The Haunted Vacation, Times 2

The Haunted Vacation, Times 2

By:

Shelby Harty



























Chapter 1

“Stacy,” Maria took one of her sister’s ear-phones out. “Mom is talking.”
Stacy nodded and paused her music. “What’s the story mom?”
“Your aunt Lilly is half-witch.” Mom began. “People tend to avoid her, but she’s very friendly.”
“So, what’s this story about a legend?” Stacy asks.
“I am not the person to ask Stacy.” She said.
Stacy rolled her eyes and popped her ear-phone back in and unpaused her music. Skillet’s Awake and Alive blasted into her ears.
Portland, Maine was near the ocean. A boring town it seemed to be.
Stacy sighed. And we’re supposed to spend two weeks here? She thought. Man……I wished Jeremy came with me.
Suddenly, her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. She took it out and opened it.
ONE NEW TEXT MESSAGE.
JEREMY
She smiled to herself and opened the message.
Hey, how r u?
Jeremy
She texted back.
I’m good, u?

Fine, I miss you.

Me too. Portland, Maine is sooo boring

What r u there for?

Staying with another aunt for two weeks.

That sucks. I’ll try to visit you.

Yeah, me too.

Stacy sighed and watched the scenery go by. There were lots of old buildings, made from black brick that seemed to be crumbling away. Another ten minutes of silence went by and finally, the car started up a long driveway.
“Whoa! She lives her?!” Maria exclaimed.
The home before them reminded Stacy of a medieval castle, just smaller. The lawn was neatly trimmed and the flowers were bright and colorful.
Mom stopped the car by the entrance. “Alright, I just have some things to say. Lilly is a little strange. She does practice witchcraft, so don’t bother her, okay?”
Both girls nodded.
“One more thing. Be careful. I don’t know what this town is like. There may be dangerous people around here.”
“We will mom.” Maria said.
Mom smiled. “Okay, I’m not going in. Get your things and I’ll see you both in two weeks.”
After getting their things from the car, Mom left. “I wonder why mom didn’t want to go in.” Maria said as she slung her backpack over her shoulder.
“Beats me.” Stacy shrugged. “Well, we’d better get in there.”
They went up to the door and Stacy knocked. There was silence for a few moments.
“Maybe she’s not here.” Stacy said. She fumbled with the doorknob and to her surprise, the door creaked open. “Huh, that’s weird.”
“Well, no one’s home. Let’s go.” Maria turned around to walk away, but Stacy grabbed the back of her shirt.
“Relax, I’m sure this place is just old.” She said and dragged a flailing Maria inside, closing the door behind them.
“I wanna leave……..” Maria whined. “This place is creepy.”
“It’s quiet……….too quiet….” Stacy muttered.
Suddenly, the lights came on and Maria shrieked, jumping into Stacy’s arms Scooby-Doo style. “Who did that?!” Maria looked around frantically.
“Welcome my children.”
Both girls looked up and saw a woman in her late 40’s, early 50’s with long black hair and dark eyes. She wore a long black dress and a trench coat over it. “You must be Stacy and Maria.” She said in a Transylvania accent.
Maria shrieked when Stacy dropped her on her butt. “Hi aunt Lilly.” Stacy said.
Maria glared at her sister and she stood up, rubbing her butt. “That hurt ya jerk.”
Lilly walked down the stairs towards them. “It’s so nice to see my nieces for the very first time.”
“It’s nice to see you too.” Stacy smiled.
Lilly also smiled. “Would you girls accompany me into town? I need to pick up a few things.”

Chapter 2

Lilly parked the truck outside of a Gothic store. Maria and Stacy jumped out and followed Lilly into the store.
“Whoa, neat.” Stacy whistled. “My kind of store.”
Maria rolled her eyes.
“Girls, wait outside for me please.” Lilly said sweetly.
“Okay.” Maria was out of there before you could say what.
Stacy just stepped out of the store when she suddenly bumped into a tall, hard figure. “Oh! Sorry about that.” She said, looking up and seeing a guy about maybe 19 or 20 with dark brown, slicked back hair and wore sunglasses to cover his eyes. He stared down at her.
“Um, sorry man.” She said nervously.
The guy only frowned and walked away from her down the street. Stacy huffed. “Jerk.”
“Wonder who that was.” Maria said as she watched the guy walk away, but stop in front of a store, looking through the window. “He was kinda cute.”
Stacy rolled her eyes. “Boy-crazy.”
“Am not!” Maria said defensively.
“What are you girls fighting about?” Lilly asks as she walked out of the store.
“Stacy thinks I’m boy-crazy.”
“Aunt Lilly, do you know that guy?” Stacy asks, pointing at the guy with the sunglasses. “He seems like a jerk.”
“Ah yes.” Lilly frowned. “He’s an outsider here in Portland. People don’t like him.”
“Why not?” Maria asks.
“Those sunglasses he wears, he wears them at night too.” Lilly answered. “People say that his eyes are sensitive to the sunlight, others say he has special powers.”
“Like what?” Maria asks again.
Lilly shrugged. “No one knows for sure. But I want you girls to stay away from him. He is dangerous.”
“Yes Aunt Lilly.” Both girls said at the same time and then they looked at each other.
“Jinx! You owe me a soda!” Stacy said.
“Crap……..” Maria muttered and glared at her sister.
Lilly smiled. “Good, now why don’t you two run along? Just be back for supper.”
Stacy nodded and the girls watched as Lilly got into her truck and drove off down the road. “So, whattcha want to do?”
“Let’s just walk around for a while until my feet get tired.” Maria suggested.


