Chapter Seven
Tony awoke, uncertain as to whether the encounter he'd experienced the previous night was a dream or not, and he tried to picture the man's face. He knew at once that he was one of the vampires in his dream, the one being attacked by the two others, and he was also certain that the vampire was a Sackville-Bagg, but the name, though he was positive he knew it, escaped him.
He climbed out of bed, slipped his glasses on, and walked downstairs. His parents weren't awake yet, so he slipped into the cellar unnoticed. The room smelled like death, a smell he was familiar with and which reminded him of when he first met Rudolph. The smell was strongest around a chest the Thompsons hadn't discovered a use for yet. He opened the chest and stared at the vampire inside. The vampire, while he wasn't covered in dust, looked like he'd been at rest for three hundred years.
Tony's mind flashed to the image of Von and Elizabeth in their grave, covered in dust, Elizabeth with a stake through her ribs. "Holy cow," Tony whispered.
TLV
"What?" Rudolph asked.
"Just come on," Tony replied, gesturing for Rudolph to follow him across the square and down the street to his house. "I swear it's Von."
"What are you talking about?"
"He's alive. In our cellar."
"He's what?"
"Alive. In the cellar. Like Gregory said."
"Gregory speculated. You say you have proof that Von is sleeping in a chest in your cellar-and plan to show me that he's asleep in a chest in your cellar."
"Yes."
"Tony, have you lost your mind?"
"Nope."
Tony opened the door and led Rudolph down the stairs to the cellar. Rudolph sniffed. "Tony, perhaps you're right." His voice was much quieter.
"Toldya so. Come 'ere."
The boys reached the chest, and Tony opened it and took a step back. Rudolph knelt next to the chest and peered inside. "Oh, God," he whispered. "We need to tell Gregory and Anna."
TLV
"Oh, dear," Anna whispered, staring into the chest. Gregory stepped back and started pacing back and forth across the cellar. He ran his hands through his hair and chewed his lower lip.
"We need a plan, I know that much," Gregory said after some time. "Question is, where do we start?"
"How about wait till he wakes up?" Tony asked.
"We haven't seen him in three hundred years," Rudolph said.
"But you have to eventually."
"Should we find Father first?" Anna asked. "He is, after all, still missing, and he and Von are brothers."
"In name only. Have you heard those two fight, especially right before he disappeared?" Rudolph replied. He turned to Tony and said, "This was way before your time." Tony nodded.
"Still, we probably should find him. He is involved."
Gregory nodded. "Fine."
"Good luck trying. I've heard no one's seen him the night he disappeared," Rudolph said dryly, leaning back and looking off toward the corner.
"Where did you hear that?" Anna asked.
"Robert Thompson."
The four fell silent, and Rudolph stared down at Von as he lay asleep in the chest. Finally, he looked up at the other three and said. "We need to tell Mother."
TLV
Freda and Rudolph walked down the stairs to Tony's cellar, Rudolph's second trip that day. "Rudolph, dear, what is it?" Freda asked.
"Mama, I can't tell you. I have to show you," Rudolph replied.
"Why ever not?"
"Because I'm afraid if I told you you would think I was crazy."
"Why on Earth would you think that."
Rudolph walked over to the chest, opened it, and stepped aside with a sweeping gesture toward it. Freda approached the chest, and as soon as she saw what was inside, she sank to her knees and began to cry. Rudolph knelt beside her and lay a hand on her shoulder.
