Stepping up onto the ladder, I about screamed as it swayed. This wasn't as stable as the one leading up to Elvira's bedroom by a long shot. And that one was already terrifying!725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMoOTiNFVuD
'You've got to do this, Samantha. For mom.' I took another deep breath to try and calm my pounding heart and nerves and started slowly making my way up the ladder, trying to ignore the instability and thoughts about what would happen if I were to fall.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEGn1AlUQ2
"Stupid high ceilings. Everyone else just uses stairs to get to their basement. But not Elvira. Oh, no. She's got to be fancy and have window doors on the ceilings accessible only by deadly fucking ladders."725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutPktcWGWz
I continued my trek up the ladder, trying my best to not glance down, only staring up at the window above me. I knew if I stopped even for a second or noticed how I was I'd freeze up in terror.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsjvCHjiQN
I reached top, finally, entirely out of breath and ready to give up then and there. Instead, though, I made myself reach up and undo the latch holding the window shut and pushed it open, breathing in the cool morning air from outside as it washed over my face. I gripped the edges of the window and pulled myself up into the grass of Elvira's ridiculously large grounds, looking around to try and locate the house.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyPgCSjHEV
Now that I was out came one of the hardest parts— transportation to Davis. I was willing to walk if need be, but I'd really rather not have had to do that. So, I was just hoping that Elvira had a garage or something where I could find a car I could use for the ride to the train station. And, as it turned out, she did. I thanked my lucky stars that everything was turning out so wonderfully as I jogged over to the garage. Though, I supposed, it wasn't really all that lucky. She was crazy rich, of course she'd have a garage. If I was that rich I'd spend at least half my money on cool vehicles.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2I3Rgn9Tf
The garage was, to my surprise, not nearly as elaborate as I'd been expecting. It simply contained Elvira's GTO, a motorcycle, and a more modern sedan. Off to the side was a cork board that had the keys to the vehicles hanging from nails.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81JO8zSAva
"Sweet," I said, grabbing the keys that belonged to the sedan. I jumped in the car and flipped it into neutral, knowing if I started the engine this close to the house, Elvira and her heightened vampire senses would certainly be able to hear it. So, I got behind the car and started push.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9MYSVvbS6
It wasn't too bad as most of the trail was downhill and I was quite used to pushing cars being that mine broke down an awful lot. Once I determined I was far enough away, I put the keys in the ignition and started it.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAHI8pcCWj
I felt nervous trying to be sneaky like this in the light of day, but I knew there was no reason to be. Vampires didn't see well in the light. Their eyesight was so sensitive the light of the sun was painful and everything looked washed out. It was as difficult for them to adjust and see in the day as it was for us to see at night. Still, it was nerve-wracking.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6b2EaglmD6
I was on edge the entire drive to Davis. Every little thing that I saw out of the corner of my eye made me jump. I was a mess. But, finally, after fifteen minutes of driving like that, I arrived in the small town and made my way to the train station.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8t9tGD98e
In the day the stations were manned by humans allowing them to stay open 24/7, something I'd never been as thankful for as I was right now.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvhCDE7Un9
"Uh, hi, I need a ticket to Arlington please? At the soonest time available."725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqp7gOkrGx0
"Yes, ma'am," the girl behind the counter told me with a smile. She looked to be a high school student probably near the end of her shift. She hit a few buttons on the computer and looked back up at me. "Our next train to Arlington leaves in thirty minutes, is that alright?"725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaTr1QGL3N
I sighed, but nodded and handed over the money anyways. I didn't want to wait thirty minutes.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdvxPVl6mG
Pulling out my phone, I called Rachele and waited impatiently for her to answer.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4ArZjgwvf
"Hello?"725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdXCxtIFwp
"Hey, Rache."725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaa8Ua2D8SS