An hour went by and both girls grew tired. They sat down outside the local cemetery. “Doesn’t it feel creepy we’re sitting down right outside a cemetery?” Maria asks.
Stacy shrugged. “Not really. I’m used to it.”
“You’re weird.” Maria muttered.
“Jeez, this place is boring.” Stacy commented. “What do they do for fun?”
“Absolutely nothing.” A male voice answered.
Both girls whipped around and saw the same guy from earlier standing inside the cemetery. He had a few strands of hair falling in front of his forehead, like he had been running.
Maria stood. “C’mon, we’d better hurry back. Lilly will get mad if we don’t.”
Stacy shrugged. “I’m gonna stay for a bit.”
“But Lilly said-.”
“I know what Lilly said.” Stacy’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not gonna go near him.”
Maria was silent for a moment. “Fine, just don’t stay for too long.” And she stalked off.
“Our aunt said for us to stay away from you.” Stacy said and fully turned towards the boy, crossing her legs.
“I wouldn’t be surprised.” The guy muttered.
“I-no, it’s probably none of my business.” She pulled herself up and brushed the dirt off her pants. “You probably won’t tell me your name, so I’ll be going.” She turned on her heel to walk away.
“Steve.”
Stacy stopped and slightly turned. “What?”
“My name is Steve.”
“Stacy.” She said and walked down the street towards Lilly’s house.

Chapter 3

“Stacy?”
“Hmm?” Stacy paused her music. “What’s the matter?”
“That guy we met today-.”
“What about him?”
Maria sighed. “I got a weird vibe from him.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know……..he seems weird.”
Stacy shrugged. “He seemed familiar to me. Like we met before, but I don’t know when….”
“Lilly told us to stay away from him. I know you wouldn’t listen.” Maria muttered.
Stacy glared at her sister. “Oh shut it. He seems nice, but in a mysterious way. I’d like to know what he’s hiding behind those sunglasses.”
Maria rolled her eyes and got more comfortable on the couch. “What time is Lilly coming back?”
“Who knows? Some time after midnight.” Stacy replied.
There was silence between the two.
Stacy paused her music when she heard faint shouting from outside. She lifted her head to Maria. “Do you hear that?”
Maria nodded. “It’s near.”
Both girls dropped what they were doing and went to the window. They saw a group of people coming up the road and past the house.
“Wonder what’s going on.” Maria said.
Stacy went to the front door and opened it. “C’mon, let’s go check it out.” She stalked outside.
Maria groaned and followed her sister outside. The two followed the group of people until they came to the woods. Maria gulped. “L-let’s go back.” She whimpered.
Stacy frowned. “Maria, we fought against something we couldn’t see…….”
Maria sighed. “Fine……..”
The two walked through the woods until they saw the large group of people circled around a fire. “My people! We must call upon our Savior!” they heard Lilly shout.
The group cheered loudly.
“What about those nieces of yours?” a man asks.
“Hopefully, they won’t find out.” Lilly answered. “They wouldn’t understand.”
“Maybe we should leave.” Maria whispered.
“Good idea.” Stacy nodded.
The two quietly began walking away, but Maria was grabbed from behind. “Let me go!!”
Stacy was also grabbed from behind and she kicked at the person who held her. “Let us go!!”
Both girls struggled as they were dragged to the group. “How much did you two hear?” the same man asks.
“We just got here.” Maria lied, slight fear in her voice.
“Let them go.” Lilly said. “They are just children.”
“That may be.” The man said. “But let them watch.” He walked and stood near the fire as the flames cackled. “Rise. Rise and be our Savior!” he threw his hands into the air.
Stacy struggled to get out of the person’s grip as the man walked over to her. He pulled out a dagger and she gasped. “We need the blood of a virgin for him to rise.”
The person holding her let her go and the man grabbed her left wrist, turned her hand over and slashed her palm with the dagger. She gasped in pain as the man took her slashed hand and put it over the fire, blood dripping into the flames.
“Stacy!” Maria shouted.
“Let me go!” Stacy shouted and was back-handed across the face.
“Release them.” The man ordered.
Maria was released and both girls ran out of the woods.

