A Bite to Remember

One night while my family and I were driving home a huge storm hit and made it very hard to see. We were on vacation. My mom Karen, dad John, older brother Tyler, cousins Candice and Darrick and I were all piled in the car. As we drove along through a wooded area, Tyler and Candice had started arguing. Tyler and Candice always argued. They were both the oldest in their families, but Candice was older then Tyler by about 4 years. That didn't stop Tyler from thinking he should always get his way. Tyler was short for his age, in fact I was taller then him even though he was 2 years older, but mom and dad were trying to help him with that. Tyler was going to be starting hormone therapy shots to help him grow. His brown hair was in what him and dad called a "buzz cut" hair style, he had a round chubby face and round metal framed glasses. Candice was a skinny girl. She had long brown hair that went to her shoulder blades. Just like always, she had a head band in her hair, this time it was purple. As I looked back at them in the back seat fighting, I rolled my eyes and thought, "I wish they would shut up. They are giving me a head ache." Beside me is my cousin Darrick. Like usual, Darrick is sitting quietly and just staring out the window at the storm. Mysterious are weird are words I would use to describe Darrick. He didn't talk much and didn't really like to play much either. He was my age. We were born about 3 months apart, but he had no interest in toys. Darrick liked catching bugs and snakes and other critters like that and blowing them up with firecrackers. Tyler liked to go with him at times. Even though I don't like bugs or snakes, I never liked that they blew them up. It was wrong and mean in my opinion. In front of me was my mom. In my opinion she has never changed in how she looks. The age I can remember is 30, and even today(20 years later) she still looks the same. Mom's hair was dark brown and shoulder length that she kept in a ponytail most of the time. Mom and I had a love of music. I loved going on trips with her(even if it was just to the store) because we would turn the music up really loud and just sing and dance! It was always so much fun! Driving the car was my dad. He was a tall man with short dark brown, almost black, hair that he always covered with a hat. He was wearing his teams baseball hat. It was white with a big purple 11 on the front and the words "film at" in yellow above the 11. Dad still played baseball with community people around where he worked. He was a good ball player and knew a lot about sports in general. Mom and dad were discussing what we should do.

"The storm is getting really bad Karen. I don't think we can continue." Dad said.

"I understand John, but what are we going to do? Are we just going to park on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere?" Mom asked.

"Oh please no!" I thought. Anyone who has read a scary story or seen a scary movie knows that that is a very bad idea. Most of those people are never seen or heard from again. Unlike most of my family, I believed that those kinds of movies and stories were true. I mean, who in their right mind would be able to make up some of the things that are in those stories? So, I thought, they are probably based off of some sort of truth.

"I'd rather not." Dad said, "but we got to figure out something."

Just then a sign came into view off the right side of the road. It was wooden and in bad need of touch up.

"BnB 10 miles. Turn right at the stone entryway."

I read it in my head as mom says, "Hey there is a bed and breakfast 10 miles from here. Maybe we should see if they have any rooms for the night."

As lightning flashed and thunder quickly followed, I got a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. In all honesty, I didn't like that plan either. The look of the sign said it all. If there was actually a place 10 miles ahead, it was probably in just as bad shape, if not worse shape, as that sign. My head filled with thoughts and I stared out the window waiting.

In no time at all we were at the turn. There were big rock pillars on either side of the driveway entrance. Each pillar had black streaks from years of dirt and mold and who knows what else. On top of the pillars were some creepy looking creatures. They looked like a combination a wolf body, eagle talons and bat head and wings. There was that horrible feeling in my stomach again. The car got very quiet as all of us were staring into the darkness to try to see the building. Then with a flash of lightning we all saw it.

It looked just like a Victorian mansion from horror movies and stories. Just like my worst nightmares. As dad stopped the car all I could do was look up at the building in fear. In a way, there was also relief. I could tell everyone else was just relieved to be somewhere to stay for the night and to be safe from the storm. The building looked completely black. The wooden boards on the sides as well as the shingles on the roof. It looked like some sort of gothic architecture(but I was only 8 so who was I to say?). Through the windows I could see tattered looking curtains. They looked black too. It didn't look like there were any lights on inside. Next thing I hear is dad telling us it's time to get out. We all got out of the car and ran through the rain to the front door. Once we reached the front door, dad rang the door bell. Shortly after he knocked. No one was answering. I looked up the side of the building. Even this close to it, everything looked black. I could see that there was light coming from some of the windows. It was very dim light, but that could be because of the storm. I looked back at the car and it was barely visible to us even though it was less then 12 feet away. Man the rain was coming down hard! Not like that was news to any of us. We were all soaked just from running to the door. Darrick and I were left standing in it too while we waited to see if anyone would answer the door. After what felt like an eternity, the door slowly creaked open. Ok, I'm being completely serious when I say, the man who opened the door looked like a monster from the old school Scooby-Doo cartoons. If you think back to childhood and the opening scenes of the show you will remember a Frankenstein character. That is what this guy looked like! He had pale greyish white skin, instead of green,(almost like a dead body) that hung on his bones. He was so skinny you could see every bone in his face and hands(the only skin you could see). He wore an apron covered in blood and have a knife in his right had. When he spoke it seemed to chill the air. I swear, if the rain was falling slower it would have turned to snow or hail.

"May I help you?" He asked. His voice was deep and scratchy. And his face remained emotionless with almost sad eyes.

"Yes. We saw your sign 10 miles back." my dad answered, "would you have a few rooms we come stay in for the night?" I was standing close to my family, but could barely here my dad's words over the sound of the rain and the even louder sound of my heart pounding.

"Enter." said the man as he opened the door a little further and stepped out of the way. "We only have 2 rooms, I am afraid. One upstairs that should work well for the adults and one here on the main floor that should suffice for the children."

