Chapter One: Hurry Up
"Pete, get up!" mom bellowed from down stairs. I hated having to get up early in the morning, get dressed, eat breakfast, and run out the door to catch the bus all within fifteen minutes.
I ploped down on my chair at the kitchen table and dug into the pop tarts mom had prepared.
"Is that what you are wearing to school today?" said mom as she gave me an inquisitive look.
I glanced down at my attire and saw a polo shirt. I found nothing wrong with that. But then I realized what she meant: I was still wearing my Batman pajama pants, which aren't exactly suitable for a savagely cruel public middle school.
I ran back up stairs to my bedroom to change when I noticed my clock. It was 6:50. That meant I had less than five minutes to get to the bus stop a quarter mile down the street, and I still had my pajamas on!
Once I finally managed to squeez into my jeans, I scurried back down stairs. As soon as I stepped out the front door, the bus whizzed by, oblivious to me. I shuddered at the thought of what lay ahead of me now: the long dreaded walk to school.
When I finally reached the school, the second period bell rang. Mr. McClay would kill me for being so late. I entered my second period class awkwardly as Mr. McClay sent me over to an isolated corner of the class room to write a 500 word essay on the importance of punctuality. As I was walking to the corner, Jason Tucker, the school's most notorious bully stuck out his leg and tripped me. I landed hard on my chin. An uproarious laughter exploded from the class room.
"Did the little baby hurt himself?" said Jason in a scornful voice, which caused more laughter.
"Children, control yourselves," said Mr. McClay without bothering to turn away from the chalk board.
Why did every one have to pick on me? I felt blood dripping from my chin. A jolt of pain rushed through my head as tears leaked from my eyes.
"Is the little baby crying for his mommy?" said Jason. He then turned around a joked with his toady friends.
I sat down in the corner and started the essay. I wished I had some friends in the class. The twin brothers Tim and Jacob were my only friens. They weren't in any of my classes. So it was no friends all foes throughout the whole day.
At lunch Jason tripped me again while I was carrying my lunc tray back to my table. My spagetti lunch spilled all over the floor in a noodley mess. To makes matters worse, the custodian made me clean it up. I glared at Jason with contempt as he tormented another helpless victim. I swore to myself that one day I would have revenge.
Chapter Two: The Stranger
The next day I actually managed to get to school on time. I slumped down into my first period seat, expecting the usual barage of teasing. I was surprised to see that every one in the class room had their eyes fixed on the head of the room. I followed their gaze and realized that the teacher Mrs. Crabapple was presenting a new student to us. He was a dark haired, pale boy.
"This is Fritz Goshenson," said Mrs. Crabapple. "He just moved here from
Fritz walked over sat down at an empty desk next to mine without saying a word. The other students resumed their usual madness as Mrs. Crabapple tried vainly to quiet them.
"So, your name is Pete," said Fritz unexpectedly. His voice had a sort of Eastern European accent to it.
"Huh?" I replied. "Oh, yeah. I'm Peter Cromswell. Glad to meet you."
"I am glad to meet you as well," said Fritz. There was something very strange about him, yet I wasn't quite sure what it was.
Fritz raised his hand and complained to the teacher that the lights in the class room were to bright.
"You wimp!" shouted Jason from the other end of the room. Fritz eyed Jason deviously for the rest of first period.
At lunch I skillfully avoided being tripped by Jason. I was becoming good at dodgeing bullies. I sat down next to Fritz and dug into my lunch. Fritz's whole lunch consisted of a canister that seemed to be filled with red cool aid.
Later that day, after school, I came back to see one of the school football games. I sat down in the first row of the bleachers next to Tim and Jacob. I wondered if Fritz had come. Jason, who was the star quarter back, was talking to some cheerleaders when the coach approached him and told him to go back to the locker room and get something. Jason left the field and disspeared into the darkness of the quickly approaching twilight.
Twenty minutes went by without Jason returning and the crowd started to get ancy. "We'll have to start without him," I heard the coach say to the other football players. The game started and went at a slow pace. I ended up leaving long before it was over.
The next day neither Fritz nor Jason were at school. Mrs. Crabapple said that Jason's parents had called in this morning saying that Jason never came home last night. Nothing could be said for the where abouts of Fritz.
