Chapter 5: You, FEAR THE GARLIC!
The next day was Saturday, and Dib spend most of the morning gathering things; Garlic bulbs from the grocery store, a cross and an old wire birdcage from the thrift shop. Then he returned home and got back on the Internet. Auri was on (he had finally gotten her screen name yesterday).
He sent her an IM.
ShadowHunter333: Hi.
DarkSideoftheSun13: Hey dude. What's up?
ShadowHunter333: Can you meet me at the park?
DarkSideoftheSun13: Why?
ShadowHunter333: Do you know where it is?
DarkSideoftheSun13: Yeah, I've seen it. Any particular reason?
ShadowHunter333: No.
DarkSideoftheSun13: When?
ShadowHunter333: 10min?
DarkSideoftheSun13: I'll be there.
ShadowHunter333: Cool. See you.
ShadowHunter333 has signed off
Dib grabbed his backpack and headed out the door.
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Dib arrived at the park and chained his bike to the link-chain fence that surrounded the park. He realized he forgot to tell her where in the park to meet up. He then noticed a figure, half black and half blue. The figure was at the swings, swinging back and forth. He walked to her.
She didn't seem to realize he had walked up behind her. Finding this a golden opportunity to test what he wanted to, he silently took out the garlic and held it behind her back.
He waited a few seconds.
"Dib, why are holding garlic behind me?"
Dib dropped the garlic, "How'd you know it was me?" he walked around to her.
"Who else would do something weird like that?" she smiled. "So what's with the garlic anyway? Expecting to meet up with a vampire or just had a strong craving?"
He shrugged.
She laughed. He just looked at her, confused. "You translated my surname, didn't you?" He nodded. "What else you got in that backpack?" He handed it to her. "Hmm," she searched through it. "A cross…and, what's this, a bird cage? Want to trap me in my bat form, do you?"
He then laughed. "Kind of stupid?"
"Really stupid." She agreed. She pointed to the sky. It was cloudless and the summer sun was beating down on them "Vampires can't stand the sun. Why would I come to a park with a bright sun if I was a vampire?"
He laughed at himself, and then took the swing to her left. "So," she said, "What's got you all 'vampire hunter' all of a sudden?"
"It's not really all of a sudden."
"Made a career out of it?"
"Not yet."
"You're gonna be a vampire hunter when you grow up?"
"Paranormal investigator." He corrected.
Auri swung a little, forward and back, until she seemed tired of it, or feeling that she wasn't fooling Dib with her stalling.
"You know the first rule to being a paranormal investigator?"
"Have the right equipment?"
"Be a skeptic."
"I don't follow." He said slowly.
"Be a skeptic," she repeated. "You have to look at the rational explanation first; like that one case, where things moved themselves. Turned out to be an electro-magnetic field."
"I guess you're right. But…what about that girl"
"What girl?"
"The one who died by McDonalds, didn't you hear?"
"No…"
"She was drained of blood."
"And you're going to tell me there were two holes in her neck?"
"There was an open wound on her wrist."
"No wonder you're known as 'the crazy kid'" He looked offended. "Don't worry, the crazy ones are the most interesting." She got up. "I have to get home, my parents said not to stay out too long."
"Okay, see you."
"Bye."
She left.
---
Dib locked his bike to the fence in front of his house. He stood in front of the door for a few seconds, searching his pockets from his keys. Upon finding them he dropped the ring of keys. Grumbling, he bent over to pick them up.
Next to his keys, on the welcome mat, was a long stemmed black rose. He looked in the card attached, expecting to find "To Gaz," but instead found his own name.
The other side of the card had a message written in cramped writing, it read:
Yes, it's a black rose. I've sent you an email; please place the rose on your bed gently before reading it.
Dib picked up the rose, unlocked the door, and headed inside and up the stairs to his room.
Once there, he signed on to AOL.
"You've got mail." Said the computer.
He opened it.
ShadowHunter333:
If you're reading this I'm willing to guess you have the rose. Please read these instructions, if you'd like to keep it.
Put it in a vase without water, for it has no need to drink.
Do not feed it, it does not need to eat.
It does not need to be in the sun, yet it does not need to be out of the sun. Keep it where it likes to be.
Keep it away from mirrors, for it is saddened to see its red petals now black.
Its thorns are sharp and might make you bleed. Do not clip them, and do not try to avoid them when lifting it. You have to feel pain for the things you love.
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