Chapter 4

“That looks really painful.” Maria cringed.
“It won’t stop bleeding.” Stacy gasped, holding her bleeding palm.
“We have to get you to the hospital.” Maria grimaced.
“That won’t do any good.”
Both girls looked behind them and saw Steve. He still wore sunglasses.
“What do you mean?” Stacy asks.
“What I mean is,” Steve paused and walked over to them. “They’ll just bandage you up and basically say ‘go suffer’.” He knelt down in front of Stacy. “Let me see.”
Stacy let him examine her palm. “I’m assuming a dagger.” He said and she nodded. “Alright, my mother has medicine that-.”
“Hold up!” Maria quickly stood. “We are not allowed to go to a stranger’s house. I’m sure Lilly can fix her up just fine.”
“Maria……..Lilly is with those nut jobs.” Stacy said quietly. “For some reason, I trust Steve.”
Maria scoffed. “Whatever.” And she walked back to the house.
“Is she always like that?” Steve asks.
“Sometimes.” Stacy answered. “We don’t always agree with everything.”
“As I was saying, my mother has medicine that can heal this up in a few days.” He helped her up.
“Why are you helping me?” she asks.
Steve ran a hand through his dark brown hair. “Someone like you doesn’t need to be involved in danger.”
Stacy was silent after that.


“Is your mother a witch?”
Steve slightly glanced up at her while he bandaged her hand. “No, she’s a doctor. There are herbs in the woods.”
Stacy blinked. “Again, why are you helping me?”
He gave a small sigh. “Like I said before, I don’t want you involved in danger.”
Stacy glanced at her watch. 10:48 p.m. “Steve…….”
“Hmm?”
“Have we met before?” she asks.
He finished with her hand and stood up. “No.”
Stacy flexed her hand and stood also. “Well, thanks. I’d better get back to the house before Maria freaks out.” She started for the front door.
“Wait.” He grabbed her arm, stopping her. “You shouldn’t go out right now. It’s too dangerous.”
She yanked her arm away. “I have to go. Jeez, you act like you’re my brother.” And she left without another word.

Chapter 5

Stacy woke the next morning to her cell phone ringing. She groaned and reached around for her cell phone and finally grasped it, answering. “Hello?” she asks groggily.
“Aw, did I wake you?” Jeremy chuckled.
“Pfft, no.” she smiled and rolled onto her back. “It’s….” she looked at her watch. “10:30.”
“I called to tell you that I’m coming over.”
She blinked. “Come again?”
“Yea. I got permission from your parents, my parents and your aunt. I should be over there later today.” He answered.
She smiled. “That’s awesome Jeremy.”
“I’d better go. I’m leaving for my flight. See you soon. Bye.”
“Bye.” She hung up and yawned, getting out of bed and walking downstairs. Suddenly, Lilly walked up to her.
“I am terribly sorry about last night Stacy.” Lilly said. “I did not want you or Maria getting involved.”
“It’s……okay. But answer one question for me. Who is your ‘Savior’?” Stacy asks.
Lilly was silent for a moment. “He is not really our savior. He is more like a curse, to me at least.”
Stacy blinked. “A curse.”
“Sit down child.” Lilly said and both of them sat down. “When I was a little girl, my mother and I joined the occult because my father was killed by a gang a year ago that day. I know Susan told you our father died, but never how.”
“And then what happened?” Stacy asks.
“We call upon our ‘Savior’ once a year. We call upon him because…….” Lilly paused. “He is used to kill.”
“K-kill…?” Stacy shuddered.
“About 100 years ago, a man named Christopher Knightblade was murdered by his own brother because his brother wanted the woman Christopher had all to himself.” Lilly explained.
Stacy raised an eyebrow. “He was jealous?”
“You could say that.” Lilly replied. “After his murder, Christopher’s mother knew his brother killed him, so she went to a witch and brewed up a spell that brought Christopher back from the dead.”
“And then what happened?”
“Christopher came back and killed his brother. He then took the girl who came between them to his grave.” Lilly replied. “She became his dead bride.”
Stacy shuddered. “Sounds awful……..”
“I am so sorry for not telling you before Stacy.” Lilly said, taking Stacy’s hands in her own. “You are young and still have a long life ahead of you.”
Stacy slightly smiled. “You’re young too.”
Lilly smiled sadly. “I am almost 50-years old. I am not young anymore.” She let go of Stacy’s hands. “Your boyfriend is coming over, did he call you?”
“He did.”
Lilly smiled. “Alright, I have a meeting tonight with the board. I’ll be gone for a while.”


