Sunlight flickered through the window, warming the room a little. It seems the world was ready for me to wake up, though my mind still clung to the hope of a few more moments of rest. The thin mattress beneath me creaked as I stretched.

I shivered as wind still attacked from the open window. I had tried to border it up last night, but the flimsy cardboard seemed to have fallen while I slept. I pulled on my "blanket", which was really just an old jacket that I had found a few weeks prior. It had a whole on the right arm where a rat had burrowed. Gray and tattered, it was one of my few possessions.

Sitting on the mattress that had been left by the family that had abandoned their home, I went through the morning checklist. I had my jacket and my backpack with all my supplies in it. Inside the tiny zip pocket of the bag was a chain with a ring. It was my most prized possession. My mother had passed it on to me mere days before the Apocalypse. She had always known things would happen before they actually did. My father, however, hadn't believed her, so we were unable to escape before it happened.

Shaking these dim thoughts from me, I stood and prepared to leave. I never stayed in one place more than one night. It was much too dangerous with all the traders searching for new merchandise. I couldn't get caught. The people I had met while traveling had warned me of how girls as young as eight were sold as sex slaves and boys of any age were worked to death under the cruel Vampyr masters.

I was a young girl of thirteen when they attacked. To compare it to history, it was much like Hitler and Austria. Their leader, a man by the name of Aro, appeared on our television screen one sunny afternoon after school had been released. He spoke of America as a great country, so tolerant of different races and religions. He revealed the existence of these creatures, pale and inhuman. They lived in the darkness and survived on blood. But not to worry, he said with a charming smile, these people were dedicated to a "vegetarian life." They only drank animals' blood.

I remember my mother's face so clearly. While my father was curious, my mother was completely pale. Her lips were quivering with fear. I moved closer to her and took her hand. It was as though she was dead; her hand flopped in my like a fish that had been out of water too long. She just stared, struck silent as Aro continued his speech.

They only wanted peace and acceptance, he said. After all, that was what America stood for, right? Acceptance of people with different backgrounds.

The news media and Politians argued for two weeks over what to do. Where these people really under the constitution's shield, considering that they weren't human? How could we know there was no threat? Why are they coming out now after all these years?

Questions raced back and forth over what to do. Eventually, they came to a decision…

On September 16, 2013, three days after my thirteenth birthday, the president announced that the Vampyr would be accepted into society as foreigners. They must apply for a citizenship, a driver's license, and such. They would follow our laws and act as our people did. Aro agreed, still wearing that charming smile. He thanked the American people for their generosity. Of course they would follow our rules…

This lasted all of three weeks.

A Vampyr named Eliexer was convicted of stealing a lion from a Connecticut zoo. He was sentenced to prison for three years. Aro was fast. Within two days he was on the television again, saying how unfair it was that Eliexer was being held in a prison for three years when it was merely shoplifting food. We wouldn't have sentenced a human who stole a hotdog to prison, now would we?

Eliexer was released, and Aro had a new idea. Since it was obvious the human police couldn't handle arresting or convicting a Vampyr of a crime, then they should have their own police force. That way, it was fair treatment to all.

Of course, the Vampyr police force needed a leader. They would also need judges since ours were obviously prejudiced towards their species. One thing led to another and within a month, there were two governments in America.

The first attack came in Detroit. Three cities were basically wiped off the map as a "rogue" Vampyr unleashed an army of newborn Vampyrs. Newborns were crazed with lust for blood and attacked every man, woman, and screaming child they could find, before being put down by the Vampyr government, who called themselves the Volturi.

The American people were outraged and scared. They demanded that the Vampyr be exiled from our country…

They didn't realize it was much too late.

Our weapons didn't affect them. They were faster, stronger, smarter than we ever could have imagined. When our army attacked them, they hit back with a wave of terror. It was easy to see by now that this had been their plan all along. They never wanted peace, or acceptance. We were food to them, plain and simple.

It took three days and we were now the inferior species. Our population zoomed down dangerously low. They were depleting their food source, and knew it. It was made a Vampyr law that four states were to be left alone, illegal to feed in the borders. Human survivors flocked to Texas, Arizona, Louisiana, and Florida. Over time, people began settling down, having babies, adapting to this new way of life. Things were looking up…

Then the Vampy thought of a whole new use for humans that wouldn't kill us all.

