The long drive home from the palace was boring as it was silent. I pretended to be asleep the entire time. I didn't really feel up to be social with Bobby, who was driving with outrageous speed, just like Luke had done the night before. I started to feel better as we passed the “Welcome” sign just before arriving on Main Street. I was almost home. I was about to tell Bobby which turns to take, but, to my surprise, he just seemed to know. He made the correct turns and pulled to a stop directly in front of my house. I reached for the handle to exit quickly, but the door locked before I could open it and run to freedom and the safety of my home.
"Listen, I get what you're going through, Max. I've been there. I was like you once upon a time. I had a family, a normal life, and hopes and dreams for the future, just like you do. Let me give you something else to think about until your birthday." Bobby was looking at me, and somehow, he didn't seem as threatening. He almost looked kind. "Yes, you are being asked to leave your family, and they will never see you again. But it doesn't mean you won't be able to see them. You can come visit and watch over them and protect them. You can make investments so your family can live a wonderful life. You could be their security." Bobby started me thinking about the many possibilities. "I had an older brother. Before I was changed, he was already married and had a baby on the way. I watched over his family and took care of things. When things were not going well, I was there helping them. Now, I watch over him in the nursing home. I take care of things for his children, his children's children. Try not to focus on becoming a vampire as such a bad thing. I know you're supportive of your sister. Wouldn't you like to be able to watch over her and protect her, always, just like you do now? It is up to you. Please understand that you do have to leave them.”
I listened carefully, and considered the various possibilities. I would be able to help and protect them forever. I decided I need to get out of the car because I had sat there long enough. I reached for the door handle and pushed it open. I got up feeling stiff from sitting in the car for so long. Or was it stiff from fear of Bobby?
"Oh, I almost forgot. I'll be watching you, so don't even think about telling anybody about us. I will have to hurt you and your family and I really don't want to do that. Are we clear?" Bobby asked, a slight smile on his lips. All the fear came flooding back into me as I realized Bobby actually had fangs.
I slammed the door and ran to the house, terrified with fear trying too get my key in the door. I just wanted to get into the safety of my home before heturned on me and killed me just because he could. I finally was able to get open the door and shove it open as fast as I could, slamming it closed behind locking both locks as well as the deadbolts. I turned around and took some deep breaths trying to get a grasp on what was happening to me. I nearly screamed when out of the corner of my eye I saw a all movement. I quickly turned to see two heads and two sets of eyes staring at me from the edge of the couch.
Annie, my little eight year old sister and her little friend Macy where there staring at me with big eyes and looking very curious. I took another deep breath trying to calm down. Bobby didn't follow me in and kill me. At least not yet. Annie started bouncing on the couch. She was giggling and chattering very excitedly.
"Max your home! Look, Mommy said Macy could sleep over because you went to a sleepover!" She was cheering, her little friend Macy joining her. Macy started jumping up and down, joining her.
“That's cool! I see you built a fort." I said, looking around the living room. I trying to take their attention from me so they didn't pick up on the fact I was freaking out.
"Yeah, but you can't come in, no boys aloud!" Annie said, pointing to a handwritten scribbled signs.
"That's okay, no boys want to go into to a smelly old girls fort anyway," I said, flipping her hair up as I walked around the fort that covered the living room to the base of the stairs.
I heard Annie yell about me messing up her hair, but I was too focused on getting to my room and being alone to gather my wits and thoughts to notice much of what she said. I took the stairs two at a time and basically sprinted to my bedroom. I fell on my bed the second after the door closed. The last 24 hours had taken their toll on me. I closed my eyes, wishing I could just wake up to a world where vampires didn’t exist. I laid there in silence, until I started hearing a small vibrating noise, which kept stopping and starting over and over again. I sat up, looking around my room, searching for the sources of the noise.
I spotted a small red box with a big bow sitting on my desk. The noise was coming from this. First, I was pissed the vampires had been in my house, and put a present in my room. Second, I felt weird they were actually giving me gift, as if they were trying to buy me off. I felt violated and offended that they think I would just agree to their desires because of gifts. Third, why was it wrapped up so fancy like? I'm not a girl. I don't care about wrapping paper or how pretty it looks. The box kept vibrating and vibrating. I debated taking the box and launching it out the window. I smirked at the thought of Bobby lurking around outside and witnessing the present being tossed out.