I failed a test in Mr. McClay's class that day so as punishment he had me stay after school to wash boards. Once I finally finished the laborious task, I left school to walk home. It was a pleasantly cool mid October afternoon so I decided to take the shorcut home through the woods. That's where I saw it, at the edge of the woods. Jason's body. Jason's dead body. With two holes in his neck.
Chapter Three: The Awakening
"Where did you find it?" asked the sherif. I had rushed back to the school and called the police about the body. I was now being interogated by the sherif in the local police station.
"At the edge of the woods behind the school," I said. The sherif asked me a few more questions and then sent me home.
That night I watched the local evening news with my parents. "Sudden deaths have accured all across the county," said the TV reporter. "Researchers say it is a fatal plague while others say it is the work of a vampire. Each victim has two holes in his or her neck."
Mom assured me that the whole thing was ridiculous and for me not to worry about it.
The next day Fritz was at school. I asked him if he had heard about the whole vampire thing.
"Vampire thing?" said Fritz defenseively. "I don't know what your talking about."
"So what part of
"
"Would you like to share your discussion with us Mr. Cromswell and Mr. Goshenson?!" barked Mrs. Crabapple.
I looked at Fritz, who didn't seem to have an answer either.
"Just as I thought," said Mrs. Crabapple. "When I am talking, everyone pays attention. Do you under..." Fritz was staring deeply into the eyes of Mrs. Crabapple as she spoke. She suddenly stopped in the middle of her sentence. Fritz had a devilish smerk on his face as Mrs. Crabapple continued the English lesson. It was then and there that I realized Fritz Goshenson was not your average sixth grader.
Chapter Four: The Nightmare
That night, while I tried to fall asleep in my bed, I pondered on what could have caused all those strange deaths. A sudden scratching on my window interupted me from my thought. I got up out of bed and drew the curtains back. Hovering outside the window was Fritz. I jumped back as the window flew open on it's own accord and Fritz hoped into my bedroom.
"F-F-Fritz," I said in a shaky voice. "What are you doing here?"
Fritz didn't say a word, rather he opened his mouth wide revealing two dagger like fangs. I darted out of my bedroom in an attempt to get to my parent's bedroom. But instead of being in the bedroom hallway, I found myself in a stone chamber filled with fog. Fritz barged into the room and slammed the door shut behind him. He let out a hiss and lunged at me as if to bite me.
"Ahhh!" I screamed as I sat up straight in my bed. I was panting heavily and sweat covered my body. Just then mom rushed into the room and turned the light on.
"What's wrong Pete?" said mom in dire concern.
"I had a nightmare," said I. Mom turned the light off and left the room. I grabbed my baseball bat off the floor and held it close to my chest. I pulled the covers up to my chin and shivered in the darkness.
Chapter Five: The Truth
The next day was a Saturday so that ment no school. I went over to Tim and Jacob's house and we played video games all day long. But due to day light savings, it was dark by five pm. I said goodbye and walked out their front door.
I paced quickly down the sidewalk. It was a crisp October night, cold enough for me to see my exhale float up in front of me. The only light was that which came out of house windows and an occasional lamp post. I heard leaves rustle behind me. I spun around to see that it was just a cat on the prowl.
"I've got to stop being so paranoid," I said to myself.
I turned around to continue walking but then stopped dead in my tracks. Less than half a block away, standing in the light of a lamp post was a dark figure with his back turned towards me. I stood there trembling for a few minutes until I gathered some courage. I decided that I would walk past the strange person quickly without saying a word.
I was less than ten feet away from the shadowy figure when he spoke without turning around. "The day is almost here Pete," said the dark figure.
"Fritz, is that you?" I asked timidly.
"Yes Pete, it is I," replied Fritz. "Come, walk with me." Fritz and I proceeded to walk down the street together. Fritz was wearing something that looked like a waiter's out fit and a long black cape. Perhaps he was trying out his Halloween costume. I was glad to have someone to walk with, even if it was Fritz. Neither of us spoke until I couldn't stand the akward silence any longer.
"So," I began. "What was that day you were talking about?"
"All Hallow's Eve," said Fritz in a cryptic voice. "The day when the fallen rise." I had no idea what he was talking about, but I was greatly intrigued.