"Hey Sam. What's going on?"725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnahXupAExW
"I'm at the train-station in Davis. I'll be arriving in the city in about an hour and a half. Do you think you could take mom to the station to meet me? And maybe get return tickets to Davis for mom and I? I'll pay you back as soon as I get there, I just don't want to be hanging around for any longer than I have to be."725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZ9gcxk4kE
"Sure, I can do that," Rachele answered, before yawning. I felt bad for asking so much of her, but it was the most efficient way to get mother here and that was my main priority.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNfsdEi6fS
"I owe you one, girl."725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGjfXH7dP7
"Just one? By my count you owe me more than can be counted."725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbAqcwfYWu
I laughed. "Yeah, well, whatever. You're probably right."725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNkWOUu95vy
:: ::725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93NOPswVHb
:: ::725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNwVlyZO6n
I hated everything about trains. The way they smelled, having to wait for one to arrive before you could go anywhere, being forced to sit next to people you didn't know... they were awful. But, they moved fast and I didn't have to know any directions to use one.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcEpw1jyo3
The entire hour of sitting on the train waiting to arrive back home was one of the most awful experiences I've ever had.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VT2dZGuPu
My anxiety, which was already through the roof skyrocketed once I was on the train. I couldn't pace like I wanted to and soon mother would be here with me and I'd have to hide my nerves. My stomach was in knots so tight I actually had to excuse myself to the restroom at the back of the train a few times to throw up. It sucked ass.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHQGPR4ZPq
But, finally, after an hour of that hell we rolled into the station in the human sector of Arlington. I rushed off as quickly as I could and saw Rachele sitting on a bench with mom. Mother appeared to be exhausted. Her gray head rested on Rachele's shoulder and I could see her eyes struggling to stay open. Rachele looked just as exhausted, though. Her blonde ponytail was in disarray, with pieces sticking up in every direction. She had on no makeup, her clothes were filthy, and she had massive bags under her eyes. I couldn't help but feel awful for leaving her alone with all this responsibility and exhausting her this badly for as long as she did. Any qualms I had about sneaking out vanished the second I saw the state she was. I didn't care about Elvira's rules— my friend and my mother were far more important than myself and if helping them ended up getting me kicked out I didn't particularly care anymore.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7uXqxgPrM
"Hi," I greeted with a wave as I approached them.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldopyOd7nv
"Sammy," Rachele said, grinning in pure relief. Her eyes went wide as she looked at me. "You look... fantastic. I love your jeans. I don't think I've seen you wear those before."725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDTsLUr8nd
"Yeah, they're new," I told her, feeling incredibly awkward in my nice, new clothes.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGX02uYS374
"Well, they look good." Rachele smiled at me.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEQ1OLzjzm
"Um, so, I guess I'll just take mom and get going." I shook her shoulder, rousing her from the half-sleep she'd been in. "Come on, mom, it's Sammy. It's time go."725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1dQVNzWis
"Wanna sleep," Mom whined, closing her eyes tight.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpp5qAtHtJn
"You can sleep on the train. Come on now." I grabbed the train tickets from Rache and pulled out my wallet to get the money to pay her back with.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJu7Bntpb4p
"No, no, it's fine, Sammy," Rachele said, shaking her head. "You don't need to pay me back. You need the money more than I do."725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ci1Q296jK
"Thanks." I put away my wallet and grinned at Rachele. "Well, uh, this is good-bye I guess."725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYckiQdjIl
Rachele reached forward and hugged me tightly, knocking the wind out of me. Once I realized what was happening, I reached around and hugged her back, before leaning back away from the hug when I heard the conductor calling out to board.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTp1dFqMo1A
"See you when you get back," Rache said.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYo2iuaWwn
"Yeah. When I get back."
