CHAPTER 30 GOOD-BYE TO A VAMPIRE

“Hey—what’s up?” April said cheerfully. “I thought I might find you guys here.”

Billy studied her face, trying to tell if she had overheard his plan.

She stepped close to Jay. “You guys just hanging out? Want to take a walk or something?”

Jay glanced at Billy. “I can’t,” he told April. “I’m still feeling really wrecked.”

“I’ve got to get home, too,” Billy told her.

“Okay,” April replied. “Maybe I’ll see you guys tomorrow sometime.” She turned and started toward Main Street. “Oh,” she cried, turning around. “I almost forgot. There’s going to be a huge clambake on the beach tomorrow. Want to go?”

“Sounds excellent,” Jay answered.

“See you then,” April replied.

“It’s okay.” Billy sighed as soon as April had disappeared from view. “She didn’t overhear our plan.”

“She better not have,” Jay growled. “If you mess things up between April and me, I’ll never forgive you. Really.”

• • • • •

“Hey, man, where’ve you been?” Jay asked as Billy joined him the next night on the beach. “The clams are all gone.”

Billy shrugged. “I got hung up. I’ll pick up a burger somewhere.”

“Hey, Billy,” April called. She and Jay sat on the sand with some other kids.

It was well after midnight, and the beach party had spread out all over the beach. Billy was relieved that Jay seemed to be keeping his promise not to be alone with April.

He surveyed the scene. Kids talking and tipping back cans of soda. A pyramid constructed from the empties—six feet tall and growing. A group of guys and girls trying to play volleyball with a glow-in-the-dark ball. The steamy aroma of charcoal smoke and clams lingered in the air.

Tonight is the night, Billy thought.

Tonight is your last night, April.

He had to trick April into going somewhere with Jay—but not just anywhere. It had to be a place without windows.

And then he had to keep April there until dawn. Until the sun came up.

Lightning flashed out over the ocean. Followed by a distant rumble of thunder. Dark, billowing clouds filled the night sky.

Rain, Billy thought. If it rains, my plan will work. If it rains, I can get April to go inside. And stay there until the sun comes up.

Billy saw that Kylie had joined them. She stood between Nate and Jay, listening to their conversation.

Rain, Billy thought. Please rain.

Kylie slipped beside Billy. “Let’s go for a walk along the beach,” she whispered in his ear.

“No. Sit down. I don’t feel like walking right now,” Billy told her.

I’ve got to stay close to Jay, he thought. So I can make sure April doesn’t manage to get him alone. And I’ve got to be ready.

Kylie’s eyes locked onto his, and Billy felt the urge to go with her. But he resisted. “I just want to hang out with everyone,” he said.

Kylie lowered her eyes. Billy realized she was pouting.

Another rumble in the distance. More thunder.

Black clouds rolled low over the sky.

Please rain, Billy urged again.

But the thunder and lightning remained in the distance.

By three in the morning, the clambake had become a wild party.

“I think everyone is trying to forget about the murders,” Kylie commented. Billy nodded.

“Billy, can we please go for a walk?” she asked again. “I don’t know why you want to sit in one place all night.”

Billy sighed. But his answer was lost in a sudden clap of thunder. He glanced up to see a flash of lightning rip through the sky directly overhead, followed by another rumble of thunder.

The downpour came an instant later.

Kids scurried for cover, shrieking and laughing. “Billy!” Kylie cried. “This way!” She sprinted toward Main Street with a group of kids.

Perfect!

Billy turned to Jay. “Let’s do it,” he said.

Jay nodded grimly. “April, come on,” he shouted over the noise of the rain. “The theater is the closest place.”

The two of them dashed for the theater. Billy followed. Rain pelted him, the wind-driven drops stinging his eyes. Billy glanced over his shoulder. Good. No one behind them.

He sped past Jay and yanked open the theater door.

April and Jay rushed inside as lightning sizzled overhead and a thunderclap shook the building.

They stood in the lobby, breathing hard. “What a wild storm!” April exclaimed. “I’m drenched.”

“Me too!” Jay cried, stamping his feet. He looks totally wiped out, Billy saw. That run must have been too much for him.

“Let’s go down to the basement,” Billy suggested. “It’s warmer down there.”

The sign on the door to the basement read THEATER PERSONNEL ONLY, but it was never locked. Billy flipped on the light, and they started down a set of wooden steps.

Billy closed the door behind him. The basement had two exits. The one they had entered through. And the one that led directly outside.

No windows.

The perfect place, Billy thought.

It was crammed with props that had been used in plays over the years. Costumes covered in clear plastic hung on a rack along one wall. Hat boxes lined the shelf above it. One was marked ENGLISH TOP HAT. Another read GIRLS’ BONNETS.

Billy sat down on a wooden box. April and Jay found a couple of stools. Now I stall for time, Billy thought. We’ve got to keep April here until sunrise.

They were all soaked. April fussed with her soggy hair. Billy saw that April was not wearing a watch. Everything was working out perfectly.

An icy look from Jay. Hang in there, Billy thought. I know you don’t like tricking April. But you’ll see that I’m right—the minute the sunlight hits her.

They talked for a while. But Jay seemed too tired to keep up much of a conversation.

“What time is it?” April finally asked.

“Three-fifteen,” Billy lied, glancing at his watch. It was really much later—almost daybreak. Another few minutes, he thought. And the vampire will be history.

“I’d better go soon,” she told Jay. “I’ll really be in trouble if I don’t get home before dawn.”

You sure will, Billy thought. “You can’t go out in this storm,” he protested.

“We can’t even tell if it’s still raining,” she complained. “There aren’t any windows. Let’s go upstairs.”

“The storm couldn’t be over this soon,” Billy insisted. “Not the way it was coming down.”

“I’ll go upstairs and check,” April declared.

“Let’s send Jay instead,” Billy suggested. “He’ll fall asleep if he doesn’t move.”

April chuckled. “Yeah, go see if it’s still raining,” she told Jay. “And get me a Coke while you’re there?”

Jay hesitated. Come on, Billy thought. Don’t quit on me now.

Jay stood up slowly. He trudged up the stairs. He looked half dead.

He returned five minutes later with three cans of Coke. “It’s still coming down,” he announced, handing the drinks around. He nodded to Billy.

Billy knew what that meant. The rain had actually stopped. The sun had come up.

Time for April’s test. A test Billy knew she would flunk.

“It’s time,” he announced.

He grabbed April. Coke sloshed out of her can and onto her T-shirt.

“What are you doing?” she demanded sharply. “Let go of me!” She dropped the can. Liquid squirted out, spattering his shoes.

Jay stood still, staring at April.

“Go on, Jay!” Billy shouted. “Open the door!”

“Billy!” April screamed. “Let me go!”

Jay strode to the door leading outside, turned the knob—and glanced back at April.

“Jay!” she cried. “Help me!”

Billy dragged her to the door. “Open it!” he instructed Jay.

April fought fiercely, kicking, scratching. Trying desperately to wriggle out of his grasp. “What are you doing? Let me go!”

Jay yanked open the door, revealing concrete steps leading up to ground level. Bright sunlight reflected off the steps.

April gasped. “You said it was still raining!” she cried. “What’s going on here? What are you doing?”

She struggled fiercely to get away from Billy. He tightened his grip on her arms.

And shoved her through the open door.

Into the sun.

April screamed. Sunlight streamed over her.

And Billy watched her head burst into flame.

Date: 2015-04-20; view: 606