A couple hours later, Stacy was flipping through the book when the doorbell rang.
“Stacy, can you get that?!” Maria asks from the kitchen.
“Lazy, little…….” Stacy grumbled and set her book down. She got up and answered the door. When she did, she smiled. “Jeremy!” she squealed and jumped into his open arms. “Mm, I missed you so much.”
He pulled back and smiled. “I miss you too Stac. Do you know how lonely it was without you?”
“Very?” She questioned.
He nodded. “Very lonely.”
She smiled. “Alright, what do you want to do?”
Jeremy thought for a minute. “How ‘bout you show me around town?”
She nodded. “Maria, we’re going out for a while!” she shouted and closed the door behind them as they left the house.
“Jeez, this place is boring.” Jeremy commented. “Hey, what happened to your hand?”
“Oh……I uh, cut myself while making dinner.” She lied. I don’t want him involved.
“Does it hurt?” he asks.
“No.” she answered.
He gently grasped her hand and kissed it. “I missed you Stacy.” He whispered and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her waist.
Her hands grasped his shoulders, taking in his scent. He smelt faintly of strawberries. “I miss you too Jeremy.”
His face lowered down close to hers and-
“Am I interrupting something here?” a voice asks.

Chapter 6

Stacy sighed and looked over at Steve. “What do you want?”
Steve frowned. “What are you doing?”
“None of your damn business.”
“Who’s that?” Jeremy whispers in her ear.
She rolled her eyes and unlatched his arms from her waist. “Steve, listen. I don’t know why you won’t leave me alone-.”
“I’m trying to protect you.”
She blinked. “Protect me? From what? Your Savior?”
Jeremy looked between the two. “Uh….what’s going on?”
“I am NOT with that occult Stacy.” Steve growled.
“Lilly was right about you.” Stacy glared.
Steve pushed his sunglasses onto his face. “Stacy, you need to come with me. There’s something you need to see.” He began to walk towards her.
“Hey buddy.” Jeremy put an arm around her. “I think you should leave.”
Steve stopped. “Leave? What if I don’t want to leave?”
“Look man,” Jeremy approached him. “I’m gonna be polite once, leave. Now.”
Steve crossed his arms over his chest and didn’t budge. Jeremy frowned and put a hand on Steve’s shoulder. Next thing Jeremy knew, he was on the ground with his arm twisted behind his back.
“Hey, let go of him!” Stacy shouted.
“Unless you want your boyfriend to have a broken arm, I suggest you come with me.” Steve said, looking at her.
Stacy clenched her fists. “Fine, just let go of him.”
Jeremy gasped as he was released and rolled onto his side, clutching his arm.
Steve stood and motioned for her to follow him. Stacy hugged and followed him as he approached the cemetery. Several minutes later, both were deep in the cemetery. “Where are we going?” she asks.
“Did Lilly tell you about Christopher Knightblade?”
She frowned. “Yes, why?”
Steve stopped in front of a grave. An open grave.
“Ugh! What is that smell?!” she gagged.
“He has risen again……..”
“Why do you wear sunglasses all the time?” she asks.
“My eyes are sensitive to bright lights.” He answered. “Christopher Knightblade has risen again….”
“Does he only go after certain people?” she asks.
“It depends. Sometimes he’ll go after the person who gave him virgin blood.”
Stacy froze. “Uh Steve………..”
“I know.”
“Know……?”
“I know what happened.” He turned towards her. “I followed you into the forest that night.” He answered.
“So you…….” She took a step back.
“I know…….everything about you Stacy.” He said quietly.
She stood there for a moment. “Lilly was right………”
“You shouldn’t be involved in this.”
“Lilly was right……..”
“You shouldn’t be involved with anything.”
“Stacy!” Jeremy shouted as he from up from behind her, pulling her to him. “What did you do to her?” he glared at Steve.
“Does Jeremy know?” Steve asks, tilting his head.
“Shut up…….” She whispered.
“Does he know that a dead man is after you?”
“Shut up.” She said, only louder this time.
“Or does he-?”
Before he could continue, Stacy’s fist connected with his cheek, enough force for him to fall.
“I’ve……..had enough of you….” She panted. “Stay away from me, Jeremy and my sister.”
Steve chuckled. “Like I would protect a brat like that.”
Her foot connected with his side and he collapsed, coughing.
“Stacy, stop.” Jeremy grabbed her arm and pulled her away. “He’s not worth it.”
Steve let out a laugh. “Of course not! I’m not worth anything!”
“C’mon, let’s go.” Jeremy kept pulling her away. “He’s crazy.”
Stacy gave a shaky nod and allowed Jeremy to walk her away.

