The Stained Woods

2006, a Man threatens to kill an old lady (he calls Renata) and her granddaughter unless she reveals the whereabouts of a mysterious woman, last seen in Lithuania during WW2. 1941, Lithuania, Russians have fled as Germany invades. It’s a time of chaos, as rampaging Lithuanian Militias round up and murder the Jewish population. The mysterious woman, Efa, mid 50s, is captured in the woods, and taken to an execution pit. There too is Renata, 17, awaiting her fate. When Efa’s denial of being Jewish is disregarded by an SS Officer, she savagely bites him, before she’s stabbed in the chest. The executioners fire and their victims fall into the pit. Come dusk, Renata awakens, unharmed. She finds Efa, gravely injured but alive, and helps her escape into the woods. Renata is selfless, Efa the opposite. Efa convinces Renata to help her westward to the coast, where her Ex can sail them to Finland and freedom. But soon, Efa becomes delirious and Renata reluctantly accepts shelter in a strange Woodsman’s cabin. He assures Jews are welcome, but Renata reveals that she is not Jewish, but her dead boyfriend was. When the Militia appear at the cabin, the Woodsman hides them, but so terrified of their return, he reluctantly decides to poison Efa. Racked with guilt, he drunkenly reveals to Renata what he has done. A disagreement turns violent, with Renata begging him not to harm her unborn child. Suddenly Efa cuts his throat and drinks his blood. The next morning, Efa is miraculously healed, stronger and 20 years younger. Renata is terrified, but more so of the Militia. For the sake of her child she continues to follow Efa west. When the Militia discover the dead Woodsman and an unusual jacket belonging to Efa, the hunt is on. Now healthy, Efa is indifferent to Renata, that is until the Militia catch up and Renata saves her life once again. Efa opens up, revealing that she is 1500 years old, somehow unbeknownst to her, can rejuvenate from drinking blood, but insists that she’s no vampire. Efa admits being Jewish, but was so eager to live, that she denied it most her life. Renata has her own demons, blaming herself for her boyfriend’s death. On reaching the coast, the Militia catches up once again and there is a violent fight. Although the Militia are killed, Renata and Efa are left fatally injured. Renata selflessly offers her blood to keep Efa alive, but uncharacteristically, Efa refuses and dies. 2006, the Man cannot accept that Efa is dead. He needs Efa’s blood to cure his cancer, to remain young, as he has since Efa bit him at the pit all those years ago. He is in fact the SS Officer. However, the old woman is not Renata, the so-called granddaughter is. It appears that Renata has not aged. She kills the SS Officer to protect the old woman, her child that she always protected. And it is revealed back on the beach in 1941 that Renata survived her fatal injuries when Efa forced her to drink her own, immortal blood. The story ends with a healed Renata, sailing out to sea with Efa’s Ex, to freedom, to raise her child as she so wishes.