The night pressed against Melissa’s eyes as she and Kay hurried down the lane to the corner store. It was open twenty-four/seven, and she and Kay wanted some chips and brownie mix for the night. It was August, just before school started up again, but the air was chilly. It was nearly midnight, and there was an eerie mist around them – a fog that reminded Melissa of horror movies and rapists in alleys. She shivered, and listened as Kay talked to fill the creepy silence of the night.

Melissa and Kay hurried into the corner store, sighing in relief when the luminous bulbs shone bright against their skin – light. Melissa glanced back into the night, and there was a boy sitting on the sidewalk across the street. He was staring down at the curb as though he was conflicted by something emotionally devastating. He was pale, with pale hair – it was almost white. He was wearing a dark t-shirt and jeans. He almost looked lost. Melissa turned and hurried after Kay – the boy couldn’t be lost. There was no way to get lost in a town as small as this. She had never seen the boy before, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t know his way around town.

She forgot the boy. She and Kay laughed as they compared prices and shoved each other into the Easy Mac. They hauled much more food then they had intended to up to the cash register, and pulled out their wallets.

“That’ll be eighteen forty-five,” said the cashier, who looked bored and tired. Melissa handed Kay a ten and Kay handed over two tens. The cashier finished ringing them up, and Melissa looked out the dark window again. The boy was still sitting on the sidewalk. As Melissa was staring at him, he looked up, right at her.

Melissa blushed and turned away. She hoped the boy hadn’t been looking at her. She didn’t like to get caught staring. It was generally awkward. Kay glanced around Melissa and saw the boy as well.

“Have you ever seen him before?” Kay asked, confused. “I thought we knew everyone our age here.”

“I did, too,” said Melissa. “Maybe he just moved here or something.” Kay shook her head.

“No,” she said, “we would’ve heard about it by now. I mean, there isn’t much going on here. Your dad runs the electrical company here, and my dad is doing plumbing. One of us would’ve heard about a new family moving in.”

“Maybe he’s visiting family for the summer,” said Melissa. “Or just for the week.”

“Then why does he look so… sad?” asked Kay. “Maybe we should talk to him.”

“No,” insisted Melissa. “That’s probably a bad idea.”

“Why?” asked Kay, glancing out the window at the boy again. “I’m just trying to be hospitable.”

“You think he’s cute,” accused Melissa, a smile growing on her face. Kay blushed and glared at her.

“Well, don’t you?” she asked. Melissa took a chance and glanced at the boy again. He was staring at the ground again.

“I guess,” said Melissa. “He’s really pale.”

“And he has a strong jaw,” said Kay affectionately.

“You know, he might be a total jerk,” commented Melissa. “It would be best to leave him alone. Especially when he looks really freaked out like that.”

“We should help him,” insisted Kay. “Here, hold these. I’m going to go talk to him.” Kay shoved the four completely filled plastic bags into Melissa’s hands as they exited the corner store. She glanced left and right before crossing the street and saying hello to the boy.

He looked up at her, and smiled. Even from her distance across the street, Melissa could see that his smile was very winning. Very tempting. Very attractive. She turned to look left and right as well, to follow Kay and talk to this boy too. She started across the street, and hurried to Kay’s side.

“So are you from around here?” Kay was asking.

“No,” said the boy. “I’m not.”

“Hi,” said Melissa. The boy gave her a smile as well as he got to his feet.

“Hello,” he said cordially. “I’m Anthony. And you are?”

“Melissa,” she said, grinning.

“I see,” said Anthony. “Are you girls on your way home?”

“Yeah,” said Kay. “We’re going back to my house.”

“Well, I’m looking for… Twelfth Street… Is that in your direction?” He looked nervous, as if he were hoping that it would be.

“Yeah,” said Kay. “It’s a block or so before my house. Here, Mel, let me hold two of those…”

“Allow me,” said Anthony immediately, taking all four bags from Melissa’s laden arms. Melissa grinned up at him again. He was very tall, and his eyes were dark against his pale skin. Melissa couldn’t quite tell the color, though. It didn’t matter right now. The three of them set off in the direction of Kay’s home.

“So, why are you in the area?” asked Kay. “I mean, if you don’t live here.”