"You see Pete," continued Fritz. "I am not a mortal human like you. I am of the living dead, a vampire."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"When I was a boy about your age in the late 1760s," said Fritz. "I lived in a Transylvanian village as a sheperd boy. One night, when I was walking home by myself from a late night church vigil, a large dark figure suddenly jumped me from behind. All went black after that.
"When I awoke who knows how much later, I found myself lying in a coffin that was in a dark crypt. Standing over the coffin was a cadaeverous looking man with fangs. He lead me out of the crypt and gave me a tour of his massive castle. His name was Count Radash. He was a vampire. He had made me into one as well.
"Later my younger brother Hans was made into a vampire. The count explained to us that the two of us were chosen to help complete the Diamond of Evil. Once four powerful vampires were united together they would have complete control over the world. But we were short of one member."
"Whats all this stuff about evil?" I asked. "You seem like a pretty nice guy. And if your a vampire how come I've seen you out in the daylight?"
"Thats not the point," retorted Fritz. "If you want to know, I invented a special elixer that allows me to withstand the sun.
"Anyways, our Diamond of Evil was almost complete when a hoarde of vampire slayers stormed our castle and drove a stake through the count's heart. My brother and I hid in the mountains of Transylvania for many years. But then I recieved a prophecy that two new canidates had been chosen to fulfill the Diamond of Evil. So we left Transylvania and came here."
"I thought Transylvania became part of Romania?" said I.
"It will always be Transylvania to me," said Fritz. "Like I was saying, we came to your town in search of the two chosen ones. One has already been claimed, and the other is within our grasps."
"Who is that?" I asked.
"You, Peter Cromswell," replied Fritz.
"Me?!" I said in a meek voice. "How can this be? I'm just a normal kid, well thats not what people at school think but I'm no vampire."
"You will be one soon," said Fritz. "Think of the benefits, Pete. You will be able to live a sensual, wicked undead life for ever. We will rule the world and everything in it. Join me Pete."
For a moment I was about to give into Fritz's temptation but then my concious came to me. What about my family? What about Tim and Jacob and every thing else I held dear in the world. Fritz was not going to make me a vampire.
I was about to tell him so when I realized that Fritz was lowering his head down to my neck, bearing his fangs. "Get away from me!" I shouted. I took off running down the street towards home. Fritz did not follow me, he called after me.
"Think of all the pleasures," beckoned Fritz. "No one to tell you what to do, no bullies."
What Fritz said seemed very appealing. I stopped running and turned around. There was no sign what so ever of Fritz. He had vanished. I let out a sigh of relief and walked home.
Chapter Six: Surprise Attack
The next day was Sunday. I spent most of the day in the basement reading an old book about vampires that I had dug up from a pile of old forgotten books. I learned that vampires have several weaknesses: garlic disgusts them; crosses hurt their eyes; a wooden stake through the heart kills them; and sunlight destroys them. I already knew that Fritz was invulnerable to sunlight. What if he had potions for all the other weaknesses as well?
That night after dinner, dad told me to take the garbage out to the road. Monday morning was the first trash pick up day of the week. I went out the kitchen door to the side of the house to get the two large trash cans. It was a little warmer than the night before, but not by much. I was shoving a garbage bag into a can when suddenly a dark figure leapt off the roof and landed in front of me. It was Fritz again.
"Ahhh!" I screamed in a girlish voice as I stumbled backwards. "Leave me alone!"
"Well Pete, you have had a day to think about it. What is your decision?"
"My decision is NO!" I said as I backed away towards the kitchen door. Suddenly, some one from behind wrapped his arms around my stomach and held me in an unbreakable grip. I cocked my head around to see some young boy that looked like a smaller version of Fritz. He was incrediblly strong for his size.
"I've got him master!" said the boy.
"Ah, I see you have met my younger brother Hans," said Fritz as he lowered his head down to my neck. I thought it was all over when I noticed a thrown away slice of garlic bread lying on top of the trash can. I gropped for it wildly until I finally got my hands on it.
"Take this!" I shouted as I shoved the garlic bread under Fritz's nose. Fritz backed away with his head buried in his cape as I brandished the bread at Hans. He coughed and let go of me. I was about to sprint to the kitchen door when suddenly Fritz came back and smacked the garlic bread out of my hand.
"Now Pete, you will obey!" commanded Fritz.