No one was able to say anything. Everyone was too busy looking around the room. It was Huge! At the back of the room was a giant fireplace with a fairly small fire burning. Surrounding the fireplace was dusty red velvet furniture. It would have been beautiful if it would have been cleaned. On the floor was the biggest area rug I had ever seen. It was black with red and maroon designs. The balcony above the fireplace had cobwebs all over it and the cobwebs continued down both staircases on either side of the room. The stairs themselves had the same red velvet covering them that the furniture did(just as dusty too). Directly above the middle of the room there was a chandelier. It looked like something that should be in a castle. Even with the cobwebs and dirt on it, it glittered with the light.

"Were you in need of food, sir?" The man broke our silence and made us all jump a little. "I was just cleaning up from dinner, but could bring you all something to eat after getting you settled in your rooms."

"That would be great, thank you." replied my dad.

"Cleaning up?" I thought to myself. "Who gets fresh blood on their apron while cleaning up?"

Before we could say goodbye, the strange man tells mom and dad to follow him and in a no nonsense voice and in a stern tone turns to us kids and says, "you will wait here and not move." None of us were going to move. My parents seemed to be very comfortable, but us kids all seemed shaken to our cores. Within no time, the man was back and as he spoke the same chill from earlier filled the air. "This way children." He almost sound like a snake(if a snake could talk). He took us out of the room to the right. It felt like we walked forever. As we walked, we eventually turned right into a very long hallway. The hallway was painted a cream color and had torches hanging on the walls. All the accents and trimmings were a light brown and gold. Tyler and Candice were right behind the man. They had stopped fighting for too long, but I think they were too scared to actually speak around him. Nevertheless, they had started nudging each other with their elbows and pushing to get in front of one another. Darrick was just ahead of me, arms crossed and looking down at his feet as we walked. I tried to see past everyone, but without much success. As we walked I made a quick look back from where we came and could no longer see the end of the hall. Finally, we reached the room. It was very dark inside. As we looked in all we could see was a tin bowl in the center(or what appeared to be center) of the room catching water that dripped in through the small whole in the roof. It made no sense to me that there was light coming through the whole. It looked like moon light, but there was no moon tonight, and even if there was, the storm clouds would have it blocked out. Next to the bowl there appeared to be a blanket, maybe, or some sort of cloth.

"You will stay hear tonight." the man said. We all hesitated and walked slowly into the room. I looked down and noticed the floor was covered in black tarps. "I'd stay quiet if I were you. Children are not usually welcome here and there is no exception for you." He looked right at me as he said his last words. A chill went up my spine. "Sweet nightmares." he said as we all finally got past him and into the room. I turned to give him a glare, but turned to find he was gone.

In no time Tyler and Candice were at the bowl fighting over the blanket. Darrick disappeared to the right of the room that is all I know. I fell back onto the wall. What's this? The walls are covered in black tarps too? What kind of room is this? Then I hear a very faint creaking sound. I run to the center of the room to where Tyler and Candice are. As I try to tell them to be quiet. I hear the creaking again. Only this time it was louder. I shush Tyler and Candice, but it is no use. My eyes are as wide as I can make them go and my ears are on high alert. Then I hear it. Footsteps across the tarped floor. As I hear them getting closer, I take the blanket and cover myself with it. I have my knees propped up and my back against the floor. All of a sudden, someone is leaning on my knees. It's like there is someone with their arms crossed in front of them and they have their arms on top of my knees as if I was a table.

"What might be the issue here?" said a deep man's voice with a strange accent. I could tell it was the same person who was leaning on my knees.

"He won't share the blanket with me!" Candice replied.

"No! She isn't letting me use any of it!" countered Tyler.

As they continued to argue and fight, completely unaware of what was actually going on around them, I could feel the temperature in the room drop. Then in one swift motion the blanket flew off of me! It was almost like he had a flashlight under his chin, but I could see his face very clearly as he leaned down towards me and said, "That is very interesting."

His face was very pale, almost greyish white. His eyes were completely black and lifeless. In his mouth were very long, sharp fangs. OH NO! He is a vampire! I don't know how I got up off the floor so fast, but before I knew it I was out the door and into the endlessly long hallway. Behind me I could hear him laugh. As I ran I couldn't stop screaming. Now, in the movies, as people ran they would make the mistake of turning to look behind them. I knew better. I just kept running. I yelled for my mom. Behind me, the vampire laughed at me again. Then I felt it again. The temperature changed around me, and as I ran I started to see my breath as I huffed and puffed. The hallway looked like it just kept stretching and getting longer. I felt just like I was in a horror movie. Then, it felt almost like the carpet on the floor got wrapped around my feet and I fell down. While laying on the floor I suddenly feel cold fingers grab me and flip me onto my back.

"Now hold still. This is going to hurt." the vampire says as he opens his mouth and leans towards me.

I grabbed ahold of his neck and started to choke him. As I started shaking him, I woke up. There in front of me was my mom. I was choking my mom! I immediately let go and apologize. I start crying and my mom wraps me in a hug. As we hug I think to myself "oh I am so glad it was only a dream. It felt so real, but it was only a dream." As I start to calm down I look at my bed. I had actually been trying to run. My bed was in complete disarray. I took in the scenery of my bedroom and just kept thinking "it was only a dream". Then, as mom started to to loosen her grip on me I looked at my wrist. There on my right wrist were 2 marks. Vampire bite marks!? "But it was only a dream, right?" My whole body ached like I had been in a fight. I was sweating even. How did I not realize it before?!

Mom helped get me get tucked back in. One more time I look down at my wrist and see the marks. The events run through my mind over and over again. As I look at the marks I lightly touch them and think, "It was only a dream." Then I felt it again. The temperature in the room fell and I swear I heard a laugh. Was it only a dream..?