Chapter 7

“Here.” Jeremy handed her some aspirin and a glass of water. “This should help with your hand.”
“Thanks.” She put both pills in her mouth, some water and swallowed. She sighed, setting the glass down.
“Stac,” he sat beside her on the couch. “You need to tell me everything.”
“I don’t want you involved.” She said quietly.
“Stacy, I am involved.” He took her good hand. “Please.”
“Okay…..”
For the next half-hour, she explained everything.
“He acts like he knows me. Honestly, he sounds like a stalker.” She said with a sigh.
“Oh Stacy…..” he murmured and pulled her into an embrace. “Don’t worry about him.”
She gave into his embrace and closed her eyes.
“Comfy there guys?” Maria chuckled as she came down the stairs.
“Where’s Lilly?” Stacy asks, not opening her eyes.
“Had a meeting. Won’t be back till later.”
Stacy sighed and snuggled closer to Jeremy before she fell asleep.



“Stacy! Wake up!”
Stacy was shaken roughly as she slowly began to wake. “Stop shaking me! I’m awake!” she said groggily as she sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Um………there’s been a murder.” Jeremy replied quietly.
Stacy blinked. “What?”
“C’mon, it’s down the road.”
The three headed out to the murder scene. There were several people surrounding the area.
Stacy frowned and began shoving her way through the crowd. “Stacy, wait!” Maria called.
Stacy finally got her way through and gasped at the mangled body before her. Was this Christopher’s work?
She looked up and saw Steve across from her. He saw her and quickly took off. Without thinking, she took off after him.
“Wait, stop!” she shouted as she ran after him. “He’s fast….!” She whispered. “But not faster than me.”
She put on a burst of speed and quickly caught up, tackling Steve to the ground. “Caught you.” She panted.
The next second she was the one pinned. “Why did you follow me?” he growled.
“You……..knew she was going to be killed.” She breathed.
He frowned. “I did.”
“Why didn’t you try to warn her?!”
“I did, she didn’t believe me.”
Stacy blinked. “Wha…….?”
“Who would believe that a dead man came back to life?” he asks.
“Um…..nobody.”
Steve got off and stood. “Meet me here at 9 o’clock.” And he walked away.
Stacy blinked once again and stood up. “Now I’m confused.” She muttered.



When 8:45 p.m. rolled by, Stacy grabbed a flashlight and her phone before telling Lilly she was going for a walk. As she walked down the dirt road, she kept looking around. “Man, it’s creepy out here.” She muttered.
SNAP
She suddenly heard a twig snap behind her. She whirled around and saw Steve.
She sighed in relief. “You scared me.”
“Did I?” he questioned with the tilt of his head.
“Don’t get any ideas.” She warned. “Um……..what did you mean from earlier than you knew everything about me?”
“I do know everything about you Stacy.”
Stacy’s eyes narrowed. “Are you a stalker?”
“No.”
“Admirer?”
“No.”
“Then what the hell are you?”
“I……….” he stopped.
“You what Steve?” she asks impatiently. “If you’re not going to answer, I’m going back.” She began to walk past him, but he grabbed her arm. “Steve……let go.”
“You need to know something about your family.”
“I don’t care, let go.”
“Stacy, it’s-.”
Before he could continue, Stacy’s flashlight hit him hard across the face. His sunglasses flew off and he staggered, holding his face. “I guess I could say you aim right.”
“What is your problem?” she hissed. “You act………..like……..” her voice trailed off when he finally took his hand away from his eyes. “Oh my god………”
What she saw made her nearly drop her flashlight. Steve’s eyes were an almost glowing, dark blue and his pupils were……slits instead of circles. “You…..you’re eyes….” She whispered.
“I know. I……..hate your aunt…….so much….” His hands curled into fists.
“What……did she do…?”
“She cursed me Stacy. She cursed me so I couldn’t see in sunlight anymore.” Steve answered with a small sigh.
“W….why?” she asks nervously.
“Because of you. Lilly knew and she wanted me to stay away from you.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“Stacy…..I’m your brother.”

