Historical Fiction

The Secret of the Lost Colony of Roanoke

   

There is not much to do on the ship. Even the waves have grown old. It’s been two weeks since we left England and we are only halfway to our new home. When my parents first told me we were moving to the New World I was angry. I did not think it was fair for them to take me away from my friends and family. Now, as I sit here on a big wooden ship in the middle of the ocean, I’m even more upset. Father says it will be a good experience for us, but deep down I know he is only in it for the money.

After the longest two weeks of my life, we finally reach land. My first impression as I get off of the ship is that there is nothing here at all. We really are starting from scratch. The land that we are settling on is an island just off the coast of the new continent that has been discovered. They call our island Roanoke. I like the sound of England much better. My father leads Mother and I to a spot he thinks we should build our new home at. He chooses an area near some trees and close to where all the other colonists are setting up their things. It’s too far from the ocean for my liking, so I speak up. “Father, what do you think about over there?” I point in the direction of the water. As soon as the words come out of my mouth Mother gives me a dirty glare. Father shakes his head and says, “This will do.” He grabs his axe and heads over to the trees.

“Please do not talk to you father like that ever again. Do you know how hard he is working to provide for our family? He is in charge, not you.” Oh boy, here she goes. “Do you think we came here for fun? This is business, Emily. Stay out of it, please.”  Mom says with a shaky voice. I don’t say anything back. Watching over my shoulder I sneak away as she starts building a fire to prepare supper.

I went over to the ocean, of course. I find a quiet spot on a big rock that overlooks the shore where I could be alone with nature. I open up my bag and pull out Romeo and Juliet, but I’m not in the mood to read. Instead, I close my eyes and breath in the sweet salty smell of the ocean. The next thing I know, I wake up and it’s dark.

Fortunately, there are still fires burning to guide me back to our tent. I’d like to imagine that my mother was worried and looking for me, but when I enter the tent I find her stitching up the hemline of a dress. She glances at me and says nothing, either too afraid to say sorry or waiting for me to break the ice first. Not until I finish eating supper does she say something, and not what I was expecting to hear. She says softly, “Your father...” By the tone of her voice I already predict what’s coming, something bad. ‘’He’s hurt.”

    My father had been attacked by a native. He has a big wound on his neck, it appears to be a bite mark, but he won’t tell us what it’s from. In fact, he won’t tell us anything at all. He just lies awake all night in pain, groaning. He’s been like this for three days. Nobody knows what’s wrong, even the most experienced of the colonists. The men that were chopping down trees with him were too far away to see what happened, but they are insisting it was the work of a native. No animal would do this him and leave him alive. Mother is distraught and even more grumpy than usual. I wish I could comfort her, but I don’t know what to say. Instead, I just escape to the ocean and read my book.
When I get to the ocean I see a boy. He is down on the rocky shore trying to skip rocks across the ocean surface . I’ve never seen him before, he looks about my age. Was he on the ship? I realize I’m staring so I quickly open up my book to hide my face. I peek above it and see that he is climbing his way towards me. Seconds later, he comes and takes a seat next to me and says, “I don’t believe we’ve met before.” He wipes his hands on his pants and holds one out. I shake it. Hey says, “My name is William, and you are?”
“Emily, Emily Smith.” I set my book down and look at him. I instantly am drawn to his eyes, a bright blue that resembles the sparkling surface of the ocean when touched by sunlight.
“Smith, you say? So it was your father the vampires attacked.”
“He was attacked, yes. But by the natives. What are vampires?”
“Natives, vampires, same thing. You mean you haven’t noticed?”
“Noticed what?”
“The bite mark.” So it was a bitemark. But how? He must notice that I’m confused, because he says, “I can show you, it will make a lot more sense.” He grabs my hand and helps me up, then we walk towards the forest.

    “I’ve always believed in vampires, ever since I was little,” He explains to me as we walk.
“They are fascinating creatures that appear to be human, except for the fangs. That’s what they hunt with, you know.” It takes a second to sink in, and then I ask,
“So if they bit my father, what’s going to happen?”
“Honestly, I don’t know.” I’m about to say something when William puts his finger on my lips. He mouths the word “look”. My eyes follow the direction of his pointing hand. Behind some trees, there are two of them. They look like us, only tan and in strange clothing. Both are men with long black hair, about the same length as mine. They are talking to each other quietly, a look of concern on their faces. I can’t understand them because they are speaking in a different language. Suddenly there is movement in a nearby bush and both vampires grab bows off of their backs. They load their arrows and release before I can even comprehend what’s happening. There is a squeal from behind the bushes, and then silence. The vampires hurry over and pull out a dead rodent of some sort, I think it’s a squirrel. What they do next makes me want to gag. They take turns biting its neck and drinking the blood, as if it were a fresh juicy apple.

The next day I wake up to screaming. I look outside my tent and see that everybody is running. Mother is crying, sitting in the corner. It is complete chaos outside, bodies littered on the ground. They aren’t dead though. They are groaning in pain, just like Father. Father! Where is he?

“Mother! Mother! What’s happening? Where is Father?” I run over and grab her arm. She looks up at me with eyes full of tears and cocks her neck to the side, revealing a bite mark. The vampires got her. I run outside and in the heart of the chaos I see William, just as a vampire sinks its teeth into his neck.
    “No!!” I scream. I rush over and grab his hand, but he resists.
“Run away, Emily, run aw-” And then I feel it. The cold fangs quickly dig their way into my neck as I drop to my knees, still clutching Wiliam’s hand. 

     The next thing I know I'm awake and thirsty for blood...