Chapter 1: Volterra

It was my first day in Italy. My school was taking the art students on a trip across Europe. Our group has so far been to Switzerland, France, London, and now we were stopping in Italy.

We were on a bus headed to a city I really didn't care for. I just wanted to go to Rome and the Vatican. I believe my teacher said we are entering the city Volterra.

"Kids, we'll have to walk the rest of the way cause the city doesn't allow cars inside. We're touring the clock tour museum, then spending the night, however, we leave first thing in the morning." Said Ms. Ketola, the art teacher.

I suppose I'll tell you about myself. I am a student from Canada on a trip across Europe, as you already know. I'm in grade twelve at a school that shall remain private. I'm five-foot-nine, I have really long black hair I don't want to brush all the time, I like to read, I'm native, I don't like homework, but I like the idea of school. Just not the work. I suppose I'm pretty, but I don't like to brag or anything. Modesty is a good thing I think, so I don't do the whole make-up business.

"I should really take a better look at the program schedule…" I said. I thought we'd only be staying for a couple hours.

"At least you have yours. I dropped mine in the French Riviera." Said my best friend Kai. She was an interesting one. We were friends since the womb, maybe before creation, or in a past life.

I went to grab my carry on, which held an extra pair of clothes, and my toiletries, and walked to the back of the bus to change. I locked the door, and took off my sweat pants, which were full of crumbs from our breakfast stop. I put on some dark blue jeans, and a black long sleeve v-neck. It looked bright out earlier, so I slid on my green-rimmed sunglasses.

I sat back down next to Kai and straightened out my shirt, and tried to smooth down my hair.

"Hey Autumn, do you have any deodorant? It's supposed to be freaking hot. And why are you wearing pants?" Kai said to me. Yes, my name is Autumn; Like the season. Whoop-dee-doo.

"It doesn't matter what I'm wearing. I have a high tolerance for heat. Native, remember?"

"Being native doesn't affect that ability." She said smartly.

"Yeah, well it should," I said back, "And you just be quiet. Pale-ey."

"Blackie."

"Not black."

That was one of many of our pointless banters. We were cool like that.

"So are we leaving soon?" I asked Kai.

"She said in a few." Kai said back.

"Ms. Ketola, what the heck is going on?" I asked. There were people in red cloaks, everywhere. We had entered the city, and were a really confused bunch of children.

My teacher turned to the whole group of roughly sixteen students very excitedly, "Class, I wanted to keep this a surprise, but we are in the middle of a festival that celebrates the passing of Vampires. I believe every year they gather in the main plaza to celebrate. They wear red capes, carry red flags, and some wear fake fangs." She explained.

"Freaky," Kai whispered to me.

"Please, this festival is a joke. If I wanted to see this I could have gone to a Dungeons and Dragons convention. Vampires? Really?" I speculated, whispering back into Kai's ear.

"Whatever, this sounds like fun. Where can we get the cloaks, Miss?" Kai said aloud.

"There are more than a few gift shops if you want to get a cloak. Meet back at the bus at twelve, so we can head to the entrance of the museum." Ms. Ketola left in a hurry, probably to a bar. Hey, I wouldn't want to handle all these kids either.

"Let's go! I want a cloak." Kai said, pulling me towards the market.

We entered the fourth and final store I wanted to walk in. I honestly hate shopping.

"Look, Autumn, they have some in stock!" She exclaimed, tugging on my arm.

"Yeah, I see them." I tried to sound enthusiastic.

"There's only one red one though." She said.

"I'd take a purple one if it made you happy."

"Great, you can have the darker red one." Kai responded happily. She handed me one, and we went to the cashier.

I tried to count out their currency, but was having some difficulty. I ended up probably handing him way too much, but I just wanted to stop shopping.

"Alright? Lets get to the festival." I said impatiently. I walked out the stuffy shop and wrapped the crimson cloak around me. I felt so goddamn emo compared to the nice shades of red around us.

Kai led me in between hundreds of people, and didn't stop. We didn't even know what we were looking for. It was so loud, and

I looked to the side up, at the clock tour and it was almost noon, just a couple minutes. I sighed and was about to let Kai know we had to go, but under the clock tour I saw this really hot guy, taking off his shirt.

What the fuck? Not that I'm complaining, but that was weird. I looked around, and it didn't look like anyone was paying attention.

"EDWARD!" I heard someone yell.

I couldn't see anyone, as I turned in a circle. A girl, probably my age, shoved me aside, and ran away. More of the crowd encircled me, and I couldn't see why that bitch was in such a hurry.

"Wow, really?" I cursed to myself.

"You okay?" Kai yelled, pulling me up by my arm. It was still noisy as hell, but she managed to yell over it.

"Yeah, just some chick pushed me. Its fine. Let's just get back to the bus."

We walked back, and I took of the cloak, cause it was dragging across the cobblestone, but Kai was still excited and kept it on from the time we arrived at the bus and still when we were in line for the only tour of the day, and the Clock tour.

"So you're the group booked for this afternoon?" Asked the lady at the front, with a nice Italian accent. She was sitting behind a desk, and computer screen, chipper and happy about something. She was pretty for sure, but smug in a way that bugged the crap out of me.

"Yo, Kai let's dip out for a sec. I have to pee." I whispered.

"Alright, but I don't want to miss this whole dang tour just cause of your bathroom break." She said. I slapped her shoulder.

