Эллен Шрайбер - Kissing Coffins

"She's just like me!" I exclaimed.

"I thought you'd like her."

"She's the cutest thing I've ever seen! I want her to come home with me," I said wishfully, kneeling down and staring at the kitten.

"I found them last night."

"You want me to keep her?"

"She's finished nursing. And the mother can't care for them all."

Alexander and I sat off to the side and watched as the kittens purred and the mama fell asleep.

"I'm surprised she isn't hissing at us," I said.

"She understands we're not here to hurt her, but to help her."

"So, you're like Dr. Dolittle with a bite."

He grimaced at my joke. "Do you want the cat or not?"

I nodded my head eagerly.

Alexander picked up the tiny black kitten, who looked like a small ball of yarn in his handsome hands.

"It's okay," he said, handing her to me.

I held the tiniest black baby kitten I'd ever seen. She licked her mouth and looked up at me as if she were smiling.

"I can keep her?"

"I wanted you to have something to remember me by."

"Remember you?”

“To keep you company during the day.”

“That is the sweetest thing!" I stared down at my Gothic Gift gazing up at me with teeny lime green eyes. "I'll call her Nightmare."

16 Vampire Visitor

Where did you get that?" Billy Boy asked when I brought Nightmare into the house.

"Alexander gave her to me."

"She's so cute. But you'll have to hide her from Dad. You know how he feels about pets."

"I know, but I'm not bringing a lizard home this time. It's just a kitty."

"Where'd you get that?" my dad asked, coming down the stairs.

"Alexander gave her to me."

"I don't care if the president gave it to you. It has to go."

"Paul, she is really cute," my mom commented, petting Nightmare's head. "And Raven is certainly old enough to be responsible for a cat."

"Her age is not what I'm concerned about," he warned.

"Dad, didn't I prove enough to you by working at Armstrong Travel? I'm not a little girl anymore."

He paused as I held my Nightmare up to his face.

"Fine. But she stays in your room. I don't want her running all around the kitchen countertops or scratching on my couch."

"Thanks, Dad." I gave him a huge hug and kiss on his cheek.

"Now I'll show you your new home," I said to Nightmare as I took her to my bedroom.

I looked around my room. I didn't know where to put her.

"I have an old box in the garage filled with clothes from college that would be a perfect bed for her," Mom said, peeking in. "It's above the tools. Bring me the box and I'll repack the clothes."

“Thanks."

I started to close my bedroom door when Nightmare began to follow me.

"I'll be right back, sweetie," I said, putting her in the middle of the floor. "I'm going to make you a bed."

Nightmare's ears perked up, and she looked at the window. She darted up onto my computer chair and then onto my desk. She stared out the window, hissing. I picked her up and placed her on my bed.

"I'll be right back. Sleep here for now."

When I reached my bedroom door, Nightmare was back at my feet, her lime green eyes squinting at me. She hissed at me and pawed at my boots.

I picked her up. "Mommy will be right back." I kissed my new kitty on the nose, placed her back on the floor, and quickly closed the door. I could hear her scratching against the wood as I ran down the hall.

I walked to our garage at the end of our driveway. I stood on my dad's toolbox as I searched for the box. I could hear the crickets.

There was a lot of rustling in the tree by my bedroom window. I froze.

More rustling. It could be a squirrel. Or having just seen Trevor last night, I thought he could be toilet papering my window.

I turned off the garage light and tiptoed over to the tree. But now the leaves were still. Not a bird. Not a squirrel. Not a soccer snob.

I headed back to the garage, and then I saw Jagger.

I gasped.

"What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to see you."

"I thought you went back to Romania," I said, stepping back.

"I was hoping you would come with me."

"Alexander assured me that the feud was over and you were gone for good."

"That is why you can't tell him," he said. "Otherwise, not only will your safety and Sterling's be in jeopardy, but the whole town's."

"The whole town?" I asked.

"Don't tempt me," he said, licking his lips. "You wouldn't like to know what happens when a small town finds out a vampire is living among them and dating one of their daughters."

I froze. I remembered how easily Dullsville was sucked into Trevor's rumor, resulting in gossip and graffiti. If the town had proof of Alexander's true identity, there was no predicting what people would do.

"Fine, I won't tell him. But you must leave now!"

Jagger only stepped closer.

"I'm not going back to the cemetery with you," I argued, backing up. "I'll scream if I have to. My father is inside and he's a lawyer."

"That won't be necessary. Why spend your life sitting in a mansion with a sensitive artist watching paint dry when we could see the world together?"

"I'm not going anywhere with you!"

"Well, I'm sure you could persuade me to stay in town. In fact, I'm beginning to like it here."

"I don't want you! Your feud is over with Alexander. Go home already—"

"Feud? I have other things on my mind now. Alexander might be able to deny who he is, but I can't deny who I am."

His blue and green eyes shot through me. I looked away, afraid he'd make me dizzy again. He began to lean into me.

"Raven!" Billy Boy called from the back door.

My brother ran down the steps holding Nightmare. Jagger stepped back into the shadows.

"Billy Boy! Go inside. Now!" I exclaimed, running toward him.

"What's taking you so long?" Billy Boy asked. "Nightmare is throwing a freak attack. I found her pawing against your bedroom door."

I blocked Billy Boy's step. Frantically, I turned around, shielding him.

The backyard was empty. Jagger was gone.

I pulled Billy Boy inside and locked the door.

"I've never been so happy to see you!" I said, squeezing my little brother, Nightmare in his hands.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked, cringing like I had cooties.

"I just thought I saw the bogeyman."

"You watch too many scary movies," he said.

"I sometimes feel like I'm starring in them," I replied.

17 School Ghoul

As much as I hated going back to school after spring break, I knew at least my daylight hours brought a safe reprieve from Jagger.

I returned to Dullsville High a different person than when I had left—as if being the only goth in a conservative town hadn't made me different enough. I couldn't concentrate in class, knowing I was privy to a secret world of vampires.

Classmates continued to bury their heads in textbooks and anticipate the next soccer game, while I doodled in my journal and couldn't wait for the next sunset.

I was still an outcast, but I think my classmates got a rise that Trevor had been dethroned from his kingdom. And although they didn't high-five me in the hallway or invite me to their parties, I was actually given a cutter's privilege at the drinking fountain.

"It's a shame Alexander is homeschooled. It would be nice to eat lunch as a foursome," Becky said at lunch on the baseball bleachers.

"Yeah, that would rock."

"But still, we should do something together."

"How about going to the drive-in?" Matt asked, as he walked up the bleachers behind me. "Kissing Coffins is playing tonight. Admission is half price if you wear a costume."

"Cool! I've always wanted to see it on the big screen. I'm sure Alexander would love to go."