Lucian knelt down beside one of the lifeless bodies, his blue eyes locked on the two deep puncture wounds in the neck that practically tore through the victim's entire throat.

He reached forward, dipping his fingertips into the pool of blood next to them. It's still warm, which could only mean that the vampire who did this likely is still around the area, he thought to himself.

The world abruptly screeched to a halt when something unsettling caught his eye that violently shook him through his entire core.

"Emry!" Lucian yelled out when he noticed his friend lying on the ground without moving. His arms swung forward and backward as he rushed over, praying for any sign of life.

When he got close enough, it was hard to believe that his friend, with whom he had been laughing and chatting with just hours earlier, was now lying there pale and cold. Reality hit him like a freight train aiming to mow down anyone who dared to stand directly on the tracks it was running on.

The worst part about it was that Emry wasn't lying there alone; his wife and son were lying right there with him.

Lucian felt immobilized as a dose of adrenaline kicked into his system, spiking his breathing and heart rate. He held his head as his vision began to blur slightly after seeing the scene before him.

It brought him back to a miserable day against his will. It was a traumatic memory that he'd rather not remember.

The rain battered the roof of their car. The weather was perfect for carrying out a hit since it made things difficult to see or hear.

Lucian was back in his weak ten-year-old body in the back seat of his family's car on their way home. He glanced over to the right when he heard the sweet sound of his sister's voice, who was five years older than him at the time.

"Luke, you look bored; why don't you and I play a game of rock paper scissors to pass the time," Lucian's older sister, his best friend who he loved more than anything in the entire world, suggested while smiling smugly. He could never forget Lillian's pewter-long, wavy locks of hair and bangs that swept across her forehead.  

"You always suggest that game because you know you'll win," Lucian pouted with his arms crossing his chest.

"Who knows? You don't know that for sure; maybe today you'll be lucky enough to beat me," his sister proposed with her game face on.

"Ugh, fine if you say so," Lucian begrudgingly said, finally giving in.

They sat facing each other, determination flickering in their eyes. Each held the same desire to emerge as the victor, with their fists hovering above their open palms, eagerly awaiting the cue.

"Ready, here it goes," Lillian declared, while Lucian nodded. "Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!" they both shouted in unison, pounding their fists against their open palms, once for the first three words that had just been spoken.

"Rock beats scissors! Hahaha, looks like I won again. For however many times in a row now? I won so much that I lost count; man, you really suck at this game," Lillian rubbed in, feeling awfully content with her victory.

"I knew I shouldn't have fallen for your trick," Lucian grumbled with his arms crossing over his chest and a huge frown formed on his face.

"Aww, don't be silly, Luke. You know you would have agreed to play with me no matter what because you wuv me," Lillian teased before purposely roughing up his hair, causing him to let out a giggle.

"Hey, cut it out. You're messing up my hair, and you know I hate it when you do that," Lucian complained in a not-very-convincing tone.

"Yeah, sure you don't?" Lillian exaggerated, rolling her eyes before they both clenched their stomachs, trying their very best to contain the uncontrollable laughter that started erupting from them.

Bam!

Lillian and Lucian's laughter turned into startled gasps as their bodies were forcibly jerked forward. Their seat belts caught them in a tight embrace to prevent them from hitting the seats in front of them. The car behind slammed into the back of their car with such brutal force that it crushed inward as if it were nothing more than a soda can.

"What just happened? Did the car behind us just ram into us?" Lillian asked, her eyes wide with bewilderment as she glanced over at Lucian to check if he was alright. She clutched her head as a dizzying sensation swept over her, making her feel like her head was spinning. Her body ached all over from the impact.

Their father's grip tightened on the steering wheel as he glanced up at the rearview mirror with clenched teeth, noticing the black sedan with completely tinted windows following closely behind. "They're going to try to hit us again!" he warned as the black sedan revved its engine, ready to enact its next attack.

"Honey, faster!" They're right on our tail!" their mom shouted in a panic-stricken voice.

"Trust me, I'm not going to let them get close again," their father assured, his eyes narrowing in determination.

"I have no idea what their problem is, but we need to lose them and fast. Make sure your seat belts are buckled because this is going to be one wild ride!" their father told them as he hit the gas pedal harder. The engine roared to life as it accelerated across the bridge in front of them at lightning speed.

Out of nowhere, what sounded almost like thunder roared in their eardrums, causing Lucian and Lillian to cover their ears and instinctively duck.

Bang, bang, bang!

"Get down!" their father yelled as the unknown pursuers opened fire. Numerous shots hurtled toward them, keen on eliminating the target in sight.

Lillian shrieked, fearing for her and her family's safety as a bullet ripped through the glass of the back window, sending shards scattering everywhere.

Lillian and Lucian opened their mouths to let horrified screams break free from their throats. They shielded their faces to spare them from receiving any cuts or scrapes while continuing to duck.

Lucian winced, his skin crying out in agony, falling prey to the sharp, stinging sensation left behind by tiny glass fragments that had pierced his flesh and staked their claim over him.

"Ow, that hurts!" Lucian hissed through gritted teeth as he glanced down, only to be greeted by small trickles of blood on the back of his hands.

"Why are they shooting at us?! We haven't done anything wrong! What's going on?!" their mother frantically cried out, a burning question left unanswered as confusion and terror gripped her senses.

Boom!

A loud noise, like an explosion, broke out as soon as they began crossing the bridge in front of them. A bullet had pierced through one of their rear tires.

Screeeeek!

The unmistakable high-pitched wail of tires skidding across the rain-slicked concrete pierced through the sound of rain plopping against the road. The world around them turned into a chaotic blur of gray and black as their car was sent into a wild spin. The force sucked them into their seats, making it feel as though they were being spun around on the teacup ride at the carnival, except someone had set it on turbo mode.

A shrill scream burst out from Lillian's lungs as she dug her nails into her seat. Lucian covered his ears, attempting to protect his eardrums from such a harsh sound that made them feel as if they were bleeding.

"Hold on!" their father shouted while desperately trying to regain control of their vehicle.

"We're gonna crash!" Lillian cried out, bracing for the worst as fresh, warm tears began staining her cheeks as their car veered dangerously close to the bridge railing.

Boom!

Their car collided with the bridge railing. The force of the impact sent them flipping through the air. Lucian's heart skipped a beat, and he gasped. Time slowed to a halt, and his body felt weightless. He almost thought he possessed the power to defy gravity for a split second.

Their car dove over the edge, plunging into the shadowy depths beneath them that engulfed it whole. Their screams intermingled with the crushing and scraping sound of metal as the solid ground pulverized their car each time it tumbled.

The glass continued to shatter as the car rolled down the embankment, with the hood becoming increasingly disfigured, earning it an appearance worthy of being scraped for the junkyard.

Each collision pumped waves of terror through their veins as the car jumbled up its internal contents while juggling glass fragments around.

Lucian mentally begged for the moment this unthinkable nightmare would come to an end. The world grew silent as the wreckage came to a roaring halt when its path was blocked by prickly bushes that prevented it from rolling further.

Feeling dazed, Lucian blinked a few times as he looked up at the torn-up car roof. His eardrums were ringing. The only thing filling his lungs was the smell of smoke billowing out from the front of the car, which tainted his senses.