Chapter 8

Stacy stared at him for a few moments before she came back to her senses. “You’re….my….brother?”
Steve nodded. “Yes Stacy. When I heard you were coming……I wanted to tell you so much.”
“How? Same moms’?”
“And same dad. Mom got pregnant with me with she was19. She couldn’t keep me, so she gave me up.” He answered and picked up his sunglasses and put them on his face. “Do you know how long I’ve wanted to see you?”
She took a step back. “I don’t have a brother. You’re lying!”
“It’s because they lied to you!” he shouted, angry. “We’re of the same flesh and blood Stacy!”
“You’re lying! Don’t ever speak to me again!” she turned on her heel and went to walk away, but then a blood-curdling scream echoed through the woods. “What the hell was that?!”
“He’s struck again.” Steve spoke. “It’s only a matter of time before he comes after you.”
Stacy then took off running towards the source of the scream. “You idiot, come back!” she heard him shout.
She ran through the woods, her heart racing. She saw light peeking through the trees and ran towards it. Then, she was in front of a house and the front door was open. She ran inside and instantly stopped in her tracks, losing the color in her face. “Oh god……”
The body of a young woman lay on the floor, hardly recognizable. Blood pooled around her, slowly spreading towards Stacy’s feet. She backed away and her back bumped into a chest.
“We have limited time.”
And that’s when she passed out.



“Stacy, are you alright?” Steve’s voice cut through the darkness.
Her eyes fluttered open and she groaned, pulling herself into a sitting position. She saw the faint light of the ambulances through the trees. “Man, fainting is such an elderly thing to do.” She muttered, rubbing her eyes.
Steve looked away and Stacy saw the bruise that went under his left eye and down to his jaw. “Nice bruise.”
“Why thank you.” He said sarcastically. “You gave it to me.”
“Stacy!!” a voice shouted and Stacy saw Maria, Lilly and Jeremy running towards her. Steve quickly stood and got out of the way. Maria hugged her sister tightly. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re okay sis!”
“There’s been another murder.” Steve spoke.
Lilly glared at him. “I told you to stay away from Stacy!” she yelled angrily and lifted her head, clenching it tightly.
He slightly grunted and clutched the fabric above his heart, sinking to his knees, gasping.
“Lilly, stop!” Stacy yelled, shoving Maria off and grabbing Lilly’s hand. “Please…….he’s our brother…..”
“What?!” Maria exclaimed.
Jeremy’s eyes widened.
Lilly let her hand fall to her side. “And you believe him?”
“Yes…….he’s not lying.”
Steve sighed and stood. “Perhaps we should sit down and talk.”
Everyone exchanged glances.



“And so now we have a dead man after Stacy.” Steve finished.
“And you didn’t think of telling me this?” Jeremy asks Stacy.
“I didn’t want you involved.” She said quietly.
“Everyone is involved now Stacy.” Lilly said gently. “Is there anyway to destroy Christopher?”
“A stake.” Maria answered.
“He’s not a vampire you moron.” Steve scoffed. “But we can kill him by using the same technique that killed him 100 years ago.”
“What technique?” Stacy asks.
Steve lifted up his left pant leg and pulled out a long dagger from his boot. Lilly gasped. “Where did you get that?!”
“Christopher was stabbed in the heart with this.” Steve answered. “Christopher has a young sister no one ever knew about. I bought it from her yesterday.”
“Shouldn’t she be dead?” Maria asks.
“She is over 100 years old, but she cast a spell on herself so that she never aged.” He answered. “It’s sad……….that she is Christopher’s next victim.”
“We have to warn her!” Stacy stood.
“No use, she’s going to die anyway.”
“But we can at least try!”
Steve frowned and put the dagger back into his boot. “Fine.”

