Finding Midnight

by T. Lynne Tolles

  “Where is Hakone?” she asked.

  “South of Tokyo,” he answered.

  “And they’ve been making these for a long time?”

  “At least a hundred years. There are two main styles each named after their designer: ‘Hikimono’ and ‘Sashimono.’ ‘Hikimono’ includes various products, including bowls and toys. ‘Sashimono’ is mainly boxes decorated with surface mosaics like the ones you see here.”

  “Can you open it?”

  “Probably, but one might say that opening the box is part of the journey to the secrets it holds,” he smiled.

  She grimaced, disappointed he would not be more accommodating.

  “Well, I suppose I could show you the first move—get you pointed in the right decoration,” he said, trying to appease her.

  Summer’s face lit up and he took that as permission to make the first move (on the box, that is). He turned it slowly and she watched as he nimbly placed a finger here and another there—then voila—a piece moved where she’d never even seen a seam in the wood.

  “There. That should get you started,” he said, happy to have made her smile.

  “Thank you,” she said as she looked over the box with the small protruding piece, now making the pretty box look rather imperfect. She slid the piece back to its original place then back out again. “I see. How very clever,” she said, marveling at being able to move a piece. “You seem to know an awful lot about puzzle boxes.”

  “Yeah. I guess,” he said, seeming a little embarrassed. She wasn’t sure why he seemed suddenly withdrawn. She turned the box several times in her hands.

  “I think my journey to the secret is going to be long and arduous.” She chuckled and set the tiny box on the table. She could tell she made him uncomfortable. Without realizing she was doing so, her hand suddenly went to the object at her neck she’d made into a necklace. She’d been doing this a lot since she started wearing it. It seemed to bring her comfort—or maybe it had turned into a nervous habit.

  As she did this, she heard a voice from behind. “Secret? Did someone say secret? What secret?” She turned to question who spoke only to see Sully trotting in the door with his slobber-covered tennis ball. She didn’t know what to think. She turned again to look at Jackson, but he hadn’t turned toward the door until she looked for a response from him. She was confused. Had he not heard the voice?

  “Did you hear that?” she asked him.

  “Hear Sully? Yeah, I heard him come in. Whatcha got, boy?” he said, trying to befriend the hound making his way across the room to Summer.

  “No. I mean…did you hear someone say something?”

  “Say something? No. Why? What did you hear?”

  “The voice asked about the secret. You didn’t hear that?”

  Sully looked at her, cocking his head to one side.

  “No,” Jackson said, sounding worried.

  “I must be hearing things,” she said half-jokingly when she reached out to Sully and rubbed his ear with one hand and attempted to take the item out of his mouth with the other. “Or maybe Sully’s talking to me.” She laughed.

  He tilted his head and Jackson joined in her uncertain laughter.

  “Movie time,” came Tori’s voice from outside.

  “Guess that’s our cue. Can you grab the drinks on the counter? I’ve got the popcorn,” Summer asked Jackson as she tossed the ball towards the door and picked up the popcorn bowl.

  “You got it,” Jackson said, taking the six pack of soda with him as they made their way to the cemetery for the second feature—The Wolf Man.

  Chapter 12

  Though not as comical as Young Frankenstein, The Wolf Man was a classic she and Tori had come to love and would watch over and over. There were many scenes Tori and Summer recited along with the actors, amusing the boys.

  “Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night,

  may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.”

  The girls had put as much feeling and drama into the words as the actors put forth and the boys applauded and hooted when they’d finished.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Summer saw Ms. Midnight watching them from her perch at the window. She was quite certain she even saw a smile from the usually frowning face. That made Summer smile too.

  When the movie was over, Jackson and Nick helped take down the screen and move everything inside the cottage. Then they retreated to the couch. Tori and Nick lounged on the floor, Tori using Nick as a pillow while Nick propped himself up with one elbow and a pillow.

  “Did Tori tell you what Jackson and I are planning on doing?” Nick said to Summer who was looking again at her puzzle box.

