t dying, but this felt like my coughing fit all over again. I was hovering on the brink of unconsciousness, and only sheer will kept me awake. My paranoia and fear led me to the belief that once I gave in, I would die, and there was nothing I’d be able to do. My fingers twitched, unresponsive to my brain’s orders.

No matter how desperate I felt, my body already gave in. It had always been so weak; I wasn’t sure why I was surprised.

I took another shuddering breath, shivering in my grave. The dark spots had overtaken my vision. With a gasp, I blinked frantically, realizing I could no longer see. A pathetic whimper escaped my mouth, but I had no sense of embarrassment at my fear and vulnerability.

“Lucy, I know it’s hard, but just try to-”

Kaz’s voice faded away as an impenetrable silence suddenly fell upon my ears, muffling my shaky breaths and the sound of dirt falling into the grave.

Somehow, I just knew. This was it. I was finally losing consciousness, and my life—if I was going to live at all—would never be the same. Releasing a heavy breath, I accepted the fact that I couldn’t do anything about it. Fighting it was only making it worse; what was the point?

I felt dizzy for a few seconds, and my stomach plummeted, as if I were falling. I could no longer sense the cold earthy floor of the grave pressed against my back. My limbs felt lighter all of a sudden, and although I couldn’t move them, the sensation was akin to one of floating. I was in a thick sea of blackness, unable to move my body, but my mind was still working overtime. A couple of minutes trickled by, as I tried to figure out what exactly was happening to me.

It was as if, now that I was unconscious, I had been transported into an empty, black void. Was this death? My horror and fear were now muted, emotions I could scarcely grasp. I felt….hollow. A sense of expectancy washed over me as I recalled Kaz’s words from earlier. He said that the process of becoming a vampire acted as a summoning to the Otherworld. Had I crossed some sort of barrier? Could the Otherworld sense me?

What if, as Kaz had said, I was deemed “not worthy?” A whole new type of fear washed over me. If I didn’t die, would I be trapped here forever?

I felt as if I could cry out, and the blackness would completely absorb my sounds of fear until they were lost forever. Wherever I was now, I was….nothing. I was an insignificant speck of life in a vast, foreign world unknown to me.

This thought was deeply unsettling, and trepidation washed over me in waves as a couple more minutes passed, with me floating soundlessly in this strange place. My eyes may have been open, but I could see nothing.

I became so attuned to the world around me, it did not take long for me to recognize a new sensation, slowly creeping up on me.

Awareness.

I was not alone anymore. Dread unfurled deep within my stomach. There could have been something six inches from my face and I would not be able to see it. Yet, somehow I just knew that there was a presence with me now. Whatever it was, it was foreign and unnatural, something not of this world. If I had been conscious, goosebumps would have erupted on my skin. As it was, I just felt my nervousness growing.

What do we have here?

The voice was so sudden, so foreign and different, that my heart skipped a couple of beats in my chest. It seemed to echo all around me, yet also within my mind at the same time.

Humans do not venture here very often anymore…to this world…it continued, sounding almost contemplative.

If it could be described as anything even close to human, I would say the voice was female.

I tried to speak, but the words would not escape my throat.

I can hear your thoughts, human. Speaking is not necessary, she remarked, an undercurrent of condescension in her tone.

Who are you? I managed to form the coherent thought.

And I thought you all were supposed to be so intelligent, so superior.

I had no idea what to say to that. Whatever was in this world with me, it was freaking me out, especially since I couldn’t see it…her.

It is not a question of who I am, rather a question of whether I will help you. She sounded contemplative. I must say…humans have always intrigued me. It is fascinating how, even though your kind is sorely lacking in strength, you are at the top of the food chain.

How could you help me? I asked, even though Kaz had practically already given me an answer. This situation was so surreal and disturbing, it was a fight just to be able to form words.

I would lend you the strength that humans—and especially you—so sorely lack. The condescending tone was back. Look at you, so frail and sickly. You wouldn’t last a second where I come from.

And where do you come from? I prodded, more to distract myself than anything.

A dimension far, far away from yours. There, emotions do not exist. Kindness does not exist, and power is everything. Humans would not be able to survive.

I felt a surge of frustration. My nerves were quite frayed after this whole ordeal. If you dislike humans SO much, why would you even bother to help me at all?

I hoped I hadn’t angered her. I realized belatedly that saying impulsive things was probably not the best strategy in this situation.

There was a deep chuckle, and she sounded almost…malevolent. It sent a chill running up and down my spine.

Emotions have always been a source of interest for my kind. Despite your physical frailty, humans burn with so much energy, and so much desire. It is such things that my kind craves above all else.

That didn’t sound good, I realized with another internal shudder.

 Your vitality draws us in. and makes it tempting for us to lend you our strength, just so we can feel your life force, and the life forces of other humans in your world.

You said you crave them. Almost like….I started hesitantly, unable to phrase it.

Sustenance? Perhaps. You all shine like beacons of energy, is it too much to ask to share a little?

Now, warning bells were going off in my head. Her tone was quite ominous, and Kaz’s words resounded in the back of my mind.

You mean your kind just…feeds on people? I replied nervously. Kaz had said vampires survived on animal blood. But what happened to those that didn’t resist the temptation? Was this Otherworldly being the temptation of power that Kaz had alluded to?

I felt a bit nauseous considering the implications.

A small price to pay in return for our strength. You are here with me, are you not? Clearly, you think it is a worthwhile bargain.

I don’t think…I began, but she cut me off.

It’s doesn’t matter, either way. You don’t have much choice, human. You’re here, in my world, and I decide what happens to you, she said haughtily.

I still control my own mind, I replied, remembering what Kaz had said. I didn’t know who this entity was, but Kaz had said not to let the Otherworldly power take over, and I felt like this was what he meant.