Chapter 9

“Ashley, open up.”
“Who is it?” a woman’s voice asks.
“Steve.”
The door opened, reveling a woman in her early thirties. “Come in. I was just making tea.” She said and let everyone in. “Sorry about the mess, I’ve been busy lately.”
“Don’t worry about the mess Ashley.” Steve said.
“To what do I owe this pleasure to?” Ashley asks, sitting down on the couch.
“Your brother is coming to kill you.” Jeremy spat out.
Ashley frowned. “I know.”
“You know?!”
“I’m not avoiding death this time.”
“But we can’t just let you die!” Stacy said angrily.
Steve fixed his sunglasses. “Alright, we’ll leave you then.”
Stacy gaped at him. “You can’t honestly-!”
POUND
Everyone’s attention went to the front door as it was pounded on. Cracks appeared in the wood. “He’s here. We have to leave while we still have time.” Steve said.
“But we can’t just leave her here to die!” Stacy yelled as Jeremy shoved her behind him. He was glaring at the door as more cracks appeared.
Ashley smiled sadly. “I am sorry dear girl, but I lived a long life.”
The door was then broken right off its hinges and a tall, pale muscular man walked through, wearing ripped and tattered clothes.
Maria screamed, jumping backwards and knocking over a lit candle. The flames quickly spread across the living room.
“Get out of here!” Ashley yelled as she stood up and Christopher approached her.
“What about you?!” Lilly shouts.
“I’m already dead!”
“Go! Get out through the window!” Steve yelled. He got out first and then everyone else escaped and met by the end of the driveway. They watched as the house was engulfed in flames.
“That was him?” Jeremy asks, holding Stacy to him.
“Yes.” Steve answered and Christopher walked out of the house, knocking a burning beam away from him. “Stacy, you need to come with me.” He knelt down and lifted up his pant leg, taking out the dagger from his boot.
“No freaking way man!” Jeremy said, holding Stacy tighter to him. “Wherever she goes, I go.”
“You’ll only get in the way. We need to go.” Steve said in an annoyed voice and stood.
Stacy pulled away from Jeremy. “I have to go with him. Be safe.”
He looked down at her and then hugged her tightly. “Be safe.” He whispered and he, Lilly and Maria ran one way while Steve and Stacy ran the other way.
Both ran for a while until they came to a large barn. “C’mon.” Steve breathed, grabbing her wrist and dragging her up the tall hill and into the barn.
“He’s not gonna stop.” Stacy panted as Christopher fast-walked after them. “Why the hell are we always running and the bad guys are always walking and they always seem to catch up to us?!”
“You watch too many horror movies.” Steve said, getting into a fighting stance. “This is reality. Go up the ladder and hide until I say its okay.”
“But-.”
“Go!”
She hesitated and ran to the ladder as Christopher walked into the barn and towards her.
Steve swung the dagger, aiming for the dead man’s heart but Christopher easily grabbed his wrist. Without much effort, Christopher kicked Steve’s left leg and Stacy cringed when she heard a very loud crack and Steve’s scream. Christopher threw Steve to the ground and took a couple steps towards Stacy.
“Oh-no you don’t!” Steve yelled and slashed Christopher’s right leg deeply with the dagger.
Christopher snapped down at him and then reached down, grabbing Steve around the throat and lifting him up. Both glared at each other and Steve swung the dagger. Christopher grabbed his wrist and snapped it backwards, earning another scream from the 20-year old. Christopher threw him to the ground and Steve’s sunglasses flew off, breaking when they hit the wall.
His eyes glowed dangerously as he attempted to stand up, but his leg screamed out in pain and he only dropped again. Christopher reached down and grabbed Steve’s good leg, slamming him against a wooden post and then throwing him into a stable. There was a loud thud as Steve hit the ground, causing boards to fall on top of his body.
Stacy saw the dagger on the ground and when Christopher looked at her, she took off up the ladder and disappeared on the second floor.
Christopher, annoyed with this futile game, climbed up the ladder and when he got up, looking around for Stacy.
“Hey, a-hole!”
He turned around and a pitchfork pierced his chest. Stacy grunted. “Just die you monster!” she shrieked and let go of the farm tool. She took a couple steps back as Christopher just stared down at the pitchfork and reached up with one hand, yanking out of his chest.
Stacy groaned. “You have got to be kidding me……..”