“Well, what can I say?” asked Anthony rhetorically. “I’m a bit of a nomad. I travel from place to place. I did ever since I turned seventeen.”

“When was that?”

“A while ago,” said Anthony vaguely.

“How old are you?” asked Melissa. Hopefully not too old. Not over twenty.

“Nineteen,” he said, smiling as though he was the only one in on some joke.

“Ah,” said Melissa.

“And how old are you ladies?” asked Anthony as they trotted along at a slow pace. It was much slower compared with the way Melissa and Kay had practically run through the short lanes to get to the corner store without being noticed.

“Eighteen,” they both said, both lying. They were seventeen, but would never admit that to a nineteen year old like this Anthony.

“Interesting,” he said. “How long have you lived here? It seems to be quite a small town.”

“It is,” said Melissa. “We’ve lived here all our lives.”

“Yeah,” said Kay. “Nothing much exciting goes on here. You should probably get out as fast as you can.”

“No doubt I will,” he said. “But I have an errand to run here, so I might be in town a night or so.”

“Cool,” said Kay, with obvious enthusiasm. The three of them walked slowly up the streets and turned corners. Kay was talking the long way home. She obviously felt safe with this boy, this stranger. Melissa felt a bit uneasy, but she laughed and talked along with Kay and soon felt comfortable as well.

“Well,” said Kay, “this is Twelfth Street.” They stopped on the corner of Twelfth and Clarke. “I guess, maybe we’ll see you around?”

“Let me walk you home,” said Anthony. His voice was very persuasive. “I’m sure I’ll be able to find my way back here. I have a good memory.” Kay blushed. He was staring at her like he had never seen anyone as beautiful as she was, and Melissa felt a bit of jealousy prick at her insides. She scowled.

“Sure,” said Kay, giggling. Kay didn’t notice Melissa’s annoyed expression. They walked two more blocks, and Melissa didn’t say a word. She glared at the ground as Kay and this Anthony talked and talked about all sorts of things. She was ignored, and she really didn’t like it.

“Well, here’s my street,” said Kay. “And my house is just three down. The one with the front lights on, see?” Anthony smiled.

“Yes, I do,” he said. “Your house is lovely.” They walked up to the front door, and Kay opened it.

“After you,” she said to Anthony, who gave her a wide, toothy smile.

“Thank you,” he said, in a very sincere voice. “I’ll just drop your bags and be going. It’s late, after all.”

“That would probably be the best idea,” Melissa butted in. “I mean, Kay, your mom really wouldn’t like it if some guy was here… Someone we don’t even really know.”

“You’re right,” sighed Kay, grimacing. “I guess you’d better be going.” Anthony put each bag on the kitchen table, taking his time. He seemed to be stalling. He had a look on intense concentration on his face.

What was he thinking so hard about? Melissa wondered. Is he going to ask her out? He’s only known her for like, ten minutes!

“Excuse me, Kay,” said Anthony. “Would you mind… coming outside for a moment with me? I’m not quite sure I remember just how to get back to Twelfth Street. I was hoping you could direct me.” Melissa scowled at the groceries. It was two blocks, straight down, no turns. How could he forget that? Kay, who noticed the same thing, giggled hopefully and scurried out into the dark after him. Melissa sighed. She really didn’t want to know what would go on outside for the next ten, twenty, seventy-thousand minutes.

She flicked on a movie and opened a bag of Doritos and sat down to wait.

She woke up, and the sun was filtering through the lacey curtains of Kay’s living room. Melissa sat straight up, realizing she hadn’t heard Kay come in at all. She turned to her left and saw a pile of blankets and Kay’s dark hair on a pillow. Melissa sighed, relief flooding through her. Kay was alright. Melissa flumped down against her own pillow, shut her eyes, and fell asleep again.

This time, she awoke to a scream.

“NO!” She sat up, groggy this time, and very confused. What? Who was screaming? And why? Who became apparent a moment later when Melissa’s eyes focused on Kay’s mother, who was shrieking at the top of her lungs three feet from where Melissa lay. She was standing over Kay.

“KAY!” she screamed. “KAY! WAKE UP! What’s the matter with you? Wake UP!” Her knees buckled and she slumped against Kay, and Melissa looked at Kay’s face for the first time. It was pale – paler then pale. White. Her eyes were open wide, staring ahead, but unseeing. Her mouth was open just a bit, and she had a surprised, but scared, expression on her face.