If I had known exactly what he meant at the time, I wasn’t sure I would have been brave enough to undertake the process.

Oh, do you? She replied coolly.

They warned me about you. I’m strong enough to fight you off. I wasn’t sure where this rush of bravery was coming from, but instinct told me that she would prey on any weakness. I had to at least act strong. Kaz had implied as much, and I trusted him more than this entity in the Otherworld.

 This stubbornness of yours is only adding to your appeal. I could see your vitality glowing from a long way away, and it grows ever brighter.

It startled me to hear the hunger in her voice.

So you want to leech off of me, like a parasite? The thought was disgusting. If that’s what it took, I was doubtful that becoming a vampire was worth it.

We’ll see how parasitic you find me once you have my strength, mortal, she replied, and gave another low, malicious chuckle.

There was a heartbeat of silence, before I felt a whisper of movement around me. That was my only warning before something powerful collided with me, both physically and mentally, if that were possible.

My entire body seized up as feeling rushed back into my limbs. However, it still felt like I was floating in a sea of emptiness, and even as I began to thrash, I could touch and feel nothing.

There was a rush of energy within me and my hands involuntarily curled into fists. I trembled from the exertion, but it was not my physical strength that was betraying me; it was my mind.

I could feel her there. The being I had been talking to had merged with me, somehow, and I felt like an iron fist was grabbing at my consciousness and squeezing. It was painful and I panted, having no clue how to defend myself but attempting to, regardless.

I knew now that, without a doubt, this was what Kaz meant. If I let her take over my mind, all would be lost. I would be one of the horrid vampires they mentioned.

I gritted my teeth and thrashed blindly, focusing intently on the foreign entity that I sensed in the back of my mind. I tried to construct a mental wall around my thoughts and memories, imagining a barrier to keep her out. She pounded on it relentlessly, and the pain slowly grew in the back of my mind, a constant pressure.

I barely noticed just how strong my physical body felt, now. I was positively brimming with energy. It did not matter, though, if she clouded my mind with her parasitic tendencies.

She pushed and clawed at my consciousness, and I pushed right back, warding her off.

 Give in, human! Together, we will have enormous power of both mind and body! Nobody will be able to resist us! Just let me have the control. Her words echoed in the deep recesses of my mind.

 At what cost? Feeding on me and other humans?

A worthy trade off, she snapped, and I could actually feel her agitation. It was as if she was currently occupying a tiny corner of my mind, and step by step trying to break down my mental walls.

Forget it. You’re not taking over.

I am NOT staying trapped in this body without being able to control it! She snapped furiously, and her struggles suddenly increased tenfold.

I winced, and for a split second, my mental walls faltered. She seized this opportunity, crashing in like a battering ram. Panicked, I tried to re-construct the walls. Kaz’s words spurred me on: I could not give in to her temptation. I didn’t know what would become of me if I won this mental battle, but there was one thing I knew.

I would not let this Otherworldy spirit (or demon, or whatever the hell it was) possess me and feed on innocent humans. The thought was both terrifying and repellant. As surreal as all of this was, I knew one thing. I would NOT be a monster!

Gathering all of my strength to the forefront of my mind, I took a deep breath and pushed right back against her, as forcefully as I could. I pictured my family in my mind’s eye, my friends, and everyone good I ever met, and thought about the horrors that could happen if this monster was unleashed.

I actually felt sweat breaking out on my forehead, even in this place of nothingness, due to the force I was exerting. But I kept pushing. This felt like an even more important fight than the one against the sickness. Because, somehow, I knew I could win this.

I could protect my family from this thing I might become.

Thinking of them brought me newfound vigor, and with it, I was able to shove the protesting Otherworldly presence into a tiny, contained corner in the back of my consciousness. She fought, struggled, and shouted words in an incoherent language, but she was not strong enough.

For once, I had proven capable of fighting something off.

Soon, I had her backed into the furthest part of my mind. When her fight abruptly ceased and her words were silenced, I knew I had won. For now.

But at what cost?

I floated there, in the impenetrable blackness, for several long seconds as I tried to adjust to whatever had happened to me. I could sense that I was stronger, somehow, as well as the dark, malignant presence in the back of my consciousness. Hopefully it would disappear as soon as I left…here. Whatever this place was.

Lucky for me, I could feel my limbs again. The darkness seemed to be receding.

Slowly but surely, I was returning to wakefulness, for better or worse.

There was a jolt, as if someone was grabbing the back of my shirt and yanking me out of the Otherworld. I felt my stomach plummet again as the floating sensation abruptly disappeared. My eyes snapped open to see:

Darkness. Again.

It only took me a split second to realize I was surrounded by dirt and mud, and it was caked to my face and clothes. I was awake now, but I was trapped in the grave. I opened my mouth, only to choke as the dirt fell in.

I had to get the hell out of here, whatever it took.

I stretched my arms in front of me. Despite the fact that there must have been feet of dirt on top of me, I could easily move. Whatever had happened to me, I was different now. I could feel it. I felt strong.

It took a bit to get my bearings, but adrenaline and fear spurred me on. I tried not to think about the damp earth pressing in all around me. I knew the surface was not far away. I stretched out and began to move, worming my way gradually upwards. The loose soil still surrounded me, but moving did not seem to be a problem.

I was NOT staying in this grave a moment longer! Desperation pushed me to move faster than I’d thought possible.

 Pressing relentlessly, it only took me minutes to struggle my way through the heaping dirt, one bit at a time. 

When my hand finally burst through the last bit of soil and I felt the cool night air caress my skin, I almost started weeping with relief.

That is, until I heard the voice at the back of my mind. 

Well. It seems I’ll get to see your world after all. 

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Next upload should be in a few days.

Cover: by jjackieeex

Song: Sound of Silence