  “No. What?” She set the box down and gave a quick side glance and smile at Jackson who sat next to her on the tiny couch.

  “Oh, we don’t have to get into that, do we?” Jackson said, embarrassed.

  “Sure, we do. It’s a fabulous idea,” Nick said, waving away Jackson’s attempt to quiet him.

  “What idea?” Summer was intrigued.

  “We’re starting our own business,” Nick said proudly. “I can’t take credit; it was all Jackson’s idea.”

  “It wasn’t an idea and we are not going into business,” Jackson said, shaking his head.

  “What do you call it, if it isn’t an awesome idea?” Nick asked.

  “It was a joke, dweeb. Just a thought that came out of my mouth, not something I ever planned on doing,” Jackson explained.

  “What is it?” Summer’s curiosity was aching for them to reveal whatever it was they were talking about.

  “Whatever, man. I still think it’s a great idea,” Nick said. “Summer, what is the most perfect job you could think of for two vampires?” Nick asked.

  Summer saw Jackson squirm at the word ‘vampire.’ He was definitely not as comfortable as his friend at talking about their affection for blood. Summer had already sent Jackson retreating when they had talked about his knowledge of the puzzle box. She wasn’t dying to cause him any more discomfort. Again, her hand went to her necklace as she thought on Nick’s question.

  “Umm. I don’t know, something that gives you access to blood, I suppose,” she said, hoping it wasn’t going to be a veterinarian, since Tori told her that vampires get most of their blood from animals. She felt her stomach churn.

  Nick must have sensed this and said, “Right. Something that gives us access to blood without hurting a soul or an animal.”

  Summer smiled, relieved, and reached down to pet the hellhound when he sneezed.

  “And where could we get that kind of access to blood under those circumstances?” he asked.

  “Um,” Summer said, thinking hard, but nothing was coming to her. Tori smiled at her from across the room. “I don’t know,” Summer finally said.

  “A mobile blood donor tech. Duh,” Nick said and Jackson bent forward, his forehead in his palm, elbow on his knee. He looked absolutely mortified.

  “Huh!” Summer said. “That really would be something, wouldn’t it?” The more she thought about it, the more she thought it was quite brilliant. “But you’d probably have to be, at the very least, a registered nurse to do something like that.”

  “Actually, we both have PhDs. When you have as much time as we’ve had, you have to find things to do with your time. Now, school was certainly not my first choice, but Jackson here insisted. Let’s just say we have a few degrees,” Nick said. Jackson added his other palm to his forehead and raked both hands through his golden hair.

  “Interesting,” Summer said. “So you would just steal a bag here and there for yourselves and deposit the rest in the local blood bank?”

  “Yeah! Pretty much! It wouldn’t be a lot, maybe a bag a week each,”

  “So little?” Summer asked.

  “Yeah. We don’t need much, really,” Nick said.

  “But wouldn’t it be hard to be around all that blood, all the time? It would be like an alcoholic worki
ng in a bar, wouldn’t it?” she prodded.

  “You’d be surprised. I mean, don’t get me wrong. There are vampires who have a serious control problem, but Jackson here made sure I learned to control it. Now, even starved, I can handle myself around gorgeous, yummy women without being a danger,” Nick said, kissing Tori and then nibbling on her ear.

  Summer wasn’t sure how she felt about this display OR his use of ‘yummy’ referring to her best friend in the world. Jackson seemed to want to crawl under the table and become invisible.

  “So I have Jackson to thank for your hunger control,” Summer said with concern.

  “Well, he taught me to control the hunger, yes, but I had a little to do with it,” Nick said in his defense.

  She rubbed her necklace frantically as she looked to Jackson, “How exactly do you teach a vampire to control his thirst?” Summer asked. “Who taught you?”

  “That’s really something I’d rather not go into,” he said.

  “I think you are worrying Summer, Nick. And from the looks of it, I think you’re killing Jackson. He looks as white as a ghost,” Tori stated.