:: ::725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQPdM2g5sv
:: ::
Mom slept the entire way back to Elvira's, only waking up long enough to get off the train and walk to the car.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSqhCGyuSz
Once we were arrived back at Elvira's, I idled the car on the path leading up to Elvira's and woke mom up.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Mu0DGhmMU
"We there Sammy?"725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWAMdiZl1G
"Kind of mom," I told her. "It's a little bit complicated what's happening, so I need you to pay attention, okay?"725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuzChixi7pW
"Okay."725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xLhVBZkMd
"We have to be sneaky. We're staying with a woman named Elvira. Well, actually she's a vampire. She runs a safe haven for humans that are in danger and can't get help from the law."725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0TzMHcEFcB
"Why do we have to be sneaky then?"725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLVFZ32QIl
"I wasn't supposed to bring you here. She has to approve everyone that comes in and out, but I wasn't about to wait leave you with Rachele any longer than I absolutely had to. So, I broke some rules by leaving and now we have to sneak our way back in."725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qQSFy2vAX
Mom's brow furrowed and she looked troubled. "I don't want to break any rules...."725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7rICuKlga
"Shh, it's okay. Trust me, alright?"725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYH9gw71Mr5
Mom nodded and I smiled at her.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTVR6aOzha
"Okay, so, I need to push the car the rest of the way in so she doesn't hear. You steer."725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLyG7srQgA3
I got out of the car and Mom slid over to the driver's seat. We'd done this many times in my car and it was a whole lot easier to push a car when I had someone to steer for me. Once I was in position mom threw the thing into neutral and I got to pushing.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AXJWkAKIF
It was way more difficult this time, going uphill, and by the time I got it back into the garage I was covered in sweat and felt ready to collapse. I plopped myself down on the ground and rested my head on my knees the second I could and breathed heavily for a moment, not feeling like I could move at all anymore.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ036grcaI0p
"Okay," I whispered, once I'd caught my breath. "Let's, uh, get a move on I guess. Remember, we have to stay quiet." I held a finger up to my lips and stood back up.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB62isMuwNo
I walked around the back of Elvira's massive mansion, looking for a window on the ground floor that was far from Elvira's room. Once I found one that looked good, I approached it, praying it was unlocked and started trying to lift it from the outside. And, to my immense joy, it did.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjQmlI4S8zb
"Oh thank god," I said under my breath, lifting the window all the way up and pulling myself inside the house. "Come on, mom. I'll help you in."725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNthPU8S8W3
I reached out of the window and grabbed mom's wrists, helping take some of her weight and get herself in. After a few moments, we were in.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SsrjcoDor
"The doors this way, in the basement," I said as quietly as I could, taking mom's hand in mine and making my way to the stairs that led to the basement as silently as possible. My nerves were on fire as I realized we were at the riskiest part of the whole operation. One misstep here and we'd be caught. But, thankfully, things went smoothly all the way down into the basement. I moved aside the rug covering the trap door and went to open it when I remembered where Elvira kept the key... around her neck.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzO4V4j7PP9
Fuck.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDZ7qP6aCW
I ran my hands through my hair and felt ready to vomit again from nerves. Tears pricked my eyes as panic started to set in and I barely kept myself from hyperventilating.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5G8Om40bl
'Get it together, Samantha!' I scolded myself. 'You know what you have to do, so stop crying about it and just do it.'725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVW8MumcHh5
I took a deep breath to calm myself and looked at mother. "Stay here. I'll be right back."725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpikZ9ymMd
Removing my shoes so as to be more quiet as I got dangerously close Elvira's room, I left the basement and made the short trek to Elvira's room. I had no idea if she could hear my tiptoeing or my pounding heart, but with every creak the house made I struggled to keep myself together. I kept expecting it to be her, catching me doing one of the only things I'd been explicitly told not to do.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrNM1jg3oT
Elvira's door was open when I approached it and I saw her sleeping soundly on her back. I pushed the door open a bit more, enough to step inside and saw what I was looking for. The necklace with the key hanging around Elvira's neck just as I thought it would be. She was covered by a thin sheet from her bust down to her feet, revealing her bare shoulders and sternum. I shook the inappropriate thoughts of what else was bare under the sheet away from my mind and approached the bed.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIQuFiFBgvl
The key was attached to the necklace with a hook. 'Here goes nothing.' I reached out, my hand shaking like a leaf, and went to undo the hook.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLDBQlmVu7d
Elvira's eyes snapped open quick as lightening and just as quickly, her hand snapped up and grabbed onto my wrist with a tight, painful grasp. She pulled me forward, angry red eyes glaring at me, as she bared her teeth.725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡytdNZzAoRA
'Well, fuck.'725Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvD7wWeyXuM
