In which Ethan casts a Deciding Vote and Erica Changes Her Mind

Duluth, Minnesota is a port city on Lake Superior. Alongside the neighbouring Superior, Wisconsin, the cities are known as the Twin Ports. In some ways, they were the larger, American counterpart to Thunder Bay.

The teens drove into the city by way of the two-lane Highway 61 that was the main link to the Canadian frontier. By the time they reached the city limits, it was breakfast time. They stopped at a brand new hotel near the end of the I-35, part of a major chain. After a brief meal, they went to their respective rooms and slept. It was just as well, Ethan for one could barely keep his eyes open.

Escaping an evil witch, her monsters, and the forces of evil will do that to you.

To Ethan, it meant the beginning of a month-long ordeal of nightmares and uneasy sleep.

A dude's best friends don't really have standing to stop his nightmares. But Benny and Rory decided to wake up Ethan late in the afternoon.

"Wake up, dude!" said Benny.

"Ethan, chill!" said Rory another time. "It's over! Whoa, see his eyes glow white! That seeing thing must make his nightmares look real."

"It sure does" complained Ethan, who looked annoyed at being pulled from his sleep. Although it was already four o'clock in the afternoon.

"Just think . . . it's over" said Benny cooly. "Stephanie's gone, and on a full moon you can do whatever you want again. Even plant tulips if moon-phase planting is what you're into."

"If you think that sucked" Rory pointed out, "think about the mountain of homework we'll have when we get home. And we still have tons of practice before we can get Musetronics ready to play for the dance."

Ethan realized that, as his great-great grandfather warned, he'd have to deal with the aftermath psychologically. PTSD, or what they used to call shell-shock.

Benny and especially Rory could shrug-off the adventure, now it was over. But not Ethan. Ethan thought he just had a more serious, worrying natures than his best friend (and especially his second best friend). The "nervous disposition" his great-great grandfather had identified.

This wasn't even the first time an adventure had left Ethan desperate for quiet, normal times. The memory of the demon that had possessed Sarah was just one example.

And Stephanie, and her alliance with the forces of evil, had left Ethan under the curse for a few weeks. Being a werewolf had scrambled Ethan's brains, and the final encounter with the demons had left him with about the scare of his life. And, for Ethan, given his last couple years, that was saying a lot!

"You know" said Ethan, "it's lucky that my great-great grandfather came."

"Yeah, he saved you" said Benny. "You, know we should really have picked a hotel that could have rented us game systems."

"X box, Playstation, or Nintendo Wii?" asked Rory.

"No" said Ethan, ignoring Rory. "I mean there's something about knowing that good can cut through evil . . . like a light sabre . . . to calm you down."

"Or as we say on Earth" said Sarah, who entered the room from a connecting door, "like a hot knife through butter. "I thought I'd take you across the street."

"Why?" said Ethan.

"Shoes that fit" said Sarah.

"Yeah" joked Ethan. "Werewolves seem to go through a lot of clothes."


Ethan did get a pair of fitting shoes, not to mention the boots to replace the $60 pair his hind-paws had destroyed in the woods. The memory shook Ethan so much he dropped the boots.

"Ethan . . . it's over" said Sarah kindly.

"I . . at least it's not caramel corn" Ethan said. "How's Erica taking things? Back to normal, too?"

"She's been quiet" said Sarah. "Very quiet and thoughtful. If I had to guess, she's battling with herself."

"She is?" asked Ethan.

"Erica's very proud" said Sarah, carefully. Sarah wanted to explain it to Ethan; but she wasn't the type to backstab her best friend. "You need to understand, as much as it doesn't make sense to you, she loves Dusk. She may finally give up her vampire dream . . . but she'll want to save face?"

"You're BFF's" Ethan pointed out. "She can admit she was wrong to you."

"Not only to me" said Sarah. "To herself."


Ethan and Sarah remembered their promises. Roger Latour, Malcom Brunner (grandson of Manafort Brunner), among others, were told of Team Sabre's victories.

Funny thing was, Rory had remembered too. So had Benny. So Malcolm, Roger each received three sets of emails.

And Benny had a long talk with Evelyn . . . who warned him about taking too much time to get home again.

Benny may have resented it. But, now completely de-zombified, he called and sent several text messages to Della too.


Ethan had kept the suit from the general store, considering it a gift. Benny, on the other hand, had quickly trashed the bellboy uniform, having first angrily ripped the red strap-on cap to pieces.

Benny ran into Erica at the dumpster behind the hotel. She was trashing her Whitechapel High cheerleader outfit.

"Thinking of trashing Dusk?" asked Benny smirkingly.

"Be grateful I don't throw you in the dumpster" Erica snapped. "Karate lessons are more empowering than you think."