“Oh my GOD!” screamed Melissa, pulling herself up from the floor, her blankets following her. She tripped backward and hit her head off of the magazine stand. The lamp shuddered like it was about to fall, but stayed in place. Melissa was breathing heavily, terrified. “What’s wrong with her?” she asked Kay’s mother.

But Kay’s mother didn’t respond. She was crying, sobbing, shaking her daughter, trying to make her wake. But Kay didn’t blink, or cough, or laugh at them for making such a big deal over nothing. Because it was something. Kay wasn’t breathing. Kay was dead.

Finally, after the crying, screaming, and hysteria had worn Kay’s mother out, she passed out. All at once, out of no where, it all appeared to be just too much for her to handle, and her eyes rolled up back into her head, and she flopped sideways onto the floor. After a moment of shocked silence, Melissa 

scrambled over, trying not to touch Kay. Kay’s mother was breathing, and Melissa repositioned her so that she would at least look more comfortable. Then Melissa turned to look at Kay again.

Kay’s head was turned to her left. Her eyes were glassy, and there was none of the usual sparkle that had drawn Melissa in to her friend. What Melissa didn’t understand was that there was no sadness – at least not yet. Shouldn’t she be crying? Shouldn’t she be screaming, like Kay’s mother? Shouldn’t she do something besides stand there and stare at Kay? Finally, Melissa kneeled down and moved the blankets that hadn’t been ripped away by Kay’s mother. On the one closest to Kay’s body, there was a little blood on it. Melissa’s hand began to shake. What could have happened to Kay? She pulled the last blanket away from Kay, and saw two, small holes in Kay’s neck as though something bit her there, something like a...

She dropped the blanket and was gone in a flash. She hurried to the phone, looking at the emergency numbers. First, she called 911.

“Hello, please state your name, location, and emergency,” said a bored woman’s voice on the other end.

“M-My name is Melissa Kurt,” said Melissa. “I’m at Forty-two sixty-one, Sixteenth Street. I-I just woke up, and my-my friend’s dead. And-And her mom just passed out like, two minutes ago and I’m freaking out and I don’t know what to do!”

“Take a deep breath,” said the voice, no longer sounding bored. “Now, listen. Who is home with you?”

“Um, just Kay and her mom. And Kay’s… and her mom’s passed out… and… and…”

“Deep breath,” the woman reminded Melissa. Melissa took in a deep breath of air and let it out. “Okay,” said the woman, once she had heard Melissa exhale. “The paramedics are on their way over. Is your friend breathing?”

“No.”

“Is her mother breathing?”

“I think so. She was a minute ago.”

“Okay,” said the woman. “I want you to call someone – preferably an adult – who can come over and be with you until the paramedics arrive. Is that okay?”

“Yeah,” said Melissa. “Like – Like who, though? My mom?”

“Is she home?”

“No. Neither is my dad. They’re visiting my brother at college for the weekend.”

“What about your friend’s father?”

“He’s at work,” said Melissa.

“Alright,” said the woman. “Just stay on the phone with me, okay? Don’t hang up. Have you tried CPR?”

“I don’t know how,” said Melissa. She heard the terror and the desperation in her own voice. She began to shake.

“Deep breath!” said the woman immediately. She heard it too. Melissa took in another shuddering breath. “Okay, now, listen. CPR isn’t difficult. Can your phone reach?”

“Yeah, it’s cordless,” said Melissa. She walked slowly and jerkily into the room with Kay and her mother. She stopped dead in her tracks. It was unreal being in the same room as someone who was dead. She could barely make herself think the word. Kay wasn’t dead. Kay was one of the liveliest people she knew. Kay was just faking, and this would be something they’d look back on a laugh at in a few years. That was all.

“Alright, now go over to your friend. Is there anything blocking her wind tunnel?”

“What?”

“Check her mouth and throat. Did she choke?” Oh. Duh. Melissa held the phone to her ear with her shoulder, opening Kay’s mouth and looking inside. There was nothing there.

“No,” said Melissa. “She didn’t choke. There’s nothing there.”

“Alright,” said the woman. “I want you to tilt her head back, and –” Then Melissa heard it.

“Siren!” she yelled.

