by Kim Turrisi
I see how bummed Perry seems. “I noticed some mold in the bathroom,” I say. At least that perks her up. She grabs a sponge, a bucket and some cleanser. You could eat off our floors right now, but her nonstop nervous cleaning is driving me insane. Carmilla wasn’t kidding — she’s ready to sacrifice her at any moment.
“Can we make a break for it?” Carmilla asks.
“Nope. Time to go back to the book. Perry is traumatized but she isn’t wrong. We have to make a move.”
Once again, I turn to the big Sumerian book that J. P. assured us holds the answers we need to stop the dean and get our friends back. Could we have missed something?
I toss it next to Carmilla, then inch close to her. Sitting on my bed, we scour the book for clues, while Perry circles with rubber gloves and a spray bottle of Lysol. Perry is so aggressive with her sponge that she accidentally bumps Carmilla while she’s chugging blood from her coffee mug. Suddenly there’s blood splashed all over the page.
“Goddammit, Perry! Watch it!” Carmilla yells. She’s dangerously close to her breaking point, and I don’t want to know what happens next.
Perry freaks out. “I’m so sorry.”
But maybe there’s nothing to be sorry about at all.
Carmilla and I stare at the book, speechless. As the blood spreads, words emerge on the ancient pages. They become visible one after another as the blood spreads.
I elbow Carmilla. “Are those new words appearing because of the blood spill?”
She nods. “Of course that’s happening.”
Perry is basically paralyzed.
Carmilla starts to read the new passage. “It’s an entry for something called Lophilformes. The light that devours. Wait, this says it’s the light that demands the sacrifice of five virgins every twenty years. Maybe that’s what my mother did with the girls I lured. Maybe she’s feeding the light? Once the victims are marked, their world and I quote, ‘narrows to celebration.’”
I nod. “Wait a second. So the light likes party girls? Does it say how to stop the sacrifice from happening?”
Carmilla keeps scanning the book. “ ‘Old as oceans’ depths … the light that betrays all …’ blah, blah … ‘draws the devoured to it and consumes their minds, which increases the light and draws in more of the devoured.’ ” Those last words were tough for her to get out.
“So if it absorbs their minds, is the energy from that drawing people in?” I ask.
“That would make sense.”
“And if Ell is reaching out to us, that means —”
Carmilla finishes my sentence. “They’re conscious in there. They’re alive.”
That means Betty could still be alive. Yes!
“So the book says that every twenty years five virgins must be sacrificed to this hungry light?” Perry is still wrapping her mind around it all.
When Carmilla spells it out, it sounds outlandish. “The Sumerian says just that,” she confirms.
I’m trying to imagine how to comfort Perry when suddenly a voice shouts, “Word!” and there’s a figure in front of us. Right here in the flesh is LaFontaine, rocking a Violent Femmes T-shirt. We all scream.
“Why is everyone all worked up?” LaFontaine asks.
Perry rushes over. “Thank God you’re back. In one piece.” Perry runs her hand up and down LaFontaine’s arm just to be sure she isn’t seeing things.
LaFontaine looks at her blankly. “Back? Did I go somewhere?”
They kidnapped LaFontaine just like the others. The parasites in the brain erased the memory of it. Any calm we were feeling has left the building.
“No memory of it, LaFontaine?” I probe.
“I remember being here. Talking to all of you. Now I’m still here.”
“You were gone for more than a day, over twenty-four hours,” Perry says. “Vanished.”
LaFontaine hesitates. “They took me? Are those parasites in my brain?”
The three of us do nothing to assuage the despair. We are just as miserable and uncertain, but relieved by the fact that LaFontaine is standing right in front of us.
“What do we know?” LaFontaine asks, then spots the pan of half-eaten brownies. “Please tell me you haven’t wasted all day baking.”
