The Journals of David Terru: Chapter 2

Today marks 7 years of survival. This anniversary I will mark until either Dmitri Sardovsky is dust, or I die. My name is David Matthews and I am a Terru. The word Terru is a gypsy term meaning day-walker or slayer of the undead. Why is this important you ask? Well dear reader, if I'm not one of these creatures, I wouldn't be here writing this for you to read.
I'm sorry for being so rude, but the idea of a ancient vampire, Sardovsky, biting and trying to kill me is a bit much. I'm only 12 and not even shaving yet; and I'm having to keep soulless vampires from hurting folks around me. I know my sentences seem grown up, but if you were like me, you would grow up too fast as well. Let me tell you about the night my senses left me. To put it another way, I'll tell you about the attack of the teenage vampires. It all started with a question from my mom-hematologist Dr. Carolyn Matthews...

"David, where are you going sweetie?"
"Kevin, Leah and I are going to the Fortress Mom. I'll call you if we're out past dark."
"Make sure you do; I don't want you kids getting mixed up with any monsters tonight." Gee, and Mom made it sound like I always went looking for vampires; which wasn't too far off from the truth. I went out to the tree house this night with my two best friends: Kevin Hargrove and Leah Johnson. The Fortress is a place my Dad and I built in a big mesquite tree one half a mile from our house. In the tree house, I kept a writing desk, chair, survival snacks and a radio. While Kevin and I wanted to check out vampire activity, Leah dressed up in some white, frilly dress with pink tennis shoes and sash. Although Leah blossomed into a pretty girl, girls were still "icky" to me.

"David, we've been friends a while. Would you mind telling what a Terru does?" He he...Kevin always asked me that question; mainly to calm his own squeamish nerves. But, to help keep him and the rest of us calm, I always answered him.
"Terru hunt vampires; cut and dry. They hunt them in many ways: they stake vampires through the heart; burn them with crosses, holy water, and fire; even chopping off their heads!" Both Kevin and Leah grab their necks and stick out their tongues at me. I don't blame them; the thought of decapitation grosses me out too!
"Why do boys get excited about icky stuff like that?"

"That's because it's so cool!" Kevin's right; boys did think hunting of any kind was cool. This kind of tells me Leah might not work as a future vampire hunter, but Kevin would be helpful later on. Then again, when you're 12, lots of changes happen. We finish climbing up into the tree house and I have Kevin and Leah hang by the door. "Okay, let me get the lantern lit and we'll begin our watch." When I lit the lantern up, Leah shrieks like a screaming cat. Kevin stands there with eyes as wide as a hollowed-out jack o' lantern. "What's wrong?" Then, I hear it; a low, guttural growl like a German shepherd might make. I slowly turn to find a soulless vampire growling at me. He's dressed all in black, like Count Dracula in his cape with ashen skin and dead eyes. From his cloak, he pulls a stake and roars like a cougar. "Whoa I see what you mean!" To say I'm scared is an understatement; I think I nearly wet my britches. Kevin and Leah drop to the floor as I hip-toss the vampire out of the tree house and into the deadly embrace of the waning sunlight. These creatures change their tactics and breech the protected blessings of the Fortress. Now, this will be an honest-to-God fight for my life and that of my friends!

"David, you okay?" Good, Leah's question snaps me back to the present. I'm awake, alert and go from scared to down-right mad! Suddenly, my dormant Terru nature surfaces! Now, Kevin and Leah haven't seen this side of me since I was 6 or 7. And for the vampire bounty hunters, awaken this nature is more dangerous than waking a hibernating bear.
I growl over to my friends. "Leah, toss me a stake please?"
"David, you're-you're not going down there, are you?"
"Kevin, call the house-tell "Doc" Carolyn of the attack; she'll get help out to us! Now, would you please toss me that stake?" Leah tosses me a wooden stake made from a hawthorn bush while Kevin uses the old field radio to alert my folks.
"Fortress to Terru base, come in base; the sun's going down and multiple blood suckers are surrounding us."

"Kevin, this is the Colonel; hold on son-help is on the way!" Good old Lt. Colonel Paul Matthews, my dad. He knew I only wanted to camp out up here, not get into a vampire fire-fight. But as help is on its way, 2 or 3 of these monsters begin shaking the tree house, trying to make us fall out. Unlucky for them, I'm the one that falls out of the tree!
"Colonel! David just fell out of the tree house!" I can imagine my mother hearing that and starting to panic. Fortunately, I learned in recent weeks how to land on my feet, in a crouching position, ready to fight! My growling nature tells my uninvited guests they wake up a sleeping giant; and it's hungry for battle. And just when I have them on their heels, their leader, Damien shows up.