Rudolph the Poet

You’re not going to read any more?” asked Tony, dismayed, casting a worried glance at his left hand. His palm burned badly, but it wasn’t red.

“No,” the vampire replied curtly, and began to blow out the candles.

“And your story?” cried Tony. “You promised to read it to me today!”

“Oh, did I?” the vampire replied with a vain, smug smile. He was clearly flattered by Tony’s curiosity.

“Yes! And you haven’t told me anything about the chronicles yet—for example, what ‘vampire year five hundred and nine’ means!”

The little vampire grinned. “What you hope to get today is much more pleasing on the morrow!” he announced in a very mysterious tone.

Then he blew out the last candle. All of a sudden, the chapel was plunged into darkness.

“Come on, hurry up!” the vampire hissed, and Tony heard him go to the door.

Tony cautiously groped his way out behind his friend, and was very happy when he made it outside without falling.

The little vampire was waiting in front of the chapel, swaying impatiently from one foot to the other. “You can find your way back on your own, can’t you?” he asked.

“Yes,” Tony replied, surprised by the vampire’s sudden politeness.

“All right, then,” said Rudolph, and turned to leave.

“W-wait!” said Tony.

“What is it?” growled the vampire.

“I…” Tony cleared his throat. “Will I see you tomorrow?”

“Your curiosity is getting the better of you, isn’t it?” the vampire giggled. “All right! Come to the chapel tomorrow night. I’ll be there!” With these words he turned and hurried toward the main house of the ruin.

Tony waited until Rudolph had disappeared into the dark doorway. Then he made his way back to the campsite. Feeling a bit nervous, he made sure he was hidden by the trees as he walked.

But Tony didn’t hear or see anything suspicious, and he reached the Wolf’s Den without incident. He stood still for a while and listened for sounds from the cave. All was quiet. He carefully pushed the backpacks aside and crept into the darkness.

Now he could hear his father’s steady, even breathing. He turned on his flashlight and saw that his father was sleeping peacefully. Relieved, Tony blocked the cave exit, climbed into his sleeping bag, and turned off the flashlight.

But this time he didn’t fall asleep right away. The evening had been too exciting. As if it were a movie, he saw Anna so clearly in front of him… how she had been so angry with him at first, but then how they had reconciled… and Rudolph, how he had sat at the ancient wooden desk and read aloud from the family chronicles… and then the oath…

Tony repeated it quietly to himself. “I hereby swear upon this book, to be silent until the grim reaper’s hook. And if this vow be one I broke, it’s Dracula’s wrath I do provoke.”

Actually, it didn’t sound like a real ancient vampire oath, Tony thought. It was more like one of Rudolph’s poems. Or was it actually real? Once he had said the oath again, it did seem to him that the burning in his hand was subsiding.

Yes! The burning sensation was gone, and his left hand felt normal again.

Tony sighed deeply and drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the adventures that might await him tomorrow.