(Skip this part if you want)
My name is Connor Robertson, I write for fun and thats just it, within a year I start dozens of new stories but none have really gone past the third chapter due to either my short attention span, my youth or the fact that the data gets corrupted so I've decided on short stories, where each one has some kind of ending but can be continued If i chose to so it might eventually form a great novel, I'll write three stories based on the same title waking up dead so leave comments if you want me to keep going after chapter three.
This particuler part is retype on several parts, i accidently submitted the wrong story and got the ending I didn't like but kept for reference, feel free to read both endings.
I hope you enjoy my first short story, it symbolises the difference between the to main charecters and the gap between Hunter and Nameless Streetdweller.
Adult content.
Please comment, feedback keeps me interested.
(Story)
WAKING UP DEAD
CHAPTER ONE: HANIAN AND KIANA
The church was a huge room decorated with a red carpet running through the long row of pews and giant stained glass windows depicting the Saint's and Jesus Christ and all had a halo shining brightly above their heads. This night the church was to be disturbed for the fifth time in a month.
"I absolutely forbid it child" cried the priest running towards the young man in a nightgown he was a wizened old man with bright white hair, his eyes where half shut after being awakened by a sound of clanging metal, the boy was back and he was spooning holy water into twenty, easily broken glass jars "This water is not to be taken from the church".
"Then what else can I use against them Father Joshua" cried the man as he capped the last bottle and began to slip them into belt straps, when he opened his jacket the priest spied an assortment of wooden stakes, five on each side all neatly fastened to the jacket but ready to yank free if need be "You know better than me that normal water does fuck all to the beasts".
"This water is not a weapon, why don't you let me bless your own water-" the priest whined but was interrupted.
"No time Father I am sorry" the man bent on one knee and took the priests right hand and put it on his own head "The only blessing I need is yours so I can hunt safely tonight".
The boy was just turning eighteen and was following his own dangerous path, his father was a city banker in the Garadon Capital of Rashis and the priest knew that his father disapproved of his sons career, if it could be called that, his hair was short and black, his fringe didn't go past his big blue eyes, his hearing was as sharp as humanly possible so he could hear a faint whisper two metres away, his face was handsome and muscular, 'a dashing rogue' some called him.
"I can't" The priest said sadly "Your father said for me not to".
"My father is a useless banker with no time for me unless he's hindering my progress as a hunter" said the boy "Like now, I could die tonight; I wish to go to god blessed if it should happen".
The priest saddened "What is my word to a young man like you"?
"Safety and clarity father" said the man, begging almost "I only want our city free of the bastards".
"Then go safely, and next time be prepared, if I catch you helping yourself to my Holy Water, I'll call a guard" the old man took a breath "Go safely again, May God guide your path in all that you do each night you hunt".
The man kissed the priests hand tenderly.
"Go then and make them answer for their sins" the priest said, always getting overly exited when the young man glowed with his contagious energy, the priest eyed the bread and water he left for the needy and snatched up loaf and threw it to Hanian "And for God's sake eat something".
Hanian caught the bread and smiled before holding it in his mouth as he turned and ran from the church.
Kiana trudged through the deep mud, swaying slightly with the fever, her feet were cold as the mud seeped in through the many holes in each of her heavy though thinned boots, she recalled them being much thicker a year ago, currently she wore a ragged red sweater with a purple stripe running across the middle, her blue jeans where torn at the bottom and knees, she had short red hair (thanks to the knife she found to cut it with) and was her skin was pale but thankfully her face and body looked younger than eighteen which kept men from mistaking her for a whore so she avoided the unwanted attention. The city of Rashis was a cruel place for anyone who was homeless to live, Vampires stalked the streets at night and normal people ignored Kiana, the police force attempted to catch Nameless and urchins and usually execute them within the day.
Nameless were people whose families had disowned them for some severe injustice, poor or rich it happened sometimes, Kiana was one such person, but she had never knew her family or her name so she made her own, it meant nothing special, not peace, hope or justice, just a name she randomly thought up. It seemed to Kiana that she was abandoned for being a child no one wanted.
Kiana didn't remember a lot of how she survived the last eighteen years on the streets, someone had looked after her but she died when Kiana was six of a disease Kiana could not remember to well, but she died horribly but since Kiana was so young the women's name didn't stick in her mind, nor her face or anything about their time together, just the knowledge that she died painfully and slowly which resigned the Nameless to a deep depression, she didn't let anyone in nor did anyone try. Kiana had gotten by mostly through small, though rare, charity or taking refuge in the church near the Entertainment district, her only friend in the world was the priest there, The entertainment district was a dangerous area of Rashis, a feeding ground for vampires which was why Kiana noticed so many hunters, some in groups and some alone, they ignored Kiana, civilian or victim was how hunters saw people, they cared only about fame, justice or the thrill of turning the brutes into dust.
Kiana decided to head towards the church, the priest would be sleeping by now, but he often left large stacks of bread and water by the church alter inside, plus she needed some place safe to rest and find out why she was so ill, or what she had picked up, she resisted the urge to cough loudly as she entered a darker area, stealth would see her safely to the church.
Along the way she crossed two busy roads, trying not to collapse as she did, despite the late hour many people drove around, Taxis, Lorries and normal cars were plentiful at any time of day, she carefully walked through several allies, making sure there was no one hiding, she did see one man staring at the alley from a roof, but a second later he vanished, so Kiana quickly ran from that particular alley.
