INTO THE PAST
The problem with Ethan's seeing into the past this way, was that Ethan was along for the ride while inside his own vision. This meant his control was subpar, and it meant the vision began by Ethan seeing what to him was the most memorable and important moments of the adventure.
The four adults found themselves in a long, low room filled with teenagers around tables, with trays of food.
"This isn't so bad" said Natalie, again taking a deep breath. "This looks like a school cafeteria."
"It is our school cafeteria" said Rory.
"Why are we in the school cafeteria?" asked Benny. "Oh . . . yeah, that's why! I remember!"
"We'll leave" said Ethan, who looked embarrassed.
"You looked cute when you were fourteen, Rory" said Natalie. "I like the glasses."
"Not handsome?" said Rory.
"Rorster" said Natalie, with a giggle. "You may have been fourteen, but you looked like you were barely twelve."
Rory shrugged.
"I didn't have a major growth spurt until . . . ." Rory started.
"YOU GEEK!" said the young Sarah, as the younger Ethan spilt his tray of food on her.
"Oh yeah! That's how Ethan and Sarah first met" explained Rory.
"It definitely wasn't love at first sight" said Benny wryly. "I forgot how completely humiliated you were!"
"I can explain" said Ethan irritably. "This is after Sarah was bitten by Jesse, and was starving for blood. Like in the summary."
"You still poured your food all over her" said Natalie. "But it was an accident."
"And my first day of high school too" said Ethan. "But we're going to get to the point of what you're missing."
"Aren't we going to stop at the part where Sarah literally got thrown against your door?" asked Benny. "When we find out Sarah's a fledgling? Or we united to kill our first vamp, the bloodsucking undead pizza boy?"
"Bloodsucking undead pizza boy?" asked Natalie.
"Do you really want to see him?" asked Ethan.
"I may as well" said Natalie.
"We want to go slowly" Benny reminded everyone. "Our first real battle might be the place to start."
"Okay, okay" said Ethan, skeptically. "But I'm not going to see Sarah pwned by Jesse."
"Buy you know, I'm not looking forward to seeing that dude again" Benny muttered.
The cafeteria disappeared and the group found itself in a house, alongside a teenaged Benny, Sarah and Ethan.
"My house" said Ethan as word of explanation. "It still looks the same."
"I've seen the outside when we visited Rory's parents" Natalie agreed.
The four present-day adults went to living room to watch the hologram-teenagers go about their evening.
Teen Benny went to get the door.
"Don't invite the bastard in this time!" Benny told his younger self.
"He can't hear you" Ethan reminded Teen Benny.
Like he was doomed to do, Teen Benny invited in the bloodsucking undead pizza boy. It wasn't worth repeating the entire fight. Still, a few new things did occur.
Rory yelled on one occasion, as he had been watching the action from the stairs, when the holograms ran through him before Ethan could pull Rory away.
"I wasn't here, remember" said Rory. "Wish I was."
In fairness, to Rory, it was hard to stay out of the way while the past went on all around them.
"Never mind Scrooge" said Benny. "This is more like Back to the Future Part II."
"Not really" Ethan disagreed, as the four temporarily sought the safety of Jane's room to watch the fight. "It's not as if they . . . we . . . can see us. And we're in no danger of rupturing the space-time continuum."
The bloodsucking undead pizza boy once again ended up dead or in limbo, with a large hole in Ethan's door part of the damage. And Ethan in trouble from his Mom.
Natalie had to gasp the moment the pizza boy crumbled into dust. So, the four interlopers in the past, took a moment to relax in Ethan's room once everyone had left.
"Are you okay?" said Rory, who had put his arm around Natalie, as they sat on Ethan's bed from some twelve years before.
"Sorry" Natalie apologized.
"No worries" said Ethan. "It's not something most people have to deal with."
"Well, I . . . expected it" said Natalie, who again went to her favourite panic-calming method of taking deep breaths.
It was only now that Natalie realized this was her favourite panic-calming method.
"What's next?" she added, trying to be cheerful.
"That's awesome" said Rory, in admiration of Natalie's attitude.. "Let's stay a few minutes so Natalie can take it in?"
