Shades of War: A Collection of Four Short Stories by Josh Ashton Page A

don't have time for niceties."
                  Amy nodded her head in agreement. Things were so far gone now survival was the only option.
                  "So back to my first question, keep explaining it to me,” the General prodded her.
                  "No, it just comes over me and I need all I can get. I kill and take what I want, all I can get."
                  "Are you ever satisfied?" He kept probing.
                  "Not really. It never goes away. It just kind of dies down, but it comes roaring back."
                  The General thought for a moment, then asked another question.
                  "Not that it's important, but I'm fascinated: you're kind of a short little thing, how do you kill?"
                  Thinking of her kills, Amy felt that desire start to build in her, and she giggled her answer.
                  "Oh, I don't need a weapon. I'm much faster and stronger than I was."
                  "I'm sure you are," The general's voice had a sardonic tone. "And when your targets are down, then what?"
                  "Simple, I use my pocket knife puncture their jugulars and drink. I just drink until there is nothing left."
                  "That's a lot of blood."
                  Without thinking Amy contradicted him.
                  "No it's not. It’s never enough."
                  The general didn't answer that he just stared down the captain.
                  "Right, sorry, sir."
                  "It's OK, I need to be more patient with new things," He rolled his eyes upward. "You would think by now I would be used to it. Where were we?
                  "The blood, sir."
                  "OK, so from a scientific point of view, that's a lot of fluid. Where does it all go?"
                  "I don't know, but I feel energized after drinking. I haven't felt cold in months. I honestly don't feel much. I just feel the need to feed."
                  The General leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling as if contemplating. Then very deliberately he pulled his pistol from his holster and pointed it directly at Amy's chest.
                  "I have one last question for you, Captain, and you better be honest with me, do you understand?"
                  Amy looked at the pistol. She knew she could take it away from him before he fired, but that wasn't the point. She really didn't have to have followed Bencher back from the forest. It just felt right; it felt right to be back here. It was a relief to explain to someone what she was going through. She made up her mind to subject herself to this man's decision.
                  "Yes, sir."
                  "Have you ever fed on one of us? Have you killed a US soldier?"
                  She stared at the General and then in complete honesty answered the question.
                  "No, I've been killing the enemy."
                  Sighing, the general holstered the pistol. "Good, I'm glad that's settled. With the way things have been lately, I wonder what would have happened if I shot you."
                  "Excuse me, sir? What do you mean?"
                  "You've been out in the woods by yourself for a while, Captain. You're not the only one that has changed."
                  "Oh."
                  "Well, captain..."
                  "Amy, sir. Call me Amy. I don't really feel like a captain anymore after what I've become."
                  The General's eyes softened. "We've all changed because of this, just in different ways. Do you still want to be a part of this fight? You said you were killing the enemy."
                  "Yes, sir. I still want to