In the living room I found Layne standing in front of Cornelius, who lounged in my dad’s recliner. My son was swinging his trident around in the air, slaying invisible enemies. I stood next to the Christmas tree, watching and listening.
“Who would you rather battle?” Layne took another swing. “Hydra or a kraken?”
“A kraken,” Cornelius said without hesitation. “Hydra had poisonous breath and lethal blood.”
“And if you chopped off one head, two would grow back.” Layne pretended to jab his enemy.
“Hydra’s head regeneration is only in later versions of the story, of course.”
“Of course,” Layne parroted. “If you were walking alone at night in the middle of nowhere, would you rather come across a comozos in the Mexican jungle or a vampire in Transylvania?”
“Do you mean to say Camazotz, the creature that was periodically released from the Maya underworld to keep humans in line according to Maya mythology?”
“Yeah, that’s the one. The giant demon thing with the head and wings of a bat but the body of a man. I read that he took out a whole village.”
One of Cornelius’s dark eyebrows rose. “Did you know that some experts believe Camazotz was based on a real creature?”
The trident lowered. “No way!”
“Yes way. Fossils were found in the Maya jungle of a giant bat that might have led to the myth.”
Layne puffed out his chest. “I’d like to see a giant man-eating bat.”
No, he wouldn’t, but I kept my mouth shut. Layne was talking tough in front of Cornelius, trying to impress and bond with him. I’d seen Layne do the same thing with Cooper and Doc. My son was growing up, seeking out males as role models. I was lucky to have so many smart and strong examples to help teach Layne how to be a man worth his salt.
My eyes watered a bit as I watched Layne swing his trident again. I just prayed the lessons would help keep him alive when the monsters came.
Wait. That was negative. I thought of Camo-Claus’s words and forced a smile to my lips. Think positive thoughts.
Okay. I was glad for these lessons because they would help keep Layne alive if the monsters came.
There. That was better.
I looked up to find Cornelius focused on me, his blue eyes searching. I smiled wider, willing the positivity to blaze forth.
He flinched and turned back to my son. “Layne, did you know that in China, people honor the bat as a good symbol for happiness and long life, especially if you see five in a group. They call it a five-fold blessing.”
“Really?”
“Why five?” I asked, joining their conversation.
“The number five in Chinese traditions is considered very favorable to success. In this case, the five blessings were happiness, prosperity, longevity, luck, and wealth.”
“How do you know all of this stuff about China and the Maya?” Layne asked.
“Cornelius loves to read,” I explained.
“So do I.” Layne’s face lit up, his eyes big and round. He dropped onto the floor at Cornelius’s feet, resting his trident in his lap. “What else do you know about bats?”
“Let’s see.” Cornelius stroked his pointy goatee. “In the realm of magic, bats are thought of as good for communication. If you build a bat house on your property, you can go call upon the bats to help you communicate better with other humans. My grandmother down in Louisiana had more than twenty bat houses on her farm.”
“Wow!” Layne turned to me. “Can I build a bat house in Aunt Zoe’s backyard?”
I shrugged. “You need to ask her that, not me.”
Back to Cornelius, he said, “Did your grandma talk to the bats?”
“Wait,” I interrupted. “Have either of you seen Susan?”
Layne pointed toward the door leading to the basement. “She didn’t like us talking about slaying monsters on Christmas.”
“Monster slaying isn’t for everyone,” I said.
Cornelius gave me one of his odd, crooked smiles. “Some have no choice in the matter.”
That was a natural-born fact. I smiled back. “So, which one would you rather run into at night, Cornelius? Camazotz or Dracula?”
“Well, both are bloodsuckers, but I’d pick Dracula. He’s easier to kill.”
“How do you figure?” I asked.
“All I have to do is drag him out in the sun. According to legend, Camazotz is a far more dangerous foe.”
I nodded. “Man-eating bat demons are deadly. Got it.” With any luck, I’d not run into one any time soon.
I headed for the basement stairs. As I opened the basement door, I heard Layne ask, “Would you rather go out to dinner and a movie with a banshee or a siren?”
The familiar whistling music of one of my dad’s favorite spaghetti westerns lured me downstairs.
When I was growing up, the basement was a rec room for us kids, somewhere my parents would send us to play so they could watch television in peace and quiet. As soon as all three of the kids had moved out, my dad took the space over as his game room, moving in a big-screen television, a high-tech stereo and sound system, a foosball table, a dartboard, and a mini-bar.
Over the years, he’d had to share it periodically, like with me when I moved back home now and then in need of my parents’ help with raising my kids. Or like when Susan returned home months ago to regroup before flying back out into the world to suck the blood out of some other innocent soul.
Layne should have asked Cornelius if he’d rather face off with Susan in a dark alley or a giant man-eating bat.
I shook off my thoughts of Susan and her bloodsucking ilk and focused on Doc, who was waiting to take his turn at the dartboard. He’d showered while I was at the store with my mom, donning black jeans and a red flannel shirt for the holiday.
“Hey, good looking. Come here often?” I asked him as I crossed the rec room.
“Quiet, Parker,” Cooper said