I hoist up the book. “No, with J. P.’s help we found out what’s been happening. It’s bigger than vampires. It’s this devouring light thing called Lophil-something …”
“Lophilformes,” Carmilla says to help me out. I’m ancient-Sumerian challenged, and I don’t care if she corrects me. “Basically, the dean sacrifices five girls to this mysterious light every twenty years. To find the light, we need to find the dean.”
“Here I thought Silas was at the forefront of policies on feminism. Why would the dean — who is a woman — want to do something like that?” LaFontaine asks.
“Why does anyone start a cult? Wealth, power, eternal youth,” Carmilla reasons.
We all snicker at that. “Is there anything in the book that might help us get closer to some answers that would save everyone?” LaFontaine inquires.
“I think we’re in Hail Mary mode,” Carmilla answers.
“Well, we need something. Now!” I say.
“I get it. It’s just not in this book, Laura.”
Perry steps up. “Forget the book. Maybe the parasites don’t like aspirin. Or cough medicine. Something we have on hand. Nasal spray — that might clear out your brain passages. Right?” Perry offers. That’s a stretch but I keep quiet.
Perry comes back from the bathroom armed with everything from the medicine cabinet. “You said Hail Mary.”
I watch her spray LaFontaine with nasal spray. Like all over. The mist is enveloping. “Thanks, Per,” says LaFontaine.
Perry holds up Band-Aids and tampons, tossing them both to the side.
“Is it hot in here?” LaFontaine starts to peel off the T-shirt, revealing a small recording device.
I’m stunned. “Why are you wearing that?”
“Just in case” is said so matter-of-factly that it sounds plausible to the rest of us. Strap a recorder on. You never know when it might come in handy.
“Did you record your own kidnapping?”
LaFontaine shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
This is the break we need.
“Yes!” I yell.
Carmilla stares in disbelief. “Incompetent jackasses.” That was rude, and she notices. “Not you, my mother’s minions. Who doesn’t frisk a hostage? Well done, LaFontaine. Total badass.”
LaFontaine shines, pleased with the compliment. Who doesn’t want a high five and validation from a vampire?
We fumble with the device until we hear LaFontaine’s recorded voice. “I didn’t see anything when they took me, but now I’m in a small room that smells like damp limestone. Like a cave.”
I can’t think of anywhere on campus that has underground space other than the library, and we’ve been there. No water, no limestone.
There’s some static in the recording before we hear many voices drift past, and then a familiar voice from another room. “I don’t know what she’s bitching about. We’re fine. The third one went so fast we didn’t have to collect her again. This one replaces the airhead, so we just need to score one more for the ritual before the new moon. Piece of cake. Crap, this one fainted.”
“That’s Will,” Carmilla tells us. “My brother.”
Perry and LaFontaine’s mouths drop open. Perry manages to speak first. “Zeta Will is your brother?”
“Long story,” I say.
“Vampire?” LaFontaine asks.
I nod.
The sound of a door being kicked fills the room.
Will’s voice again, this time talking to LaFontaine. “Good news, wise guy. The dean will see you now.”
LaFontaine’s voice is barely a
udible. “That’s okay. I know how busy she is.”
There’s a loud shriek, then the sound of a scuffle. There’s a thump, and then the feed cuts off.
“I must have bumped it,” LaFontaine says. “I’m so sorry …”
I jump in. “This is amazing! You did great. We know there are three girls alive down there. Will confirmed it.”
Carmilla is not quite as comforting. “But we don’t have a clue as to where they are or how to deal with my lunatic mother, let alone some ancient evil light. We’re screwed.”
Perry stares her down. “Don’t be so negative, Carmilla.”
We’re not completely in the dark, as I remind my friends. “But we know there’s a ritual, so maybe we just have to keep them from getting another girl before the new moon thing that Will was talking about. We just have to hang on until Friday … which is also when my lit paper is due.”
“If we all get sucked into an evil underground light, no one will give a crap about your paper. There’s that,” Carmilla says.
