Eighth Grade Bites

Halloween 2

Henry have Vlad a sly glance. 'Big thing at midnight, huh?'

Vlad shrugged and adjusted the cape around his shoulders.

'I'm a creature of the night, for gods sake. And she wants me to be home by eleven? I don't think so. Why doesn't she just follow me to the party and kiss me goodbye?"

'Hey, don't knock it. If it wasn't for Nelly, you'd never get kissed.'

Vlad slowed his steps. 'Like you've got room to talk.'

Henry shrugged. 'I've kissed plenty of girls.'

'I'm not talking about your mum, dork.' They turned down Elm, and at the end Vlad could see cars stopping in front of Matthews house.

Henry had shoved his hands into his front pockets and was walking with his attention keenly focused on the side walk. 'Neither am I. I'm talking about girls like Carrie Anderson and Stephanie Brawn.'

'Stephanie will kiss anyone.'

'Yeah I know, her sister is cute though.' Henrys smile returned.

Vlad raised is eyebrow, half chuckling. 'Dude, that's gross. She just tried twelve.'

'So?' Henry grinned broadly.

'So you'll be fourteen in like two months. Its gross.' Vlad shook his head and looked down.
'Whether or not a girl will miss you isn't a measure of how nice she is.' Ahead, Vlad could see a hint of a soft blue sweater and angel wings disappearing into Matthews house. Meradith. He'd over heard her is third period yesterday gushing over what she planned to wear. It was at that moment that he'd decided to accept the invitation to the party, last-minute or not.

'So what is, Einstein?'

Vlad stopped is his tracks. Henry had stopped walking as we and tilted his head with a curious gleam in his eye. Vlad nodded and said, 'Girls that make out in the back of a band room sent nice.'
'I never told you it was in the band room.' Henry furrowed his brow and grabbed Vlad by the shoulders, lowering his voice so no one could hear. 'Dude, don't do that freaky mind-reading stuff. I hate that.'

They walked in science for a few minutes.
Henry nudged Vlad with his elbow and gestured to three trick or treater's. 'Want some candy?'

'I shouldn't.' Vlad said.

'Oh come on.' Henry had stepped in front of him. 'It'll be funny. Besides, if you don't do it..... I'm totally telling Meradith that you like her.'

Vlad seethed 'Dude! Not cool!, if we get caught you owe me big time.'

Henry stepped to the side and Vlad moved passed him, ducking through the tall bushes that lined the sidewalk. Vlad ran as quietly as he could until he stood half a block ahead of his costumed victims. After shimmying up an old oak tree, the bark rough on his hands as he climbed, Vlad scooted out onto a long, thick branch and waited for the fourth graders while Henry stayed in the bushes.

As the superheros and their vampire comrade approached the tree Vlad was perched in, their fingers clutching pillowcases full of treats, Vlad popped the plastic fangs out. Vlad willed his body forward. Arms outstretched, his fangs exposed, his throat releasing a low, guttural growl, he floated closer to the boys until he was just above their heads, and screamed.

The superheroes dropped their pillowcases and bolted in a blur.

Henry burst from the bushes , cackling wildly. And snatched one of the pillowcases from the pavement. 'Did you see his face? I thought he was gonna wet himself.'

Vlad lifted the sweet chocolate to his lips at bit, his fangs shrinking back in his moment of confusion. The candy melted into his mouth, but he found little pleasure in it.