The box suddenly stopped vibrating. I laid-back down, feeling oddly satisfied. They must have finally got the hint I was not going to play their game. As suddenly as it stopped, the box burst back into life again, seemingly louder than before. I could feel myself glaring at the box. I got up, furious with the stupid present sitting on my desk. I ripped the top and looked inside. It was a brand new, shiny black cell phone with a little note that said simply: “ANSWER ME”. I was a little excited because I didn't have a cell phone and I really wanted one, but I didn't want one this way. Putting the lid back on the box, I walked out the room and back down the stairs so I wouldn't have to listen to the annoying sound of the phone vibrating
Once downstairs, I could hear Annie and her friend giggling inside the fort. I walked in the kitchen, pretty hungry as I hadn’t eaten for a while. The house phone started ringing. The phone wasn't in the dock, but I could hear it somewhere near. I ignored it, but heard someone upstairs answer the phone. I opened the freezer, saw a stash of hot pockets. I grabbed three and put them in the microwave.
"Max!" I hear my mother yell from up stairs!
"Wait a sec,!" I yelled back.
"Phone for you!" She replied. I couldn’t find the phone anywhere.
"I can't find the phone!" I yelled back, still looking around the kitchen.
"Girls!" I heard my mother yell. I turned around to see the phone lying on the table as Annie and her friend ran out of the room. I grabbed the phone and hit the talk button.
"I got it. You can hang up!" I shouted up to my mother. I heard the ding signalling my food was done. I opened the door to smell the deliciousness that was awaiting me. I put the phone to my ear to talk with whomever called me.
"Hello," I said, pulling the hot plate out.
"Ignoring phone calls is rude. Plus, trying to avoid people who know your house number and where you live is not very smart." I heard Luke's voice come out of the phone. I felt as if all the blood in my system stopped moving. I almost dropped my plate.
"Hold on," I say, hitting the mute button and setting the phone on the counter beside the plate. I paced the kitchen a few times, trying to decide what I should do.
I could hang up, but they would just keep calling or worse they could just show up and that wouldn't be a good thing. I grabbed the phone and plate and headed back up to my room where I guess I was going to have to face whatever they had to say to me. I went up the stairs reluctantly, closing the door. Once again, I debated hanging the phone up, but I could take the chance of them calling back again. I took the phone off mute and took a deep breath, trying to control my emotions..
“What do you want?" I asked. I could feel myself gritting my teethe.
"Well I’m calling to let you know about the phone we left for you. So we can get in touch with you more easily." Luke stated.
"I don't want the phone!" I snapped back, losing control.
"It is not up for debate, nor can you refuse me. Just take the phone and answer when we call, or we will have to show up at your home. I don't want to be the bad guy Max, but if you push, then I must." Luke replied, almost nonchalantly. I was so pissed I hung up the phone. Immediately, the phone in the box started to vibrate again. I grabbed the stupid box taking the phone out and pressed the answer button.
"What!" I screamed into it.
“Just checking to see if we are at an understanding." And with that, the phone went dead. I was looking at the phone as my name disappeared.
I glared at the phone, finally throwing it back into the box. I debated throwing it out the window again. Those stupid vampires think they can control me and I should dance like their puppet. I was furious I picked up the house phone and called my friend Jeff, who answered after the third ring.
"Hey, what up." I started to feel a little less hostile than I had been a moment ago.
"Want to hang out tonight? I don't feel like being at my house." I stated as nonchalantly as possible.
"Yeah, I was just going to call you, we were all going to go play some ball at the park, Alex is bringing a couple of her girlfriends, and I called Mack. He’s coming and I just need to call Luke." I froze at the mention of Luke’s name.
"No!" I practically shouted, not wanting to get any of my friends involved in this mess I was in. "I mean, don't bother calling Luke, he has plans with his parents." I was lying and I know it sounded really weird.
"Oh okay then. We’ll just play one-on-one and switch out." Jeff sounded a little confused.
"Okay, what time are we meeting?" I asked, trying to change the subject.
