"Hold it together… just a little longer…"
I stood in the backyard, sweat dripping down my face, my heart pounding like a drum solo in a rock concert. The sun was setting, painting the sky all kinds of pretty colors, but I wasn't appreciating the view. Nope.
Because my chest was doing that thing again.
The pulse.
Stronger.
Louder.
Like a freaking bass drop at an EDM festival.
"Not now…" I muttered, pressing a hand against my chest like I could somehow convince ancient celestial armor to chill the hell out.
"For once, could you not try to turn me into a human glow stick?"
No response. Obviously.
I took a shaky breath and tried to focus.
"Okay… deep breaths… in… out…"
The warmth surged again.
"Dammit!"
Sighing, I glanced up at the sky.
"Look, I don't know if I pissed off some ancient sun god or what, but if you're listening… I could really use a break."
Silence.
"Cool. Thanks for nothing."
That night, after my parents went to bed, I did what any reasonable kid would do in my situation.
I snuck out.
Because clearly, I was on a roll with good decisions lately.
Barefoot.
Into the woods.
At night.
"Great plan, Ethan. Nothing bad ever happens in the woods at night."
The moon was high, casting an eerie glow over the clearing where I usually trained. I stood there, feeling like the main character in a horror movie.
"Alright… let's see if I can not die tonight."
I took a deep breath and let the warmth creep up again, just a little.
"Easy… easy…"
At first, it was fine.
And then…
BOOM.
"Aw, crap…"
The pulse surged.
Golden veins of sunlight flickered across my skin.
"Okay, we're glowing again…" I muttered, looking down at my hands.
"Great. Now all I need is a cape and I can call myself Glowboy."
I was about to head back and pretend this whole thing hadn't happened when I heard it.
Rustle.
My body went stiff.
"Okay…" I whispered. "It's probably just a raccoon… or a squirrel…"
Another rustle.
"Maybe a really aggressive squirrel…"
I squinted into the darkness.
And that's when I felt it.
A chill.
Not the ooh, it's a little cold outside kind of chill.
No.
This was the something is watching me and probably wants to eat my face kind of chill.
"Okay, Ethan…" I whispered, slowly turning around. "Whatever it is… just… don't panic…"
Two glowing red eyes stared back at me from the darkness.
"Uh…"
I blinked.
"Is that…?"
The figure stepped forward, and the moonlight hit its face.
Pale.
Gaunt.
Fangs.
"Holy shit… that's a vampire."
I blinked again.
"Wait… WHAT?!"
I stood there, frozen, my brain short-circuiting.
"Okay, okay, okay…" I muttered under my breath. "Let's recap. I'm glowing. There's a vampire. And I'm standing in the middle of the woods at night."
I paused.
"Yup. I'm definitely gonna die."
The vampire growled, and I swear, I felt my soul try to leave my body.
"Okay, Ethan," I whispered, forcing a nervous laugh. "This is fine. Totally fine. Vampires aren't even real, right?"
The vampire took another step forward.
"Okay, cool, so… plot twist. Vampires are real."
I should've run.
I really should've run.
But did I?
Nope.
Because apparently, I have a hero complex the size of Texas.
Instead…
I swung.
Fast.
Faster than I had any right to.
My fist connected with its jaw, and to my surprise—
The damn thing stumbled.
"Whoa…"
I blinked at my hand.
"Did I… just punch a vampire?"
The vampire's head snapped back toward me, and now it looked pissed.
"Okay. Yup. Definitely real."
It lunged.
"Shit!"
I dodged. Barely.
Its claws sliced through the air where I had been standing a second ago.
"Not cool, dude!" I yelped, scrambling back.
I hit the ground, rolled to my feet, and immediately regretted every life choice that had brought me to this moment.
"Alright… think, Ethan… think…"
No bow.
No armor.
Just me.
"Cool. I'm gonna die. And my parents are gonna find a pile of ash where I used to be."
The vampire circled me, moving too fast for comfort.
"Come on… stay calm… stay light…"
I remembered the drills I'd practiced. Footwork. Balance. Don't stop moving.
The vampire lunged again.
I ducked, barely avoiding its claws, and threw another punch—this time aiming for its chest.
The hit connected.
It stumbled.
"Ha! Take that, you undead son of a—"
It recovered. Fast.
"Okay, maybe not."
The pulse was back.
Louder.
Stronger.
"Oh no… not now…"
I tried to suppress it, but the warmth surged through me.
"Just a little…" I muttered, gritting my teeth. "Just enough to survive."
I raised my palm, feeling the heat gather there.
A tiny orb of solar energy flickered to life.
"Come on… come on…"
The vampire lunged.
"No."
I threw the orb with everything I had.
The moment it hit the vampire's chest, light exploded across the clearing.
The vampire shrieked, its body convulsing as the sunlight burned through it.
"Please work…"
It stumbled back… and then…
Poof.
Gone.
Just… ash.
I stood there, panting, staring at the pile of dust.
"Holy shit…"
My hands trembled, and I wiped the sweat from my forehead, wincing as the pain in my shoulder flared up.
"Did I… just vaporize a vampire?"
Silence.
The clearing was quiet again, but my heart was still pounding.
"Okay…" I took a shaky breath. "That… was not normal."
I staggered back, my mind racing.
"Vampires are real…"
My brain was still catching up, but one thought pushed its way through the chaos.
"If vampires are real…"
A chill ran down my spine.
"What else is out there?"
I didn't have an answer.
But I had a feeling…
I was about to find out.
And for the record?
I was so not ready for whatever came next.