Chapter 10

“Damnit, what do I do?” Stacy whispered, backing away as Christopher took giant steps towards her. All of a sudden, she lost her footing and yelled out when she fell onto her back, knocking over a lit lamp. It fell to the first floor into the hay, which instantly caught on fire.
She gagged when Christopher grabbed her around the throat, lifting her up to his level. “Let me go!!” she yelled, clawing at his hand.
All of a sudden, the floor underneath them gave up and they fell towards a deep hole with fire in it. Stacy grabbed the edge of a board that was sticking out while Christopher caught her leg. She cried out in pain, holding onto the board tightly.
I don’t want to die. She thought, tears coming to her eyes. Just when she was about to lose her grip, Steve’s hands closed around her wrists. Her eyes widened. “You’re okay!”
“I can’t hold on for very long. My wrist is broken, along with my leg.” There was blood dripping down from his head and other various places.
Stacy looked down at Christopher. “Get OFF!” and with one swift kick to the face, he let go and fell into the fiery pit below.
Stacy groaned as Steve pulled her up onto the floor. She grabbed the dagger. “C’mon, let’s go before this place erupts!”
“I can’t walk Stacy. Just leave me.”
“No! I’m not gonna lose you!” she grabbed his good arm and swung it over her shoulder. With the strength she had, they stumbled out of the barn and then the barn exploded from behind them. Both of them rolled down the hill and Stacy came into contact with a tree. She rolled a little more and stopped on her side, gasping in pain. Ignoring the pain in her right side, she sat up, looking around. “Steve?”
“Ow……………” she heard a groan from her right. “Remind me to never roll down a steep hill with trees right below it….”
She crawled over to him and helped him stand, leaning him against the tree. “Wow………..” she examined his wounds. “He did a nice number on you.”
Steve’s eyes suddenly widened and he shoved her out of the way. Stacy landed harshly on her side and gasped when Christopher slapped Steve away, who hit a tree face-first. “Steve!” she shouted. Christopher looked at her and approached her. Stacy reached for the dagger when a hand wrapped around her ankle and dragged her away from the dagger. “Let go!” she kicked Christopher in the face and made a mad dash for the dagger. She wrapped her hand around the hilt and fell onto her back as Christopher made a mad grab for her. She rolled away and then kicked his legs out from underneath of him. He fell to the ground and Stacy got onto her knees, holding the dagger above her head.
“Go to hell!” she yelled and plunged the dagger deep into his heart, scooting away from him.
The dead man stared at the dagger with a horrified look and then let out a loud, bellowing sound as his flesh began to turn to dust. Stacy watched as his entire body crumbled to thousands of grains of sand, the clothes falling to the ground, along with the dagger. Stacy grabbed the dagger and looked at it. She then stood and with a strong throw, threw the dagger deep into the woods.
“Steve!” she whispered and ran over to him, kneeling down beside him. His eyes were closed. “Steve…?” she gently shook him by his shoulder.
He suddenly let out a cough and his dark blue eyes opened. “Is he gone…?”
“Yes.”
He sighed in relief and let his head hit the ground. “Thank god………” he groaned when he moved, holding his side with his good hand.
“Will you be okay?” she asks.
“I’ll live……..at leas I hope so.”
“Stacy!” voices shouted and suddenly, she was pulled into Jeremy’s arms, who hugged her tightly and planted kisses all over her head and face. “I thought you were dead!”
She returned his hug just as tightly. “No……..he’s gone Jeremy. We defeated him.”
Lilly knelt down beside Steve and touched his broken leg. He winced. “The entire leg bone is shattered……..”
“Just tell me, will I live?”
“You’ll live.”
Steve sighed. “That’s good………” and he was suddenly brought into a hug by Stacy. “Stacy……….uh………my wrist…….”
“Thank you.” She tightened her grip on him. “Thank you for everything Steve. I’m glad…..you told me we’re siblings.”
Maria shook her head. “I guess I’m glad too. Now I have an older brother to look up too, instead of a big sister.”
Stacy glared at her sister. “And you didn’t like him before.”
“Yeah, well-!”
“Guys, not to interrupt anything, but did Steve just pass out?” Jeremy asks, pointing to the unconscious Steve in Stacy’s arms.
“Ah crap!”
“We’d better get him to the hospital!”
“No, not the hospital.” Lilly says. “I’ll take care of him.”

Chapter 11

5 hours later………….

Maria sighed as she watched the sun rise from over the horizon. “At least everything is over.” She collapsed onto the couch with exhaustion.
Lilly smiled. “Yes, Christopher is gone.”
“What are you going to do now?” Jeremy asks.
Lilly shrugged. “I don’t know……..guess I’ll stay here. It’s peaceful.”
“Will Steve recover?” Maria asks, her eyes closing.
Lilly was silent for a moment. “Steven will recover, but his leg won’t fully heal. The entire leg bone was shattered. His leg will never fully heal.”
“Stacy’s already developed a close bond with him……..” Maria muttered as she fell asleep.
Lilly smiled and placed a blanket over her niece. Upstairs, Stacy blinked tiredly as she tried to keep from falling asleep. Then, she heard Steve lightly groan. “How long was I out…?”
She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “5 hours.” She answered and felt his forehead. “No fever, that’s good……….how do you feel?”
He sighed. “My leg hurts like hell………along with my other broken bones. But other than that, I’m fine.”
“I thought Christopher had killed you…..”
“Don’t worry about me Stacy.” He carefully rolled onto his back, wincing in the process. “The only thing I’m concerned about is your well-being.”
She smiled a little. “I’m fine, just a couple bruised ribs.”
All of a sudden, her cell phone rang and she answered. “Yes?”
“Hey honey! How’s it going over at Aunt Lilly’s?” mom asks.
“We’re……..good. Mom…….you lied to us about having a miscarriage.”
“I………did?”
“You told us you got pregnant at 19, but lost the baby. You lied mom.”
Mom sighed. “I know…….I feel terrible about lying to you and your sister Stacy. How…..is she?”
“It’s a he mom. And he’s………alright.” Stacy glanced at Steve and smiled when he already had fallen asleep again.
“What’s his name?”
“Steve.”
“That’s……..a wonderful name for a boy.”
“I know…….he’s a little overprotective though.”
“I guess he’s living with his adoptive family now?”
“Yeah, but if he wants to live with us, I’m sure we can work something out.”
“Yeah……..and hun……I’m sorry.”
“I know mum. I’m sorry too.”
“I guess I’ll see you in a few days. Enjoy the rest of your vacation with Lilly.”
Stacy nodded and hung up. She looked at Steve and smiled, pulling the covers up to his chest. She got up and went to the door, turning the light off. “Good morning Steve.” She whispered and shut the door as she went out.


END