NEW STORY: Blood, Sweat, and Tears Ch. 1

“Don’t tell me you’re scared. Seriously, Sarah, they’re only stories,” eighteen-year-old Alec Brown told his girlfriend. There were four students at Saratoga Memorial Cemetery that night, Alec Brown, Logan Walker, and twins, Sarah and Ben Matthews. They had heard stories of the mausoleum in the cemetery. It was blackened, as if burned but there was never any fire there. The name that once existed above the entrance was all but gone now. Inside, many graves filled the structure but no bodies or remains of any kind have ever been found in the mausoleum.

The Walls inside had archaic markings on them, written in what was rumored to be blood. It’s been washed away numerous times but the markings always returned. Legend says that the markings were vampric symbols. The legends were what brought the four Saratoga High seniors to the cemetery that night. The brought cameras in order to catch some footage of so-called vampric activities.

The idea had actually belonged to Ben. Alec, being the most adventurous one of the group, and Ben’s best friend since they were in diapers, instantly agreed. Logan, the intellectual one of the group, only agreed once Ben mentioned the markings. Sarah on the other hand was firmly against it. Alec didn’t want to leave his girlfriend out of this adventure so he asked Ben to try to convince her. Eventually he was able to coerce his sister into going. As they approached the mausoleum, Alec looked over and saw Sarah’s hand tremble. He walked up next to her and laced his fingers with hers. “Relax,” he whispered in her ear. Logan managed to easily picked the lock keeping unwanted visitors out. The four lifelong friends entered, Ben taking his usual position in the front of the group. They looked around and found the place just as they had heard, empty. Ben sighed in disappointment. He had hoped to find something more concrete to prove this was real. They continued to explore, taking pictures and video of the symbols painted on the wall.

“Dude, looks like someone got a little too into Lord of the Rings,” Alec said with a laugh.

“They look like Celtic symbols actually, not Tolkien’s elvish but what he based it off of,” Logan said distantly as the took pictures and notes about what he saw.

Alec shined his flashlight on him. “So do you like know everything Logan,” he asked with a smile. It warranted a punch in the shoulder from Sarah.

“Why do you gotta be such an ass,” she asked rolling her eyes.

“Just my nature I guess,” he said with a smile. “But you love it.”

She just rolled her eyes again and sighed. “Damn,” Logan muttered as the batteries in his camera died. Moments later, his light went out too.

“Looks like electronics aren’t your thing man,” Alec said sarcastically. Again, Sarah punched him in the shoulder. “What?”

“Can we go now,” Sarah asked impatiently.

“Just a little longer sis,” Ben answered still taking photographs. “I want to get as much of these markings as possible so maybe our professor here can find a translation, right Logan,” Ben said with a smile. He stood up and turned around when there was no answer. “Logan,” he called out again. Still there was no answer.

“Logan this isn’t funny,” Sarah said beginning to get worried. Logan wasn’t the practical joker that Alec was. Alec’s light flickered then went out, that was shortly followed by Ben’s light, the last flashlight. They were left in pitch darkness now. “Logan,” she called again. She reached her hand out for Alec’s, her heart was pounding in her chest. She calmed a little when she felt Alec’s fingers lace with hers. They were cold, but she assumed he was just scared. “Ben, I think we should go now,” she said softly. There was no answer. “B… Ben,” she said again with a broken voice. “Alec what are you doing,” she asked when she felt his arms wrap around her and his lips lightly touch her neck. “Alec stop it,” she said angrily, now was not the time, nor place for this. Sarah shoved him away when he did not listen. She took a step back and tripped, falling backwards. One of the flashlights came back on and Sarah turned to look at it. What she saw however made her heart stop. She screamed and tried to back away. Lying on the ground with his eyes wide open and look of horror on his face was Logan Walker. He was covered in blood. Sarah picked up the flashlight and looked around the room. She stopped the light on another body.

Sarah ran to it as fast as she could. It was Alec. Tears filled her eyes and she dropped to her knees. She picked him up and held him in her arms, rocking back and forth. She loved him; they had been together all their lives. She couldn’t imagine life without him. “Sar… Sarah,” Ben’s voice choked. She lifted the light, searching for her brother. She finally found him in the corner and ran to him. She stumbled though and the flashlight flew out of her hand, shattering on the stone floor. Moments later, Ben heard her scream. “Sarah,” he called out. He stood slowly rubbing his head. Ben could hear footsteps all around him. They were getting closer. Then suddenly they stopped.

“Spare this one,” a woman’s voice said. She had the most amazing voice and accent. Ben could barely make out the figure of a beautiful young woman in the darkness. She seemed to glow and her voice was like a song. It invaded every part of Ben’s mind. She approached him slowly and gracefully. Her magnificent blue eyes captivated him and he couldn’t look away. “He belongs to me. He has great potential,” she said to the others that were around them. She then turned her attention back to Ben and ran her fingers across his face. Her touch was cold, but fire at the same time. “What is your name child?”

“Be… Ben Matthews,” he said softly.

She smiled at him and leaned forward, kissing him lightly. Her soft lips then moved to his neck. “Its nice to meet you Ben Matthews,” she whispered in his ear. His eyes rolled back in his head. The world seemed to fade away, then he heard and saw no more.