Erik stood near a pale blue minivan. Its windows blacked out with dirt. He tried the driver’s side sliding door, but it was locked.

A pair of tall, blond, thrall twins mill nearby. They blindly search for the source of the noise. The tinyist ‘chunk’, ‘chink’ or ‘ding’ sets them in — It’s a weird sight, for sure, but they would be listening for any noise. The twins slapped the sides of the van. They tried the door handles but they were locked, Erik assumed.

He stood motionless. He watched as the blond twins search for a way inside. The nearest crept closer, but Erik kept quiet. If they couldn’t hear him, they had no idea where he was.

Erik swore silently when the woman screamed again. He grasped the bat tightly. The twins immediately escalated their abuse of the van. The scream also attracted other thrall, which hobbled, with purpose, toward the noise.

“The situation is escalating. Soon a rescue will be impossible.” He thought as a human-like… but fur-covered creature brushed his shoulder.

Erik held in a yelp but then gasp as a brown torso brushed past him. He tracked the creature with his eyes. The torso was covered in blood and patches of short fur. Above the torso was a human form, infected, blind and a thrall.

“A Bridger? This is a whole new low for the world…” Erik thought, his posture stiffened. We can address the obvious escalations by the Vampire later… What are you going to do about the woman?”

Erik’s thought turns into an argument as many of them did.

“You stepped out of that goddamn car to help this woman but now you’re just standing here.”

“I’m trying to save my own life here,” he replied.

“Moments ago you woke from a whiskey coma with thoughts of suicide… did you even remember the pistol?”

“Damn it no,” Erik silently retorted. “I left it in the car.”

“Great… good job. What are you going to do with that bat?”

Erik held the bat in his left hand. The Bridger creature, often called a satyr within ancient stories, approached the blue minivan. It felt around the sides of the van till it reached the windows. It began to dig its human fingers into the creases of the minivan windows and began to pull.

Erik moved automatically and struck the satyr legs with the bat. It’s thin legs broken. The satyr screamed and collapsed. The other thrall turned, distracted from there original mission and began to beat upon the disabled creature. They viciously tore the satyr apart only feet from him.

Erik, finding an opportunity within the gory scene turned and walked to the drivers side door handle and jerked it. It was locked. Moved to the side door and said.

“Lady, I am human. Open the door. I mean to rescue you. Not hurt you. We have a small window of time. I need you to trust me… please.”

He banged on the sliding door gently, so to not make too much noise.

“Please,” he repeated.

Erik searched the area. A large, overweight thrall stumbled toward him. It passed a small coupe. Erik looked at the sliding door then stepped toward the monster. Erik struck him with the bat. The bat blasted the upper thigh. The thrall stutter-stepped. Paused then walked forward like Erik hadn’t hit him. Erik threw the bat back for another swing when the van door opened. Erik turned. He expected a woman but saw a young girl. Behind her a pair of human bodies, motionless. He struggled with memories of his own daughter. This young girl was the same age.

After a few seconds Erik shook himself free of the memory and turned to face the thrall. The overweight creature grabbed Erik’s shoulder. Erik twisted his body but lost his balance. He tumbled forward and fell onto the grass-covered concrete.

The thrall grabbed his ankle. Erik twisted and lay on his back.

The thrall stood over him. Its eyes pale and dead. Scars upon its fat face. It tried to collect Erik’s other foot but Erik kicked out of it. The thrall served their vampire master but they were not really good at anything. They were violent but loyal. Within MARS, the thrall had a number advantage.

The twins, attracted by the noise, appeared. The young girl within the van closed the sliding side door. The noise attracted the attention of the twins and they grasp the door. The girl screamed. The twins pulled harder.

Erik watched, from the ground. His captor, the thrall, had him and would not let go of his ankle. Erik’s ankle twisted and he growled. The pain shooting up through his body.

He then suddenly screamed, struggled and began to search and grab anything that could make noise.

He found a few aluminum cans, rocks and finally a good sized piece of metal. He thrust the jagged piece into the soft part of the large monster’s throat.

The twins, drawn from the van, hovered above Erik’s head. The large thrall released his grip from the ankle. Erik freed himself. Blood fell upon a dirty, white shirt. The thrall grasp its throat and fell forward. Erik rolled away and got as close to the car, nearby, as he could.

The twins, mistaking the larger one for Erik, began to beat on the injured thrall. The thrall squawked, blew air through blood. Erik crawled, as silently as he could forward and pass the commotion. He stood, scanned the area and found several dozen additional thrall heading toward him. The minivan door was open and a five-foot-one young girl stood beside the vehicle. A backpack in her hand and behind her, in the van, a pair of dead human bodies.

Erik motioned for her to follow him…