“What?” asked the woman, her voice suddenly frantic. It was not calming, but a bit of relief washed over Melissa. The paramedics were here. They would fix this. They would make Kay stop her joke.

“Siren!” said Melissa again. “Medical… people!”

“Oh,” said the woman. “Alright. I’m going to let you go now, okay? Are they in the house?”

“In a minute,” said Melissa. She hung up without saying goodbye. She stood at the door, heaving it wide open as the ambulance stopped in front of Kay’s home. Melissa saw neighbors coming out of their houses across the street to see what the problem was.

The paramedics hurried up to the door.

“Where?” was all the one in front said. Melissa backed up and pointed to her left, into the living room where she and Kay had slept. Or maybe, only Melissa had slept.

A bunch of men in huge uniforms hurried in, carrying all kinds of strange equipment Melissa had only seen on shows like Law and Order and ER. Her heart rate began to speed up.

“CLEAR!” yelled one of the men. There was a zap and Kay’s body spasmed. It didn’t look like she was… alive though. Her eyes still stared ahead, now at the ceiling, seeing nothing. “CLEAR!” yelled the man again. There was another zap. And then, very suddenly, all was quiet but the flat line tone of the heart monitor that was attached to Kay’s wrists. Three men were gently coaxing Kay’s mother awake, as four more tried to revive Kay. But Melissa could see Kay would not be revived. She would not breathe. She would not cough. She would never laugh again.

The next week was a haze. Melissa did not go to school. When her parents came home, they were told by the police that she was indisposed. They had taken her to a hospital, but it reminded of her more of an insane asylum. There were white walls, and Melissa was strapped down to her bed, though not tightly. The doctors said it was because she threw wild fits in her sleep. Melissa wasn’t sure what to think.

The police had asked her all about Kay. They asked her if anyone had had a particular grudge against Kay – because there was no way a seemingly healthy seventeen-year-old just died of no real reason. Melissa could barely answer. The truth was sinking in. Kay was dead. After almost twenty-four hours, the truth was there, and Melissa stared ahead, just as unseeing as Kay was. The police could barely get a word out of her.

So they waited until, finally, Melissa came back after a week or so, and men with badges were there, ready and waiting. They were kind and patient. They let Melissa take her time. They asked her if Kay had ever hurt a boy, made him angry, broke up with him. Melissa said no.

Anthony did not even cross her mind.

Her mind was nearly blank anyway. She couldn’t even remember her school’s name sometimes. Sometimes, she took deep breaths and stared around her room with wild eyes, terrified. Melissa’s parents never left her side. Kay’s mother was in shock, almost in a coma. The surprise and terror of the initial finding had hurt her mind. She slept more then she was awake. Kay’s father wasn’t speaking. He sat by his wife day and night, staring into space or sleeping. He’d glance at her every now and then, with tears in his eyes.

And finally, finally, Melissa was let out. She didn’t go back to school for another week, and when she did, all eyes were on her. She didn’t even notice it, though. She ignored everyone – her friends, her enemies, the janitors, even the cafeteria workers. She didn’t eat much. She did her homework late into the night. No one could make her stop. All she ever said was, “I have to keep working.” She never offered information in class. No one dared to ask her if she was alright. No one dared to talk to her. And she ignored everyone as thoroughly as they ignored her.

One day, Melissa decided she would walk home. It was October, and it had been over a month since that incident. She refused to call it anything else. She walked past Sixteenth Street, heading for her own home on Eighteenth, one block down. She looked firmly ahead, not letting her eyes be diverted. It was sunset – Melissa had spent most of the day at the library, avoiding people, getting an excuse to be quiet and to be surrounded by quiet. The sun dipped behind the trees behind her, and it was darker. There was an enormous wooded area to Melissa’s left, and the streets were to her right. As the sun dipped lower as Melissa walked, very slowly, up the Eighteenth Street, a pale, white-haired boy walked out from between the trees. Melissa stopped in her tracks.

Anthony.

He saw her, and waved. She couldn’t make herself wave back. She hadn’t given him any thought since the night she had met him, but she figured he would’ve been gone by now. He had an errand that took a whole month to deal with? He walked over to her. She was standing in the sunlight, filtered from between the tree branches, and she noticed her skin looked pale – almost sickly pale. She squirmed at it. She didn’t like the pale color. It reminded her too much of Kay’s white skin, that morning when –

She stopped.