Slave labor. The Vampyrs, born in several different centuries, had disliked technology. They had instead reverted back to a Rome-type civilization, with touches of modern times. Thus, they needed slaves to carry about their bidding, to clean their house and to work in the fields. They needed money after all, so they could purchase "food" and other necessities.

The Volturi passed a new law…all humans must report to the capital in the new city of Villon. They were to be registered as capable of work and labor, or used as food. The old, weak, very young, they were used as food. Most went, unknowing of their fate. The Volturi passed it off as a gift. If you came to register, you'd receive a year's pay for your family…

My mother wouldn't allow us to go. She knew it was a trap. Many others didn't go, simply because they didn't want to travel through unsafe territories.

In the end, it didn't matter. Those who left never came back, and those who stayed began to disappear. My mother sent me to the make-shift market for some eggs, and when I returned, both her and my father were gone, the house ransacked of all gold and treasures.

Vampyr slave traders had taken them and many others. I left as soon as I could, taking a bag and my mother's gift to me. It's been three years…

The buildings echoed as I passed them. They used to be so full of joy and people. Now they seemed to be as dead as the people that once lived there. The wind whipped my dirty hair around my face. It had been a while since I had bathed. It was Arizona, and with so little rain fall the streams had dried up. My canteen that I had stolen from my father's army chest was running dangerously low, as was my food supply. As I entered a suburban neighborhood, I chose a house at random and decided to search the pantry. It was rare to find unexpired food, but it wouldn't be the first time I've eaten stale chips or a box of two year old cereal.

After stealing three bottles of water and some miscellaneous food, I stood up from the dusty old kitchen and looked around. It was about midday, and sunshine poured through the broken window. I took a moment to thank God and the people who had once lived here for the generous food.

I left through the front door, closing it behind me. I needed to get going if I was going to find adequate shelter by sundown. I turned to leave and felt a huge pain in my head. Two hands grabbed me, covering my mouth, while another tied my hands behind me. I was dizzy from the blow and images swirled in front of me. I squirmed, trying to break free. I think I even bit the hand over my mouth. I heard a curse and then another blow to my head. I slumped to the ground and everything went dark.

My head was throbbing violently when I came to. I was blindfolded and sitting on some kind of moving wood. Whimpering and sobbing was echoing all around me. Someone was pressed up close to my right, and the odor of urine and vomit was abundant.

The way my neck ached told me I had been out cold for a while. My backpack was gone, as was my jacket and shoes. It was much too cold to be Arizona, even during these winter months. We were obviously headed north. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know that I had been taken by some traders, along with at least six other women. A few tears slid down my cheek as fear set in. I was going to be sold. I would no longer be free.

It felt like days before the wagon stopped, during which I slipped in and out of consciousness. The pounding in my head had reduced to just a mild headache, but I was sure it was blood that made my hair so stiff and the cold had just numbed the pain.

Rough male hands removed our blindfolds and voices ordered us to exit the wagon. I stumbled to my feet as best I could, but after being crouched in the same position and starved for several days, my body rebelled. I tripped over an older woman and fell face first into the dirt. An angry shout and a cold whip lashed across my back. I cried out but the gag smothered it. I felt blood seep through my shirt, but got up as best I could and got in line with the rest of the girls.

We were led into a building where we were told to change into these thin, perverted, old-timey dresses. The four men stood and watched as we dressed. One even reached out and felt up one girl on her breast. The girl cried and backed away, earning her a slap across the face. The force was hard enough to almost break her neck. She fell to the ground, unconscious. Another girl was ordered to finish dressing her.

I turned away, sick to my stomach and aching with pain. I dressed in a gorgeous blue gown that was thrown at me. It was low in the front and the corset pushed up my generous package until my nipples were barely covered. It was so tight, I thought I would pass out from lack of air, but I didn't. Lace trailed all down the sides of it. It really was beautiful, but gave dangerously easy access.

The men threw a brush at each of us and told us to comb our hair. I did slowly, trying not to cry from the pain. The blood had dried and was impossible to get out. By the end of our time there in the building, we all looked pretty, and terrified. There was no question of our purpose now.

We were to be sold as sex slaves.