"Yeah" said Benny. "Dude, show her your robots!"
"I don't know if Natalie's a sci-fi robot fan" said Ethan dubiously.
"I love sci-fi" said Natalie.
Ethan observed that Natalie's hands were still shaking a little.
"It's weird how we can take these things in stride" Ethan told Natalie, with a shrug "while other people have to have more time to adjust. But I guess us three are the weird ones."
"We were pretty much thrown in the water and forced to sink or swim" said Benny observed. "You're lucky that you can panic."
"Thanks Benny" said Ethan, irritably. He abruptly changed the subject. "Now, you see these model robots on the shelves! I still have them . . . ."
Eventually, Ethan's room slowly faded out to be replaced by Ethan's dining room table.
"Whazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz up!" said Teen Rory over his phone.
"Whazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz up!" replied Teen Benny.
"Natalie, now things are going to get intense" said Rory, as he looked over and remembered when in the evening the friends were. "I never saved this call."
Instinctively, Ethan, Benny and Rory drew in their collective breaths.
Teen Rory was bragging about the cool party he was at, from somewhere on the leather furniture by the big-screen TV. Teen Rory moved the camera to show the geeky Erica, in T-shirt and glasses, dancing by herself.
"Where is everybody?" asked Natalie. "I can hear them, but I can't see them."
Back at Ethan's house, the room began spinning about, making the Natalie and the adult versions of Ethan, Benny and Rory dizzy.
"I think I'm going to hurl" Rory observed.
When it stopped spinning, the four were at Jesse's mansion sitting across the Teen Rory as he thought he was filming the vampires at the party.
"Vampires can't be photographed" said Ethan. "Or videoed. We think there might be an exception for a live feed, but we've never tried to make sure."
"But it's digital" objected Natalie. "No one's used film for years. No lights, no mirrors!"
"We're talking the supernatural here" said Benny. "Things just get weird. You don't try to explain it away with science."
"Though you can use science against the supernatural" Ethan acknowledged. "To fight it and better understand it.
"With cameras, it's because vampires' souls are blocked from the light" Benny said. "The same reason they have no reflections . . . and fledgelings only have cast wonky, transparent, occluded ones.
The Teen Ethan and Teen Benny tried to warn the Teen Rory about the vampires, but Teen Rory laughed them off and ended the call.
"Man, I think I acted like a jerk there" Rory observed.
"You should have seen how I acted when Jane said she saw our neighbour being carried away" Ethan said, clapping Rory on the shoulder.
"This is really awkward" Benny said, putting his hands in his pockets. "Just being here."
"You see why Sarah didn't want to come" said Ethan. "Too painful."
Rory gazed thoughtfully at his cheery younger self, the one still unaware vampire existed, but was pulled out of his reverie by Natalie.
"I thought you discovered the vampires" said Natalie. "Don't tell me it was Ethan and Benny."
"I changed a few of the summaries of our adventures" Rory confessed, looking at Natalie with rare embarrassment. "This one most of all. I wanted to make myself the hero here, and keep something secret."
"What?" asked Natalie, as she looked at the vampires with a look even Rory interpreted as disgust.
The time-travellers were at this second interrupted by the sudden appearance of Krypto, out of thin air.
For whatever reason, Krypto was on his hind legs.
"He must have put his paws on the table" said Ethan. "Rory's he's going to . . . ."
"Not here, Krypto" said Rory, for the first time wide-eyed and outright panicky. "Natalie, he's really an evil-sniffing dog. He's going to after the vamps and if he stays long enough he'll go after . . . well, he'll go after the bloodsuckers."
"If you can show Natalie, you can show Krypto" said Benny, scoffing. "We all like the dog, but buddy, you've got to keep perspective."
"Krypto won't compromise when he smells anything undead or wrong" Rory explained to Benny, glancing around. "Even for me! You can't explain that. He liked you and Ethan, but Krypto hated you during the counterfeit curses. Ethan, do something!"
"What!" said Natalie.
Krypto sensing both Natalie and Rory were upset, decided they needed to be licked on the face. That is before he sniffed the Teen Rory in confusion. Krypto ran to the younger Rory, but bounded through him.
