HOLA! I return...
Chapter Nine
I tapped the microphone. Sarah and Jen had turned off the music and had given a few cheers and I could feel the lights on us. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.
Who was I kidding, I couldn't do this? I can't sing.
Also, I was starting to shake a little. Not from nervousness, but because I was starting to realise that if I was up on stage and drawing attention to myself – well, let's just say it would be better if I could just hide in the crowd away from the vampire women and Dream Hottie.
'SAY HI JEN!' I heard Jen scream from the back of the room.
'Hi, Jen,' I repeated, feeling too solemn to smile. Jen whooped again and a few people laughed.
I could see Alex was tuning his guitar. He had a Fender Telecaster and I was impressed. I noticed he'd covered it in stickers and decided he had to have seen Daniel John's Telecaster if he had that idea.
So Coldplay God liked Silverchair too. Isn't that just perfect? Too bad I just didn't like him like that anymore, but I was willing to be friends. I saw him smile at me, a cute, quick smile.
Sammy was already standing up against the microphone with her bass. She had a beautiful voice and I didn't know why she wasn't doing this, but instead backing me up.
I could feel people in the audience were getting impatient but I couldn't make a decision when to start. From all my experiences tonight, I just wanted to run off stage and out of here. I was a little distressed that my bag was on the floor, the stake so far away.
I was looking out in the audience to see if Dream Hottie was out there, but the lights were too bright. I wondered if Mitch had gotten his drink yet and hoped he hadn't, and I knew that he was watching all of this.
To my great thanks, I heard Alex start on the guitar and, to my surprise, it was a song we all knew really well. I looked over at him and gave him a thank you look, which he replied to with another small smile. I guess Mitch was right and he had gone over the songs.
Some more cheering in the audience as people realised what we were singing and suddenly I saw Punk Chic pushing her way to the front of the crowd with a few friends.
I leaned into the mike, not playing my guitar yet.
'She gave you everything she had
But she was young and dumb
She'd just turned twenty-one...'
And just like that I was singing 'Cherry Lips'. I heard more people cheer after I started singing and I could help but feel a lot better. I heard Holly's drumming come in as Alex continued with the riff and I realised this was probably how Shirley Manson felt on stage, like she was, well, attractive.
Okay, so she probably felt a lot more than that, but hey.
'You're such a delicate boy,' I continued, rocking out on my Jag-Stang, Sammy joining in on bass and a harmony vocal, and I could see a bunch of people crowding around and dancing. It was awesome.
'With your cherry lips and golden curls
You could make grown men gasp when you'd go walking past
And in your hot pants and high heels
They could not believe that such a body was for real...'
Then suddenly, I saw him. There he was, with that crooked smile on his face and those eyes that could reel you in. Still, I could tell, there was something about him.
It didn't faze my singing though. Hell, I just kept going, even though my mind was filling through a million thoughts. I could hear Punk Chic cheering loudly.
Sammy and I switched vocals for the end, with her singing 'Delicate boy' while I replied with 'Go, baby, go, baby, go.'
And before I knew it, it was over.
And the crowd went insane.
Except for a few people I could make out; Mitch looked like he was going to kill me and I was making sure he was not getting up on stage.
I couldn't see Dream Hottie anywhere and I felt almost relieved. My head felt funny, as if it was trying to piece something together.
Just because Punk Chic was roaring so loud, I started Hole's 'Celebrity Skin', wondering if this was taboo because I was wearing a Nirvana shirt. However, Punk Chic's face lit up and she screamed again.
And as I was getting to the second chorus, Dream Hottie was there, nearly right in front of where I was standing, a little to the left of me. I felt myself almost panic and tried to ignore him completely as I continued pretending to be Courtney Love.
Of course, it didn't work out like that, and I kept sneaking glances at him, terrified at what he was doing here, how he got here, how I knew who he was.
Or did I know who he was?
'Honeysuckle,
She's full of poison,
She obliterated everything she kissed.
Now she's fading,
Somewhere in Hollywood,
I'm glad I came here with your pound of flesh.'
As soon as we finished and the crowd went wild again (so great to use that term) and then there was a huge power-out so all the lights turned off and everyone started screaming in either terror or ecstasy, something flicked a switch in my head and a thousand lights went on in my mind.