  Nick suddenly noticed Jackson’s appearance, and agreed with a laugh. “Sorry, man,” he said to Jackson. “No worries, Summer. You have nothing to fear from Jackson and me—now another vamp, well, I couldn’t say, but neither of us are into all that gore. And Jackson here, he wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

  “And Tori?” Summer asked Nick point blank. “Would you ever hurt Tori?”

  “Not if my very life depended on it. I haven’t killed a person or thing since I met Jackson. There’s no need. Besides, I never liked it. Always felt horrific afterwards. Now I feel good about myself and with Tori, well, she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Nick said as he tenderly kissed Tori on her temple.

  A wave of relief flooded through Summer. She saw how much Nick cared about Tori. Though his honesty had unnerved Summer, his love for Tori was apparent and that eased her mind. Jackson on the other hand looked like he was going to vomit. He had green undertones that did not go well with his already pale skin and mossy green eyes.

  *****

  As Summer relaxed, her hand dropped away from her necklace and Tori said, “Remember, if you ever find another one of those, you have to give it to me.”

  “I know,” Summer said.

  “What’s that?” Nick asked.

  “I told you about the cool crystal rock thing Summer found and made into a necklace,” Tori explained.

  “Oh, yeah! I think I do recall you saying something about that. Didn’t you break a couple drill bits trying to make a hole in it?” Nick asked Summer.

  “I did and I felt absolutely horrible when I found out how much they cost,” Summer confessed.

  Though Jackson’s color didn’t look much better, his eyes were as wide and round as tennis balls. Summer couldn’t tell if he was scared or shocked; either way, he came closer. Summer felt the warmth of his breath on her cheek.

  “May I?” he said, reaching out to her.

  “Uh, sure,” she said, not knowing what to make of his expression.

  His hand picked up the object lying on her chest. She reached behind her and released the leather cord. The cord slipped from her neck and draped over Jackson’s hand. Like with the puzzle box, his expression changed to amazement.

  “What?” Summer asked him. Tori and Nick came closer too as Jackson’s expression aroused their curiosity.

  “Do you know what this is?” Jackson said with a smile so huge, it almost scared everyone in the room. Summer surmised by Nick’s step back that he, too, had never seen such excitement in his friend’s face.

  “Hey, man, you’re freaking me out,” Nick said to Jackson as Tori clung to his arm.

  Jackson looked into Summer’s eyes and it seemed to Summer they sparkled like twinkle lights. His cheeks even had a healthy pink glow. He repeated his question as if no one but he and Summer were in the room or maybe even the universe, “Do you know what this is?”

  She shook her head and mustered up the courage for a meek, “No.”

  He smiled and put his hand on her shoulders. “This, my sweet Summer, is a dragon scale,” he said, holding it up to the light bulb.

  Summer didn’t know how to react or what to say. Had she heard him correctly? A dragon scale?

  But before she could say it out loud, Tori jumped to their side and sat on the coffee table to be closer to them, saying, “A dragon scale? You mean like a scale?” she paused. “From a dragon.” She paused again. “A real honest to God dragon?”

  With each of her questions her voice went up an octave. Jackson nodded with the strangest smile on his face.

  Summer furrowed her brow in confusion. “A dragon?” For a moment her eyes met Tori’s and she thought of the night when Daniel saved her from the shadow of a dragon passing by her bedroom window.

  “Yes,” Jackson confirmed. “And not just a ‘real dragon,’ but a live dragon. This came from a live dragon.”

  “Okay, man. Now you’re just messing with us. There’s no such thing as dragons,” Nick said, so very sure of himself, but watching his best friend nodding and smiling that bizarre, scary smile had his confidence pouring out of him with great speed. “No. You’re just joking, right?”

  “I’m not joking. I’m telling you the truth. This is a dragon scale from a live dragon and it’s right here in my hand,” Jackson said. For a moment, Summer thought his eyes were welling and that he might cry.

  “How can you know that it is from a live dragon?” Tori asked.

