Starting a new life

Julius looked over at me, and I could see the emotions in his eyes.

It was a mixture of rage, sadness, and loneliness.

"Why should I? They are monsters, and like you said monsters don't deserve to live, after all the death they leave behind them. How many bodies did we pass on the way here, how many have they killed, this is the least of what they deserve." Julius all but yelled.

"They are monsters Julius, but what you are doing will also make you a monster, you already tortured them, it's time to end this and get it behind you. There is something I have learned over the years, and that's that no matter what you do the feeling of loss or rage you are feeling for your family will always be there, even after you grind him to dust, it will be there, and you will still feel the exact same as before." I say slowly walking up to him.

Even with the dampeners on my sadness emotions, I could still feel the loss of those I've known over the years just not fully but I still could all the same.

"But that doesn't mean it won't fade to just a memory, but if you continue this, and fall into that pit of rage inside you, there is no turning back, you will live forever Julius, and if you fall into that pit, you will live for eternity in hate and rage, and you might as well be living in hell," I say putting a hand on his shoulder.

I could see the emotions in his eyes fighting with each other for superiority.

But after a few moments, one came out victorious and that was sadness.

Julius's lip began to quiver, and slowly he lowered his head and began to cry.

It's hard to think of him as just a kid, Julius is smart and well-spoken for his age, but underneath that is still just a sixteen-year-old kid who misses his family.

I wrap him in an embrace and let him cry.

On a road in the forest, with a limbless vampire floating in the air screaming while he gets turned into glitter dust.

After a few moments, Julius managed to regain himself and stand up straight again.

"Let's put an end to this," I say patting his back

Stepping away from him, I let him finish what he started.

Instead of grinding him to dust he did something simpler.

Slowly lowering him to the ground, Julius looked the smaller vampire in his eyes and said.

"I hate you, I hate you with every part of myself, but I won't fall…I won't become you."

The shorter vampire looked at Julius with hatred and opened his mouth to speak but before he could Julius lifted both of his hands and with a "CRACK!" the shorter vampire's head was twisted from his shoulders.

The vampire's head slowly levitated in front of Julius, and he stared into the dead vampire's crimson red eyes for a long moment, then it dropped to the ground like a brick.

"Well then, I think it's now time to head to Rome," I say, stepping up beside Julius.

Looking over at me Julius spoke.

"Right…Rome," I could still hear the sadness in his voice.

Putting a hand on his shoulder I spoke.

"You have gotten your revenge, now it's time to take a step forward down our infinite road of life. I know I might sound harsh, but your family is gone, Julius and it's time to move on."

In a small voice, Julius spoke, now looking down at the remains of the vampires.

"I know… it's just that ever since I was turned into a vampire and met you I have pushed down all of these emotions, and used hate and rage to push myself forward, while I locked my sadness and sorrow behind a locked door, all to push myself to get my revenge, but now that I've gotten it, all of it is coming to the surface, and I don't know what to do with it."

He said, his head still lowered.

Patting him on the back I say.

"It will fade Julius, just give it time, and let it all out, we live too long to hold in our emotions because the more and longer we push it down the harder it will hit us when it comes back up."

Julius nods at my words but doesn't look up.

"Now let's get rid of these two sickos," I say, kicking the head in front of us.

Then with a quick flick of my foot, I started to bounce the head on my sandaled foot.

Then I flicked it up again and started to bounce his head on my knees.

"think fast!" I say to Julius as I kick the head to him.

With a startled look, Julius started to copy what I did to the head.

I couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled up and out of my mouth.

Then Julius started to laugh as he continued to play soccer with the vampire's head.

"How morbid have we become where playing hacky sack with a head became a way to release tension?" I thought as Julius tossed the head in my direction.

After a few more moments of fun, we got to work, moving the bodies into a pile including the head and the dust from the vampire that was crushed.

After starting a small fire I give Julius a stick with a small flame at the tip and say.

"to starting anew"

"to starting anew" he copied then lowered the small flame to the cloak of one of the vampires.

In a matter of seconds, the vampires were engulfed in flames.

After watching for a few moments we grabbed our packs and started down the road.

Straight for Rome.