"About an hour okay?" Jeff said. The line became quiet. "Hey, Alex is calling me on the other line. I'll see you later." The line went dead.
I grabbed my Hotpocket and bit into it, glaring at the stupid box sitting on my desk. I couldn't stand the sight of it. I couldn't wrap my mind around what happened last night. I just wished I had never agreed to go with Luke to his house and never had learned about vampires. They were just stories that you read about in books or saw in movies. They weren't supposed to exsist and actually be walking around like everyday people.
I laid back on my bed taking another bite of my food. I was in shock, I think. What was I going to do? I could try running, but would they really hurt my family if I did? Would they find me and kill me for running away? I could tell someone, which would result in my getting locked in a mental hospital. They couldn't get to me, I don’t think. Well not very easily. I decided that was a bad plan because if I told anyone, they would hurt my family and I couldn't let that happen.
I laid there for a long time, trying to make any kind of rational sense about what was happening, but it was just to crazy. I finished both my hot pockets, and took my plate to the kitchen. I stood there looking at the wall with all the family pictures. I was thinking what my parents would do when I disappeared. How hurt they would be when I never came home. I was brought out of my depressed internal struggle as I saw Annie and her friend Macy standing at the entrance of the kitchen with little mischievous smiles on their faces. I playfully eyed them as I turned around. They glanced nervously at each other.
"What are you two up to?" I teased. They giggled in response.
"Nothing!" they said in unison as they took a step forward and I noticed both there hands were behind their backs.
"What are you hiding behind your backs?" I questioned.
"Nothing!" They repeated, sneaky, evil grins on their faces.
“I think you two are up to something...."
They shook their heads no, all wide eyed innocence.
"Then show me your hands, and prove it." I demanded.
"Attack!" Annie screamed, as they both ran towards me. They had lipstick in their hands!
I took off running in the opposite direction as I could hear the pattering of their bare feet behind me. I turned the corner and headed down into the living-room where there wasn't much space as their giant blanket fort covered the majority of the space. I was left with few options. Quickly hopped over a chair that had a few books stacked on it holding down a blanket. I was making a run for the staircase as the end of the path, but came to an abrupt stop as Annie came running out of the other kitchen entrance, thus blocking my escape route. I glanced over my shoulder to see if I could make it back the way I came, but Annie’s friend was climbing over the chair.
They had trapped me and I was out of options. I couldn't run without hurting them. I would wind up grounded. Actually, I started thinking that might not be such a bad thing in my current situation. I shook my head. It really wasn’t fair to hurt them intentionally. They were just looking to have some fun. I could escape through the fort, but that was also uncalled for, so I did the only thing I could. I dropped to my knees and put my hands behind my head as if I was being arrested.
Okay, you win, I forfeit!" I said, as Annie squealed. Usually, I always outran her when she chased me.
"Macy! Watch the prisoner. Make sure he doesn't move, while I get something to tie him up with." Annie ordered. Little Macy stood next to me, pointing the lipstick at me like it was a gun. Annie ran up the stairs.
"So there is no chance you're going to let me go?" I said, smiling wistfully at Macy, hoping I could charm her in to letting me escape. Macy’s eyes narrowed.
"No talking! Prisoners are not allowed to talk!" Macy said loudly, and I had to laugh.
"I think you take your job a little too seriously." I replied. She stamped her foot, and growled at me.
"Stop talking! You have to do as we say or it's no fun," she said, the beginning of serious whining in her voice. I tried hard to stop laughing. I heard Annie footsteps coming down the staircase.
"Here," she said, handing Macy a sparkly yellow belt. "Tie it around his feet, so he can't escape.” Annie began pulling on my arms.
"Ewwww! I don't want to touch his feet, they’re gross! He's your brother, you tie his feet!" Macy’s hands were on her hips, and she was glowering in a way only little girls can do.
"No, I don't want to touch his gross feet, either! That's why I told you to do it!" Annie shot back.
"Hey, I don't have gross feet!" I interjected. I was ignored, and they kept squabilling.
"But I'm not the one who wanted to tie him up, Annie. I don't want to touch his feet, it isn't fair!" Macy was whining, on the verge of tears.