"Like you're that good" Benny retorted. But he said it under his breath.


The upshot was everyone went to supper dressed normally. It was typical diner fare, turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce or roast beef, horseradish, mashed potatoes and coleslaw depending on their choice.

Most of the meal was stuffing their faces (at least for Ethan, Benny and Rory) and joking.

There was one more choice. The drive home.

"It's a day's drive home from here" Ethan said seriously, examining Google Maps on his smartphone. "So, which way do we go? US 2 across Michigan to the I-75, the Straits of Mackinac and across the Port Huron. Or do we take the Interstate System, I 35 and the I 94 through Detroit and the Ambassador Bridge."

"Mackinac" said Rory. "There's an awesome suspension bridge there."

"Interstate" said Benny. "I'm sick of driving through the woods on two lane highways."

"You're not the one driving" Ethan told him.

"That makes it more boring."

"If we go on the intestate, we'll have to time it." Sarah put in. "That route goes through Chicago."

"Traffic lights the other way" said Benny.

"Let's take Chicago" said Erica, who was getting to be her old self. "I'm way sick of this little wilderness expedition of yours. If you're not an animal any longer," Erica needled, "you're not going to want to drive another day in the woods."

"It's up to you, buddy" said Rory confidently.

Rory may have had little common sense. But he was sometimes sharper than you'd think. Ethan cared as much as he did about Chicago. It had a Stanley Cup winning hockey team, that was it. And Sarah didn't want to go! Even Ethan's best buddy Benny couldn't overrule that . . . not unless there were a Star Wars convention or something!

Besides, Rory was sure Erica telling Ethan "he wasn't an animal any longer" was sure to backfire on her.

Rory was right . . . at least for the moment.

"We're not stopping in Chicago to look around" Ethan reminded Erica. "We'd passing through. So what the heck would be the point?"

"Why not?" said Erica.

"Why?" said Ethan. "It's not as if we're going to a Blackhawk's game?"

It was at that minute Ethan received an email.

"Ethan. Malcolm here. Congrats on putting your howling days behind you."

"Howling days?" questioned Ethan.

"The guy has a weird senses of humour" Benny replied, as he looked over Ethan's shoulder.

"If you're going back through Chicago, will pay for Flames v. Blackhawks Saturday night, hotel or anything else you want. Only have one treatment more before Invisible Treatment gone for good. PS. Thanks for getting back my Challenger. Never thought I'd see it again."


The sandstone Lake Michigan Arms Hotel was very old, very fancy, and very overpriced. Ethan didn't so much enjoy it, as be grateful it was going to be the last hotel he'd be staying in for a long, long time.

Benny managed to somehow snicker at the bellboys in the hotel. They wore uniforms like his late one, except blue instead of red.

"They're being paid to dress like clowns" Benny told Ethan. "Completely different from being an undead zombie bellboy!"

As for Ethan, he remembered the five demonic bellboys and dodged the blue-uniformed "clowns" and carried up his own backpack to his room.


Sarah had suggested the group take in a live theatre show that afternoon. Ethan was game . . . he had the idea of sitting beside Sarah and watching the show. Sarah loved drama . . . especially drama with no vampires. What an awesome way to unwind!

Benny thought it would be boring, but a best buddy should play along; Rory held out hope for a sci-fi play.

It was just too bad that Erica convinced Sarah that she should buy the tickets to a Saturday Afternoon Matinee. It turned out to be the Chicago production of Dusk: The Rock Music Video.

Two hours of mind-numbing torture followed for Ethan. Erica loved it. Sarah, who was once a Dusker herself, tolerated it.

Rory and Benny ducked out within ten minutes and split an extra-large Mediterranean Pizza at the pizzeria across the street. They also split up their time pretending to gag, or making jokes at Dusker's expense.

"Watching . . . that . . . is . . .worse . . . than . . . being . . . a . . . brain-eating . . . zombie" Benny said, when Ethan met up with his friends in the theatre lobby.

"No way I'm watching Dusk" Rory added irritably.

"I thought you might have looked at the Duskers?" asked Ethan. "They're mostly chicks?"

"Yeah, but I'll be gone from Chicago first thing tomorrow morning" said Rory petulantly. "Besides, do you really want to hang with a girl who gushes about being a vampire? The Rorster's staying in the sunlight, not hanging undead in the shadows."

"She wouldn't know they really exists" said Ethan. "Or what they're like. Or even what you give up."

"Or what it's like to be brainwashed" said Benny.

"Well Ethan" said Rory. "Let's say you met a werewolf or zombie groupie? How'd you like that? You couldn't stand it? Huh?"

"I . . . get it" said Ethan, shuddering at the thought.