The safe at Carfax Abbey had made me feel sick. Michelle had stolen something from the safe at Carfax Abbey, probably a coffin, filled with money, jewels, whatever. I'd had dreams about being locked in a coffin, only then I'd been him. As soon as Michelle had stolen this coffin, he had shown up in my room and become much clearer to my waking life, and was now here, in front of me, real deal. Then those vampire women have shown up and Simon, who worked at Carfax Abbey with Mary Van Helsing, had asked me if anything weird was happening.
Only, there had to be three vampire women. Where was Michelle?
My stomach gave a sickening lurch as I realised I'd stumbled upon something waaay above me. Something impossible.
I think at that moment something inside me snapped because I lost consciousness.
XoooooX
When I woke up, I was on concrete. I hadn't been out very long, because it was still dark and –
I bolted into a sitting position, shaking terribly. I could see the two girls standing above me, Kim and iPod model. I couldn't deal with this. No way could I deal with this.
I realised James was standing there, grinning at me, and so were two other guys, one of them being the dead boy who had fallen out of my closet.
Oh, no. As I looked around, I realised we were in the alley right next to my school. I could see the side door leading to the hall, but my legs had left me. I couldn't feel them, let alone stand up.
'This isn't happening,' I mumbled.
'Not so excited now, huh, Trist?' asked Kim, smirking at me.
'I don't have anything to do with you,' I said, putting my head in my hands. 'I don't know any of you. Leave me alone.'
'That's not true,' said a bright voice and I gasped in pain as someone grabbed my hair and pulled my head back. I struggled and looked up into Michelle's face. She smirked at me and said, 'She's knows me!'
'What's the matter, cat got your tongue?' asked iPod model and the three girls laughed.
'What do you want with me?' I asked through my teeth; they were clenched thanks to the pain I was receiving from Michelle.
'Oh, it's not what we want,' replied Kim and I heard one of the guys say 'Aw, come on, he won't mind if we have her for a second, right?'
I heard Kim sigh. 'Hm. Let's have this conversation again.'
'Shut it, bitch. I think she's cute, Michelle, I don't know what your problem was with her.'
'She's a fighter,' Michelle sighed, letting go of me and pushing me hard so the concrete rushed up to meet me.
'I like fighters,' I heard the voice say, much closer to me now. I braced myself, feeling my nose start to bleed from where it had hit the ground. If that scuzzy freak came anywhere near me I would rip off his arms.
'Not such a good idea, Riley, he won't be happy,' sang iPod model and I heard a snarl. 'Shut up, Elena!'
I paid attention to the cross around my neck. It wasn't much, but it was silver and religious, which would be a bitch to deal with.
'Come on, beautiful, get up,' Riley said sweetly, taking hold of my arm, and for some reason sounded so much like Mitch it drove me crazy.
I reared up and punched him in the face, feeling and hearing his nose snap.
'Bitch!' he spluttered, grabbing his nose and stepping back. I noticed inside his jacket was a knife (must've had it before he was a vampire) and I lunged for it, wildly.
I saw the boy I didn't know make a move at me and I whirled around, building momentum and nearly throwing up when I realised his head was flying through the air. It was a big knife. I had not realised that.
'DANIEL!' James gaped, stunned as the body fell back. The head landed a few metres away and I held up the knife, breathing hard.
'Who's next?' I asked, glaring at them. Oh, like I had a chance!
Riley, whose nose was very much broken, lunged at me, his eyes screaming revenge and death. I swiped the knife across the air, not really knowing how to use it, but thinking it's a knife, it's got to hurt you somehow.
And it did. At least, having your cheek sliced open should hurt a bit.
Riley screamed while someone jumped on my back and we fell forwards, the knife soaring out of my hand.
The hard ground made me see stars and I felt the person turning me roughly onto my back; I was staring up at James, his eyes turning red, as if the iris had exploded and blood was pouring out.
I tried to move so he would touch my necklace by he didn't even notice. Instead, he snarled at me, his canine teeth elongating.
Okay, this didn't look too good.
I heard Riley's yells stop but James noticed nothing. He winked at me and said, 'What a way to go.'
'Hey! Get your hands off my best friend!' snarled someone and suddenly there was a figure towering over us. I saw the expressions run across James's face; complete surprise to confusion then pain as someone drove something into his back.
He reared up and I saw Holly slice his head off with the knife. I made some kind of freaked out, disgusted noise that sounded like 'Euwoogle!'
Holly pushed his body back so it wouldn't fall on me and helped me up. She was starting to sway a little and I remembered the thing she had with blood. Even though I knew it wasn't my nosebleed that was making her dizzy, I knew it was helping.
