Suburban Vampire Ragnarok

Chapter 35

"Wow, that's not what I pictured," Scott said.

"Yeah, well, whaddaya gonna do. Anywho, what can I do you for?"

"We're looking for a tree of power," Dawn said. "Probably of dark power."

"Yeah," Scott said, "and it's going to be in the vicinity of Hibbert's Corner."

The name 'Hibbert's Corner' got the attention of the assembled sasquatches. They all looked concerned, some of them looking down at their feet.

"What? Did I say something wrong?"

"Naw, dude," Bernie said, "you didn't. It's just... Hibbert's has been real dark lately. There's been some weird shit going on down there lately. And I mean bad weird, you know?"

"Like what?"

"Well, there's the wolves, for one."

"Wolves? I didn't think there were any wolves in this part of the state."

"Not 'wolves', like, regular, natural wolves, I mean, those are a part of nature, and I'm totally behind reintroducing them to their original habitats. These wolves, there ain't nothin' right about them."

Dawn gulped. "You mean... are they like werewolves?"

"That's it! Yeah! Werewolves! And that area has been nasty with them lately. But then, that place has always had some bad mojo, you dig?"

"Oh great," Scott moaned. "Werewolves. That's not a good sign."

"But anyway, you said you were looking for a tree?"

"Yeah. An ancient tree of dark power."

"Around Hibbert's Corner? Aw, dude, I know just the tree. It's up the mountain a bit from the town. This tree has a totally evil vibe, you know what I'm saying? It ain't like any tree from around here. It's like, still growing, but it looks dead, you know? Weird, weird tree. Look, I'm all for saving the trees, but if some dude came along with a chainsaw that's one tree I would not miss at all. Why are you interested in this tree?"

"Long story. Needless to say, someone is going to use it to help bring on the end of the world. Something called Ragnarok."

"Ragnarok? Oh dude, that's heavy. Yeah, if someone needed a tree to help end the world it'd be the tree I'm talkin' about, you dig?"

"We need to find this tree. Where is it?"

"From here? It's not that far, really. You guys up for a night hike?"

*

Dawn and Scott drove to a pre-arranged location and met Bernie the sasquatch on another Forest Service road, not far outside the town of Hibbert's Corner. From there, they hiked into the woods, uphill most of the way. Scott thought that not long ago such a hike would have knocked the wind from him, as he was not in anything resembling top physical shape. But becoming a vampire more than cured that, as he now could walk for miles without discomfort or shortness of breath, or even sweating. Dawn, on the other hand, though she was young and in very good physical shape, started to find the trek tiresome, and she started becoming short of breath and sweaty, even in the cold night air. Scott offered to carry her, which she declined. Bernie offered to carry her on his shoulders, which she eventually accepted. Scott thought she looked like a little girl on her daddy's shoulders. He didn't dare mention that, however.