"Chill, dude" said Benny, slapping him on the shoulder. "Chill. It's over."

Sarah had been patiently listening to Erica gush about the film.

"You know, not only did the songs catch the Dusk spirit. But even though a rock musical doesn't leave much time for real drama, the show fit it in. I loved Isabella, how she really said All my life I wanted to be a vampire."

"That was perfect!" a woman exclaimed, who had been standing nearby.

Ethan looked, and stopped. It was the woman from his vision the day before. The tall, thin blonde with blue eyes and high cheekbones. Smartly dressed in a black pant-suit with scarf, she must have been good looking in her youth. But she was ancient now . . . nearly fifty he guessed.

"I'm Katherine Engel, the director" said the woman.

"Is she really the director?" Benny asked Ethan skeptically.

"She's the real thing" said Ethan, attentively.

"Erica" said Erica, introducing herself.

"I think you might just have a career in the theatre" said the woman. "Have you ever acted before?"

"Now I get it!" said Ethan.

"What?" asked Benny.

"Huh?" said Rory.

"I was lead in the school play last year" said Erica with faux-modesty, "The Rainbow Factory."

"High school?"

"Grade 12."

"Chicago?"

"No . . . Canada."

"I should have realized the accent. You're a Dusker?"

"I even dated Dirk Baddington."

"She should have kept quiet about that" Ethan told Benny.

"Before he had his little breakdown. But you, Erica, are real talent. If you're ever interested in pursuing a career as an actress."

"Well, I was part of the drama club" Erica lied. "And I was going to take the Fine Arts in univer . . . in college."

"Well, here's my contact. Remember to look me up. Remember it's who you know who helps you most. Can you read those lines again?"

Through this exchange, Sarah had an annoyed look. As in Ethan's vision. Ethan knew what Sarah was thinking. It was her dream to be an actress. And, as far as Ethan was concerned, Sarah was a way better actress!

"I think you're way better" Ethan said, while Sarah looked as Erica effused over her lines for the director.

Ethan impulsively gave Sarah a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks Ethan" said Sarah. "I"d sooner be "discovered", if that's what you call it. But it's better for her. It's the one way she can give up wanting to become a vampire . . . and save face."

"After being scared off from actually wanting to be a vampire" Ethan said coldly. "Now, by taking this up, she can't be."

"Oh . . . I get it!" announced Rory.

"Keep it down" Ethan cautioned him.

"She wants to act, she can't be a vampire" said Rory, laughing. "She needs to get her picture taken."

"The last piece of the puzzle" said Benny.

"That's it" said Ethan. "And I'll tell you what will happen. She might have been a vampire, travelling the world, bloodsucking, only writing and keeping in contact with to her BFF Sarah. Well, subtract vampire and bloodsucking and substitute actress acting."

"Travelling the world and keeping in touch" said Sarah. "You know Ethan, it doesn't really matter but you can use actor too."

"It sounds funny" Benny said. "Girl actor."

"Grow up" Sarah replied.

But actor or actress, Ethan was right.

"So, are you gonna go for it?" asked Rory as Team Sabre plus Erica went out to wait for a cab.

"Even a dweeb like you has to know an opportunity like this doesn't come everyday" said Erica. "Of course, I'm going to stay in contact with Kate."

"You can't be a vamp" Sarah reminded her.

"Well, I'll find luxury and immortality another way" Erica announced. "I can't let my public down."


It was a satisfying end to a day in Chicago. Especially since the Calgary Flames scorched the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2.


The next day was uneventful. It featured an expensive breakfast, a long drive across Michigan with Ethan at the wheel, and they crossed the Ambassador Bridge and were back in Ontario. And an hour later, pulled off Highway 401 to 2B, and were on the road to Whitechapel.

Ethan arrived tired but triumphant to an unexpected hug from Jane. Rory was toppled by his evil-sniffing dog Krypto. Sarah settled for hugs from her parents, asking one last time about her "field trip". Erica bragged about her meeting.

Benny was disappointed when he came home. He had swiped the last copy of the "field trip" letter but his grandmother lifted it magically from his pocket.

"I don't think we need this anymore" Mrs. Weir said, ripping it up into several pieces. "Now, you have no chores to do, dear, Malcolm's finished them. Why don't you go see Della . . . but be back early. You have school tomorrow and you'll have lots of homework."

"I guess everything's back to almost normal" said Benny wryly. "But maybe I should skip school. . . Musetronics is really going have trouble getting ready to play for that dance."

"I don't think so" said Mrs. Weir sternly.

"The dance" said Benny with a smirk.

Benny thought about it. Getting their band ready for the dance had been their one and only problem when the counterfeit curses had started a couple weeks ago.

Benny startled his grandmother by breaking into a fit of laughter.

To be continued.