Joe could feel the rumble in the pit of his stomach. It had been less than ten seconds since he heard the jet fly over his house and already there was a mushroom cloud rising up from town. It glowed in a wavering ball of fire a few mile past his property. He could see it through the trees.
A gust of wind struck the farm, bending the fields of corn sideways as it passed.
More fires raged in an orange hue from horizon to horizon. Their brightness fluctuated as the echo of bombs racked the small farmhouse. It almost looked like a dull sunset except for the fact that the sun had gone down more than an hour earlier.
They weren't nukes, but they were by no means firecrackers.
Joe and Keith watched all of this through the gap in the boarded up living room window. They hid in shadow, unable to look away.
In front of Keith were his .50 Caliber sniper rifle, his assault rifle, and a .44 magnum revolver. The revolver was loaded with one single silver bullet. The bullet had been one of the most expensive ammunitions he ever bought. Before today, he always kept it on his mantle for decoration. Up until recent events, using it in actual combat seemed like a ludicrous waste of money.
In front of Joe were a double barrel 12-gauge shotgun loaded with buckshot, a pump action 10-gauge shotgun loaded with slugs, and his 9mm pistol. He was positive that if both shotguns failed to kill the vampires the pistol would most likely do nothing. Still, it would be foolish for him to leave it out, especially when the only alternative was nothing.
Joe also had the jug of holy water resting on the floor next to his leg.
Earlier that day Keith had melted down a bunch of silver coins he brought from home. He used the melted silver to coat the blade of his army knife. Now the deadly blade was tucked into its holster on his belt. He was also wearing his bulletproof vest again.
Shadows of corn stalks waved across Joe's yard in the glow of explosions. He had seen them make similar shadows under fireworks. This time, however, the fireworks looked as though they had sprouted from the very depths of hell.
An artificial wind whistled every time it came in from the south, and made the stalks rustle together.
"It's like Armageddon out there," said Keith.
"There'll be hell to pay if they hit my farm," said Joe.
"You think it's working?" Asked Keith.
"Maybe."
"I don't know Joe, if one of those bombs lands close by, we're toast. Maybe we should get down in the cellar."
"You think the cellar will stop one of those bombs?"
"Good point. I just don't like it is all."
"Yea, they're beginning to piss me off." Joe glanced away from the double barrel for a moment. He squeezed his eyes closed and then opened them a few times. They felt dry. "Look at it this way, if one of those bombs lands on us, we won't know it."
"And here I thought my days of almost getting blown up had passed." Keith tilted his head to the side until it cracked before going back to looking through his binoculars. "I mean I don't know what's worse, our own guys dropping bombs over our heads or the vampires."
"Just worry about your aim."
Keith leaned forward, the kitchen chair he was sitting in creaked. "I'll find my target, don't you worry about that."
"There," said Joe. "On the left side of my driveway, coming out of the corn near the road."
Keith dropped the binoculars and searched through the scope of the 50. Cal. "Oh yea, there's the ugly son of a bitch. How the hell did you see that?"
Joe grabbed his binoculars and peered through. It was the deputy from the night before. He stared right back at Joe as if he could see him. There was a small smirk on his dead face. His police uniform had a tear in the shoulder and was stained with dark blood.
"You going to take him?" asked Joe.
"Let's let him get a little closer. I don't think we want to wander too far when we clean him up." He twisted the end of the scope, adjusting his sights.
The vampire took his time, strolling as he made his way up the long driveway. He was almost to the edge of the cornfield before Keith spoke, "you might want to plug your ears."
He pulled the trigger and the house exploded with the sound of the .50 Cal. Joe's head was ringing with the noise. He fought the pain and brought the binoculars back up to his eyes.
The vampire was still on its feet, or rather the body of the vampire was still on its feet. The head was gone. Everything from its collarbone up had been turned into a fine mist.
The vampire fell to its knees before collapsing to its stomach. It twitched twice and then went still.
"Let's see it get up from that one," said Keith.
There was an inhuman shriek right in front of them on the porch. Splinters shot from the wall as the board they put up was ripped from the window.
Joe stood back, brandishing the 12 gauge. The fresh opening in the window gave him a panoramic view of the front porch and yard beyond.
Charlie was standing there, pale and rigid. His eyes were dark red and his hands were long with fingernails that came to a point. His mouth was wide open revealing two large fangs.
He grabbed the nose of Keith's 50. Cal. Keith tried to pull it back, but was overpowered and yanked through the window.
He landed stomach down on the porch as both he and the vampire let go.
With Keith so close, Joe had no intention of firing a round of buckshot. He ignored the gun and instead came up to his full height.
He took one look at Charlie reaching for Keith and dove. He used the bottom of the window to push himself forward.
He hit shoulder to chest, sending both he and Charlie off the porch.
The vampire landed on its back with Joe on top. Joe grabbed its wrist and tried to pin it down. The vampire ripped his arm out of Joe's grip with ease.
In any fight Joe had ever been in, he was always the superior force. He had never before met someone who could match his strength, let alone surpass it, until now.
Try as he might, he was unable to stop the clawed hand from reaching up and grabbing his neck. He was helpless as Charlie pulled him down into those long fangs.
Joe pushed away, fighting against the cold grasp of steel. He might as well have been playing tug of war against his truck.
The vampire's breath smelled like fresh oranges. Even in the flurry of the moment, that small detail struck Joe as odd.
There was a gunshot and Charlie screamed. Joe was able to get some separation as the creature's hand slipped off the back of his neck. He used the new space to push it away.
The vampire held its side and began to howl.
Joe saw Keith holding the revolver as he got to his feet.
He must have shot Charlie with the silver bullet. It's working too. He's not getting up.
He also spotted Rose. She was climbing up from the open end of the porch in her yellow sundress.