Chapter Four
Peter alongside Emily followed Kylie down the stairs to the pitch dark living-room.
''This is your grandpa's room?'', Peter said the moment they were outside the closed door. The young girl nodded opening it and the slow crackling gave Emily goosebumps. The bedroom was illuminated only by the soft light of a lamp and they saw the man who was watching them from his window sleeping peacefully in his bed.
''Come closer'', Kylie encouraged them.
''Better not...'', Emily said. Peter, obviously braver than his sister, walked towards the old man. Suddenly, the wooden floor creaked loudly waking him up.
''What are you doing here?'', he asked with a weak voice. ''Why did you come into this house?''
''We're... We are friends with your grand-children...'', Peter said and his voice was slightly shaking.
''My grand-children?'', the man repeated looking lost.
''Yes, Kylie and Jasper''. Then, the stranger fell on his pillow with a deep sigh.
''Oh... Oh, you silly kids...'', he said staring into the void. ''I tried to keep you away from this damned place but you fell straight into the trap.''
''What trap?'', asked Peter, as Emily went close to him.
''I have to stay in this room for my grand-son's sake. She promised not to hurt him...'', he whined.
''What are you talking about?''
''She... She...'', he began to say and the two siblings turned around to see Annabelle standing next to her daughter, who was watching them with a smile on her face. That smile, though, was not human. Nobody's fangs protrude from the mouth. Peter and Emily stood there frozen, incapable to react.
''You should have drunk your sour cherry-juice''. It was Kylie the one who spoke, walking slowly towards them. ''If you had, I wouldn't be able to do this''. Everything happened in a split second. Just when Kylie was about to attack them, Jasper appeared out of thin air rushing at her and reaping her apart with his sharp teeth. Kylie barely opened her mouth but her cry was never heard. Then, Jasper stood up again with blood rolling down his jaw all the way to the lower part of his T-shirt and looked at Annabelle with a stern gaze.
''It's over now. We don't have to obey her anymore. I must warn you, though: If you make a move against them or against my grandpa, you'll end up like her.''
''The kid drank from the 'sour cherry-juice'. He is one of us now'', Annabelle said relaxing her posture.
''Then, he'll stay with us. But his cousins will leave this place safe and sound''. Jasper turned to those, who had been silently watching all these incredible things unfolding before their eyes. ''You are safe now but you must leave right away''. He didn't have to say it twice.
[Five years later, very far away]
The newly-wed couple returned from their honeymoon happier than ever. They opened the door of their new home and left their baggage at the entrance, taking a look at the empty living-room. They didn't mind at all. They could easily sleep on the floor and eat outside in their garden. As they were in the middle of the summer, that is exactly what they decided to do.
''Hello'', they heard a voice while laying a tablecloth on the grass. They immediately turned around and saw a woman with short, black hair and bright pink highlights standing behind the fence. ''You must be our new neighbours. I'm Annabelle and I live here with my children. Jasper, Leo!''. Two teenagers stopped playing in the pool and waved them from afar.
''Hi'', said the man. ''This is our first day here and since we have no furniture, we thought of sitting in the garden for lunch.''
''You can have lunch with us'', Annabelle kindly suggested. ''This way, we'll get to know each other, too. What do you think?''
''Sure, if it's okay...''. Their neighbour led them to the garden table. On top of it, they saw a large, glass jug. The drops rolling down the exterior were proof that the content was indeed cold. Absolutely perfect for such a hot summer day. Annabelle took the jug and turned to the young couple with a bright smile.
''Would you like a glass of sour cherry-juice?''
THE END