LaFontaine is sitting calmly, munching on a brownie.
“You’re taking this well,” I note.
“I know I should be terrified but it really doesn’t seem to matter much. Maybe that’s a sign that they’ve already invaded what used to be me and my brain.”
“No,” Perry says anxiously, “you can’t be going this fast — the others didn’t go this fast.”
“Maybe it’s because the ritual is so close. That might be amping up parasites. Stimulating them somehow,” LaFontaine says, suddenly leaping up and dashing around the room in agitation.
“I’ll keep an eye on my best friend,” Perry offers, grabbing LaFontaine’s hand. “Come on, let’s go find some place to dance.”
The two of them bop out into the hallway, leaving us to work against the clock. We have to find the cave before the deadline arrives … or passes.
• SIXTEEN •
After a full day of reading, Carmilla is still going strong, stretched across her bed poring through books and papers. If we can figure out where the girls are, we have a shot.
J. P.’s search window is open and running. Carm has befriended LaFontaine’s buddy from the library and they’re studying mystical weapons on campus. J. P. is loaded with good information.
Me, I’m tidying up the mess Carm has made. Not that this mess will matter if we’re all dead. Her blood-encrusted glass makes me gag, I have to admit. She’s been going through pints of that every few hours. Blood for her, coffee for me.
I’m really starting to miss having Perry and her mop around.
“Hey, bloodsucker,” I joke, “help me out?” I need someone to get the bracelet back on my wrist. I’m pretty much wearing it all the time now.
“Funny.” She fastens the bracelet, then slightly cocks her head and grins. “Gotta keep you safe.”
Danny peeks in. It’s been a while since I’ve seen her. She holds her gaze on Carmilla and says, “Perry said you wanted to talk to me?”
There’s a lot of awkward hanging in the room.
“You look good,” I blurt out.
Danny points at the webcam. “I can’t believe you’re still filming after what happened to LaFontaine.” She’s still blaming me and my posts for everything. I am not the enemy.
“Are you still watching?” I ask.
“I stopped after the library incident. It’s too hard for me.”
“How did you know about LaFontaine if you didn’t tune in to the vlog?”
She moves from foot to foot, all edgy. “Perry filled me in on the details. Sounds like it’s been all-consuming.”
Now I’m the one who’s anxious. “Yeah, I’ve been super stressed.”
“I haven’t seen you in class — you’ve missed a lot,” she says.
“I’ve got a lot of other stuff going on.” To say the least.
“You are here for school,” she jokes, but that jab hits to close to home. What is she, my dad? If it wasn’t already over between us, it would be now.
I fake a laugh, uncomfortable as hell. A glance from Carmilla encourages me. She knows what I need here. “About that school thing. I’ve been preoccupied, as you know.”
She nods. “Okay.” She’s not going to make this easy for me.
“Can I get an extension on my paper? Just a week or so. Until after the soul-sucking ritual thing is over?” I ask.
Silence.
I lower my demands. “Three days?”
Danny’s voice rises an octave. “Oh my God. I thought … How dumb am I? You wanted me to come over here because you can’t stay on top of your homework?”
Carmilla is still watching.
I forge ahead. “Seriously? Trying to save four people isn’t worth a few extra days to get my paper done? What did you think?”
“Nothing.”
Oh crap. “Did you think I wanted to get back together?”
Carmilla perks up.
“Not anymore. I can’t believe your nerve.”
“My nerve? I can’t believe you’re being so vindictive and petty.”
Danny gets right up in my face. “Easy for you to say. You didn’t get dumped for a bloodsucking vampire.”
“So hostile,” Carmilla comments.
“This conversation is officially over,” Danny says sharply. “If you’re too busy with her to get your assignments done, that’s your problem, not mine.”
She turns toward the door. Carmilla can’t resist sending her off with, “Come back never.”
Danny looks back at me and snaps, “Delete my contact info from your phone.”