Making sure the lady didn't see us behind all our peers, we opened a random door, and walked down it. Personally, I think my sneakers make weird slaps against the marble floor. I found a sign that vaguely looked like a washroom sign, and walked behind it.

It must have been for show, cause all I found was a seat with a hole in it, with a stall.

"Uh, Kai, what is this?" I said, my voice making a mild echo in the 'washroom'.

"Probably an ancient latrine."

"Must be." I said. "That's a pretty deep hole though. I might as well go."

Kai patiently waited for me to pee, I finished and then we just kind of chatted.

"So why do you think we stopped here?" Kai asked.

"Ms. Ketola probably picked up a deal with the tickets. She's a thrifty one." I said, knowingly if I might add.

"Yeah, but It was a good find. This is a pretty sick building."

"I suppose…" We just sat and chatted some more about how we're going to dread the rest of high school.

"We should get back to the group." Kai finally said. We'd been gone for more than twenty minutes. "I told you your bladder problems would hold us back." She joked.

"Pfft, it's your talkative nature. Let's hurry though, Ms. Ketola might freak out." I said, rushing my walk.

We walked to the main entrance cracking the door open. The only people in the room were the receptionist and a couple. Kai was about to push it open, but I tugged her hand back.

I heard something. A faint scream maybe? I checked back in the room, and at the couple.

Hey, it was the pair from earlier. The guy with his shirt off, and the woman who shoved me to the ground. He was holding her in his arms. His eyes reached mine through the doorway, and gained a surprised look. I stepped back from the door because I wasn't aware I was that visible. I looked back at him, approaching the crack again, and he was trying to tell me something with his eyes. They were hard to read, but held a tinge of sadness.

"Kai, I think… we should leave…" I whispered slowly.

"Why? Why can't we just walk by?" She whispered back.

"Something's wrong." I stated. I looked around. I ruffled my black hair, and turned in a circle. "We need to peace."

"Is the tour over or something?" She asked annoyed.

I looked back through the crack and the guy nodded at me. Somehow leading me to believe he could hear us.

"The tour is definitely over." I said pensively.

There was a long pause with me just standing there, thinking of reasons for why it would be a bad idea to stay.

Kai started her fits of laughter, so I had to cover her sounds.

"You can be serious." She said to me. "What are you afraid of, the vampires?"

"The what? Of course not. Call it an instinct, but something is definitely wrong." I said. I stared through the crack for what I'd hope to be the last time. I must be freaking out of my mind.

Hey, guy over there. Yawn if you can hear this. I tried to direct those words over to him. He wasn't looking at me, but he definitely yawned.

Dude, I need you to do something more direct. Snap your fingers, do jazz hands! I felt silly as I closed my eyes and clenched my fists to concentrate on forwarding these thoughts to him. I looked at his face, and he turned to look at me. His brow was cocked high, but he nodded at me.

Holy shit, no way. He motioned with his hand to shoo me away, to leave.

I pulled away from the door, and looked at Kai.

"We definitely need to leave." I said, pulling her along a different hallway.

"What? Fine then." She said, as I pulled her with me anyway.

I had to find a way around the receptionist's desk. I dragged Kai along several hallways. I eventually let go, since she made it clear to me she could walk on her own. As she said it, 'I'm not a cripple, Autumn.' I chuckled nervously, and we continued on. Soon though, I started to realize that we weren't going anywhere, but actually I felt we were being led on a downward slope by these hallways.

I gave a nervous cry.

"What exactly do you think is going on?" Kai said.

"Kai, I really would appreciate it if you wouldn't laugh at the following; I think we're in big trouble. I heard screaming. I'm pretty sure this isn't a haunted house. And don't you think Ms. Ketola would have tried to find us by now? We've been gone well over a half hour." I said seriously.

Kai looked like she was processing this really hard. Then she spoke, "Let's say you're right. But what do you think the 'trouble' is?"

"Something fatal." I said back.

"Guns?" She asked.

"I was thinking of the more supernatural." I remembered the guy from earlier.

Another long pause. "I… Believe you." She said, continuing walking down the hallway.

I did a mini whoop, and followed her. We'd be out in no time now.

Down a couple more hallways, we were still avid and ready to get out of this place. For a moment, we thought we were going lower beneath the ground level, but we felt the air become warmer, and a light at the end of the tunnel like hallway.

"Closest thing we have to an exit we have so far," Kai said to me excitedly.

I was really exhausted from the long walk, but Kai was really elated.

I took a deep breath and basked in our small victory, but halted. I sniffed the air. And again. It smelled really metallic.

"K-Kai?" I said. "Kai!" I said slightly louder. "I don't think this is the exit…" She was almost at the door.

"Kai, get back!" I screamed.

She turned her head, her happy grin fading slightly from her face, but not deterring her sprint towards the door. "What was that?" She said, pushing through the door.

"Get back!" I yelled. I started hauling ass after her stupid self. I tried, I really tried.

The door pushed open revealing harsh bright light to my eyes. I shielded them, but I was too slow to stop the sounds from reaching my ears.

Boy did Kai scream. I couldn't see what she did, but I really didn't hope to.

"Kai?" I whispered. I hadn't realized I was crouched into a ball. I stood easily and said her name again.

Kai walked in, I could hear her footsteps, "Hello?" She said.

What? Why the hackin was she saying hello. Something was wrong.

"My dear, you're a bit late, aren't you." Said a musical voice. Definitely male.

This is my new story. Yeah, creative right? Another vampire story. I hope you kind of enjoyed the first chapter.