by K M Smith
She flung open the door and frantically dug through wrapping paper, light strings and mounds of Alice’s artwork. The corner of a picture drawn by five-year-old Alice caught Sarah’s eye. It depicted a stick-figure woman with brown hair holding the hand of a small stick-figure girl wearing a dress and a cape. We are superheroes, baby. Mom’ll never give up fighting for you. Folding the picture and placing it in her back pocket, Sarah searched until she found the box labeled “Gro More Herb Garden.” Rifling through its contents, she grabbed the pieces she would need to defend herself.
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
Jake
It had taken the duo virtually no time to drive from Marshall to Albion. The harder part was determining exactly how to find Sarah’s house. They had made their way down to campus and began trailing Alice’s scent. Though they picked her up a few days ago, her scent lingered, as unique and traceable as a fingerprint.
Jake inhaled deeply as he stepped off the curb and crossed the road toward the center of campus. He lingered in thought. Notes of lavender and cinnamon speckled the air, a clear sign that Alice had passed through recently. He closed his eyes and pictured her full chocolate brown hair, her warm hazel eyes, and the way her nose crinkled when she was deep in thought. It was a warm and welcome picture.
The picture morphed into Alice moving uncontrollably, with wild stringy hair flailing around, puffy bloodshot eyes throwing daggers everywhere she looked, and veins of rage popping out along her neck and forehead. The latter version of Alice, the last picture he had of her in his mind, was so full of heartbreak and anger, yet Alice wasn’t only these things. Her laughter made him blush, even as their prisoner. Her strength and sense of right and wrong shone through even during stressful times. It hadn’t been very long, but Jake felt an unshakable connection to her. She had to be brought back from wherever she had gone. He dared not think of the alternative.
“We’ll find her,” Leo said, breaking Jake out of his thoughts.
“Yeah, obviously. We will.” Jake’s reply came out testier than he wanted it to, but Leo would just have to deal with it. Jake didn’t have room in his brain to deal with Leo’s delicate feelings.
“Obviously.”
“Look, Leo—”
“We’re good. C’mon. Let’s check out this place, she’s smelling pretty ripe here.” Leo moved forward and through the big red door.
Jake followed Leo into the Keller and reminders of Alice popped up everywhere. Her scent circled the room and he swore he could hear her laughter. He closed his eyes, and scent signatures left behind pushed images into his mind. Groups of college kids meeting here prepping for a big night out, giggling together, lining their stomachs, spying who they wanted to go home with at the end of the night. He remembered those days, fueled by too much alcohol, too much sloppy sex, and not enough common sense. He inhaled and smiled at the nostalgia.
Leo nudged his partner and sniffed the air. Startled, Jake nodded back, confirming what they’d both assumed: Alice had been in the Keller, but not since the other day. They left and worked their way toward the quad. It was late, but the vigilant few remained out and about, returning from the library or late-night visits to the gym. Leo and Jake moved with purpose through campus but at human speed so as not to draw attention. Leo’s squat figure and flat cap didn’t blend in as well as Jake’s lean cut and more contemporary style, but neither was different enough to catch unwanted glances. The beauty of the liberal arts campus: freedom of expression, even in fashion.
The pair wandered through the quad and stopped to gaze at a giant graffiti-laden rock. Greek letters and inspirational quotes covered the monument, and it had many layers of similar designs.
“Who does this?” Leo asked. Jake chuckled when he noticed the rock and his partner cast similar silhouettes.
“What?” Leo asked, eyeing his partner suspiciously. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing, man.” Jake patted Leo’s shoulder. “Let’s keep moving. I don’t pick up much scent here.”
Leo nodded his reply, and they carried on walking toward town. “Last place I saw her was that bar downtown. Maybe we should go there? Trace her steps backward?”
This time Jake nodded, a little disappointed he hadn’t thought of that first. “Good idea. Maybe something will come to us when we get there. Scent or otherwise.” The two vampires moved by foot toward town hoping to catch any olfactory cues along the way.
