Fanfiction: Purpose

From her vantage on the rooftop, Faith waits to watch the fun. She’s been working this one for a while, and things have finally come to a head.

‘I wish I had some popcorn,’ she thinks absently as they come into view.

Faith drops to one knee, so she can lean over the side of the building to get a better look and still not be seen.

The girl is young, maybe fifteen, with red hair and a crap load of freckles. She’s running like the wind, down the alley below, with three men hot on her tail. Their heavy brows and sharply pointed teeth betray their demonic nature. Vampires, and they are almost on her. It won’t be long before the fighting starts. Faith hopes that the girl has awakened by now. The kid has had the dreams, but those come early sometimes. If not, then this is going to be over quick.

“Especially since you ran down a dead end, Red, you dumb ass,” she whispers under her breath as she stands and moves farther along the ledge, closer to the action.

Red pulls up short, with no place to go; the brick wall in front of her is way too high for her to climb. The vampires slow as well, sauntering down the alley now, thinking that they have all the time in the world.

“Dinner is served, boys,” says the leader, chuckling evilly. “Come here, Sarah. The more you resist, the more it hurts. Although the fear smells damned tasty!”

‘Probably older than the others, or a powerful sire,’ thinks Faith as she watches. She’s itching to get down there and her mind is already working out the details of which one is going to get the stake first. It is too soon, though.

‘Just a little longer.’

The girl turns at this point, the fear plain on her face. “No… please, Andy! I don’t want any trouble!” Red pleads, “I just want to go home.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Faith mumbles from her perch.

‘Show some fucking balls for cryin’ out loud! You don’t even know what you are, yet, but you can feel it, girl! Slayer plus Vampire equals Dead Vampire! C’mon now!’

As Faith watches, Red decides to make a run for it, attempting to dodge between the demons and back the way she came. One of the lesser vamps steps over to intercept her. Her path blocked, she runs right into him, launching him back, into a steel garbage can and a pile of waste. Bits of debris fly everywhere as he lands. He barks out in pain and clutches at his chest before suddenly bursting into a cloud of dust.

Protruding from the garbage where he lay is a piece of wood, left from some damaged crate or pallet.

‘The strength is coming into play. She’s awake, I bet.’

“What the hell is this?” Andy cries in surprise. The sentiment is echoed on Red’s face, her mouth hanging open in shock. She recovers quickly though, starting to run again, towards the street and the safety of the lights and people. Andy reaches out and grabs a handful of red curls, jerking her back while the remaining vamp moves in.

“She dusted him! Hold her, Kevin; she’s going to pay for that before we bleed her.”

Kevin grabs her by the arm, taking her away from Andy. “You dusted our friend, Sarah. I thought you liked us, the way you were dancing in the club and all, but I guess it’s just not true,” he says mockingly. Andy pulls back a fist and hits her across the face, stunning her.

“All right then… let’s eat!”

‘Shit she blew it! Looks like I’m on!’

Faith steps off the roof and drops like a cat next to Andy. “Boo!” she says simply as she kicks him away, and into the wall. Kevin lets go of the girl, who slumps to the ground as he snarls, bearing his fangs. The show costs him though, as Faith uses the time he poses to slip out a stake and pierce his heart.

Kevin looks slightly surprised as he fades away into a cloud of dirt and drifts off with the breeze.

“C’mon, kid. Sarah, was it? Get up,” Faith says, leaning over to help the girl up by the arm. “Your new boyfriend and you need to have a little chat.” Sarah looks up confusedly at the raven-haired woman, whose dark eyes seem to watch her and everything else in the alley, including Andy, who is stirring from his resting place on the ground.

Faith flips the stake she used on Kevin, end over end, catching it by the point and offering it to Sarah.

“Here you go, kiddo. Let’s see what you got.”

“What’s that for? I don’t understand,” Sarah asks, still dazed from the blow she took in the head. “Who are you?”

‘Jeeze! Always with the questions! Doesn’t anyone just take to this job anymore? Fuck!’

“Me? I’m Faith. You… You’re a Slayer. That guy there, Andy, he’s a vampire. Got it?”

Sarah looks at her blankly as Andy stands up, still somewhat addled from hitting the wall.

“Okay, shit.” Faith rolls her eyes.

‘What am I, a fucking Watcher? I’m no Giles, that’s for damned sure, and where the hell is he when you need him anyway?!’

“You’re a Vampire Slayer, and he’s a Vampire. Slay the Vampire!” Faith emphasizes by shaking the stake, blunt end first at Sarah. “C’mon, the stake won’t bite, but this guy sure as hell will!” Sarah takes the stake, her eyes clearing as Faith’s words sink in, whether she understands them or not.

Faith smiles cruelly and looks at Andy. “Well, come on. Attack her already! At least you’ve got a chance of surviving with her… you might even get away.”

Sarah looks at Faith, the stake and then Andy. “There’s no such thing as vampires.”

“Tell it to him.” Faith says as Andy, having weighted his chances, decides that Sarah looks like his best option to remain undead. He charges, fangs bared, and roaring with rage.

Something clicks into place, as Sarah’s arm shoots forward instinctively, like lightning. The stake moves right between Andy’s arms and into his chest, and he doesn’t even have time to cry out before he is consumed and fades away.

Dropping the stake, Sarah backs up a step and puts a hand up to her mouth. “I… I just killed Andy!” She says, “I’m a murderer!” Her eyes begin to well up with tears.

‘Here come the waterworks… she had better not be wanting a hug, ‘cause she’s more likely to get a smack.’

“Look, Andy died a long time ago and his body got taken over by a demon. That’s what a vampire is. You’re a vampire slayer, one of the chosen many.” Faith sighs, remembering when she was The Chosen One, or even one of the two, but since Sunnydale, that’s not the case anymore, and it sucks. With all these girls running around with a Slayer’s power, but no direction and no guidance, the vampire and demon population have been in a feeding frenzy. Slayer blood is powerful stuff and easy to get now.

‘Not on my watch, not a chance!’

“Look, there used to be this really fancy speech or poem or some shit about one girl who stands against the vampires and the demons, blah, blah, blah. Well, that’s not the deal anymore. We need to get together and we need to fight. There’s a lot more demons now, since this place is like a fucking quickie mart for slayer blood. They are all coming to get some and I’m not going to let it happen!”

“C’mon, let’s walk.”

Faith takes the stake back from Sarah and slips it up her sleeve. “Here’s the deal. I’m going to teach you how to be a Slayer. Crash course. After I’m done, you’re going to find another Slayer and teach her how to Slay. It’ll be like that one shampoo commercial… at least that’s what I’m hoping.”

The end

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