by T Nisbet
We crowded like sardines into the front seat of the Toby’s tricked-out, old truck and drove away. Just as the silence became unbearable, Toby pressed a button on the dashboard. A touch screen unfolded showing a list of artists. He tapped on Hank Williams Jr., and in seconds, the clear twanging sound of country music filled the inside of the cab. Toby sang aloud, off key like usual, as we drove through town on our way back to Bri’s mansion. I rolled down the window and put my arm out trying to give us more room. Ivy was pressed against me tightly, and I found myself acutely aware of her body and perfume.
I was baffled that Toby and especially Carla were going along with this. Well, Toby I could kind of understand, but Carla? She was the conservative voice in our group, the doubting Thomas. I just couldn’t understand why she was so accepting of this whole thing.
When were we less than a block away, Ivy leaned forward and turned off a Carrie Underwood song by tapping on the touch screen surface.
“There is something you guys should know before we get any closer… the Klines are vampires.” Ivy said, as if she were saying the dark clouds meant it was likely to rain. “The pouches mom gave us have silver dust in them, but she doesn’t think we’ll need it.”
“Vampires?” said Toby stammered.
I shook my head.
“What, you can believe all the garbage about me supposedly being immortal, but you draw the line at vampires?” I sniffed, sure now that this was a dream and knowing my weekend was going from bad to worse.
“Yes, vampires,” said Ivy firmly.
“Gosh, and I forgot my all of my sharpened stakes at home,” Carla said sarcastically.
“Me too, “ Toby laughed nervously. “I usually don’t get all ‘Van Helsing’ until Wednesdays.”
“What about the nighttime thing? Aren’t we safe until then?” asked Carla rolling her eyes at Toby.
“Mom says it doesn’t matter if it’s stormy, but she said not to worry either way.”
“Great,” was all I could manage, and started to worry.