The streets between campus and town were residential. Jake and Leo moved swiftly through the dark and had just crossed the train tracks when Leo stopped short. ‘Jake—stop,’ he thought at his friend.
Jake froze in place and glanced at Leo, awaiting more information.
‘She’s been here. Today. Can you sense it?’
Jake stood still and focused intently on his surroundings. He closed his eyes and sent out feelers to pick up any vibrations in the area. After a moment, a soft buzzing penetrated his mind. His fingertips got all tingly, and the buzzing intensified as he looked around. He moved slowly and deliberately across the street. He moved as if in a trance. The buzzing pulled him, and he allowed himself to be led. A few moments later, he found himself standing in a pile of leaves.
“She was here, man. Recently, too.” Leo looked around as he spoke, spying nothing on the sidewalks or moving around the nearby yards, save a raccoon and some other small vermin.
Jake nodded. “Yeah, all that buzzing? Did it pull you, too?”
Leo raised an eyebrow at his friend. “Nah, that was apparently special. Just for you.”
Jake turned around where he stood and nodded slowly. “But why?”
“Beats me, man. I guess even her aura has a hard on for you.”
“Not funny, Leo.”
“C’mon, man. Lighten up. We got a long night ahead. I’m not gonna deal with you being all morose and shit.”
“Look at the big brain on Leo!” Jake retorted and stepped out of the pile of leaves. As he moved away from the pile, he slipped, wet leaves sticking to the bottom of his shoes and causing him to lose traction. “Whoa!” he said, then righted himself. “Those leaves are wet, Leo.”
“I know. I just thought of that.”
“Do you really think she just appeared here, out of thin air?”
“It ain’t like she flew.” Leo bent down to take a closer look at the leaves. “Anything’s possible. These past few days have shown me that. I mean, I always knew strange stuff went down in this world—even before I was turned, you shoulda seen some of the things I seen back in the day. Man, I tell—”
“Leo. Tangent.”
“Right. Sorry. So, anyways, yeah. I think that’s exactly what happened. She popped out of the room and landed here. But why here?”
Just then, a flicker of blue light caught Jake’s eye. Someone’s television was playing in their front room. “Leo, look.” Jake pointed to the house with the television on.
“What am I lookin’ at? Is there a game on I don’t know about?”
“No. Leo. Look up.”
Leo looked again, this time focusing his energies in the direction his friend was pointing. Then he saw her, standing in front of the hall window upstairs, her arms swinging as though she were swimming. Or driving a stake into an invisible person’s heart. The gesture unmistakable. The resemblance uncanny.
“Sarah.” Drew said, from behind Leo.
“Holy shit, man! What the hell!” Leo jumped.
Jake jumped back as well, nearly stepping on Eliza. “What the fuck! How did you guys get here so fast?”
“I know more than one guy,” Eliza said. She moved closer to Drew.
“Where’s the other one? I thought you patched things up?” Leo asked.
“He doesn’t know any guys. Not in New York, anyway,” Eliza answered, then draped her arm over Drew’s shoulder. Drew shrugged her off and started walking toward Sarah’s house. “Asshole,” Eliza muttered.
“Wait. Drew. Don’t go up there yet,” Jake called after Drew and jogged t
o catch up with him.
Drew scowled at Jake. “Why not?” He took pointed steps closer to Jake as he spoke. “This is my house. Regardless of how long I’ve been away or what happened in the meantime. It’s. My. House.” Drew jabbed a finger into Jake’s chest at the last three words.
Jake stepped back, his hands raised in surrender. “Okay, okay. But what if Sarah is expecting you—”
“What if she is?” Drew interrupted.
“You didn’t let me finish,” Jake said and traced his steps back closer to Drew. “What if she’s expecting you, and she’s not happy about it? Like, wooden stake at the ready not happy.”