"It is my house Macy. I make the rules and I said you tie his feet up." Annie demanded. I grabbed the yellow belt out of Macy’s hands and started wrapping it around my own ankles.
"There." I stated, as I buckled the belt. "My feet are tied. No one has to touch my feet, which are not gross by the way." They stared at me, not believing their eyes.
"Yes they are! My mommy said all boys feet are gross." Macy insisted, and Annie nodded.
"They are not. Aren’t you going to finish tying me up?" I asked. holding my arms out straight, pressing my wrists together. Annie wrapped the belt around my arms.
"Now move the prisoner into the tent." Annie demanded, and I started scooting my way toward their hand made tent.
"You know, it would have been a lot easier to have tied me up after I was in the tent," I laughed, as I made my way to the opening of the tent.
"But we would have missed how funny you look trying to get to the tent," Macy giggled, and I had to laugh too because I was kind of having fun.
Finally, I was in the fort they created. Looking around, the tent had a small tunnel that led from the entrance to an open space. The space had blankets covering the ground and pillows lining the space to lean against. There's was a large opening to my left big enough to see the television when you leaned against the couch. I was able to sit up in the space leaving about a foot of space between my head and the blanket roof. Annie came crawling in followed by Macy. They sat down opposite of me still giggling.
"So now what?" I asked. They sort of shrugged.
“I don't know. We didn't actually plan on winning, I guess. W we only planned on tying you up if we caught you." Annie said, kind of sheepish.
"Okay then, what have you two been doing in here?" I asked.
"Playing with dolls and watching movies," Annie replied. I groaned at the thought of playing dolls with them.
"Let's watch a movies then," I quickly suggested before they offered to play dolls with me.
"Which movies?" Macy presented, pulling out a small stack of movies from behind a pillow. I checked out the selection of little girlie movies. I am sure I rolled my eyes.
"I thought I was the prisoner. Why do I get a choice? You to need to learn a thing or two about prisoners." I stated stoically.
"I'll chose the next movie.” Macy quickly grabbed the stack of movies and started shuffling through them.
I heard heavy footsteps coming down the staircase. I felt my heart race as I thought back to the phone I had abandoned upstairs. I had purposely left it there because I was furious with the people who had given it to me. I wanted nothing to do with them. I feared they had tried to call again, and when I didn't answer they sent the giant Bobby into my house to punish me for doing exactly what they said not to do. I looked around frantic as I realized what a ridiculous position I was in for a person that was coming to attack me. Or a person planning to attack my sister or her little friend and I was bound in yellow and pink sparkly belts. I would be a sitting duck unable help anyone or defend myself, although it probably wouldn't do any good to try to win fight against a vampire.
"Girls, do you know if Max left? He's not in his room," I heard my dad saying as the footsteps stopped. I felt insane relief wash over me that it wasn’t the vamps.
"I'm in the fort," I called out. Annie was looking at me strangely, while Macy was still looking at the movies.ooked between two movies.
"Oh there you are," my dad moved the blanket that covered the entrance, revealing me in my ridiculous position. He laughted out loud. "Seems you got yourself in quite a predicament. I’m going to order some pizza for dinner. Are you staying for dinner?
"No. I'm meeting some friends in an hour to play some ball. I should be back in a few hours. Save me some, though.” He nodded.
"You're leaving? I thought you were going to watch a movie with us!" Annie pouted. Macy was watching the scenario play out.
"I made these plans before these two rascals attacked me and made me their prisoner," I explained.
"We're going to watch Aladdin," Macy announced.
"Good choice, Macy. Aladdin would have been my pick, to" I said. Macy beamed, but Annie was looking pretty grumpy looking.
"Annie, don't be mad. I would stay, but I already had plans. Plus you don't want your big brother and his gross feet hanging around with you and your friend. do you?" I said wiggling my feet closer to her as she laughed and playfully screamed.
"Get your icky feet away from me, Max." Annie said. I laughed, and Macy put the movie in.
"We’ll have all day tomorrow I promise, just you and me, watching movies," I said throwing my arms around her, hugging tightly.
"Okay," she agreed.
"But first, I need these belts off, now! There was a flurry of wrestling and mock struggling, and then I was free.