Vampire's Journal

off and the lump in her throat was trying to dissolve into tears

econd day in a row,she was coming home from school right after

n the driveway;she and Margaret must have gone out to the mark

ut,on the other hand,she didn't exactly know what to do with herself

into the living room. It was a handsome, impressive room,the only part of

ly burned in the Civil War. All that could be saved was this room,with it

nce. Trisha turned to look out of one of the ceiling-to-floor windows. The glass was so ol

ery old glass,when she had been younger than Margaret was now. T

yet she was achingly lonely. She did want to think,but now that she wa

bird...flesh eater

've ever seen,

Dan. She'd hurt him,but h

eezing two hot tears out of her eyes. There,she was crying at last. S

, interesting. Caden was exotic exciting. Funny,that was what guys had some times told Trisha she was. And later she heard from them,or from t

e'd spoken to Caden today,her pulse had been racing,her knees weak. Her palms had been wet. And there hadn't been

ak with something entirely different than nervousness. And that night-dark hair her fingers itched to weave themselves into its softness. That lith

trangely compelling for all that. She wondered if it could turn night-da

ish

t it wasn't Caden calling her,it was Au

ish

as Margaret,her voic

you h

sha again,and she glanc

rgaret's innocent cheerfulness right now. Not with h

ut the back door as the front door banged shut. Once

here could she go to be alone?. The answer came al

ears it had become familiar to Trisha. She crossed over Wickery Bridge and cli

hat was allowed to run slightly wild. Here, the grass was neatly

marble headstone with "St

ver to place a purple impatiens blossom she'd

here often after the accident. Margaret had been only one

issed them so much, still. Mother,so young and beautiful,and Father,with a smile that crinkled up his eyes. She was lucky to have Au

etimes,right after the funeral,she had come out here to rage at them, angry with them for being so stupid as to get themselves killed. That was

lately the easy answer seemed wrong. Lately she felt there must be something

r an instant,the two figures standing over her were a

smaller figure fus

u,I really do." Elena blink

ope and

to get a little privacy around

suggested Meredith,but

er the accident. Suddenly,she felt glad about that,and grateful to them

ope offered her and wiped her eyes. The three of them sat together in silence for a lit

happened," Hope said a

really t

name is'Tact,'

have been tha

ha felt herself go hot al

don't care any more,". s

th him. I don't

ish

too good for-for Americans. So he can ju

hter from the other girls

her

ope,determinedly c

Hope looked martyred. "Do you know that he made m

ough; I'm going to do

the

guys who built Stonehenge

scended from them,and t

wned at the blade of grass she

something yesterday in my

"I don't know,"

But sometimes my imagin

e here," said Mer

e coffee shop, but Hope sai

ked faintly surpr

n Edinburgh has the second sight and

d from the druids" M

they keep up the old tradi

hings my gran

oing to marry and when you're going to

op

young and beautiful in m

roman

ink it's disgusti

ng longer,and the wind

g to marry,Hope?" Me

ther told me the ritual f

t. Of c

sly rich and totally gorgeous. Like our mysterious dark str

wicked glan

efused t

Lockwood?" she m

's certainly

-looking," agreed

u're an animal lover. Al

other and then simultaneo

ff and threw a dandelion back at her. Somewhere in the midd

tone,the queen of Robert E. Lee. She pulled the apricot rib

y oral report on,"she said

combed grass ou

said Me

sky above the hill. She took a thoughtful breath and l

ith stared at her,then looked at each oth

redith when t

fidence had returned to her. And though she didn't understand it hers

," she sai

or I'll be the laughing stock of the school. And Alina

don't know how yet,but I am. Until I come up with a p

we a

Hope; he's mine. And I have to b

said Meredith,a g

from her blouse,then, holding

ve me yo

e,eyeing the p

marry you. Why do

-Oh,all

Trisha's thumb efficiently,and then

oking at the other two

ecially you,Hope. Swear to keep this secret and

ted seriously. "It means you have to stick to your o

said Mered

it. I remember what happened with

right away anyway and-Oh,all right. I

ecret and to do anything

f their thumbs joined together in the gathering dusk,took along brea

through the cemetery,fann

nd. Hope gasped and pulled back, and they

"said Trish

efastening her pin as she stood up. Hope stood,

blossom was a blur on the ground. She picked up the apricot rib

t's

. The oath sworn in blood had given them all a solemn fee

he wind was rising. Each gust sent whispers through the gras

t by the black hole that had once been the chur

eyard and Wickery Bridge beyond it. The old graveyard dated from Ci

ds grew on the graves,and ivy vines swarmed ove

n't it In the dark, I me

at she really meant,that it w

he long way,"

an another twenty

this way," said Ho

ed to be buried down

ped,and she started down the hill. But the farther down

ught up with her. As they neared the

e skin was tingling with awareness and th

e leaf- strewn path was deafening. The ruined church was a black silhouette behind them now. The

tones themselves were unnerving,like the one with the cherub that looked like a rea

ere blank. Trisha couldn't look away

stopping?"sa

a murmured,but when she f

tely st

aid. "Hope,w

out into the graveyard,h

ne cherub's. Fear washed

.Stop it! It'

ade no

ha looked at each other,and sudden

ath,but a strange voice spoke be

t wasn't Hope's voice,but

staring out into the graveyard. There

again,and added,as Hope'

t happened in the next few minutes. Something seemed to move out among t

ning, and Hope was running with them, screaming,too. Trisha pounde

Meredith,was panting wildly. There was a sudden thrashing and a shriek

ng behind us," c

what's h

h the fire in her lungs. She didn't know

d you!".She grabbed the other gir

sobbed, clutching her

sha,grabbing Hope's sleev

mov

on.Com

ver gleam of wa

e just beyond. Trisha's legs were wobbling and her breath was

the foot bridge. The bridge was twenty

d Meredith,feet thu

!Get to the

cross the water. When she jumped onto packed dirt on the far shore,Trish

ands on thighs, deep-bre

was it?" she said.

the expert," Mered

, Trisha,let's

ight now," Tri

r, but the hot breath at the back of her neck had gone. The

her,then at the other shore with its clustered oak tr

l right Unless you feel like spending the night out he

id. She put an arm around H

e. We're safe

ooking across

a thing back there,"sh

behind us at all; maybe we jus

id nothing as they started walking,keeping very close togethe