“I guess that was a no,” I say after the door slams. “She hates me. I don’t blame her.”
“Sore loser,” Carmilla says.
“I hope you’re having better luck finding us a secret weapon than I did scoring a decent grade.”
Carmilla flips the pages. “Not so much. According to the great book, we’ve got Ascalon, an enchanted spear that kills dragons but only if you’re a Christian saint. So that’s out. The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch, perfect for an influx of monstrous rabbits. For us, all zeroes.”
She heaves the book against the wall. J. P.’s search engine keeps running on the computer until a query string for Blade of Hastur pops up. That gets my attention. “What about this one? The Blade of Hastur forged from Euuch, the burnt bones of star spawn, and meant to shatter all that opposes it? Sounds promising.” I keep reading. “Crap. It won’t work for us.”
“Why not?”
I read ahead. “It’s sealed in the face of a cliff in a cavern a thousand feet below sea level on the outskirts of town. Nobody could survive that, which is probably why it’s there. Too dangerous to try to retrieve. How about a big bad bazooka? Obvious choice, but can it stop your mother?”
Carm perks up. “I could get it. It’s not far from here.”
“What? The bazooka?”
“The sword. Pressure at that depth isn’t really an issue for us vampires. Vampire bonus points.”
I try not to get too excited about this revelation. “But you’d be risking your life if your mother found out —”
She stops me. “My mother robbed me of the only person I ever cared about. Maybe I don’t feel like letting her do that to me again.” The sound of her voice as she admits that makes my heart skip a beat.
“I know you’re not doing this just because of me?” I’m fishing.
“Please. Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I am.” She leans in to kiss me until she sees my new necklace. “Where did that thing come from?” she asks.
“It was on my dresser. I thought it was another present …”
“Take it off!” she shouts. She reaches for the necklace, but when it touches her skin, she yelps like she’s been scorched or stung. I try to rip it from my neck but it starts to chok
e me. I panic when I can’t breathe. Everything goes black. I hear Carmilla whisper, “Mother?” right before I lose consciousness.
My head is muddled when I wake up. “Carmilla? What happened?”
“It’s okay. The necklace was poisoned. A trap from my mother.”
Whoa. “She fights dirty. Won’t she be surprised when you show up all badass with the one thing that will end her domination of Silas University. She’s going down.”
Carm turns slightly away from me. “Yeah. Not so sure she’ll be expecting that.”
Something in her demeanor isn’t right. Maybe it’s just the poison clouding my brain. Still, Carmilla is acting strange.
• SEVENTEEN •
The constant hammering outside of our dorm is driving me insane. They’re building a huge stage for the end-of-term party out there, and when you add a blaring soundtrack of intermittent dance music, you’ve got a recipe for a pounding migraine and less studying than ever.
Then there’s the grating sound of scraping wood, because Perry is whittling stakes like a beaver building a dam. You know, because vampires.
Carmilla is loosening LaFontaine’s ropes right now, and LaFontaine is writhing, making a racket. We had no choice but to tie the poor thing, so off the rails, to the bedposts. The parasites seem to have lodged themselves into our friend’s brain and now they’re working overtime. I catch Carm providing a bit of comfort while she head-bangs to the sound of the techno-pop crap from the stage downstairs.
I prep for my daily update. Perry ordered me to stop vlogging, but I feel it’s my obligation to keep everyone at Silas informed, so here we go. “It’s finals week, which means junk food, caffeine and parties. But somewhere in an underground hideaway, a horrific sacrifice is being prepped. That’s the bad news. Fear not, we do have good news as well. We found information on an evil-stopping sword that’s going to level the playing field. The mother of all vamp-killing weapons. It’s going to be a game changer. I know it.”
“I can’t believe LaFontaine lost J. P.,” Carmilla grumbles. “Now we’re down a resource.”
“Misplaced,” LaFontaine corrects her, still twisting and turning. The parasites are really having their way.