Drew didn’t say anything to that, and Leo stepped forward to throw his two cents in. “Jake’s right. He and I should go to the door first. She won’t know who we are, and even if she’s expecting vampires, we’re older and faster than you are, Drew.” Drew shook his head and was about to protest, but Leo held up his hands. “Yeah, you’re the king o’ Manhattan. I know, we know. We also know that we’re older and faster. Ain’t that right, Eliza?”
Eliza laughed. “Yeah.” Drew scowled at Eliza’s reply.
Leo looked away and covered his mouth, stifling a snicker.
Jake spoke up, eager to move things along. “Also, aren’t we technically your underlings, so shouldn’t we take the potential stake to the heart for you?” Jake played the hierarchy card hoping Drew would back off.
“Fine.” Drew looked at his crew, his hands firmly on his hips, displaying his best impression of how to be a leader, and continued, his voice booming. “Jake and Leo, you guys go up to the porch first and get the lay of the land, Eliza and I will hang back on the side of the house, out of view of the door and the road.”
“Those are some pretty big balls you just grew there,” Eliza remarked. “You think I’m going to stand around and let you tell me what to do? After all I’ve done to help you through this? After being there for you when you were sad or angry or horny or what the fuck ever. And then, once we get back to your precious widow, I’m second fiddle? Sorry buddy, but you’re on your own. I hope you know a guy, ‘cuz I’m taking the plane.” Eliza stormed off a few paces, then in a blink she was gone.
“Hell hath no fury,” Leo said and chuckled under his breath.
“Well, that…seems about right. Shall we get this over with, Leo?” Jake looked at his friend, knowing Leo would have his back no matter what.
“We shall,” Leo said, and the two left Drew staring down the road after Eliza.
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
Sarah
Gripping a stake, Sarah tested the weight of it in her hand and practiced stabbing the air. As she became more confident with the motions, the doorbell rang.
She tucked two wooden garden stakes from the kit into the back of her jeans and kept one in her hand. Bouncing on the balls of her feet, she puffed out an anxious breath. Do I need garlic? That’s probably a myth. Shaking her arms to loosen her muscles she thought about Alice. They made me lose my daughter. They will not take me down, too. The fight built inside her and propelled her toward the stairs. Gripping the handrail, she crept down the stairs giving herself a mental pep talk with each step.
On the wall at the downstairs landing hung an old ironwork cross. Sarah’s mom had bought it for her after Andrew disappeared. To bring safety and peace to Sarah’s husbandless home. Sarah removed it from its spot and sighed as she held it. If she only knew how wrong she was.
Weapons at the ready, Sarah moved toward the door. A thought hit her and she froze: Telepathy. Is it simply reading thoughts or would they be able to control her movements, too? The more she wanted her mind to go blank the more she thought about what she was about to do. Are they listening to my thoughts right now? She craned her neck to look for some clue that they might be controlling her. Nothing appeared out of place, but she had no way of knowing if they were monitoring her movements. Thinking again of her daughter, she continued on her quest.
Tightening her grip on the cross, she checked her back for the extra stakes. Still there. When she reached the door, she squeezed her eyes shut and inhaled deeply. I hope that garlic thing is just a superstition.
Thinking back on the events of the morning, she hoped all along that Alice had been wrong. That her daughter’s transformation had been an illusion. That the strange and hazy memories that kept floating to the surface in recent days were only fiction. But she knew deep down her daughter wouldn’t lie, her eyes hadn’t deceived her, and her brain wasn’t making up stories. Vampires waited for her on her front porch. Maybe there were three or maybe just one. The number didn’t matter. They meant to do her harm and she would not allow that. With weapons in hand, she determined to face her demons head on. Decades had been wasted not dealing with the loss of her husband, and her little family suffered for it. That was the past. Now, she would stab the vile creatures through their undead unbeating hearts and she wouldn’t stop until her daughter was safe. No matter what.