“Hello,” said Anthony. He was about four feet away from her, in the shade. “How have you been?” He sounded almost amused – as though he knew the answer was not good.

“Fine,” said Melissa quietly.

“Really?” he said, sounding surprised. “I heard about your friend… I must say, it’s most unfortunate. She was a nice girl. I enjoyed her company. I’m sorry for your loss,” he tacked on at the end.

“Thank you,” Melissa mumbled, beginning to walk away.

“No, wait,” said Anthony. “Please don’t leave just yet. You look like you need someone to talk to. It would be better for you, in the long run, to get all your emotions off your chest. You’ll heal faster, I promise you.” Melissa stared at him. Why was he trying to be so helpful?

“You were the last person to see her alive,” she finally managed to get out. “What happened to her?”

“I don’t know,” said Anthony. “We talked for a minute or so, she gave me directions, and I left and she went back inside. It took only a few minutes. I can’t imagine what could’ve happened to her.”

“There were marks on her neck,” said Melissa. She was dangerously close to what she had been trying to avoid. Marks on her neck. Like a vampire. But that was silly. Perhaps they had been bruises, or birthmarks that Melissa had just never noticed before. Her memory was a bit hazy, after all, and she tried not to remember as much as possible anyway.

“Yes?” said Anthony. It was getting darker now. The sun was truly setting.

“There were marks on her neck,” said Melissa, stronger now. All the sadness, anger and horror burned down to one thing – fear. Was she crazy? Melissa wasn’t sure. Vampires weren’t real. But why did Kay have those marks?

“Yes,” said Anthony again. “What about them?”

“How did they get there?” asked Melissa, her voice no longer strong and sure. It was quiet again, meek and sad and terrified. Her voice was like a whisper.

“Would you like to see?” asked Anthony, smiling widely. Melissa jerked her head up. The sun had set. It was dark, and street lights were clicking on around her. The closest one was twenty feet away, on the 

corner of Eighteenth. Melissa felt cold fear grip her stomach. Anthony slowly walked forward and held out his hand. Melissa stared at it.

“What?” she asked.

“Come with me,” he said quietly, his voice smooth and persuasive. Melissa was mesmerized. She looked into his eyes and saw their color – black, flat black. Not just dark. Her felt her hand curl around his, and she heard her books tumble to the ground. They were standing on the sidewalk, and there were no cars around them. No one was there. Anthony’s hand was cool. Not cold, but cooler then her own. He gently tugged her toward the trees.

“What’s in there?” she asked.

“My friend’s home,” he said smoothly. “I want you to meet them.”

“Why?”

“Because I believe they’ll like you,” he said, smiling back at her. Melissa couldn’t smile back. Her mind screamed at her two completely different arguments. One half said follow him, go with him, you will heal. The other half screamed and screamed for her to pull her hand out of his grasp and run, taking her sweet time to grieve for her friend.

She could not pull away from him. His cool grasp was like a vice. There was no way she was getting away now. And the moment she realized this, panic set in. They hurried through the woods, between trees, and suddenly, Anthony stopped.

“Here we are,” he said, turning around to face her.

“There’s no house,” she muttered, her heart beating faster and faster.

“There is,” he assured her. “Look up.” She took a moment to stare at his face. She didn’t trust him. But, after a moment, she turned her gaze upward and saw an enormous tree house in the branches above her.

The she gasped, but not because of the house. Anthony’s mouth was on her neck, kissing and biting. Biting. It hurt, and suddenly, there was a rush of adrenaline and endorphins. She shoved him away, and caught a glimpse of his face. Blood was trickling down his chin in a gruesome manner, and what made it all the worse was that it was hers. His smile was wide, but no longer attractive and inviting. Now it was menacing and terrifying. And now Melissa could see his teeth. His canines were pointed, just as the stories always said. Anthony launched himself at Melissa, but she ran. He grabbed her around the waist and bit at her shoulder, snarling. She flailed, kicking and hitting as much of him as she could. She rammed her elbow back, screaming, and it hit him in the face.

“ARGH!” he yelled, falling back with a start. He put his hands to his face. Melissa turned, stupidly, to look at him. There was blood streaming from his nose. She wondered just whose blood it was. The blood on his lips was vivid and red, and she took a step backwards, preparing to run.