Just then a bright light came down upon us and the two vampires dissapered. Dad stood in the kitchen doorway with a concerened look.
"What on Earth is going on out here?" asked dad.
"I uh, just accidentaly knocked the can over," I said.
Dad went inside shut the door behind him. I grabbed the trash cans and nervously carried them out to the road. Once I completed the task, I darted back to the house. I had gotten lucky once again.
Chapter Seven: All Hallow's Eve
The days rolled by quickly and soon it was Halloween, which was on a Friday. I walked home from school on the side walk(I was afraid of the woods after finding Jason's corpse there). It was about four o'clock and the sun was already low in the western sky on that chilly late October afternoon. Halloween decorations were on every house. Some people were outside carving pumpkins, trying out costumes, buying candy, gathering eggs and toilet paper, etc.
When I was about four blocks away from home, I walked past an old abandoned house that had always sparked my curiosity. Its windows were shattered and boarded up and all its paint had peeled off. It had been a large expensive house up until about 40 years ago. Now it looked like some kind of ominous and forebearing haunted house.
I walked past it undaunted when I heard a shrill scream come from behind the house. I crept up along the side wall and peeped around the back corner of the old house. A group of seven boys and girls from my school were huddled in a large bunch. Standing several feet away from the rest was Fritz with his arms crossed across his chest. He had a very angry expression on his pale face. Behind the group of kids was Fritz's brother Hans and someother vampire who I couldn't quite see cleary. The two were pushing the kids towards Fritz.
"I found them snooping around, master," said Hans.
"We didn't mean any harm," said a boy in the group. "We just wanted to check out this old house on Halloween."
"Shut up you fool. Hans, do away with them. Wait, leave that one with me," said Fritz as he pointed at one of the girls in the group.
Hans and the other shoved the girl towards Fritz and marched the others inside the old house. The girl quivered as Fritz stroked her hair.
"Why are you so afraid my pretty?" asked Fritz in a gentle voice.
"I-I-I've heard things about you," said the girl in a shaky voice.
"What sort of things?" chuckled Fritz. "Your neck is marvelous! So fresh, so young, so smooth..." Fritz trailed off as he lowered his head down and sunk his fangs into the girls neck. The girl collapsed to the ground lifeless as Fritz wiped his mouth and let out an evil cackle.
Just then Hans came back out of the building followed by the other vampire. I strained my eyes and then recognized the third vampire. It was Jason Tucker!
"Did you do away with them?" asked Fritz.
"Yes master," said Jason.
"Twilight is among!" said Fritz. "Let us go to the school."
"Yipee!" shouted Hans.
The three vampires ran around the other side of the old house and skipped happily down the street towards my school. I realized then and there that it was up to me to save the world and its people as we knew it. I was eleven years old.
Chapter Eight: Transformation
As soon as I got home I ran into the garage grabbed my bike.
"Aren't you going trick or treating?" asked mom.
"No time for that," I said as I sped off down the street on my bike towards the school.
By now it was completely dark. Masses of children roamed the streets wearing all kinds of costumes. Most were just cheap, drug store bought costumes. I wished that I could be among them, but I had a mission.
After about five minutes I reached the school. It appeared dark and desserted from out side. I parked my bicycle in the parking lot and entered the school through the front door. Someone had unlocked it. Walking down the hall way, I felt great inhibitions. The endless corridors of the shcool were pitch black except for the dull neon glow of exit signs. I walked around a corner and then jumped back. Aways down the hall was the massive multi-purpose room. Emmitting through its open doors was a yellowish-red glow. I could hear the voices of several people chanting some ancient tune. I decided to investigate this strange occurance.
Peering in through the door of the multi-purpose room, all was revealed to me. Fritz, Hans, and Jason were all sitting Indian style in front of thousands of candels that covered the floor. The candels seemed to form a huge pentegram.
"Oh dark lord of night," said Fritz from where he was sitting. "Allow the transformation to take place."
Every single one of the candels went out as if some giant had blown out his birthday cake. The multi-purpose room was left in complete darkness. I was about to panick when suddenly the room was illuminated by a bright fire. I rubbed my eyes and gaped at my surroundings. The floor of the school was now a shiny marble.