Still, she smiled at me and said 'So, there was no reason for the vampire books?'
'None whatsoever,' I managed before hugging her tightly. She'd just done a Lara Croft and even after that she was acting like it was no biggie. She hugged me back before saying 'Somebody has some explainin' to do.'
I pulled back, suddenly remembering. 'But where's Michelle?'
'What about Michelle?' Holly asked. 'Trist, the lights came back on a few minutes ago, and the others are in there panicking –'
'Get inside,' I said, ushering her up the steps. 'There's more out here.'
'How many more?'
'Counting the brides, probably four.'
'Four? I only saw Michelle's boyfriend and that other guy, who I got with the knife. Where did you get this?' Holly asked, examining the knife.
'From the guy you stabbed,' I explained quickly, pushing her inside through the doors.
Nearly the whole room was empty. I could see only a few people left and that was –
'Trist!' cried Jen, running up to me and grabbing my hands. 'What happened to you – your nose –?'
'Look, guys, we've gotta get out of here, now!' I said, starting to run. Sammy pulled me back. 'What about our instruments?'
'Can we pick them up tomorrow?' I asked, deciding they weren't realising the seriousness of the situation.
Sammy's mouth dropped open. 'You want to leave the Jag-Stang?'
'Oh, shit, now I need to go and get the Jag-Stang when we really don't have time –'
'Look, tomorrow's Friday, we'll grab it,' Holly reasoned, now the one pulling us out of the hall.
'Hang on!' I cried, running to the bar while Jen, Sammy and Sarah all looked at each other, bewildered.
'Trist, not the time for a drink!' Holly yelled.
'My backpack!' I told her, jumping over the counter and picking it up, propelling myself back over the counter and running out of the hall. 'To the Batmobile!'
'Funny how she always finds time to say things like that,' I heard Sarah mutter as we all ran down the hall, only Holly and I understanding why.
XoooooX
As we ran out into the parking lot, my adrenaline rush was starting to leave. Still, I found our car parked between an old minivan and a Volkswagen.
'Who has the keys?' I yelled, looking back at my friends who by now weren't running and were still far away from the car, travelling through the crowds of people that were now partying in the parking lot.
Now I was paranoid and jumpy. I kept waiting for something to jump out at me and when nothing did, it only jangled my nerves even more.
Then Jen was sliding into the driver's seat and I was opening the passenger door and Holl, Sarah and Sammy were in the back and we were driving, driving back home.
'Trist, what the hell?' Sammy asked, sitting in the middle of Holly and Sarah.
'We're being chased by vampires,' Holly supplied.
'WHAT?' three voices screeched in unison.
'Not just any vampires,' I said wearily. I felt like now the words were forcing their way out of my mouth. I couldn't keep it in any longer. 'Guys, the man in my dreams. The girls who we met last night. Carfax Abbey. It's all connected.'
'How?' Jen asked, keeping her eyes on the road though she clearly wanted to look at me.
'The girls last night – they were vampires. I know it sounds crazy, okay, but they had sharp teeth, they flinched at my necklace and they kept talking about some master. In Carfax Abbey, the safe; Michelle stole a coffin from it, thinking it was full of jewels and whatever the hell. That's the reason it was kept in such high security; there was something in there.'
'A vampire?' Sarah sounded disbelieving. 'Trist, what are you on about?'
'No, listen,' I insisted. 'I know it's insane, but think about it. Mary's last name is Van Helsing.'
'Oh, here we go,' Sarah interrupted. 'Trist, Simon told us that Mary's great-grandfather or whatever was used as a character in Bram Stoker's book.'
'Let me finish!' I raised my voice and Sarah glared at me. 'Okay. I don't know how and I don't know why, but the man in my dreams isn't just some harmless figment of my imagination. He was at that party, tonight, he was right in front of me.'
'No way!' Sammy exclaimed. 'He wasn't that guy that walked in and everyone...'
Jen gasped. 'That's him? He's real?'
'Yes! He was in that coffin! He's been in there ever since the early 19th century!' I felt myself shaking. 'Michelle's a bride, too.'
'You're not saying,' Jen began.
'Guys,' I cut her off, terrified of saying it, because it couldn't be true, 'he's Dracula.'
Sarah laughed. I winced. I knew I should be laughing too, it sounded so ridiculous. But right now, I felt like I could start crying because Sarah had done that.
