Night Owl

Chapter 35 - Restless in the Night

Chapter Thirty-five

Restless in the Night

All day, my grandparents and I remained at home. No one ventured outside. For the first time since I can remember, Grandpa Red didn't whittle on the porch and Grandma Lil didn't work in her garden, nor did neighbors drop by for morning coffee or talk on the porch.

I walked into the grand room, my eyes wandering, finding the book nestled neatly on the shelf that opened the wall to the secret room. I meandered into the library, looking around at the books scattered on the desk. I had studied out of those books for many hours in the last several months.

I strolled over to the desk, allowing my fingers to glide over the wooden surface, my thoughts turning to my parents, Witch Hagnar, and now Susie Harper. All killed by the seven evil vampires, the ones who are building an army of followers. Some are involuntary supporters, made to follow by spells which have been cast upon them. Others are voluntary, willing to kill...and they have already made that point very clear.

I stepped over to the Hally Book of Shadows, slightly hoping it would light up like it had the night before, helping me...no, telling me what to do...but nothing. I ambled back into the grand room. Grandpa Red and Grandma Lil were sitting, periodically talking to each other. She knitted and he read.

I sat with them a short time, flipping through magazines and books.

"I'm going stir crazy!" I cried, jumping up.

"Oh, I know, dear," Grandma said, lowering the knitting to her lap. "The Magical Council has asked everyone to stay inside their homes today. They need time to question and do their part in the investigation. It'll be over soon."

Grandpa stayed quiet.

"I think I'll get some lemonade," I said, heading to the kitchen, becoming increasingly anxious.

The cherry jar in the refrigerator sat empty. Aggravated, I jerked open and slammed the cabinets, searching for another jar. "Now I know there has to be more somewhere. Grandma always keeps a supply." Remembering Grandma's pantry in the basement, I headed down the stairs.

I approached the bottom step and reached for the pull cord, turning on the light. The basement was huge. Grandma had hundreds of homemade foods jarred and placed on shelves. Fresh herbs hung to dry next to the section where the potions were stored.

My eyes glided over row after row of labeled items. Located in the back, up against the wall, I found a crate stamped "cherries" on the top. It hadn't been opened. The nails were still intact.

Finding a hammer; I pried opened the box. A single sheet of paper lay on top. I picked up the sheet and looked it over. "Hum, probably the receipt. I'll carry it upstairs and put it on the kitchen counter." I started to fold it and put it in my pocket when three words on the sheet caught my attention. "Red's Blood Supply." I saw the words, reading them several times. I was disoriented for a five or six seconds, thinking surely this wasn't real. Then the lack of clarity began seeping away, anger taking its place. I stared at what I'd just discovered. I looked at all the jars as though they were enemies.

Overwhelming anger and bitterness washed over me. "How stupid of me, what did I think, I could just continue to gobble down food and run out in the sunshine all day after what I had become?"

Then I thought back. I'd never seen Grandpa out during the day, not unless it was raining or very cloudy. He had always sat on the backside of the porch where it was dark, protected from the sun. And now that I ponder even more, I had never seen Grandpa Red eat. And Alec, he can't expose his skin to the sun anymore, and he never eats either. I hadn't thought about this part...what vampires consumed to survive. No one had sat me down, telling me what to expect about the real facts about a vampire.