The walls were of a thick grey stone. The American and Michigan flags on either side of the multi-purpose room stage became stone lions. A metal fold out chair on the center of the stage turned into a humongous throne. The Jr. High had turned into a palace!
Fritz walked up onto the stage and took his seat on the throne while Jason and Hans stood next to him like sentinels.
"I'm so glad you could join us," said Fritz. How did he know I was here? It took me a few moments to realize that he wasn't talking to me. In through a door on the other side of the stage dozens of people poured in. They were men and women wearing strange masquareade masks and costumes. Also there were butlers who carried around wine trays and did other servantly tasks. A string quartet organized themselves in a corner of the room and played away. I was able to see the wall on the other side of the people so I figured they must be ghosts.
"This is to weird," I said to myself. "I have to get out of here." Soon I was outside. The exterior of the transformation was even more shocking to behold than the inside. Along the roof were parapets and arrow loops. The front door was a large wooden gate. Spiralling towers extended from the school, or Fritz's castle as we should now say. A large crowd of dumfolded people had gathered infront of the castle. I got back on my bike and fled.
Chapter Nine: The Climax
The moon was now high in the night sky. The farther I peddled down the road, the fewer trick or treaters I saw. Most little kids were inside and mainly teenage pranksters remained.
"Wheres the fire, Pete?" asked a trick or treater on the side walk. It was Tim. Jacob stood next to him. I skidded my bike to a stop and gave a hasty account of what had happened to the school.
"What have you been smoking?" asked Jacob, trying to sound funny.
"If you don't belive me, come see the school for your selves," I said. After about five minutes I finally persuaded them to come with me back to the school.
Once we arrived, Tim and Jacob's jaws dropped open in awe. We fought are way through the now small crowd of people and entered the school.
"This place sure is creepy," said Jacob.
"And you said there were vampires?" asked Tim in a scarred voice.
"Yes, and they're very dangerous," I said.
I carried a sharp wooden stick I had found outside. Jacob carried a cross that had previously been around his neck while Tim tried to watch our backs. As we approached the former multi-purpose room, the sounds of revelry could no longer be heard. When we got to the door way we peered timidly inside. Like before the three vampires sat Indian style infront of thousands of candels.
"Oh dark master," began Fritz. "Please bring to us the fourth member of our Diamond of Evil."
From beneath the floor a deep, evil voice boomed: "He is behind you!" Hans and Jason leapt up and charged after us.
"Take this you blood sucking bully!" I shouted as plunged my sharp wooden stick deep into Jason's chest. He let out a shrill wail and then crumbled into a pile of dust. Tim and Jacob fled the room with Hans pursuing them. Suddenly the doors to the multi-purpose room slammed shut by themselves.
"I think we're alone now," said a familiar voice from behind. I reeled around to see Fritz approaching me with a grin. "Join me Pete, and we will begin the Diamond aknew."
Fritz's icy stare seemed to have a hynotizing effect on me. I stood there complacently as Fritz lowered his head and sunk his fangs into my neck.
When I awoke sometime later, I felt dead yet more alive then ever. I looked over my shoulder to see Fritz wrestling with some old man who held a wooden stake. Feeling a sudden loyalty to Fritz, I rushed to his aid. But then several other men barged into the room holding crosses and garlic. I covered my eyes in disgust and ran away. When I was about to walk out the room's exit, I chanced a look back. Fritz was tackled by the whole group of vampire slayers as they plunged a stake into his heart.
"Ahhh!" screamed Fritz. He then crumbled into a pile of dust.
Little Hans then charged into the room and sprang at the slayers while hissing and bearing his fangs. But he was quickly overtaken and met the same fate as Fritz and Jason.
The whole group of slayers then charged towards me with screams of hatred. I let out a defiant hiss and then slipped out of the building. I ran away into the night with superhuman speed until I was out of the town and deep in the wilderness, never to be seen by human eyes again.
Epilogue
Yes, I became a vampire. I now live deep in the mountains woods, far from civilization. I never drink of human blood, only that of rodents. Sometimes I miss my old life as a sixth grader, hmm...not really. I often wonder what happened to Jacob and Tim. Perhaps they lived, perhaps they didn't.
I estimate that its been at least a hundred years since all that happened. I never plan on going back. Peter Cromswell is not among the dead, he is among the living dead.
*T*H*E***E*N*D*/
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