Krypto whined, but on further thought the dog concluded that the younger Rory was something akin to the fake pictures shown on the TV screen. But with added smell! Although offended by that trick, Krypto returned to the present day Rory I short order.
Rory again petted his dog. Krypto was happy, but not Rory as he looked helplessly at Ethan.
"I don't know!" Ethan blurted. "I can't send him back without ending the vision. Or . . . good dog, Krypto. Get off the table?"
"I didn't know your visions reproduced smells" said Benny, who took a moment to rub Krypto on the head.
Krypto enjoyed all the attention for a moment, but suddenly jumped away and growled.
"He's smelt them" said Ethan.
Rory, Ethan and Benny had seldom seen the yellow Labrador so furious. It was the first time Natalie had seen Krypto angry. All the fur on Krypto stood on end, and he bared his teeth.
Barking and growling, Krypto ran through the elusive vampires. Again and again.
Jesse and some members of his "drama club" had broken up dancing for the moment and were in conversation and laughing at something by the well-remembered blood-red punchbowl. It would, however, take more than a seer to hear over Krypto.
"Come back Krypto" begged Rory, running over.
Ethan, Benny and even Natalie (with an attempt to cover her neck with her left hand) tried to go after the dog.
But it was Sarah, appearing out of nowhere, who grabbed Krypto by the scruff of the neck. A gentle yank and Krypto had returned to the real world. Still, for the moment Sarah remained."
Sarah smiled at Ethan and the others; then she looked around and frowned. Naturally her first glance turned to the old Erica. Then with a glare and an obvious narrowing of her eyes she caught sight of Jesse.
"I went into your living room, Rory" Sarah explained, breaking away from the sight, "and I realized that Krypto had put his paws on the table and fallen into the vision. I have one hand on the table."
"Are you staying?" asked Ethan. "I think
"Would you like me to stay?" asked Sarah.
"I would" said Ethan. "But I can't expect you to."
Sarah gave Ethan a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Just for one moment more" said Sarah.
Sarah had to do something here. She walked up to Jesse, karate chopped him through the face, and disappeared.
"She really hates Jesse" Ethan explained. "Even now."
"Ethan, buddy" Benny observed, "Of course now. You mean even twelve years from now."
"Natalie!" interjected Rory worriedly. "You can take your hand of your jugular."
Natalie did, and put her hand in Rory's.
"I know they can't get me" said Natalie, humbly. "But . . . I just can't stand being around all these vampires. Even if they're now gone for good."
"It's okay" said Rory, but in a hollow tone. "It's just a hologram . . . shadow . . . Back to the Future Part II."
With Krypto gone, Rory looked around and from a vague, confused memory felt that the time had nearly arrived for Teen Ethan and Teen Benny to show up and try to save his fourteen year old self.
Rory did see what he didn't see the first time. Or wasn't paying much attention to. The tall dark teen with Erica, the two going off and apparently leaving most of the party behind them.
"I remember that guy!" said Benny. "He's Jesse's second-in-command. I think they shared that convertible"
"I know" said Ethan. "But after twelve years, I can't remember that guy's name."
"You should have envisioned name tags on them" said Benny, laughing. "Like at McMurdo Abbott's annual office party."
"That's Gord" said Rory shortly. "But I remembered Erica being with Jesse."
"I think it'll be a good idea if we follow them and hear what they have to say" said Ethan, looking at the others. "It might be the way to break the news . . . slowly."
The four followed Teen Erica and Gord; until Teen Erica and Gord reached a bedroom and shut the door behind them.
This wasn't much of a surprise to Natalie, but it was to Ethan, Benny and Rory. They had long forgotten Gord's having bitten Erica, and none of the three had any reason to remember, or even know the two had, apparently, slept together.
The four retreated a ways down the hall, so as not to be Peeping Toms.
Finally, Ethan gave a low whistle.
"Now, I get it" said Ethan. "Long time ago, Erica told me she went with Gord for some other reason, not to be bitten. After she was cured, she let it slip she never actually asked for it to happen. She was just very happy with it after. Man, I wish we hadn't followed them. This was Erica's secret. Sorry Erica, wherever you are!"
