Stranger than Fiction

Chapter 5

"Zoom Comics," Drew sighed, taking a long swig of Pepsi. He and Roland had been driving all over Charterville, catching up on old times and taking in the changes that had come over the small town. In truth, not much had changed; a new Walmart here, a new restaurant there, but it was still essentially the same old Charterville. Now the two of them sat on stools near the cash registers, drinking sodas and thinking uncomfortably that something was missing. It wasn't the fact that Heather was no longer working in Zoom, nor was it the fact that Spawn had taken Beetleborgs Metallix's place as 'most popular comic.' It was Jo's absence that made the occasion more somber than it needed to be.

Jo hadn't wanted to come with them, saying that she felt sick from the ride to the dorms, but neither of them had bought her excuse. Roland wondered if maybe she had grown apart from him after having lived in another state for ten years, but Drew knew that this wasn't the case, and told him so when Roland brought it up. "All she would talk about for the past two weeks was seeing you and Flabber again. She's really missed you guys. She wouldn't miss out on this unless something was really bothering her."

"She has been acting kind of weird today." Roland agreed, "You know…I think I can pinpoint just when it started."

"Yeah…me too. When Fangula walked into the room, right?"

"Mm-hmm. So, what's the deal? I mean, he didn't even say anything."

Drew tossed his empty soda can in the trash, and said, "He was acting pretty strange, too. Kinda like he was sizing up a potential meal…but if that were the case, he would have tried to do what he's always tried to do. You know…I don't think I like the way he was looking at her." he frowned, remembering how the vampire's gaze had lingered on his sister's breasts, not her neck. An idea began to rear its disagreeable head, and he pushed it away, not wanting to consider it.

Roland raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Want to see what Flabber thinks about this whole thing?"

He had meant it as a joke, but when Drew said that he would, he didn't argue.

* * *

The two friends pulled up to Hillhurst in Drew's car just as Count Fangula arrived at the front door.

"Hey Fang, wait a second!"

The vampire stopped and turned at the sound of Roland's voice. Ten years ago he wouldn't have bothered, but as Roland had gotten older the house monsters found that they could relate to him better. At twenty-three, he was more world wise and had sort of become their link to the human world. He had even taken them, heavily disguised, to a football game once. When Fangula had gotten drunk at the game and was violently ill in his car, he had simply passed the vampire a trash can and waved off his apologies, telling him that the car was 'just a piece of shit,' and he was planning on buying a new one anyway.

Now the vampire waited to hear what Roland wanted, though he wasn't too happy about it after catching the look Drew was giving him. He suspected something!

"What do you want?" Fang asked, more shakily than he had intended.

Drew answered before Roland could open his mouth. "We came to see Flabber, but it concerns you too."

Fangula turned and opened the door, heading for the stairs. This was a conversation he didn't want to have.

"Wait," Drew called, following him, "Where are you going?"

The vampire rounded on him, growling, "I'm going to 'the little bat's room,' nosy!" With that, he changed into a bat and was soon out of sight, leaving the two of them behind.

"Mmmmmm-kaaaaaay…" Roland drawled, leaning against the banister.

"Guys!" Flabber held out his hands in welcome, having appeared from out of nowhere. "You're back! Couldn't get enough of me, huh?" with that he burst like a balloon, filling the room with hundreds of tiny copies of himself, and laughing maniacally. Then the Flabber clones coalesced back into the original, who pointed at Drew and laughed again. "Bah-hah-hah-haaaaa!"

"Flabber…"

"Okay, okay! Somethin' wrong?"

* * *

Flabber listened to what Drew and Roland had to say about Jo with relative calmness, until they got to the part where Fangula walked into the room and both of them started acting funny. "Wait, so you're saying that you think there's something going on between Jo and Count Fangula?" the phasm asked, incredulity dripping from every word.

"Well, you saw how they looked at each other." Drew said lamely.

"I don't think you have to worry about that," Flabber said slowly, "but if you want, I'll go talk to him."

Drew visibly relaxed. "Thanks, Flabber. I'll go and talk to Jo."

Flabber saw them to the door, and headed upstairs to find Fangula. He knocked on the vampire's door, but when he received no answer he pushed the sliding door open with one hand and walked in.

Fangula was gone.

* * *

"Well hello, tall, blond, and handsome." Jo's room mate smirked at Drew, blocking his view of their room with her body.

"Um, hi Kate. Is…is Jo around?"

"Nope, just me. You wanna come in?"

"No thanks, do you know where she went?" Drew said quickly. Kate had obviously been drinking, and he wanted to get away from her before she put him in a difficult situation.

"Nah, she's prob'ly sulking 'cause her boyfriend stormed outta here an hour ago. Are you sure you don't…"

"Did you say 'boyfriend?'" Drew asked, hackles raising. Jo didn't have a boyfriend.

"Yeah, tall pale guy, rude as hell. Why, you know him?" she asked.

"Maybe. I gotta go. See ya later." He mentally kicked himself; he didn't want to see her later!

"M-kay, bye." She mumbled, shutting the door in his face.

Drew turned and hurried down the corridor. What was Fangula doing visiting his sister's room? And what had he wanted? Drew wasn't worried about her safety; after all, she was a Beetleborg; but he didn't understand what was going on. One thing, though, was sure; he was going to find out!