She made it to the church without being followed and without much problem, before she could enter the holy place the doors burst open and a man garbed in black ran right into her.
Both Kiana and the man fell to the ground, but the man was back on his feet quickly and climbed on top of her, holding a steak to her heart.
Kiana didn't flinch; the man's face was blank as he held the deadly weapon to the helpless Nameless.
"Ouch" said Kiana weakly not able to push him off, the boy was heavy built, he had his hands on the scruff of her collar which hurt her neck, but that the least of her worries, the fibres in the shirt weren't as strong as they used to be after years of wearing the same clothing and she worried about falling out of it. The hunter would have been threatening, had he not had a bit of bread dangling from his mouth, which he ripped out when he saw her staring "Nice steak" said Kiana, slightly nervous for her life "God what a horrible night".
"She's no vampire Hanian, just a Nameless" said the priest "She comes here sometimes and she looks ill can't you see, vampires don't get ill".
The man looked at the priest and nodded and let her go, she fell to the ground, hitting her head slightly, but enough for her to black out.
Hanian noticed his error and picked up the girl, she woke as soon Hanian stood back up.
"Put her down Hanian I'm sure she can walk" said the Priest.
He did so gently but she swayed a little towards the priest who caught her quickly.
Hanian didn't want to be here, he had to go now and vampires didn't wait.
"Hanian can you delay a second" demanded the Priest "Perhaps you can escort the Nameless home when she's had something to eat".
"I'm not an escort, nor under your employment father" replied Hanian.
"But you're using my holy water as a weapon so stay put".
Hanian sighed and watched as the girl was led into the church, a pitiful thing, looked no older than fifteen to his reckoning, but something told his she was older, and she was also very pale. He decided to follow the priest back into the church, he walked back towards the alter, out walking the priest and the girl and snatched up another loaf of the plentiful bread and pouring a glass of water but after looking at the girl he decided on pouring two and put a two pieces of bread beside her glass on a cheap metal plate.
*
Kiana didn't need help walking usually but lately she hadn't been feeling herself so the priest helped her along, she found a glass of water and two hunks of bread waiting for her, she grabbed the plate and sat on a pew, the priest joined her.
She picked a piece of bread up and took a bite before thanking the hunter "I won't get in your way while you escort me back, I don't sleep far from here".
The man nodded as he chewed on his own second hunk. Kiana stopped staring and focused on her own meal, it would keep her going for a day or so, she was always welcome in the church if she needed to eat.
"You look awful Kiana" inquired the Priest "Worse than the last time I saw you".
"You know how it is father" replied Kiana "Illness is ripe amongst the homeless".
"What are your symptoms?" asked the Hunter.
"Just a cough at first but I've been getting dizzy when I walk".
"Vomiting?"
Kiana nodded, she went red in the cheeks "Sometimes" her voice betrayed her nervousness and embarrassment of sharing her symptoms with the man who had thought of killing her not five minutes ago.
"Flu, you won't last the month" said Hanian.
The priest looked angrily at the hunter; Hanian had no care for Nameless, it was a trait that he inherited from his father, so it made him to proud to encourage the girl to better health, but her never ending depression did a worse job.
"I would offer you shelter but I'm afraid it gets colder in here at the best of times since I don't lock the main doors" the Priest said this sadly "But you're welcome to try".
Hanian had had enough of the constant chatter, he wasn't a cruel person at heart but his father had told him that all nameless where either thieves or whores, the sexes were often spread evenly by thieves being men and women being the whores.
"But not this one" he though himself, with that he swallowed his pride and his fathers cruel and petty discriminations.
"I'll be hunting until dawn, your welcome to sleep at my home" said Hanian "It's not far from where I patrol, just off the slums".
The Nameless girl looked at him oddly, she was probably thinking that he hated her and would only offer him his home as an excuse to bed her once she had recovered.
"No strings" she asked "I'm no-"
"I wouldn't ask it off a child" said Hanian; hiding the fact he knew she was older.
"She, isn't a child Hanian, she your age" said the Priest blindly.
"Father" Kiana said quickly, sounding insulted, she obviously knew she looked younger and probably used it as a disguise.
"I was unaware" lied Hanian "But still I won't try anything".
Kiana nodded, she swallowed the last of her food and water and bowed to the priest before being helped up.
"Don't go looking for vampires when she's with you" said the Priest as Kiana rested an arm over his shoulder.
"Let's hope I don't get sick" said Hanian.
"Nonsense boy, your always on your feet, your immune system can cope with being with her" the Priest stated "It's me that'll have to worry".
Hanian took the weak girl from the struggling priest.
"And you should consider getting a car" said the Priest.
"Can't run vampires over" said Hanian.
Kiana laughed weekly, standing was doing her no good, Hanian studied her clothing, ripped and tattered, a surge of pity swelled in Hanian as he looked at her thin, frail figure, but when she looked into his eyes he saw fire in hers, and her smile a clear sign of determination to find the good bits in a broken life.
After saying farewell to the priest, Hanian walked Kiana from the church, but after a few metres she collapsed so he decided on carrying her, she wasn't heavy in the slightest.
"Thanks" said Kiana looking at him without opening her eyes, within minutes she was asleep, resting her head against his warm chest...