“You want to know what happened to her?” growled Anthony. “You want to know? You want to see?”

“NO!” screamed Melissa, turning and running away from him. She didn’t know which way the road was, but it didn’t matter as long as she could get away from him. He was going to kill her.

“Do you want to know whose blood is coming out my nose?” he yelled after her. She heard him start to follow her, and she could barely breathe. She had never been athletic, never had invested time in sports, so she huffed and puffed her way through the thick branches. All the while, she could hear him close behind.

Then suddenly, there was a hand on the back of her shirt. It yanked her back, and she fell onto the forest floor. There was a laugh, but this time it sounded different. It wasn’t Anthony laughing.

“She almost got away,” said a new voice. It was a girl’s voice. A familiar voice. Melissa opened her eyes and looked up. Kay was smiling sadistically down at her, her own teeth sharpened in the darkness. Melissa felt her stomach heave. No, this was impossible. Kay was dead. “Hello, there, friend,” she said to Melissa. “It’s been a while.”

“You’re – dead,” said Melissa. “You’re dead. This isn’t real.” Kay laughed, and it was a shining, menacing sound.

“Yep,” she said. “I’m dead all right. Thanks to you. Couldn’t you hear me screaming for help? Or were you just stuffing your face full of chips and watching some stupid movie?”

“I was asleep,” I said. “You were with him.”

“Yeah,” said Kay angrily. “I was. But I suppose I can forgive you. After all, he made me so much better then I was. I was so stupid, worrying about dumb things like school and boys and grades and homework. Ha! Like any of that matters. Nothing matters but this.” She leaned over Melissa and swiped a finger over Melissa’s bleeding wound on her shoulder. The red, sticky blood came off on her finger, and Kay shoved it into her mouth.

“Ahhh,” she sighed. “Delicious.” Melissa thought she was going to puke. Kay laughed at her. “Now, here’s where the fun really begins.” Kay reached out again and pulled Melissa up by her shirt. Kay’s nails ripped through the fabric. “Now. I want you to tell me that my parents are grieving the loss of their daughter.”

“They are,” said Melissa faintly. She could barely speak.

“The whole school is almost crying daily because of the tragedy,” said Kay, glaring into Melissa’s eyes.

“They are,” repeated Melissa, a little stronger.

“You spent weeks just trying to act normal because you missed me, you best friend, so much,” growled Kay.

“I did,” said Melissa. Kay grinned and shoved Melissa back onto the ground.

“Good,” she said.

“What were you saying?” asked Anthony. “About a fun part?”

“Oh, right,” said Kay. “The fun part.” She glanced back at Anthony with an evil smile on her face. She leaned back over Melissa. “The fun part is the part where you really run.” Kay stood straight and backed away, giving Melissa space to stand up. Melissa scrambled back away from them, terrified. “I said RUN!” shrieked Kay, and Melissa took off with the sound of their laughter in her ears. A moment later, she tripped on a tree root. It was too dark. There was no way she’d find her way out of here. But then again, that also meant that they wouldn’t find her. Melissa pulled herself up again, and began to run. They wouldn’t find her in the dark.

“Hi there,” said Kay’s voice to her left. Melissa shrieked and fell over again. Kay pulled her up and slammed her against a tree. “I guess this would be what I call payback. You left me for dead, and here we go. Now I get to give you death straight to you. Karma’s a bitch, isn’t it?” Kay laughed.

“I didn’t!” said Melissa. “I thought you two were just going to – gonna make out or something for a few hours! No! No! I swear! I didn’t know you were in trouble! I didn’t know!”

But Kay’s mouth descended onto the open wound in Melissa’s shoulder. Melissa screamed and screamed, but nothing happened. Then, another set of lips and teeth bit onto her other shoulder and Melissa screamed louder.

But slowly, slowly, the trees began to fade. The pain began to fade, just a little. Everything became black and white – or, mostly black, besides the glimmering white of Kay and Anthony’s skin. Their dead skin. They were dead.

Dead.

Dead.

Melissa hit the ground with a thud. It didn’t hurt. She couldn’t really see or feel or hear anymore anyway. And slowly, as her eyes shut, she could think of only one word.

Vampire.