I Want to Stay Just the Way I Am

I don’t know if this is a good idea,” Tony said as Rudolph held the cape out to him.

“Why not?” shouted the vampire angrily. “Don’t want to share your bowling tips with me?”

“No. It’s because of George the Quick-Tempered. I have no idea what he’s like. I mean, to—ahem—people!”

The little vampire grinned. “Oh, he’s very hands-on!”

A shiver ran down Tony’s spine. But then he told himself that Rudolph was probably just trying to scare him.

“You know I don’t want to be a vampire,” he reminded his friend. “I don’t want to be bitten, either, not by you, not by Anna, and not by George the Quick-Tempered. I want to stay just the way I am!” he added.

“All right, all right,” said the vampire, laughing. “Did you really think I’d let George the Quick-Tempered get my best friend? Don’t worry! You can wait outside the bowling alley just in case I need any help.”

“Wait outside?” said Tony indignantly. “That’s asking a lot.”

The little vampire giggled. “Yes, you’ll need to be brave. But it’s all about true friendship! So now, will you put on the cape! Otherwise, the bowling evening will be over before we get there!”

Reluctantly, Tony slipped on the vampire cape, made a few tentative movements with his arms, and floated. He moved his arms a bit more and started flying.

He felt a tingling sensation in his stomach, and if it hadn’t been for the thought of Gregory and George the Quick-Tempered, he would have let out a loud cry of joy. But as it was, he gritted his teeth and flew after Rudolph with his heart pounding.

At first it seemed as though the little vampire was flying the same route Tony and his father had taken when they came to Misery Valley. But then he turned left at the bend in the road where it went to Long Suffering. They were now flying over a large, dark wooded area.

“Is it much farther?” asked Tony anxiously.

“Are you getting tired already?” the vampire replied, teasing.

“No!”

“That would have surprised me,” the vampire said. “You almost fly like a real vampire! You’re nearly part of the family,” he added. “I guess you came to our crypt because you finally want to see your mother-in-law—hee-hee!”

“Very funny!” growled Tony.

“Well, why else, then?” the vampire snapped, apparently annoyed that Tony didn’t laugh at his joke.

“Why?” Tony repeated, trying to buy time. He didn’t want to admit that he had been worried about Anna and Rudolph. “Because I wanted my books back!” he claimed.

“Your books?” the vampire said, puzzled. For a moment, Rudolph looked embarrassed. But then he snorted, saying, “You are the most self-centered person I have ever met! We vampires were forced to leave the cemetery to find a new home and a new—ahem—sphere of activity, and all you can think about is your books!”

Tony smiled to himself and said nothing. After they’d been flying silently side by side for a while, Tony said, “By the way, I saw a book.”

“So?” The vampire pretended to be indifferent.

“It was old and had a gold cover, and on the cover was written: ‘The Sackville-Bagg Family Chronicles.’ ”

“What?” the vampire yelled. “You found our family chronicles?”

“Yes. But I couldn’t read them. They’re written in cipher, aren’t they?”

“Cipher? No, it’s a script that only vampires can read!”

“Only vampires?”

“Yes! So you won’t be able to read it until you’ve become a vampire!”

“I don’t want to be able to read it!” replied Tony hastily.

“You don’t?” said the vampire in a curious voice. “Don’t you want to know how it all began, back in Transylvania?”

“Well—”

“You see! It’s all in our family chronicles!”

“You could read it to me,” Tony suggested. “Especially your story—that’s what interests me the most.”

“Really?” asked the vampire, flattered. “More than Anna’s?”

“Yes!”

“Very well,” the vampire said affably. “I’ll see what I can do.” And in his normal vampire voice, he added, “Get ready! We’re here!”