15

"What the heck are you two trying to hide? She's here, but she's not feeling well. What exactly does it imply?"

Elizabeth was at a loss for whether to laugh or weep at the situation. "Look, Denis...oh, I don't know how to say this. Denis, did your psychic grandma ever speak to you about vampires?" "Look, Denis...oh, I don't know how to say this."

The silence that followed was as heavy as an axe. Time passed by minute by minute. Denis' eyes somehow enlarged even wider, and then they shifted their gaze to Merit. This was impossible. Denis adjusted her weight toward the door, and after a few more minutes of stillness, which followed, the door finally opened. She spoke gently to the group, saying, "Uh, look at it this way, you guys, this is becoming very odd. I mean, really, really, really..."

Elizabeth's thoughts were all over the place. She added, "You may look at my teeth if you want." She retracted her top lip and poked a canine with her finger while doing so. She was aware of the involuntary lengthening and sharpening that occurred, much like the extension of a cat's claw.

Merit stepped forward, gave a short glance, and then turned and walked away. "I see the point," she remarked, but there was none of the old sarcastic delight in her own humor in the way that she delivered the phrase. "Denis, see," she said.

Denis no longer felt any joy or pleasure; it was as if it had been sucked right out of him. She gave off the impression that she was about to get ill. "No, I don't want to," is the answer.

Merit gripped Denis, who was rigid and fighting forward movement, and said, "You have to. You have to believe it or else we'll never go anywhere." "You're the one who is interested in all of this paranormal stuff," I said to you, you little fool. Open your eyes.

Denis said, in an almost weeping tone, "I've changed my mind." Her tone betrayed an authentic state of frenzy. She yanked herself away from him while yelling, "Leave me alone, Merit; I don't want to see."

Elizabeth, completely taken aback, said, "You don't have to." She was overcome with dismay, and tears began to well up in her eyes. "Merit, I apologize; I should have known better. I'm leaving."

Denis heard Elizabeth's voice and immediately threw herself into her embrace after turning around as swiftly as she had spun away. "No. Oh, don't." She began to sob uncontrollably as she said, "I'm sorry, Elizabeth; I'm sorry. I don't care what you are; I'm just pleased you're back. It's been dreadful without you." She was unable to stop crying.

Now Elizabeth cried the tears she had been unable to shed while Katherine was in the room with her. She sobbed while clinging to Denis and feeling Merit's arms going around both of them as she did so. They were all sobbing, but in very different ways: Merit did so quietly, Denis so loudly, and Elizabeth so passionately and intensely. She got the impression that tears were welling up in her eyes for all that had occurred to her, for everything that she had lost, for all of the emptiness, dread, and anguish that she had experienced.

They eventually found themselves sitting on the floor, knee to knee, much as they had done when they were children and formulating clandestine plans during a sleepover.


Denis turned to Elizabeth and said, between sniffles, "You are very courageous." I don't understand how you can have such bravery over it.

Denis turned to Elizabeth and said, between sniffles, "You are very courageous." I don't understand how you can have such bravery over it.

Merit gave Elizabeth's fingers a little squeeze and said, "Your hands aren't chilly." "I was expecting these to be somewhat chillier, but they're just about right."

Elizabeth remarked, "Katherine's hands aren't chilly either," and she was going to continue, when Denis squeaked: "Katherine?" before Elizabeth could continue.

Both Merit and Elizabeth turned their heads to gaze at her.

"Denis, use some common sense. You can't just decide to become a vampire on your own; someone else has to turn you into one."
Denis was unable to finish his sentence as his voice broke as he said, "But you mean Katherine...? You mean he's a..." Merit said, "I believe that maybe now is the moment to give us the whole tale, "
Elizabeth, with regard to all of those little particulars that you omitted the previous time we requested the
complete account"