  “Look.” He brought the scale up to the light again. “See how clear it is? You can actually see the light bulb through it.”

  “So?” Nick said.

  “I was told that scales become more and more opaque after they fall off and age. I’ve never seen one you could see through. No one for thousands of years has seen one you could see through,” Jackson stated.

  “Then how can you be sure it’s a scale at all? Maybe it’s just a mineral or crystal,” Summer said.

  “It’s documented in ancient texts all over the world and look at the color. Isn’t it amazing? It’s just like the documents claim. It’s just as wondrous and beautiful as they said they were.”

  Summer was puzzled. How did Jackson know what ancient texts said or didn’t say? Just how old was this vampire? How did he know so much about so many things?

  “I thought dragons died out eons ago, but this. This proves they didn’t. Where did you say you found this?” Jackson asked.

  “Out back by the fence,” Summer said.

  “Where? Show me,” Jackson said excitedly.

  “Okay…” Summer said as they followed her to the fence where Sully had stood on his back legs barking at the phantom cat in the window. She felt like a mother duck with three ducklings and a hellhound following her every move.

  “Whoo…Whoo…Whoo are you?” said a voice from the woods. Summer stopped suddenly and all three of her followers ran into one another like some big pile up on a freeway.

  “Did you hear that?” she said to Tori as the boys examined the area where the supposed scale had been found.

  “Hear what?” Tori said.

  Disappointed, Summer pointed to the ground by the fence. “Here. This is where I found it.” The boys scurried to the fence and proceeded to look around.

  Summer prodded Tori. “You didn’t hear a voice a moment ago?”

  “I heard an owl hooting,” Tori said, paying more attention to the boys and what they might find.

  “Exactly. Then it said, ‘Who are you?’”

  Tori turned to face her, her brow scrunched with worry. “You heard an owl ask who you were?”

  Summer pasted a weak smile on her face. “Of course, not…that’s crazy talk,” she said, trying to play the whole conversation off.

  “You crack me up, Summer,” Tori said with a tiny hesitation, and then her focus was back on the boys.

  “Was it lying on the ground or
did you have to dig for it?” Jackson asked.

  “Well, Sully was clawing at the fence, barking at a cat in the window next door, and I guess his back feet must have moved the dirt around to reveal the—” she hesitated on the word, “scale.”

  “I don’t see anything,” Jackson said.

  “What is it we are looking for? You expected to find a dragon just hanging out by the fence?” Nick said, shoving Jackson in the shoulder.

  “I guess not. I’m not sure what I was hoping to find. It’s just so amazing to find something like this,” Jackson said, handing the dragon scale back to Summer. “I’m surprised you got a drill to go through it at all.” They started to head back to the cottage.

  “Why?” Summer asked, reattaching the necklace around her neck.

  “Dragon scales are known for their strength and hardness,” Jackson explained.

  “Oh,” was all she could find to say.

  “They’re also known for their magical properties,” Jackson noted.

  “Magical properties?” Summer and Tori said in stereo.

  “Yes, and one that is off a live dragon, well, that is about as charged with magic as they come,” he relayed.

  “When you say magic you mean like hocus-pocus?” Nick asked.

  “Yes. They were used in potions, spells, and in healing. They were highly sought after,” Jackson said.

  “How do you know all this?” Summer asked a bit too skeptically.

  “I…I…” Jackson wavered. “I read about them.” Instantly he retreated from any more questions that might be bubbling to the surface.

  Nick noted the awkwardness and announced they’d better head home. He used some excuse about having to work early at the Mausoleum, but Summer wasn’t sure if it was true or just a ‘wingman’ watching out for his buddy—getting him out of an uncomfortable situation.

  Nick and Tori said their goodbyes first, and then headed for the car. Summer guessed they were trying to give her and Jackson time to say goodbye in private. Jackson was still uncomfortable but his fascination with the bauble around her neck brought him to within inches of her again. He picked the scale off her chest once more, admiring it, then gently replaced it and said, “This is truly an amazing find.”