"Dude, it's not your fault that's the way it happened" said Benny.
"But I thought you said Erica was a reluctant vampire?" said Natalie, confused. "And that she was one of the two good vampires."
"I said there were two good vampires" Benny observed. "Saying Erica was a good vampire . . . let's say it's an exaggeration. And as for being reluctant, she was reluctantly cured."
"Then who is the other good vampire?" asked Natalie.
"The one who took being a vampire as getting superpowers" Benny returned. "You know . . . ." Benny stopped short, and changed paths. "You know, I had a crush on Erica back then. She blew me off, but jumped into bed with that guy. Sort of hurts."
"After twelve years?" asked Ethan.
"Since when did getting rejected get you down?" asked Rory.
"You'd think dating the cool, friendly, awesome, funny, spellmaster would be better than Erica hopping into bed with the undead guy who wants her blood and all but stole her soul" Benny pointed out, with a shrug.
"Erica just wasn't interested in the cool, friendly, awesome, funny spellmaster" Ethan joked.
"Erica was always pwning me" said Rory. "But we're still friends. Plutonic friends."
"Or good acquaintances, like she says to me" said Benny wryly. "But there was that one Reading Week . . . ."
Natalie, for her part, was thoughtful, and not about Benny's or Rory advances being rejected by Erica. Natalie was about to piece together the clues as to the identity of the "other" good vampire. Natalie was pensive, and it was only a matter of a few seconds before she connected the clues before her. But she was distracted by Rory.
"I think it's weird" said Rory. "Erica and Gord. Gord . . . turning her. Then . . . handing her over to Jesse."
"It's not what you'd call girl power" Natalie agreed, forcefully.
"Bloodsuckers are just creeps" Benny shrugged.
"Jesse must have pulled rank" said Ethan tersely. "Erica was no longer a geek, Sarah turned Jesse down, Jesse grabbed Erica."
Without realizing it, the group had walked to the yard outside. Just in time for Teen Benny and Teen Ethan to pretend in front of Undead Jesse that they were vampires as well.
To Natalie, the improbable lies seemed to have worked, and she watched Benny and Ethan collect Rory. And try to get out of the party with their reluctant friend, who was still obliviously enjoying being with the cool kids.
"This party's going by fast" Ethan observed. "Too fast. I think I'm skipping by several minutes at a time."
"For you to get there this soon, yeah" said Rory unhappily.
"Maybe Rory should tell you something now, before you see it with your own eyes?" suggested Benny. "If he wants to break it gently?"
"Yeah" said Rory in a nervous tone. "You see, the reason I didn't have my picture taken for . . . ."
"NO!" said Natalie. "They caught you!"
The time had come for Ethan, Benny and Rory to be stopped on their way out of Jesse's mansion.
Natalie now looked fearful, as if instead of watching a comedy, she watching an outright horror movie.
"Remember, we all get out of this alive" said Benny. "More or less. In the long run."
"What do you mean by that!" Natalie exclaimed.
The answer came with Erica and Gord returned from the bedroom.
Rory was closest to Erica, and whether by plan or by convenience, Erica put her newly acquired fangs onto Rory's neck and bit.
"Oh" said the Teen Rory, and crumpled apparently dead onto the floor.
Natalie didn't pay much attention to the rest of the events happening about her: Teen Sarah's belated return, Teen Ethan and Teen Benny's escape.
She did the old school thing. She gave out a blood-curdling scream.
"Not everyone can be Sarah" Benny muttered to Ethan.
Natalie turned to the present day Rory, ashen faced.
"You?" she said.
"Yeah, me" said Rory, rubbing his neck. "Right there. And she turned me too. One year and nine months a bloodsucker. And there's more you need to know."
"First catch me" said Natalie.
"Catch you?" asked Rory.
Natalie fainted into Rory's arms.
Rory looked at his friends helplessly
"She'll be okay" Ethan told Rory. "She's just passed out from the shock."
"Dude, she still trusts you!" Benny shrugged. "She could have run screaming out the door."