Deep breath, Sarah. It was now or now. There was no other choice. She peeked through the curtain near the door. The porch light shined on two men waiting on her porch. One was long, lean, and attractive in a nostalgic eighties kind of way. The other was squat and rough looking. He almost looked like he belonged to another time. He probably does, Sarah! Vampires! Immortality! Rolling her eyes, she forced out a sigh and took a step back from the door to collect herself.
The vampires on the other side made no move to attack her or pierce her mind. At least, I don’t think they did. She shook off the feeling of being watched and braced herself for what would come next.
Before she opened the door, she ran through a mental inventory. Stakes, cross, no garlic—oh well. Two vampires on my porch. My daughter—gone. Her heart tore at the thought of losing Alice. Focus! What am I forgetting? She looked around the room again. This might be the last time she saw anything from her normal life. What is normal? She sighed and let her past float away.
Digging deep, she found her conviction. Alice needs you to do this. Gripping the stake in her left hand, she held the cross in her right hand. She practiced slashing and stabbing with the stake and pushing the cross toward her would-be attackers, extending her arm as long as it would go. No reason for any of these beasts to get close enough to grab her. My house. My life. My revenge. Nervous energy coursed through her body, gearing her up and pushing her toward the fight. Trembling, she reached for the doorknob, turned it, and pulled open her front door.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
Leo
“Oh boy,” Leo sighed as Sarah threw open the door. He glanced at Jake. ‘Poor thing’s scared to death.’ Jake grimaced and looked away.
Sarah gripped a decorative cross in her right hand and a small garden stake in her left. She looked neither comfortable nor intimidating; though that garden stake might pose a threat if she decided to use it. Leo shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels.
“You won’t take me alive!” Sarah screamed. She kept her weapons raised; her body tensed and chest heaving as she defended herself and her home. When neither Leo nor Jake moved to attack her, she lowered her weapons, her shoulders drooping in defeat. “Why aren’t you trying to hurt me?”
“We can’t reach you.” Leo thrust his hand out to grab the cross, which Sarah held just inside the threshold, but it stopped as though it had smashed into an invisible wall.
Jumping back, Sarah slashed downward with the stake. She grunted and stumbled when she only managed to tear through the air.
“You gotta invite us in, or we’re stuck out here.” Leo shrugged, ignoring her attempt to slice his wrist, and put his hand back in his pocket, his Vampire 101 lesson complete.
Holding onto the door, Sarah puffed her chest out, trying to look brave. “I won’t invite you in,” she said, her voice and legs shaky.
“Figured,” Leo said, and he stepped back for the big reveal.
“Will you let me in, Sarah?” Drew said as he climbed the steps.
>
“Andrew?” Sarah gasped. The cross fell from her hand and the ironwork rattled as it hit the hardwood floor, the sound echoing through the house and out into the night. She wrapped her arms around herself and narrowed her eyes at him.
“Are you—” she began. She covered her mouth with the back of her hand, still holding the stake, “Is that—Is it really you?”
Drew nodded and stared at Sarah. “It is. Won’t you invite me in?” His gaze never left her face. Leo had never seen this side of Drew before: the wooer. How have we lived with this guy so long and not known about any of this? Leo thought, scuffing his foot along the floorboards.
Jake picked up the thought, even though Leo hadn’t thrown it to him, and replied, ‘He’s an enigma. A tall, aloof, misguided enigma.’ Leo glanced up at Jake and smirked.
Sarah shook her head at Drew, emphatically and repeatedly. Drew looked to Leo and Jake for backup. They both shrugged, so Drew turned back to Sarah.
“Sarah, we need to talk about Alice.”
Sarah’s gaze sharpened, but she was careful not to look Drew directly in the eye. “You know her name.” She shivered; it was a small motion, but Leo caught it.
‘Did you see that?’ Jake’s eyes met Leo’s.
‘I did.’
‘She’s nervous. Maybe we can use that to our advantage?’
‘Let’s see what our fearless leader does first, then jump in if he can’t close the deal.’
Jake nodded his agreement.