'Trist, that's not possible. That's a character in a book.'
'Shut up, Sarah,' Holly snapped. 'I saved Trist from two. They were outside and they looked damn real to me.'
'Well then, what have you two been smoking?' Sarah sounded angry now. 'I mean, Dracula? Jen, turn in at the mental institution.'
'Why would they lie about this, though?' Jen said thoughtfully, continuing to focus on the road.
'I didn't say they were lying, I said they were crazy,' Sarah replied haughtily.
'It actually makes sense, though,' Sammy argued and I felt myself sink down in my seat. Sammy hardly ever argued with Sarah; they were best friends.
'Sam,' Sarah began.
'And that guy sure looks how Trist describes him. Hell, the guy's been in her bedroom.'
Thank God nobody made a joke on that one.
'But we don't know that. Even Trist said it's in her mind –'
'Hey, sorry to interrupt, but can you stop acting like I'm not here?' I said brightly.
'Shut up, Trist,' Sarah replied.
'You shut up!'
'Don't fight!' Sammy ordered.
'You don't fight!' I replied, glaring at her. Okay, now I was being childish, but Sarah was pissing me off. Sure, I sounded crazy, but she was my friend and therefore had to believe me!
Okay, that was also a load a crap.
'All right, it doesn't even matter!' I half-yelled, raising my hands in the air to show defeat. 'Just get us home as quick as you can!'
'Uh,' Jen said, looking at me out of the corners of her eyes, 'I don't think this subject is gonna drop that quickly.'
'Wait, what?' asked Sammy, frowning at me. 'Ten seconds ago you were saying Dracula's after us and –'
'Not us,' said Holly and suddenly I knew what she was going to say next. It made my blood run cold and I felt myself praying in my head Holly, don't say it, please, don't say it, because if you say it then I'm lost, please, Holl.
'Trist.'
'What?' asked Sammy, even more confused. Sarah just gave a groan and waved her hands. 'Okay, you're all freaks, drop me off somewhere, will you?'
'Oh, shut up, Sarah!' Holly snarled. 'It all makes sense.'
'Yeah,' quavered Jen, 'except for why the hell Dracula, if that is the guy, is after Trist. Somebody please explain that?'
Everyone's heads swivelled towards me.
'Oh, come on! Like I freaking know,' I squeaked. 'Can we just drive home?'
'We're driving home,' Jen murmured, looking worriedly at me. 'Holly, are you sure you didn't drink anything? She seems a little hysterical.'
Stop talking about me like I'm not here! I screamed in my head, looking out the window at the darkness that hung above the buildings and traffic lights and street lamps. The darkness that we couldn't really escape, no matter how far away it seemed.
It's not possible, it didn't just happen, please, oh, please, tell me none of that just happened.
'Trist?' Holly's voice sounded far away. 'Oh, shit. Jen!'
'I'm driving!' Their voices sounded so faded. I was drifting off, the world was becoming darker and fogging and soon I'd be alone in my dreams...
My dreams. Where I was never alone.
By some sudden urge that told me wherever I wanted to be, it was not in my dreams, I forced myself to jump in my seat, jolting my body awake. No way am I sleeping right now.
I realised I had three people shaking me and wondered if it was really me that forced myself awake.
'Trist! Trist, oh thank God!' Holly sighed, falling back in her seat. I realised Sammy and Sarah were still holding onto me and Jen was driving as fast as she could.
'Trist, you've got to calm down,' Sarah said, suddenly worried about me. Naw, isn't that cute? I hadn't fully forgiven her for those last comments but it felt good to know she was caring.
Be calm? How can I be freaking calm?
I inhaled deeply. I was calm. I had to be calm. If I wasn't calm, I'd lose my nut.
'Trist,' said Sarah, breathing hard as the fog crept over the town. 'You don't really believe this, do you?'
I swallowed down the insult I wanted to snap at her and instead slowly turned to face her. 'Yeah, I don't. Just the person I've seen in my dreams every night appeared in front of me and asked for a beverage.' I could feel that start to sink in and everyone got that little bit more uneasy, squirming around in their seats.
'So what do we do when we get home?' asked Jen, who had managed to keep her eyes on the road all this time.
I could feel myself shaking. 'I dunno. I suppose just get a lot of religious items.'
'Sounds like a plan,' Sammy said and clapped her hands together. 'I'm in. Let's fill a bathtub full of holy water, whatever. We are now the Vampire Buddies Union!'
